Project description
Lab-grown testis models to restore pre-puberty male fertility
Infertility is a significant but often overlooked consequence of life-saving cancer treatments, particularly for boys who have not yet reached puberty. Unlike adults, they cannot freeze sperm before chemotherapy, leaving them with no fertility restoration options later in life. The ERC-funded Restore-Fertility project aims to create human testis organoids, namely tiny, lab-grown testis models from tissue biopsies taken prior to chemotherapy. Building on successful results in mice, researchers will study whether these organoids can replicate the testis environment and initiate sperm production. Project findings could pave the way for innovative clinical solutions to help childhood cancer survivors regain fertility in adulthood.
Objective
Chemotherapy treatments for cancer and haematological disorders can lead to male infertility. While adult males can freeze a sperm biopsy prior to chemotherapy, pre-pubertal children cannot do so, as they do not yet produce sperm. Reaching 88% survival rate for paediatric cancers nowadays, many of these kids will survive to adulthood but remain infertile. There are currently no clinical fertility
restoration options available for these kids. Many of them are advised to undergo a testis biopsy procedure for fertility preservation prior to chemotherapy, with the hope that techniques will be developed to allow the use of these samples for future sperm production.
Within the ERC StG, we aimed to develop an in vitro system that can closely model the testis. As such, we have recently published the development of testis organoids from both embryonic and prepubertal mouse testis. These organoids can be cultured in vitro for 9 weeks, while preserving all cell types normally present in the testis. These organoids highly recapitulate the in vivo state by creating
structures, as well as presenting expression profiles, of in vivo testis. We developed defined media composition for in vitro maturation. Finally, we show indications that meiosis is initiated in vitro within the organoids.
In this ERC PoC, building on our development in the mouse, we will generate human testis organoids derived from pre-pubertal testis biopsies that were obtained prior to chemotherapy treatment. We will assess the ability of these testicular cells to create human testis organoids, and analyse the structure, transcriptome, as well as ability to initiate, and potentially complete, meiosis. Within Restore-
Fertility, we aim to achieve significant progress with the technology development in human samples, and provide a proof-of-concept for sperm production in vitro. We will also achieve business progression by consolidating IP strategy, market analysis, and develop a comprehensive business strategy.
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.
- social sciences sociology demography fertility
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA transcriptomes
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics heredity
You need to log in or register to use this function
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.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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.
52900 Ramat Gan
Israel
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.