Objective
The gut microbiome is a key regulator of human immunity, shaping responses to infection, vaccination, and cancer. Population-level differences in microbiome composition and function have been linked to variable vaccine efficacy, yet the mechanisms remain poorly understood. During defined physiological or clinical windows, the equilibrium between host and microbiome becomes particularly vulnerable, and transient perturbations can durably imprint on immune function and disease risk. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT), a cornerstone therapy for hematologic cancers such as multiple myeloma (MM), represents one such scenario, marked by profound microbiome disruption, immune reconstitution, and the need for re-vaccination. MM patients often mount poor vaccine responses and experience infection-related morbidity. This setting uniquely enables the investigation of host-microbiome-vaccine interactions in a controlled yet physiologically authentic context, offering insights unattainable in healthy adults.
Through MicroMM, I will define how microbiome perturbations during SCT shape immune recovery, vaccine responsiveness, and clinical outcome in MM patients. Leveraging a longitudinal cohort, I will integrate functional microbiome analyses, high-resolution immune profiling, and serial vaccine monitoring, focusing on vaccines with known variability post-SCT. Advanced computational modeling will identify microbiome signatures predictive of vaccine efficacy and immune resilience. To establish causality, mechanistic studies in gnotobiotic mice colonized with patient-derived microbiomes will dissect microbial contributions to immune imprinting, vaccine performance, and tumor control. By bridging clinical observation with mechanistic experimentation, MicroMM will uncover fundamental principles of microbiome-driven immune modulation and define actionable biomarkers to improve vaccine responsiveness and immune resilience in at-risk populations.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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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.
80333 Muenchen
Germany
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.