Objective
Cellular reprogramming is a new and rapidly emerging field where somatic cells can be turned into pluripotent stem cells or other somatic cell types simply by overexpression of specific combinations of genes. This remarkable discovery allows for the generation of patient specific cell lines that will serve as major tools for understanding how diseases arise and develop, and they may also prove useful for drug screens, diagnostics and other biomedical applications.
We have developed a reprogramming technique that directly converts human fibroblasts to functional dopamine (DA) neurons, which is the subtype that is affected in Parkinson’s Disease (PD). This opens up for possibilities to generate therapeutic neurons, including patient specific neurons on demand. These neurons, and the techniques for producing them, will become valuable tools for understanding and treating neurodegenerative diseases such as PD. Direct cell conversion is of particular interest for cell replacement therapy as the reprogramming does not involve a proliferating cell intermediate, and thus the risk of uncontrolled proliferation and tumor formation after transplantation is minimized. This project integrates mechanistic studies based on single cell sequencing to improve the technology and control of cell fate such that a large number of authentic DA neurons are obtained. Induced DA neurons will be generated from individuals with PD and age matched healthy donors and subjected to comparative assessments in vitro and in vivo in order to investigate whether any potential PD-associated pathology emerges in the patient derived cells. This will then guide future decisions regarding autologous vs. allogeneic donors. The cells will be extensively validated using pre-clinical animal models of PD. The studies will include direct comparison with primary fetal and hESC-derived DA neurons on criteria important for clinical use such as midbrain subtype identity and in vivo potency and efficacy.
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.
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pathology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine neurology parkinson
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine transplantation
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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-COG - Consolidator 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-COG
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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.