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HEDoctoral network2024–2027

IMMERGE · Storming Immune Monogenic Conditions through Multiomic and Gene Editing Approaches

Horizon Europe — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2024-01-01 → 2027-12-31
EU contribution
€2,591,071
Participants
27
Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Storming Immune Monogenic Conditions through Multiomic and Gene Editing Approaches

The human immune system is our natural defense against infections and abnormal cells like cancer. It relies on a carefully balanced network of genes that produce receptors, signaling molecules, and transcription factors—all influenced by environmental and epigenetic factors. When a single gene is mutated, as seen in Inborn Errors of Immunity (IEI), this balance is disrupted. Although each IEI is individually rare, together they account for over 400 disorders affecting roughly 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 5,000 people, a prevalence similar to some types of leukemia. Even with the same gene affected, patients can show very different symptoms—from having no noticeable issues to experiencing severe illness—and they respond differently to treatments. This variability underscores a major unmet need: understanding the complex, multi-layered impact of these mutations on immune function. IMMERGE is an innovative Horizon-MSCA Doctoral Network designed to address this gap. It brings together cutting-edge technologies—such as single-cell and bulk omics, advanced bioinformatics, and state-of-the-art gene editing—to unravel how mutations, especially in crucial pathways like NF-κB and JAK-STAT, disrupt immune cell function. IMMERGE aims to generate new scientific insights that will pave the way for personalized diagnostic and treatment strategies. The project’s integrated approach is not only expected to advance our understanding of immune dysregulation but also to have a broader impact by laying the foundation for improving patient care and shaping evidence-based health policies. In the political and strategic context, the project supports EU priorities to enhance healthcare innovation, promote precision medicine, and build robust research networks across member states. By training 13 doctoral candidates in a multidisciplinary environment that spans academia, clinical centers, and the biotech industry across six countries, IMMERGE is building a new generation of experts equipped to translate these scientific breakthroughs into tangible societal and economic benefits. The anticipated outcomes include novel diagnostic tools, targeted therapies, and stronger, data-driven policies that can transform patient care and boost the EU's competitiveness in the global biomedical landscape. In summary, IMMERGE sets the stage for a transformative journey—from deep scientific inquiry into the roots of immune disorders to real-world applications that improve lives and shape health policy.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

The human immune system controls the efficiency to respond to infections and eliminate aberrant cells, such as cancer cells. Immune function depends on the balanced contribution of many genes, encoding for receptors, cytokines, cell signalling molecules and transcription factors and are modulated by a wide range of environmental and epigenetic factors. Monogenic mutations for immune-related genes, also known as Inborn Errors of Immunity (IEI), provide unique examples for understanding immune fitness. IEI, individually considered as rare diseases, constitute a group of >400 immune disorders with a combined prevalence similar to leukemias (1/1,000-1/5,000). For a given mutated gene, IEI patients can display a wide range of phenotypic expressivity (from asymptomatic to severely impaired) and different responses to treatments. Therefore, there is an unmet need to address the wide underlying impact of IEI. Previous EU consortia have not addressed these questions in full. It is therefore needed a new generation of researchers, equipped with a complete set of scientific, technological and strategic skills; and a wide vision to face the outstanding challenges in the IEI field. To this end, the IMMERGE MSCA DN combines the talent of leaders from different clinical and basic research and biotech environments to train 11 doctoral candidates. Through our research activity and training activities, we will address key challenges in the field: 1) To assess the functional impact of IEI in different immune cell types through single cell and bulk multiomics. 2) To develop computational tools for dissecting the altered cellular pathways underlying specific IEI. 3) To genetically correct or model IEI and develop pre-clinical models. With our strategy, IMMERGE will generate an outstanding network of professionals able to develop impactful studies that will change the field, generate tools for personalised medicine and generate awareness in the society and influence policy makers.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • FUNDACIO INSTITUT DE RECERCA CONTRA LA LEUCEMIA JOSEP CARRERAS · BadalonaCoordinatorSpain
  • ALBERT-LUDWIGS-UNIVERSITAET FREIBURG · FreiburgGermany
  • ALIA THERAPEUTICS · MILANOItaly
  • CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS · ParisFrance
  • Deutsche Selbsthilfe Angeborene Immundefekte e. V. · SchnaitseeGermany
  • EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY · HeidelbergGermany
  • EpiQMAx GmbH · PlaneggGermany
  • FONDAZIONE PER L'ISTITUTO DI RICERCA IN BIOMEDICINA · BellinzonaSwitzerland
  • GENOME RESEARCH LIMITED LBG · SAFFRON WALDENUnited Kingdom
  • HADASSAH MEDICAL ORGANIZATION · JerusalemIsrael
  • Leadership Sculptor GmbH · Baden-BadenGermany
  • OLINK PROTEOMICS AB · UPPSALASweden
  • ONECHAIN IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS S.L. · BarcelonaSpain
  • OSPEDALE SAN RAFFAELE SRL · MilanoItaly
  • QUANTITATIVE GENOMIC MEDICINE LABORATORIES SL · Esplugues Del LlobregatSpain
  • RESEARCH FUND OF THE HADASSAH MEDICAL ORGANIZATION (R.A) · JerusalemIsrael
  • SCIENSEED SL · MADRIDSpain
  • THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE · CAMBRIDGEUnited Kingdom
  • THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM · JerusalemIsrael
  • UNIVERSIDAD POMPEU FABRA · BarcelonaSpain
  • UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TRENTO · TrentoItaly
  • UNIVERSITA DELLA SVIZZERA ITALIANA · LuganoSwitzerland
  • UNIVERSITA VITA-SALUTE SAN RAFFAELE · MilanoItaly
  • UNIVERSITAETSKLINIKUM FREIBURG · FreiburgGermany
  • UNIVERSITAT BASEL · BaselSwitzerland
  • UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA · BarcelonaSpain
  • UNIVERSITE D'AIX MARSEILLE · MarseilleFrance

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union