Project description FET Open Show the project objective Hide the project objective Ever since the insightful suggestion of John von Neumann, self-reproducing automata are considered to be a main long-term goal of IT. Biologists are dealing with such systems that arose in the course of evolution by natural selection. The future realization of technological artefacts that will mimic, or be inspired by biological automata, will face many problems that biological evolution had to solve. e-Flux will develop droplet-based digital microfluidic systems for the manipulation of reproducing artificial compartments and natural cells (including the analysis of adaptive pathways and molecular cooperation). The project combines cutting-edge technological development with high-level theoretical analysis of the experimentally realized systems. By the application of a large population of electronically controlled microdroplets we shall select for RNA replicator-based molecular networks that can learn from experience. The same method will be used to reconstruct a hypothetical interim stage of early biological evolution where protocells harboured a bag of competing catalytically active RNA genes. These achievements need technological development of our microfluidic machinery. As an example of unconventional biotechnology, we will put bacteria into the droplets, and select for various traits in a novel kind of 'evolution machine'. Theoretical analyses will complement the experimental work, especially in order to develop a better understanding of evolvability (the genetically controlled capacity to respond to directional selection) in artificial and natural molecular systems. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencesclassical mechanicsfluid mechanicsmicrofluidicsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesevolutionary biologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsRNA Programme(s) FP7-ICT - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Information and communication technologies Topic(s) ICT-2007.8.0 - FET Open Call for proposal FP7-ICT-2007-C See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CP - Collaborative project (generic) Coordinator PARMENIDES STIFTUNG Address Hindenburgstr. 15 82343 Pocking Germany See on map Region Bayern Oberbayern Starnberg Activity type Research Organisations Administrative Contact Thomas Lehr (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window EU contribution € 400 000,00 Participants (9) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITAT AUTONOMA DE BARCELONA Spain EU contribution € 150 000,00 Address Edif a campus de la uab bellaterra cerdanyola v 08193 Cerdanyola del valles See on map Region Este Cataluña Barcelona Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Violeta Gràcia (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window UNIVERSITE PIERRE ET MARIE CURIE - PARIS 6 France EU contribution € 464 000,00 Address Place jussieu 4 75252 Paris See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Elena Billi-Rizza (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window UNIVERSITE DE STRASBOURG France EU contribution € 484 232,00 Address Rue blaise pascal 4 67081 Strasbourg See on map Region Grand Est Alsace Bas-Rhin Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Sandrine Schott-Carrière (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window UNIVERSITE LOUIS PASTEUR Participation ended France EU contribution € 0,00 Address Rue blaise pascal 67070 Strasbourg See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Laurence PETIN-MONTEIL (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window PANEPISTIMIO THESSALIAS Greece EU contribution € 150 000,00 Address Argonafton filellinon 38221 Volos See on map Region Κεντρική Ελλάδα Θεσσαλία Μαγνησία Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Elias Zintzaras (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY Netherlands EU contribution € 300 000,00 Address Droevendaalsesteeg 4 6708 PB Wageningen See on map Region Oost-Nederland Gelderland Veluwe Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Joop Brouwer (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX United Kingdom EU contribution € 300 000,00 Address Sussex house falmer BN1 9RH Brighton See on map Region South East (England) Surrey, East and West Sussex Brighton and Hove Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Ian Carter (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS France EU contribution € 15 768,00 Address Rue michel ange 3 75794 Paris See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Research Organisations Administrative Contact Denis Fix (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window ECOLE SUPERIEURE DE PHYSIQUE ET DECHIMIE INDUSTRIELLES DE LA VILLE DEPARIS France EU contribution € 36 000,00 Address Rue vauquelin 10 75231 Paris See on map Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Paris Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact LISE MICHELOT (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window
