The main objective of the VINNY is the development of sustainable, low-cost nanoformulated biopesticides (nanoBPs) and biofertilizers (nanoBFs) for contributing to more resilient vineyard systems. The application of VINNY nanoformulations will allow contributing to the ultimate switch from intensive to sustainable agriculture in viticulture, on a global scale. This will be achieved using natural based green circular economy concepts: i) grapevine to grapevine plant full cycle approach where microbiome-based metabolites and bioactives from different vineyards in Europe (Portugal, Spain, Austria and Denmark) will be investigated to form potent cocktails with antifungal and plant protection properties and ii) industrial by-products, namely carbon and nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) NPK-rich actives from sludges, originated from local waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) in Austria and Denmark from meat industry (MI), to be used as biofertilizers. The project is focused on stabilization and boosting the efficacy of these actives by using 2 different bioplatforms: the nanoformulation/encapsulation of BPs and the impregnation on agrotextiles with BFs. The platforms will be based on biodegradable, renewable and abundant bioresources from plants or, in the case of biopesticides, on dynamically active nanoformulations, i.e., based on stimuli responsive biopolymers with capacity of releasing the active and improving their efficacy upon external stimuli (wind) and/or internal clues (enzymes in fungi). VINNY will then validate these platforms according to their efficacy using in vitro, ex vivo and in plant testing against vine prevalent pathogens and evaluate their biocompatibility, confirm the absence of nanotoxicity, and in field tests with the best performing candidates in 4 EU vineyards. Such end-to-end development approach will allow for the optimization and adaptation of viticultural practices towards higher grape quality and productivity.

Health programs crave for diagnostic imaging and eradication of chemoresistant neoplastic lesions smaller than 1 mm of size. PHIRE, based on the outcomes from EDIT (FET-OPEN-RIA, GA#801126), aims at bringing closer to market a novel high-resolution theranostic medical device effective in the clinical applications for lesions <1 mm, ready for application in human bladder cancer and effective both in male and female patients. The PHIRE solution will be developed using swine model and will include: - an add-on module for pre-existing off-the shelf photoacoustic device allowing to perform photoacoustic imaging of hollow organs located deeper in human body, designed to be used in combination with - an artificial intelligence-assisted prediction map for the image-guided gold nanorods assisted photo-thermal therapy, - a large-scale synthesis of urine-stable gold nanorods for clinical use. The adoption for clinical applications of this new device will reduce the frequency of the bladder tumor relapse and the number of patients with relapsing tumor, with a drastic positive impact on the quality of life of patients while reducing the social cost of the management of patients. Furthermore, PHIRE’s results will open up the way for the deployment of theranostic application against lesions <1 mm in other hollow human organs. PHIRE innovative solutions will also be applicable to other markets, such as that of photoacoustic and diagnostic imaging, gold nanoparticles, cystoscopy and medical software.