Project description
Mini gut models microbiota intestine interactions
Intestinal stem cells continuously regenerate and repair the intestinal epithelium, which undergoes constant turnover due to the harsh conditions and mechanical stresses within the digestive system. Extensive research over the years has identified pathways and target genes that play a central role in the function and properties of intestinal stem cells. This information allowed scientists of the Organoid project to generate mini guts with characteristics similar to the normal gut. The project, which is funded by the European Research Council, aims to study the interactions between the gut microbiome and the intestinal epithelium. The technology will be extended to produce colorectal cancer organoids and investigate the interactions with the immune system.
Objective
We pioneered the essential role of Wnt signals in adult stem cells, i.e. in intestinal crypts. We also found that loss of the APC gene activates the Wnt pathway and causes colorectal cancer (CRC). We then identified a Wnt target gene, Lgr5, which allowed us to define the crypt stem cells. In a previous ERC grant based on these findings, we identified novel Lgr5 stem cells in multiple organs, and defined in vitro culture conditions to grow epithelial organoids from single Lgr5 stem cells. Crucial in this was our identification of the Wnt agonistic R-spondins as the Lgr5 ligands. Cultured 'mini-guts' display all characteristics of normal gut, can be expanded for years, transplanted, and remain genetically stable.
Here, I propose a reductionist, ‘mini-gut’-based approach to two exciting research fields that currently mostly focus at the organismal/patient level: Microbiome research leans on deep-sequencing of complex microbial communities in health and disease; and immune checkpoint research in cancer rests largely on clinical trials of checkpoint-blocking antibodies. While many insights exist into the gut microbiome and -immune system, the epithelium is often treated as a neutral player. ‘Mini-gut’ technology allows us to dissect interactions of the gut microbiome with healthy and diseased epithelium, and of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) with CRC 'mini-guts' (tumoroids).
To this end, we will describe/study
1) All immune receptors, -regulators and -effectors in the individual epithelial cell types.
2) 'Mini-guts' recombined with individual bacterial species,
3) CRC tumoroids recombined with their cultured TILs and subjected to immune checkpoint manipulation.
Using advanced molecular and imaging technologies, we will chart the molecular mechanisms that underlie the interactions from the ‘epithelial perspective’. Ultimately, this program will provide molecular detail to the effects of the microbiome and immune system on our gut, in health and disease.
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 genetic engineering gene therapy
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology colorectal cancer
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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)
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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
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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-ADG - Advanced Grant
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2014-ADG
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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.
1011 JV AMSTERDAM
Netherlands
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