Objective
Cells must adapt swiftly tCells must adapt swiftly to stress, infection, and environmental change through mechanisms that are rapid and reversible. RNA molecules are emerging as central regulators in these processes, not only through their sequence but also through their structural dynamics. Many regulatory RNAs interconvert between a dominant ground state (GS) and fleeting excited states (ES) on the microsecond–millisecond timescale. Although transient and sparsely populated, switching between these conformations alters fundamental processes such as microRNA repression, ribosome fidelity, and viral genome dimerization. Yet, it remains unknown which of these states are favoured inside cells, how highly they are populated, and how the molecular environment tips the balance between them to control biological outcomes.
The central hypothesis of DynaMech is that RNA structural dynamics act as a regulatory mechanism fine-tuned by cellular context. We will quantify GS and ES populations directly in human and bacterial cells, identify endogenous molecules that trigger conformational switching, and reconstitute these equilibria under controlled conditions to link structural transitions with function. This is enabled by an integrated strategy combining in-cell liquid-state NMR, DNP-enhanced solid-state NMR, high-throughput RNA probing, and mass spectrometry into a unified pipeline.
Through this approach, DynaMech will establish structural switching as a general principle of RNA regulation. It will redefine RNA molecules as dynamic regulatory hubs whose function depends on context-sensitive conformational ensembles. It will also provide the first broadly applicable framework for quantifying RNA equilibria and their cellular triggers. Ultimately, these insights will lay the foundation for therapeutic strategies that target RNA states with high precision, such as stabilizing inactive conformations in cancer or sensitizing bacterial ribosomes by exploiting structural switches.
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.
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- natural sciences chemical sciences analytical chemistry mass spectrometry
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
You need to log in or register to use this function
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.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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
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.