Project description
Innovative approach for mapping epigenetic modifications in mammalian genome
Epigenetic modifications of the nucleobase cytosine in the CpG sequence in mammalian genomes are critical for the regulation of gene expression and cancer diagnostics. However, current methods cannot reveal the combination when these modifications occur in both strands of a DNA duplex. The EU-funded COMBICODE project will develop and commercialise two novel kits for mapping the important CpG duplex modifications consisting of 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine for the epigenetics research and the liquid biopsy. The project will capitalise on the previously developed affinity enrichment probes for selective analysis of the novel CpG duplex modifications, integrated into user friendly kits for genome mapping.
Objective
In mammalian genomes, epigenetic modifications of the nucleobase cytosine occur in both strands of the DNA duplex in the sequence “CpG”, and they are central regulators of gene expression as well as important cancer biomarkers. However, current analytical techniques cannot reveal the combination in that these modifications occur in the two strands of a DNA duplex. The resulting inability to create genomic maps of these “CpG duplex modifcations” represents a major roadblock for future developments in epigenetics research and cancer diagnosis. We have engineered the first affinity enrichment probes for selectively analysing novel CpG duplex modifications, and integrated them into user-friendly and cost-effective kits for genomic mapping. In this project, we will develop and commercialize two kits for mapping of the most important novel CpG duplex modification consisting of 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine for the epigenetics research and the liquid biopsy markets. This will provide decisive new impulses for epigenetics research as well as for cancer biomarker discovery and liquid biopsy, both large and rapidly growing markets.
Fields of science
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-AG-LS - HORIZON Lump Sum GrantHost institution
44227 Dortmund
Germany