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From DISCOvery to products: A next generation pipeline for the sustainable generation of high-value plant products

Objective

"Plant natural products have been utilised by human civilisation for millennia, providing vital medicines and essential dietary components. More recently bioactive compounds from plant sources have been used in cosmetics, as health supplements and are important components of feedstuffs. Despite significant investments new activities and new sustainable biosources are required to alleviate our reliance on chemical synthesis. In the DISCO project we aim to address these issues and create a framework that can act as a generic pipeline capable of taking discovery through application and validation, to translation and industrial valorisation. Key aspects of the project will be concerned with (i) translating discovery into industrial feasibility and/or commercialisation, (ii) transfer our knowledge gained optimising isoprenoid/terpenoid production to other important terpenoids and different classes of natural products, (iii) maintaining and incorporating the very latest technologies into both the discovery and translational pipelines and (iv) develop “green factories” with integrated biorefining pipelines to reduce or eliminate chemical refining and thus environmental impact. The bioactive molecules and their biochemical pathways targeted include, carotenoids (including apo-carotenoids), terpenoids and tropane alkaloid. For example; ketocarotenoids which are used as colorants in feedstuffs especially aquaculture; colourless carotenes such as phytoene and phytofluene, which are important bioactive ingredients of cosmetics; apo-carotenoids from saffron which are colorants and potent bioactives; the terpenoid solanesol which is used in the production of Coenzyme Q10 and the alkaloid scopolamine which is used as analgesic. The project will have real-life impacts reducing environmental impact, provide new material to benefit human activities and stimulate economic development."

Call for proposal

FP7-KBBE-2013-7-single-stage
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Coordinator

ROYAL HOLLOWAY AND BEDFORD NEW COLLEGE
Address
Egham Hill University Of London
TW20 0EX Egham
United Kingdom

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Paul Fraser (Dr.)
EU contribution
€ 977 036

Participants (14)

MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EV
Germany
EU contribution
€ 659 600
Address
Hofgartenstrasse 8
80539 Munchen

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Activity type
Research Organisations
Administrative Contact
Nicole Portée (Ms.)
THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM
Israel
EU contribution
€ 349 136
Address
Edmond J Safra Campus Givat Ram
91904 Jerusalem

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Jane Turner (Ms.)
AGENZIA NAZIONALE PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE, L'ENERGIA E LO SVILUPPO ECONOMICO SOSTENIBILE
Italy
EU contribution
€ 437 845
Address
Lungotevere Grande Ammiraglio Thaon Di Revel 76
00196 Roma

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Activity type
Research Organisations
Administrative Contact
Giovanni Giuliano (Prof.)
FUNDACION FRAUNHOFER CHILE RESEARCH
Chile
EU contribution
€ 453 213
Address
Avenida Mariano Sanchez Fontecilla 310
7550296 Santiago De Chile

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Activity type
Research Organisations
Administrative Contact
Vera Wodarz
THE JAMES HUTTON INSTITUTE
United Kingdom
EU contribution
€ 532 153
Address
Errol Road Invergowrie
DD2 5DA Dundee

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Activity type
Research Organisations
Administrative Contact
Karen Robb (Mrs.)
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT DORTMUND
Germany
EU contribution
€ 569 400
Address
August Schmidt Strasse 4
44227 Dortmund

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Oliver Kayser (Prof.)
THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION OF ISRAEL - THE VOLCANI CENTRE
Israel
EU contribution
€ 310 824
Address
Derech Hamcabim 68
50250 Bet Dagan

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Activity type
Public bodies (excluding Research Organisations and Secondary or Higher Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Ruth Lerer (Ms.)
PROPLANTA SRL
Romania
EU contribution
€ 300 320
Address
Str Ioan Budai Deleanu 28
400474 Cluj Napoca

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Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Carmen Socaciu (Prof.)
FERMENTED PRODUCT PARTNER
Belgium
EU contribution
€ 366 080
Address
Rue Herman Meganck 21
5032 Gembloux-les Isnes

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Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Véronique Vlieghe (Mrs.)
EURICE EUROPEAN RESEARCH AND PROJECT OFFICE GMBH
Germany
EU contribution
€ 503 950
Address
Heinrich-hertz-allee 1
66386 St Ingbert

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Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Verena Peuser (Dr.)
ISRAELI BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH LTD
Israel
EU contribution
€ 381 600
Address
Pekeris 4 Lev Hatamar Building
76702 Rehovot

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Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Fabien Havas (Dr.)
SB DRUG DISCOVERY LIMITED
United Kingdom
EU contribution
€ 316 050
Address
Telford Pavilion Block H Todd Campus
G20 0XA Glasgow

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Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Ian Mcphee (Dr.)
IGA TECHNOLOGY SERVICES SRL
Italy
EU contribution
€ 280 640
Address
Via Linussio 51
33100 Udine

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Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Federica Cattonaro (Dr.)
BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM PHARMA GMBH &CO KG
Germany
EU contribution
€ 48 000
Address
Binger Strasse 173
55218 Ingelheim

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Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Hansjörg Hagels (Dr.)