Project description
Reorganising the structure of tumours
The spatial and structural organisation of tumours hold information about the likely future course of cancer disease. This is information that doctors can use to determine a prognosis for patients. In this context, the ERC-funded CAN_ORGANISE project will use imaging techniques to analyse these structures and patterns. Specifically, it will reconfigure the spatial organisation of the tumour microenvironment using structural information about the extracellular matrix and dynamic analysis. With longitudinal intravital imaging, project partners will analyse and identify mechanisms of control of spatial patterns in breast and skin cancer models.
Objective
The spatial of organisation of tumours is the cumulative result of a myriad of cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. These interactions determine the shape and relative positions of cells and the deposition and structure of the extracellular matrix (ECM), which feeds back to guide cell migration. The spatial patterns of tumours indirectly encode information about the likely future course of the disease, which is interpreted by pathologists to provide patient prognosis. To understand and control the spatial organisation of tumours requires not just knowledge of cell position, but of the underlying structural matrix. Furthermore, analysis of fixed tissues fails to capture information about cell movement or the relative sequence and kinetics of events. We will place both structural information about the ECM and dynamic analysis obtained through longitudinal intravital imaging and the centre of our work. We will focus on sequentially describing, understanding, and then re-configuring the spatial organisation of the tumour microenvironment. We will develop spatial metrics to analyse stromal architecture and link spatial features to disease outcomes in patient cohorts and therapy responses in intravital imaging studies. Reductionist co-culture assays and microfabricated tools will be used to study the mechanisms of cell-cell and cell-matrix crosstalk that generate spatial patterns. This analysis will be coupled to an agent-based computational model, parameterised using our experimental models, to explore both emergent pattern formation and possible mechanisms of interconversion between spatial patterns. Both experimental and modelling approaches will be used to identify effective mechanisms to control spatial patterns in breast and skin cancer models. Finally, interventional approaches will be adopted to re-organise the spatial architecture of the tumour stroma into patterns that favour effective therapy and tumour elimination.
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.
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
-
H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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-ADG - Advanced Grant
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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-2020-ADG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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.
NW1 1AT London
United Kingdom
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.