Projet SmartAge (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Doctoral Networks
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

In Europe, the population is aging. The age-associated decline in cognitive functions represents a serious social and medical problem. Recent studies show that changes in lifestyle such as physical activity and nutritional interventions – even late in life –are beneficial for cognition. The microbiome in the gut is a central effector in the maintenance of brain plasticity and therefore represents a promising target as well as sensor for interventions that aim to improve cognitive ability in the elderly. Detailed and concise scientific investigations of gut-brain interactions, in particular in the elderly, are limited. Such studies require a multidisciplinary approach and a combination of experts from various fields. The aim of our network is to train a new generation of young scientists within a multidisciplinary consortium. The ESRs will engage in individual and well defined, jointly supervised research projects, securing excellent career perspectives and employability. By enabling ESRs to design and conduct studies in this economically and socially important field, SmartAge will elucidate the role of the microbiome-gut-brain axis in aging and its impact on cognition. SmartAge will apply a translational approach combining animal and human studies, nutritional and life style interventions, cognitive tests, brain imaging, cutting edge OMICS and systems biology as well as fecal transfer as proof of principle to identify key regulators of gut-brain communication with the aim to develop microbiome-based therapies. An expert team of scientists from both academia and industry such as clinicians, psychologists, nutritionists, biotechnologists and bioinformaticians will closely collaborate to strengthen microbiome research in aging which will have a direct impact on cognitive health in Europe. Specialists for public communication outreach will ensure effective and efficient transfer of outcomes to policy makers and into the everyday life of the European population.

Mots clés : aging, cognition, microbiome, microbiota, gut brain axis, brain imaging, life style interventions, nutrition, physical activity

Participants :
- Zürcher Fachhochschule (Suisse) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 281276.64 €
- Karolinska Institutet (Suède) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 281982.96 €
- Cherry Biotech (France) — Partner, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
- Clinical Microbiomics (Denmark) (Danemark) — Partner, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 297522.0 €
- University of Vienna (Autriche) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 528414.48 €
- CERCA Institution (Espagne) — Partner, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 501809.76 €
- Eden tech (France) — Partner, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 274802.04 €
- Wageningen University & Research (Pays-Bas) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 265619.88 €
- Jena University Hospital (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 758365.2 €
- Kiel University (Allemagne) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 252788.4 €
- National University of Ireland (Irlande) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 274684.32 €
- Cromed kutato es szolgaltato kozpontok kft (Hongrie) — Partner, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 229715.28 €