NTUA and in particular the Laboratory of Electronic Sensors (LES), has a strong expertise on sensor development and their applications; has vast experience managing international projects of relatively big magnitude like MOBILES. NTUA will develop the electronic components of all biosensors able to detect one or multiple pollutants in water and air with high assurance and speed based on affinity binders and capacitive hardware. It will closely collaborate with UBx, INRAE, UBE, for the synthesis of the best binders and with Eden, TUC and Mat for the structural and binding kinetics characterization. LES will specifically work on the developing of a biosensor to detect 17ß-estradiol in water. After developing the prototype machines, sensors might be integrated into systems fabricated by Eden Tech and Mat. Furthermore, as coordinator it will closely interact with all partners in order to ensure a smooth work plan implementation.
CNR-IRET contributes to the project with the participation of the Plant Biology Research Unit focused on the study of plant species that can be used as biosensor for heavy metals/metalloids. The IRET is involved in national and international scientific cooperation networks in this subject. Within MOBILES project, IRET will closely collaborate with UR - for the generation of mutated plants, and with RICPA to validate their safety.
CNR-ISAFOM is a leading CNR institute focused on Mediterranean genetic resources conservation and characterization. The ISAFOM research unit of Catania recently has developed innovative skills and techniques to sequence genomes and transcriptomes of non-model organisms. In the framework of the MOBILES project, ISAFOM will lead the metagenomics characterization WP by sequencing through next-generation techniques the soil, plants and bacteria samples provided by the ISSPC, UR, ARO and INRAE. ISAFOM will closely interact with UPNA to elaborate and share through the IT infrastructure all metagenomics data produced by MOBILES. As sequencing provider partner, the CNR-ISAFOM will closely collaborate with the partner involved in the WP2 through a transcriptome sequencing survey of the modified organisms and plants to analyse the genes involved in the sensory processes.
INRAE is a world leader institute for research on agriculture, food, and the environment. The MICALIS unit has a strong expertise in microbiological analysis and antibiotic resistance, in development of innovative strategies to combat bacterial infections and to assess bacteria in water and complex matrices such as foods. INRAE will be involved in design, production and validation of sensing elements (aptamers, enzymes, DNA probe) and will closely collaborate with NTUA, UBE, UBX, NTUA, Mat and Eden on their integration into electrochemical sensors. Moreover, INREA will be provide samples to be sequenced in WP3 and will collaborate with all partners in portable biosensor validation and project results dissemination.
Name: Sapienza University of Rome
Official name: UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA
UR contributes with participation of the laboratories and research groups of Dr. Dello Ioio. Dr. Dello Ioio is worldwide recognized experts in root development and plant molecular biology. His research group will mutants of Arabidopsis Thaliana plants able to change leaves colour in presence of As. The UNIROMA1 team will work closely with IBPM and RICPA to demonstrate that those mutants can be employed as biosensor to monitor and detect the presence of As and that such plants do not present environmental threats.
EDEN TECH is a French SME specialized in the development of microfluidic materials and microfluidic equipment for water treatments (micropollutant degradation, microplastic remediation). It will contribute to the project with the development of modular cost effective high-volume microfluidic platforms to be coupled with electrochemical biosensors developed in WP1. This will be achieved through different collaborations, by integrating different techniques in the microsized inner channels of the microfluidic CD which is the unitary module of the equipment. Eden will closely collaborate with INRAE, BU and UB will perform the immobilization of ligands to detect pollutant in water as well as Mat which will design the packaging of each biosensor. By stacking CDs in the equipment, the system will be scaled-up to monitor the desired amount of water by unit time.
UPNA and it’s Institute of Smart Cities (ISC) will be responsible for the implementation of the metagenomic database and the associated data pipeline, within WP3. The team, in association with ISSPC and CNR-ISAFOM, will focus on the definition of the data model, as well as the database architecture and communication exchange mechanisms, counting with previous experience in multiple massive dataset handling projects, as well as in IoT frameworks at EU, national and regional level. Flexible data handling and visualization, interoperability with other omics databases as well as scalability and secure open data paradigms (security and scalability by design) will be followed in the development.
Name: The Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation
Official name: INSTYTUT UPRAWY NAWOZENIA I GLEBOZNAWSTWA, PANSTWOWY INSTYTUT BADAWCZY
ISSPC is engaged in research on agriculture, soil science, fertilization. The Institute is a member of numerous national and international scientific consortia. The Department of Agricultural Microbiology is engaged in the assessment of genetic diversity and identification of soil microorganisms (PCR, Real Time PCR, PCR DGGE), assessment of structural and functional biodiversity of soils related to agricultural practice and environmental protection. ISSPC has capabilities for bioinformatics analysis - sequencing of 16S amplicons (bacteria) and ITS (fungi), identification and characterization of the metabolic profile of bacteria and fungi (Biolog System, Genlll Plates, FFPlates), evaluation of microbiological, biochemical parameters and mobile fractions of organic matter as indicators of soil fertility and healthiness. In MOBILES project, ISSPC will be responsible for proper soil selection and collection and subsequent DNA/RNA extraction. It will closely collaborate with CNR-ISAFOM for sequencing the genetic material extracted from soil and for the bioinformatic analysis. Furthermore, ISSPC will interact with UPNA for the realization of metagenomic database.
Name: The Agricultural Research Organisation of Israel - The Volcani Centre
Official name: THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION OF ISRAEL - THE VOLCANI CENTRE
While encompassing the full range of research activities, ARO focuses on agriculture, enabling Israel- a country short of all the resources required for agriculture – to achieve among the highest levels of agricultural output in the world. The activities of the ARO are mostly application-oriented and R&D projects that cover a wide range of agriculture and environmental-oriented subjects, for example, in-field growth and post-harvest sensing systems, technologies and environmental control, food packaging, production management and many more. After developing the sensing technologies, the ARO's main interactions will be with Eden Tech (design of microfluidic flow systems), Mat (packaging of biosensor) and RICPA to test the environmental impact of genetically modified bacteria.
UBx is a multidisciplinary, research-focused and international university which is ranked among the top French universities for the quality of its academic courses and research. In 2011, UBx was rewarded by the French government for its overall campus strategy for excellence and was one of the first universities in 2016 to obtain confirmation of this Excellence program. Via this Excellence program.
(25M€/year), UBx develops innovative training, research and knowledge transfer programs in numerous fields of excellence and in partnership with other educational institutions in Bordeaux. In MOBILES project UBx and specific facilities of IPB will contribute by the preparation of nanomaterials and other type of composite materials to be used as transducers, in the biosensors construction. It will closely interact with INRAE, UBE, NTUA, Eden, TUC and Mat as well as its affiliated institute IPB by providing all the necessary materials to build up stable and reliable biosensors.
CUT is a higher education institute constantly committed to promoting research excellence. In MOBILES CUT will participates with the Environmental Biocatalysis and Biotechnology Laboratory. The laboratory applies state-of-the-art spectroscopic sensory techniques coupled with marine diatoms that will be optimized to detect and follow the degradation of bioplastics. CUT will collaborate with Eden, Mat to provide fast technologies to detect PMCs using diatoms as biosensor.
Name: University of Belgrade
Official name: HEMIJSKI FAKULTET, UNIVERZITET U BEOGRADU
UBE - Faculty of Chemistry is among the most prestigious scientific institutions in Serbia. UBFC is divided into 6 departments. Due to the diversity of research areas and communication between scientists of different profiles, UBFC constantly fosters the multidisciplinary character of research activities. The main tasks of this UBE are material synthesis, characterization and electrochemical measurements focused on biosensors for pesticides. Within this part of the project, the research team from UBE will closely cooperate with INRAE, UBX, NTUA in the development of the best substrates to bind pesticides, as well as the transfer of technology into new types of detection devices. The laboratory of the PI project team has all the necessary equipment and knowledge for the adequate realization of this project. The successful implementation of previous projects (three H2020, one Horizon Europe and several projects from the Science fund) confirms the full administrative support of the team members for this part of the project.
Name: MAT4NRG
Official name: MAT4NRG-GESELLSCHAFT FUR MATERIALIEN UND ENERGIEANWENDUNGEN MBH
The field of activity of mat4nrg GmbH is in materials preparation, characterization and application. We offer their production and characterization as well as the investigation of possible fields of application with special focus on materials for energy and environmental applications. We will also work in close collaboration with all partners involved in INRAE, UB, BU to design suitable and stable packages for electrochemical biosensors. Further we will collaborate with Eden to integrate their microfluidic devices in the electrochemical sensor. Finally, the shelf-life of the prototype packaged electrochemical biosensors will be test and optimized.
TUC has high skills in production, characterization and application of polymers, metal alloys, ceramic materials, and in modern preparation methods for materials. Sonochemical and sono-electrochemical methods are used for the preparation of nanosized materials for application e.g. as electrocatalysts.
GRANT Garant is an innovation consulting company. It will contribute to MOBILES through expertise in science communication and dissemination of research results, and the development of strategic plans for communication, dissemination and exploitation. Another area of contribution is innovation management and technology transfer advisory, including evaluation of the market potential for new technologies, development of patent strategies and linking with the business angels to provide a start-up financial capacity. GG will interact will all partners giving and receiving feedback about MOBILES autosomes, organisms and devices.
Name: Research and Innovation Centre Pro-Akademia
Official name: CENTRUM BADAN I INNOWACJI PRO-AKADEMIA STOWARZYSZENIE
Research and Innovation Center Pro-Akademia is a research organisation specialising in applied research in environmental engineering, sustainable agriculture and social sciences, including studies on environmental safety and biosensing solutions in both lab-scale and real-life conditions. In MOBILES, RICPA will perform risk assessment of modified organisms as well as lab-scale studies on the effects of MOBILES organisms on other organisms, considering inputs on the characterization of organisms and the introduced modifications from CNR-IBPM, URs and AROs. RICPA’s research will be implemented with a view to obtaining a safety clearance for MOBILES organisms, which will be required in the future potential intended release of MOBILES organisms into environment as indicators of environmental pollution.