NWO Invests €6.8 million in META-IMMUNOTYPES Consortium Led by dr. Garcia Vallejo

The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has awarded €6.8 million to the META-IMMUNOTYPES consortium, led by Dr. Juan Garcia Vallejo, theme leader of AI&I Immunomonitoring within the Immunology research program. This ambitious, multidisciplinary project aims to enable the early detection of chronic diseases through smart technology and innovative blood tests, ultimately empowering individuals to take control of their health.

Metabolic syndrome is a major health problem, affecting up to 40% of the population. This condition not only poses significant health risks on its own, but also increases the likelihood of developing other chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and cancer. The META-IMMUNOTYPES consortium focuses on understanding the complex interactions between the immune system and metabolism in metabolic syndrome and its related conditions. By identifying early warning signals, such as hidden inflammation, through simple blood tests and advanced technology, the project aims to shift the focus from treatment to prevention, enabling lifestyle interventions before symptoms arise.

Innovative approach and consortium partners

The consortium brings together a diverse group of scientists, physicians, engineers, educators, patients, and artists. This collaborative approach ensures that new tools, educational resources, and awareness initiatives are developed to promote health and reduce the societal impact of chronic diseases.

Dr. Garcia Vallejo’s team works on the hypothesis that the immune system acts as an internal sensory organ, capable of detecting subtle changes in the body’s homeostasis. By tapping into this information, the team aims to identify clinically useful biomarkers. Recent technological advances now make it possible to analyze the immune system’s complexity in detail, paving the way for comprehensive models of its involvement in chronic diseases. Dr. Garcio Vallejo adds: ‘The NWA-ORC programme, a national initiative that stimulates interdisciplinary collaboration based on questions from Dutch citizens and experts, offered with its theme “Disease, the individual and their environment” an ideal instrument to put together a strong consortium around this topic’.

From biomarker discovery to home testing

The project’s goal is to identify blood-based biomarkers that can eventually be measured from a single drop of blood. The team will first focus on biomarker discovery, then design minimal assays that can be miniaturized and adapted for use with stabilized blood samples collected at home. These samples could in the future be sent to diagnostic laboratories for analysis, allowing individuals and their doctors to monitor metabolic syndrome risk and the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions, putting more control in the hands of patients. During the research projects the samples will be shared with the research team for analysis.

Patient and societal involvement

A unique aspect of META-IMMUNOTYPES is the active involvement of patients and artists. The consortium includes ImmuneHealth-XL (IHXL), a national initiative dedicated to achieving immune health for all by promoting collaborative, cross-disease research on Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases (IMIDs). IHXL brings together patients, researchers, clinicians, health foundations, and industry partners to explore shared immunological pathways and develop new therapeutic solutions. Supported by organizations such as the Dutch Society for Immunology (NVVI) and Diabetes Nederland, IHXL will together with the META-IMMUNOTYPES team develop programs for patient involvement and valorization, furthermore IHXL will support the large-scale implementation of miniaturized assays.

The consortium also partners with MU Gallery (Eindhoven), a hybrid art house that fosters experimental, interdisciplinary art and design. Through the international Bio Art & Design (BAD) Award, MU Gallery connects artists, designers, and academics, inspiring social dialogue at the intersection of art and science. Together, META-IMMUNOTYPES and MU Gallery will organize an annual BAD Award event focused on the project’s themes, encouraging societal reflection on the role of immunological research.

Looking ahead

The NWO grant offers a unique opportunity not only to advance immunological biomarkers in preventive medicine but also to establish long-term infrastructure for immunomonitoring research at Amsterdam UMC, where the Amsterdam UMC Immunotherapy Center will be at the forefront of immunomonitoring research in the Netherlands. While challenges are expected, such as ensuring adoption and reimbursement of new tests, the consortium’s broad network of stakeholders provides a strong foundation for success. Dr. Garcia Vallejo envisions a future where the results of this work lead to simple, over-the-counter tests that empower people to monitor their health and make informed lifestyle choices for healthier aging.

Dr. Garcia Vallejo describes the grant as a fantastic recognition at an important moment in his career: ‘We have worked very hard in building infrastructure for immunomonitoring at Amsterdam UMC, this grant is going to help us consolidate our efforts’. Although dr. Garcio Vallejo acknowledges that writing a grant like this is always a team effort, there is one person in particular that he would like to mention: Dr. Vania Lo Presti. Dr. Garcia Vallejo: ‘She was an enormous help during the project writing and it is fair to say that without her input, this success would not have been possible!’

For more information contact dr. Juan Garcio Vallejo (jj.garciavallejo@amsterdamumc.nl).

Text: Esmée Vesseur