CerVirVac

The primary mission of the Centre of Excellence for Research in Viral Immunology and the Development of New Vaccines (CerVirVac) has been to increase science and innovation capacity in the fields of immunology, virology, and vaccinology by connecting fundamental research discoveries with advanced preclinical models. The major achievements of CerVirVac have been positively evaluated through annual reports and additional expert evaluations.

CerVirVac's goals for the second funding period are:

1. Strengthening the capacity of researchers to conduct cutting-edge research in viral immunology, vaccinology, and novel immunotherapeutic approaches.
2. Strengthening collaboration with leading scientific institutions in the European Union through joint applications for research funding covering both fundamental and applied research, as well as supporting staff mobility and training.
3. Maximizing translational potential, particularly for new antibodies in antiviral and cancer immunotherapy, through collaboration with the biotechnology industry, identification of intellectual property exploitation opportunities, and optimization of technology transfer.

The main target groups of the project include researchers in the academic and scientific community, the healthcare system, the biotechnology industry, and the general public. This proposal describes project activities with a strong emphasis on groundbreaking scientific discoveries with translational potential for the benefit of biomedical science, the economy, and society.

The CerVirVac project (ref. no. PK.1.1.10.0006) is funded by non-refundable European Union funds from the Competitiveness and Cohesion Programme for a period of three years (January 2024 – December 2026). The applicant institution is the Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, and the project leader is Academician Stipan Jonjić.

The entire Oncovirlab team (through the Center for Research and Knowledge Transfer in Biotechnology, University of Zagreb) participates in the project as a partner institution.