Project description
Novel workflow for the discovery of early diagnostic cancer biomarkers
Early cancer detection is the most effective way to improve patient survival. Timely diagnosis and prognosis critically depend on the availability of disease-specific biomarkers. The EU-funded Visual Proteomics project is developing a novel workflow of automated microscopic image acquisition and AI-guided image analysis to identify specific cell populations in patient samples. These cells could be individually isolated by laser microdissection, followed by high-sensitivity proteome profiling to identify proteins that are specific for individual cells in a given tumour and represent the most promising biomarker candidates. The researchers will optimise the workflow for archival biobank tissues and map tumour heterogeneity with unprecedented resolution.
Objective
Early detection of severe malignancies such as cancer is the most effective way to increase patient survival, but early diagnosis and prediction of treatment outcome critically depend on disease-specific biomarkers. However, molecular and cellular disease heterogeneity provide a ubiquitous and unresolved challenge to this important task, and therefore impede any attempt to develop personalized therapies. Past and current approaches provide “averaged” descriptions of the tumor composition and have shown very limited success to identify biomarkers. This is likely due to the failure of these methods to identify the critical disease promoting cell populations within the tumor. Therefore, I will develop a new workflow that exploits automated microscopic image acquisition and artificial-intelligence-guided image analysis to identify specific cell populations in patient samples. These cells are then individually isolated by laser microdissection, followed by high-sensitivity proteome profiling, to identify proteins that define the identity of individual cells in a given tumor and thus represent the most promising biomarker candidates. To apply my approach to wide array of diseases, I will optimize it for archival biobank tissues (FFPE), the most common form of solid tissues in pathology. Applied to FFPE samples, my approach will allow me to perform both prospective and retrospective studies, correlate disease state and tissue morphology to protein expression and clinical outcome, and map tumor heterogeneity with unprecedented resolution. To achieve this, I will receive world-class training in cutting-edge microscopy and machine learning techniques in my host laboratory, which I complement with my expertise in high-sensitivity proteomics. My new pipeline will offer a highly fertile ground for new biomarker discoveries, inspire and stimulate collaborative research within and outside the host institute and allow me to establish a highly competitive niche for my future career.
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.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins proteomics
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pathology
- natural sciences computer and information sciences artificial intelligence machine learning
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.
-
H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme -
H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
See all projects funded under this programme
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
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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-2018
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
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.
1165 KOBENHAVN
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.