EPIC

The project entitled “Entomopathogenic fungi: physiology, integrated multi-omics, and environmental competence) (EPIC) aims to harness beneficial fungi as environmentally friendly tools to protect crops and improve sustainable agriculture. The project brings together leading European universities and research institutes, i.e., National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece), Universität Innsbruck (Austria), Universität Hamburg (Germany), and Agroscope (Switzerland), along with the SME Agrifutur (Italy). Together, they will study the genes, metabolites, and mechanisms by which these fungi interact with plants and pests, the conditions under which they produce useful compounds, and the strategies they employ to adapt, survive, and thrive in natural environments. EPIC combines ecological, physiological, genomic, transcriptomic and metabolomic approaches to understand the biology of these fungi and develop more effective products. It will generate new or improve existing fungal strains, identify bioactive metabolites, and optimize production and application strategies. Importantly, EPIC trains PhD students, postdocs, and researchers through secondments, providing hands-on experience and interdisciplinary skills that increase career opportunities across academia and industry. The project’s outcomes will contribute to safer, more sustainable crop protection, reduce the use of chemical pesticides, support biodiversity, and generate new economic opportunities in the biopesticide sector. EPIC will also share its results widely with scientists, industry, farmers, and the public to maximize societal impact and foster innovation in sustainable agriculture.