Work packages

Table 3.1b: Work package description

Work package number

WP1

Work package title

Project Management

Objectives:

1. To establish and maintain the RACE coordination;

2. To establish a Data Management Plan.

Description of work | (WP leader: Prof. George A. Garinis). RACE will implement an efficient committee structure to facilitate rapid communication and allow efficient points of access.

Task 1.1. To establish and maintain the RACE coordination: George A. Garinis will serve as the coordinator and act as the liaison to the EU. The Steering Committee, under the leadership of ERA Chair holder Professor Dr. Björn Schumacher, will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of R&I activities, ensuring compliance with EU regulations, and supervising IP protection. The Supervisory Board will manage training activities, design courses, workshops, and summer schools, and monitor the progress of deliverables and milestones. The International Advisory Board will comprise external experts, distinguished globally in the field of immunology, who will provide guidance to the project. The Administration Office will include a program manager (to be hired), a financial administrator, an assistant, and an IPR lawyer (permanent UoC employees). They will support in administrative tasks, website management, reporting, and coordinating training logistics.

Task 1.2. Establishing a Data Management Plan (DMP). We will establish a DMP for comprehensive experiment documentation throughout the project. Data from next-generation sequencing, mass spectrometry, and metabolomics will be deposited in specific repositories i.e., ArrayExpress, ProteomeXchange, and MetabolomeXchange, respectively. CRISPR/Cas9 screen data and DNA vectors will be deposited in BioGRID, ORCS, and Addgene, respectively. Cell lines will be deposited in either ATCC or DMSZ. RACE will strictly adhere to FAIR principles to enhance the management, sharing, and usability of data and other research outputs.

Work package number

WP2

Work package title

Recruitment and assimilation of the ERA Chair team at the UoC

Objectives:

1. To integrate the ERA Chair holder at UoC;

2. To establish the ERA Chairs working principles;

3. To recruit the RACE research team members at the UoC.

Description of work | WP leader: Prof. George A. Garinis.

Task 2.1. Integration of the ERA Chair holder at the UoC: "Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher will receive the position and remuneration offer outlined in the Vice Rector's commitment letter, including travel and daily allowances as specified in the program and in accordance with the UC regulations. UC will allocate an 80m² fully equipped lab for the ERA Chair team, with a 35m² furnished office for the Chair holder. Team members will access a 40m² shared office, expandable as needed. UC will provide complimentary access to network infrastructure, supercomputing power, and specialized facilities e.g., cell culture rooms, microscopy, mass spectrometry and genomics facilities and the Knowledge Transfer Office throughout the program. Further details will be negotiated with the ERA Chair holder.

Task 2.2. Establishment of working principles and autonomy of the ERA Chair: Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher will collaborate with the UoC Dean and coordinator to outline the project's research approach, scientific plans, training activities, network, managerial principles, and commercialization strategies. These details, along with responsibilities and obligations, will shape the ERA Chair working principles. The UoC legal office will ensure compatibility with national regulations and prepare a final document for approval and signature by Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher, the Coordinator, and the UoC director.

Task 2.3. Recruitment of the RACE team members: RACE vacancies will be advertised through the EURAXESS, the Euro Science Jobs, the UoC and RACE homepages, in scientific journals and at major academic institutions. The ERA Chair holder i.e., Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher and RACE’s affiliated UoC scientists will form a Recruitment Committee (RC) and will ensure that the recruitment procedure is transparent and merit-based with no more than 50% of the team appointees having previous contractual links with the coordinator. The recruitment process will also be in line with the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. The RC will draft the advertisement. Advertising text will lay out the eligibility criteria and will specifically -though not narrowly- outline the expected qualifications of applicants. Selection of the PhD students and the postdoctoral scientists will be based on their motivation, interests, degree, grades and experience. Applications i.e., letter of intent, CVs and reference letters will be collected by the RC. Short-listed applicants will be invited to visit UoC and the ERA Chair holder. The PhD students will be recruited within the first three months to allow time for the PhD degree and the training activities. RACE aims at a balanced gender mix. If two RACE candidates have similar qualifications, the gender in minority will be chosen. The ERA research team, will include five postdoctoral/senior scientists, four PhD students, two technicians and a program officer, along with affiliated UoC research and training personnel (not covered financially by RACE) selected based on their relevant expertise. The ERA Chair will periodically evaluate and enhance the RACE strategy plan.

Work package number

WP3

Work package title

Improve the research capacity of UoC on ageing research

Objectives:

1. To investigate the fundamental mechanisms that govern lifespan regulation;

2. To dissect the functional relevance of longevity assurance pathways in age-related diseases;

3. To develop tools to explore new therapeutic strategies against age-related diseases.

Description of work | Work package leader: Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher.

The ERA Chair holder will be responsible for establishing the RACE’s high-quality research program and promote research excellence at the UoC. The efforts for the development of research capacity will be monitored continuously and will be evaluated by the Scientific Advisory Board twice during the project period.

Task 3.1. To investigate the fundamental mechanisms that govern lifespan regulation. The first thematic research strategy will employ genetic strategies to target DNA repair and stress response pathways in worms, aiming to elucidate the systemic consequences of cell type-specific DDR signalling on longevity. Specifically, we will use transgenic strains designed to restrict DNA repair processes to specific cell types, including neurons, muscle cells, or intestinal cells. This strategy will be coupled with RNA sequencing, (phospho-)proteomics, deep neuronal networks and non-negative matrix factorization analysis. Next, we will use CRISPR-Cas9 mutants and transgenic alleles targeting key regulators identified in the previous stages to genetically validate the functional contribution of potential systemic DDR signalling mechanisms to animal physiology. We will rigorously test several healthspan parameters, including behaviour, motility, pharyngeal pumping, fecundity, and morphological changes, to comprehensively assess the impact of these genetic alterations.

Task 3.2. To dissect the functional relevance of longevity assurance pathways in age-related diseases. The second proposed research strategy will apply the C. elegans findings to progeroid patient cell lines and mouse models with inherent DNA repair defects. Next, we will functionally validate our findings in mice carrying tagged versions of proteins involved in DNA repair and/or transcription. Next, to dissect the impact of boosting DNA repair in the onset of age-related pathology, we will study the recently generated DREAM mutant animals that allow the DREAM- and cell type specific increase of DNA repair capacities in mice. In parallel, we will use newly generated animal models that carry a conditional flox allele of LIN52 allowing the cell type specific elimination of DREAM functioning. These mice will then be crossed with progeroid Ercc1^-/- animals to study the impact of increased overall DNA repair capacity in animals that are compromised in DNA repair and age rapidly. Based on these results, we will then set up lifespan studies of LIN52 S28A mice independently of the progeroid background.

Task 3.3. To develop the tools and explore new therapeutic strategies against age-related diseases. In the first part of the project, we will treat quiescent human cells with available DYRK1A inhibitors and determine the most effective and specific molecules. Next, we will employ the available progeroid Ercc1 mutant mice and determine the effect of select DYRK1A inhibitors on retinal degeneration as well as overall health and lifespan. In parallel, we will treat wild-type mice with genotoxic agents and test the effect of DYRK1A inhibition on the pathological consequence of DNA damage. Using genetics, biochemical and molecular biology approaches, we will assess how DREAM inhibition affects DNA repair in somatic human cells and investigate whether loss of DREAM function minimizes DNA damage and prolongs tissue functionality in mice. Secondly, we will attempt to mitigate DNA damage-driven neuroinflammation and prevent age-related neurodegeneration. To do so, we will prepare hybrid exosomes to deliver recombinant nucleases aimed at eliminating cytoplasmic DNAs in inflamed DNA repair-deficient patient cell lines in vitro and murine microglia cells in vivo. In parallel, we will use the C. elegans system to test whether delivering cytosolic DNA nucleases can prevent age-related neurodegeneration.

Work package number

WP4

Work package title

Enhance human capital through training in research & soft skills

Objectives:

1. To promote international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral mobility of scientific personnel;

2. To Increase soft skill competencies on ageing research.

Description of work | Work packages leader: Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher.

The ERA Chair holder and his team will focus on increasing the number and quality of the early and senior staff scientists that will become engaged with RACE, the retention of existing talent on site and the future career prospects of the younger personnel after the completion of RACE.

Task 4.1. Promote international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral mobility of junior scientists, postdoctoral and UoC staff scientists. RACE will organize 1–3-month international secondments for junior team members and staff scientists at the UoC. The secondments will be based on interdisciplinary projects aiming at exposing the secondees to new ideas, complimentary methodologies and diverse cellular or animal models. In parallel, the secondees will make use of online platforms to update the ERA chair team of ongoing project developments and discuss findings, methodological shortcomings and planned experiments. RACE will also support a joint mentoring PhD program, pairing students with supervisors from diverse disciplines at UoC and collaborating labs outside Greece, ensuring expert guidance and critical feedback. Progress will be monitored through regular reports and presentations at network meetings and conferences.

Task 4.2. Increase research and soft skill competencies on ageing research. On a weekly basis, the ERA Char holder will organize local lab meetings and journal clubs to enhance RACE trainees' presentation skills. Trainees will also take the annual UoC course on presenting their findings and will contribute in departmental talks and workshops. Writing skills will be honed through analysing scientific papers, starting with exercises like abstracts, and progressing to more complex tasks. Peer review will be encouraged. Trainees will be encouraged to review and provide feedback on each other's writing. In addition, the ERA Chair holder will collaborate with UoC staff scientists, a representative from the International Project Management Association as well as an SME representative (Synoesis Therapeutics) to organize a project management training course that will involve planning, task organisation, research creativity, group dynamics, networking, self-awareness, and stress management. Prof. Dr. Schumacher will tutor during the entrepreneurship course on how to prepare an effective pitch talk as well as on the annual bioethics course covering stem cells and biomedicine ethics. All ESRs working on mice will attend UoC course on laboratory animal science. Two international workshops and two 3-day summer schools on bioinformatics and bioimaging will be organized in collaboration with UoC PIs, in hybrid mode.

Work package number

WP5

Work package title

Increase funding and counteract brain drain

Objectives:

1. To cooperate with the NCP, funding agencies and established EU Research Networks;

2. To train and mentor scientists in the preparation of competitive funding proposals;

3. To build strong research networks and diversify funding sources;

4. To enhance career prospects;

5. To promote work-life balance initiatives and implement incentive programs.

Description of work | Work packages leader: Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher.

Task 5.1. To cooperate with the NCP, funding agencies and established EU Research Networks. The ERA Chair and team will first collaborate closely with the NCP and the regional authorities to align research priorities and secure funding. Next, the ERA Chair holder will establish relationships with funding agencies and program officers as well as follow EU info days on funding initiatives to seek feedback on unsuccessful proposals, refine grant planning, and understand the scope of individual funding programs to improve future success. In parallel, the RACE team will engage with appropriate start-ups, patient advocacy groups, university hospital clinics to bolster funding applications and amplify the impact and relevance of research projects. Prof. Dr. Schumacher and his team are planning to coordinate or actively participate in EU-funded research networks and consortia within Horizon Europe involving prominent research labs and SMEs on ageing research.

Task 5.2. To train and mentor ESRs, postdoctoral and affiliated UoC scientists in the preparation of competitive funding proposals. UoC will utilize the expertise of the ERA Chair holder and the on-site grant office to host a three-day biannual hybrid training course for UoC trainees. The course will be open to grant office staff as well to enhance institutional capacity for supporting EU funding proposals. The course will address unsuccessful attempts, showcase effective proposals, and cover key elements such as project design, objectives, methodology, expected outcomes, budget planning, and administrative requirements. Additionally, we will analyse and discuss examples of successful funding proposals, identify common characteristics, effective writing styles, and strategies used in these proposals. Pairing trainees with experienced mentors on their proposals will offer opportunities for individualized feedback, address questions, and guide them through the writing process.

Task 5.3. To build strong research networks and diversify funding sources. Initially, we will clearly define our research objectives and identify key themes. This clarity will guide our efforts in seeking collaborations and funding opportunities. Next, we will identify researchers, institutions, and organizations with complementary interests and expertise on ageing research during conferences, workshops or seminars to network and initiate collaborations. In parallel, we will actively seek to join ongoing research consortia as well as coordinate or participate in newly established collaborative research projects. Concurrently, the ERA Chair team will diversify funding sources by applying to various European and international programs (e.g., MSCN-ITN, European Research Council, Health, HFSP). RACE's Advisory Committee will regularly assess research outputs, funding success rates, and areas for improvement. RACE will use this feedback to refine research strategies, improve proposal writing skills, and address any identified weaknesses.

Task 5.4. To enhance career prospects. The ERA Chair holder will work with younger trainees to develop a clear career plan with short-term and long-term goals. RACE will encourage team members and affiliated UoC staff to develop leadership skills, stay updated on the latest developments in the ageing research field, build strong professional networks outside RACE, attend conferences, workshops, and seminars to connect with potential collaborators, seek opportunities to collaborate with colleagues on research projects, seek mentorship from more experienced colleagues within UoC, be open to guidance and advice, maximize visibility through publications and scientific talks, take advantage of professional opportunities provided by the UoC or external organizations.

Task 5.5. To promote work-life balance initiatives and implement incentive programs. The program will operate on flexible work hours, enable remote work options, and when needed allow compressed workweeks to accommodate diverse personal needs. If deemed necessary, the ERA Chair holder will discuss flexible arrangements with the team members, provide generous paid time off policies, including vacation days, personal days, and holidays and promote the importance of taking breaks for overall well-being. RACE will also support parental leave and maintain an optimal environment for employees with family responsibilities. The program will introduce performance-based bonuses to reward outstanding individual achievements, organize team outings, lunches, or social gatherings and use these events as opportunities to express gratitude and build a positive workplace culture.

Work package number

WP6

Work package title

Promote a culture of innovation at UoC

Objectives:

1. To innovate on RACE discoveries and promote entrepreneurship;

2. To promote industry partnerships; To build IPR and licensing opportunities;

3. To build IPR and licensing opportunities;

4. To implement internships to industrial partners;

5. To provide training on business and entrepreneurship.

Description of work | Work packages leader: Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher.

Task 6.1. To innovate on RACE discoveries and promote entrepreneurship, the ERA Chair team will take advantage of the specialized incubator that is available on-site. The incubator is equipped with R&D facilities, office space, administrative, and legal support and will provide the ERA Chair team with the tools and support they need to validate and turn their ideas into viable businesses. Selected projects with a proof of concept or lab prototypes related to RACE research focus will receive intensive bootcamps. These bootcamps will provide participants with specialized mentorship and will be tailored to address specific challenges associated with translating research concepts into viable applications. Participants will engage in hands-on sessions and problem-solving activities facilitated by industry experts, seasoned researchers, and entrepreneurs.

Task 6.2. To promote industry partnerships: To facilitate collaborations with the industry, the ERA Chair holder and his team will leverage on the expertise of UoC TTO to scale up innovations related to biomarkers, drugs, and rationalized intervention approaches against age-related tissue degenerative diseases and cancer. Importantly, the ERA Chair team will establish joint research agreements with the industry and formalize partnerships (detailed in section 3.2.1 on p31) while ensuring that the UoC benefits from the collaboration. In turn, the UoC TTO will leverage the expertise of the Prof. Dr. Schumacher with consulting in IPR, seeking relevant industries for contractual research, obtaining financial resources as well as negotiating and drafting contracts.

Task 6.3. To build IPR and licensing opportunities: The TTO at UoC will actively identify research outcomes from RACE that warrant protection, including the discovery of compounds targeting oxidative stress, autophagy, inflammation, or senescent cells as well as the creation of innovative cell-based screening assays, drug carriers, biomarkers, and protocols with potential positive impacts on various diseases. The IP protection policy will be discussed and deliberated with the UoC IPR lawyer. IP will extend to potential patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets arising from the program, which will be clearly outlined in the grant agreement governing RACE. To safeguard inventive products, RACE may temporarily withhold disclosure to facilitate further development.

Task 6.4. To implement internships to industrial partners: RACE trainees will be given the opportunity to spend 1-3 weeks on secondment with selected industrial partners, such as Pharmathen SA, Uni-Pharma SA, and Venture Capital firms. During these placements, the secondees will gain exposure to industrial practices, build relationships, develop mutual trust, and establish joint research agreements to formalize partnerships. Additionally, they will acquire skills relevant to the private sector, such as raising capital and delivering effective pitch talks.

Task 6.5. To provide training on business and entrepreneurship: The knowledge transfer office at the UoC will assist the ERA Chair holder and his team with providing an organized a 2-day biannual course on IP, entrepreneurship and business development. The course will be open to 15 trainees and teach them on how novel ideas can be commercialized, protecting IP, raising finance, marketing, patent law, diagnostics and public health.

Work package number

WP7

Work package title

Enhance the managerial and administrative capabilities of UoC

Objectives:

1. Training in grant management and upgrade of administration procedures;

2. Decrease in bureaucracy and red tape in administration procedures;

3. Upgrade on bioethics standards and licensing requirements linked to animal experimentation.

Description of work | Work packages leader: Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher.

Task 7.1. Training in grant management and upgrade of administration procedures: UoC will conduct a three-day hybrid training course for its grant office staff, led by the ERA Chair holder and representatives from the CECAD grant office. The course will start with an overview on the definition and types of grants and the grant life cycle and will provide training on the legal requirements and regulations, how to ensure compliance with funding guidelines, manage risk and mitigating potential issues, establish grant timelines and milestones, implement budget tracking and financial reporting, perform internal controls and audit readiness, handle reimbursement requests and utilize project management tools. Next, the course will provide with insights on building organizational capacity for grant management and identifying administrative areas for improvement.

Task 7.2. Decrease bureaucracy and red tape in administration procedures: Initially RACE will conduct a thorough analysis of existing processes, identify unnecessary steps, redundancies, and bottlenecks and then proceed with simplifying procedures and eliminate non-essential requirements. The Program will implement digital tools and technologies to automate routine tasks, use workflow automation systems to streamline approval processes and digitize documentation to move towards paperless operations for all on-site administrative procedures, including procurements and financial reports. The ERA Chair holder will collaborate with CECAD to leverage their digitalization expertise.

Task 7.3. Upgrade on bioethics standards and licensing requirements linked to animal experimentation: RACE will share insights on genome editing with the UoC bioethics committee, supporting informed decision-making at the National GSRI. The program will offer technical assistance to officials on implementing reforms in animal experimentation licensing for translational research. UoC scientists' familiarity with CRISPR-Cas9 will enhance the FELASA-accredited course on animal experimentation in collaboration with the University of Crete.

Work package number

WP8

Work package title

Leverage existing EU-funded infrastructures

Objectives:

1. To build RACE upon the existing EU-funded infrastructure;

2. To leverage on UoC state-of-the-art infrastructure;

3. To capitalize on local expertise and research tools;

4. To ensure close connections with existing EU funded consortia.

Description of work | Work packages leader: Prof. Dr. Björn Schumacher.

Task 8.1. Build RACE upon the existing EU-funded infrastructure: To leverage the capacity of major EU co-funded facilities and establish an outstanding basic and translational research program, we will liaise with the respective regional nodes of major EU-funded infrastructures. The consortia include the European biobanking research infrastructure (BBMRI), the European Infrastructure for Translational Medicine (EATRIS), the European network for rare diseases and orphan drugs (Orphanet), the European Infrastructure for accessing and analysing life science data (ELIXIR), the European Research Infrastructure for Modelling Human Diseases (INFRAFRONTIER) as well as the not-for-profit Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH).

Task 8.2. Leverage on existing UoC state-of-the-art infrastructure: At the University level, Prof. Dr. Schumacher will take advantage of the fully equipped animal facility, the advanced multiphoton facility, the recently established electron and high-resolution microscopy facility, the cutting-edge “omics” platforms for next generation sequencing and mass spectrometry as well as the biocomputing facility and its bioinformatics pipelines. The RACE team will further register and catalogue additional research facilities and equipment that may be relevant and available within UoC. By doing so, the team will compile a thorough inventory report and document facility assessments and conditions, including plans for infrastructure improvements where necessary.

Task 8.3. Capitalize on local expertise and research tools. The ERA Chair holder will first conduct a comprehensive analysis to identify the available expertise and unique research tools that are pertinent to ageing research on-site. To specifically, strengthen the translational research aspect of the program, RACE will also take advantage of a unique series of preclinical mouse models that carry inborn DNA repair defects and age in an accelerated manner. The animal models have been developed and maintained by the Prof. George A. Garinis (RACE coordinator) and his research team and will fully complement the second thematic research area of the ERA Chair research program.

Task 8.4. Ensure close connections with existing EU funded consortia: RACE will maintain tight links with HealthAge and aDDRess, two ongoing EU funded networks of excellence on Ageing and DNA damage research that are coordinated by the neighbouring FORTH. At the national level, the ERA Chair holder will also liaise with “Panther” and “BrainPrecision”, two national research networks funded by the European Fund for Regional Development that aim to develop therapeutic strategies against age-related neurodegenerative disorders. The RACE team will also collaborate with several research groups at the UoC (detailed in p6) working on age-related inflammation, metabolic diseases and cancer as well as UoC research groups maintaining a research focus on cellular senescence with substantial involvement in (inter)national consortia.

Work package number

WP9

Work package title

Enhance visibility of UoC through RACE communication and dissemination

Objectives:

1. To promote the dissemination of scientific findings;

2. To improve communication with diverse audiences.

Description of work | Work packages leader: UoC (Dr. Callina Stratigi; to be replaced by the ERA Chair’s choice of leaders once he settles in and completes the recruitment process)

Task 9.1. Promote the dissemination of scientific findings: The dissemination strategy of RACE includes direct exchanges and workgroup discussions within the UoC scientific community, providing a platform for in-depth conversations and collaborative exploration of findings. Publication in high-quality scientific journals is a key element, allowing for the widespread sharing of knowledge and research outcomes globally. The RACE website serves as a central hub for the project, posting methods All presentation materials e.g., slides and posters, will be made available on the RACE website.to enhance accessibility and enable other researchers to replicate and build upon the developed techniques. Active participation in specialized courses will also contribute to knowledge transfer and skill development within targeted audiences. Regular annual meetings at the UoC and workshops will provide opportunities for researchers to present their work, discuss emerging trends, and receive feedback. The closing conference, aligning with the RACE closing meeting will serve as a culminating event for the comprehensive dissemination of project outcomes. PhD students and postdoctoral researchers will be tasked with publishing at least one first-author original research article, showcasing their individual research contributions, while senior researchers will be encouraged to contribute review articles relevant to the RACE research landscape.

Task 9.2. Improve communication with diverse audiences: Prof. Dr. Schumacher will collaborate with the UoC IT department and the administration office to better utilize the project website, create a dedicated YouTube channel, podcasts, video casts, interactive online tools and media interviews for eLearning. An online and social media presence on LinkedIn and Twitter (X) will be maintained for updates and information. We will also prepare and distribute printed materials, including brochures, booklets, posters, flyers, and reports, along with press releases targeting newspapers and selected magazines to target a wide range of stakeholders. Close interaction with industry partners will involve thematic conferences, workshops, site visits, one-to-one meetings, and internships between the private sector and UoC. The ERA Chair holder will also plan meetings with NGOs, governmental institutions, patient advocacy groups, and policy-makers. Interaction with elderly patient advocacy groups and nursing homes in Greece will be employed to target RACE’s training activities. In parallel, we will prioritize the consideration of legal, social, and ethical issues, as well as raise awareness of scientific discoveries and research to the public. To further strengthen RACE visibility, we will implement the Quadruple Helix Model to ensure active stakeholder interaction between academia, industry, government, and civil society. Annual events, such as a stakeholder symposium and a national project fair on ageing research at UoC, will promote knowledge exchange while fostering collaborative initiatives. These gatherings will serve as crucial platforms for showcasing the notable achievements within the RACE framework, encouraging partnerships, and facilitating ongoing dialogue among diverse stakeholders.