Project description
An innovative model for fibrosis
Piezoelectricity is the ability of a material to generate electrical signals when mechanically deformed. Many biological tissues exhibit piezoelectric behaviour because their extracellular matrix is rich in molecules such as collagen, which converts mechanical forces into bioelectrical cues. These electrically active signals influence fundamental cellular processes, including migration, growth, and differentiation. However, current in vitro disease models fail to recapitulate these dynamic mechanical forces. The ERC-funded DAPHNE project aims to develop a novel piezoelectric research platform to study idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a disease driven by aberrant fibroblast and macrophage activity. The goal is to create physiologically relevant models to uncover how piezoelectric cues regulate the formation of fibrotic lung tissue.
Objective
Tissues are piezoelectric materials, generating electrical signals in response to mechanical stress, and yet this important aspect has not yet been incorporated into the design of disease research models, particularly in conditions like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Piezoelectricity affects cellular migration, growth, and differentiation. However, most of our understanding of cell-tissue interactions comes from studying cells under ‘static’ mechanical conditions. Cells interact with their microenvironment by applying forces and receiving bioelectric feedback through ion channels, which are overexpressed in fibrotic tissues (16-fold). Because macrophages and fibroblasts are involved in IPF-related fibrogenesis, we hypothesize that piezoelectricity plays a critical role in their differentiation states during disease progression. Current IPF research models do not replicate the electro-mechanical cellular environment, widening the gap between predictive in vitro models and clinical outcomes. Bridging this gap requires a paradigm shift toward models that incorporate electro-mechanical coupling. With DAPHNE, the applicant will develop a state-of-the-art piezoelectric platform providing both electrical and mechanical signals, enhancing the physiological relevance of current models. This innovation will accelerate drug development by enabling the testing of novel anti-fibrotic therapies targeting ion channel activity and creating the first statistically powerful library of cell-ECM electro-mechanical interactions. At the core of DAPHNE is the ReShape platform, which integrates three key functions:
• Force: Applying dynamic forces to modulate piezoelectricity and cellular activity.
• Visualize: Using real-time, label-free Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) to track cellular ‘metabolic state’ changes at relevant biological timescale.
• ReShape: Evaluating tissue-wide responses to cellular activity at high throughput.
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 physical sciences optics microscopy
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electrical engineering piezoelectrics
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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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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.
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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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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-STG
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E1 4NS LONDON
United Kingdom
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