JANE 2 - The 2nd Joint Action on Networks of Expertise on Cancer "Building EU Networks of Expertise on Cancer Together"
The second Joint Action (JA) of the EU on Networks of Expertise on Cancer (JANE-2) was launched on January 28-29, 2025. The project is a follow-up of the JA JANE (2022-2024) and is coordinated by Italy through the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori in Milan, involving 121 partners from 29 European countries and co-financed by the European Union (EU) with 40.5 million euros. Greece is represented in JANE-2 by the National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF) and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) as participating institutions.
Press Release [pdf] | Project website: https://jane-project.eu

International workshop “Novel leads and drugs for vector borne diseases: Targets and off targets (toxicity and ecotoxicity) and mechanism of action” | 19-20.09.2024
Organised in the context of the COST ACTION 2111-OneHealthdrugs – “One Health drugs against parasitic vector borne diseases in Europe and beyond” https://onehealthdrugs.com/.
The workshop seeks to provide up to date information and integration strategy on sustainable drug discovery for vector borne diseases (VBDs). Special emphasis will also be given to new targets for VBDs and methods to study their engagement as well as on biodegradability and toxicity aspects pinpointing the effect on the environment.
The event is open to PhD, young innovators and senior scientists from both academia and pharma.

2nd Announcement [pdf] | Programme [pdf] | Registration form | Venue & Accomodation [pdf]
Online attendance [via Zoom]

3rd Newsletter of JANE Project “EU Joint Action on Networks of Expertise”
The National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF) participates in the implementation of the “EU Joint Action on Networks of Expertise”. Within a 2-year period, JANE aims to establish seven new Networks of Expertise (NoEs) in the cancer field, able to function effectively, building on previous and ongoing EU networking experiences, and finding solutions rooted in the European oncology community.
3rd Newsletter | JANE Project Flyer [pdf] | Project Website: https://jane-project.eu

2nd Newsletter of JANE Project “EU Joint Action on Networks of Expertise”
The National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF) participates in the implementation of the “EU Joint Action on Networks of Expertise”. Within a 2-year period, JANE aims to establish seven new Networks of Expertise (NoEs) in the cancer field, able to function effectively, building on previous and ongoing EU networking experiences, and finding solutions rooted in the European oncology community.
2nd Newsletter | JANE Project Flyer [pdf] | Project Website: https://jane-project.eu

ICB Workshop on Chemical Biology: Drug and Biomarker Discovery, 23-25 November 2023
Ιn memory of Dr Michael Alexis
The Organising Committee welcomes you at the ICB Workshop on Chemical Biology: Drug and Biomarker Discovery on 23-25 November 2023 at the National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF) in Athens, Greece. The Workshop is organized by the Institute of Chemical Biology/NHRF in the context of the established series of workshops organised by ICB/NHRF as a forum for the discussion of recent advances in the field of Chemical Biology and Drug & Biomarker Discovery. The topics of the Workshop include: Target identification and validation; Drug discovery and development; Omics-guided biomarkers in chemical biology; Therapeutic-Clinical approaches.

Agenda [pdf] | Information: chembiol2023[at]eie.gr

NerveRepack Project: Intelligent neural system for bidirectional connection with exoprostheses and exoskeletons
The National Hellenic Research Foundation participates in the project “NerveRepack: Intelligent neural system for bidirectional connection with exoprostheses and exoskeletons” (Acronym: NerveRepack), ranked first with a score of 14.6/15.0. NerveRepack has received funding from the European Union’s HORIZON Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101112347, Key Digital Technologies Joint Undertaking (KDT JU), Research and Innovation Actions (RIA). This is a 4-year disruptive project that aims to develop a new generation of bidirectional implantable electrodes connecting the human nervous system with external mechatronic aid devices such as exoskeletons and exoprostheses, thus helping people with arm amputations or leg paralysis regain their motor and sensorial functions.
Project information [pdf] | Short presentation [pdf]
Project website: https://www.nerverepack.eu

1st Newsletter of JANE Project “EU Joint Action on Networks of Expertise”
The National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF) participates in the implementation of the “EU Joint Action on Networks of Expertise”. Within a 2-year period, JANE aims to establish seven new Networks of Expertise (NoEs) in the cancer field, able to function effectively, building on previous and ongoing EU networking experiences, and finding solutions rooted in the European oncology community.
1st Newsletter | JANE Project Flyer [pdf] | Project Website: https://jane-project.eu

JANE Project “EU Joint Action on Networks of Expertise”
The National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF) participates in the implementation of the “EU Joint Action on Networks of Expertise”. Within a 2-year period, JANE aims to establish seven new Networks of Expertise (NoEs) in the cancer field, able to function effectively, building on previous and ongoing EU networking experiences, and finding solutions rooted in the European oncology community. Health care networking can be a privileged hallmark of the EU, having the potential to target the health of half a million citizens in a highly coordinated fashion. The project is coordinated by Fondatione IRCCS, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Italy. Sixteen EU countries, represented by 20 partners and 16 affiliated entities, participate and it is funded by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency, EU4Health Programme (Grant agreement:101075328).
Project information [pdf] | Project website: https://jane-project.eu

UPCAST Project “Universal Platform Components for Safe Fair Interoperable Data Exchange, Monetisation and Trading”
The National Hellenic Research Foundation participates in the funded European Project “Universal Platform Components for Safe Fair Interoperable Data Exchange, Monetisation and Trading” (Acronym: UPCAST), which provides a set of universal, trustworthy, transparent and user-friendly data market plugins for the automation of data sharing and processing agreements between businesses, public administrations and citizens. The plugins developed will enable actors in the common European data spaces to design and deploy data exchange and trading operations. NHRF is going to pilot privacy-preserving biomedical and genomic data sharing as well as integration of heterogeneous genomic data from different sources. UPCAST project has received funding from the European Union´s Horizon Research and Innovation Actions under Grant Agreement nº 101093216.
Project information [pdf] | DOI: 10.3030/101093216
Project website: https://www.upcast-project.eu

Twin4Promis “Twinning for Excellence in Research, Training and Innovation in Protein Misfolding Diseases”
The National Hellenic Research Foundation is coordinating the funded European Project “Twinning for Excellence in Research, Training and Innovation in Protein Misfolding Diseases” (Acronym: Twin4Promis), which aims to create a new hub of excellence in research, training of young researchers and innovation in scientific fields related to protein misfolding diseases, such as Alzheimer's Disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and obesity. On 23.03.2023, the Kick-off meeting of Twin4Promis and a Scientific Symposium took place at the NHRF, where the scientific community and the wider society were intoduced to the Project.
Programme [pdf] | DOI: 10.3030/101079363 | Project website: https://twin4promis.eu/

"RESEARCH CREATE-INNOVATE" 2ND CYCLE | Fish_superfoods
"Development of new functional fish-superfood for more efficient fish farming"
The main objective of the research and innovation project Fish_superfoods is to produce innovative fish superfoods with a positive impact on the health, development, and nutritional value of farmed fish, such as seabass and seabream.

AlphaSyn Project «Systematic development and commercial exploitation of novel aggregation inhibitors of the protein α-synuclein»
The AlphaSyn project is developing new and effective small-molecule inhibitors of the neurotoxic aggregation of the protein α-synuclein (αSyn). These inhibitors are discovered via screening of (1) large combinatorial libraries of short cyclic peptides and (2) natural product libraries from Greek marine organisms. The most effective inhibitors of αSyn aggregation and neurotoxicity will be developed with the ultimate goal of developing lead compounds with potentially therapeutic properties against Parkinson’s disease and, in addition, an innovative neuroprotective nutritional supplement promoting the kinetic and cognitive function of elderly people.

CoCCUS Project «Cost-effective CO₂ Capture and Utilization from magnesite/lime industry using enzyme boosted Κ₂CO₃ Solvents»
The CoCCUS project develops a novel CO₂ capture system tailored to the flue-gasses of energy intensive industries with process CO₂ emissions, using a Κ₂CO₃ solution and novel Carbonic Anhydrase (CA) enzymes. The pure CO₂ will be used to produce high added-value products, such as proteins useful for food production.

FUNglucan Project "Development of a novel FUNctional food enriched with β-glucans isolated from edible mushrooms of Greek habitats"
The aim of the project is to characterize the health-promoting properties of edible Greek mushrooms of high β-glucan content in order to develop novel functional food products aimed at preventing pathologies and improving the quality of life of the general population, the elderly in particular. The development of functional products meeting the consumers’ nutritional needs while at the same time improving their health is an important pillar of the company EI PAPADOPOULOS S.A. which holds a leading position in the Greek bakery market.

“Strengthening the potential of algal proteins for food colouring and fortification using high-pressure technologies” (PRESSION) ANSO Project No. ANSO-CR-PP-2021-01
Algal phycobiliproteins (PBPs) are increasingly recognised as safe and affordable, highly bioactive natural food colourants in place of carcinogenic chemical ones. The Institute of Chemical Biology {ICB/NHRF), participates in the project "PRESSION", which aims at the use of high pressure technologies for the colour preservation and stability during storage of food colourants purified from cyanobacteria and red algae, to meet the challenge for their greater industrial use.

3rd Newsletter of the European Project “EuroNeurotrophin” funded under the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017
“EuroNeurotrophin” «A European training network for the discovery of neurotrophins small molecule mimetics as candidate therapeutic agents for neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation»

"RESEARCH CREATE-INNOVATE" 2ND CYCLE | ΒΙΟΚΑRΕΤRΑ
The National Hellenic Research Foundation currently participates in the research project ΒΙΟΚΑRΕΤRΑ "Identification of genomic and transcriptomic prognostic bio-signatures in head and neck cancer".
The BIOKARETRA project is in the context of translational research that aims to identify and validate prognostic and predictive biomarkers for head and neck cancer.

Newsletters and other news of the European Project “EuroNeurotrophin” funded under the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017
The National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF), Institute of Chemical Biology (ICB), coordinates “EuroNeurotrophin” under the supervision of ICB Research Director and Project Coordinator, Dr Theodora Calogeropoulou.
https://www.euroneurotrophin.eu/

“EuroNeurotrophin” «A European training network for the discovery of neurotrophins small molecule mimetics as candidate therapeutic agents for neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation»
Funded under the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017, EuroNeurotrophin project is the first European consortium to study small molecule neurotrophin mimetics in depth, and in order to progress their clinical translation will build the research capacity necessary for the development of novel candidate therapies. The National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF), Institute of Chemical Biology (ICB), coordinates “EuroNeurotrophin” under the supervision of ICB Research Director and Project Coordinator, Dr Theodora Calogeropoulou.
https://www.euroneurotrophin.eu/

"RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE" | CLOUDSCREEN
The National Hellenic Research Foundation currently participates in the research project CLOUDSCREEN that aims to develop a new generation "one-stop-shop- platform (CloudScreen) for drug repositioning and repurposing in precision medicine. Combining the reasoning skills of artificial and human intelligence, the platform empowers efficacy and toxicity prediction, evaluation, and validation for the repurposed drugs.

"RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE" | DINNESMIN
The National Hellenic Research Foundation participates in the research project DINNESMIN that aims to the pre-clinical development of innovative neuroprotective & neuroregenerative synthetic micro-neurotrophins for the treatment of Alzheimer Disease.

"RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE" | PEPtADe
The National Hellenic Research Foundation participates in the research project PEPtADe that aims to develop potent small molecules-inhibitors of Aβ aggregation, which plays a key role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Advanced Research on the 3D Structure of Mosquito Odorant Receptor Coreceptor (3D-ORCO)
The research project “Advanced Research on the 3D Structure of the Mosquito Odorant Receptor Coreceptor (3D-ORCO)” which is coordinated by the National Hellenic Research Foundation and Dr. Spyros Zographos, on behalf of the Institute of Chemical Biology (ICB/NHRF), was among the 22 Category II proposals in the area of “Life Sciences - Medical and Health Sciences”, funded by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation H.F.R.I. (ELIDEK) in the framework of the "1st Call for proposals for research projects for the support of Faculty members and Researchers working in the Greek Universities and Research Centers and the procurement of strategic research equipment.

SUPPORT OF YOUNG RESEARCHERS – CALL Β’, ESPA 2014-2020
The National Hellenic Research Foundation, in the framework of the above Action, implements the project "Aqueous Asymmetric Homogeneous Catalysis" (YDAK) which has been designed to improve the innovative research in topics of transition-metal catalysis, and in particular aqueous and asymmetric catalysis. The aim of the intervention is to strengthen the academic curriculum vitae of young researchers and their research skills, in order to improve the prospects of their academic/research career.

"RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE" | NEOVIOPRO
The National Hellenic Research Foundation currently participates in the research project NEOVIOPRO for the identification of biomarkers in prostate cancer. The identification of prognostic biomarkers of the clinical course of the disease, as well as of predictive biomarkers of the response to a therapeutic approach, constitutes the subject of investigation and aims at a timely and more effective treatment of the disease.

"RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE" | ELAION
RIS3 "AGROFOOD" Unlike other vegetable oils, olive oil has a high content of high-quality fatty acids suitable for the infant. This makes it ideal for use as a raw material in infant formula. ELAION project aims for the first time, to utilize olive oil in infant formulas in a pilot scale infant formula production unit in the Region of Western Greece.

"RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE" | CO₂ BioProducts
CO₂ BioProducts project aims at the systematic exploitation of the microalgal ability to produce a broad range of biochemical and bioactive high added-value ingredients which can be used by various industries, e.g. cosmetics and dietary products.

"RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE" | RESET
Bioinspired antiageing proteasome activators. RESET relies on the active collaboration between InterMed SA, and the Institute of Chemical Biology/NHRF.

"RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE" | Health Span
Health Span project, is based on the collaboration of Qualia Pharma S.A. with the National Hellenic Research Foundation (NHRF). The project aims to the development of a new dietary supplement, that will promote well-being and longevity.

"RESEARCH-CREATE-INNOVATE" | QFytoTera
The National Hellenic Research Foundation coordinates the QFytoTera research consortium in the effort to develop innovative repellent products that prevent spread of insect-borne diseases

Press Release | Dr. Georgios Skretas is awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant
Dr. Georgios Skretas is awarded a Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) to develop engineered bacteria that accelerate drug discovery against diseases caused by protein misfolding.