Objective
The last two years, profoundly marked by the COVID-19 sanitary crisis, have demonstrated the difficulties to answer adequately to the emergence of novel pathogenic viruses. Today, no broad-spectrum antiviral exists similar to antibiotics targeting bacteria. Repositioning of existing molecules had limited success despite intense initial hopes. Vaccines have played a major role in fighting the pandemic and limiting the impact of the virus, however it remains insufficient to end the pandemic, due to many factors including their worldwide uneven accessibility, their intrinsic efficiency towards different variants and the complex socio-political context related to mass vaccination. There is therefore an urgent need of novel approaches to design molecules targeting viruses and in particular SARS-CoV-2. To answer this challenge, we propose a novel strategy derived from fundamental research on small interfering RNA (siRNA). This project derives from the ERC Starting Grant PARAMIR, in which novel structural biology approaches are proposed to understand the mechanism of recognition of a similar class of RNA involved in numerous diseases, especially cancer. Our approach combines the latest advances in SARS-CoV-2 virology and structural biology to propose efficient and specific molecules active towards a broad range of SARS-CoV-2 current and future variants. If successful the project will lead to a class of siRNA, with optimized specificity and stability, validated in vitro and ex-vivo in a reconstituted human airway epithelial model, and ready for testing towards pre-clinical and clinical stage. Finally, the strategy proposed here will be on a longer term applicable to multiple other pathogenic 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 coronaviruses
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs antibiotics
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs antivirals
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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-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept 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-2022-POC2
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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.
75794 PARIS
France
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.