Project description
Optical imaging in cancer metabolic reprogramming studies
Recent studies show that cancer tissues possess several important metabolic features, including the differential utilisation of essential metabolites. This phenomenon, termed as metabolic reprogramming, is a prerequisite for malignant transformation and tumor progression. A better understanding of metabolic reprogramming in specific tumors can lead to more effective cancer treatments. The goal of the EU-funded METABOLIGHT project is to address the unmet need for nutrient uptake imaging tools by developing a novel platform based on a combination of 'click' chemistry reactions and noninvasive, ultra-sensitive bioluminescent imaging techniques. The novel platform will focus on tumor uptake of glucose, fatty acids, amino acids and nucleosides, which play important roles in cancer metabolism, followed by an investigation of the metabolic reprogramming in different liver cancers.
Objective
"Recent investigations revealed that cancer tissue possesses several important metabolic features, such as differential utilization of many essential metabolites. This phenomenon is now referred to as ""metabolic reprogramming"" and is known to be required for malignant transformation, tumor development, invasion and metastasis. Its complex and dynamic nature has been recognized as one of the major challenges for effective cancer treatment. Therefore, a better understanding of metabolic dependencies in specific tumor types can provide a path for improved cancer treatments.
However, no efficient methodologies currently exist that allow noninvasive imaging and quantification of the uptake of essential metabolites in animal models of disease. Current strategies rely on either nuclear imaging techniques such as PET/SPECT/MRI or endpoint ex vivo quantification of metabolites (ex. MS). All of these methods have significant limitations, resulting in a lack of understanding of tumor metabolism and, consequently, poor predictability and efficacy of cancer therapies.
To address the unmet need for nutrient uptake imaging tools, we propose to develop a novel platform based on a combination of versatile “click” chemistry reactions with noninvasive, ultrasensitive bioluminescent imaging techniques. The applications of the novel platform will focus on tumor uptake measurements of glucose, fatty acids, amino acids, and nucleosides previously reported to play important roles in cancer metabolism. We will then use this platform to investigate the metabolic reprogramming of different liver cancers, which may lead to the generation of novel, effective treatments; therefore, this novel platform has high clinical applicability. Due to its versatile nature, application of the platform can be expended to studies of many other important human pathologies in which changes in metabolism play a key role, such as diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and many others"
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 clinical medicine oncology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pathology
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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)
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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-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-2019-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.
1015 Lausanne
Switzerland
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.