Objective
HCMV infection is life-threatening for immuno-compromised patients, and is the most frequent cause of congenital abnormalities in Europe and the USA. HCMV infection can also lead to cardiovascular and chronic bowel inflammatory diseases and several types of cancer (the latter is still a matter of controversy). Effective treatment for HCMV disease is available, but the rapid emergence of drug resistant strains pose an urgent need to find new targets and to develop new inhibitors against HCMV. For cell invasion, and in order to carry out different parts of its life cycle, the HCMV directly manipulates normal cell signaling pathways. The HCMV envelope glycoprotein B (gB) has a versatile role in this process: first, it attaches to the host extracellular matrix - thus participating in viral absorption. Next, gB specifically binds to and activates a cell surface receptor – the Platelet Derived Growth Factor Receptor (PDGFR) which initiates a cell-survival response, followed by a gB-mediated membrane fusion. Anti-gB neutralizing antibodies are developed, aiming to prevent HCMV infection and disease. The ultimate goal of this research is to understand the structural basis of PDGFR activation by HCMV gB. Using X-ray Crystallography and Electron Microscopy, two of the most powerful techniques in current structural biology, we specifically aim to: 1. Understand how the binding of HCMV gB results with PDGFR activation and cell signaling events. 2. Chart the gB-PDGFR interacting surfaces and define the most critical determinants in this interaction. Taken together, the expected results will shed light on a vital element in HCMV invasion and will set the ground for the design of specific inhibitors to treat HCMV infection and disease.
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 cell biology cell signaling
- medical and health sciences health sciences inflammatory diseases
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy electron microscopy
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology structural biology
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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-2009-RG
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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
52900 Ramat Gan
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.