Project description
Decoding cancer cell communication
Metastasis is characterised by the dynamic interplay between tumour cells and their microenvironment. However, research into intracellular communication has been confined to single signal analysis. This precludes multilevel analysis of complex communication pathways and provides a fragmented understanding of cancer cell proliferation and dissemination. To address this gap, the ERC-funded OBSERVER project aims to create a miniature optofluidic device that encapsulates individual cells within tiny droplets and monitors their interactions in real time. By integrating microfluidics, nanosensors, transcriptomics and ΑΙ, the system is designed to capture chemical signals and provide insight into growth patterns and molecular responses. OBSERVER will generate important knowledge on cancer cell communication and pave the way for precision oncology research.
Objective
As with the oversimplification of nuances in human communication, the focus in the analysis of communication between cells has been mainly atomistic. Considering only one communication type (e.g. verbal/non-verbal/visual/written) between two individuals hinders the understating of the scope and outcome of the interaction. Similarly, it is not possible to fully comprehend cell-to-cell communication by focusing exclusively on a specific communication level. Current monitoring methods of cell-to-cell communication do not allow simultaneous multilevel analyses. Exploring cell-to-cell communication at those individual levels limits the understanding of metastatic activation mechanisms as a complex and dynamic event. OBSERVER proposes a holistic bottom-up approach to decode cell-to-cell communication as a multilevel event through the development of an optofluidic decoder. For this, a microfluidic platform will be developed for the co-encapsulation and co-culture of two different cell types, while integrating an ultrasensitive anisotropic gold-based plasmonic selector and sensor. This platform will not only allow the real-time, high-throughput and dynamic monitoring of interactions during cell signalling and proliferation, but also transcriptomic downstream analyses. OBSERVER is radical as the consecution of this ambitious project will unlock new research agendas related primarily to the development of bleeding-edge tools supporting the understanding of cell-to-cell communication in cancer and metastasis. OBSERVER technology will provide the research community with thousands of heterogeneous single-cell paired models for drug testing, cell signalling or targeted discovery, thus accelerating cancer research. Further, the use of a novel set of devices will also boost microfluidics and plasmonics towards a new ground, while interfacing those with advanced data analytics and multimodal AI.
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 biological sciences cell biology cell signaling
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
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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.1.1 - 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 - HORIZON ERC 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-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.
15782 Santiago De Compostela
Spain
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.