Objective African trypanosomiasis is in need of new diagnostic detection tools and new treatment methods. To date the widely used card agglutination test for trypanosomiasis is not very specific as the test is based on the screening for cross-reactive host antibodies. The availability of treatment for Trypanosmiasis on the other hand is limited due to the fact that only very few drugs are registered for use, and all can cause serious side effects in treated patients or animals. Hence, this project will focus on the development of new and innovative diagnosis and treatment tools, using the nanobody technology that has been developed by the coordinating partner of this network. Nanobodies are small single domain antibody fragments that have unique properties that include their capacity to recognize particular epitopes (not recognized by conventional antibodies) and their improved stability. In addition, they can be used as molecular target- or transport devices of other biological active components. As such they are excellent tools to support this project. Despite the fact that the coordinating laboratory has been a pioneer in differential molecular characterization of African trypanosomes and were involved in the initial release of diagnostic PCR methods that have now been adopted by many other research groups, this project will deliberately adopt a different approach. Indeed, in comparison to nanobody technology, PCR based diagnostics are much more costly and require an infrastructure that is hard to sustain over prolonged periods of time in African ‘field situations’. The simplicity of the nanobody technology on the other hand makes it an excellent topic for knowledge transfer. Despite it’s high-technology approach, the technique it will be relatively easy to be adopted by laboratories of participating African partner groups. Keywords African trypanosomiasis Nanobody Programme(s) FP7-HEALTH - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Health Topic(s) HEALTH-2007-2.3.4-1 - Development of new tools to control infections due to parasites of the Trypanosomatidae family Call for proposal FP7-HEALTH-2007-B See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CP-SICA - Collaborative project for specific cooperation actions dedicated to international cooperation partner countries (SICA) Coordinator VIB VZW Address Rijvisschestraat 120 9052 Zwijnaarde - gent Belgium See on map Region Vlaams Gewest Prov. Oost-Vlaanderen Arr. Gent Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution € 859 320,00 Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all ARTTIC IN BRUSSELS SPRL Belgium EU contribution € 205 200,00 Address Rue de livourne 7 bte 4 1060 Bruxelles See on map Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window NATIONAL MUSEUMS OF KENYA*INSTITUTE OF PRIMATE RESEARCH Kenya EU contribution € 405 424,00 Address Pobox 24481 00502 Nairobi See on map Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window UNIVERSIDADE EDUARDO MONDLANE Mozambique EU contribution € 374 424,00 Address Reitoria da universidade, praca 25 de junho 257 00200 Maputo See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window FOUNDATION FOR INNOVATIVE NEW DIAGNOSTICS Switzerland EU contribution € 283 296,00 Address Campus biotech, chemin des mines 9 1202 Geneve See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Genève Activity type Other Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window FUNDACION PARA LA INVESTIGACION BIOSANITARIA DE ANDALUCIA ORIENTAL-ALEJANDRO OTERO Spain EU contribution € 586 944,00 Address Avd. fuerzas armadas 2 18014 Granada See on map Region Sur Andalucía Granada Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window