Alternatives to Understanding inhabitant’s experiences of neighbourhoods to support their health and well-being

Expected Impact: The action under this topic is expected to achieve the following impacts: Accelerate EU access to more cost-effective interventions in an increasingly ageing population by identifying personalised treatment approaches for elderly-onset immune diseases. Decrease disease risk later in life by defining specific prevention strategies based on ageing biomarkers and risk factors. Halt age-associated disease exacerbation by the identification of predictive and digital biomarkers that can stratify patients for early intervention. Improve quality of life for healthy individuals and patients by preventing further health decline, avoiding escalating care costs, and properly stratifying individuals earlier in the diagnostic pathway. Accelerate adoption of innovative diagnostic, preventative, and therapeutic strategies, strengthening the EU’s position as a healthcare innovator. Evaluate digital biomarker as potential regulatory endpoints in the ultimate goal to develop medicines for ‘healthy ageing’. Integrate fragmented research efforts by bringing together health industry sectors and stakeholders to develop clinical and multi-omics data integration capabilities. Enable new…

Expected Impact: The action under this topic is expected to achieve the following impacts: Faster and more informed decision-making through the use of an AI-driven NAM (AI Foundation Toxicology Model) and increased efficiency through rapid processing of vast amounts of data [1] . Increased consistency and standardisation in a NAM-based approach, specifically an AI model, used by industry in the efficient development, testing and production of safe and effective innovative health technologies, improving industrial competitiveness. Regulatory adoption of a NAM-enabled second species waiver model (AI Foundation Toxicology Model) and weight-of-evidence framework, in line with recommendations and more consistent global decision-making on waiving second species testing. Reduction in animal use, accelerated timelines and lower costs, enhancing the competitiveness of the European health industry through economical and ethical benefits. Improved public health as patients will benefit from safe and effective medicines developed faster using validated NAMs. The action is expected to contribute to the EU Directive (2010/63/EU) [2] on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes and…

Expected Impact: The action under this topic is expected to achieve the following impacts and contribute to the following EU policies/initiatives: deliver innovative, early technology solutions that contribute to addressing strategic unmet public health needs across multiple therapy areas to improve prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment; leverage the unique network and scale of IHI JU members to create a pipeline to support innovative startups in the health industry, fully integrated into European initiatives in support of start-ups and entrepreneurship; drive early cross-sector health R&D and innovation to strengthen the European healthcare industry’s global competitiveness, contributing to the EU Industrial Strategy and Pharmaceutical Strategy objectives; create a sustainable network of European healthcare incubators to guide and support highly talented and innovative early-stage companies; harness digital health and data-sharing technologies (e.g., AI and big data) to enable interoperable health solutions, contributing to the European Health Data Space (EHDS) and improved evidence based care;- the action should generate a portfolio of early‑stage companies that have…

Expected Outcome: Successful proposals will contribute to the implementation of the EU initiative on Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing and the EU Life Sciences Strategy as well as the updated EU Bioeconomy Strategy, the upcoming EU Biotechnology Act and EU Circular Economy Act. Projects’ results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes: Full industrial scale biorefinery and related value chain(s) for the production of nutritional food ingredients. Resilience and strategic autonomy of EU food sectors via diversification of nutritional food ingredient sources. Increased environmental sustainability of food sectors (e.g. addressing issues like land use, water use, energy consumption, nitrogen cycle, other nutrients, etc.). Improved consumers awareness and acceptance of nutritional food ingredients from alternative sources, contributing to sustainable healthy diets. Scope: Human nutrition is a key area where the bio-based industries can play an important role in addressing the present societal and climate challenges. Considerable attention is given to the utilisation of alternative sources of proteins, fibres and oils/fats, due to the increasing world population…

Expected Outcome: Successful proposals will contribute to the updated EU Bioeconomy Strategy, Farm to Fork Strategy, the Horizon Europe Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’, in particular the objectives: ‘Reduce soil pollution and enhance restoration’, the European Chemical Industry Action Plan as well as the Clean Industrial Deal. Projects results are expected to contribute to the following expected outcomes: Full industrial scale biorefinery and related value chain(s) for the sustainable production of bio-based fertilisers and/or crop protection solutions. Increased availability of cost-competitive and SSbD bio-based alternatives for fertilising and/or crop protection products with suitable agronomic efficacy. Reduced reliance on synthetic/mineral agricultural chemical products. Increased EU strategic autonomy, resilience and competitiveness through a robust cooperation among bio-based industries and farmers. Increased soil health, including minimising accumulation of microplastics and pollutants in soil and water, with positive effects on quality, security and resilience of food production in agriculture. Scope: FAO estimates that up to 40% of food crops are lost due to plant pests…

Expected Outcome: Activities under this topic will support the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food , the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 , including the implementation of the EU Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive, the EU Adaptation Strategy, the EU Water Resilience Strategy, and the forthcoming European Climate Adaptation Plan. Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: enhanced monitoring of soils at subnational level (e.g. regions and municipalities) leading to an overall improved soil resilience against extreme weather events, particularly in terms of soils’ capacity to withstand and recover from floods, droughts, heatwaves and broader temperature fluctuations; tailored soil management practices and solutions that improve soil health are adopted, promoting sustainable land management, enhancing food system resilience, including food security [1] , and strengthening the overall resilience of agricultural systems to current and future climate extreme events. Scope: Developing and scaling practical solutions to enhance soils’ resilience to extreme weather events is crucial for climate change adaptation. As extreme weather events like…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: researchers better understand the status and population trends of insect species and the drivers of their decline; competent authorities in charge of biodiversity policies at all levels are capable of taking informed decisions, based on better understanding and valuation of socioeconomic benefits and ecological importance of insects, including for climate action; society and relevant land managers are better informed and equipped to tackle the drivers of the decline of insects. Scope: Insects play a vital role contributing to ecosystem functions in addition to pollination, such as decomposition and nutrient cycles, soil formation (including carbon sequestration) and pest control, control functions essential for maintaining ecosystem complexity, and are an indispensable part of the food chain. Those functions are key for climate change mitigation and allow the provision of ecosystem services which have economic benefits and support human well-being. Additionally, insects play a key role in other socioeconomic areas such as medical and pharmaceutical applications (e.g.…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Implementation of the NWRSA methodology for secondary rural roads; Innovative and effective enforcement strategies, incentive mechanisms and measures raising risk awareness for fostering safer behaviour; Prevention strategies for reducing road fatalities and serious road traffic injuries on rural roads along with the respective implementation guidelines and policy measures tailored to the responsible stakeholders (regional authorities, police, healthcare professionals, national governments, etc.); GIS-based application to assist local and regional authorities in identifying and mapping the impact of extreme weather phenomena and other natural disasters (such as floods, fires, storms, heavy snowfall etc.) on the safety and resilience of the road network in their jurisdiction. Scope: With more than 50% of all EU road fatalities occurring in rural areas along with evidence suggesting that crashes and crash-related fatalities in rural roads vary from those in urban roads or motorways, it is imperative to understand and mitigate the safety risks in rural roads in view of the EU’s…

Expected Outcome: Activities under this topic will help progress towards the objectives and targets of the Mission Soil and of the EU Soil Strategy for 2030 , the Zero Pollution Action Plan , the European One Health Action Plan against antimicrobial resistance as well as the Sustainable Development Goals [1] . Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: policymakers, land managers and other relevant stakeholders have an enhanced understanding of antimicrobial resistance development in soils, the key drivers and pathways of soil’s contribution to human and animal exposure to antimicrobial resistant genes and organisms, as well as antibiotic biosynthesis in soils; policymakers and land managers have increased access and capacity to implement evidence-based strategies aimed at reducing the risk of antimicrobial resistance development in soils and minimising the exposure of humans and animals to antimicrobial resistant genes and organisms; policymakers and other relevant stakeholders benefit from improved access to enriched databases of antibiotics-related genes and antibiotic alternatives from soil microorganisms; citizens are more aware of the…

Expected Outcome: This action aims to establish European leadership in neutral-atom quantum simulation and digital quantum computing by delivering: Fully programmable industry-ready quantum simulators based on 10.000 neutral atoms in a scalable architecture, accessible via cloud platforms, and with the possibility of integrating them into high-performance computing environments. Fully programmable platform for neutral-atom quantum computing capable of both analogue quantum operations and gate-based computing with 1.000 physical qubits and a clear path to further scalability to 10.000 physical qubits. Coherence time of the order of hundreds of interaction times and infidelity of operations below 1%. Demonstration of quantum simulation and/or computing operating beyond classical computability, validated through benchmarking with classical methods. New real-world applications across science and industry (at least two) (e.g: in the energy and health sectors) The software stack for these applications, including enhanced software for verification, algorithm implementation, and user programming interfaces. Demonstration of the full quantum stack – including quantum control, electronic…

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes: advanced knowledge and understanding how ecosystems respond to multiple plausible futures shaped by human-induced pressures, supporting the design of long-term, nature positive and equitable policies; strengthened collaboration across bio-physical , socio-economic and humanities disciplines, resulting in more integrated and robust scenario frameworks that capture interactions, trade-offs and synergies across biodiversity, climate, food, water, air, health, energy and economy; advancement of comprehensive ecosystem prediction models and scenario-based assessments that integrate direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss, applicable across terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems; a consistent and transparent framework for model intercomparison and cross-scale scenario building, improving the relevance and usability of modelling outputs for policy , business and international assessments (e.g., IPBES, International Panel on Climate Change - IPCC). Scope: To address the objectives of the European Green Deal, the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, the EU Nature Restoration…

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Provide policymakers, education practitioners and citizens with a solid understanding of how social media, video gaming and other leisure uses of digital tools relate to the educational outcomes of young people, including through their impact on well-being and mental health. Generate rigorous, policy-relevant evidence about policies and practices aiming to inform and regulate young people’s use of digital tools for non-educational purposes, such as smartphones, at school. Develop actionable advice for policymakers and citizens about how to promote young people’s healthy use of digital tools for leisure, both at school and outside school. Describe and quantify the relationships of using digital tools for leisure and communication with students’ motivation, study habits, attention span and concentration, time management, engagement, social integration and overall well-being. Scope: The increasing prevalence of digital devices in young people’s life has raised concerns about the potential impacts of the use of digital tools for leisure and communication on primary-, secondary- and higher education…