Results Announced for the EUTOPIA_HEALTH Seed Funding Call

Date of publication:

6. 2. 2026

Tag:

Eutopia Health
Research

The EUTOPIA_HEALTH seed funding call generated significant interest among the project partners: three partners (NOVA University Lisbon, Portugal; Babeș-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, Romania; University of Ljubljana, Slovenia) submitted a total of 26 proposals. Six projects were selected, two from each partner. The selected projects will receive funding over a two-year period.

The following were selected from the University of Ljubljana:

PANX1-INFLA

Cluster lead: prof. dr. Tihomir Tomašič, mag. farm., Faculty of Pharmacy University of Ljubljana

Partners: University of Ljubljana, CY Cergy University Paris (France), Vrije University Brussel (Belgium)

The project focuses on the development of new small molecules that inhibit the panexin 1 channel, which is crucial for paracrine signaling and inflammatory responses. Based on research from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, which has shown that blocking these channels reduces inflammation, a consortium comprising the University of Ljubljana, CY Cergy Paris University, and VUB will combine molecular modeling, medicinal chemistry, and molecular biology. The University of Ljubljana will lead the discovery of new panexin 1 inhibitors through virtual screening and rational optimization of the identified compounds, and, together with CYU, the synthesis of the identified inhibitors and their analogs. VUB will evaluate panexin 1 inhibition in in vitro assays and the anti-inflammatory activity of the most promising inhibitors.

Dualactam

Cluster lead: prof. dr. Stanislav Gobec, mag. farm., Faculty of Pharmacy University of Ljubljana

Partners on the project: University of Ljubljana, University of Warwick (United Kingdom), University Babeș-Bolyai Cluj-Napoca (Romania)

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats to global health, particularly due to multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. As many antibiotics are becoming less effective, new therapies are urgently needed. The project focuses on the development of new antibacterial compounds that target two key bacterial enzymes, PBP2 and PBP3, which are important for cell wall synthesis and bacterial survival. The goal is to design monocyclic beta-lactams that simultaneously inhibit both enzymes, thereby more effectively preventing bacterial growth and reducing the likelihood of resistance development. The project combines computer-aided drug design, chemical synthesis, biochemical testing, structural analysis, and microbiological evaluation. International collaboration will enable the development of new lead compounds with potent antibacterial activity and a novel mechanism of action, representing a significant step toward drugs for treating resistant infections.

The applications covered a wide range of interdisciplinary topics, including artificial intelligence in healthcare and biomedical research, climate risk management, and music therapy, underscoring the researchers’ strong commitment to the goals of the EUTOPIA_HEALTH initiative. The selected projects foster collaboration within the initiative, support innovative health research, and contribute to the establishment of sustainable research networks under EUTOPIA_HEALTH, while paving the way for competitive, impactful collaborative projects in the future.

More on selected projects

Pannexin 1 channels facilitate paracrine communication and play a crucial role in inflammatory responses. Inhibiting these channels represents a promising strategy for treating inflammatory disorders. Recent studies from Partner 2 (Raf Van Campenhout-Vrije Universiteit Brussel) have demonstrated that blocking pannexin 1 channels effectively reduces inflammation. Building on these findings, this project aims to identify and optimise novel small-molecule pannexin 1 channel inhibitors with improved specificity, selectivity, affinity and efficacy as potential anti-inflammatory drugs.

To achieve this goal, a highly interdisciplinary collaboration will be established between the Cluster Lead (Tihomir Tomašič, University of Ljubljana), Partner 1 (Chiara Zanato, CY Cergy Paris University) and Raf Van Campenhout. The group of Tihomir Tomašič will play a central role in hit identification by high-throughput virtual screening and hit optimisation, ensuring the rational design of potent pannexin 1 channel inhibitors. The group of Chiara Zanato will contribute complementary expertise in synthetic organic chemistry, developing the synthesis of the most promising hit compounds and their analogues aimed at improving their properties during hit expansion and hit-to-lead optimisation. Promising compounds will be subjected to in vitro functional analysis by the group of Raf Van Campenhout to evaluate their interaction with pannexin 1 proteins and their ability to block pannexin 1 channel activity. The most effective inhibitors will then be further optimised and validated for their potential to mitigate inflammation in vitro.

This highly interdisciplinary project integrates computational chemistry, medicinal chemistry and experimental biology, fostering knowledge exchange among partners and strengthening Europe’s research network. The Cluster Lead will play a pivotal role in advancing pannexin 1-targeting drug development, positioning the consortium at the forefront of innovative treatments for hard-to-treat inflammatory conditions.

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest threats to global health, particularly due to the rise of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Traditional antibiotics are becoming less effective, and new treatment options are urgently needed. This project aims to develop new antibacterial compounds that target two essential bacterial enzymes, penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 2 and PBP3, which play critical roles in bacterial cell wall synthesis and survival.

The overall aim of DUALACTAM is to develop novel monocyclic β-lactam antibiotics capable of simultaneously inhibiting penicillin-binding proteins PBP2 and PBP3, two essential enzymes involved in bacterial cell elongation and division. To achieve this goal, a highly interdisciplinary collaboration has been established between the Cluster Lead, Prof. Dr. Stanislav Gobec (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia), Prof. Dr. David Roper (University of Warwick, United Kingdom), and Prof. Dr. Csaba Paizs (Babeș-Bolyai University, Romania).

The research group of Prof. Dr. Stanislav Gobec is responsible for computational drug design, medicinal chemistry, synthesis of novel monocyclic β-lactams, and optimisation of the most promising compounds. The group of Prof. Dr. David Roper contributes expertise in bacterial cell wall biology, protein expression and purification, biochemical and microbiological evaluation, as well as structural studies of inhibitor binding. The group of Prof. Dr. Csaba Paizs provides expertise in biocatalysis, enzyme engineering, and stereoselective synthesis, supporting the preparation and optimisation of novel β-lactam derivatives. Together, the partners aim to identify and validate new lead compounds with the potential to address antimicrobial resistance.

The project will contribute to the global effort to combat antimicrobial resistance by advancing innovative solutions to a critical health challenge.

Results Announced for the EUTOPIA_HEALTH Seed Funding Call

PANX1-INFLA

Dualactam

More on selected projects

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