Objective
The current Covid-19 pandemic highlights the need to gain better understanding of precise mechanisms that enable immune control of viral infections. Although it is established that CD8+ T cells are required to suppress viremia, most view these cells simply as ?killer T cells? based almost exclusively on studies of blood. I recently discovered that efficient immune control of HIV is mediated primarily by non-killer resident memory CD8+ T cells, whereas CD8+ T cells with high ?killer instinct? are mainly confined to the vasculature. These observations force a reevaluation of how antiviral CD8+ T cells are distributed anatomically and function in the tissue spaces where most viruses replicate. Using cutting-edge single-cell technologies on unique paired tissue samples from human organ donors, my aim here is to challenge prevailing concepts in the field of adaptive immunology and reassess how and where CD8+ T cells actually target viruses in the human body. My group will first use single-cell barcoding techniques to establish a reference map of CD8+ T cell clones specific for multiple viruses across tissue sites. We will then dissect this information to determine whether distinct resident memory CD8+ T cell clones and/or subsets exhibit differential antiviral functions across tissue sites. In parallel, we will use more mechanistic approaches to define the epigenetic imprints and functional properties of antiviral CD8+ T cells, aiming to determine to what extent these features are shaped by subset fate, anatomical location, and/or the nature of the expressed T cell receptor. A specific emphasis throughout this project will be to translate the emerging knowledge to the field of Covid-19, aiming to understand how CD8+ T cells control SARS-CoV-2. This ambitious but technically feasible project will establish a systematic foundation for future studies of antiviral T cells in humans and inform the development of more effective vaccine platforms to combat future viral threats.
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 microbiology virology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases RNA viruses HIV
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs vaccines
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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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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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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) ERC-2021-STG
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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.
171 77 STOCKHOLM
Sweden
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.