Project description DEENESFRITPL Insight into the role of mRNA modifications Emerging evidence indicates that like chromatin, mRNA carries certain covalent modifications. Although their role is still being investigated, it seems that these modifications determine the levels, translatability and subcellular compartmentalisation of target mRNAs with profound consequences for cell processes. The EU-funded ROPES project will focus on epitranscriptomics as the missing link between genomic variability and cellular phenotype. Results will help delineate disease mechanisms, identify novel biomarkers and develop innovative therapies. By training early-stage researchers, ROPES aims to establish a European framework that can accelerate research efforts and industrial applications in the promising field of epitranscriptomics. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Epitranscriptomics is the study of RNA modifications and their role in the regulation of gene expression. As happened for DNA, extensive covalent modification of RNA was found already in the 70s. Nevertheless, a spectacular expansion of epitranscriptomics occurred mostly in the past seven years, when an extensive layer of base decorations was discovered in mRNAs and shown to undergo cell modulation. These modifications produce programmable fluctuations in mRNA levels, translatability and subcellular compartmentalization, affecting primary cell programs such as cell differentiation and response to stress. We thus anticipate that RNA modifications will prove as important as chromatin dynamics in shaping cell phenotypes. This emerging field is hence crucial for both basic science and application to human disease. Epitranscriptomic would provide the missing link between genomic variability and cellular phenotypes, contributing to explaining the cause of specific diseases and developing novel therapies. Epitranscriptomic research is dominated by the US and China, with the EU lagging behind. We thus need to rapidly create a European framework to integrate and accelerate research efforts and industrial applications in this emerging field. To address this major European need, ROPES will train a group of Early Stage Researchers who will become the seed of the European epitranscriptome science of this decade. They will join a recently established network of academic research groups and biotech companies devoted to advancing our understanding of RNA modifications while promoting the development of new biomarkers and therapies. Focusing on RNA editing and m6A methylation, ROPES will investigate disease mechanisms and new therapies in the fields of cancer, stem cell diseases and innate immunity, while developing innovative epitranscriptomics methods. The ROPES European Training Network is the first European effort to tackle the epitranscriptome for the advancement of medicine. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNAmedical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologiesstem cellsmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsRNA 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 UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TRENTO Net EU contribution € 522 999,36 Address Via calepina 14 38122 Trento Italy See on map Region Nord-Est Provincia Autonoma di Trento Trento 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 Participants (10) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all MEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIEN Austria Net EU contribution € 264 207,24 Address Spitalgasse 23 1090 Wien See on map Region Ostösterreich Wien Wien 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 UNIVERSITE DE LAUSANNE Switzerland Net EU contribution € 281 276,64 Address Quartier unil-centre bâtiment unicentre 1015 Lausanne See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Région lémanique Vaud 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 MIEDZYNARODOWY INSTYTUT BIOLOGII MOLEKULARNEJ I KOMORKOWEJ W WARSZAWIE Poland Net EU contribution € 227 478,60 Address Ul. ksiecia trojdena 4 02109 Warszawa See on map Region Makroregion województwo mazowieckie Warszawski stołeczny Miasto Warszawa 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 UMEA UNIVERSITET Sweden Net EU contribution € 281 982,96 Address Universitetomradet 901 87 Umea See on map Region Norra Sverige Övre Norrland Västerbottens län 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 DEUTSCHES KREBSFORSCHUNGSZENTRUM HEIDELBERG Germany Net EU contribution € 252 788,40 Address Im neuenheimer feld 280 69120 Heidelberg See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Karlsruhe Heidelberg, Stadtkreis 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 CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE Italy Net EU contribution € 261 499,68 Address Piazzale aldo moro 7 00185 Roma See on map Region Centro (IT) Lazio Roma 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 FUNDACIO CENTRE DE REGULACIO GENOMICA Spain Net EU contribution € 250 904,88 Address Carrer doctor aiguader 88 08003 Barcelona See on map Region Este Cataluña Barcelona 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 Masarykova univerzita Czechia Net EU contribution € 234 871,56 Address Zerotinovo namesti 9 601 77 Brno See on map Region Česko Jihovýchod Jihomoravský kraj 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 IMMAGINA BIOTECHNOLOGY SRL Italy Net EU contribution € 261 499,68 Address Via sommarive 18 38123 Trento 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 Nord-Est Provincia Autonoma di Trento Trento 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 UNIVERSITE LIBRE DE BRUXELLES Belgium Net EU contribution € 256 320,00 Address Avenue franklin roosevelt 50 1050 Bruxelles / brussel See on map Region Région de Bruxelles-Capitale/Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest Région de Bruxelles-Capitale/ Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest Arr. de Bruxelles-Capitale/Arr. Brussel-Hoofdstad 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