On May 28–29, 2025, the EU-funded project SECRET – Exploring the therapeutic potential of perinatal cell SECRETomes – officially launched with its Doctoral Candidates Kick-off Meeting at the Centro di Ricerca Eugenia Menni (CREM), part of Fondazione Poliambulanza in Brescia, Italy.
Coordinated by Professor Ornella Parolini of Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Rome, Italy), SECRET is part of the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network and is funded by the Horizon Europe programme. The project focuses on the characterization of perinatal secretomes—biological products with promising regenerative properties—for applications in neurological and cardiovascular disorders.
With €2.5 million in funding from the European Commission, SECRET has launched an ambitious training and research programme involving 10 newly recruited doctoral candidates. These early-stage researchers will contribute to innovative, collaborative studies while benefiting from high-level training in an international, multidisciplinary environment.
The SECRET consortium brings together a dynamic network of universities, research institutions, and small-to-medium enterprises across Europe. Partners include academic leaders such as Università di Genova, Universitaetsklinikum Essen, Universiteit Antwerpen, Universidade do Minho, Academisch Medisch Centrum bij de Universiteit van Amsterdam, and Università degli Studi “Gabriele D’Annunzio” di Chieti-Pescara. Research support and complementary expertise is provided by institutions including Centro di Ricerca Eugenia Menni and Cardiocentro Ticino, while industry expertise comes from innovative companies Mimetas BV and Innovation Acta S.r.l.
Together, the consortium is set to advance the frontiers of regenerative medicine through a unique blend of research, innovation, and training.
Stay tuned for updates as the SECRET project unfolds.
Italian press release:
