Project description
Determining zinc content in cancer with MRI
Prompt diagnosis and therapies for pancreatic cancer are limited, leading to a dismal prognosis and low survival rate. Emerging evidence indicates that pancreatic cancer cells present low levels of zinc importers and zinc content, while treatment with the zinc ionophore clioquinol inhibits tumour growth. The EU-funded tZR-CA-InVivo project aims to develop a magnetic resonance imaging tool, namely a zinc-responsive contrast agent to quantify zinc content in tissues. The contrasting agent will be designed to specifically target the tumour and provide a means for monitoring zinc levels in patients with cancer and evaluate the need to increase it.
Objective
Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate Pancreatic cancer has the lowest survival rate of all cancers in Europe, the median survival time is only a few months due to the lack of test for early diagnosis, and no effective therapies for metastatic forms. Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC), like prostate and hepatocellular cancers present a down regulation of zinc importers and low zinc content. Treatment with clioquinol, a zinc ionophore, to increase the amount of zinc in the tumor has shown to inhibit tumor growth.
This project aims at creating new tool to better detect PDAC by Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and the evaluation of di zinc ionophore to elevate the content in zinc in the tumor environment.
Using the same modular approach, a normal and a zinc responsive contrast agent targeted to the PDAC will be synthesized by conjugation of a peptidic sequence known to target the tumor bearing a Single Core Multimodal Imaging Platform for quantification, with a peptide functionalized with a normal or zinc responsive contrast agent. After careful characterizations in vitro and ex vivo, they will be used in mice implanted with orthoptic pancreatic tumors.
One of the projects developed by the “Metallic complexes for MRI” group, consist designing and using MRI probe for various substrates, including zinc. The group masters all the techniques to characterize the contrast agents, and the experience researcher (ER) will bring the knowledge about zinc biology, and infrared microscopy to quantify the contrast agent in tissues.
Benefiting from the competitive interdisciplinary environment of CBM, and within the group, the ER will acquire new technical skills, knowledge and network the frontier between chemistry, biology and MRI imaging, in particular working with animal model (mice), to adequately implement the project and complete her skill set to become an independent researcher interested in developing tools to study the role of metals in biological context.
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 prostate cancer
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry transition metals
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
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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.
75794 PARIS
France
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.