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H2020Staff exchange2021–2025

CypTox · Training next level scientists and researchers to develop highly selective and safe insecticides

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2021-01-01 → 2025-06-30
EU contribution
€1,380,000
Participants
18
Scheme
MSCA-RISE

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Training next level scientists and researchers to develop highly selective and safe insecticides

Some of the most acute challenges that the world faces now and in the foreseeable future are caused by insects and mites that seriously threaten human health and food security. Their control is primarily achieved by the use of insecticides: for example, malaria prevalence has halved since 2000, saving 660 million lives, with 80% of the reduction being attributable to the use of insecticides. However, both the limited availability of low risk insecticides and insecticide resistance represent a major threat, and there is an urgent need to develop new insecticides. CypTox will apply biotechnology excellence to exploit the cytochrome P450 (CYP) metabolic/detoxification pathway of target and non-target organisms, to develop novel insecticides, efficient against selected insect & mite major pests and vectors, but are highly selective and safe for mammals, pollinators and the environment. Outcomes will also include biotechnology-based platforms (high-throughput cell/enzyme- screening assays and in silico pipelines), in line and beyond Pharma state of the art, that will advance research capabilities, for future developments of low risk insecticides. CypTox will provide excellent research training within a creative and flexible environment that actively promotes the integration of academic rigor and commercial pragmatism through mobility between sectors and focused training events. The size and balance of a highly motivated consortium (6 academics/6 industrial in EU and 3 TC partners; 300 well distributed secondments), the involvement of experienced PIs in Horizon 2020 and ERC projects and the modern communication, dissemination and exploitation approaches of CypTox will ensure efficient implementation and impact, at several levels. Enhanced career perspectives for scientists and researchers will be achieved by building on a sustainable multidisciplinary and inter-sectoral network in a wide range of fields, with the integration of world leading researchers and stakeholders. The overarching objective of CypTox is to exploit the primary P450-based metabolic pathway of target and non-target organisms, for the development of highly selective, safe insecticides and new resistance breaking formulations, to improve the efficiency and sustainability of pests and vector control.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

Some of the most acute challenges that the world faces are caused by insects and mites that seriously threaten human health and food security. Their control is primarily achieved by the use of insecticides: e.g., malaria prevalence has halved since 2000, saving 660 million lives, with 80% of the reduction being attributable to the use of insecticides. However, both limited availability of low risk insecticides (“insecticides that only fight the bad bugs’) and insecticide resistance represent major threats. So, there is an urgent need to develop novel, safe insecticides. Earlier research pointed to a discriminatory role for the enzyme cytochrome P450 (CYP) in the sensitivity to insecticides. CypTox will exploit the CYP metabolic/detoxification pathway of target and non-target organisms, to develop insecticides, efficient against selected insect & mite major pests and vectors, but highly selective and safe for mammals, pollinators and the environment. Outcomes will also include significantly beyond the state of the art biotechnology platforms (high-throughput cell/enzyme- screening assays and in silico pipelines), that will advance research capabilities for future developments of low risk insecticides. CypTox will provide excellent research training within a creative and flexible environment that actively promotes the integration of academic rigor and commercial pragmatism through mobility between sectors and focused training events. The size and balance of a highly motivated consortium (6 AC/6 industrial–of which 3 SME & 3 TC; 300 well distributed secondments), the involvement of experienced PIs in Horizon2020 and ERC projects and the modern communication, dissemination and exploitation approaches will ensure efficient implementation and impact, at several levels. Enhanced career perspectives for scientists and researchers will be achieved by building a sustainable multidisciplinary and inter-sectoral network, integrating world leading researchers and stakeholders.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS · IRAKLEIOCoordinatorGreece
  • CYPEX LTD · DUNDEEUnited Kingdom
  • DEVGEN NV · ZWIJNAARDE - GENTBelgium
  • ENDURA SPA · BolognaItaly
  • ENZYQUEST PRIVATE COMPANY · HERAKLIONGreece
  • GEOPONIKO PANEPISTIMION ATHINON · ATHINAGreece
  • JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · BaltimoreUnited States
  • LAB ANALYSIS LIFE SCIENCE SL · VALENCIASpain
  • MAGMA - AGRO ANONYMI EMPORIKI KAI BIOMICHANIKI ETAIREIA · MAROUSIGreece
  • SYNGENTA CROP PROTECTION AG · BaselSwitzerland
  • SYNGENTA LIMITED · BRACKNELL BERKSHIREUnited Kingdom
  • THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY · NairobiKenya
  • THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER · ExeterUnited Kingdom
  • UNIVERSITAT AUTONOMA DE BARCELONA · Cerdanyola Del VallesSpain
  • UNIVERSITAT DE VALENCIA · ValenciaSpain
  • UNIVERSITE DES SCIENCES DES TECHNIQUES ET DES TECHNOLOGIES DE BAMAKO · BamakoMali
  • UNIVERSITEIT GENT · GentBelgium
  • UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · LexingtonUnited States

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union