Project description
Development of non-viral vectors for gene therapy
Gene therapy, or gene transfer, involves the therapeutic delivery of nucleic acids into a patient's cells as a drug to treat disease. Presently, most gene delivery approaches utilise adeno-associated viruses and lentiviruses for gene insertions in vivo and ex vivo. The EU-funded SUPRO-GEN project aims to design non-viral supramolecular vectors for immunotherapy and cancer stem cell therapy with low toxicity and high transfection efficacies. Researchers will employ peptide engineering and glycoengineering of the vectors to achieve high tumour-targeting efficacy, while cell trafficking and the fate of vectors will be traced by advanced imaging techniques. The project also includes training highly skilled professionals at the interface of materials science, engineering and biological sciences.
Objective
Gene therapy, most commonly using viral vectors, can be applied to inhibit or edit the expression of any gene of interest, being highly specific. However, there is an urgent need to find non-viral vectors with low toxicity and high transfection and targeting efficacies. The SUPRO-GEN project aims to design supramolecular vectors for gene delivery for applications in immunotherapy and cancer stem cell therapy. Peptide and glyco engineering of the vectors will result in high tumor targeting efficacy. Transfection and therapeutic efficacy will be tested in vitro and in vivo. Cell trafficking and biological fate of vectors will be studied by advanced imaging techniques.
SUPRO-GEN is a concerted action based on multidisciplinary expertise in materials science, chemistry, genetic engineering, cancer biology, cancer therapy, and imaging. The project will bring together a talented consortium of academic groups and a high-tech SME from Spain, Italy, Israel, the United States, South Africa, Argentina and Thailand.
Early Stage and Experienced researchers will receive training and conduct research in a hosting institution abroad. In addition to achieving the scientific goals, the project also aims to develop highly skilled professionals at the interface of materials science and engineering and the biological sciences.
Fields of science
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologygenetic engineeringgene therapy
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomolecules
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cells
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologyimmunotherapy
Keywords
Programme(s)
Coordinator
20009 San Sebastian
Spain