CLARA
Climate forecast enabled knowledge services (H2020-SC5-2016-2017-730482)
Climate variability and change (CVC) embody sizeable economic, social and environmental risks in Europe and globally. Climate services (CSs) (Brasseur and Gallardo, 2016; Brooks, 2013; Lourenco et al., 2015) are essential for catalysing economic and societal transformations that not only reduce these risks and/or improve societal resilience, but also unlock Europe’s innovation potential, competitiveness and economic growth.
As a part of European efforts to catalyse the potential of climate services for more efficient natural resource management and improved disaster risk management and resilience, the CLARA project will boost innovation and uptake of climate services based on front line seasonal and decadal forecasts and climate projections. Building upon the advancements in climate modelling and science in the context of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the CLARA project will illustrate genuine benefits and economic value of CSs in the face of climate variability and short-term climate change.
A portfolio of user co-designed and co-developed climate services will help to improve policy and decision makings in the five priority areas GFCS: disaster risk reduction, water resource management, agriculture and food (security), renewable energy sources, and public health. Carefully designed business and marketing strategies will promote their uptake, help to energise the European market with climate services, and foster the European innovation potential.
General objectives
The main objective of CLARA innovation action is to develop a set of leading‐edge climate services building upon the newly developed Copernicus Climate Change Services – near‐term forecasts and sectorial information systems (SIS) – and sustain their marketability and value
Role of the University of Cordoba
Set up, manage and assist the Multi‐User Forum that will enable service purveyors, public agencies and authorities, and other users of climate services to contribute to the design and implementation of project
Design and facilitate working with users to reveal their perceptions and requirements; co‐design, inform and review CLARA innovation; and stimulate collaboration and co‐production of services
Share knowledge produced within and outside the project so as to stimulate peer learning and partnership building within the consortium and beyond, and assist in the dissemination and exploitation of project results.
DEER
DEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENT ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
The multidisciplinary research teams in this consortium have played lead roles in establishing that fetal and childhood periods are vulnerable to environmental disruption leading to common reproductive disorders. This proposal will investigate:
Connections between normal/abnormal perinatal reproductive development and maturation of reproductive function at puberty and in adulthood;
Systemic gene-environment interactions underlying reproductive disorders taking account of genetic susceptibility, multiple exposures (e.g. mixtures of environmental chemicals) and their timing (perinatal, peripubertal, adult);
Connection between perinatal reproductive development and later obesity/metabolic disorders. To achieve this we will utilize large cohorts generated in previous EU projects and collect new data from these on reproductive maturation and adult function. Existing genomic and proteomics data, exposure data for >100 potentially toxic environmental chemicals, lifestyle, dietary and medical history information will be analyzed using integrative systems biology approaches to pinpoint critical (interacting) factors influencing development.
Role of the University of Cordoba
The university group is responsible for one of the work-packages of the project, aiming at deciphering the potential relationship between early exposures to hormonally active compounds and alterations of puberty and metabolism later in life. The UCO group will work in animal models to generate mechanistic knowledge of potential translational interest.
NOVIWAM
NOVEL INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR SOUTHERN EUROPEAN REGIONS
NOVIWAM aims to promote multilevel and interregional co-operation in the field of water management tools and methods. By learning from the experiences of others and pooling the related know-how and technology, the partners want to increase their capacity to solve in the most eco-efficient and sustainable manner the compelling water management problems faced in the Euro-Mediterranean climate regions.
At the same time, the project would contribute to the objectives of the European Water Framework Directive: a good ecological and chemical status of all waters and water management at catchment or river basin scale.
The final goal of this initiative would be to exploit the actions associated with the project to potentiate the internationalization of the activities of the participants.
General objectives
To establish long-lasting links between clusters throughout the regions, and allow the triple-helix components to benefit from the scale economies deriving from this multilevel and interregional co-operation.
In addition, NOVIWAM will foster the expansion of a wider European research-driven network of clusters in the sector. Mentoring activities are strongly considered, as well as specific needs of clusters from a candidate country (Albania) and those with insularity problems (Cyprus) have been included.
Their underdeveloped water management strategies are expected to be strongly improved as a result of the transfer of experiences from Portugal, Spain and France.
Role of the University of Cordoba
To help achieving these objectives, the NOVIWAM project will develop a Joint Action Plan (JAP) for the participating regional clusters designed by establishing a communication process between the clusters and studying the specific needs, weaknesses and capacities (SWOT Analysis) of each one and in general, taking into account the specific characteristics of all of the agents involved: researchers, companies and regional authorities.
Additionally, the NOVIWAM project will establish a programme for the implementation of the JAP, trying to involve other regions into it, and the dissemination of the conclusions of the work at a regional and international level.
The NOVIWAM project would also establish a long-lasting relationship between the participating clusters, promoting mentoring and mutual learning activities as well as further co-operation activities beyond this project.
BASELINE
SELECTION AND IMPROVING OF FIT-FOR-PURPOSE SAMPLING PROCEDURES FOR SPECIFIC FOODS AND RISKS.
General Objectives
The overall objective of this project is to provide harmonized and validated sampling strategies, structured with International standards (e.g. ISO), to support the European policies for food safety and to be suitable for food producers, in order to collect comparative data to improve quantitative risk analysis of selected biological and chemical agents.
Role of the andalusian partner
Two members of our research group HIBRO will act as leaders of selected tasks within WP5 and WP6. In particular, the contribution will be focused on the evaluation and the proposal of POs and FSOs in vegetal products, and the development of mathematical prediction models for different microbial hazards. The results will be integrated with different sampling plans, which allows the identification of those conditions, which will reduce the risk.
Impact
The implementation and development of the new sampling schemes and analytical methods will provide new knowledge about the improvement of the food legislation and food safety in Europe, new data about emerging risks, comparative data for quantitative risk assessment, cost-effective, validated and harmonized alternate methods and sampling schemes applicable to food producers in all European countries , new or implemented models for early warning, including biological and chemical risks, identified in the food products under study as prediction variables.
META-GnRH
METABOLIC TARGETING OF GnRH NEURONS: MOLECULAR MECHANISMS AND NEUROPEPTIDE PATHWAYS.
The global aim of this project is to gain insight into the neuroendocrine and molecular mechanisms responsible for the metabolic regulation of puberty and fertility, and their eventual alteration in conditions of disturbed energy balance. To this end, a combination of in vivo and ex vivo approaches, using conventional and genetically-modified rodent models, will be implemented in order to evaluate (i) the effects of selected metabolic hormones (ghrelin) and metabolic neuropeptidergic pathways (NPY, AgRP, alpha-MSH) on GnRH neuronal activation, and (ii) to analyze the putative role of the sensor of intracellular energy status, mTOR, in mediating the actions of the above signals on GnRH neurons. It is anticipated that implementation of the project will expand greatly our knowledge of the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the metabolic control of reproduction.
Role of the andalusian partner
The group UCO is the coordinator of this Project. The research fellow associated to this project will conduct part of his activities at the UCO group (during the return phase of his fellowship), where he will continue physiologic studies on the neuro-endocrine mechanisms for the metabolic control of GnRH secretion and, hence, of puberty onset and fertility.
Impact
This project will provide novel physiological knowledge on the mechanisms governing key reproductive phenomena, including puberty onset and reproduction, with special emphasis on elucidation of the basis for their metabolic modulation. Considering the increasing incidence of disturbances of puberty and fertility in the general population, it is expected that the results of this project will help to unveil part of the neuroendocrine and molecular mechanisms for such alterations. While this information will be generated using suitable animal models, our results are posed with potential translational interest, as to illustrate on the putative basis of human reproductive diseases.
CAP-IRE
ASSESSING THE MULTIPLE IMPACTS OF THE COMMON AGRICULTURAL POLICIES (CAP) ON RURAL ECONOMIES.
The objective of the project CAP-IRE is to develop concepts and tools to support future CAP design, based on an improved understanding of long term socio-economic mechanisms of change in rural areas. Concepts and tools will be developed, shaped by state-of-the-art literature and a wide empirical testing. Coverage includes case study regions in 9 countries of the EU. The focus will be farm households as the reference agents in the connection between policy and socio-economic change, as well as between agriculture and other sectors of the economy. Account of the wider non-EU and non-rural scenarios will be taken. The first step of the project will be to devise concepts and tools able to fill the gaps in present knowledge on development in rural areas.
Role of andalusian partner
Group is devoted to ‘decision making’ in agriculture. This project contributes to decision making, both at European and national policy formulation and to farms level by increasing awareness of CAP changes.
Impact
Better decision making process in CAP formulation. Contribution to sustainability of Agricultural policies.
LEGUME-FUTURES
LEGUME-SUPPORTED CROPPING SYSTEMS FOR EUROPE.
General Objectives
1.To conduct 18 case studies across Europe based on established field experiments, which inform about and validate new cropping system designs and provide a focal point for the local development on the role of legumes in new cropping systems.
2.To design new cropping systems for Europe’s pedoclimatic zones using model-drawing from data of the case studies networked by the project.
3.To identify the wider environmental effects (e.g. carbon and nitrogen cycling, greenhouse gas emissions, soil quality, biodiversity, effects on pests and diseases) of legume use within farming systems, including systematic measurements of nitrous oxide emissions.
4.To provide a comprehensive and complete assessment of the potential of legumes in the non-food sector and the implication of this potential on the design of cropping systems.
5.To facilitate access to the wider knowledge base on legumes and disseminate information about new agronomic, environmental and social impacts of legumes in farming systems.
6.To develop and enhance legume knowledge resources through the collection and linkage of data and knowledge leading to the establishment of a European Legume Crop Biological Resources Centre.
Role of andalusian partner
Case study on cropping system: field long-term experiment “Malagón” (located in Córdoba, Southern Spain).
Impact
The aim of this research is to deliver an integrated knowledge base that will enable legumes to contribute fully to the sustainable development of European farming systems. European farming currently consumes the equivalent of about 45 million tons of soybeans and uses about 11 million tons of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer . In addition to the economic costs of these resources, these two inputs alone represent the root cause of key environmental burdens arising from the European agricultural systems. In addition, European cropping systems have become less diverse in terms of the species they use, contributing to declines in farmland biodiversity.
PK2-Kiss
PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PK2 IN THE CONTROL OF FERTILITY, AND ITS INTERACTION WITH KISSPEPTINS.
General objectives
This project aims at deciphering the putative roles of prokineticin-2 (PK2), a recently identified neuro-peptide with key roles in the control of GnRH neuronal migration, maturation of the reproductive brain and the regulation of endogenous rhythms, in the regulation of the neuronal networks responsible for the control of the secretion of GnRH (major neuropeptide involved in the central activation of the reproductive axis). Special emphasis will be made in this project to elucidate the putative interplay of PK2 with the recently identified family of neuropeptides, kisspeptins, which are essential gatekeepers of puberty and fertility in mammals.
Role of the andalusian partner
The group UCO is the coordinator of this Project. The research fellow associated to this project will conduct part of his activities at the UCO group (during the return phase of his fellowship), where he will continue his physiologic studies on the roles of PK2 in the control of the reproductive axis and its interactions with kisspeptins.
Impact
This project will provide novel physiological knowledge concerning the mechanisms governing key reproductive phenomena, including puberty and reproduction. Considering the increasing incidence of disturbances of puberty and fertility in the general population, it is expected that the results of this project will help to unveil part of the neuroendocrine and molecular basis for such alterations. While this information will be generated using suitable animal models, our results are tentatively posed with great translational interest, as to illustrate on the potential basis of human reproductive diseases.
ARIADNE
SIGNALING CIRCUITRY CONTROLLING FUNGAL VIRULENCE: IDENTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CONSERVED AND SPECIFIC FUNGAL VIRULENCE GENES AS COMMON ANTIFUNGAL TARGETS.
ARIADNE uses a comparative biological approach at the systems biology level to identify and validate signalling target genes that play an essential causative role in fungal virulence in both plant and human hosts.
Role of andalusian partner
MAP kinase signaling cascades in the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum.
Impact
ARIADNE will make a key contribution to the field of fungal pathogenesis filling in existing gaps concerning the overall knowledge and the shortage of human capital in the fields of structural and functional genomics, proteomics or cell signaling.
SIRRIMED
SUSTAINABLE USE OF IRRGATION WATER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION.
General Objectives
– Improvement of water productivity through sustainable Irrigation practices and management (farm and irrigation scheme scales).
– Assessment of the impact of irrigated agriculture on the regional water resources (watershed scale).
– Towards a new concept of water governance.
– Fostering education and training in sustainable irrigation.
Role of the andalusian partner
UCO will conduct experiments of regulated deficit irrigation on olive plantations, and it will be responsible for the collection of information about the irrigation district of Gualalquivir Basin. UCO’s most important contribution will be the study of the environmental impact induced by new irrigation practices.
Impact
– The European and international partners added value lies in mutual knowledge generation and in capability-building and increased trade opportunities for European and ICPC companies.
– The project will contribute to the reduction of irrigation water use through the development of innovative, more efficient and water-saving irrigation systems, technologies and techniques.
– The project will address and add value to the global issue of natural resource management.