Project description
Mapping the hormone sensitivity spectrum in women
Hormonal sensitivity conditions, such as premenstrual syndrome, hormonal treatment side effects and menopause symptoms affect billions of women worldwide. These conditions reflect how differently individuals respond to natural fluctuations in oestrogen and progesterone. The ERC-funded UNDERwHER project aims to redefine the concept of the hormone sensitivity spectrum (HSS) by combining genetic data, health records and self-reported symptoms data from the Estonian Biobank. The goal is to identify distinct patterns of hormone sensitivity, uncover the genetic determinants and biological pathways behind them, and explore links to long-term health outcomes. The findings aim to advance our understanding of women’s hormonal health and enable more personalised and effective hormonal treatments.
Objective
Hormonal sensitivity conditions such as premenstrual syndrome, hormonal medication side effects, and (peri)menopausal symptoms affect billions of women but remain poorly understood. These conditions share a common factor: fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone levels that interact with endocrine, neurological, and metabolic systems, creating a continuum of individual hormone sensitivity. UNDERwHER aims to redefine the hormone sensitivity spectrum (HSS) by addressing its biological underpinnings and health impact.
UNDERwHER builds on the applicant's recent work on 42 female reproductive health phenotypes, which demonstrated the value of genetics in understanding women’s health. By leveraging the data and opportunities in Estonian Biobank (N=140K women), we will combine self-reported HSS phenotypes with longitudinal healthcare data and app-based menstrual tracking. This unparalleled dataset will be used to characterize HSS static and dynamic subtypes through advanced clustering and modeling. Genome-wide association studies and functional genomic tools will identify genetic variants and biological pathways underlying HSS, revealing shared genetic links with other health domains. To evaluate the wider health impact, we will map the associations between HSS and long-term health outcomes, and by integrating genetic risk with observational data we will inform personalized hormonal medication recommendations. Finally, genetics-informed cellular models will uncover the transcriptomic effects of hormonal fluctuations, providing mechanistic insights.
This research will help to i) provide a new concept on female hormonal health, ii) map the biological pathways linked to HSS to provide input for drug discovery, iii) propose evidence-based approaches for genetics-informed hormonal drug prescription, and iv) facilitate research on this topic by creating unique data resources and cellular models, with the ultimate goal of improving women's health and wellbeing.
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.
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
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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.
51005 Tartu
Estonia
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