Objective
The problem: Much effort has been directed to identifying disease risk factors and indeed, numerous genetic, lifestyle, anthropometric and clinical risk factors are routinely used for this task. However, the clinical utility of existing risk factors is limited and most of them appear when physiological derangements have already occurred. The gut microbiome plays a role in human physiology and health and as such, combining it with existing risk factors can lead to earlier and more robust disease detection. However, very few microbiome-based markers predictive of disease onset and progression were found to date and none are currently used by healthcare systems.
The solution: In the ERC-funded project, we used our unique multi-omics and longitudinally profiled 10,000-person cohort and biobank to develop methods for metagenome-wide association studies. We found microbial genetic variation at the single nucleotide level and single bacterial genes level whose baseline levels were predictive of future disease onset. In this ERC-PoC, we propose to prioritize the bacteria found in the ERC-funded project (WP1) and use them within machine learning disease diagnostic models (WP2) that we will then license to diagnostic companies. We further propose to build a microbial biobank of the ERC-identified strains by isolating them from cohort participants, functionally characterizing them with metabolomics and combining them into bacterial consortiums (WP3). As these strains have therapeutic potential, we will license them to probiotic or pharmaceutical companies (WP4). Notably, we already validated this approach in two licensing agreements, one with a Japanese-based company who licensed bacteria that we found for treating Atopic Dermatitis, and another with a U.S. based probiotics company who licensed bacteria that we found for weight loss. If successful, our ERC-PoC may thus result in novel microbiome-based diagnostic and therapeutic products for various disease indications.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2023-POC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
7610001 Rehovot
Israel
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.