Objective
Sexual dimorphism is a fundamental aspect of biology. Nearly all diseases show sex differences, yet sex is usually treated as a variable to stratify by, rather than as a key question to explore. In immunology, females mount stronger T cell responses and show higher rates of autoimmunity, while males are more vulnerable to infections and weaker vaccine responders. These differences are often attributed to local hormonal effects, but whether they also reflect central developmental programming remains unknown. Hormonal manipulation, such as HRT or GAHT, are widely used in Europe but their effects on the immune system remain unknown.
PRISM proposes that the thymus, an androgen-sensitive and sexually dimorphic organ, acts as a hub where androgens imprint long-lasting immune sexual features that shape peripheral T cell responses, particularly in barrier tissues such as the skin. Preliminary evidence supports this model: androgens are enriched in the thymus, human thymocytes express the androgen receptor, and transgender men undergoing testosterone therapy show reduced thymic output of naïve T cells.
PRISM will address three questions: 1) How do androgens influence the physiology of sex-biased thymic function? 2) Which thymic programs translate androgenic signals into dimorphic T cell development? 3) What is the impact of androgenic treatments on central and peripheral immunity? To answer these, I will combine in vivo hormonal manipulation in mice, conditional genetics, infection models with antigen-specific T cells, and single-cell/spatial transcriptomics.
If successful, PRISM will deliver the first mechanistic framework linking endocrine cues, thymic programs, and barrier immunity, and will define the plasticity of immune sexual dimorphism. At a broader level, PRISM aligns with the EU’s Roadmap for Women’s Rights and the 2026-30 Gender Equality Strategy, positioning Europe at the forefront of gender-informed immunology, with direct biomedical and societal relevance.
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.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs vaccines
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
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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)
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-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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-2025-PF
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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.
75724 Paris
France
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.