Project description
Fighting male infertility through gut health
Male fertility is declining across Western countries. There is evidence that pollution is a factor. For instance, chemicals known as endocrine disruptors (EDCs) may alter sperm epigenetics. The same pollutants can also interfere with hormones, disrupt gut microbiota, and affect both nutrient absorption and reproductive health. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the REPROBATIO project is exploring solutions through probiotics and postbiotics. Specifically, it will screen how EDCs affect gut microbes, test probiotic treatments to correct imbalances, and assess their potential to restore reproductive function. Using advanced multi-omics and 3D models, REPROBATIO aims to develop microbiota-based therapies to tackle pollution-related male subfertility.
Objective
Environmental pollution has emerged as a key contributor to the decline in male fertility, a significant health issue in Western countries. This decline is driven by contaminants of emerging concern that disrupt steroidogenesis and gut microbiota, leading to altered sex hormone levels and nutrient availability. Additionally, these pollutants act as epigenotoxic agents, impacting male germline epigenetics and posing risks to embryo development when such epimutations are inherited by the zygote. In this context, there is an urgent need not only to reduce pollutant emissions but also to develop innovative strategies to mitigate their health impacts, particularly on reproductive disorders and their transgenerational effects. The REPROBATIO project addresses this challenge by focusing on probiotics and postbiotics as a potential solution, leveraging their ability to restore gut microbiota diversity and enhance reproductive health, respectively, thus counteracting the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The project pursues three main objectives: (O1) Conducting high-throughput screening to evaluate EDCs' impact on gut microbiota biodiversity and host-microbe interactions; (O2) Assessing probiotics' efficacy in mitigating EDC-induced gut dysbiosis; and (O3) Investigating probiotics and postbiotics as tools to alleviate EDC-induced reproductive disruptions in steroidogenesis and gametogenesis. Using advanced multi-omics approaches, alongside in vitro 3D (gut and testicular) and in vivo models, the project aims to provide a comprehensive map of how EDCs influence gut microbial biodiversity and hormonal regulation in the host. The outcomes of this research could revolutionize reproductive toxicology by offering novel microbiota-based strategies to combat EDC toxicity, improving overall health and reducing healthcare costs associated with exposome-derived male subfertility.
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 health sciences social medicine sexual health
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine embryology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine toxicology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics epigenetics
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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)
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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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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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60121 Ancona
Italy
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