Project description
A novel postbiotic for the treatment of intestinal inflammation
The intestinal mucosal membrane physically separates the lumen from the intestinal epithelium, serving as the first line of defence against microbial infiltration. Dysfunction of this membrane leads to inflammation that can give rise to metabolic syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. The EU-funded MicroTher project extends on previous work of the FUNMETA project on the indole-3-aldehyde (3-IAld) postbiotic. 3-IAld is a tryptophan metabolite of microbial origin with a reported capacity to repair damaged intestinal epithelium in animal models. MicroTher is investigating the potential of this compound to be used as a clinical intervention in epithelial barrier dysfunction leading to metabolic syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.
Objective
The rapid increase in the prevalence of diseases caused by the disruption of the intestinal epithelium, also known as leaky gut syndrome, is a global cause for concern. Metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) and inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS), two disease indications that occur as a result of a compromised intestinal mucosal membrane, collectively effect over 235 million people globally. In a healthy gut, the epithelial lining is tightly aligned to form a structurally robust barrier between the outside and the inside of the body. When this lining is compromised, immunogenic compounds such as bacterial endotoxins can infiltrate the body, causing systemic and local inflammation, resulting in diseases such as MetSyn and IBS. Through our ERC Advanced project FUNMETA, we have identified the ‘postbiotic’ molecule, indole-3-aldehyde (IAld), to be critical in the maintenance and restoration of intestinal epithelial integrity. Preliminary data already indicates the ability of IAld to repair damaged intestinal epithelium and to modulate symptoms of MetSyn and IBS in animal models. As these two indications are not only burdened by high prevalence rates, but also by ineffective or expensive treatments, there is strong potential in the clinical adoption of IAld. Therefore, the main aim of MicroTher is to further assess the clinical and commercial feasibility of IAld as a pharmaceutical agent.
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 basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug discovery
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine gastroenterology inflammatory bowel disease
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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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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - 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.
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept Grant
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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-2018-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.
06123 Perugia
Italy
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.