Objective
Cell motility is a fascinating dynamic process crucial for a wide variety of biological phenomena including defense against injury or infection, embryogenesis and cancer metastasis. A spatially extended, self-organized, mechanochemical machine consisting of numerous actin polymers, accessory proteins and molecular motors drives this process. This impressive assembly self-organizes over several orders of magnitude in both the temporal and spatial domains bridging from the fast dynamics of individual molecular-sized building blocks to the persistent motion of whole cells over minutes and hours. The molecular players involved in the process and the basic biochemical mechanisms are largely known. However, the principles governing the assembly of the motility apparatus, which involve an intricate interplay between biophysical processes and biochemical reactions, are still poorly understood. The proposed research is focused on investigating the biophysical aspects of the self-organization processes underlying cell motility and trying to adapt these processes to instill motility in artificial cells. Important biophysical characteristics of moving cells such as the intracellular fluid flow and membrane tension will be measured and their effect on the motility process will be examined, using fish epithelial keratocytes as a model system. The dynamics of the system will be further investigated by quantitatively analyzing the morphological and kinematic variation displayed by a population of cells and by an individual cell through time. Such measurements will feed into and direct the development of quantitative theoretical models. In parallel, I will work toward the development of a synthetic physical model system for cell motility by encapsulating the actin machinery in a cell-sized compartment. This synthetic system will allow cell motility to be studied in a simplified and controlled environment, detached from the complexity of the living cell.
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 biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences developmental biology
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
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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-IRG-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
32000 Haifa
Israel
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.