Objective
Bone marrow (BM) fibrosis is the continuous replacement of blood forming cells in the bone marrow by scar tissue, ultimately leading to failure of the body to produce blood cells. Primary myelofibrosis (PMF), an incurable blood cancer, is the prototypic example of the step-wise development of BM fibrosis. The specific mechanisms that cause BM fibrosis are not understood, in particular as the cells driving fibrosis have remained obscure.
My recent findings demonstrate that Gli1+ cells are fibrosis-driving cells in PMF, that their frequency correlates with fibrosis severity in patients, and that their ablation ameliorates BM fibrosis. These results indicate that Gli1+ cells are the primary effector cells in BM fibrosis and that they represent a highly attractive therapeutic target. This puts me in a unique position to vastly expand our knowledge of the BM fibrosis pathogenesis, improve diagnostics, and discover new therapeutic strategies for this fatal disease. I will do this by: 1) dissecting the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the fibrotic transformation, 2) defining the stepwise disease evolution by genetic fate tracing and analysis of the previously unknown critical effector cells of BM fibrosis , 3) understanding early forms of BM fibrosis for improved diagnostics in patients, all with the ultimate aim to identify novel therapeutic targets to directly block the cellular and molecular changes occuring in BM fibrosis.
I will apply state-of-the-art techniques, including genetic fate tracing experiments, conditional genetic knockout mouse models, tissue engineering of the bone marrow niche and in vivo and in vitro CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, to unravel the complex molecular and cellular interaction between fibrosis-causing cells and the malignant hematopoietic cells. I will translate these findings into patient samples with the aim to improve the early diagnosis of the disease and to ultimately develop novel targeted therapies with curative intentions.
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
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology tissue engineering
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
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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)
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.
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-STG - Starting 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-2017-STG
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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.
3015 GD Rotterdam
Netherlands
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.