Objective
Emerging evidence reveals that the peripheral nervous system plays an active role in cancer progression and immune regulation. Yet how sensory neurons detect inflammatory cues within tumors and influence systemic immunity remains poorly understood. This project aims to uncover the mechanisms by which cytokine-sensing vagal afferents and neuropeptide signaling shape anti-tumor immune responses in lung cancer. Our preliminary data indicate that local neural circuits in the lung shape immune cell behavior and response via bidirectional signaling with the immune system. We hypothesize that this circuitry becomes dysregulated in cancer to promote immune evasion. We propose to integrate neuroanatomical tracing, single-cell transcriptomics, cell-specific knockout models, and functional circuit manipulation to define how lung-innervating sensory neurons are remodeled by tumors and, in turn, regulate immune cell recruitment, activation, and effector function within the tumor microenvironment. Functional studies combining cytokine stimulation, chemogenetic perturbation, and cytokine-TRAP mapping will establish causal links between tumor-derived cytokines and neural activity. In parallel, we will define how neuropeptides such as CGRP modulate dendritic cell function and immune remodeling within the tumor microenvironment, integrating genetic loss-of-function and high-dimensional profiling in syngeneic models of lung cancer. By connecting neural sensing of inflammation to immune evasion, this interdisciplinary program will uncover a sensory immune axis that governs tumor-host communication, opening new conceptual and therapeutic avenues at the interface of neuroscience, immunology, and cancer biology.
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 biological sciences neurobiology
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology lung cancer
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
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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.
4051 Basel
Switzerland
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.