Objective
Background:
Viral pandemics pose great risks to current and future human health and global trade. Newly emerging viruses can display a broad variety of shapes, such as spherical or filamentous, and spike proteins have different lengths and densities, as seen in coronaviruses and influenza viruses. Viruses can mutate rapidly under evolutionary pressure, resulting in changes to antigen epitopes and reduced efficacy of drugs and vaccines. These variances between viruses and across mutations present challenges to broad-based anti-infection intervention and vaccination. However, the initial docking of viruses to cell surface receptors via heparan sulfate or polysialic acids are common for a number of viruses, offering an attractive target for wide-reaching intervention.
Aim:
The SupraVir project will provide a new concept for multivalent supramolecular assemblies as self-adaptive universal virus blockers. This new type of virus inhibitor can adapt to different virus morphologies and mutations by dynamic self-assembly of its virus binding sites. The inhibitor will use a combination of different receptors and bind a great majority of all known viruses by mimicking generic host cell surface receptors.
Methodology:
My approach will use self-assembled surface-active supramolecules that mimic the host cell surface efficiently and dynamically. With this method I will avoid a bulk phase that does not contribute to the activity, thus reducing potential toxicity. At the same time, the amphiphilic building blocks can interfere with the viral envelope or capsid and permanently inactivate the virus.
Impact:
SupraVir addresses the central question: What might prevention of viral infections look like in 2030? I contend that there is a new option, based on mimicking dynamic cell surface receptors with multivalent supramolecular nanosystems that can self-adapt to inactivate rapidly mutating viruses.
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 health sciences public health epidemiology pandemics
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases RNA viruses influenza
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases RNA viruses coronaviruses
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
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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-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.
14195 BERLIN
Germany
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.