Objective
The generation of animals by nuclear transfer demonstrated that the epigenetic state of somatic cells could be reset to an embryonic state, capable of directing the development of a new organism. The nuclear cloning technology is of interest for transplantation medicine, but any application is hampered by the inefficiency and ethical problems. A breakthrough solving these issues has been the in vitro derivation of reprogrammed Induced Pluripotent Stem “iPS” cells by the ectopic expression of defined transcription factors in somatic cells. iPS cells recapitulate all defining features of embryo-derived pluripotent stem cells, including the ability to differentiate into all somatic cell types. Further, recent publications have demonstrated the ability to directly trans-differentiate somatic cell types by ectopic expression of lineage specification factors. Thus, it is becoming increasingly clear that an ultimate goal in the stem cell field is to enable scientists to have the power to safely manipulate somatic cells by “reprogramming” their behavior at will. However, to frame this challenge, we must understand the basic mechanisms underlying the generation of reprogrammed cells in parallel to designing strategies for their medical application and their use in human disease specific research. In this ERC Starting Grant proposal, I describe comprehensive lines of experimentation that I plan to conduct in my new lab scheduled to open in April 2011 at the Weizmann Institute of Science. We will utilize exacting transgenic mammalian models and high throughput sequencing and genomic screening tools for in depth characterization of the molecular “rules” of rewiring the epigenome of somatic and pluripotent cell states. The proposed research endeavors will not only contribute to the development of safer strategies for cell reprogramming, but will also help decipher how diverse gene expression programs lead to cellular specification during normal development.
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 medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine transplantation
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
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-2011-StG_20101109
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.
Host institution
7610001 Rehovot
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.