MC Members:

Alena Gabelova, Bertrand Pourrut, Blanaid White, Blanca Laffon, Bojana Žegura, Dermot Walls, Diana Anderson, Goran Gajski, Hakan Wallin, Helga Stopper, Katarina Volkovova, Maria Dusinska, Matjaz Novak, Metka Filipič, Monika Sramkova, Petros Marangos, Sabine Langie, Siegfried Knasmueller, Stefano Bonassi   

Non MC Members:

Avdulla Alija, David Ilardia, Irina Mikajlo, Malzorgata Dobrzynska, Sergey Shaposhnikov

Objective:

To create proposals for research based on the findings of this COST Action and employing hCOMET's innovative approaches and methods.

Tasks:

1. A plan will be developed for a prospective study, to examine the links between DNA damage and DNA repair capacity, measured with the comet assay, and risk of disease. A suitable study group would be a 'young elderly' cohort of healthy persons with a statistically high probability of developing disease within a reasonable time frame for a practicable research project.
2. hCOMET participants will be encouraged to form consortia for the purpose of applying for funding under any appropriate Horizon 2020 call - making use of the techniques and approaches developed during the COST Action. One project that should be undertaken is an international comparison: whether DNA damage levels and repair capacities vary significantly between countries has not been definitively answered. Blood cells will be isolated from carefully matched groups of healthy subjects in countries from different parts of Europe (e.g. Mediterranean, Northern, and Central) and analysed with strict adherence to SOPs and running standard reference samples alongside the samples so that data from the different countries can be normalised and compared.

Milestones:

Recognition of appropriate H2020 calls (any time during the Action)

Deliverables:

1. Plan for prospective study (Month 42)
2. Applications for funding (any time during the Action)

Second Year of the Project

Goal:

Monitoring calls for future prospective studies; relates to Objective 8.

Milestone:

M7.2. Recognition of appropriate calls (any time during the Action)