Projects

Many organisms, ranging from bacteria and fungi to those much larger animals and plants use chemical and mechanical means to attach permanently or temporarily to surfaces. Some bioadhesives have advantages over synthetic counterparts in terms of their ability to function over a wide temperature range, in wet or dry environments, and to form stable bonds within seconds to all manner of substrata, even those with challenging surface coatings. Knowledge about these materials, in terms of composition, structural design and interactions with surfaces, is necessary to reveal the basic biochemical and mechanical principles involved in biological adhesion. This COST Action will unite the widespread European expertise in the field of biological adhesives (spanning biology, physics, chemistry, and engineering) by streamlining and pooling knowledge, methods and techniques, and will focus activities by avoiding duplication of efforts, decreasing research costs, and accelerating scientific and technological progress in Europe.

Bioaerosols are among the most complex components in the atmosphere. Bioaerosols are relevant as important pathogens in crops and on trees, as aeroallergens in relation to human health and as catalysts for physical processes in relation to climate such as cloud formation processes. The last five to ten years a range of new techniques have become available that enable a number of scientific breakthroughs in the general understanding of bioaerosols and how they interact with the environment. This COST action will establish an interdisciplinary network of experts currently involved in the detection of bioaerosols using both existing methods as well as upcoming technologies such as real or near real-time technologies from atmospheric chemistry and physics or eDNA methods used in molecular biology. A main objective is to critically address the barriers that limits the penetration of new methods in detection of bioaerosols.

Contamination routes of human pathogenic micro-organisms (HPMO) to plants are poorly understood. Basic resources for agro-production, such as soils, water and fertilizers can play a role in contamination of plants, but micro-organisms taxonomical closely related with HPMO are also present plant microbiomes. The HUPLANTcontrol network consists of five working groups: 1) on the ecology of HPMO in plants, 2) on taxonomical identification of HPMO from plants, 3) on characterization of the potential human-threatening nature of HPMOs, 4) on sanitary and agricultural management procedures to control HPMO in plant production facilities and 5) on dissemination of achieved knowledge via connections between science groups and relevant stakeholders from agriculture, industry and public health authorities. The Action integrates molecular biology, bio-informatics, microbiology, ecology, agronomy, veterinary and clinical sciences and places a strong focus on primary plant production, in principle covering all micro-organisms posing potential threats to humans.

Dr Snežana Tomanović, Dr Darko Mihaljica, Dr Ratko Sukara, Dr Gorana Veinović, Dr Valentina Ćirković

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) represent a national security threat for every country. The PRAGMATICK COST action aims to disseminate knowledge and promote the application of the Stockholm paradigm in order to anticipate and mitigate disease risk associated with the presence and spread of ticks and tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) under anthropogenic pressure and changing climate. This research network will apply the comprehensive and highly focused DAMA (Document, Assess, Monitor, Act) protocol that allows to “anticipate to mitigate” emerging diseases. The main focus is on urban tick and TBP hotspots and the spread and establishment of ticks and TBPs. PRAGMATICK will find new ticks and tick-borne pathogens before they find us. By applying citizen science and supporting capacity building in the domain of tick and tick-borne disease prevention, the Action will eventually lead to new and improved insights in the potential threats related to this important group of vectors across Europe.

Arthropod vectors and vector-borne diseases are frequently zoonotic infections and although their most significant clinical effects are often on the human population, the main infection sources are dependent on vectors, animal reservoirs and environmental factors. Hence, their surveillance and control require efficient and appropriately standardised methods, integrated knowledge and awareness among researchers, academic educators and policy-makers as well as well-trained young scientists. EurNegVec aims to promote all of these values and apply them in the field of vectors (ticks, mosquitoes, sandflies, midges and fleas) and vector-borne pathogens (viruses, bacteria, protozoa and nematodes). The main objectives are to endorse exchange of knowledge and methodologies, improve higher education, facilitate training of next generation experts, improve the European and national policies, produce innovation and disseminate the related scientific information, all these under the framework of the One Health paradigm.