Objective
Passive transport through lipid membranes is ubiquitous and fundamental in living systems. The aim of this proposal is to create novel biotechnological tools to study permeation of organic compounds through lipid membranes and protein pores. In particular, I will focus on strategies employed by living organisms to optimize and regulate permeation directly through their membranes. The fundamental principles are probed by creating macroscopic model systems for biological channels and membranes. Simultaneously, new microfluidic tools will allow for a screening of biological relevant organic compounds.
Biotechnological experiments investigating permeation of organic molecules into single uni-lamellar vesicles will challenge the dogma of protein controlled membranes transport. Indole, an important signaling molecule for E. coli, is an ideal candidate to demonstrate the feasibility of a novel assay based on a combination of four technologies. Microfluidics provide the controlled environment, holographic optical tweezers confine single vesicles in three dimensions to facilitate ionic current detection and simultaneous auto-fluorescence detection. This unique combination will yield a scalable technology platform to test membrane permeation. However, a deeper understanding of the molecular basis for these passive transport processes is still elusive. Theory predicts that binding potentials for molecules in a protein channel, passive transport can be optimized. Combining microfluidics with holographic optical tweezers provides the optimal means to test this quantitatively. These model experiments will prove that passive transport can be enhanced and optimized by introducing binding sites in protein channels and membranes. Furthermore, the results will guide future design of e.g. antibiotics, DNA vaccines and membrane permeating drugs and fundamentally change our understanding of passive membrane transport.
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 physical sciences classical mechanics fluid mechanics microfluidics
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules lipids
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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.
ERC-2010-StG_20091118
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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.
Host institution
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.