Descripción del proyecto
Un mejor pronóstico del carcinoma de ovario gracias a la detección de biomarcadores
Los biomarcadores del cáncer, que suelen encontrarse en la sangre, la orina, los tejidos u otros fluidos corporales, pueden indicar la presencia de cáncer en el organismo. Estos biomarcadores se producen por el propio tumor o por el organismo en respuesta al tumor. Financiado por las Acciones Marie Skłodowska-Curie, el equipo del proyecto CRINOVA pretende identificar los biomarcadores del carcinoma de ovario, un cáncer especialmente difícil de diagnosticar en una fase temprana, debido a la ausencia de síntomas específicos. Los investigadores emplearán la tecnología de edición genómica CRISPR/Cas con fines de biodetección, para detectar los biomarcadores proteínicos en la orina de los pacientes. Este método innovador promete un diagnóstico altamente específico y sensible del carcinoma de ovario en estadios tempranos, lo que mejora el pronóstico y la calidad de vida de las pacientes.
Objetivo
Ovarian carcinoma (OC) is a leading cause of cancer deaths in postmenopausal women worldwide. Unfortunately, it is diagnosed in the advanced stages (III/IV) with five-year survival rate of 20% and poor prognosis due to lack of distinct early symptoms. The current diagnostic tools (pelvic examination and imaging techniques) often fail to detect premalignant tumors and standard biomarker (cancer antigen 125) analysis show low sensitivity and specificity. The goal of this proposal is to develop a radically innovative modality in the field of early diagnosis of ovarian cancer. I propose cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas (Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR associated protein) technology-based molecular diagnosis as the next generation OC screening tool.
The proposed CRINOVA project will apply the CRISPR-mediated biosensing approach for the first time combining with immunoassay to detect OC protein biomarkers (cancer antigen 125, human epididymis protein 4 and mesothelin) noninvasively in urine of early stage (I/II) OC patients through electrochemistry. The nucleic acid programmed nuclease activity of Cas effector protein will be activated upon sequence-based recognition of guiding RNA of CRISPR by a single strand DNA in the presence of biomarkers resulting in their highly specific and sensitive detection.
The purpose of the project is linked to improving prognosis of OC patients, making a direct impact on enhancing their quality of life. This major objective will be achieved through a cross-disciplinary approach involving my wide experience in electrochemical biosensor development and the expertise of my supervisor on DNA nanotechnology and CRISPR-based biomolecular sensors. I have an excellent track record of scientific collaborations undertaking international mobility in different laboratories globally. The outcome of the fellowship will be crucial to boost my career in academia and to achieve a permanent position (i.e. professorship) in Europe.
Ámbito científico
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Régimen de financiación
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinador
00133 Roma
Italia