Cancer is the second cause of death in the western world and it is expected to become the leading one in developing countries in the next future. The long-term outcome of BaCTher is the improvement of the cancer treatment that can overcome the intrinsic limitations of the current therapies through the development of a new promising therapeutic strategy. The specific hypothesis behind the proposed research is that an attenuated Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (STMΔznuABC) is able to influence the tumor microenvironment (TME) reprogramming or re-educating the immune response, and inducing a shift from protumorigenic inflammation to anticancer immunity, which results in a tumor growth control. This hypothesis is based on the observation that: 1) there is compelling scientific evidence of the effect of bacteria, and in particular Salmonella, against cancer growth; 2) STMΔznuABC is able to reduce cancer growth and to increase the average life expectancy in a mammary adenocarcinoma Balb/c mice model; 3) STMΔznuABC is able to penetrate and proliferate into the tumor cells inhibiting the proliferation of tumor cells at 24h post-treatment. Three specific aims are designed to: 1) investigate the relationship between STMΔznuABC and TME; 2) characterize the mechanism of STMΔznuABC antitumor activity; 3) validate the results obtained in the preliminary studies using alternative in vivo models. The Experienced Researcher (ER), from the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), Italy, will spend one year at the Cancer Immunobiology Section of the Cancer and Inflammation Program (CIP), Center for Cancer Research (CCR), division of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Bethesda, MD USA, for mutual exchange of skills and know-how that will be transferred back to the beneficiary organisation (ISS), contributing to the establishment of a wider long-term collaboration between the ER and host institutions.

SURE-AMR aims to improve the R&I capacities of IMBG to strengthen its scientific reputation, attractiveness and networking channels, while promoting scientific excellence in the field of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) under an One Health Approach (OHA). It aims to raise the level of excellence of IMBG to EU standards and to raise its profile nationally and at EU level through a sustainable framework for scientific and institutional capacity building, international collaboration and stakeholder engagement. The project will strengthen R&I and knowledge transfer through the development of targeted R&I study cases, training for IMBG researchers and IMBG staff, increased collaboration between academia, health sector and stakeholders with a general sustainable framework for research, international networking and a specific international mobility programme. Strengthening the experience of IMBG research staff, including a new generation of young scientists, will be achieved through the cooperation with EU partners with established scientific excellence in the topics and proven experience in economic impact and awareness raising and integration into national policies. At the scientific level, it is expected to enlarge the community of competitive and renowned researchers at IMBG in AMR, stronger and better connected to a core of international and relevant R&I systems, supported by skilled R&I managers with their international networks. At the social level, it is expected to improve the public health and environmental quality of Ukraine (and EU) through an OHA, while developing broader social systems appropriate to the Ukrainian context to face better prevention, analysis and mitigation of AMR. At the economic level, the project will contribute to the development of innovative protocols, methodologies and innovative solutions for the health and ecological sector and the profitability of regional companies through new process improvements, innovation support and job creation.