ERC Proof of Concept winner: Professor Paul Wilmes
Professor Paul Wilmes, Head of the Systems Ecology Research Group at Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, was awarded an ERC Proof of Concept grant, for his project, sAMY-Dx. We are proud to have supported Professor Wilmes’ successful submission to the March 2025 call with review support. Learn more about the project below.
“The ERC Proof of Concept project will allow me and my research group to test whether a recent discovery in the context of our ERC Consolidator grant project, ExpoBiome, will allow us to develop the first microbiome-based blood test for the early detection of Parkinson’s disease. Catalyze supported me with the submission of the proposal in a most productive manner.”
– Professor Paul Wilmes, University of Luxembourg
Addressing a critical challenge in Parkinson’s Disease
In sAMY-Dx, Prof Wilmes’ aims to address a critical challenge in the diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. Currently, Parkinson’s Disease is diagnosed after motor symptoms become apparent, which only occurs after there has already been substantial neuronal degeneration, thus limiting the effectiveness of any neuroprotective therapies.
sAMY-Dx builds on the discoveries of Prof Wilmes’ five year ERC Consolidator ExpoBiome project. This project has explored the critical interplay between the human microbiome and chronic diseases, with a focus on microbiome-derived molecules such as amyloidogenic proteins which trigger critical disease pathways in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s Disease.
Optimising early detection of Parkinson’s Disease, prior to onset of significant motor symptoms
During ExpoBiome, Prof. Wilmes discovered that microbiome-derived small proteins can trigger α-synuclein aggregation, the molecular hallmark of Parkinson’s Disease. Now, in sAMY-Dx, Prof Wilmes will explore their clinical application as early biomarkers, by detecting Parkinson’s Disease risk and progression through their identification and quantification in the gut microbiome and beyond.
Successfully developing an early diagnostic test for Parkinson’s Disease could have a significant impact in reducing the high burden of Parkinson’s Disease, which affects over 6 million people worldwide, and 830,000 in Western Europe alone.
Further reading
University of Luxembourg Systems Ecology group website
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