Enhancing and Evolving INFRAFRONTIER Disease Modelling Capacity to Enable Breakthrough Research

Project Information

INFRAPLUS

Grant agreement ID: 101131669

DOI

10.3030/101131669

EC signature date 20 June 2024

Start date 1 June 2024

End date 31 May 2027

Funded under

• Research infrastructures

Total cost

€ 4 999 863,75

EU contribution

€ 3 999 891,00

Coordinated by

INFRAFRONTIER ERIC
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - INFRAPLUS (Enhancing and Evolving INFRAFRONTIER Disease Modelling Capacity to Enable Breakthrough Research)

Reporting period: 2024-06-01 to 2025-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

INFRAPLUS aims at bringing INFRAFRONTIER resources and services even closer to human application by enhancing INFRAFRONTIER's capacity for human disease modelling and reacting to global biomedical challenges. This proposal focuses on 1) enhancing rodent models for human disease modelling to address complex biomedical investigations; 2) developing complementary in vitro disease models to provide validated alternatives to animal models; 3) providing an innovative portfolio of high-quality disease-oriented screening services with a defined business model specifically targeting preclinical research; and 4) strengthening data-centric activities like enrichment of genetic and phenotypic datasets from mouse models to make them compliant with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) standards and translatable, and the provision of novel machine learning-based analytical services. A strong focus on reducing and refining animal research and reducing the environmental impact of INFRAFRONTIER activities is also included in the proposed activities.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The Specific Objectives (SO), the corresponding activities and main achievements are listed below:

SO.1: Advancing INFRAFRONTIER's capacity for modelling human diseases (WP1-4).
Progress towards SO.1 in RP1: In WP1-4, the objective of advancing INFRAFRONTIER’s disease modelling capacity is being realised by assessing and cataloguing gene editing technologies (Task 1.1 and Task 1.2) providing access to pilot services via Open Calls (Task 1.3 Task 1.4 and Task 2.4) developing state-of-the-art in vitro models for service provision (Task 2.1 Task 2.2 and Task 2.3) compiling a disease-oriented screening portfolio (task 3.1) consolidation of SOPs for preclinical evaluation (Task 3.2) evaluating specialised preclinical platforms for service provision (Task 3.3) and developing Machine Learning (ML)-based data analysis tools for service provision (Task 4.3).

SO.2: Developing national node capacities and expertise for providing innovative in vivo, in vitro, preclinical and data analysis services. (WP5)
Progress towards SO.2 in RP1: To achieve this objective WP5 assessed the technical needs of the INFRAPLUS partners. The results of this survey are currently being utilised to match interested personnel with ongoing training courses offered by the project partners or to design novel training courses and webinars especially on in vitro technologies.

SO.3: Augmenting novel model systems and services with the requirements and demands of existing and novel user communities. (WP1-4, WP7)
Progress towards SO.3 in RP1: suggestions for improvement and refinement of the pilot services was collected from the userbase using a specialised survey. The information gathered will be used in creating a final service provision plan.

SO.4: Refining the INFRAFRONTIER service portfolio by focusing on reducing animal usage, refining new technologies, emphasising alternative cellular models, reducing environmental impact and optimisation of resources. (WP6)
Progress towards SO.4 in RP1: WP6 moved forward this objective by gathering information on animal welfare and 3R principle on all INFRAPLUS activities and initiating the process of creating environmental sustainability guidelines by complementing the needs of new animal facilities that are under construction. In addition, the Ethics Advisory Board were present at the INFRAFRONTIER Conference 2025 and attended the internal WP Leads Calls to discuss the ethical aspects of the project.

SO.5 Raising awareness of INFRAFRONTIER’s cutting-edge services for modelling human diseases (WP7)
Progress towards SO.5 in RP1: WP7 has pushed this continuous objective throughout RP1 via various means detailed in 1.2.7 below. A specific achievement has been the successful organisation of the ‘INFRAFRONTIER Conference 2025: Human Disease Modelling in Rare Diseases’.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The following are the key results achieved in RP1:
R1. INFRAPLUS Pilot Services (WP1, WP2): The three pilot services will evolve INFRAFRONTIER’s disease modelling capacity and fill in access provision gaps in the biomedical community.
Impact: Increased long-term sustainability and enabling breakthrough research and innovation.

R6. Expanded model data curation capability (WP4): Ongoing implementation of in-depth data curation and annotation workflows for new disease models.
Impact: Enabling breakthrough research and innovation and reinforcing ERA's competitiveness.

R9. Training programmes (WP5): Trainings delivered based on the needs of the RI staff with the aim of increasing service provision capacity.
Impact: Reinforcing ERA's competitiveness and optimising the ERI landscape and lead to better structuring and strengthening of INFRAFRONTIER national nodes.