Project description
Multimodal AI-informed microscopy and functional nanoscopy illuminate disease processes
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s disease are progressive brain disorders caused by protein aggregation leading to neurotoxicity. Early processes and underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Aberrant liquid-liquid phase separation has been implicated. The ERC-funded QScope project aims to investigate the biophysical basis of aggregate formation and toxicity and the role of phase separation in Huntingdon’s disease using cellular models and in vitro experiments. The project will investigate protein variants, the cellular environment, phase separation and prion-like extracellular protein spreading. Development of multimodal AI-informed microscopy and functional nanoscopy relying on label-free imaging and virtual staining will support assessment of mechanical properties and cell pathophysiology with minimal interference.
Objective
Neurodegenerative diseases are incurable, progressive brain disorders associated with accumulation of aberrant protein aggregates with severe effects on movement and mental functioning. The mechanism leading to neurotoxicity is far from understood, due to our lack of insight into early processes. Recently, aberrant liquid-liquid phase separation has emerged as a new concept to explain protein aggregation in neurodegenerative disease. Here, I will investigate the biophysical basis of the formation of different material states of aggregates, by capitalizing on my expertise at the interface of single-molecule biophysics and quantitative, high-resolution imaging in cells.
I propose to address the following key questions, with the use of cellular models of Huntingtons Disease (HD) complemented with well-controlled in vitro experiments: How do the physico-chemical properties of protein variants and the cellular environment influence aggregation and toxicity? What role does phase separation play in Huntingtons disease? How does prion-like spreading of extracellular protein interfere with local protein assemblies in cells?
HD is caused by a gene defect resulting in aggregation-prone huntingtin protein. The diverse sizes (nm-m) and conformations of the aggregates pose a remarkable challenge, and multiple complementary approaches are needed to unravel their morphology and physico-chemical properties. I will develop multimodal AI-informed quantitative microscopy and functional nanoscopy to decipher how aggregates in neurodegenerative disease form and mature. Importantly, we will work without tags and exploit virtually stained quantitative phase imaging to assess mechanical properties and cell pathophysiology, therefore minimizing interference with aggregation processes. The QScope project is expected to elucidate the role of protein aggregation and phase transitions, relevant for a broad variety of diseases, and to establish new label-free and super-resolution imaging.
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.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology pathophysiology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy super resolution microscopy
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences biophysics
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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)
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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)
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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
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(opens in new window) ERC-2024-STG
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2628 CN Delft
Netherlands
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