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Non-invasive prenatal diagnostics – Isolation of circulating trophoblast cells using a malaria protein

Project description

Prenatal genetic testing with a simple maternal blood test

Birth defects or genetic disorders feature in approximately 5 % of pregnancies, and congenital malformations remain the leading cause of infant death and a leading cause of death in childhood. Prenatal testing can detect certain problems. Placental biopsy (also called chorionic villus sampling) diagnoses genetic conditions such as chromosomal abnormalities. It can be done earlier than amniocentesis, typically between the 10th and 12th weeks of pregnancy. However, transcervical or transabdominal access is needed to obtain small samples of the placenta, and this is associated with a problematic risk of miscarriage. The NIPCT project has developed a simple blood test that can perform the same genetic tests on placental cells circulating in the mother's blood. With EU support, the team is preparing for market.

Objective

Placental biopsies are associated with high risk of miscarriage. Current non-invasive tests are not very precise. The malaria protein VAR2CSA has been evoluationary refined to bind specifically to human placent cells. This causes the syndrom placental malaria in pregnant women. Recombinant VAR2CSA binds with high specificity to syncytiotrophoblasts in the placenta as well as placental cell lines. Using this knowledge we have developed a powerful tool which captures circulating trophoblast from a blood sample from pregnant women. This tool enables non-invasive fetal diagnostic, early in pregnancy. The aim of the ERC PoC project is to A) prepare a strategic product and business plan and B) further develop and validate the methodology enabling facile and early non-invasive fetal diagnostic.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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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-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum Pilot

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Call for proposal

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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Host institution

KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET
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.

€ 150 000,00
Address
NORREGADE 10
1165 KOBENHAVN
Denmark

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Region
Danmark Hovedstaden Byen København
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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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.

No data

Beneficiaries (1)

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