Objective
Retroviral vectors are currently the gene delivery vehicles of choice for gene therapy protocols and are usually based upon murine leukaemia virus (MLV) which is able to infect and be expressed in most cell types, as long as they are actively dividing. Usually an ex vivo vector transfer procedure is involved which cannot be applied on a large scale both because of efficiency, safety cost and technical complexity. Further this strategy is not possible for many physically inaccessible, difficult to culture and difficult to infect cells. However, given the present state of vector technology, a general, in-vivo administration of viral vectors would lead to the undesirable delivery of genes to non-target cells, resulting in loss of efficiency as well as safety problems. Thus the improvement of gene transfer techniques especially with regard to the targeting of specific cell types is an absolute pre-requisite for safe, reliable and cheap clinical protocols of the future.
We propose to utilise the expertise of the participating groups in order to construct retroviral vectors that are targeted to predefined cell types, both at the level of gene delivery and of gene expression, and that are able to infect non- or slowly dividing cells. This involves the modification of the viral packaging cell lines with respect to the Env proteins that are produced and the inclusion of genes encoding specific viral proteins that ensure infection of non-dividing cells. It also involves the inclusion of previously defined and tested tissue specific regulatory elements and/or promoters in the vector construct. Finally, basic research work aimed at gaining an understanding of the mechanism controlling the shut-off of retroviral expression in stem cells should allow the construction of non-silenced systems. A combination of these approaches will result in the production of a new generation of retroviral vectors showing controlled delivery and expression in predetermined recipient cells that could be produced on an industrial scale for safe and efficient gene transfer. These systems will be invaluable for facile and inexpensive gene therapy protocols of the future.
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 medical biotechnology genetic engineering gene therapy
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology virology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology leukemia
You need to log in or register to use this function
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.
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.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Data not available
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
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.
Coordinator
8000 Århus C
Denmark
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.