Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

The Oligo-Vascular interface: understanding its properties and functions

Project description

New study investigates the interactions that disrupt myelin production

The disruption of myelin production in our body leads to serious diseases such as multiple sclerosis. The EU-funded OLI.VAS project will study the molecular interactions between blood vessels and oligodendrocytes – glial cells that produce myelin in the central nervous system. Recent research indicates that not only do blood vessels supply oxygen and nutrients, but they also actively regulate organ development and function. In this regard, the researchers involved in OLI.VAS have discovered that the signals coming from vessels directly control the generation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells at a so-called oligo-vascular interface. By applying a multidisciplinary approach, researchers plan to identify molecular interactions between blood vessels and oligodendrocytes during development and homeostasis as well as in conditions of demyelinating diseases.

Objective

Oligodendrocytes (OLs) are the glia cells that produce myelin in the central nervous system (CNS). Despite the severe outcome of demyelinating diseases, like multiple sclerosis (MS), little is known about the mechanisms by which myelin is disrupted or why remyelination fails in disease. Thus, a substantial advance in the understanding of oligodendrocyte biology and myelin pathology is required in order to develop successful treatments for demyelinating diseases.
Recent research indicates that apart from delivering oxygen and nutrients, blood vessels are active regulators of organ function. Our recent work supports the existence of an oligo-vascular interface where vessels directly control oligodendrogenesis. However, mechanistic insights of the interaction between OLs and the vasculature are lacking. Based on the innovative hypothesis that proper generation and OL functionality depends on active crosstalk with the vasculature, the OLI.VAS project will now tackle the challenge to characterize in depth the interaction between OLs and the vasculature during development and demyelinating diseases.
To achieve this goal, two complementary multidisciplinary research tracks are pursued:
Research track 1: Deconstructing and reconstructing the oligo-vascular interface to unravel the relationship of oligodendrocyte lineage cells with the vasculature
Research track 2: Studying the oligo-vascular interface in white matter lesions. Modulating the vasculature to prevent de-myelination or promote of re-myelination
Both tracks combine cutting edge technology in single cell and spatial transcriptomics, bioinformatics, 3D imaging, in vitro and ex vivo tissue culture, mouse genetics and MS patient samples.
OLI.VAS will deliver new insights into the role of the vasculature as a regulator of oligodendrogenesis and myelination and thus generate major scientific breakthroughs in an area that is highly relevant for diseases such as MS, which affects more than 600000 patients in Europe.

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.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

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.

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.

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.

ERC-COG - Consolidator 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.

(opens in new window) ERC-2019-COG

See all projects funded under this call

Host institution

UNIVERSITATSKLINIKUM BONN
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 1 609 152,54
Address
VENUSBERG-CAMPUS 1
53127 BONN
Germany

See on map

Region
Nordrhein-Westfalen Köln Bonn, Kreisfreie Stadt
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

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.

€ 1 609 152,54

Beneficiaries (2)

My booklet 0 0