Objective
In adult organisms, the natural ability to regenerate tissues damaged by injury or aging resides in multipotent tissue-specific precursors in local microenvironments. The number of these precursors is often either limited or declines sharply with age. Moreover, long-term adverse side effects of cancer treatments affect patients of any age. Such treatments tend to diminish the stem cell and progenitor cell populations.
In mammals pluripotency occurs only in the early embryo. Since 2006 it has been possible to turn ordinary somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells by using transcription factors (cellular reprogramming). However, pluripotency bears a risk for tumor formation, and thus conventional reprogramming strategies face the challenge of managing uncontrolled growth when applied to organs and tissues.
I propose to replenish the tissue-specific precursor cell pool by directly programming local somatic cell types into relevant precursors. My team has already generated such precursor cell types in vitro but not yet in vivo. To bridge the so far insurmountable gap between current in vitro and future in vivo use, we need innovative strategies. I propose to utilize the emerging field of organoid technology (small cell clusters of self-organized tissue) in a scalable automated system to screen possible factors for converting somatic cells into tissue-resident precursors and evaluate them in vivo.
This high-risk, high-gain approach enables the development of a new method for testing reprogramming strategies in 3D tissues. Our work indicates that somatic cells can be programmed to become multipotent somatic precursor cells with an efficiency above 50%. My approach circumvents the generation of a pluripotent state and its inherent tumor forming potential. It provides essential insights into the underlying cellular mechanisms of stem cell and tissue renewal in the natural niches and offers the potential of these somatic precursors to regenerate injured or aged tissues.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences neurobiology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug discovery
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine embryology
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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)
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.
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-ADG - Advanced 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-ADG
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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.