HDHL-INTIMIC

HDHL-INTIMIC (INtesTInal MICrobiomics) is the 2nd ERA-Net Cofund dedicated to the JPI HDHL. It aims to coordinate national and regional programmes in the area of diet, intestinal microbiomics and health as well as nutrition and health in general, thereby contributing to the implementation of JPI HDHL objectives.

HDHL-INTIMIC builds further on the Joint Action Intestinal Microbiomics (IM) and aims to combine and strengthen efforts to support research and implement a transnational Knowledge Platform on the interrelation of the intestinal microbiome, diet and health. There is increasing scientific evidence that the intestinal microbiome and its composition greatly influence metabolic processes and thereby affecting the onset and development of lifestyle-related diseases. However, the underlying mechanisms of these interrelations are still largely unknown.

Fourteen funding organisations from nine JPI HDHL partner countries therefore combine their efforts to fund excellent research projects and support the establishment of a transnational and transdisciplinary Knowledge Platform. The overall aim of HDHL-INTIMIC is to build a solid knowledge base for the development of new strategies and products for health promotion and prevention of chronic diseases through diet-dependent modulation of the intestinal microbiome. A joint transnational call on the "Interrelation of the Intestinal Microbiome, Diet and Health" cofunded by the European Union was launched on the 26th of January 2017. This call aimed on gaining knowledge on the basic understanding of the gut microbiome and it's causal relation to health, the impact of dietary components and strategies for preventive and therapeutic applications.

Complementary to this research call, a comprehensive "Knowledge Platform for Intestinal Microbiomics, Diet and Health" will be implemented as an additional networking action. It is aimed to support networking between research consortia funded under HDHL-INTIMIC as well as the ones funded through previous joint actions such as "Intestinal Microbiomics" (IM) or other relevant initiatives. It will be open to scientists from all relevant disciplines as well as stakeholders and will aim at fostering cooperation in order to facilitate knowledge sharing and method standardisation.

In addition, the INTIMIC coordination unit at DLR-PT, Germany, represents JPI HDHL in the CSA “MicrobiomeSupport - Towards coordinated microbiome R&I activities in the food system to support (EU and) international bioeconomy goals” that runs from November 2018 until October 2022.
In the MicrobiomeSupport consortium, JPI HDHL is a member of the “Funding & Policy Advisory Group” and DLR-PT is task leader for task 3.1 “Exploration of existing tools (Knowledge Platforms etc.) to foster transnational and multidisciplinary collaborations and networking on microbiomes research”.

HDHL-INTIMIC runs for a period of 6.5 years from December 2016 to May 2023, HDHL-INTIMIC factsheet can be downloaded here.

The HDHL-INTIMIC has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement n.727565