Objective
Proteins and peptides have a generic tendency to convert from their soluble states into well-organized aggregates characterized by a fibrillar morphology and an extended cross-beta structure. Such transitions can give rise to over 40 pathological conditions ranging from neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, polyQ disease, to systemic amyloidoses, including light chain amyloidosis and hemodyalisis-related amyloidosis. Unveiling the origins of amyloid disorders is one of the top scientific challenges. It is clear that a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of protein and peptide aggregation into amyloid fibrils will allow optimal therapeutic strategies and the development of better drugs to combat these disorders. Nevertheless, despite the huge efforts of the scientific community, the molecular determinants underlying these processes are still largely obscure. The aim of the present project is to determine, at an atomic level, the structural and dynamical ensemble of the amyloidogenic intermediate of a novel Acilphosphatase, the AcPDro2. This protein represents a prototype of for studying the aggregation via native-like conditions, a major aggregation pathway in vivo. The project will be performed in the lab of prof. C.M. Dobson (University of Cambridge) and will be based on a multidisciplinary approach of experiments (basically solution-NMR) and molecular simulations to characterize the conformational ensembles adopted along the AcPDro2 aggregation pathway. This study will provide the atomic description of the molecular determinants of AcPDro2 aggregation into amyloid structures. Moreover, an appealing part of the project will focus on the mode of actions of a small ligand, the phosphate, which is able to inhibit the AcPDro2 aggregation. This determination will represent an unprecedented information with implications in the field of drug design for targeting amyloid-linked diseases.
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 basic medicine neurology dementia alzheimer
- medical and health sciences basic medicine medicinal chemistry
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences basic medicine neurology parkinson
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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.
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.
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.
FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008
See other projects for this call
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.
Coordinator
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
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.