The current pandemic of the coronavirus, reported first on 31st December 2019 in China, has produced a global alert of unprecedented nature. From the beginning, immediate actions have been put in place by all relevant stakeholders, i.e., local health departments, governments, pharmaceutical companies, global organisations etc., to address the problem as quickly as possible and control the spread of the disease. Large scale testing of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients/citizens has been one of the most effective measures taken by several countries, combined with isolation and tracking. Today, after six months from the outbreak, the deaths continue to rise with over 200 affected countries. Fear of a new wave of the pandemic together with the ongoing cases worldwide make the need for developing rapid and accurate diagnostic tools for COVID-19 a global priority, as declared by the WHO. The current consortium aims to join forces in the battle against the coronavirus by producing mature and robust solutions with immediate impact. The proposal is built around the implementation of an existing and patented device and methodology based on isothermal LAMP amplification and real time quantitative colorimetric detection. This mature methodology, currently of a technology readiness level of 7, has already been proven to be able to detect SARS-CoV-2 in patients’ samples with 97.4% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The main objectives of this proposal are thus the immediate deployment of the device following clinical validation and fast track certification. Arrangements for the large-scale production of the device and reagents will take place in parallel, followed by the provision of a full medical certification for COVID-19 and flu detection directly in crude samples and at the point-of-care. Global uptake of the two certified products together with global sharing of the project results are important deliverables of the proposal for the current and future epidemics.

The aim of DxHub is to develop a strong ecosystem that mutually reinforces actors from two widening countries to consolidate individual efforts and allow for rapid and on the spot accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases within One-Health. The ecosystems in Crete, GR and the Oeiras region, PT, have already demonstrated a rich portfolio of activities to tackle the problem of efficient diagnosis outside a centralized lab. The DxHub will bring the two isolated regions together and, through a common R&I plan, accelerate innovations in diagnostics into impactful solutions by embracing the quadruple helix of main innovation players. Cutting-edge R&Is will be promoted based on joint research, innovation and investment plans. Pilot projects will be used to interlink academia with business providing solutions addressing the health, veterinary and agri/food sectors, all in line with both regions’ strategic priorities. In parallel, the efficient communication, dissemination and exploitation of the DxHub outcomes to the broad ecosystem will ensure high societal impact as a result of the co-development and acceptance of the new innovations by all actors of the quadruple helix. We expect that by building strong links between all payers of DxHub will foster knowledge transfer leading to the creation of new jobs and of attractive and sustainable place-based innovation ecosystems.

Over the past 10 years, arboviral diseases, such as dengue, Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever, have (re)emerged with increasing prevalence and severity. Although these arboviral diseases are more prevalent in tropical countries, increasing numbers of autochthonous cases are being reported from European countries; hence raising concerns about the potential for the establishment of these pathogens in temperate regions. In the absence of effective vaccines and treatments, preventing these diseases at the global scale continues to depend largely on controlling mosquito vector populations, interrupting human–vector contact or both. Unfortunately, the recent resurgence of Aedes transmitted arboviral diseases worldwide highlights the limitations of current vector control to prevent epidemics and to reduce the incidence of diseases. New, affordable, scalable and community-based vector control measures are urgently needed to prevent the introduction, spread and establishment of Aedes-borne diseases in Europe and beyond. The INOVEC project proposes to build a large pan-European, cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary network to develop, optimise and promote integrated approaches and innovative tools for the surveillance and control of mosquito vectors of emerging arboviruses. INOVEC will gather 21 academic and non-academic institutions specialized in vector biology, social sciences and product development to stimulate basic and applied research, strengthen capacities, promote career development and facilitate knowledge and technology transfer to countries at increasing risk of arboviral diseases. INOVEC has the commitment to coordinate and integrate sectors in order to maximise impact, raise awareness of policy makers and stakeholders, and participate in the improvement of innovation potential at the European and global level. INOVEC will contribute to international efforts to improve global health and human well-being by reducing the burden of vector borne diseases.

Some of the most acute challenges that the world faces are caused by insects and mites that seriously threaten human health and food security. Their control is primarily achieved by the use of insecticides: e.g., malaria prevalence has halved since 2000, saving 660 million lives, with 80% of the reduction being attributable to the use of insecticides. However, both limited availability of low risk insecticides (“insecticides that only fight the bad bugs’) and insecticide resistance represent major threats. So, there is an urgent need to develop novel, safe insecticides. Earlier research pointed to a discriminatory role for the enzyme cytochrome P450 (CYP) in the sensitivity to insecticides. CypTox will exploit the CYP metabolic/detoxification pathway of target and non-target organisms, to develop insecticides, efficient against selected insect & mite major pests and vectors, but highly selective and safe for mammals, pollinators and the environment. Outcomes will also include significantly beyond the state of the art biotechnology platforms (high-throughput cell/enzyme- screening assays and in silico pipelines), that will advance research capabilities for future developments of low risk insecticides. CypTox will provide excellent research training within a creative and flexible environment that actively promotes the integration of academic rigor and commercial pragmatism through mobility between sectors and focused training events. The size and balance of a highly motivated consortium (6 AC/6 industrial–of which 3 SME & 3 TC; 300 well distributed secondments), the involvement of experienced PIs in Horizon2020 and ERC projects and the modern communication, dissemination and exploitation approaches will ensure efficient implementation and impact, at several levels. Enhanced career perspectives for scientists and researchers will be achieved by building a sustainable multidisciplinary and inter-sectoral network, integrating world leading researchers and stakeholders.