Project description
Studying the mechanical properties of cells in real time
Cells have complex mechanical properties that are important for their functions and interactions with their environment. These properties include stiffness, elasticity, viscosity, adhesion, and contractility, and can change in response to mechanical forces, biochemical signals, and pathophysiology. Brillouin microscopy is an imaging technique that can measure certain mechanical properties of biological samples and provide important insights into their physiological and pathological states. Funded by the European Innovation Council, the IVBM-4PAP project aims to improve the acquisition times required in Brillouin microscopy, offering a valuable tool for studying biological processes in real time and identifying pathogenic states of cells.
Objective
The role and importance of mechanical properties of cells and tissues in cellular function, development and disease has widely been
acknowledged, however standard techniques currently used to assess them exhibit intrinsic limitations (invasive, lack of 3D capability
and of sub-cellular resolution). Recently, Brillouin Microscopy (BM), a type of optical elastography, has emerged as a non-destructive,
label- and contact-free method that can probe the viscoelastic properties of biological samples with diffraction-limited resolution in
3D. This led to increased attention amongst the biological and medical research communities. However, due to the long acquisition
time (hours), this novel technique has been applied only to fixed samples. One important open challenge is to use this approach to
follow the mechano-biological processes in living cells and in real time. Aim of our project is overcome the spectral-imaging
acquisacknowledged, however standard techniques currently used to assess them exhibit intrinsic limitations (invasive, lack of 3D capability and of sub-cellular resolution). Recently, Brillouin Microscopy (BM), a type of optical elastography, has emerged as a non-destructive, label- and contact-free method that can probe the viscoelastic properties of biological samples with diffraction-limited resolution in 3D. This led to increased attention amongst the biological and medical research communities. However, due to the long acquisition time (hours), this novel technique has been applied only to fixed samples. One important open challenge is to use this approach to follow the mechano-biological processes in living cells and in real time. Aim of our project is overcome the spectral-imaging acquisition time limitation by applying the heterodyne detection scheme, allowing the collection of viscoelastic properties in living sample at a sub-second timescale. We will attempt solving specific physio-pathological open problems in biomedicine for the first time.
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 biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pathology
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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.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
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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
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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.
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2022-PATHFINDEROPEN-01
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16163 Genova
Italy
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