Objective
We know that brain tumors thrive by rewiring energy pathways and that lactate is at the center of this metabolic shift. However, without knowing how brain tumors make, use, move, and remove lactate, we cannot fully understand the biology that drives their growth.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the clinical standard for diagnosing and monitoring brain tumors. Conventional MRI provides excellent structural detail but little metabolic information, and each current metabolic MRI method can capture only a part of the metabolic picture. No imaging method can fully quantify the fates of lactate in vivo, which leaves fundamental questions unanswered about how tumors produce, consume, import, and clear lactate and limits our ability to develop reliable metabolic biomarkers for therapy response.
ECLIPSE will establish the first integrated, multi-modal MRI platform to quantify all major lactate pathways in brain tumor patients: steady-state lactate levels, lactate production, oxidative flux, lactate uptake, and clearance. The project will advance and integrate complementary MRI-based techniques: hyperpolarized ¹³C-MRSI to measure lactate production, Deuterium Metabolic Imaging (DMI) to quantify oxidation and clearance, high-resolution ¹H-MRSI for lactate uptake and metabolite pool sizes, and ³¹P-MT-MRSI for energy turnover. This will be the first time that these techniques are combined to measure brain tumors. The patient data will be integrated into a mathematical model to provide quantitative, pathway-specific flux maps, enabling dynamic and comprehensive assessment of brain tumor metabolism in vivo.
By moving beyond isolated measurements to comprehensive mapping of metabolic flux, ECLIPSE will provide a new framework for studying tumor metabolism in vivo. The resulting methodology will not only transform the evaluation of brain tumors but will also inspire broader applications in other cancers and neurological diseases where altered metabolism plays a key role.
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 chemical sciences electrochemistry electrolysis
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- engineering and technology medical engineering diagnostic imaging magnetic resonance imaging
- natural sciences physical sciences condensed matter physics magnetism
- natural sciences mathematics applied mathematics mathematical model
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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-2026-STG
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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.
3584 CX Utrecht
Netherlands
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.