CIRCLES

Controlling mIcRobiomes CircuLations for bEtter food Systems

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CIRCLES aims to develop and translate tailor-made innovative circular actions dedicated to the microbiome into concrete applications useful for improving key EU food system supply chains and their overall sustainability. Establishing real-world laboratories in the field of 6 food systems relevant to the EU market – tomatoes, spinach, poultry, pigs, Atlantic salmon, and sea bream aquaculture – will, in the first instance, enable CIRCLES to increase knowledge about the importance of food system microbiomes as determinants of productivity, quality, safety, and sustainability. This discovery phase will feed into the design and implementation of circular actions tailored to specific microbiomes in the food system. Based on an integrative use of different Smart Microbiome (SM) modulators, circular actions aim to optimize the microbiomes of food systems, from field to table, for an overall improvement in food system performance. The effectiveness of the actions will then be tested in field laboratories. This real-world validation phase will enable CIRCLES to translate the project results into concrete products, applications, procedures and tools, ready to be exploited and communicated to penetrate the EU market. Specifically, CIRCLES will conceptualize and create SM-food systems for 6 CIRCLES food chains, defined as food systems with optimized microbiome configurations. CIRCLES will also provide innovative and newly defined SM food products, such as foods derived from SM-food systems and certified by Microbiome Transparent (MT) labels. Finally, an extensive panel of food system-specific SM modulators will be provided as new agro-biotechnology applications to be integrated into circular actions to achieve SM-food system status. In conclusion, the conceptualization, creation and deployment of MS food systems and all related procedures, products and tools will enable CIRCLES to equip EU food systems with new cost-effective business applications to improve productivity, quality , safety and sustainability.

Referent:

Gian Marco Luna

Director of Research

Ancona

SCOPRI DI PIÙ

Programme: H2020

Acronym: CIRCLES

Web Site: https://circlesproject.eu/

Duration: November 1, 2018 - October 31, 2024

Budget: 11.087.514,75 €

Budget IRBIM: 511.125,00 €

Areas of Research:

TEAM

Gioacchino Bono

Senior Technologist

Mazara Del Vallo

Marzia Capasso

Administrative Collaborator

Ancona

Giuseppina Ciurlia

Technical Collaborator

Lesina

Simona Franguelli

Administrative Collaborator

Ancona

Lucrezia Genovese

Senior Researcher

Messina

Gian Marco Luna

Director of Research

Ancona

Elena Manini

Senior Researcher

Ancona

Giulia Maricchiolo

Senior Researcher

Messina

Maria Puleo

Technologist

Mazara Del Vallo

Grazia Marina Quero

Researcher

Ancona

Research Projects

ITACA

Innovative Tools to increAse Competitiveness and sustainability of small pelagic Project title fisheries

Referent:
Silvia Angelini

ITACA addresses the competitiveness of the fisheries sector in the Adriatic by fostering blue innovation and improving the sustainability of fisheries.

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SBAM

Study of bacteria resistant to antibiotics and heavy metals in Antarctic seawater and sediment samples, and in association with the emerald rockcod

Referent:
Monique Mancuso

Antibiotic-resistant and metal-resistant bacteria in seawater, marine sediments and in association with specimens of Trematomus bernacchii in Antarctica

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DTO-BioFlow (FSTP)

Updating Mediterranean exotic fish occurrences for the European Digital Twin of the Ocean

Referent:
Ernesto Azzurro

Filling the gaps in invasive species detection in the Mediterranean Sea.

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EMBRC-UP

European Marine Biological Resource Centre - Unlocking the Potential for Health and Food from the seas

Referent:
Giulia Maricchiolo

Strategic implementation of the European Centre for Marine Biological Resources

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GASTONE

GAs STOrage monitoring NEtwork (Fase 1b)

Referent:
Pierluigi Penna

Monitoring the marine environment and geological formations overlying the ENI CCS area in Ravenna.

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Research Projects

The research activities of the Institute are carried out in the context of research, development and innovation projects, both national and international, based on regional funding programs (POR FEAMPA - Regional Operational Program of the European Maritime Affairs Fisheries Fund and Aquaculture and POR FESR - Regional Operational Program of the European Regional Development Fund) or ministerial (PRIN - Projects of relevant national interest, PNRA - National Research Program in Antarctica, PO FEAMPA - National Operational Program European Maritime Affairs Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund) , programs for European Territorial Cooperation (Interreg), direct funding programs of the European Commission (Horizon2020 and Horizon Europe, Life, JPI - Joint Programming Initiatives, ERA-NET Cofund) and thematic collaboration initiatives managed by international organizations such as, for example , the FAO - GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean). The Institute also develops funded projects in the context of collaborations with private companies in the sectors of the blue economy as well as technology transfer and research results. Research projects, mainly of a collaborative nature, are developed through a wide network of partners that include major Italian and foreign research institutions and universities.

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