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Molecular Analytical Robotics Assays

Project description

DEENESFRITPL

Revolutionising diagnostic tests

During the processes of analysing and discovering new resistant pathogens and infectious diseases, diagnostic tests are crucial to reach efficient conclusions. Unfortunately, current diagnostic techniques utilise either cultivation or PCR, leading to severe disadvantages, often presenting trouble in characterising new pathogens during the 3-hour limit. The EU-funded MARA project aims to solve this problem by developing and introducing a revolutionary breakthrough based on three novel technologies, which will also demonstrate producing a DNA-based molecular toolkit for characterising pathogens. To achieve that, they will use the Autonomous Detection Nucleic Acids technology that doesn’t require sophisticated equipment, a novel breakthrough in protein mimicry and enzyme creation, and, finally, a molecular robot that can identify and destroy cells.

Objective

Diagnostic tests are essential to provide a targeted treatment of infectious diseases and to contain the further spread of multidrug resistant pathogens. Current methods are based either on cultivation or on PCR and have significant limitations concerning the clinical requirements to characterise pathogens including their resistance mechanisms within 3 hours. In MARA, we will develop and combine three radically novel technologies that will lead to substantial breakthroughs in science, medicine and industry and, as proof-of principle, use them to create a DNA-based molecular toolkit characterising pathogens.
First, the detection of pathogen-associated antigens will be performed by Autonomous Detection Nucleic Acids (AUDENA) that are independent of any laboratory instruments and sophisticated processing. The realisation of the AUDENA concept will lead to an autonomous, stable, simple and very economic novel sensor class applicable for any water-soluble substances. The second revolutionary technology in MARA employs a novel approach in protein mimicry and creation of artificial enzymes, which represents a breakthrough in several disciplines, such as biotechnology, biomedical manufacturing and the energy sector. The third breakthrough in this project represents the development of a Molecular Robot (MORO) that can specifically identify target cells and destroy them. In MARA, the MORO will be used for the lysis of bacterial cells to release intracellular antibiotic resistance associated antigens, but the long-term vision anticipates an application as antibiotic replacement for infectious diseases and a therapeutic agent for cancer treatment, which would represent one of the most important breakthroughs in medicine in the recent years.
To meet the highly ambitious objectives pointed out in this proposal, MARA is driven by a complementary, multidisciplinary team of leading experts, with a young, high-profile scientist in the lead.

Fields of science

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

H2020-FETOPEN-2014-2015

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Sub call

H2020-FETOPEN-2014-2015-RIA

Funding Scheme

RIA - Research and Innovation action

Coordinator

AIT AUSTRIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GMBH
Net EU contribution
€ 1 649 517,50
Address
GIEFINGGASSE 4
1210 Wien
Austria

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Region
Ostösterreich Wien Wien
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
€ 1 649 517,50

Participants (5)

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Last update: 18 August 2022

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/686647

European Union, 2024