TULIP · Untapping the potential for improved female reproductive healthcare: diagnosing and reinforcing the status of UTERINE-associated fertility

Conception and pregnancy are both complex processes, with approximately 1 in 6 women worldwide experiencing infertility, often due to compromised uterine function, the organ designed solely for sustaining life. However, these dysfunctional uterine mechanisms remain not fully understood. Moreover, assisted reproduction technologies (ART) are employed to address infertility, with 5% of newborns in Europe conceived through ART. Nevertheless, the use of ART still results in low pregnancy success rates, with uterine dysfunction being a significant factor. This underscores the importance of the uterus in medical research, which has previously received little attention for its pivotal role in the journey towards motherhood.The TULIP consortium focuses on emerging topics, including the interplay between glycosylation and the microbiota within the uterus in relation to fertility. This interdisciplinary consortium comprises experts from six European countries, representing eight academic and four industry partners, and uniquely combines specialists in female reproductive medicine with researchers in glycobiology, microbiota studies, genomics, and data science. We aim to achieve a breakthrough in understanding the core biological aspects of conception, thereby fostering accurate and less invasive diagnostic methods that lead to more effective and personalised implementation of ART through pioneering tools designed to overcome poor reproductive outcomes.This breakthrough will be achieved by engaging 33 early-stage researchers in a collaborative interdisciplinary training and research programme. The programme seeks to emphasise scientific knowledge while fostering entrepreneurial and transferable skills over the 48-month project period. Collectively, these efforts enhance diagnostic and therapeutic tools to improve reproductive success in both natural and assisted conception while reinforcing inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaborative networks and the R&I capacity.