Project description
Viral survivors: the architects of lung recovery
Severe influenza infections cause lasting lung damage and pose a major global health threat. While the immune system usually clears infected cells, some vital lung progenitor cells – the building blocks of repair – survive the virus. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the RIPAIR project will investigate how these ‘survivor cells’ contribute to lung regeneration. Using cutting-edge mouse models, human lung organoids and RNA sequencing, RIPAIR will map these cells to determine how they drive tissue recovery. The project will also provide advanced training for researchers and foster international collaboration. Ultimately, the project aims to identify new targets to support lung recovery, helping prevent long-term respiratory failure that occurs when natural repair processes fail.
Objective
Lower respiratory tract infections caused by influenza viruses remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide and predispose individuals to secondary respiratory disease. Type I interferon (IFN) protects against severe disease by blocking or restricting viral replication before the immune system clears those infected cells. However, a new concept has emerged from studies done in mice, suggesting that a significant proportion of lung progenitor cells survive influenza A virus (IAV) infection in an IFN-dependent manner without clearance. The RIPAIR project will investigate the relevance and function of these IAV-survivor cells in lung repair, by studying if (i) a specific innate immune response in progenitor cells mediates their preferential resistance to IAV, (ii) these surviving progenitor cells enhance the lung's ability to regenerate, and (iii) these survivor progenitor cells are also present in human lung tissue after IAV infection, where they contribute to tissue repair. Understanding these mechanisms is critical as failing repair might negatively impact cell survival (“RIP air”).
This project combines the expertise of an aspiring young researcher trained in viral immunopathogenesis with that of an experienced host specialized in IAV biology and long-term RNA virus consequences. Using state-of-the-art mouse and human lung organoid systems, genetically engineered in vivo models, and unbiased RNA sequencing, RIPAIR will visualize and functionally characterize survivor progenitor cells to uncover if and how they contribute to tissue recovery, both in an animal and human model. In the long term, this basic research project may inspire new directions for identifying targets that support lung recovery after IAV infection. Simultaneously, RIPAIR will provide advanced training in cutting-edge methodologies, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and strengthen the fellow’s career development within an international and stimulating research environment.
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.
- social sciences sociology demography mortality
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology virology
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology lung cancer
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases viral diseases RNA viruses influenza
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
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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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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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.
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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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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79106 Freiburg
Germany
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