operAtional seNsing lifE technologies for maRIne ecosystemS

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.