Project description
LEGO-like molecular recognition systems
Biosensors are analytical devices that combine a biological sensing element with a transducer to detect, monitor and quantify specific molecules or changes in biological systems. These devices have found applications in medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, food safety, and biotechnology. Funded by the European Research Council, the Chem2Sense project will address the challenge of developing universal molecular recognition systems. The project proposes an innovative approach using chemically modified oligonucleotides attached to small molecules in a dynamic combinatorial library. These LEGO brick-like aptamers will overcome previous technical limitations in design and with the help of AI are expected to enhance process versatility and increase potential applications.
Objective
Sensors have a vital importance on human life, detecting diseases or contaminants that endanger the environment. A widely pursued challenge has been to develop universal biosensors with the flexibility to detect molecules regardless of their size. Antibodies have been used to fulfill this aim, but single-stranded oligonucleotides (aptamers) interact efficiently with targets and have also been proposed as an alternative. However, aptamers lack the ability for versatile functionalization to tune affinities, and they suffer from highly complex selection and identification.
Chem2Sense proposes an interdisciplinary approach to overcome these obstacles. My hypothesis is that a new strategy based on the reversible conjugation of aptamers with small molecules will remove barriers in designing universal biosensors. Chem2Sense aims to redesign the aptamer concept with flexible oligolegonucleotides and a cutting-edge nanopore sequencing methodology. The two objectives will be to develop chemically modified nucleotides as lego-bricks to build high-affinity aptalegomers, and to develop a ground-breaking sequencing methodology using artificial intelligence to boost aptalegomer identification. The proposed legonucleotides are synthetic nucleotides that reversibly attach small molecules in a dynamic combinatorial library. After challenging a vast library against a target, a Darwinian chemical selection will occur, leading to the best fit, the aptalegomer, a high-affinity oligonucleotide of natural and conjugated legonucleotides.
Therefore, the objective of Chem2Sense is to create a ground-breaking methodology that overcomes significant obstacles in aptamers’ development, providing a powerful synergy between novel chemical aptalegomers generation and a direct method for selection/identification using the latest advances in oligonucleotide sequencing. Chem2Sense will bring highly sensitive and versatile aptalegomers to a broad range of vital applications.
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.
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors biosensors
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics nucleotides
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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
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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.
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-COG
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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.
28006 MADRID
Spain
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