Objective
The STREP will develop and improve tools and approaches to facilitate the generation of new knowledge in functional and structural genomic of viral Ranks. Specifically,
(I) new methods and tools for the rapid and efficient structural analysis of RNA and RNA/protein complexes will be developed,
(ii) these optimised tools will be applied to essential RNA elements that are vital for the function of HBV, HCV and HIV viruses, and
(iii) complementary screening techniques and structure analysis of RNA/legend complexes will be implemented to promote the identification of antiviral compounds targeting these RNA structures.
The project exploits availableness sequence data but will also expand our knowledge of viral RNA sequence elements and their variations. The biomedical importance of RNA as a research target is stressed by the fact that viral infections, such as HBV, HCV and HIV are major global public health problems. The outcomes of the project are expected to initiate the development of novel drugs that target viral RNA molecules and has thus strong implications for public health. The research consortium is strengthened by the involvement of an SME, which contributes a proprietary RNAscreening method. This SME will also function as a stakeholder to support the downstream application development towards RNA targeting drugs - even though this is beyond the scope of the current project. The project involves multidisciplinary research which is only possible by integrating, in an interdisciplinary fashion, the research capacities of a number of leading European labs, i.e. their equipment and complementary expertise on the structural, functional and virologist! Analysis of RNA and RNA/legend complexes. The innovative tools developed will be made available to other researchers throughout Europe and open the way for efficient analysis of a wide range of RNA-based processes extending far beyond analysis of viral Ranks.
Fields of science
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesDNA viruseshepatitis B
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA viruseshepatitis C
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusesHIV
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsRNA
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugsantivirals
Call for proposal
FP6-2002-LIFESCIHEALTH
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
STREP - Specific Targeted Research ProjectCoordinator
NIJMEGEN
Netherlands