Project description
Scalable tumour-microenvironment mapping
Nonmutational epigenetic reprogramming and genome instability are essential in cancer and are closely linked to the tumour microenvironment. Scalable tools, such as spatial omics, are needed to analyse these relationships effectively. Current technologies lack the required scalability and interactivity. Improving tumour-microenvironment mapping is crucial for understanding tumour progression and identifying new treatments. The ERC-funded ScaleMAP project aims to create a toolbox for mapping single-cell spatial epigenetics and genomics in tumours. This tool will allow high-resolution, interactive exploration of tissue sections, similar to Google Maps, and will enable the study of cancer evolution in 3D. It will also develop analytical packages for analysing data and adapting for clinical samples, with applications extending to biological research and digital pathology.
Objective
"Nonmutational epigenetic reprogramming and genome instability are hallmarks of cancer, intricately tied to the tumor microenvironment. Understanding these processes requires scalable, spatially resolved tools at the molecular, cellular, and histological levels. The purpose of spatial omics, similar to geographic information systems (GIS), is to enable the analysis of spatial relationships across complex biological features. In GIS, geospatial indexing allows us to effortlessly search for patterns and events—such as Dating Apps, Chat Apps or Proximity searches (Uber, Lyft, Yelp, Google)—using real-time updates and interactive maps. In contrast, current spatial omics technologies lack scalability, real-time integration, and interactive visualization. Scalable mapping of the tumor microenvironment at multiple levels is essential to decipher tumor progression and identify new therapeutic targets. Inspired by geospatial indexing, I will develop an interdisciplinary toolbox, ScaleMAP, for mapping single-cell spatial epigenetics and genomics within the tumor microenvironment. ScaleMAP offers high-throughput, high-resolution, scalable, and interactive mapping across large tissue sections. 3D reconstruction of ScaleMAP will enable the investigation of cancer evolution in three dimensions. Like Google Maps, ScaleMAP treats tissues as ""biological terrains,"" allowing researchers to interactively zoom into specific areas of interest across molecular, cellular, and histological levels to extract valuable insights. We will also develop GIS-inspired analytical packages for ScaleMAP data. Furthermore, we will adapt ScaleMAP for formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples and apply it to clinically archived paired primary and metastatic colorectal cancer samples to dissect metastasis. Beyond cancer, ScaleMAP has broad applications in biological research and digital pathology, offering powerful tools for exploration, diagnosis, and therapeutic discovery."
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 earth and related environmental sciences physical geography cartography geographic information systems
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pathology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics epigenetics
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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)
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Topic(s)
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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.
Funding Scheme
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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.
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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-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.
751 05 Uppsala
Sweden
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