Objective
Membranes are crucial for the functioning of living cells. They enclose and protect the cell and organize the cellular machinery in subcompartments. Membrane proteins regulate the transport of molecules entering and exiting the cell, which is essential for homeostasis and energy production. However, transmembrane transport, shape regulation and division also present major challenges for creating synthetic cells and integrating synthetic and living cells. Without complex transport proteins, vesicle-based synthetic cells cannot take up nutrients, excrete waste or stay alive. Moreover, connecting synthetic cells into functional synthetic tissues capable of communication has proven difficult. Emerging evidence shows that, in living cells, biomolecular condensates are involved in a wide range of functional interactions with cellular membranes, leading to signalling, membrane repair, remodelling and exocytosis.
This proposal aims to develop coacervate protocells with dynamically controlled properties that are capable of similar functional interactions in synthetic cells, and at the interface between synthetic and living cells. The coacervates proposed here have three vital functions: (1) supply nutrients and functional biomolecules via triggered delivery; (2) reshape and divide synthetic cells; and (3) connect cells into synthetic tissues with tunable communication and mechanical properties. Key to these coacervates is the ability to dynamically control their interaction with membranes, which we achieve via active (bio)chemical reactions that we develop. Controlling this unique coacervate-membrane interface will be a gamechanger for building viable synthetic cells and tissues, and synthetic/live cell hybrids by creating new opportunities for delivery, remodelling and signalling, and provide a fundamental understanding of condensate-membrane interactions in biology.
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 biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology homeostasis
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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)
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.
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.
6525 XZ Nijmegen
Netherlands
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.