Project description
Migratory sentinels: monitoring avian and livestock tick pathogens
Tick-borne pathogens are a growing health threat, often present in livestock before triggering human outbreaks. Because Crete sits at the crossroads of three continents and is a major stopover for migratory birds, it is a high-risk gateway for exotic diseases entering Europe. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the TICKGUARD project aims to address this by developing rapid, portable diagnostic tools to detect five priority pathogens directly in the field. Researchers will test thousands of animals and birds, comparing new portable tests with laboratory standards while using genetic sequencing to track invasive tick species. By creating geospatial maps of these threats, the project is expected to strengthen Europe’s early-warning systems, enabling proactive, evidence-based action against emerging infectious diseases.
Objective
Tick-borne pathogens represent an escalating One Health challenge, often persisting asymptomatically in livestock and wildlife before causing outbreaks in animals or humans. Crete’s geographic position—at the intersection of Europe, Asia, and Africa—and its role as a major stopover for migratory birds, particularly on Gavdos Island, makes it a natural entry point for exotic and emerging pathogens into Europe. Targeted surveillance in this high-risk gateway offers a unique early-warning opportunity, enabling the detection of threats before they spread northwards or westwards.
This fellowship will develop and validate portable, rapid molecular diagnostics for five priority agents—Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., and Theileria spp.—using the Pebble nucleic acid amplification device. Ticks and blood samples from 1,800 sheep and goats and from 1,000 wild and migratory birds, will be analysed using both Pebble-based LAMP assays and laboratory-based qPCR/multiplex PCR, enabling a direct performance comparison. Morphological and molecular identification of ticks will detect invasive species and monitor shifts in local populations, while next-generation sequencing will characterise phylogenetic relationships between tick populations and pathogens from neighbouring regions, with a specific focus on circulating CCHFV genotypes and Hyalomma spp. phylogenomics. These results will be integrated into geospatial prevalence maps, enhancing Europe-wide early-warning systems.
By integrating diagnostic innovation, high-risk gateway surveillance, and stakeholder engagement, TICKGUARD will strengthen Europe’s capacity for proactive, evidence-based action against transboundary zoonotic threats.
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 biological sciences microbiology virology
- agricultural sciences animal and dairy science domestic animals animal husbandry
You need to log in or register to use this function
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.
-
HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
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.
700 13 IRAKLEIO
Greece
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.