Objective This Horizon2020 – Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions – Individual Fellowship grant proposal focuses on the development of a new gene therapy approach targeting intractable epilepsy, with the major aim to achieve autoregulation of seizure detection and termination. For this purpose, a glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluCl; cloned from C. elegans) will be expressed in excitatory neurons in the rodent brain using a viral vector and a human CamKIIα promoter. In response to increased glutamate levels, as present during epileptic seizures, the channel activates and opens a Cl- conductance. This, in turn, inhibits excitatory neurons and causes seizure suppression. As a further advantage, an “add-on” therapeutic approach with the GluCl agonist ivermectin, an approved antihelminthic drug, is available. In principle, the gene therapy could therefore confer both an autoregulatory effect to the transduced brain region and have an external “gain control” exerted by pharmacological modulation. Taken together, my Fellowship proposal aims to develop a radically new antiepileptic strategy to treat drug-resistant, refractory epilepsy, which affects approximately 1 million people in Europe. Fields of science medical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologyepilepsymedical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologygenetic engineeringgene therapymedical and health sciencesclinical medicinesurgerynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNAmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinepathology Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2015-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2015 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinator UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON Net EU contribution € 137 591,10 Address GOWER STREET WC1E 6BT London United Kingdom See on map Region London Inner London — West Camden and City of London 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 Total cost € 137 591,10
