Descrizione del progetto
Un cambiamento sostenibile nella conservazione delle cellule
Il tributo ambientale dei metodi convenzionali usati nelle biobanche è innegabile. Il congelamento in azoto liquido (LN) ha un costo elevato, sia dal punto di vista economico che ecologico, in quanto richiede strutture specializzate e contribuisce a una notevole impronta di CO2. Con il sostegno delle azioni Marie Skłodowska-Curie, il progetto WhyNotDry intende rivoluzionare le biobanche esplorando l’essiccazione reversibile di cellule e germoplasma, con l’obiettivo di sostituire il congelamento in LN con un’alternativa innovativa, economica ed ecologica. Questa iniziativa multidisciplinare coinvolge una rete internazionale di scienziati impegnati a liberare il potenziale delle biobanche a secco per un futuro sostenibile nelle scienze della vita. Il progetto non solo rimodella i metodi di conservazione, ma promuove anche la collaborazione interdisciplinare, promettendo un cambiamento di paradigma «verde» nella comunità scientifica.
Obiettivo
WhyNotDry will deepen our knowledge on reversible drying in cells and germplasm toward the development of a dry biobanking as an alternative to the current freezing in Liquid Nitrogen (LN). LN is expensive, requires dedicated facilities and power supply, and has a high CO2 footprint. WhyNotDry will achieve its aims through a multidisciplinary, intersectoral, international network of scientists that will: i) Develop a drying/rehydration platform using naturally desiccation-tolerant midge (Polypedilum vanderplanki) Pv11 cell lines; ii) Identify the best combination of naturally occurring xeroprotectants (xero=dry) from desiccation-tolerant insect cell line and the best performing water subtraction platform. iii) To use the best xeroprotectants mix and the drying/rehydration protocol for mammalian cells/germplasm. vi) Develop a prototype for controlled dehydration of microvolumes of cell. The R&I activities leading to these aims will be carried out by knowhow sharing through Staff Exchanges between: 3 EU academies, 2 EU SMEs, 2 international partners (Japan, Thailand). Outcomes of WhyNotDry will be incorporated into a cheap, environmentally friendly, and easy biobanking for biodiversity conservation, assisted reproduction, stem cell/personalized medicine. Successful development of this technology will set the basis for a radically new, ‘green’ biobanking paradigm, simplifying the maintenance and shipping practices in life sciences, with enormous reduction in costs and carbon footprint. Moreover, knowledge generated in WhyNotDry would be applicable to other fields such as agriculture, environmental science, food processing, and the pharmaceutical industry, where elective or enforced (by climate change) drying is dealt with. Finally, WhyNotDry will empower young scientists with transferable skills, ensuring career prospects in academia/industry, and strengthen the international/sectorial network between disciplines, boosting European excellence.
Campo scientifico
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesenvironmental sciences
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cells
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiodiversity conservation
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencespersonalized medicine
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Meccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-SE - HORIZON TMA MSCA Staff ExchangesCoordinatore
64100 Teramo
Italia