Objective
Vector-borne diseases create considerable risks to human health. Leishmaniases are a group of neglected vector-borne diseases caused by protists parasites from the Leishmania genus. Approximately 350 million people around the world are at risk of being infected with Leishmania, and clinical manifestations in humans vary from cutaneous to visceral types. Leishmania is transmitted to humans by hematophagous female sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae, Phlebotominae). Here we focus on Phlebotomus perniciosus, the natural vector of Leishmania infantum (the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis) in the western region of the Mediterranean basin Europe. Leishmania cycle occurs in the sand fly midgut, where parasites must overcome natural barriers such as high activity levels of midgut digestive proteases, the competition with the native gut microbiota, and the activation of sand fly immune responses. Recently it was shown that insect immunity is under hormonal regulation; ecdysone hormone binds to its receptor (EcR) and triggers the expression of IMD immune signalling pathway-related genes. In sand flies gut, the IMD pathway controls Leishmania infection, but ecdysone's role in sand fly immunity and microbiota has never been studied. The NEPHIMLEI project, in a pioneering way, proposes manipulating P. perniciosus neuroendocrine system to affect sand fly gut immunity and microbiota intending the blockage of L. infantum development in the vector. Sand fly ecdysone function will be impaired by azadirachtin (an ecdysone inhibitor) oral treatment or silencing the EcR gene by RNAi. Also, sand fly immunity will be enhanced by suppressing repressor genes from both ecdysone and IMD pathways (Eip75B and caspar, respectively) using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The altered ecdysone signalling could change P. perniciosus IMD-related immune responses, affecting microbiota and inducing sand fly resistance against L. infantum.
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.
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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)
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.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01
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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.
116 36 Praha 1
Czechia
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.