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DiseasE-FreE social life without Antibiotics resisTance

Objective

The application of antimicrobial compounds produced by hosts or defensive symbionts to counter the effects of diseases has been identified in a number of organisms, but despite extensive studies on their presence, we know essentially nothing about why antimicrobials do not trigger rampant resistance evolution in target parasites. In stark contrast to virtually any other organism, fungus-farming termites have evolved a sophisticated agricultural symbiosis that pre-dates human farming by 30 million years without suffering from specialised diseases. I will capitalise on recent pioneering work in my group on proximate evidence for antimicrobial defences in the termites, their fungal crops, and their complex gut bacterial communities, by proposing to develop the farming symbiosis as a major model to test three novel concepts that may account for the evasion of resistance evolution. First, the antimicrobial compounds may have properties and evolve in ways that preclude resistance evolution in pathogens. Second, resistance is only possible towards individual compounds and not natural antimicrobial cocktails. Third, pathogens can only successfully invade and proliferate if they bypass several consecutive lines of defence, analogous to the six hallmarks of metazoan defence against cancer development. Addressing these concepts will allow fundamental insights into the remarkable success of complementary symbiont contributions to defence, and they will clarify the forces of multilevel natural selection that have allowed long-lived insect societies to evolve sustainability. Documenting and understanding these disease management principles is fundamentally important for several branches of evolutionary biology, and strategically important for adjusting human practices for future antimicrobial stewardship.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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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)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

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.

ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2017-COG

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Host institution

KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 1 998 809,00
Address
NORREGADE 10
1165 Kobenhavn
Denmark

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Region
Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

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.

€ 1 998 809,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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