NAZIV PROJEKTA / PROJECT TITLE: MARA-BASED INDUSTRIAL LOW-COST IDENTIFICATION ASSAYS

Trajanje / Duration: 1. 9. 2020. – 28. 2. 2023.

Financiranje / Funding: Horizon 2020

KOORDINATOR ZA SVEUČILIŠTE U ZAGREBU / COORDINATOR FOR UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB: prof. dr. sc. Branimir Bertoša

GLAVNI KOORDINATOR / PRINCIPAL COORDINATOR: Dr. Ivan Barišić (Austrian Institute of Technology)

INSTITUCIJE KOJE SUDJELUJU U PROJEKTU / INSTITUTIONS:

Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT)

Institut Ruđer Bošković (IRB) / Ruđer Bošković Institute (RBI)

IREN SPA

DAY ONE SRL

Prirodoslovno-matematički fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu / Faculty of Science at University of Zagreb (UniZg)

SAŽETAK / ABSTRACT:

Brza, efikasna i jeftina detekcija patogena od velike je važnosti za razne grane industrije, poput zdravstva te poljoprivredne i prehrambene industrije. Postojeće tehnologije su ograničene i potreban je značajan iskorak kako bi se razvili jeftini (<10 €) testovi koji mogu detektirati male količine bakterijskih stanica (<10 stanica/mL) u vremenskom razdoblju manjem od sat vremena. U projektu MARA koji je temelj za projekt MARILIA, razvijene su nove tehnologije i alati čiji će se potencijal za razvijanje brzih i jeftinih testova za detekciju patogena u uzorcima vode istražiti projektom MARILIA. Projekt čini uravnoteženi konzorcij sastavljen od istraživačkog instituta usmjerenog na primjenu (AIT), sveučilišta (UniZg), javnog instituta (IRB) i velike kompanije (IREN). Ukoliko predloženi testovi zadovolje standarde, utemeljit će se „start-up“ tvrtka s ciljem da se komercijalizira razvijene testove u postprojektnoj fazi pri čemu značajnu podršku pružiti kompanija DAY ONE.

The fast and cost-efficient detection of pathogens is highly important in many sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, and food industry. However, current technologies are limited, and significant advances are required to develop lowcost (<10 €) detection assays that can detect a few bacterial cells (<10 cells/ml) within less than one hour. In the project MARA, which is the basis for MARILIA, we have developed novel technologies and tools that have a high exploitation potential. Thus, we have initiated the follow-up project MARILIA, which aims to exploit these results and realise a new detection concept for the fast, low-cost identification of human pathogens in water samples. A well-balanced consortium has been established, comprising an applied research institute (AIT), a university (UniZg), a basic research institute (RBI), and a large company (IREN, representing a potential future customer). If the MARILIA detection assay meets the requirements defined, a start-up will be founded to commercially exploit the innovations in the post-project phase. The company DAY ONE will provided necessary support for commercialization of knowledge and technology from fundamental science.

PROJEKTNI TIM PRI SVEUČILIŠTU U ZAGREBU / PROJECT TEAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB: