Mechanical regulation of tissue growth and signalling

Projektinformationen

MRTGS

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 657088

DOI 10.3030/657088

Das Projekt endete am 30 Juni 2017

EK-Unterschriftsdatum 19 März 2015

Startdatum 1 Januar 2016

Enddatum 31 Dezember 2017

Finanziert unter

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Gesamtkosten € 195 454,80

EU-Beitrag € 195 454,80

Koordiniert durch

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
United Kingdom

Ziel

The control of tissue size and morphology is a fundamental problem that is remarkably ill understood. Although extensive research has focussed on the genetic and biochemical control of tissue growth, significantly less attention has been paid to the mechanical aspect of growth regulation, even though ample evidence indicates that any deformation or shape change is, to some degree, a result of force acting on a mass. Unravelling the basis of the mechanical-biochemical co-regulation in tissue growth control will not only increase our understanding of organismal development but also potentially represent a novel therapeutic target in growth-related diseases such as cancer. With this in mind, I aim to address two central questions:
1) How do mechanical stresses generated by growing tissues impact signalling networks to modulate tissue growth and morphology?
2) What is the function of in situ mechanical force on normal tissue growth and 3D architecture?
Using the Drosophila wing disc as the model tissue, I will employ a combinatorial biophysical, molecular, genetic and computational modelling approach to address the proposed questions. With a novel tissue stretching and compression device, I will initially identify key signalling events mediating the growth responses downstream of mechanical force. In parallel, by individually altering the genetic or the mechanical properties of the system, I will address co-regulation between mechanics and tissue growth. My research will lay the foundations for our understanding of tissue growth control by mechanical forces - a finding that may ultimately help to design novel treatment strategies for cancer. The classical approach to restrain cell growth involves targeting of the underlying genetic defect; however it might be more advantageous to apply physical therapy instead in situations where biochemical treatments do not suffice.

Wissenschaftliches Gebiet

• medical and health sciences › medical biotechnology › tissue engineering
• medical and health sciences › clinical medicine › oncology

Schlüsselbegriffe

• tissue mechanics
• mechanical feedback
• growth
• 3D morphology
• cell division
• in silico modelling

Programm/Programme

• H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme
• H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility

Thema/Themen

• MSCA-IF-2014-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF)

Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung

H2020-MSCA-IF-2014

Finanzierungsplan

MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

Koordinator

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

• Netto-EU-Beitrag: € 195 454,80
• Adresse: GOWER STREET ; WC1E 6BT London ; Vereinigtes Königreich
• Region: London › Inner London — West › Camden and City of London
• Aktivitätstyp: Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
• Gesamtkosten: € 195 454,80