Objective
With the increasing world population, reduced farmland and demand for heightened global food security, comes the need for new sustainable, effective and environmentally friendly agricultural solutions. The extensive use of toxic agrochemicals has been rendered obsolete, whereas the employment of transgenic plants and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) has raised considerable public and scientific concerns. The current proposal aims to develop GMO-free tools to modify and protect crops based solely on RNA sprays. The candidate has recently developed a simple, cheap and efficient method for RNA delivery into plant cells by high pressure spraying. Using this method, we now aim to develop RNA sprays to selectively downregulate (RNA interference, RNAi) and upregulate (RNA activation, RNAa) genes involved in crop protection and improvement. In the current proposal, we will focus on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), one of the most important dicot vegetable crops worldwide. On the one hand, through RNAi sprays, we will aim to combat some of tomato's most important and diverse pests by inactivating crucial for their development genes. On the other hand, through RNAa sprays, we will try to activate selected tomato genes by decoying and sequestering their micro RNA (miRNA) regulators. Methods for optimizing the stability of sprayed RNAs into plant cells for field condition applications by conjugating them to carrier compounds will be tested. The multidisciplinary nature of the project is strong, involving a combination of molecular biology, microbiology, plant biology, virology, mycology, entomology and biochemistry. This proposal includes the transfer of knowledge to the host institute and the training of the candidate. Expected results will point towards a new direction of GMO-free plant breeding tools, in line with the EU strategy for sustainable agriculture.
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: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology virology
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology mycology
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology entomology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology
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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.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF
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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) H2020-MSCA-IF-2017
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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.
38 221 VOLOS
Greece
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.