Launch of the Plant Extracellular Vesicles Farming (FarmEVs) project

FarmEVs is a project funded by European Research Executive Agency (REA) within REA.A - Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions & Support to Experts, A.3 - HORIZON TMA MSCA Staff Exchanges action. It was subjected to HORIZON-MSCA-2022-SE-01 call, HORIZON-MSCA-2022-SE-01-01 topic, under Grant Agreement No. 101131175. FarmEVs will be funded from March 1, 2024 to February 29, 2028. The EU Contribution to the project will be €1.021.200.00. The leading institution is the National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, Napoli, and the principal investigator of the project is the Head of the Extracellular Vesicles and Mass Spectrometry Group dr. Gabriella Pocsfalvi.

FarmEVs was officially incepted by a Kick-off Meeting taking place 21^st -22^nd March 2024 online. The meeting that featured excellent science was honoured by high executives: the project officer from Bruxelles (Dr. Sotirios Kiokias) and the director of the Institute of Biosciences and BioResources of the National Research Council of Italy, (Dr. Raffaella Balestrini), and was attended by team members of 8 partner institutions from 6 countries. The European partners of the project are National Research Council of Italy, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), University of Oulu (Finland), Lehtosarvi farm (Finland), ImmunoVeg s.r.l. (Italy), and an associated partner Università di Napoli Federico II (Italy). The project benefits from the participation of three non-European partners: Damanhour University (Egypt), Kyung Hee University (South Korea) and l Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados (Mexico) that received exceptional EU funding because of their fundamental roles within the project.

FarmEVs will suggest a radically new approach to plant extracellular farming systems. Within the One Health approach it will harness organic plant-derived vesicles to revolutionise sustainable agriculture with the aim at a greener, healthier future for all living things. It will set-up plant cell cultures for extracellular vesicle - supported farming. By applying emerging biotechnology it will develop extracellular vesicle - based solutions to increase the viral resistance of plants and the pro - symbiotic activities in legume crops. To achieve these ambitious goals, a multidisciplinary consortium was created including experts from the fields of extracellular vesicle research, biomembrane modelling, plant genetics, plant physiology, virology, molecular farming, engineering and agriculture.

FarmEVs will strengthen the already existing collaborations, create new ones, and provide a solid cornerstone for further research efforts of the consortium participants after the ending of the project. The staff exchange programme for the transfer of scientific skills and knowledge was implemented into the scientific plan and a broad dissemination program with outreach activities were scheduled with the aim to involve not only audience from the academic and industrial sectors, but also a general public, farmers and farmer associations.

Join us on this extraordinary voyage by following the FarmEVs updates in our social media channels:

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/FarmEVs
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farmevs/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM5osikBv1FCbLiQG3QoBqg
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farmevs-eu-987517300/

For more information:

Gabriella Pocsfalvi
FarmEVs coordinator
E • gabriella.pocsfalvi@ibbr.cnr.it
T • +39 3355607140 (Mobile)

Funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement 101131175. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

by: Gabriele Bucci - Last Updated: Mar 27, 2024 (12:54)