2027 Drug Hypersensitivity Research Grant

2027 AAAAI Foundation Faculty Development Award is sponsored by AAAAI Foundation. The AAAAI Foundation is dedicated to supporting the development of junior faculty to further their careers in Allergy and Immunology, and to help create leaders and independent investigators by funding excellent research that will lead to the prevention and cure of asthma and al…

Decode the Immunoscience of age-related diseases is sponsored by European Commission — Horizon Europe. Expected Impact: The action under this topic is expected to achieve the following impacts: Accelerate EU access to more cost-effective interventions in an increasingly ageing population by identifying personalised treatment approaches for elderly-onset immune diseases. Decrease disease risk later in life by defining specific prevention strategies based on ageing biomarkers and risk factors. Halt age-associated disease exacerbation by the identification of predictive and digital biomarkers that can stratify patients for early intervention. Improve quality of life for healthy individuals and patients by preventing further health decline, avoiding escalating care costs, and properly stratifying individuals earlier in the diagnostic pathway. Accelerate adoption of innovative diagnostic, preventative, and therapeutic strategies, strengthening the EU’s position as a healthcare innovator. Evaluate digital biomarker as potential regulatory endpoints in the ultimate goal to develop medicines for ‘healthy ageing’. Integrate fragmented research efforts by bringing together health industry sectors and stakeholders to develop clinical and multi-omics data integration capabilities. Enable new data-driven research by building AI infrastructure on existing data and cohorts that no single organisation could develop independently Patients and citizens will benefit from improved medical practice and healthcare solutions, new targeted prevention strategies and ultimately healthier ageing. The action will support EU policy and priorities including the European Health Data Space Regulation (EHDS) and the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, while contributing to European competitiveness in addressing one of society's major challenges. Expected Outcome: The action under this topic must contribute to all of the following outcomes: Researchers will benefit from a better understanding of the potential causal links between chronic inflammatory diseases and biological ageing , and the predictiveness of the accompanying biomarkers could allow for the definition of precise risk profiles for age-associated immune disease onset and exacerbations. Patients will benefit from new early detection strategies as well as new diagnostic approaches to differentiate disease onset in elderly people from onset in younger adults . This will inform a personalised medicine approach to treatment and will in turn help to prevent disease progression. Patients and healthcare professionals will benefit from the repurposing or development of novel therapies for ageing populations with chronic inflammatory diseases and precision medicine approaches that prevent health decline while reducing healthcare costs. Researchers and industry will benefit from the establishment of systematic collaborative approaches for the use of available biobanks across age ranges , immune diseases and comorbidities to adopt innovative approaches (by integration of multi-omics, immunophenotyping, digital biomarkers, ageing clocks, and artificial intelligence (AI) with comprehensive patient information). Patients and healthcare professionals will benefit from deeper insights into treatment response and the evaluation of the impact of ageing on treatment effectiveness. Industry and researchers will benefit from the establishment of regulatory pathways for novel intervention strategies and biomarkers , leading to the faster clinical development of drugs that improve age-associated disease exacerbations, ultimately enabling the translation of research findings into therapeutic solutions for vulnerable patient populations. This includes the field of digital biomarkers and their use in monitoring activity, strength and fatigue as exemplary readouts. Scope: The global population is undergoing an unprecedented demographic shift, with the number of individuals aged 65 and older projected to double by 2050, presenting one of the most significant public health challenges of our time. The transition to an ageing society Programme areas: Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, Health, Innovative Health Initiative, Horizon Europe (HORIZON) Keywords: Artificial intelligence, Biomarkers, Chronic diseases, Immunology, Innate immunity and inflammation, Molecular biology, Decode the Immunoscience of age-related diseases, IHI, IHI JU, Innovative Health Initiative, Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking, Joint Undertaking Deadline stages: 2026-10-08, 2027-04-21

An AI Foundation Toxicology Model and Framework to Support Waiving a Second Species in Drug Safety Studies is sponsored by European Commission — Horizon Europe. Expected Impact: The action under this topic is expected to achieve the following impacts: Faster and more informed decision-making through the use of an AI-driven NAM (AI Foundation Toxicology Model) and increased efficiency through rapid processing of vast amounts of data [1] . Increased consistency and standardisation in a NAM-based approach, specifically an AI model, used by industry in the efficient development, testing and production of safe and effective innovative health technologies, improving industrial competitiveness. Regulatory adoption of a NAM-enabled second species waiver model (AI Foundation Toxicology Model) and weight-of-evidence framework, in line with recommendations and more consistent global decision-making on waiving second species testing. Reduction in animal use, accelerated timelines and lower costs, enhancing the competitiveness of the European health industry through economical and ethical benefits. Improved public health as patients will benefit from safe and effective medicines developed faster using validated NAMs. The action is expected to contribute to the EU Directive (2010/63/EU) [2] on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes and the implementation of the 3Rs principles to replace, reduce and refine the use of animals. The action is expected also to consider and contribute to EU programmes, initiatives and policies on New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) such as the future European Research Area (ERA) action on accelerating NAMs to advance biomedical research and testing of medicinal products and medical devices. [1] Transforming animal study toxicology reports into structured, harmonized data using large language models [2] European Directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes Expected Outcome: The action under this topic must contribute to all of the following outcomes: A validated Artificial Intelligence (AI) Foundation Toxicology Model* that provides transparent probabilistic predictions for industry and regulator stakeholders to determine when a second species in chronic (>90 days) and sub-chronic (90 days) small molecule medicine repeat-dose studies is unlikely to provide additional safety relevant information, including risks of missed toxicity, organ-specific findings, and divergence in No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL). The goal would be to enable waiving the need for two species chronic testing for small molecules and other modalities e.g. oligonucleotides. A standardised, transparent weight-of-evidence framework for industry, regulator and academic stakeholders that enables reproducible assessment of evidence quality, consistency, relevance, and uncertainty across regulatory submissions, supporting the wider adoption of the AI Foundation Toxicology Model and New Approach Methodology (NAM)-based toxicology strategies in general. Functional tools, templates, and training materials that support the real-world implementation, sustainability and evolution of the foundation model and weight-of-evidence framework including guidance on explainability, provenance, governance, ethical use, and alignment with AI requirements, tailored to industry, regulator and academic stakeholder needs. Enhanced industry and regulator stakeholder confidence in second species waiver applications , particularly for small molecule medicines, supported by empirical, calibrated evidence and a framework enabling predictable adjudication, more consistent global waiver decision-making and timely progression of medicine development without compromising patient safety. This confidence should be gained through the model and framework’s application for regulator validation and acceptance, with the longer-term goal, beyond the action’s scope, of a revision of the regulatory guidelines ICH M3(R2) [1] taking onboard the future project’s outcomes. This topic should provide the opportunity to extend this confidence to waiving chronic testing in a single species beyond small mole Programme areas: Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, Health, Innovative Health Initiative, Horizon Europe (HORIZON) Keywords: Animal welfare, Artificial Intelligence & Decision support, Artificial intelligence, Safety Pharmacology, Toxicology, An AI Foundation Toxicology Model and Framework to Support Waiving a Second Species in Drug Safety Studies, IHI, IHI JU, Innovative Health Initaitive, Innovative Health Initaitive Joint Undertaking, Joint Undertaking Deadline stages: 2026-10-08, 2027-04-21