Project description
Phagocytic Synthetic Cells against antibiotic-resistant strains
The rise of antimicrobial-resistant infections, coupled with stagnant antibiotic development, presents a global health threat. The ERC-funded PhagoSynCell project will develop Phagocytic Synthetic Cells (PSCs) capable of selectively recognising, capturing, engulfing, and eliminating antibiotic-resistant bacteria without promoting resistance. The project will first design PSC membranes using novel macromolecular amphiphiles assembled into functionally diverse vesicles. It will explore methods to enhance micro-object engulfment through molecular-level mechanical actuation, introducing super-selectivity to artificial membranes for precise bacterial targeting. To validate its approach, the project will assess the effectiveness and biosafety of PSCs against antibiotic-resistant strains in cells, organoids, and tissue models. By establishing the principles of artificial phagocytosis, PhagoSynCell aims to pioneer synthetic cells that selectively eliminate bacteria, offering a potential breakthrough in antimicrobial resistance.
Objective
The growing occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant infections, compounded with the stalling development and approval of new antibiotic drugs, has created a therapeutic gap, threatening a global health crisis. Resistance emerges when bacteria mutate their molecular targets for antibiotics, evading their action. Is it conceivable to design synthetic cells assembled from abiotic synthetic macromolecules, capable of mimicking the most salient features of phagocytosis —Nature’s most selective, effective, and advanced strategy to eradicate pathogens? The aim of PhagoSynCell is to create Phagocytic Synthetic Cells (PSCs) that selectively recognize, capture, engulf and kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria without generating selection pressure for resistance. Firstly, we will develop the membrane of the PSCs by the simulation-aided synthesis of novel macromolecular amphiphiles (Janus dendrimers and amphiphilic comb polymers) self-assembled into vesicle libraries with functional diversity and phenotype programmability. We will then study novel methods to facilitate engulfment of micro-objects by leveraging principles of mechanical actuation programmed at the molecular level. We will introduce superselectivity to artificial membranes to selectively capture bacteria. Furthermore, we will develop an antimicrobial strategy triggered and activated by engulfment that disrupts the bacterial membrane —an element highly unsusceptible to evolution. Finally, we will demonstrate the efficacy of PSCs against pathogenic antibiotic-resistant strains and show their biosafety in cells, organoids, and advanced tissue models as proof-of-concept for future applications. PhagoSynCell will unveil the underlying principles of Artificial Phagocytosis, delivering synthetic cells able to selectively recognize and kill bacteria. Ultimately, this will provide the steppingstone towards the use of synthetic cells as a quasi-living therapeutic —a field I envision will revolutionize medicine.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs antibiotics
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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)
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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-2024-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.
08028 Barcelona
Spain
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.