Project description
Custom designing glycans for targeted applications
The ERC-funded Glycofold project has developed a pioneering screening platform that exploits the potential of molecular dynamics modelling to analyse hundreds of thousands of glycan structures. Gathering such key structural information will lead to the establishment of an extensive database. This rich inventory of data will feed an AI-driven user interface designed to interrogate the database and steer the design of glycans with specific conformations. The breakthrough will offer unique capabilities to custom design glycans for targeted applications, paving the way for the development of next-generation therapeutics and materials. GlycoRoads now intends to make the screening platform accessible to academic and industrial researchers. This requires optimising the existing platform, systematically cataloguing data and developing the relevant AI tool.
Objective
In the spirit of the various in silico de novo protein design products, GlycoRoads aims to introduce the world's first tool for de novo glycan design. Our cutting-edge screening platform will harness the power of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to analyse hundreds of thousands of glycan structures, extracting crucial structural information to populate a comprehensive database (DB). This rich repository of data will serve as the foundation for an AI-driven user interface, designed to interrogate the DB and guide the de novo design of glycans that can adopt specific target conformations, greatly accelerating the exploration of their applications.
The growing recognition of glycans' critical roles in biology and materials science underscores the transformative potential of our project. If successful, it will unlock unprecedented capabilities to customize glycans for targeted applications, opening new avenues in the design of next-generation therapeutics and materials. Within the ERC GlycoFold grant, our team has designed glycans with precise secondary structures. GlycoRoads builds on this groundwork to make the strategic design of glycans accessible to both academic and industrial researchers. This goal requires the completion on three critical objectives: I) Enhancing the current MD-based screening platform, II) Generating and systematically cataloguing a vast array of data into a comprehensive and accessible DB, and III) Developing an AI tool to leverage the DB to accelerate the design of glycans for diverse applications.
The anticipated outcomes of our project—a detailed DB of glycan structures and a user-friendly interface for its interrogation—offer substantial commercialization prospects. Together, they pave the way for a groundbreaking shift in de novo glycan design across various fields.
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 computer and information sciences databases
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules carbohydrates
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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-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept 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-POC
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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.
80539 MUNCHEN
Germany
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.