Objective
Neurodegenerative diseases cause a significant burden on the elderly population in Europe. Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects 1.2 million people in Europe and with the increasing life expectancy this number will rise, putting more pressure on health care. Treatment of PD is only symptomatic, and therefore, there is an urgent need for more efficient therapies. Degeneration of mesencephalic DA neurons triggers the initial phases of PD, which raises the concept that cell replacement might represent a long-term restorative option for this neuropathology. Indeed, previous studies in PD patients have indicated that cell therapy has the potential to significantly sustain an enduring symptomatic relief. However, these studies suffered for lacking an ideal source of transplantable human DA neurons. Only recently the generation of induced stem cells (iPSCs) by the reprogramming of somatic cells has disclosed the possibility to generate individual specific neurons with a high therapeutic potential. We have recently developed a methodology that promotes transdifferentiation of mouse and human fibroblasts into functional induced dopaminergic neuronal (iDAN) cells. iDAN cells display sophisticated neuronal properties including pacemaking firing activity, synaptic integration, activity-dependent dopamine release and D2 functional autoreceptors. Therefore, iDAN cells offer an unprecedented cellular source with ideal features for cell therapy in PD, since they can be generated from the patients in high amounts. Here, we propose to strengthen the technology in the human setting and decipher the molecular events. Next, we will elaborate methods of in vivo reprogramming promoting neuronal transdifferentiation locally in the mouse brain. Finally, autologous transplantations of iDAN cells in parkinsonian monkeys will be attempted. Overall, this project will enhance cell reprogramming technologies with the ambition to generate a superior cellular source for transplantations in PD patients.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- medical and health sciences basic medicine neurology parkinson
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine transplantation
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
ERC-2013-ADG
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Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Host institution
20132 Milano
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.