Project description
Holistic insight into circular RNAs
Circular RNAs are single-stranded closed RNA molecules that are expressed ubiquitously across species from viruses to mammals. Circular RNAs have attracted significant interest due to their potential involvement in age-related diseases. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the circRTrain project aims to investigate the biogenesis and function of circular RNAs, understand their role in diseases and explore their potential as biomarkers. Researchers will combine different technologies and model systems to understand the medical relevance of circular RNAs. Moreover, the project will train early-stage researchers in this promising new field.
Objective
CircRTrain focuses on circular RNAs (circRNAs), a new large class of single-stranded RNAs with covalently closed ends. CircRNAs have only very recently attracted high general interest and become the focus of an increasing number of publications: recent discoveries through sequencing technology and computational analyses have revealed the widespread existence of circRNAs in animal cells. Particularly in neural tissues, circRNA expression is high, dynamic, and evolutionarily conserved. In aging animal brains the expression of certain circRNAs is strongly elevated, suggesting connections to age-related diseases. The study of circRNAs thus emerges as a novel topic with highest importance for the understanding of such diverse conditions as neurodegenerative diseases, aging, and cancer. Moreover, the highly stable expression and their presence in human blood and exosomes make circRNAs attractive biomarker candidates.
The overall aims of circRTrain are to 1. Elucidate the biogenesis and function of circRNAs; 2. Define their role in diseases; 3. Exploit their potential as biomarkers and for medical applications; and 4. Combine cutting-edge technologies and disciplines.
Understanding circRNAs and exploring their medical relevance requires to integrate various technologies (sequencing, single-molecule and whole-organism imaging, RNA knockdown/delivery, CRISPR/CAS9), disciplines (biochemistry, computational biology, genetics), model systems (worm, fly, mouse, human) and medical applications (biomarkers, new therapeutic strategies).
CircRTrain will combine these diverse approaches and industrial technologies by training 15 early stage researchers (ESR) at two SMEs and seven academic partners, which are all leaders in their respective fields. Additionally, cooperation with four partner organizations, circRNA devoted conferences, winter- and summer schools will extend training for the ESRs, sustaining the critical number of young talented professionals in the field.
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.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologygenetic engineeringgene therapy
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteins
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncology
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsRNA
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologyamyotrophic lateral sclerosis
You need to log in or register to use this function
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-ITN-ETN - European Training NetworksCoordinator
13125 Berlin
Germany