11 June 2026 Articles

Two Horizon Europe projects awarded to ITM

Researching community health worker-led cardiovascular risk factor management and infectious diseases with epidemic potential

Horizon Europe is the European Union's flagship research and innovation funding programme. The health cluster aims to improve and protect the health and well-being of citizens of all ages by generating new knowledge and developing innovative solutions to prevent, diagnose, monitor, treat and cure diseases. In spring 2026, two of ITM's five-year projects were awarded Horizon Europe grants: one focused on managing cardiovascular risk factors, and the other on preventing and treating infectious diseases with epidemic potential.

Maseru, Lesothos capital. c Kabelo Ramatseliso Shutterstock.com_small_3

Maseru, Lesotho (c) Kabelo Ramatseliso / Shutterstock.com

ComBaScale, short for “Community-Based Scale up of integrated community health worker-led cardiovascular risk factor management”, aims to empower community health workers in under-resourced settings to deliver a high quality, evidence-based, holistic package of integrated frontline care for hypertension, diabetes, HIV, and tuberculosis.

ComBaScale will be tested in two districts of Lesotho, a low-income country disproportionately affected by a growing burden of chronic diseases. Community health workers will be trained to manage blood pressure and diabetes in patients, adding this to their existing duties, such as HIV and tuberculosis screening. A dedicated app will guide them through safe, up-to-date treatment decisions. The programme will also look at cost-effectiveness and explore potential barriers such as stigma and gender dynamics. Community members and people with lived experience will be actively involved in shaping the programme. All tools, training materials, and lessons learned will be packaged into a practical toolkit for use across Lesotho and beyond.

ComBaScale brings together nine partners spanning academic institutions, government bodies, and NGOs in Lesotho (SolidarMed, Ministry of Health, National University of Lesotho), Switzerland (University of Basel, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute), Belgium (Institute of Tropical Medicine Antwerp), South Africa (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Germany (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich), and the UK (University of Glasgow). The project will be coordinated by ITM’s Unit of HIV and TB.

Colorized_transmission_electron_micrograph_of_monkeypox_virus_particles_(green)_v2

Colorized transmission electron micrograph of mpox virus particles (c) NIAID

ITM’s Unit of Virus Ecology and Unit of Clinical Emerging Infectious Diseases became partners in the IMPACT project, which plans to develop antibodies and antibody-derived proteins for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases with epidemic potential, such as orthopoxviruses (including mpox and smallpox). European research institutions will work together to design antibodies that can neutralize both types of virus with a single treatment. The team will use artificial intelligence to optimise the antibodies and extend how long they work in the body. These candidates will then be tested in animal models and, if successful, in a human clinical trial. The researchers will also study blood samples from people who have been infected or vaccinated to understand how the immune system responds and to establish safety markers. The goal is to create an effective therapeutic tool that strengthens Europe's ability to respond to outbreaks and biological threats.

IMPACT stands for “Innovative Monoclonal antibody against Poxviruses for Advanced CounTermeasures” and will be a collaboration between 11 institutions in Italy, Belgium, Norway, Germany, France, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The coordinating party is the Italy-based NGO, Sclavo Vaccines Association – Vaccines Against Poverty.

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