Project description
Artificial neurons
Neurons communicate with each other through structures known as synapses where electrical and chemical signals are transmitted in a regulated manner. Better understanding of the communication processes involved may lead to advanced chemical computing devices. Funded by the European Research Council, the SYNAPS project aims to develop artificial synapses to mimic natural neurons. The idea is to use liposomes as artificial cells and light as an external stimulus to synthesise and transmit messenger compounds. Researchers will mimic synapses by placing these artificial cells in specific biomolecular structures that facilitate communication. The SYNAPS setup is expected to find applications in the energy field, as well as in chemical sensing and smart drug-delivery.
Objective
The brain is a complex network of inter-connected neurons that communicate through synapses. SYNAPS aims to for the first time mimic such synapses using liposomes as artificial cells, and visible light to trigger a signal from a ‘sender’- to a ‘receiver’-liposome. Mimicking such communication processes will help with understanding how complex natural emergent properties arise, and could ultimately allow for the construction of a chemical computer. SYNAPS will excel beyond the state-of-the-art by maintaining chemical isolation between liposome interiors, ensuring local, time-bound communication between connected liposomes, and using light as an external stimulus and fuel. These concepts are essential to construct artificial tissues that can communicate on an individual liposome-to-liposome basis, in contrast to the state-of-the-art where communication generally occurs with the bulk solution. To achieve this, a messenger compound will be locally photosynthesised through transmembrane electron transfer by porphyrin dimers that portray a charge-transfer excited state. The liposomes will be organised into a synaptic cleft through the use of synthetic complementary clustering compounds that provide stable adhesion between sender and receiver liposomes. The messenger compound will be recognised by reversible and selective membrane-spanning receptors in the receiver liposome, that will output the signal through fluorescence. In addition, a reaction cascade network will be constructed involving the messenger to produce an artificial action potential, that is, a transient peak in the concentration of the messenger, ensuring a time-bound dissipative signal. Altogether, SYNAPS will provide advances in systems chemistry by providing a nanoscale platform for communication between chemically isolated systems, but also results that are useful for applications such as light-to-chemical energy conversion, chemical sensing and smart drug-delivery.
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-2022-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.
08007 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.