A European Community COST ACTION grant proposal 1 2 MARISTEM-STEM CELLS OF MARINE / AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES : FROM 3 BASIC RESEARCH TO INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS 4 5

The “stem cells” discipline represents one of the most dynamic areas in biomedicine. 68 While adult marine/aquatic invertebrate stem cell (MISC) biology is of prime research and medical 69 interest, studies on stem cells from organisms outside the classical vertebrate (e.g., human, mouse, 70 zebrafish) and invertebrate (e.g., Drosophila, Caenorhabditis) models have not been pursued 71 vigorously. Marine/aquatic invertebrates constitute the largest biodiversity and the widest 72 phylogenetic radiation on Earth, from morphologically simple organisms (e.g. sponges, cnidarians), 73 to the more complex mollusks, crustaceans, echinoderms and protochordates. These organisms 74 illustrate a kaleidoscope of MISC-types that participate in the production of a large number of novel 75 bioactive-molecules, many of which are of significant potential interest for human health. MISCs 76 further participate in aging and regeneration phenomena, including whole-body regeneration. 77 For years, the European MISC-community has been highly fragmented and scarce ties were 78 established with biomedical industries in attempts to harness MISCs for human welfare. Thus, it is 79 important to: i) consolidate the fragmented European community working on MISCs; ii) promote 80 and coordinate European research on MISC biology; iii) stimulate young researchers to embark on 81 research in MISC-biology; iv) develop, validate, and network novel MISC tools and methodologies; 82 v) establish the MISC discipline as a forefront interest of biomedical disciplines, including 83 nanobiomedicine; vi) establish collaborations with industries to exploit MISCs as sources of 84 bioactive molecules. In order to fill the recognised gaps, the EC-COST Action 16203 “MARISTEM”, 85 has recently been launched. At its initial stage the consortium unites 26 scientists from EC countries, 86 Cooperating countries and Near Neighbor Countries. 87