Project description
AI: the future of biological engineering
Cells can switch genes on and off in response to a changing environment. This is possible thanks to a complex group of regulators, known as gene regulatory networks (GRNs). Gene regulatory elements (GREs), such as promoters and enhancers, are key components of these networks and determine which genes are expressed at a given time. Funded by the European Research Council, the AI4SYN project will use haematopoietic stem cell differentiation as a paradigm to construct predictive models of GRNs and GREs. Researchers will combine deep learning with genetic screens at the single-cell level to predict the outcome of potential network perturbations.
Objective
Our abilities to predict and engineer complex biological systems are in their infancy. In the context of gene regulation, we cannot design artificial promoters with specificity to arbitrary cell states, and we cannot arbitrarily trans- and de-differentiate somatic cells, although such abilities would be of high biotechnological and biomedical value. To achieve these ambitious goals, we require quantitative, predictive models of gene regulatory elements (GREs) and gene regulatory networks (GRNs), respectively. Here I propose that the combination of deep learning and single-cell genetic screens is ideally suited to obtain such models, and, in particular, the amounts of highly informative data required for their training. Working with an ex vivo model of hematopoietic stem cell differentiation, we will first screen the activity of hundreds of thousands of synthetic GREs throughout the hematopoietic differentiation landscape. Thereby, we will obtain models of cell type specific GRE activity that can predict new, synthetic GREs with activity in any cell state of interest. Second, we will screen hundreds of thousands of combinatorial GRN perturbations and their effect on cell state. Thereby, we will derive models of GRNs that can predict combinatorial perturbation strategies to achieve arbitrary de- or trans-differentiation events. In sum, work on this project will yield a quantitative model of gene regulation in hematopoiesis at various scales of complexity while introducing a novel, AI-guided concept for biological engineering.
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.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - 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.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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-2021-STG
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.
08003 Barcelona
Spain
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.