The role of science in our societies is strongly related to the creation of new knowledge to face the big challenges of our modern world, the improvement of education, and the increment of life quality. However, science and technology are often hidden from non-expert eyes, generating a gap between citizens and scientists. To thrive, science requires support, communication, and discussion. The Co.Science project aims to connect science to society by promoting the importance of research and innovation, by making science education attractive for youngsters, and by providing researchers with effective communication tools, bringing them closer to the citizens. The way to achieve these goals will go through 1. the implementation of public spaces where researchers and citizens meet face to face; 2. the empowerment of researchers in their communication skills; 3. the establishment of an ecosystem of people and institutions working together to engage citizens in science and 4. the public recognition's boosting of research and science education. The proposal is supported by a consortium of formal and informal learning institutions working together with institutional and civil stakeholders for effective and lasting public engagement and new and appealing opportunities to interact with citizens. The Co.Science project will specifically train researchers on the enhancement of their communication skills and it will organize two ERN editions, implementing educational initiatives in the schools. ERNs will be implemented in six important cities of Lombardy in Italy (Milano, Como, Varese, Busto Arsizio, Lodi, and Lecco) creating cross-disciplinary and multi-topic diffuse events on STEAM fields and promoting the European scientific culture. During the related school years, we will propose active learning actions in the schools owing to the presence of researchers among the students, thus re-building confidence, which is fundamental for our communities.

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is a genetic disease characterized by progressive cardiomyocyte loss and fibrofatty replacement, which in turn lead to the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD), particularly in the young and athletes. At present, ACM is uncurable; with an incidence of 1:5000, it can be considered a major CVD disease. The subform involving only the right ventricle is the most common; the majority of its causative mutations are identified in just three desmosomal genes: PKP2, DSP, and DSG2. However, many of the identified variants in these disease genes are still of uncertain clinical significance (VUS) and thus of limited clinical utility. The overall aim of the project is to combine large-scale data from genomics, proteomics and instrumental analysis obtained from patients with data from structural and functional analyses of in vitro (3D microtissue) and in vivo (murine) models, to establish the genotype/cardiac phenotype relationship, potentially leading to a better understanding of the role and impact of known genes and epigenetic factors (ie, miRNAs) on susceptibility, clinical progression, and treatment of ACM. The project’s outcomes will pave the way towards novel therapies for ACM.

Industrial Biotechnology is key to maintain Europe's leading position in the global bio-based market and help the transition to a green and circular economy. Fostering investment in innovative technologies like those to be demonstrated in ROBUSTOO and supporting biotech SMEs will contribute to this endeavour. We aim to capitalise the results from previous EU projects that showed the applicability of three oxidative enzymes -unspecific peroxygenases (UPOs), laccases and hydroxymethylfurfural oxidases (HMFOs)- to provide novel and greener production of bio-based chemicals and materials. To exploit their full industrial potential, we will undertake the large-scale production of the recombinant enzymes and the development of new robust variants adapted to the demanding operating conditions. We will benefit from the most advanced technologies and know-how of the ROBUSTOO consortium to conduct computational enzyme bioprospecting and design (BSC), develop microbial strains for industrial enzyme production and engineer improved enzymes, followed by optimisation and pilot demonstration of target enzymatic transformations by biotech SMEs (Metgen, Gecco, bisy, and InnoSyn), and research/technological centres (CIB, UAB, IRNAS, and FCBA), concluding with environmental & techno-economical assessment and exploitation of the developed technologies (ITB). The new enzymes and bio-transformations will represent biotechnology breakthrough solutions for: i) conversion of industrial lignins modified by laccase into 100% bio-based resins as adhesives of wood panels and 3D printing additives, increasing the commercial value of existing lignin products; ii) production of intermediate and fine chemicals difficult to achieve by chemical synthesis through regio-/stereo-selective oxygenations of lipophilic substrates with UPOs; and iii) synthesis of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid building block from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural using HMFOs, as a sustainable alternative to chemical catalytic processes.

As the EU is confronted with profound agriculture and environmental challenges, the development and adoption of more effective, safer and greener alternatives for crop protection is becoming increasingly critical, thus reducing the impact of current pesticides on human, animals and the environment as well as fighting pesticide resistance, a phenomenon that has been exacerbated by the extensive and non-targeted use of these products and climate change. Answering current challenges for the development of new sustainable bio-based alternatives for crop protection, ZELDA aims to validate a zero-waste biorefinery approach at TRL5 for developing a portfolio of broad-spectrum immune elicitors derived from lignocellulosic biomasses. Such products combining for the first time cello-oligos, hemi-oligos and lignin-based products will reverse the pesticide paradigm, supporting plants in raising their own defences against a wide range of pathogens while supporting plant growth and flowering. Lignin nanoparticles will also bring a microbicides effect for curative use, further enhancing product efficacy. By combining principles of Safe and Sustainable by Design that will establish a feedback loop for product implementation, the project will ensure that products are not only more effective, but also safer and more sustainable. Economic viability will be ensured by minimising the amount of product to be used: ZELDA’ success will rely on the use of AI-based smart delivery systems targeting specific areas of the crop that require to be treated. The products developed will be tested on key crops central to the EU diet (cereals, tomatoes and grapes) in different EU geographical and pedo-climatic areas, developing tailored crop protection strategies for improving food security and contributing to preserving biodiversity and the ecosystem.

MarPipe is a consortium of 11 partners (IBP-CNR, SZN, UiT, UNIABDN, GEOMAR, KULeuven, UCC, eCOAST, MEDINA, MicroDish, Italbiotec) based in 8 countries (I, N, UK, D, B, IRL, E, NL), including 3 from the non-academic sector. We will train 11 ESRs in marine drug-discovery, providing these researchers with unique skills toward becoming world leaders in this research field and to advance their careers in academia or industry. MarPipe PhDs will be trained in a programme including training-by-research, joint courses of technical, scientific and transferrable skills, active participation to public scientific events, and an intense inter-sectoral networking exchange plan. Marine organisms have the capacity to produce a variety of biologically potent natural products, including antibiotic and anticancer compounds. MarPipe aims at further development of antimicrobial and anticancer lead compounds originating from a previous EU project (PharmaSea), and will also explore the bioactivity of deep-sea samples (5000m) collected during the recent Eurofleet-2 project in the sub-Antarctic. The PhD students will thus be involved in all phases of the drug discovery pipeline, from isolation of new microbial strains to pre-clinical development of lead compounds. Importantly, they will also be trained to overcome existing bottlenecks in the field, e.g. low yields and low chemodiversity, isolation of known compounds, toxicity of compounds. The discovery rates of new bioactive antimicrobial and anticancer molecules will be enhanced through 11 PhD projects that cover all phases of the biodiscovery pipeline. As a final outcome of the project, we envisage the creation of a marine biodiscovery start-up company, which will include most of the MarPipe partners. The scientists of the future will be trained to become conscious about the socio-economic and policy context of their work, since several specific MarPipe PhD projects focus on legal, policy, innovation and entrepreneurship themes.