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

Engineering the protein corona on RNA nanoparticles for improved nucleic acids-based therapies delivery

Project description

Improving nanoparticle-based drug delivery

Recent advances in nanotechnology have paved the way for the use of nanoparticles in cancer therapy as drug delivery vehicles. Despite the advantages of nanoparticle drug delivery, including high selectivity and reduced toxicity, there are various aspects to the process that remain elusive, such as the acquisition of proteins upon in vivo injection. The EU-funded NanoRNA_PC project will employ state-of-the-art methodologies to characterise the protein corona formed on RNA nanoparticles upon interaction with biological components. Understanding the composition of the protein corona on nanoparticles is expected to improve their design as well as their biological outcome.

Objective

In the past three decades, nanomedicine has emerged as a promising strategy in cancer treatment and has led to numerous proposed drug delivery systems. Nanoparticles aim to improve selectivity towards cancer cells while reducing off-target effects and toxicity towards normal cells. Among these systems, self-assembled RNA nanoparticles have been of great interest for drug delivery, because of their low cost, high yielding assembly and retained functionality. Yet, challenges such as poor nuclease resistance, biodistribution and cellular delivery remains to be addressed, to fully propels these structures towards clinical applications. To optimize these systems, there is a huge need to understand precisely their interactions with biological components. In particular, upon injection in vivo, it is known that serum proteins adsorb on nanoparticles. The composition of this so-called protein-corona on RNA particles remains fully unexplored.

Herein, I propose to characterize the protein corona on RNA nanoparticles using state-of-the-art methodologies (proteomics, super-resolution microscopy, SELEX), as well as understand the role the corona on the fate of RNA structures. I will engineer the protein corona to improve biological outcomes of RNA particles, previously developed by Sixfold Bioscience Ltd. Overall, the project aims at providing tools and rules for rational engineering of the protein corona. In the long term, the project, grouping experts in industry and in academia, aims towards the development of a preclinical candidate, as well as answering fundamental questions on nanoparticles delivery.

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

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.

MSCA-IF-EF-SE - Society and Enterprise panel

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) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

SIXFOLD BIOSCIENCE LTD
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.

€ 212 933,76
Address
THE IMPERIAL COLLEGE WHITE CITY INC INNOVATION HUB
W12 0BZ London
United Kingdom

See on map

SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
London Inner London — West Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding 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.

€ 212 933,76
My booklet 0 0