Project description
Protein homeostasis mechanisms during ageing
Proteins are central to all biological processes but are prone to misfolding, aggregation and damage, particularly as cells age. Proteostasis mechanisms, such as those involving chaperones and proteolytic systems like the proteasome, work together to monitor protein quality and repair or remove damaged or misfolded proteins. Funded by the European Research Council, the StemProteostasis project focuses on the role of the proteasome in human embryonic stem cell (hESC) function. Researchers will investigate different proteostasis pathways in hESCs and somatic cells to understand how they impact stem cell exhaustion and tissue degeneration. Project findings will also provide important insight into the role of proteostasis in ageing and age-related diseases.
Objective
By 2050, the global population over the age of 80 will triple. Thus, research for improving the quality of life at older age can be of enormous benefit for our ever-aging society. To address this challenge we propose an innovative approach based on a combination of stem cell research with genetic experiments in C. elegans. Mechanisms that promote protein homeostasis (proteostasis) slow down aging and decrease the incidence of age-related diseases. Since human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) replicate continuously in the absence of senescence, we hypothesize that they can provide a novel paradigm to study proteostasis and its demise in aging. We have found that hESCs exhibit increased proteasome activity. Moreover, we have uncovered that the proteasome subunit RPN-6 is required for this activity and sufficient to extend healtshpan in C. elegans. However, the mechanisms by which the proteasome regulates hESC function remain unknown. Our first aim is to define how the proteasome regulates not only hESC identity but also aging and the onset of age-related diseases. Moreover, one of the next challenges is to define how other proteostasis pathways impinge upon hESC function. We hypothesize that, in addition to the proteasome, hESCs differentially regulate other subcellular stress response pathways designed to protect them from disequilibrium in the folding and degradation of their proteome. We will perform a comprehensive study of proteostasis of hESCs and mimic this network in somatic cells to alleviate age-related diseases. Finally, we will determine whether loss of proteostasis promotes somatic stem cell (SC) exhaustion, which is one of the most obvious characteristics of the aging process and contributes to tissue degeneration. By using mouse models we will examine whether sustained proteostasis delays neural SC exhaustion. Our research will have an impact in several fields such as stem cell research, neurogenesis, proteostasis, aging and age-related diseases.
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 biochemistry biomolecules proteins proteomics
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins protein folding
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology homeostasis
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
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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
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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-2015-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.
50931 KOLN
Germany
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