Objective
Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is an urgent but underrecognized health challenge in Central Africa, where diagnostic capacity is limited and renal replacement therapy is rare. While established drivers such as HIV, hypertension, and diabetes are acknowledged, the contribution of neglected tropical diseases remains unexplored. Loiasis, caused by the filarial parasite Loa loa and endemic in forested rural zones where >30% of adults are infected, has long been considered benign. Yet decades of case reports suggest renal complications, from proteinuria to renal failure. Preliminary findings from the ERC-funded MORLO cohort indicate that up to 15% of CKD in endemic populations may be attributable to loiasis, with a clear dose-response relationship between L. loa microfilarial density and kidney dysfunction. The LOKI project proposes the first systematic proof of concept to establish causality between loiasis and CKD. By integrating renal biopsies, histopathological characterization, biomarker analyses, and epidemiological associations, LOKI will move beyond correlation to provide mechanistic evidence. This translational framework bridges clinical observation, pathology, and population-level epidemiology, fulfilling the Bradford Hill biological plausibility criterion. If successful, it will demonstrate that parasitic infection is a neglected determinant of CKD, a paradigm shift in global kidney health. The innovation lies in reframing loiasis from a benign infection to a significant driver of chronic non-communicable disease. The project will deliver the first atlas of loiasis-associated kidney lesions, generate context-specific clinical guidelines, and produce advocacy briefs for ministries of health and the WHO. By providing actionable tools for clinicians, health systems, and policymakers, LOKI combines high-risk complexity with transformative potential: improved patient care, evidence-based prevention, and global recognition of loiasis as a neglected tropical disease.
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 health sciences tropical medicine
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pathology
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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-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept 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-POC
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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.
13572 Marseille
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.