Project description
Diagnostic kit for the detection of neural cell surface antigens in autoimmune encephalitis
Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a central nervous system autoimmune disease characterised by the presence of pathogenic autoantibodies that attack synaptic antigens. Clinical symptoms include neurological and psychiatric manifestations, and in 50 % of cases the affected antigen is unknown and cannot be detected using current technologies. There is an urgent need for a clinical diagnostic kit for the detection of all neural cell surface antigens. The host lab previously developed a platform to identify the presence of autoantibodies against neural surface antigens in patients using human stem cell-derived neural cells. The EU-funded NeurAntigen project aims to finalise the development process and bring an effective and robust diagnostic device to the patients.
Objective
Autoimmune encephalitides (AE) are a category of diseases that result from an immune attack against proteins present in patient’s own brain cells (antigens). Clinical symptoms include both neurological and psychiatric manifestations, that differ greatly between patients and during disease progression. Upon prompt diagnosis and immunotherapy symptoms gradually resolve. Current epidemiological studies estimate an annual incidence of encephalitis of any aetiology is 2-3 patients per 100.000 per year. However, given that new autoantibodies are being discovered on a half-yearly basis, the incidence of AE is increasing over time and is nowadays comparable to infectious encephalitis. Methods to diagnose AE rely on immunodetection of autoantigens, using rat brain tissue or transfected cells as a source of neural cell surface proteins. Despite being successful in identifying known autoantibodies, in 50% of all AE cases the affected antigen is unknown and cannot be detected using current technologies. Therefore, there is an urgent clinical need for a diagnostic kit that is able to detect all cell surface neuronal antigens. Thanks to the skills acquired during the ERC-StG, we have developed a platform to identify the presence of autoantibodies against neuronal surface antigens in patient serum or CSF using human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derived neural cells. Moreover, first experiments validate that our technology can detect an autoantigen in seronegative samples. In the context of this project, we aim to conduct the necessary steps to bring a successful diagnostic approach developed in the bench towards its application as a diagnostic device at the bedside. To this end, we will develop a minimum viable product (MVP), to assess its capability to detect new AE-associated antigens, to distribute it to reference diagnostic laboratories for benchmarking and to explore the possibility of licensing the invention to a third-party company.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology immunotherapy
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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.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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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.
ERC-POC - Proof of Concept Grant
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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) ERC-2020-PoC
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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.
08908 L'Hospitalet De Llobregat
Spain
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