Project description
MicroRNA-based diagnostics via DNA computers
Changes in microRNA levels are associated with human diseases, and their monitoring enables clinicians to perform diagnosis and evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of drugs. DNA computing represents an emerging technology that uses DNA, biochemistry and molecular biology hardware instead of the traditional silicon-based technologies. The EU-funded DNACom project will establish the proof-of-concept of compartmentalised DNA computers for in vitro molecular diagnostics and validate the commercial application of compartmentalised DNA circuits as point-of-care devices for the detection and classification of microRNA signatures. The project will capitalise on the partners' development of compartmentalised DNA-based molecular computers inside semipermeable micro-compartments made from a bovine serum albumin–polymer conjugate. The platform is capable of distributed sensing and processing of DNA and RNA strands.
Objective
Changes in human microRNA (miRNA) levels are associated with several important human diseases. Monitoring changes in miRNA levels would enable clinicians to perform diagnosis and evaluate therapeutic efficacy of drugs. In principle, changes in a miRNA signature could be detected by existing methods such as quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR). However, the experimental complexity and computational analysis of the data prevents the measurements of miRNA signatures in a clinical setting. DNA-based molecular computers combine multiplex detection of DNA and RNA strands with molecular computation and are thus able to process and classify miRNA signatures into easy interpretable answers. In my ERC starting grant BioCircuit, we have made a technological breakthrough by compartmentalizing DNA-based molecular computers inside semipermeable micrometer-sized compartments made from a Bovine serum albumin (BSA) polymer conjugate. We have shown that compartmentalization of DNA circuits improves their speed by an order of magnitude and decreases their overall leakiness. Importantly, our work has revealed that this platform is capable of distributed sensing and processing of DNA and RNA strands.
In 'DNACom' we will 1) establish the technical proof of concept of compartmentalized DNA computers for in-vitro molecular diagnostics (IVDs) and 2) validate the commercial application of compartmentalized DNA circuits as low-cost, portable point-of-care devices for detection and classification of microRNA signatures.
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 genetics DNA
- natural sciences chemical sciences polymer sciences
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
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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)
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Topic(s)
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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-POC - Proof of Concept 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-2018-PoC
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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.
5612 AE Eindhoven
Netherlands
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