Project description
Profiling the role of fibroblasts in influenza virus infection
Influenza virus infects the airway epithelium, triggering irreversible progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the mechanisms are not fully known. Fibroblasts produce the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the connective tissue beneath the airway epithelium. Fibroblast activation and excessive deposition of ECM are likely the key drivers of COPD progression. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the EMC-FLU project will leverage an advanced co-culture model consisting of patient-derived airway epithelial cells and human lung fibroblasts. It will unravel the crosstalk between the airway epithelium and fibroblasts, and find a potential drug target that could prevent the progression of COPD.
Objective
Influenza virus infects the airway epithelium. The connective tissue underneath the epithelium consists of extracellular matrix (ECM) produced mainly by fibroblasts. Small airway fibrosis, characterized by fibroblast activation and excessive deposition of ECM, is emerging as the key driver of the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a very common and life-threatening lung disease for which no cure exists. Irreversible progression of COPD is often triggered by influenza virus infection. However, causative mechanisms between influenza virus infection and small airway fibrosis have not been explored. In this project, the fellow will infect an advanced co-culture model of patient-derived airway epithelial cells and fibroblasts from the human lung to mimic the microenvironment of the airway. Cellular and molecular profiling of the fibroblasts will be performed by an unbiased approach using integrated and interdisciplinary methods. Especially, a unique mass spectrometry and bioinformatics workflow for deep molecular profiling of the ECM will be combined with state-of-the art single cell RNA-sequence analysis to discover profibrotic readouts. Then, she will use cells from COPD patients to translate the findings to the clinic. Finally, she will establish a host-gene specific knockdown co-culture model to elucidate the role of a specific protein that interacts with the ECM and assess the druggability of this potential target. The fellow is a pathologist from Japan with extensive experience in infection with animal models. Her expertise and knowledge in disease pathology will be integrated with the host's prestigious scientific environment. Establishment of international connections will facilitate her to become an academic leader with a unique and multidisciplinary profile to combat infectious diseases of the lung.
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
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences health sciences infectious diseases RNA viruses influenza
- 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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Topic(s)
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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
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
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2022-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.
85764 Neuherberg
Germany
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.