Project description
Gut-triggered immunity in bats
Zoonotic diseases are transmitted from animals to humans, posing a growing threat to global health. Bats are known reservoirs of such pathogens. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the BATX-SIA project aims to investigate the phenomenon termed cross-species immune activation and in particular natural antibodies (NAbs) produced by the bat gut microbiota. The hypothesis is that NAbs targeted against specific glycans may influence immune responses in both hosts and vectors. Researchers will map microbiome interactions and identify immune pathways as well as genes that lead to reduced pathogen fitness in vectors. Insights gained from this research may ultimately inform new strategies to prevent future zoonotic outbreaks.
Objective
Bats and their ectoparasites can be linked to various zoonotic diseases, including viruses and bacteria such as Bartonella spp., posing considerable health risks. However, the role of natural antibodies (NAbs) induced by gut bacteria (glycan-immunogenic bacteria: gIB) remains unexplored. Although various NAbs have been identified across different species with known roles in defending against several vector-borne pathogens (VBPs), their ability to alter vector microbiota, modulate the vector's immune response, and impact pathogen transmission is uncharted territory. Additionally, modulating the vector microbiome could influence the vector's immune system by activating signalling pathways. In this project, I’ll test the hypothesis that glycan-specific NAbs (gsNAbs), triggered by bacteria in the bat gut microbiome, can trigger immune activation in both the host and the vector (cross-species immune activation X-SIA), potentially reducing the fitness of vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) in the vector, with a focus on Bartonella spp. Leveraging data from field studies, along with profiles of gsNAbs from bats and the microbiomes of both the host and ticks, I’ll perform a comprehensive data analysis to identify which bacteria from the host microbiome trigger the production of gsNAbs that modulate vector microbiota and affect VBPs fitness. Additionally, through experimental protocols on ticks, I aim to reveal how gsNAbs produced by gIB of the host can trigger X-SIA and identify genes that modulate the immune response in relation to pathogen fitness. This project goes beyond the current state-of-the-art by providing novel insights into how NAbs triggered by the gIB from the bat gut microbiome, modulate the vector microbiome and the vector’s immune response influencing pathogen fitness. By advancing our understanding of X-SIA and the impact on VBPs, we contribute to global and European public health priorities, biodiversity conservation, and disease prevention.
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.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences data science
- medical and health sciences health sciences public health
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- natural sciences biological sciences biodiversity conservation
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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)
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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
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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
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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75007 Paris
France
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