Project description
Light-responsive bacteria for remote control and drug delivery
Scientists must address several questions regarding bacteria and their ability to perceive light through engineered exogenous phototransducers. Specifically, can bacteria respond to various photostimulation methods based on molecular excited states? The ERC-funded EOS project aims to develop biohybrid living materials that can perceive light and perform remote tasks, such as drug delivery. The project aims to make non-photosynthetic motile bacteria light-sensitive with minimal invasiveness. Using a method called optobacterial stimulation, it will use light to control bacteria remotely and utilise phototransducing materials that attach to bacteria without modification. This mechanism links light interactions to bacterial movement. The project will also demonstrate the phototactic guidance of ‘eyeless’ bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, paving the way for biocompatible microswimmers.
Objective
EOS wants to create a new class of biohybrid living materials capable to perceive light and perform tasks remotely (i.e. drug delivery in hard-to-reach body locations). I propose to achieve this by inducing light sensitivity into non-photosynthetic motile bacteria at minimum invasiveness and complexity. Based on the notion that the active manipulation of the bacteria membrane potential allows controlling bacterial functions, including motion, EOS challenge is how to trigger effectively a membrane potential dynamics. EOS will employ a materials-based approach that I call “optobacterial-stimulation” and is composed by two key ingredients: i. light as a spatiotemporal precise tool that can control bacteria remotely; ii. phototransducing organic materials that associate spontaneously with bacterial cells without the need for neither covalent attachment nor genetic modification. The phototransducing mechanism stems from the “cross-talking” between molecular excitations and the polarization state of cells. The photoinduced membrane potential dynamics is ultimately linked to ion motive force, and thus to the bacterial flagellar motor. All these abovementioned elements have in common the study of light-matter interaction, which represents my main research interest in the last decade. Using optobacterial-stimulation I will answer to three outstanding questions that are related to each other and shape EOS objectives: i. can we engineer bacteria to perceive light through exogenous phototransducers? ii. are bacteria able to perceive different photostimulation approaches, as dictated by molecular excited states, in terms of membrane potential dynamics and motion? iii. can we understand the relationship between the fate of excited states and bacterial function? In the case study, I will demonstrate phototactic guidance of “eyeless” bacteria that are competent to swim in the gastrointestinal tract, with the view to develop intrinsically bio-compatible microswimmers.
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.
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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.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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-ERC - HORIZON ERC 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-2023-STG
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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.
20133 Milano
Italy
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