Objective
How can our immune system efficiently fight foreign pathogens at the same time as it is selective enough to leave our own cells alone? This, so called antigen discrimination, is still not understood on a molecular level. I will here illuminate this question by developing a physicochemical understanding of how T-cell receptors (TCRs) bind peptide-loaded major histocompatibility complexes (pMHCs), and importantly, how this differs for pMHC displaying self and foreign peptides. The interaction between TCRs and pMHCs on contacting immune cells is the first step in initiating an adaptive immune response. However, binding between membrane-anchored TCR and pMHC is a challenging physicochemical problem that has not been solved, and the binding kinetics is strongly affected by the membrane. Well-controlled measurements between TCR and pMHC under relevant conditions are needed to better understand the TCR/pMHC kinetics. A key discovery to achieve this is a method recently developed by me, which allows for extremely weak protein-protein interactions in contacting cells to be measured. I will in this project, backed up by immunologist in Oxford and theoretical chemists in Lund, build on this breakthrough and for the first time measure the binding kinetics between TCR in model cell membranes and pMHC on single cells, and how binding varies between self and foreign pMHC. Parameters such as adhesion molecules, applied force on the bond, the co-receptor CD4 and TCR clustering are all crucial for proper T-cell signalling, but their influence on the TCR/pMHC binding kinetics is unknown, and will here be studied. The obtained data will finally be used to evaluate, and improve on, kinetic models of antigen discrimination. Complemented with molecular dynamics simulations this altogether opens up for a fundamental understanding of binding between membrane-anchored molecules in general, and how this affects the TCR/pMHC interaction and antigen discrimination in particular.
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
- social sciences sociology social issues social inequalities
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
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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-2017-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.
22100 Lund
Sweden
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.