Project description
Cancer chemotherapy during pregnancy and DNA damage in the offspring
Cancer during pregnancy represents an important health challenge affecting both mother and child. Previous clinical studies have shown that chemotherapy during pregnancy is relatively safe for infants in the short term, but children born after in utero exposure to chemotherapy are often smaller for their gestation age and have lower IQs, suggesting possible long-term health effects. The EU-funded SCAR project will study epigenetic modifications in umbilical cord blood cells of exposed children to determine whether in utero exposure to carboplatin chemotherapy may be linked to DNA damage in the offspring. The studying of the underlying molecular epigenetic changes at birth will provide immediate evidence and will be instrumental in defining safe and solid treatment guidelines for pregnant cancer patients.
Objective
Cancer complicates 1 in 1000 pregnancies representing an important health challenge that affects both mother and child. In a series of breakthrough clinical studies, the hosting lab has shown that chemotherapy given during pregnancy is relatively safe for the infants in the short term. However, children born after in utero exposure to chemotherapy are often small for their gestation age, present with lower IQ scores and have higher risk to wear glasses, suggesting possible long-term health effects.
Because chemotherapy elicits (epi)genetic alterations to cancer patients, we hypothesize that chemotherapy-mediated long-term health effects could be due to (epi)genetic changes in the offspring of women treated with chemotherapy during pregnancy. Thus, SCAR aims to determine whether in utero exposure to carboplatin may be linked to DNA damage in the offspring. My objectives are to 1) identify the genetic damage at single cell level and 2) determine epigenetic modifications; in umbilical cord blood cells of children in utero exposed to carboplatin. To this end, I will integrate highly innovative sequencing techniques and the access of the hosting team to a unique registry of pregnant cancer patients.
As the phenotypic expression of these genetic alterations could take decades to appear, studying the underlying molecular epi(genetic) changes at birth, will provide more immediate evidence than long-term clinical follow-up, and will be instrumental to define safe and solid treatment guidelines for pregnant cancer patients. Through this work, I aim to broaden my scientific expertise (including technical and transferable skills) and my international network for pursuing an academic career in Europe. The MSCA-IF will be instrumental to actualize many objectives outlined in my career development plan in order to become an independent researcher in the genetic oncology field.
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
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine obstetrics
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- engineering and technology materials engineering amorphous solids
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics epigenetics
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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.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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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) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
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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.
3000 LEUVEN
Belgium
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.