Project description
Nanobodies against crop viruses
Crop harvests worldwide are under threat. The cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) affects a wide range of crops, and it is difficult to prevent its spread. Current solutions depend heavily on chemical treatments. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the GuardAgents project is creating next-generation biopesticides based on nanobodies, which are tiny but effective antibodies that can strengthen plant immunity and reduce pesticide use. Setting out to protect diverse crops from CMV, the project will use advanced methods to test nanobodies directly in plants. It will evaluate effectiveness against viruses and ensure safety through toxicity and environmental assessments. The project seeks to establish synergies between academia and the private sector to provide eco-friendly tools for long-term crop protection and sustainable agriculture.
Objective
The use of pesticides on crops presents a significant risk of consumer exposure to harmful chemical residues, underscoring the need to explore safer alternatives for both humans and plants. GuardAgents will address this challenge by developing new biopesticides that target the Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), a major threat to crops around the world. GuardAgents will develop a new generation of efficient, cost-effective small antibodies, so-called nanobodies to enhance plant immunity, reduce pesticide dependency and contribute significantly toward sustainable agriculture. GuardAgents will also advance technological innovation in plant protection, minimize ecological impact, and foster long-term agricultural sustainability. A multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art approach will be employed producing recombinant nanobodies through in vitro and in vivo approaches involving E. coli and plants, followed by biophysical characterization using advanced analytical techniques. Molecular farming techniques will be applied to produce nanobodies in plants, followed by functional comparisons to in vitro-produced nanobodies. The antiviral efficacy of the developed nanobodies will be tested in plants through transient expression and transformation. Additionally, toxicity studies will be performed involving plant cell cultures, invertebrate and vertebrate animals, while environmental impact assessments will be conducted to ensure biosafety. This research seeks to optimize nanobody-based strategies for sustainable viral disease control in crops.
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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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-TMA-MSCA-SE - HORIZON TMA MSCA Staff Exchanges
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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-MSCA-2024-SE-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.
262 23 PATRAS
Greece
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.