Objective
Recent combinatorial biotechnologies have shown that the molecular recognition capability of proteins can be specifically oriented toward inorganic surfaces. The use of technologies based on such specificity would give European industry a competitive edge in several emerging fields (from nanoelectronics over biomaterials science to drug design), spanning different thematic areas of FP6.
However, at present the principles regulating protein-surface interactions are poorly understood, thus hindering such technologies from taking off.
What features of the surface and of the proteins (electronic, structural, morphological) determine which protein is able to bind to a given surface and how?
PROSURF will answer this question and provide the European scientific/technological community with computational tools to enable rational design of protein-surface associations.
As automated in silico docking revolutionized the process of drug discovery, so the outcomes of PROSURF will open genuinely new routes to solve several urgent technological problems, such as self-assembly of nanoelectronic devices or design of highly biocompatible materials. PROSURF is risky because it addresses a largely unexplored subject; however, the risk is compensated by the potential of enormous impact.
Our strategy to probe the determinants of protein-surface specificity, and to implement the envisaged computational tools, integrates state-of-the-art computational techniques and experiments. It consists of a series of computational steps, including quantum-mechanics based parameterisation of protein-surface interactions, molecular dynamics simulation of proteins on surfaces, and the implementation of protein-surface docking software, corroborated by tailored experiments.
Although the project focus is on theory, feedback from experiments will be important both to validate the computational tools, and to gain new insight into the basis of protein-surface interactions.
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 pharmacology and pharmacy drug discovery
- natural sciences computer and information sciences software
- medical and health sciences basic medicine medicinal chemistry
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nanoelectronics
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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.
FP6-2004-NEST-C-1
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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
MODENA
Italy
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.