Project description
Mapping T-cell receptor-antigen interactions for precision medicine
T-cell receptors (TCRs) recognise foreign or abnormal molecules and are central to immune responses against pathogens and various diseases including cancer. However, systematically mapping which TCRs bind to which antigens remains a major challenge. Current approaches are characterised by low throughput or are biased towards already known targets. This bottleneck significantly hampers the discovery of clinically relevant TCRs for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. The ERC-funded CLIN-TCR project aims to address this gap by demonstrating the clinical utility of a screening platform capable of pairing TCRs with their cognate antigens in an unbiased manner. Researchers will apply this platform to generate validated datasets of TCR-antigen pairs in cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Objective
T cell receptors (TCRs) recognize antigens presented by HLA molecules and are central to immunity; nevertheless our ability to systematically map TCR-antigen pairs is still severely limited. Current approaches—individual antigen assays, multimer staining, or display systems—are either low throughput or biased towards known epitopes, and fail to deliver comprehensive datasets needed for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. This bottleneck hampers the discovery of clinically relevant TCRs and antigens for cancer immunotherapy and for autoimmune disease monitoring. In our ERC project, we developed a library versus library screening platform that can pair TCRs with their cognate antigens in an unbiased manner. Feasibility was demonstrated using model antigens, and the core technology is already the subject of a patent application filed by our institution.
The goal of this Proof of Concept is to demonstrate the clinical utility of the platform by applying it to two major contexts: (i) TCR and tumor-associated antigen and neoantigen discovery in cancer, and (ii) TCR and autoantigen discovery in autoimmune diseases. By generating and validating datasets of clinically relevant TCR-antigen pairs, the project will establish the platform as a source of novel biomarkers and therapeutic leads. IP consolidation and a refined exploitation strategy will strengthen its translational potential. The expected outputs are: (1) validated datasets of TCR-antigen pairs with direct clinical relevance; (2) a reinforced intellectual property position; and (3) a detailed strategy guiding future commercial exploitation. This project will open a new avenue for precision medicine by enabling scalable mapping of TCR-antigen interactions in clinically relevant settings. It has the potential to accelerate biomarker discovery, patient stratification, and the development of next-generation TCR-based therapies and therapeutic vaccination.
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.
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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)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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
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-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept 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-POC
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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.
35122 PADOVA
Italy
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.