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Uncovering Genetic Rescue and Functional Rebalancing in Telomeropathies Through Genome Editing and High-Resolution Screening

Objective

Telomere dysfunction can result in cells being eliminated by apoptosis, entering senescence, or undergoing malignant transformation. Symptoms associated with telomeropathies include bone marrow failure, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, liver disease, and defects of the immune system, skin, eyes, and skeleton. Patients with telomeropathies are typically managed based on their clinical presentation. Treatment options for various manifestations may include growth factor support, bone marrow transplantation, antifibrotic medications, or organ transplantation. All these approaches improve the symptoms of specific sequelae rather than treating the biological cause of the disease. We propose that by intervening at its inception and “rebalancing” or restoring telomere function we may ameliorate the disease process.
The overarching hypothesis of our proposed research is that by defining disease-associated cell phenotype regulators, i.e. “rebalancing factors”, and the complete compendium of disease-causing alleles, we will elucidate the underlying biology of these conditions and potentially a path to therapy. To test this hypothesis, we need to identify genes that can rescue telomere dysfunction, define the mechanistic basis of rebalancing, and define the functional impact of all genetic variants linked to telomeropathies. To accomplish these objectives, we will i) use nanoseq sequencing to examine somatic genetic rescue in tissues from unique telomeropathy patient cohorts, ii) investigate how the rebalancing factors we identify influence cell behaviour and telomere homeostasis in cell and animal models, and iii) use saturation prime editing combined with functional screens to systematically assess the phenotypes associated with all possible variants in genes linked to telomeropathies. As a result of this work, we hope to revolutionise our understanding of telomeropathies and help patients live longer and healthier lives.

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Topic(s)

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HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) ERC-2025-ADG

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Host institution

GENOME RESEARCH LIMITED LBG
Net EU contribution

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€ 2 496 154,00
Address
WELLCOME SANGER INSTITUTE WELLCOME GENOME CAMPUS HINXTON
CB10 1SA SAFFRON WALDEN
United Kingdom

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Region
East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC
Activity type
Research Organisations
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Total cost

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Beneficiaries (1)