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  • Danone Research: Danone will manage communication and education task in the project. It will develop ad-hoc materials to support HCP communication on the role of microbiome-diet-host interactions in the development of obesity. Furthermore, they will organize training of the CLIMB-OUT predictive tool to raise awareness among professionals and assess the functionality of such a tool in clinical practice. Danone will also use its own channels and network to communicate to the general population. Danone is an FMCG Industrial partner expert in food innovation with a special dedication to nutrition and a health-driven portfolio. Danone operates in all EU countries with the mission to provide health through food to the largest number of people. It is a scientific rooted company with a consumer-centric operation model. With a large experience in translating scientific insights into consumer-oriented communication. Danone Nutricia Research is an EIT partner and comprises a multidisciplinary team of about 500 people as well as local contacts in the countries of business. Danone’s research on microbiota and probiotics is well established and has been the basis of product innovation globally. This research continues today and allows to support branded and unbranded scientific and consumer communication on diet, lifestyle, microbiota and probiotics.
  • Unibo: UNIBO together with CSIC will provide data acquired in the previous EU project (MyNewGut) of a small but well-phenotyped children cohort, where the role of microbiome-diet-host interactions in the development of obesity was investigated longitudinally. It will also contribute to select the most suitable parameters to be used for the preparation and testing of the first models to predict obesity using machine learning approaches (Task 1). UNIBO will also engage EIT Food HUB in Italy and coordinate the dissemination and communication activities in the full CLC South and the RIS areas. UNIBO paves the way for innovation through an increasingly rich programme catalogue, cutting-edge research and a constant and increasingly broad international perspective. Since its origins in 1088, UNIBO has been student-centred hosting prominent figures from science and the arts. One of the most active universities leading and participating in EU research and academic cooperation projects, UNIBO has formed knowledge alliances with industry and public/private organizations and is a hub of international networks. The Microbiome Unit of the Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences (DIMEC) is experienced in the molecular profiling of the human microbiome in the perspective of its modulation for health promotion. The group has been involved in a number of microbiome projects and has strong experience as Coordinator and Co-Coordinator (REINFORCE, NuAGE, MyNewGut, CIRCLES).
  • CSIC: CSIC will act as coordinator of the proposal and will be mainly involved in microbiome analysis of the new children cohort by shut-gun metagenomics and data integration through bioinformatics and statistical analysis (Tasks 3) and in the development of predictive algorithms/models using artificial intelligence (machine learning/deep learning) (Task 1). CSIC is the largest public research institution in Spain and the third-largest in Europe and has extensive experience in managing European R&D projects. CSIS has a leading world position in microbiome science. Y. Sanz has coordinated one of the largest European projects on the human microbiome and obesity (MyNewGut). Currently, Y. Sanz is coordinating other two MSCA-IF EU Grants (MiVAO, Micro-ILCs) and involved in other European initiatives (MicrobiomeSupport, CIRCLES and EarlyCause) of H2020 and the EIT-FOOD. They have expertise in the gut microbiome by next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms (Illumina, MinION) and computational biology. C. Mirasso (CSIC- UIB) has strong expertise in machine learning apply to the development of clinical tools and is actively involved in many EU projects (PHOCUS, ADOPD, etc.). CSIC will also be responsible for IPR management and for coordinating the potential exploitation of the results with the rest of the partners and according to consortium agreement to be signed if the project is granted. CSIC counts with the support of a Unit for Knowledge and Technology Transfer.
  • CUT: CUT will be involved mainly in educational and communication activities (Task 4). CUT (i) has strong research interests in the role of the gut microbiome in health and in collaborating with other leading institutions of the RIS countries; (ii) has proven experience in the investigation of beneficial microbes from various foods (dairy and other fermented products) and their role, (iii) has a strong interest in the role of the Mediterranean diet and, in particular, on the role of the traditional food products within our diet; (iv) the research team has long experience in educational activities with a large number of ERASMUS projects involving primary, secondary and higher education in agrifood related projects and seeks any opportunity to be of service in this important field. Dr D. Tsaltas (Assoc. Prof.) project partner Leader, Dr M. Aspri and Dr P. Papademas have along with experience in funded projects from EU, Regional and National Funds. Dr Tsaltas is the University Contact Point for EIT Food with good knowledge in EIT administrative and policy background. The scientific capacity of the team is well supported by a good publication record, high funding success rate and extensive international network (Tsaltas: National Rep of ISEKI Food Association, Global Harmonization Initiative, American Society of Microbiology, Chairman of the Traditional Food Special Interest Group, Papademas: National Rep at the International Dairy Federation).
  • IMDEA Food Institute: IMDEA and its IP (A. Martinez) will represent the cohort CORALS, which is a prospective multi-centre study, including about 2,000 children 3-6 years old, who are intended to be longitudinally monitored for 10 years to identify endogenously (genetics) and modifiable (lifestyle, diet) risk factors involved in the development of obesity. IMDEA will provide the data and biological samples already collected at baseline (1,000) from this large children cohort and continue the follow up during the first year of the project (Task 2) to validate the predictions in the second one. IMDEA is a member of the EITFood network and has expertise in coordinating research and epidemiological studies. In IMDEA, A. Martinez is a Program Director with a shared position with UNAV, being PI at CIBEROBN and in CORALS. A Martinez is currently President of IUNS, with around 100 articles and book chapters about Obesity in children/adolescents and belongs to the STOP EU PROJECT about determinants and policies to combat childhood obesity in EUROPE. A number of other outstanding experts in nutritional epidemiology are also involved in CORALS through the CIBEROBN network based on Barcelona (M Fito & Ht Schroeder), Córdoba (M Gil, who is a PI), Pamplona (A Martinez & S Navas), Reus (N Babio who is a CORALS PI & J Salas), Santiago (M Gil and R Leis), Valencia (O Portoles & D Corella) and Zaragoza (L Moreno). Investigators of IMDEA (Ana Ramirez & Alfredo Martinez) will be the links.


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