Project description
Nanoparticles light the way to ovarian cancer for early detection and treatment
Glycosylation (attachment of a polysaccharide) is a ubiquitous and highly regulated mechanism of secondary protein processing in cells. It modulates both the structure and function of the proteins and is intricately involved in signalling and ligand-receptor interactions. Alterations in glycosylation of secreted glycoproteins is associated with ovarian cancer, yet until now there were no selective assays to differentiate among the subtle differences in glycan chains. The EU-funded EARLYDETECT project has a patented platform to do just that. Scientists are using it to functionalise fluorescent nanoparticles with 'locks' for the cancer-associated glycan 'keys' they have identified. The result will be highly sensitive and selective detection of serum-associated glycosylation biomarkers of ovarian cancer simplified further with a fluorescent readout.
Objective
Every year, ovarian cancer (OC) kills more than 40 000 women in Europe and 150 000 worldwide. In large part this is due to the fact that most women are not diagnosed until advanced stages. There is an urgent unmet clinical need for screening tools for the early, accurate identification of OC. OC is associated with alterations in glycosylation of secreted glycoproteins, and as such, they can serve as early OC biomarkers. However, this knowledge has still not been translated into clinic due to the lack of assays that can differentiate subtle differences between glycan chains. For the first time, under the ERC consolidator grant-GLYCOSURF, we developed a synthetic glycan recognition platform that can sharply discriminate between different overall glycan structures (Patent No: WO2015/118294). Capitalizing on the knowledge of glycosylation variations in OC and our unique glycan recognition technology, we will be developing and clinically validating a new glycan-based test for detecting OC earlier and more effectively through a simple serum test. OC-associated glycans will be molecularly casted on fluorescent nanoparticles to create surface nanopockets with glycan receptors in a specific spatial arrangement to fit only OC-associated glycans. A microplate immunoassay with high sensitivity, selectivity and reproducibility will be developed, wherein the glycan-casted nanoparticles will provide a means for selectivity, signal amplification and fluorescent readout. Serum samples from OC patients and controls from women with benign tumours will be tested. The assay will be minimally-invasive, cost-effective and will be suitable for rapid, easily automatable, high-throughput screening, promoting swift translation into the clinical setting. This project offers therefore the potential to radically change the diagnostic standard of care for OC, ultimately saving lives and reducing the health, social and economic burden imposed by OC.
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 biochemistry biomolecules carbohydrates
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
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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)
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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-2019-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.
B15 2TT Birmingham
United Kingdom
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