The IMMUNOSHAPE network is funded by the European Commission under the umbrella of the Marie Curie Actions, and its objective is to train a new generation of scientists capable of applying state-of-the-art synthesis and screening technology to develop biological therapies against cancer, autoimmune diseases and allergies.

The network is composed of a consortium of nine academic partners working on automated solid-phase carbohydrate synthesis, microarray-based high-throughput screening technology, tumor immunology, structural glycobiology, medicinal chemistry and multivalent systems. Together with four industrial partners active in nanomedicine, immunotherapies and medical device manufacturing.

Among the members of the consortium is the Glycosystems Laboratory of the Institute of Chemical Research (IIQ) belonging to cicCartuja, led by Dr. Javier Rojo. Javier participates as an expert in the field of glycoscience, which can be defined as the branch of science that studies carbohydrates and their role in the different biological processes in which they participate.

The first meeting of the project (kick-off meeting) will be held on 9-10 February 2015 at the Casa de la Ciencia, Seville.