The Novo Nordisk Foundation is one of the world’s leading funders of basic research, supporting scientific efforts to address a wide range of global challenges, from health and climate change to artificial intelligence and the fundamental mechanisms of biological systems. As part of its 2026 Challenge Programme, the foundation launched – for the first time – a call for proposals dedicated to research on the pathogenic mechanisms, virulence, and drug resistance of invasive fungal infections.

In a press release issued on July 10, 2026, the Novo Nordisk Foundation announced that CLEVER (Consortium Linking Extracellular Vesicle Efforts in Research of Invasive Fungal Infections) has been awarded 49.7 million Danish kroner (approximately 6.8 million euros) to support a six-year research program.

The Host–Pathogen Interaction Center (HPIC) of the University of Szeged’s Center of Excellence for Interdisciplinary Research, Development, and Innovation (IKIKK) was established one year ago. Photo: Anna Bobkó

The consortium is led by Professor Attila Gácser, Head of the Institute of Biology at the University of Szeged and Director of the Host–Pathogen Interaction Center (HPIC), who initiated the collaboration. It brings together leading researchers from several internationally renowned institutions. Participants include Norbert Pardi, who began his scientific career at the University of Szeged and now leads his own laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania; Professor Marcio Rodrigues of the Carlos Chagas Institute, part of Brazil’s Fiocruz network; and infectious disease specialists from Aarhus University in Denmark. The project also involves internationally recognized experts in extracellular vesicle research, including Professor Edit Buzás of Semmelweis University, member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences; the research group of Professor Krisztina Buzás, Head of the Department of Immunology at SZTE; and researchers from the ELI-ALPS Research Institute in Szeged. Reflecting the consortium’s strong scientific standing, Katalin Karikó, Nobel Prize-winning professor of the University of Szeged, has accepted the role of Chair of its Scientific Advisory Board.

The project centers on extracellular vesicles – small, lipid membrane-bound particles released by cells that play a fundamental role in intercellular communication. While research on mammalian extracellular vesicles has already led to numerous diagnostic and therapeutic applications, far less is known about the functions of the extracellular vesicles produced by fungi.

The international research team supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation aims to advance the field by establishing standardized methods for studying extracellular vesicles. At present, laboratories use different approaches to isolate and analyze these particles, making it difficult to compare and reproduce findings across studies. Over the six-year project, the researchers will develop a common framework to support future diagnostic and therapeutic advances. A key outcome will be the first comprehensive Fungal Extracellular Vesicle Atlas, providing a standardized description of the extracellular vesicles produced by the three major genera of human pathogenic fungi: Candida, Aspergillus, and Cryptococcus.

The success of the grant application is closely tied to the work of the University of Szeged’s Host–Pathogen Interaction Center (HPIC), established a year ago as part of the IKIKK initiative. Created with the support of Professor Katalin Karikó, the center provides specialized infrastructure for investigating the effects of extracellular vesicles in living organisms. Its animal facility will play a key role in the project, offering a unique opportunity – even for the consortium’s international partners – to carry out this type of research.

The Novo Nordisk Foundation’s decision not only recognizes the international excellence of researchers at the University of Szeged, but also further strengthens SZTE’s position among Europe’s leading centers for life sciences research. The project is expected to advance fundamental knowledge of invasive fungal infections while reinforcing the University's role in shaping the future of internationally collaborative biomedical research.

Source: SZTEinfo – Ilona Újszászi

Photos: Anna Bobkó

Feature photo: Professor Attila Gácser, Head of the Institute of Biology at the University of Szeged, Director of the Host–Pathogen Interaction Center (HPIC) and leader of the international consortium supported by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Photo: Anna Bobkó