Objective
The aim of this proposal is to engineer biocompatible nanoparticles that deliver short interfering RNA (siRNA) to activated T cells (ATCs) for the downregulation of the Type 2 T helper cell (Th2) transcription factor GATA-3. By downregulating GATA-3 with siRNA, which regulates the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma, the activation of their downstream inflammatory cascades can be prevented. However, T cells are hard-to-transfect cells which are not readily accessible for nucleic acid based therapeutics. I am the first to have demonstrated successful and targeted siRNA delivery to ATCs ex vivo and in vivo for specific GATA-3 knockdown without delivering siRNA to naive T cells. Thus, I can avoid general immune suppression. This was achieved by engineering targeted siRNA delivery systems based on low molecular weight polyethylenimine (LMW-PEI) which form nanoparticles with siRNA and successfully deliver the latter to ATCs. The targeting approach was realized by coupling transferrin to LMW-PEI and by optimizing the coupling chemistry. I have demonstrated specific delivery to ATCs in a mouse model of allergic asthma and have screened siRNA sequences for efficient GATA-3 knockdown. The nanoparticles were administered locally to the lung to prevent the first-pass effect in the liver. The LMW-PEI based nanocarriers were very well tolerated in healthy animals, however, potentially caused additional proinflammatory effects in the asthma model.
Therefore, I will engineer nanocarriers that do not only specifically deliver siRNA to ATCs but are also biocompatible in a diseased state of the lung. I will use oligospermines, which are tetramers and octamers of spermine, an endogenous polyamine, and apply the optimized coupling strategy to target the spermine based nanocarriers to ATCs for therapeutic GATA-3 knockdown. To obtain clinically relevant formulations, I will produce inhalable powders of these nanocarriers.
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 clinical medicine pneumology asthma
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules nucleic acids
- medical and health sciences health sciences inflammatory diseases
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
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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.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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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.
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.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
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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.
(opens in new window) ERC-2014-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
80539 MUNCHEN
Germany
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.