Project description
The secrets of extreme aquatic life
Extreme aquatic environments, such as the acidic Rio Tinto in Spain and the cold waters of Antarctica, are home to unique and mostly unexplored organisms. These environments hold the potential for discovering new biomolecules that could be useful in various industries. However, challenges like difficult access, harsh conditions and ineffective sampling methods make it hard to study these areas. The EU-funded EXPLORA project will develop sustainable methods for studying extreme ecosystems. Specifically, the project seeks to isolate microorganisms that produce valuable substances, including antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds, as well as enzymes that can help recycle plastics. EXPLORA will also focus on understanding the legal frameworks that govern the exploration of these unique habitats.
Objective
Extreme aquatic environments account with a vast and yet largely unexplored biodiversity that holds immense potential for novel active biomolecules with multiple industrial applications. However, the harsh and challenging conditions such as accessibility, environmental hazards, ineffective or inaccurate sampling techniques, and poor bioprospecting pose significant obstacles to their exploration and sampling. Overcoming these challenges is crucial for unlocking the potential of extremophiles to benefit society.
The EXPLORA project will depart from two extreme aquatic ecosystems selected such as the acidic Rio Tinto in Spain and the psychrophilic Antarctic Region. By developing innovative, accurate, and sustainable tailor-made sampling methods, employing cutting-edge bioprospecting techniques, and utilising state-of-the-art analytical tools for isolation of bioactive substances, in the EXPLORA project it is expected to find and isolate microorganisms which produce novel antimicrobial and antioxidants compounds, sialylated extracellular polymeric substances and, plastic-degrading acidophilic enzymes which applicability will be validated for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, nutraceutical, and for PET recycling purposes, respectively. Additionally, deeper understanding on the legal frameworks in the planned contexts such as the Nagoya Protocol and Antarctic Treaty Legal Requirements is also envisaged.
By achieving these objectives, EXPLORA will contribute to the sustainable exploration of biodiversity hotspot regions, advancing the development of next-generation sampling methods, expanding bioprospecting from the screening for new chemicals into biological function, and contributing to the understanding of potential trade-offs inherent in the exploitation of ocean and other aquatic biodiversity.
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.
- engineering and technology environmental engineering waste management waste treatment processes recycling
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences hydrology limnology
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.2.6 - Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
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-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
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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) HORIZON-CL6-2024-CIRCBIO-01
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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.
46980 Paterna
Spain
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
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.