Objective
"Given the alarming progression of chronic and relapsing infections in the last decades, and the even more alarming predictions for the upcoming years, it is urgent for chemists to be able to provide new molecular tools to study, and ultimately solve, these complex biological problems. Bacterial persisters are an elusive ""dormant"" phenotype that play a pivotal role in chronic infections, with mechanisms that remain to be fully unravelled. Current knowledge suggests that bacterial persisters are not genetically resistant to antibiotic treatment; they simply appear to shut down through a cascade of biochemical events called the stringent response (SR), becoming insensitive to current drugs. This subpopulation remains unaffected during the time of pharmacological treatment and represents a reservoir that sustains pathogen survival and resurgence. The goal of this project is to fill the knowledge gap between persisters formation and infection eradication, providing the community with potent and selective small molecular tools that can be used to challenge complementary survival mechanisms.
I will adopt a combined approach targeting a specific cellular trigger of the persister phenotype with small molecules designed ad hoc in order to switch it off. The target is a bacterial protein involved in the SR cascade, whose activity is proposed to be allosterically regulated. Coordination propensity analysis of the dynamic behaviour of the target will highlight regulation sites exploitable to modulate and control the protein activity. Structure-based design, virtual fragment screening and chemical synthesis will operate in synergy. Experimental screening methodologies intrinsically rich in structural information, such as those based on NMR spectroscopy, will be privileged.
The overarching goal is to identify molecules able to prevent the insurgence of the ""dormant"" drug-tolerant state and, possibly, revert the persisters already present to the ""awake"" drug-sensitive phenotype.
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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 proteins
- natural sciences physical sciences optics spectroscopy
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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.
20122 Milano
Italy
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.