ERA-NET PathoGenoMics announces third international joint call for infectious disease research

Jan 13 2010

ERA-NET PathoGenoMics, an initiative of the European Commission aimed at advancing transnational genome-based research programs on human-pathogenic microorganisms, announced today the third international joint call. The third joint call allocated €8.5 Million over 3 years to relevant research projects which will be provided by ERA-NET PathoGenoMics partner organizations from Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.

“Based on the success of the previous calls, ERA-NET PathoGenoMics decided to publish this third call, aimed at bringing together basic, applied and technology-driven research approaches in genomics to study prevention, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of infectious diseases.”

The call aims to generate joint European research and development activities in the field of pathogenomics by funding multi-national projects that unite researchers from at least three ERA-NET partner countries. The research consortia will include participants from both academia and clinics or industry. In addition, a proportion of the funding will be reserved to support projects headed by young scientists. Projects should focus on the development of novel diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics against infectious diseases, and on furthering scientific understanding of biological mechanisms underlying the infectious process. Further details can be found at>

"Despite great advances in medicine during recent years, infectious diseases still pose a serious and increasing threat for public health, both due to the development of resistance to antibiotics and other anti-infective drugs and because of the spread of pathogens via global travel. Pathogenomics, the genome-based research on pathogenic micro-organisms, can make a significant contribution to counter this threat," said Dr. Marion Karrasch-Bott, Coordinator of ERA-NET PathoGenoMics. "Based on the success of the previous calls, ERA-NET PathoGenoMics decided to publish this third call, aimed at bringing together basic, applied and technology-driven research approaches in genomics to study prevention, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of infectious diseases."

The ERA-NET PathoGenoMics initiative has already implemented two previous joint calls, the first in 2006, and the second in 2008, each with a total budget exceeding €16 Million. The first joint call was aimed primarily at enhancing basic research in the field and resulted in the funding of 12 transnational consortia. To strengthen the translation of results from basic research into clinical and industrial applications, PathoGenoMics launched the second joint call, which resulted in the funding of 13 transnational consortia.