Objective
Diabetes is a degenerative disease that affects over 350 million persons worldwide. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are associated with either destruction or dysfunction of pancreatic insulin-producing β cells. Despite the availability of insulin as treatment to temporarily restore the glucostasis, this remedy is unable to avoid either the acute dangers of hypoglycemia or the long-term complications of hyperglycemia. Eventually, the challenge of treating diabetes centers on the replacement of pancreatic β cells. Due to serious organ shortage for pancreas transplantation, cell-based therapy represents the most promising option and different potential sources for new β cells are currently being explored, including embryonic stem cells and other cell types. A particularly attractive therapeutic strategy is to convert liver adult cells of diabetic patients into functional pancreatic β cells through lineage reprogramming. Fate conversion of liver to pancreas is conceivable for numerous physiological and developmental reasons, and, possibly, suitable for future clinical applications. My ERC-funded project (ERC Starting Grant “HEPATOPANCREATIC”) is focused on the molecular mechanisms underlying cellular plasticity between liver and pancreatic cells. This study has led to the identification of a novel factor, whose ectopic expression converts mouse liver cells into pancreatic cells. Here, we propose a defined and focused set of measures aimed at: 1) extending these findings in human liver cells to assess whether this strategy may be exploited to develop an autologous cell-based therapy of diabetes; and 2) elaborating a solid intellectual property strategy. The “TheLiRep” Proof of Concept (PoC) funding will ensure the full exploitation of the ERC idea and bridge the gap between my research and the earliest stage of a marketable innovation.
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: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine endocrinology diabetes
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- 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.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
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.
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept Grant
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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.
(opens in new window) ERC-2014-PoC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
13125 Berlin
Germany
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.