The list of international projects SAS
Centre of Biosciences SAS
Environmental impact of anthelmintics in livestock and alternatives to minimize their use
Environmentálny vplyv antihelmintík na hospodárske zvieratá a alternatívy na minimalizáciu ich používania
| Duration: |
10.10.2024 - 9.10.2028 |
| Program: |
COST |
| Project leader: |
MVDr. Váradyová Zora PhD |
| Annotation: | Livestock production systems are key in promoting sustainable agricultural practices across Europe. However, these systems have some drawbacks, particularly regarding animal health, as grazing animals are highly susceptible to infections caused by gastrointestinal nematodes. Infections can represent a significant economic burden and their control is administering anthelmintics, posing significant environmental risks. The ENVIRNAT project aims to consolidate and disseminate research and knowledge on the occurrence and ecological impacts of anthelmintics administered to livestock in the environment, and to propose more sustainable practices and methods to minimize their use in the control of helminth infections. |
European network for animal evolutionary immunology: interlinking laboratory and wildlife infection biology
Európska sieť pre evolučnú imunológiu zvierat: prepojenie infekčnej biológie laboratórnych a voľne žijúcich zvierat
| Duration: |
6.10.2025 - 5.10.2029 |
| Program: |
COST |
| Project leader: |
Mgr. Niederová-Kubíková Ľubica PhD. |
| Annotation: | Infectious diseases pose serious threats to human health, to food security in agriculture, and to the
conservation of vulnerable wildlife. These challenges can be addressed through novel strategies involving
evolutionary applications in immunology. However, the current lack of personal connections between
evolutionary ecologists and immunologists hampers development of such promising interdisciplinary
solutions. EVIM-NET will bridge this gap via establishing a European collaborative research network in
evolutionary immunology. Through this innovative framework, the Action will construct conceptual unity
between the currently dissociated fields and set up standard methodologies and procedures crucial for
effective interdisciplinary research and knowledge transfer. EVIM-NET interlinks scientists and practitioners
with top expertise in i) immunogenomics and bioinformatics (comparative genomics, transcriptomics,
proteomics and structural bioinformatics), ii) evolutionary analyses (positive / balancing selection testing,
phylogeny-phenotype matching, convergent evolution), iii) classical “hardcore” immunology (functional in
vitro protein variant testing, analysis of immunological regulation, immunomonitoring, cellular phenotyping),
and iv) animal and veterinary science to explore immunogenetic and molecular phenotypic diversity effects
on immune responses across a wide variety of domestic, as well as wild animal species and populations.
The Action aims to 1. define principles for genome-based evolutionary prediction of molecular effects on
variation in immune function, 2. develop standards and toolkits for immune phenotype variation testing, and
3. improve access to skill-oriented training in immune phenotype prediction and verification for Young
Researchers and Innovators.
Societal benefits and future applications will be achieved through dissemination of the results to key
stakeholders and policy makers: veterinary therapeutics manufacturers, diagnostic laboratories, wildlife
conservation bodies, and breeder’s societies. |
European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare
Európske partnerstvo pre zdravie a welfare zvierat
| Duration: |
1.1.2024 - 31.12.2026 |
| Program: |
Horizon Europe |
| Project leader: |
RNDr. Košťál Ľubor CSc. |
| Annotation: | The European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare (represented by the acronym EUPAHW) is by far the most ambitious research and innovation initiative the European Commission (EC) has funded to control infectious diseases of animals, and to promote animal welfare. Launched this year (2024), the innovative Partnership is anticipated to invest €360 million over seven years to boost research and facilitate cooperation between all actors. The scope goes beyond the animal health and welfare actors to enhance cross sector collaboration and, through a One Health and One Welfare approach, to provide societal impact. The objectives of the EUP AH&W align with the European Green Deal and its associated Farm to Fork strategy for a fair, healthy, and environmentally friendly food system. |
An Evolutionary View to Understanding Affective States across Species
Evolučný pohľad na pochopenie afektívnych stavov u rôznych druhov zvierat
| Duration: |
10.10.2024 - 9.10.2028 |
| Program: |
COST |
| Project leader: |
RNDr. Košťál Ľubor CSc. |
| Annotation: | Understanding the affective states (emotions and moods) of non-human animals is crucial to understand their needs, improve their welfare, and assess the effects of treatments for affective disorders in animals, be they preclinical models of human disorders, or patients in their own right. Existing knowledge regarding affective states across species is limited and fragmented. For example, it is unclear: (1) whether and to what extent different affective states occur in different species; (2) if these states are expressed and experienced in similar ways by different species; (3) which physiological mechanisms of affective states are shared across species; and (4) which indicators of affective states are valid across more than one species.
AFFECT-EVO brings together an interdisciplinary network of scholars in philosophy, psychology, humanities, social, computational, and natural sciences, with relevant stakeholders from industry, advocacy organizations, and governments. This network will apply an evolutionary framework to evaluate collaboratively and systematically what we know about affective states in non-human animals. This approach will (1) identify gaps in our knowledge, guiding future research; (2) provide a basis for developing strategies to reliably generalize knowledge about affective states across species; (3) develop better methods to assess affective states to improve animal welfare; and (4) develop better treatments for both animal and human affective disorders. We will also explore how the public and policy makers engage with the concept of affective states in animals and how this interacts with the implementation of new laws and policies that affect animals. |
Interactions between brain melatonin and other monoamines: role in mood and anxiety disorders
Interakcie medzi mozgovým melatonínom a inými monoamínmi: úloha pri poruchách nálady a úzkosti
| Duration: |
1.1.2025 - 31.12.2026 |
| Program: |
Mobility |
| Project leader: |
MMedSc Dremencov Eliyahu DrSc |
| Annotation: | Melatonin is an indoleamine, metabolically and functionally related to other brain monoamines, such as serotonin (5-HT),
noradrenaline, and dopamine. There are multiple lines of evidence that melatonin, among other monoamines, plays a key role in pathophysiology and treatment of depression and other mood, anxiety, and stress-related brain disorders. However, while 5-HT, noradrenaline, dopamine, and their involvement in depression have been intensively investigated, melatonin received lesser attention. We aim to investigate the effect of pinealectomy, and animal model of melatonin deficiency, and treatment with antidepressant drugs
acting on melatonin receptors, such as agomelatine, on the functioning of other monoamine circuits of the brain, on the animal behavior, and on central neuroplasticity. |
Genome Editing to Treat Humans Diseases
Liečba chorôb modifikáciou genómu
Maternal Perinatal Stress and Adverse Outcomes in the Offspring: Maximising infants´development
Materský perinatálny stres a nepriaznivé výsledky u potomstva: Optimalizácia vývoja dojčiat
| Duration: |
9.11.2023 - 8.11.2027 |
| Program: |
COST |
| Project leader: |
prof. RNDr. Lacinová Ľubica DrSc. |
| Annotation: | High levels of maternal perinatal stress are associated with negative effects in the offspring. The adverse impact maternal stress can have in the infants´s health is 1) in the short term (prematurity, low infant birthweight); 2) the long-term (neuroinflamation, autism); 3) the very long-term (transgenerational effects). Previous studies have reported maternal stress can have transgenerational consequences. During pregnancy, high levels of maternal stress can cross the placenta and reach the fetus. Mediators responsible for the impact of maternal stress in the developing fetus include cytokines, tryptophan, cortisol, cathecolamines, reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress and microbiota. These mediators, along with epigenetic mechanisms, are involved on the adverse consequences high levels of maternal stress can have in the offspring.
In order to improve fetal development and boost infant´s health throughout their lifespan, the TREASURE project aims to consolidate a multidisciplinary and international network of scientists, clinicians, students, stakeholders, Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGOs) and Enterprises to achieve impact through a three-fold main objective : 1) discovering, reviewing and disseminating scientific evidence on minimize, reduce and prevent the impact of maternal perinatal stress on fetal development, and to improve psychological, medical and neural development in the offspring during their life-span; 2) bridging knowledge, evidence and experience between scientific disciplines, and bringing international research groups together to increase knowledge exchange between countries. 3) forming international coalitions to efficiently translate scientific knowledge into clinical guidelines and best practices across Europe to improve the health of children, and reducing economic cost appearing from high levels of maternal perinatal stress. |
Medicinal plants for animal health care: Translating tradition into modern veterinary medicine;
Medicinálne rastliny v starostlivosti o zdravie zvierat: prechod z tradičnej na modernú veterinárnu medicínu.
| Duration: |
12.10.2023 - 11.10.2027 |
| Program: |
COST |
| Project leader: |
MVDr. Plachá Iveta PhD |
| Annotation: | The COST Action MedPlants4Vet will create an unprecedented European network of scientists and young researchers and stimulate research activities in different fields of phytochemistry, ethno- and phytopharmacology, pharmacognosy and clinical trials. |
Membrane microdomains mediate bidirectional communication between plasma membrane and mitochondria
Membránové mikrodomény sprostredkovávajú obojsmernú komunikáciu medzi plazmatickou membránou a mitochondriami
| Duration: |
1.1.2025 - 31.12.2026 |
| Program: |
Mobility |
| Project leader: |
Mgr. Balážová Mária PhD. |
| Annotation: | The vital processes carried out by every living cell are associated with membranes. In a eukaryotic cell, intercommunication between specialized membranes is essential for the continuous coordination of cellular metabolic processes and their constant adaptation to the immediate conditions. This project aims to provide evidence documenting the coordination of cellular energetics with environmental stimuli. We hypothesize that this coordination involves specialized, stress-responsive microdomains at the plasma membrane on one side and enzymes regulating anionic phospholipid production at the inner mitochondrial membrane on the other. Using a genetically flexible yeast model we aim to show that these structures are functionally linked through membrane contact sites at the membrane of endoplasmic reticulum, that their communication is bidirectional and at least partially mediated by lipids. The results of the project should contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms by which serious pathologies arise as a consequence of communication failures between cellular organelles. |
Molecular and physiological properties of honeybee royal jelly proteins
Molekulárne a fyziologické vlastnosti proteínov včelej materskej kašičky
| Duration: |
1.4.2021 - 31.3.2028 |
| Program: |
Bilateral - other |
| Project leader: |
RNDr. Bíliková Katarína PhD. |
| Annotation: | Study of physiologically active proteins and peptides of honeybee products, especially honeybee jelly and honey, with the aim of applying the results of the research in human medicine and nutrition |
PLASMEX: Unraveling the Plasmidome of Extremophilic Bacteria for Biotechnological Innovation
PLASMEX: Plazmidóm extremofilných baktérií a jeho využitie v moderných biotechnológiách
Postbiotics and their effectiveness in horses
Postbiotiká a ich účinnosť v chove koní
| Duration: |
1.1.2025 - 31.12.2026 |
| Program: |
Bilateral - other |
| Project leader: |
MVDr. Lauková Andrea CSc. |
| Annotation: | The aim of the project is to study the possible beneficial effect of postbiotic-bacteriocins in horse breeds in Slovakia/Poland. |
Lipid Regulation for Anti-Inflammatory Therapy
Regulácia lipidov ako protizápalová terapia
| Duration: |
1.1.2024 - 31.12.2026 |
| Program: |
JRP |
| Project leader: |
Mgr. Balážová Mária PhD. |
| Annotation: | Bacterial or viral infections can activate inflammatory processes. High-affinity inhibitory interactions between the anionic phospholipids in pulmonary surfactant and TLRs suggests that these lipids play a crucial role in regulating infectious and innate immune processes. This proposal aims to investigate the role of lipid regulation in microbial infection and host defense responses. Anionic lipids, such as phosphatidylglycerol(PG) and phosphatidylinositol(PI), are proposed to act as bait ligands for TLRs and viral attachment proteins. The therapeutic potential of valproic acid (VPA) in inducing the synthesis of PG in pulmonary surfactant, which could suppress inflammatory responses, will be investigated. The human alveolar basal epithelial cell line A549 and pro-monocytic model cell line U937 will be utilized to address these inflammatory responses. Additionally, the study investigates methods for preventing the transition from acute to chronic inflammation and subsequent neuroinflammation. PG, PI, and anti-inflammatory eicosanoids will be tested as potential therapeutic agents to prevent neuro-inflammation. |
Translational control in Cancer European Network
Translačná kontrola v európskej onkologickej sieti
Safety in the Game Meat chain
Zabezpečenie nezávadnosti mäsa poľovnej zveri v reťazci "z lesa po vidličku"
| Duration: |
29.9.2023 - 28.9.2027 |
| Program: |
COST |
| Project leader: |
MVDr. Lauková Andrea CSc. |
| Annotation: | The main aim and objective of the Action is to determine differences and similarities between European countries in terms of hunting practices, game meat processing and inspection, game meat commodity flows, trade and game meat consumption, investigating all stages of the supply chain from the wild animals to the consumers, "from forest to fork". |
Targeting Cell Senescence to Prevent Age-Related Diseases
Zacielenie na starnutie buniek na prevenciu chorôb súvisiacich s vekom
| Duration: |
3.10.2024 - 2.10.2028 |
| Program: |
COST |
| Project leader: |
Mgr. Bágeľová Poláková Silvia PhD. |
| Annotation: | The challenge to extending the human health span is to prevent or alleviate ageing-associated diseases collectively rather than individually.
The knowledge of cellular and molecular mechanisms identified as “hallmarks of ageing” allows experimental strategies to prevent ageing anticipation and extend the health span. A body of evidence indicates that cell senescence is a targetable hallmark of ageing, typically associated with metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegeneration and cancer. |
Lifting farm animal lives – laying the foundations for positive animal welfare
Zlepšenie životov hospodárskych zvierat - položenie základov pre pozitívne životné podmienky zvierat
| Duration: |
4.11.2022 - 3.11.2026 |
| Program: |
COST |
| Project leader: |
RNDr. Košťál Ľubor CSc. |
| Annotation: | The main aim and objective of the Action is to define and conceptualise positive animal welfare, to identify valid methodologies to assess positive animal welfare, to assess the understanding and acceptance of this concept, and to suggest potential animal- and resource-based indicators of positive welfare to be monitored on farm. |
Changes in biomembrane molecules associated with mammalian sperm maturation
Zmeny biomembránových molekúl spojené s dozrievaním spermií cicavcov
| Duration: |
1.1.2025 - 31.12.2026 |
| Program: |
Mobility |
| Project leader: |
Ing. Michalková Katarína PhD. |
| Annotation: | Maturation is a complex and crucial process of sperm preparation for recognition and binding to the oocyte, which is accompanied by numerous changes in membrane molecules depending on the stage of maturation. The aim of this project is to study changes in biomembrane molecules associated with functional sperm maturation in bovine and porcine spermatozoa through the epididymal maturation to ejaculation and in vitro capacitation. We will study the changes of glycocalyx (glycoproteins and glycolipids) localised on spermatozoa and extracellular vesicles of the male genital tract in the bovine and porcine model organisms. By analysing the modification and dynamics of the glycocalyx during maturation we will attempt to elucidate and compare the possible specific roles it plays in this process in different species. Elucidating the significance of changes in molecules associated with sperm membranes and EVs of genital tract fluids is essential not only for understanding the physiological mechanisms of reproductive function, but also for their potential application in the improvement of assisted reproductive techniques. |
The total number of projects: 18
