NanoSmells: Artificial remote-controlled odorants

Project Information

NanoSmell

Grant agreement ID: 662629

DOI

10.3030/662629

Project closed

EC signature date 27 May 2015

Start date 1 September 2015

End date 31 August 2019

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)

Total cost

€ 3 979 069,00

EU contribution

€ 3 979 069,00

Coordinated by

WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE
Israel

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - NanoSmell (NanoSmells: Artificial remote-controlled odorants)

Reporting period: 2018-03-01 to 2019-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Nanosmell is a project where we aim to use nanotechnology, or more specifically developments of a method known as DNA origami, in order to shape strands of DNA into ligands for specific olfactory receptors. We call these intended designer odorants NanoSmells. Moreover, we aim to design a remote switch into NanoSmells such that we will be able to turn these odors “on” and “off” remotely. In the project, the Bachelet lab (Augmanity, Israel) will use nanotechnology to design and generate NanoSmells, the Hansson lab (Max Plank, Germany) will test the response to NanoSmells in the insect brain and behavior, the Carleton lab (University of Geneva, Switzerland) will test the response to NanoSmells in the rodent brain and behavior, the Del-Rio lab (University of Madrid, Spain) will test the effectiveness of NanoSmells as agents of healing skin wounds, something natural odorants may do. Finally, the Sobel lab (Weizmann Institute, Israel), the coordinating lab, will test the response to NanoSmells in human brain and behavior. If successful, on the basic science side this high-risk high-gain project may provide definitive insight into how the brain codes odors, and on the technology side this project may pave the way for odor into media, including controlled odor-emitting phones, televisions, computers and beyond.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In this project we set out to generate artificial remote-controlled odorants made out of DNA, and designed to target specific olfactory receptors.

Despite significant efforts, we have failed to achieve our primary aim

FET Open is touted as designated for "high-risk high-gain". If all "high-risk high-gain" projects always succeed, then they were not really high-risk. This project really was high-risk, and despite our efforts, this risk materialized. That said, our efforts were not without fruits. Some of these outcomes may be game-changing, even if not in the originally intended manner. Finally, we should note that despite the (premature) end of this funding mechanism, we are not lifting our hands from this effort, and are continuing to try and generate NanoSmells.

Of the achievements made in this project, we would like to highlight:

1. Bachelet lab: A novel method for aptamer selection, that may allow progress in areas such as drug development
2. Hansson lab: A method for expression of Drosophila olfactory receptors in mammalian cells
3. Sobel lab: A valid metric for odor perception in humans that may provide a computational backbone for digitising smell
4. Carleton lab: A neural metric for odorant similarity in mice that may significantly advance our understanding of how the brain codes smelll
5. Del Rio lab: Aptamers (NanoSmells) that promote wound-healing.

Each of these alone are significant scientific achievements. Thus, although NanoSmell may have failed to meet its technological goals, it has made significant scientific contributions. Moreover, if the Del Rio lab achievement holds, and leads to an actual product to treat skin wounds, this will reflect accomplishment of a stated goal of NanoSmell, an accomplishment that, in our view, alone justifies the entire effort.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

In addition to the above-stated five major achievements, we have also generated a novel method for human deep brain stimulation. This may provide a novel path to treatment of conditions such as intractable epilepsy and depression.

A novel method for aerosolizing NanoSmells