Project description
On-chip model of infant gut, microbiome and immune cells
The gut microbiome affects multiple organ systems and plays a role in diseases and conditions from metabolic disorders to cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s. The mechanisms of healthy host-microbiome symbiosis during the first 1 000 days of life – essential to lifelong health – are poorly understood. The ERC-funded NeoGutChip project aims to change that by developing the first-ever in vitro human infant gut-microbiome-immune-on-a-chip model (iGuMI) that mimics the infant gut environment. The iGuMI will enable detailed investigation of gut microbiome, mucosal barrier, and immune cell interactions. Together with identification of the underlying genes, NeoGutChip will shed light on bacteria-specific immune modulation in early life and point to interventions to promote immune function in babies.
Objective
Developing a healthy host-microbiome symbiosis during the first 1000 days of human life is critical for lifelong health. Despite its importance, our understanding is limited and derives from animal studies or associative human trials. Therefore, there is a pressing need for an infant gut model to capture dynamic microbiome-epithelium-immune interactions in early life. In NeoGutChip I will develop and validate a first-of-its-kind in vitro human Infant Gut-Microbiome-Immune-on-a-chip model (iGuMI) that will faithfully simulate the complex anaerobic environment of the infant gut, which current models cannot achieve. I will capitalize on my cutting-edge GuMI and microbiome engineering experience, to ensure that iGuMI is microbiota- and immune-competent. I will use iGuMI to determine the impact of dietary and microbial factors (especially early bacterial colonizers) on the development and maturation of infant gut microbiota, the mucosal barrier, and immune cells, and unravel the keystone bacterial species and key genes driving these effects. I will realize these objectives through autologous coculture of infant colonic organoids derived epithelium and naïve immune cells in iGuMI. Using bacterial colonization and long-term coculture in iGuMI, I will identify a set of infant gut species driving the immune maturation, and key bacterial genes through RNA sequencing, metabolomics, and loss-of-function assays. Finally, I will investigate mechanism-guided intervention of the microbiota-immune axis in iGuMI to promote anti-inflammatory T cells and mucosal barrier function in infant gut. The successful completion of NeoGutChip will decode the strain-by-strain view of immune modulation by infant gut microbiota in early life and offer a molecular basis to rationally “design” new interventions that directionally promote immune health in babies. Finally, iGuMI can be further developed into a preclinical tool, representing a breakthrough for pediatric biology and medicine.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- natural sciences biological sciences biological behavioural sciences ethology biological interactions
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- engineering and technology other engineering and technologies microtechnology
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)
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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 - HORIZON ERC 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-2025-STG
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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.
1012WX Amsterdam
Netherlands
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.