Objective
Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that infect and kill bacteria, playing a crucial role in shaping microbial communities. They are also emerging as precision tools for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, targeted biocontrol, and microbiome modulation.
As obligate parasites, phages rely on the physiological state of their bacterial hosts to progress through infection stages. However, the mechanisms by which host physiology affects the success of phage infection within cells and how host variability impacts phage effectiveness in eradicating bacterial populations remain poorly understood. This knowledge gap limits our ability to predict phage performance across environments and engineer them for reliable use.
Progress has been hindered by the lack of tools to link host cell physiology to phage infection dynamics and to connect single-cell variability to population-level outcomes. To address this, we have developed innovative methodologies, including a high-throughput imaging system for real-time tracking of phage infection progression within individual infected cells and the microCOSM platform, which integrates single-cell responses with population-level dynamics. Using these systems, combined with data-driven models and model-guided experiments, we will address three key questions:
How do host physiological factors, such as metabolism and stress responses, govern phage infection success and progression at the single-cell level?
How does variability in host cell physiology shape phage efficacy at the population level, and when do phage-tolerant subpopulations emerge?
How do changes in the physical and biochemical nature of the host’s environment affect phage efficacy and how can we leverage physiological perturbations to steer infection outcome?
This study will uncover the physiological determinants of phage efficacy and phage tolerance, enabling the design of phages as precise, reliable tools for combating antibiotic resistance and modulating microbiomes.
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
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology virology
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology microbiomes
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug resistance antibiotic resistance
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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)
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 - 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-COG
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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.
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
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.