About us.
The Homi-Lung project is an ambitious European initiative designed to explore the molecular and genetic connections between cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and respiratory illnesses.
By fostering a collaborative network of eight leading partners across five EU countries, Israel, and the USA, our consortium brings together unparalleled expertise in the fields of pneumonia, CVD, immunology, microbiome research, and artificial intelligence.
This collaborative effort is set to advance our understanding and treatment of these interconnected diseases.
8
Outstanding partners
The project unites eight leading institutions from six countries, showcasing a strong, multidisciplinary team.
5
Years duration
Homi-Lung is designed to investigate and address the long-term impacts of pneumonia on cardiovascular and respiratory health
2
Interconnected diseases
Focusing on the interconnectedness of pneumonia and cardiovascular diseases, the project aims to elucidate their co-morbidities
A strong Consortium
Each partner brings to the table unique skills and perspectives, ensuring the Homi-Lung project’s position at the forefront of cardiovascular and respiratory disease research. Together, we aim to uncover new pathways for treatment and improve patient outcomes, marking a significant step forward in our fight against these global health challenges.
Project Coordinator:
Nantes Université, Centrale Nantes, and INSERM – France
These institutions provide a robust foundation in biomedical research and engineering, essential for the project’s innovative approach to studying disease connections.
Project partner:
Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica & Hospital Clínic de Barcelona – Spain
Specializes in bridging the gap between biomedical research and clinical practice, ensuring that the project’s findings have real-world applications.
Project Coordinator:
University of Tel Aviv – Israel
Adds cutting-edge artificial intelligence techniques to the consortium’s toolkit, enhancing our ability to predict and understand disease progression.
Project partner:
BIOASTER – France
A leading biotechnology institute focused on microbiome research, contributing key insights into the microbiological aspects of cardiovascular and respiratory health.
Project partner:
Hellenic Sepsis Study Group – Greece
A key contributor to our understanding of infection processes and their implications for cardiovascular health, leveraging extensive research in sepsis and infectious diseases.
Project partner:
The Regents of the University of Michigan – USA
Provides extensive experience in integrating genomic data with clinical outcomes, offering innovative approaches to personalized medicine.
Project partner:
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nantes – France
Offers crucial expertise in clinical trials and patient care, facilitating the translation of research findings into therapeutic strategies.
Collaborative Workspace
Stichting Katholieke Universiteit – Netherlands
Brings valuable insights into infectious diseases and immunology, contributing significantly to the project’s exploration of host-microbiome interactions.
Our Objectives
At the heart of the Homi-Lung project lies a commitment to groundbreaking research aimed at enhancing our understanding of how pneumonia can lead to more severe cardiovascular and respiratory conditions.
With a focus on comprehensive care and innovative solutions, we are dedicated to achieving four key objectives that promise to transform patient outcomes and advance medical knowledge.
01
Understanding needs and risks
The first goal of Homi-Lung is to fully understand what patients, healthcare systems, and society need when it comes to managing the complexities after pneumonia. This includes studying how pneumonia affects the heart and lungs over time and calculating the costs associated with these health changes.
02
Enhancing medical knowledge
The project aims to boost the understanding of how pneumonia leads to more serious heart and lung diseases among medical professionals. By identifying different types of pneumonia based on their specific biological traits, doctors can choose more effective treatments.
03
Early identification and prediction
Homi-Lung plans to develop tools that help predict which patients are at risk of developing severe heart and lung conditions after recovering from pneumonia. These tools will use a mix of clinical data, biomarkers (signs that can be measured to assess medical conditions), and artificial intelligence to pinpoint risks early on.
04
Developing and testing new treatments
The final objective is to create and test new treatments that prevent heart and lung diseases after pneumonia. These treatments will be based on the latest research into how the body’s immune system and the bacteria in our bodies interact after a pneumonia infection.
Explore Our
Work Packages
The Homi-Lung project is organized into seven targeted Work Packages (WPs), each focused on a specific research area from project management to advanced diagnostics and communication. Together, these WPs aim to enhance our understanding of the link between pneumonia and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, ensuring comprehensive research coverage and impactful health outcomes.
WP 1
Project management
This WP is dedicated to ensuring effective management and coordination of the Homi-Lung project over its 5-year duration. It involves overseeing scientific coordination, contractual and financial management, risk management, and ethics. This includes day-to-day monitoring of activities, organizing meetings, ensuring communication among consortium members, managing project documentation, and adhering to ethical standards and legal requirements.
Leader Institution:
Nantes Université, Centrale Nantes, and INSERM – France
Principal Investigator (PI):
Prof. Antoine Roquilly
WP 2
Prospective cohorts and bio-collections
This WP aims to manage and follow-up on prospective cohorts of patients with community-acquired pneumonia, including COVID-19 and hospital-acquired pneumonia. Activities involve finalizing clinical trial protocols, managing the clinical trials, and collecting and storing biological samples. The work package will analyze these samples and data to measure cardiovascular and respiratory disease (CVRD) progression and investigate patients’ needs to improve CVRD treatment post-pneumonia.
Leader Institution:
Hellenic Infection Sepsis Study Group (HISS)
Principal Investigator (PI):
Prof. Evangelos Giamarellos-Bourboulis
WP 3
Improving our understanding of the pathophysiology of pneumonia and CVRD relationship
Focuses on the high-throughput investigation of host-microbiome interactions to increase understanding of the pathophysiology of CVRD progression after pneumonia. This involves phenotyping, single-cell RNA sequencing, flow cytometry, and metagenomics analysis to define how pneumonia influences long-term cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes.
Leader Institution:
University of Tel Aviv – Israel
Principal Investigator (PI):
Prof. Irit Gat-Viks
WP 4
Early Identification of Patients at Risk of CVRD Progression After Pneumoniat
Develops biomarkers for early identification of patients at risk of CVRD events after pneumonia. This includes profiling patient cohorts, performing genomic and transcriptomic analyses, and integrating data to predict disease progression and treatment responses.
Leader Institution:
Stichting Katholieke Universiteit, Radboud University Medical Center – Netherlands
Principal Investigator (PI):
Prof. Mihai Netea
WP 5
Epidemiology and Economic Consequences
Assesses the epidemiology of CVRD events post-pneumonia and the associated economic impacts. It involves analyzing nationwide claim databases and conducting health economic studies to understand the cost consequences of CVRD progression after pneumonia.
Leader Institution:
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nantes – France
Principal Investigator (PI):
Prof. Véronique Sebille-Rivain
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WP 6
Causal Link Between Pneumonia and CVRD Progression
Investigates the causal mechanisms by which pneumonia affects CVRD progression using pre-established animal models. This includes studies on immune reprogramming, microbiome dysbiosis, and their effects on cardiovascular and respiratory health.
Leader Institution:
Nantes Université, Centrale Nantes, and INSERM – France
Principal Investigator (PI):
Prof. Antoine Roquilly
WP 7
Communication and Dissemination
Manages all communication and dissemination activities, ensuring that the project’s results are efficiently shared with both the scientific community and the public. This includes the development and execution of a comprehensive communication strategy, engaging with stakeholders, managing the project’s online presence, and organizing conferences and workshops.
Leader Institution:
Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica & Hospital Clínic de Barcelona – Spain
Principal Investigator (PI):
Prof. Antoni Torres
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