Project description
Shedding light on biology’s sugar shield
Every mammalian cell is enveloped in a sugary layer called the glycocalyx. This is a vital, dynamic structure involved in cell communication, immunity, tissue repair, and more. When disrupted, it plays a role in diseases like cancer and neurodegeneration, yet it remains one of biology’s least understood frontiers. With this in mind, the EU-funded GLYCOCALYX project will train 15 doctoral researchers to uncover the molecular and physical rules behind this ‘dark matter’ of biology. By combining physics, chemistry, and biology, the project will develop new tools to study the glycocalyx’s organisation and barrier functions. This interdisciplinary training aims to fuel future breakthroughs in medicine and biotechnology.
Objective
Virtually all mammalian cells are covered with a dense and complex coat of sugar chains (glycans) known as the glycocalyx, which is essential for multicellular life. Interfacing the cell surface with the cellular environment, glycocalyces accomplish critical functions in signalling and communication between cells, controlling tissue development, homeostasis and repair, inflammatory and immune responses, neuronal connectivity, and symbiosis with gastrointestinal bacteria. However, when dysregulated, they can promote immune diseases, neurodegeneration and cancer. While glycocalyces act as the first line of defence against pathogens, some pathogens have evolved to hijack the glycocalyx to promote infection. Despite their importance, mammalian glycocalyces remain the ‘dark matter’ of biology, under-studied owing to the historical lack of preparative and analytical tools to probe the local molecular composition and transient interactions of molecules within glycocalyces, and missing physics rules to interpret experimental observations. The GLYCOCALYX Doctoral Network will provide 15 doctoral candidates with training in bespoke physics, chemistry and biology methods – essential disciplines that will be integrated to enable us to resolve the dynamic organisation of glycocalyces, and how they perform the many selective barrier functions essential to multicellular life. We will develop chemical, analytical and computational TOOLS for glycocalyx research and use them to define physics and molecular RULES that underpin glycocalyx self-organisation and barrier functions. Practical scientific training in state-of-the-art research methods will be complemented by a coordinated programme of industry-relevant transferable skills tailored to prepare the doctoral candidates for future careers in the sector of medical technologies and its underpinning innovations.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
- natural sciences biological sciences synthetic biology
- natural sciences physical sciences condensed matter physics soft matter physics
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules carbohydrates
- natural sciences biological sciences biophysics
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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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-TMA-MSCA-DN - HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral Networks
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-DN-01
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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.
LS2 9JT Leeds
United Kingdom
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Participants (9)
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1040 Wien
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75794 Paris
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91054 Erlangen
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81477 München
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4200-135 Porto
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Participation ended
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20009 San Sebastian
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901 87 UMEA
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OX14 3EB Abingdon
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SW7 2AZ London
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Partners (8)
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69342 Lyon
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
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80539 Planegg
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
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48727 Billerbeck
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
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171 65 SOLNA
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W10 5JJ London
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
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38058 Grenoble
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
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4099-002 Porto
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Partner organisations contribute to the implementation of the action, but do not sign the Grant Agreement.
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91058 Erlangen
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