Gender dimension and other diversity aspects. With reference to the document GENDERED INNOVATIONS 2: How Inclusive Analysis Contributes to Research and Innovation, MERIT will stimulate gender-responsible science and technology. Since the gender dimension is a key element of MERIT, this will be present in the following stages and as a deliverable. At the individual level (requirements at application stage): MERIT candidates must include a short reflection on the gender dimension or other intersectional categories (such as sex, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation or geographical location) in their research proposals. The review on the gender dimension in the research proposals will be carried out before the oral interviews by the Equality and Diversity Committee composed of experts on gender in science. This committee will play an important role in the evaluation and selection process (see Table 4) and be part of the Interview Panel to discuss the gender dimension with the candidates and potential future fellows. ● Support for fellows: The gender dimension issue can be particularly challenging for researchers from technical and life sciences research disciplines which are relevant for MERIT. That's why SIC will offer training on how to successfully and meaningfully include the gender dimension and intersectionality in the content of the fellows' research projects as part of the transferable skills training for all fellows (see Table 10). Additionally, individual consultations and support from the Management Board will be available. ● Deliverable: Based on the gender dimension/intersectionality cases that will be incorporated in the fellows' research projects, the Management Board will create a Report presenting the best practices and lessons learned which will be shared and presented among MERIT partners (this report will be one of the deliverables of the WP Diversity, D6.2).
Gender dimension and other diversity aspects. The recent studies reveal intriguing insights into the relationship between gender differences, AD, and the gut microbiome. Notably, AD is more prevalent in women than men, and patients with the condition exhibit reduced microbial richness and diversity in their gut microbiome compared to asymptomatic individuals28 . Moreover, alterations in the gut microbiota and its byproducts have been observed in AD subjects and transgenic mice in a sex-dependent manner29. Surprisingly, microbiome perturbations have been found to affect brain amyloidosis and microglia gene expression differently in male and female mice. Changes in the gut microbiome have also been described in AD animal models and in AD patients. Specific gut bacterial taxa alterations have been linked to preclinical AD, indicating a potential early biomarker for the cognitive decline29. These findings suggest that sex-specific differences exist in the microbiome composition and response in AD. However, further research is needed to fully understand the gender dimension difference in the microbiome and its precise role in the development and progression of AD30. The implications of these sex-specific alterations in the gut microbiome could have significant ramifications for personalized treatments in the future, but more research is required to explore this promising avenue of investigation. In the proposed project, I will use the appropriate statistical tests and age- and sex-matched animals in all experiments to assure that the gender dimension is taken under consideration to evaluate the impact of gender on the development and progression of AD. Research data management and management of other research outputs: The study will comply with the EU Data Protection Regulation in line with the FAIR. Data management will be coordinated throughout the research from data collection to publication of results (to protect research data from loss, enable sharing with others, and ensure that it is discoverable, accessible, and re-usable). This will include processes for organizing research data, storage, preservation, security, data quality assurance, assignment of persistent identifiers, and data sharing rules and procedures, including licensing and access settings. The handling and protection of biological samples (collection, processing, transport, and storage of samples for further analysis for a maximum of 2.5 years) will be carried out following the legislation. The scientific results will be disseminated a...