Objective
microRNA-34a (miR-34a) is mis-regulated in ~75% of cancers and is considered a promising drug target. In a recent clinical trial, miR-34a was used against terminal liver cancer showing promising result with remission of 3 patients. However, mortality remained high and was attributed to its ability to target multiple mRNAs. Project ECONOMICS will investigate this issue by elucidating the underlying structure and dynamics of multiple miR-34a:mRNA complexes using NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamic simulations. This will provide information about the conformation of miR-34a which is mRNA specific. This can further be stabilized by mutations to increase target specificity of miR-34a leading to an improvement in clinical trial results. miR-34a targets and binds the 3’-untranslated-region (3’-UTR) of ~100 mRNAs via the RNA-induced silencing complex, resulting in downregulation of the associated genes. Recently, it was discovered that miR-34a attains a high energy excited state (ES) conformation for mRNA encoding gene SIRT1. Stabilizing this ES resulted in a two-fold increase in gene repression. Can miR-34a have a similar ES for other genes implicated in various cancers? This will be studied by exploring the structure and dynamics of miR-34a when complexed with 3’-UTR of the mRNA encoding the genes HNF4a, NOTCH1, NOTCH2, DLL1 and WNT1. Cellular environment is proposed to affect the ES of miR-34a, therefore a detailed conformational landscape of miR-34a:mRNA complexes will be mapped by comparing both in vitro and in live human cells (cancerous and non-cancerous). This study will provide targeting rules for microRNA within the cell and insight into its regulatory mechanism. This information will improve the efficiency RNA based drug development, giving a competitive edge to EU’s pharmaceutical industry, and ultimately realizing “Europe’s Beating Cancer plan” to achieve long-term survival of 70% patients with cancer by 2035.
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.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug discovery
- social sciences sociology demography mortality
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- 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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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01
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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.
751 05 Uppsala
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.