Objective
One-fourth of the global population is currently infected with helminths, which modulate host immunity against not only their own antigens but also non-cognate antigens, including vaccines. While antigen-specific antibodies and memory B cells are essential for protection against infectious diseases, how the B cell response quality is influenced by helminths remains largely unknown. With my core expertise in studying responses to parasites at the level of single B cells and monoclonal antibodies, I aim to delineate the onset and quality of B cell responses formed during immunoregulatory helminth infections, impacting the development of effective vaccines.
The B cell response quality relies on recruiting antigen-specific naïve cells and selecting high-affinity B cells to form antibody-secreting cells and memory B cells. However, how these well-established mechanisms are impaired during B cell immunity modulated by helminths remains unknown. Therefore, the goal of this ERC proposal is to elucidate the molecular principles governing the formation and selection of antigen-specific B cells during helminth-induced immunoregulation and to identify strategies to mitigate modulation.
To achieve this, I will investigate the origin and development of de novo helminth antigen-specific B cell responses in the unique controlled helminth infections in naïve individuals and vaccine-specific B cell responses in residents of helminth-endemic areas. Access to clinical samples, advanced human tonsil organoids and transgenic mouse models, combined with my state-of-the-art expertise in studying antigen-specific B cells, uniquely positions me to uncover paradigm-shifting molecular principles that guide B cell responses during helminth infections. Ultimately, I aim to provide the first proof of concept to mitigate modulatory effects and rescue B cell response quality, paving the way to address global health challenges by inducing protective vaccine response in helminth-infected individuals.
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.
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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.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.
2333 ZA Leiden
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.