Objective
The gastrointestinal epithelium is a major physical barrier that protects us from diverse and potentially immunogenic or toxic content. A compromised epithelium results in increased permeability to such content, thus leading to inflammation, immune response, pain, and diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease. A therapeutic strategy that controls inflammation and restores the barrier represents an innovative approach for the prevention and treatment of such diseases. This proposal focuses on how gut peptides regulate epithelial protection and repair, and explores novel therapeutic opportunities by targeting gut receptors that become accessible once the epithelium is compromised. We propose to tackle the overall aim of improving gastrointestinal wound healing via three complementary objectives: (I) to investigate the therapeutic potential of the oxytocin receptor during gastrointestinal inflammation, (II) to elucidate the mechanism of trefoil factor peptide-induced gastrointestinal wound healing, and (III) to discover and characterise novel ligands suitable for epithelial repair. To achieve these objectives, we employ a multidisciplinary approach that includes state-of-the-art peptide synthesis, scaffold grafting, pharmacology, gut stability and wound healing assays, and inflammatory mouse models. We will develop probes to study the mechanisms of action at a molecular level that is not possible with current tools, and explore the biological diversity of venoms for novel therapeutic leads. This project will significantly advance our understanding of epithelial protection/repair and reveal drug targets that treat the source of the problems rather than the symptoms. This project has the potential to change the way we think about treating gut disorders and how to develop peptide therapeutics, and it will pave the way towards the intriguing and longer-term goal of modulating the central nervous system via the gut-brain axis.
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 clinical medicine gastroenterology inflammatory bowel disease
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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-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-2016-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.
1010 WIEN
Austria
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.