Project description
A novel computer-aided design platform for cardiac tissues fills in the gaps
The billions of cells in our body rely not only on their intracellular components to carry out their myriad intricate functions but also on the extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM provides physical scaffolding for the cells and participates to the chemical and mechanical signaling among cells to orchestrate tissue development in homeostasis and disease. Yet, despite tremendous progress in cell engineering, we continue to engineer synthetic tissues and organs by trial-and-error, without an actionable, quantitative understanding of ECM-cell interactions. The EU-funded project SYNBIO.ECM plans to fill this important gap in cardiac tissue engineering. Bottom-up experiments will inform models leading to a computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/M) platform for creating replicas of healthy and diseased human hearts and heart parts.
Objective
To meet medical needs worldwide, tissue engineering must move from successful pre/clinical products towards an effective process to meet Worldwide medical needs, but this is challenging since a quantitative design framework has not emerged, yet. Synthetic biology (SYNBIO) was the solution that genetic engineers found to the same problem: “Despite tremendous individual successes in genetic engineering and biotechnology […], why is the engineering of useful synthetic biological systems still an expensive, unreliable and ad hoc research process?” asked Dr. Endy in a 2005 letter to Nature. The SYNBIO solution included: i) libraries of DNA parts with well-characterized effect on cells; ii) tools to computationally design system-level assemblies, or designer-DNA; and, iii) bottom-up engineering of cell functions using progressively more complex designer-DNA. Effectively, SYNBIO introduced a computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/M) platform that transformed the process of engineering cells. However, since inputs from the extracellular matrix (ECM) have largely been ignored, progress towards programmable tissue-level behavior have been more modest.
Here, we will build on my experience with computational and experimental models in cardiac tissue engineering to develop a CAD/M framework for engineering cardiac tissues with computationally predictable properties, or designer-ECM. To characterize ECM-cell interactions, we will use traction force and super-resolution microscopy with fluorescence in-situ sequencing. To model multiscale ECM-cell interactions, we will use ordinary differential equations and subcellular element models. Finally, we will leverage ECM parts and human induced pluripotent stem cells to bioprint designer-ECM that recapitulate three phases of heart development: trabeculation, compaction, and maturation.
With synthetic matrix biology (SYNBIO.ECM) we will develop a CAD/M-based process and a new class of products for cardiac
tissue engineering.
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 physical sciences optics microscopy super resolution microscopy
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
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.
-
H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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-2019-STG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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.
27100 Pavia
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.