Objective In the ageing European population, cancer has become the most common cause of death. Consequently, screening programs aim at early detection of cancer, while scanning/imaging technologies, serum assays and regular biopsies aim at monitoring of treatment effectiveness to improve cure rates and increase quality-of-life, thereby also attempting to reduce health care costs. However, in many cases the screening and monitoring methods do not provide sufficient sensitivity and specificity. Consequently novel diagnostic techniques are required.Completely Novel Concept: Sensitive intra-tissue total body scanning is continuously performed by our immune cells, particularly by monocytes and macrophages. Tissue macrophages (TiMas) continuously phagocytize and digest apoptotic cells and tissue debris. In cancer, many more TiMas are present to keep the involved tissue debris-free. When TiMas have fulfilled their local tissue-cleaning task, they can migrate via lymph vessels to lymph nodes and potentially recirculate to the blood stream, where they can be detected by flow cytometry and evaluated for the contents of their phagolysosomes.With State-of-the-Art technologies, this high-risk project aims to unravel phagocytosis of cancer cells, their digestion into tissue-specific and/or cancer-specific protein fragments, the migration/recirculation of TiMas to blood, and the detection of intra-phagosomal protein fragments in blood TiMas by antibodies. Building on this information, flowcytometric scanning of blood TiMas (TiMaScan) will be developed into a novel tool for early diagnosis and treatment monitoring in oncology, focusing on colon, lung, breast and prostate cancer. TiMaScan diagnostics will be minimally-invasive (~1ml of blood), rapid, accurate, broadly available and cost-effective, only requiring a flowcytometer.The TiMaScan Concept might also be applicable for early diagnosis and disease monitoring in other medical fields, such as neurodegenerative and infectious diseases. Fields of science medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologyprostate cancermedical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesmedical and health sciencesbasic medicineimmunologymedical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologycolorectal cancermedical and health sciencesclinical medicinenephrologyrenal dialysis Keywords Oncology cancer screening treatment monitoring flow cytometry Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-ADG-2015 - ERC Advanced Grant Call for proposal ERC-2015-AdG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant Coordinator ACADEMISCH ZIEKENHUIS LEIDEN Net EU contribution € 2 232 500,00 Address Albinusdreef 2 2333 ZA Leiden Netherlands See on map Region West-Nederland Zuid-Holland Agglomeratie Leiden en Bollenstreek Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Beneficiaries (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all ACADEMISCH ZIEKENHUIS LEIDEN Netherlands Net EU contribution € 2 232 500,00 Address Albinusdreef 2 2333 ZA Leiden See on map Region West-Nederland Zuid-Holland Agglomeratie Leiden en Bollenstreek Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 UNIVERSIDAD DE SALAMANCA Spain Net EU contribution € 267 500,00 Address Calle patio de escuelas 1 37008 Salamanca See on map Region Centro (ES) Castilla y León Salamanca Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Third-party Legal entity other than a subcontractor which is affiliated or legally linked to a participant. The entity carries out work under the conditions laid down in the Grant Agreement, supplies goods or provides services for the action, but did not sign the Grant Agreement. A third party abides by the rules applicable to its related participant under the Grant Agreement with regard to eligibility of costs and control of expenditure. FUNDACION DE INVESTIGACION DEL CANCER DE LA UNIVERSIDAD DE SALAMANCA Spain Net EU contribution € 0,00 Address Campus miguel de unamuno 37007 Salamanca See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Centro (ES) Castilla y León Salamanca Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
