Project description
New polymer gas membranes extend blood storage longevity
Hospitals worldwide face constant blood shortages and waste because platelets expire in one week and red blood cells last only 42 days. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the BREATH project will seek to overcome these limitations by engineering advanced preservation bags that use metal-organic framework and polymer composites. Unlike conventional chemical gas donors that release gas in unpredictable bursts, these specialised materials safely store and gradually distribute therapeutic gases to prevent cell damage and bacterial contamination. BREATH will combine advanced polymer processing and rigorous haemocompatibility testing. Materials will be validated at a leading biomedical research institute. The project aims to extend blood shelf life, optimise clinical safety and significantly enhance the resilience of transfusion systems worldwide.
Objective
Blood transfusion saves millions of lives each year, yet current storage methods limit platelet lifespan to 5–7 days and red blood cells to 42 days, leading to shortages, waste, and risks to patient care. BREATH will address these critical challenges by pioneering a new generation of blood preservation bags incorporating safe, precisely engineered metal–organic framework (MOF)/polymer composites. These composites will enable controlled, long-term release of therapeutic gases (gasotransmitters such as nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulphide) that help maintain cellular quiescence, reduce oxidative damage and contamination, and extend storage duration without compromising function. While conventional chemical gas donors lack precision, low storage capacity, and poor stability, MOF-based systems can store large amounts of gas and release it gradually, offering unprecedented safety and efficacy. BREATH will integrate these materials into polymeric coatings/membranes compatible with existing storage bags, followed by rigorous evaluation of gas bioactivity through hemocompatibility and bactericidal effects. BREATH integrates expertise in MOF engineering, gas adsorption and therapeutic delivery, and polymer composites tailored for biomedical applications. It includes a secondment at a leading life sciences and biomedical research institute to validate materials under relevant conditions and support translation towards practical innovation solutions.
For the fellow, BREATH offers advanced training in polymer composites processing and engineering, blood testing, and structured training project management, training soft skills and young researchers supervision strengthening leadership skills and an international network. By bridging cutting-edge materials science with urgent healthcare needs, BREATH will open a new chapter in blood preservation, improving patient outcomes, reducing waste, and enhancing resilience of transfusion systems worldwide.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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-2025-PF
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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.
1049 001 Lisboa
Portugal
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.