Objective
The phage-host arms race has been the ultimate breeding groThe phage-host arms race has been the ultimate breeding ground for ingenious evolutionary innovations in immunity and immune evasion such as CRISPR-Cas. Over 150 highly diverse phage defense systems have now been catalogued, yet fundamental mechanistic insights into how many of these innovations work at the molecular level - especially the sensing of infection - has remained a mystery. This knowledge gap constrains the use of these defense elements for further transformative applications in science and medicine, and limits fundamental insights into the relation between prokaryotic and eukaryotic innate immunity. In the timely project REDQUEEN, I ask the key question how bacteria sense phage invasion at different stages of infection, how they activate an antiviral response and what molecular innovations phage have evolved to counter infection sensing. I aim to capitalize on breakthrough discoveries and hypotheses from my group including DNA-sensing CRISPR-controlled transcriptional regulators, RNA-sensing multidomain nucleases, and phage-encoded broad inhibitors of defense involved in counter-sensing. Furthermore, I set out to create de novo designed proteins using artificial intelligence that can inhibit sensing and action of phage defense systems to create engineered phages able to overcome host defense. I will pursue my objectives through an integrated, interdisciplinary strategy that unites cutting-edge molecular microbiology, sequence and structure-based genomics with single-molecule biophysics and AI-driven protein design. This approach promises to uncover fundamentally new insights into the mechanisms of sensing and activation of viral immunity, while mining a rich genetic blackbox at the virus–host interface. By elucidating these processes, our work will inform strategies to modulate viral resistance and lay the groundwork for novel bacteriophage-based therapies against antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
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 computer and information sciences artificial intelligence
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology virology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences biophysics
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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-ADG
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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.
2628 CN Delft
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.