European Research Infrastructure for Marine Bioprospecting

A research partnership to create a pipeline of marine bioprospecting services to enable the discovery of novel bioactive natural products

Project dates: 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2026
EMBRC-BE role: UGent (BGRL) is a partner.
Funding: € 4 997 568,13 (Horizon Europe, under grant agreement number 101131663)

The main objective of the EUREMAP consortium is to optimise the marine bioprospecting pipeline in Europe to enable state-of-the-art research and capacity for both academia and industry. The ambition is to leverage strengths available within European Research Infrastructures (RIs) and to align capacities and resources of the multidisciplinary field of marine bioprospecting. Hence, to increase
the competitiveness of marine natural products in the field of drug discovery and to strengthen the blue bioeconomy in Europe, we will assemble a new pipeline that aligns and integrates the existing technical capacities and multidisciplinary expertise of the three European RIs - EU-OPENSCREEN (EU-OS), EMBRC and ELIXIR - in the field of marine natural products discovery. EUREMAP will develop
a unique trans-RI integrated service in an European priority area, the blue economy. The pipeline will be an important part of the European blue growth strategy to stimulate economic growth through innovations in marine biotechnology. The potential for innovations and value creation in the blue biotechnology sector is high, and the sector is characterised by being multidisciplinary, knowledge-intensive and built on technology. Building a new European transnational RI service platform to support the competitiveness of an academic and industrial community in all aspects of this multidisciplinary field. EUREMAP will bring together an experienced, multidisciplinary consortium across three RIs to support and enable the discovery of novel bioactive natural products from marine organisms by utilizing novel technology to improve the capacity of European RIs.

View the project website

Current projects

Services for envIRonmental Exposure and health assessmeNt in Europe

The ambition of the SIRENE (Services for envIRonmental Exposure and health assessmeNt in Europe) project is to increase the problem-solving capacity of European society in the Environmental and Public Health and improve capabilities to find and understand disease causations not explained by genetics. While the One Health framework is increasingly recognised as a critical approach to addressing planetary health risks, its practical implementation is limited by disciplinary silos. The exposome concept promoting holistic characterization of the non-genetic factors that influence phenotype and health over the life course offers a unifying scientific framework to address this gap. It represents a transformative paradigm for health research as it goes beyond traditional risk assessment by incorporating multi-domain high-resolution longitudinal data, making the exposome concept particularly well-suited framework for precision public health and prevention strategies. This integrative approach promotes the interdisciplinary evaluation of a wide array of factors originating from natural, built-in, and social environments, occupation, lifestyle, and diet, which can be measured both outside, and in the human body, and encourages environmental, clinical and social scientists to deliver a systematic and comprehensive mapping of these factors, together with associated biological responses, to understand their contributions to disease risks. The SIRENE project brings together 11 ESFRI landmarks and projects to enable challenge-driven research linking environmental factors to human health and advance frontier knowledge and innovation in human exposome by providing open access to complementary high-end infrastructures, integrated services and harmonised data.

Research Infrastructure Services in Biotechnology to support Biomanufacturing

RISE-UP BIO is a research infrastructure initiative advancing Transnational Access for Biotechnology in Biomanufacturing. The consortium unites 24 partners from eleven EU Member States plus one associated country, representing four European research infrastructures: IBISBA, EMBRC, EuBI, and MIRRI-ERIC. Together, they provide a catalogue of over 700 services for bioprocess development, from microbial strain design to pilot-scale testing. The project addresses key European biotechnology priorities in energy, environment, chemicals, materials, health, food, and digital innovation. RISE-UP BIO supports the EU Competitiveness Compass and strengthens the European Research Area, incorporating partners from widening countries and extending services to nations like Ukraine. Eligible user entities include all engaged in biotechnology research, including commercial organizations and SMEs. SMEs benefit from an opt-out mechanism to safeguard intellectual property and EU competitive interests. Over half of the requested funding will finance user access projects, each combining multiple service modules delivered by different facilities under the governance of the four RIs. RISE-UP BIO also aims to develop an integrated R&D service catalogue, improve interoperability across life science infrastructures with metadata standards, and provide training to infrastructure staff and users to promote research quality, reproducibility, and open science. The project further explores sustainable funding models via industry and philanthropic support.

operAtional seNsing lifE technologies for maRIne ecosystemS

The ANERIS project aims to tackle the rapid loss of ocean biodiversity by developing innovative tools and technology for research, monitoring, and management of marine life, including the implementation of a biodiversity information system, the Operational Marine Biology (OMB)

Aqua Research Infrastructure Services for the health and protection of our unique, oceans, seas and freshwater ecosystems

AQUARIUS provides access to a various research infrastructures to address challenges and explore opportunities for the long-term sustainability of marine and freshwater ecosystems.

Integrated Research Infrastructure Services for Climate Change Risks

Climate change presents a complex challenge, demanding a deep understanding of its impacts on human systems, natural environments, and production processes. IRISCC is a powerful consortium of leading European research infrastructures. Our collective goal is to empower society to address and strengthen resilience to climate change risks, ultimately fostering a more sustainable future for Europe.

Marine Coastal Biodiversity Long-term Observations

MARCO-BOLO (MBO) aims to structure and strengthen European coastal and marine biodiversity observation capabilities, linking them to global efforts to understand and restore ocean health.

Imaging data and services for aquatic science

The EU-funded IMAGINE project is developing advanced microscopy technology for studying biological samples. IMAGINE will use these technologies to tackle societal challenges in Europe's seas and make them accessible to the life science community through validation and training.

Marine biodiversity assessment and prediction across spatial, temporal and human scales

BIOcean5D is a collaborative effort among European institutions to explore marine biodiversity comprehensively. With cutting-edge technologies and extensive research, it aims to understand and preserve marine ecosystems amidst rapid changes in the Anthropocene era. This initiative will generate valuable data, inform ecological theories, develop indicators of ecosystem health, and foster sustainable management of oceans.

Integrated SERvices supporting a sustainable AGROecological transition.

AgroServ, an EU-funded initiative, pioneers a holistic approach to understand and address challenges in agriculture. By integrating diverse stakeholders and employing transdisciplinary research, it aims to foster resilient and sustainable agroecological systems across Europe. Through living labs, data ecosystems, and community building, AgroServ strives to empower farmers and researchers alike, ensuring impactful insights for evidence-based policymaking and long-term sustainability.

Research infrastructure services for sustainable aquaculture, fisheries and the blue economy

AQUASERV provides researchers access to top European infrastructures, advancing studies in fisheries, aquaculture, and sustainability, while supporting key EU policies like the Green Deal and Farm to Fork.