Project acronym: NExGliO

Project duration: November 1, 2025 – October 31, 2029

Project coordinator: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Our role: Leading the clinical study in which tissue biopsy samples will be collected for the isolation and characterization of extracellular vesicles (EVs)

Funding: HORIZON Europe, HORIZON-AG-UN

Budget: €936,870

Summary:

Glioblastoma (GB) is the most lethal primary malignant brain tumor, with a median survival of less than one year. Current diagnostic methods have significant limitations, often leading to misdiagnosis and poor disease monitoring, and they also require invasive biopsies. At present, there are no blood-based biomarkers that can be used as a supporting tool in GB management.

One of the most promising approaches for such systems are liquid biopsies based on extracellular vesicles (EVs), which represent a promising and minimally invasive method. EVs act as versatile communication hubs, transporting carefully selected cargo that includes various RNA molecules. The specific composition of EVs depends on their cell of origin, highlighting their potential as specific biomarkers for aggressive tumors such as GB.

The NExGliO project aims to develop multiplex biosensors for the simultaneous detection of a range of EV-based ncRNA signatures specialized for GB diagnosis. This will be achieved through the use of noble metal nanoparticles, which are often employed as SERS substrates due to their strong plasmonic properties for ncRNA detection.

Supporting AI technologies will be developed to improve early-stage cancer diagnosis through algorithms for ncRNA signature recognition. The NExGliO Staff Exchange brings together internationally recognized experts with complementary expertise in molecular biology, chemistry, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence, with the goal of developing a robust platform for early detection and monitoring of GB, thereby reducing the need for invasive procedures and improving survival rates.

Project partners:

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece)- Coordinator

Fuelics (Greece)

MyBiotech (Germany)

University of Florence (Italy)

University of Bialystok (Poland)

SK EMBIO Diagnostics (Cyprus)

University of Hertfordshire (United Kingdom)

German International University (Egypt)

Biomarker Technologies (Germany)