Project description
Artificial exosomes unveil important aspects of RNA communication
Engineering living systems that mimic key biological processes is a major challenge. At the same time, synthetic systems offer a powerful tool for studying cellular communication pathways and understanding cellular processes. The EU-funded RNAhello project seems to have found a way to study RNA-based communication in artificial protocells. The proposed approach is inspired by exosomes, cell-secreted vesicles that carry various macromolecules and facilitate intercellular communication. RNAhello will construct such vesicles from polymers and employ them as mRNA shuttles between distinct protocell populations. Results will provide fundamental knowledge about nucleic acid transfer and establish a powerful tool for drug discovery.
Objective
The mimicking of cellular communication pathways and genetic information transfer in synthetic systems is an important target for researchers. These artificial cell systems have the potential to increase understanding of biological and cellular processes, while also having potential applications in healthcare technologies. This project will involve the investigation of exciting new stimuli responsive and highly tuneable hierarchical polymer protocells, and their application in RNA-based communication. Previous generations of polymer protocells have been shown to allow diffusion based communication with small molecules and naked DNA strands – the project will expand upon this by investigating polymersomes as mRNA shuttles between distinct protocell populations. This exosome inspired system will allow the typically unstable mRNA molecules to be protected from degradation in the external medium, thus opening the door to much more lifelike systems, and possible therapeutic applications.
The proposed research project is strongly multidisciplinary, and involves a combination of polymer chemistry, nanomaterials engineering, cell biology, and imaging techniques. RNAhello includes both the transfer of knowledge to the host institution and the training of the candidate in new advanced techniques. Results have the potential to increase understanding of biological mechanisms in relation to the complex hurdle of the nucleic acid based transfer, whilst also providing innovative platform material for treatment of disease. Additional project goals include: engaging with the non-scientific public through outreach methods; gaining of further commercial training for potential exploitation of research; presentation of research results at international conferences; and the preparation of additional funding proposals.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules nucleic acids
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- natural sciences biological sciences cell biology
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
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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.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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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) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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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.
5612 AE Eindhoven
Netherlands
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.