Project description DEENESFRITPL Pioneering diagnostic kit measures levels of novel cancer biomarker Blood tests are universally accepted ways to measure the levels of certain blood constituents; test results are compared to the range of physiological values for each measure. While most of us take these 'healthy' values for granted, determining their range calls for significant scientific studies that will evaluate the correlation between various levels and conditions. The EU-funded M6AQuantKit project has developed the MAZTER-seq kit to quantify the level of N6-Methyladenosine (m6A), a modified form of adenosine whose faulty regulation is connected to human cancers. The kit, which contains a data analysis tool, will be able to analyse multiple samples from small amounts of sample materials. Its use for studying and monitoring patient samples in academic research and pharmaceutical, biotechnology and clinical applications should foster development of novel cancer diagnostics and targeted cancer therapies. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) plays fundamental roles in regulation of metabolism, stem cell self-renewal, and metastasis. Consistently its dysregulation is implicated in a variety of human cancers including leukemia, glioblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma. Consequently, the potential of m6A both as a novel cancer diagnostic and as a drug target has raised immense interest in scientific community and industry. For unravelling m6A functions, for the development of therapeutics and for prioritizing diseases and disease states most likely to benefit from therapeutic targeting of the methylation complex, it is thus of crucial importance to be able to measure the levels at which m6A is present. In our ERC project we addressed this challenge and developed MAZTER-seq, a methodology for quantifying m6A levels relying on a methylation-sensitive ribonuclease (RNase), representing the first systematic approach for quantitative interrogating of m6A levels.The goal of the project is to advance our approach as commercializable kit for quantitative profiling of m6A. In the PoC, we will develop multiplexed protocol of MAZTER-seq that allows the simultaneous processing and interrogation of multiple samples from low amounts of sample material. The kit, coupled with streamlined data analysis tool, addresses a major market need and exhibits significant added value for academic labs and the biotech & pharma industries targeting the methylation machinery, e.g. for creating novel RNA based therapeutics. Our readout from low-input material makes m6A monitoring amenable to patient samples, representing an unmet challenge across all our target market. Thus, our goal is to create a startup which harnesses the vast market potential. In the PoC, the commercialization considerations are advanced through actions such as, seeking market feedback, strengthening the IP position, defining the business strategy and planning business execution. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdata sciencemedical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cellsnatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsRNAmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologyleukemia Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2019-POC - ERC Proof of Concept Grant Call for proposal ERC-2019-PoC See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum Pilot Host institution WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE Net EU contribution € 150 000,00 Address HERZL STREET 234 7610001 Rehovot Israel See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost No data Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE Israel Net EU contribution € 150 000,00 Address HERZL STREET 234 7610001 Rehovot See on map Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost No data
