Objective
ProtoEco pioneers a molecular chemistry and systems engineering approach to establish protoecologies – interac-tive communities of artificial cells and mammalian cells – engineered from the molecular scale upward. Moving be-yond isolated artificial cells of today, ProtoEco introduces synthetic–living hybrid communities with sustained metabolic
interactions, adaptive molecular signaling, and feedback loops to build communities with entirely unknown emergent properties at the system level.
We will develop complementary AC platforms sourced from the polymer and DNA realm that are engineered for tunable mechanics, selective responsiveness, robust metabolic encapsulation, and for interactivity on a molecular signaling level. Using photochemical patterning and colloidal assembly methods, ProtoEco will precisely engineer artificial cell–cell architectures in 2D landscapes and 3D co-spheroids. These well-defined systems will allow systematic exploration of the design space for stable, adaptive, and ultimately sustained bidirectional interactions, enabling ecological behaviors and regulation of the tumor microenvironment.
ProtoEco will address key questions: (1) Defining the chemical design space for meaningful artificial cell–cell inter-actions, (2) engineering ecological behaviors and homeostasis at the molecular level, (3) understanding emergent dynamics in biohybrid systems, and (4) enabling novel therapeutic technologies.
Aspects of robotic screening will accelerate optimization of signaling interactions, while robust metabolite and signal tracking and analysis of reciprocal artificial cell–cell interactions will provide deep mechanistic insights. ProtoEco’s fundamental science opens unprecedented pathways toward programmable probiotics, adaptive therapies, and in-teractive biomaterials.
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.
- engineering and technology materials engineering amorphous solids amorphous semiconductors
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
- engineering and technology industrial biotechnology biomaterials
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology homeostasis
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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-ADG
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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.
55122 Mainz
Germany
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.