Project description DEENESFRITPL Emerging technologies to unveil the role of astrocytes in brain physiology and pathology Accumulating evidence indicates that astrocytes play an important role in brain function. However, scientists lack the appropriate technology to study these cells and unveil their implication in disease. To address this problem, the EU-funded ASTROTECH project will develop tools for recording and manipulating astrocytes, ex vivo, in silico and in pathological models of epilepsy, glioma and depression, including biomaterials and nanostructures for studying these cells in vitro. The project will also train early-stage researchers in biomaterial science, photonics, electronics alongside optogenetics, neuroscience, glial physiology and biology. Collectively, the project's results and activities will provide a more complete understanding of brain health and disorders and fuel future astrocyte research. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective The past four decades demonstrated that non-neuronal cells, called astrocytesare emerging as crucial players for brain function & dysfunction. A major obstacle of previous and current initiatives on Neurotechnologiesis a lack of focus on astrocytesand most of the tools used to probe and sense astrocytes are derived from those developed to study neurons. ASTROTECH will create and develop the field of Glial Engineering, to provide a consistent range of tools to record, study, and manipulate astrocytes in the healthy and diseased brain. ASTROTECH will train 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) on research, training and complimentary skills aiming at: engineering biomaterials and nanostructured interfaces to provide in vivo-like in vitro models for controlled & reliable studies of astrocytes in vitro; fabrication and characterization of nanostructured devices for stimulation, recording and biosensing of astrocytes; optogenetics tools, optoelectronic device &photonic methods for precice and cell selective stimulation of astrocytes; computationalapproaches to describe and predict neuron-astrocytes interactions.The training on state-of-the-art biomaterials interfaces, electronic, photonic devices will be combined with in depth knowledge on optogenetics, neuroscience, glial physiology and biology and computational methodsto validate the developed tools in vitro, ex vivo, in silico & in pathological models of glioma, ischemia, epilepsy and depression.The ASTROTECH network combines 11 beneficiaries and 14 partners belonging to 9 European and Non-EU countries Academia, Public Research Centersand industrial labs, that combines interdisciplinary, intersectoral and soft skills knowledges where the private sector is highly representedand covers every step “from benchside to bedside” of the value chain. ASTROTECH Glial Engineeringto provide a more complete understanding of brain health and disorders. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesneurobiologymedical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologyepilepsyengineering and technologyenvironmental biotechnologybiosensingmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiologyengineering and technologyindustrial biotechnologybiomaterials Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.1. - Fostering new skills by means of excellent initial training of researchers Topic(s) MSCA-ITN-2020 - Innovative Training Networks Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-ITN-2020 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN) Coordinator CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE Net EU contribution € 784 499,04 Address Piazzale aldo moro 7 00185 Roma Italy See on map Region Centro (IT) Lazio Roma 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 Other funding € 0,00 Participants (10) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 303 172,56 Address Trinity lane the old schools CB2 1TN Cambridge See on map Region East of England East Anglia Cambridgeshire CC 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 Other funding € 0,00 USTAV EXPERIMENTALNI MEDICINY AKADEMIE VED CESKE REPUBLIKY VEREJNA VYZKUMNA INSTITUCE Czechia Net EU contribution € 234 871,56 Address Videnska 1083 14220 Praha 4 See on map Region Česko Praha Hlavní město Praha Activity type Research Organisations 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 Other funding € 0,00 UNIVERSITE D'AIX MARSEILLE France Net EU contribution € 549 604,08 Address Boulevard charles livon 58 le pharo 13284 Marseille See on map Region Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Bouches-du-Rhône Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 BCAM - BASQUE CENTER FOR APPLIED MATHEMATICS Spain Net EU contribution € 250 904,88 Address Al mazarredo 14 48009 Bilbao See on map Region Noreste País Vasco Bizkaia Activity type Research Organisations 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 Other funding € 0,00 INEB-INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE ENGENHARIA BIOMEDICA Portugal Net EU contribution € 237 720,24 Address Rua alfredo allen 208 4200 135 Porto See on map Region Continente Norte Área Metropolitana do Porto Activity type Research Organisations 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 Other funding € 0,00 UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI BARI ALDO MORO Italy Net EU contribution € 261 499,68 Address Piazza umberto i 1 70121 Bari See on map Region Sud Puglia Bari 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 Other funding € 0,00 FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIA Italy Net EU contribution € 261 499,68 Address Via morego 30 16163 Genova See on map Region Nord-Ovest Liguria Genova Activity type Research Organisations 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 Other funding € 0,00 AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Spain Net EU contribution € 250 904,88 Address Calle serrano 117 28006 Madrid See on map Region Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid 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 Other funding € 0,00 AVANZARE INNOVACION TECNOLOGICA SL Spain Net EU contribution € 250 904,88 Address Avenida lentiscares 4 6 26370 Navarrete 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 Noreste La Rioja La Rioja Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding 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 Other funding € 0,00 OPTOCEUTICS APS Denmark Net EU contribution € 595 044,00 Address Diplomvej 381 2800 Kongens lyngby 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 Danmark Hovedstaden Københavns omegn Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00