Objective
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 10% of the global population and remains a major unmet medical challenge. Fibrosis, the hallmark of CKD, develops in spatially restricted microenvironments known as fibrogenic niches, where immune and stromal cells engage in reciprocal communication that sustains myofibroblast activation and progressive tissue scarring. However, the early inflammatory events that initiate these niches—particularly the dialogue between macrophages and fibroblasts—remain poorly understood.
InFibrosis aims to decipher how inflammation triggers fibrogenic niche formation in the kidney. The project combines human biopsy cohorts, spatial analysis, and innovative experimental systems to link molecular mechanisms with disease prognosis. Specifically, I will (i) develop histology-based prognostic markers identifying inflammatory zones predictive of CKD progression; (ii) dissect macrophage–stromal crosstalk driving fibroblast activation using advanced in vitro techniques and single-cell analyses, including the first human “niche-in-a-dish” model that reproduces the inflammatory microenvironment leading to fibrosis; and (iii) identify and functionally test druggable pathways capable of disrupting these pathogenic circuits.
By integrating clinical, histological, and mechanistic approaches, InFibrosis will redefine our understanding of how inflammation shapes fibrosis in early CKD. The expected outcomes include predictive tools for patient stratification and novel therapeutic targets that pave the way toward interventions modulating cell–cell communication to prevent chronic kidney disease progression.
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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)
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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.
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-2026-STG
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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.
75006 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.