Objective
Fungal pathogens represent the major eukaryotic agents of serious infection in European countries. Infections due to Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus are the most common and clinically important pathogens and are therefore the focus of this project. The repertoire of available antifungal chemotherapeutic agents is inadequate to treat life-threatening infections that are characterized by morbidities that exceed those due to most important bacterial and viral diseases. Therefore there is an urgent need to generate new, efficacious, non-toxic compounds with broad-spectrum antifungal activity. The fungal wall is the skeleton and armour of the fungus but potentially also its Achilles heel since the major components are absent from mammals and can be specifically targeted with compounds that do not affect human metabolism. We have focused our programme on the core cell wall structure that is common to all fungal pathogens and is essential for their growth and viability. This core consists of the component polysaccharides 1-3 glucan and chitin, which are cross-linked to each other. The enzymes and reactions associated with the synthesis and the remodeling of these major cell wall polysaccharides as well as the sensing mechanisms important in cell wall integrity and remolding during morphogenetic processes will be investigated. The challenge for this STREP is investigate mechanisms of fungal cell wall synthesis in order to identify new antifungal targets to control human fungal infections in Europe.
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 health sciences infectious diseases
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules carbohydrates
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology mammalogy
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
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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.
FP6-2003-LIFESCIHEALTH-I
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.
Coordinator
PARIS
France
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.