Project description
Novel technology for studying electrical conduction in cells
The transport of ions across cell membranes is not restricted to neurons and muscle cells. It generates electrical cues that cells transform into biochemical and biological signals that drive various processes, including stem cell differentiation and tissue regeneration. Being able to study these phenomena in detail requires the appropriate instrumentation. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the COSMOS project aims to develop an innovative optical technology capable of recording membrane potential in a contactless manner. As a proof of concept, researchers will test the technology in cornea regeneration and monitoring of the healing process of corneal wounds.
Objective
COSMOS is a highly multi-disciplinary project that will deliver the first technology for the continuous recording of cell resting membrane potentials. Biological electric fields arise by ion transport across cell membranes and tissues, and represent a crucial cue in guiding cellular differentiation (e.g. stem cells), mutation (e.g. cancer cells), and migration (e.g. wound healing). However, the underlying mechanisms behind these phenomena are yet to be fully discovered. This is because this data is currently hard to access with existing technologies: microelectrode arrays rely on electroporation (i.e. probing the cell membrane with consequent disruption, which makes it challenging to perform prolonged measurements), the patch-clamp method has a low throughput, and novel optical technologies mainly addressed the measurement of action potentials. However, most cells in the human body do not fire action potentials, and they communicate in a narrower electrical range. COSMOS will implement a platform to perform contact-free recordings of membrane potentials by optically mirroring the cell membrane charge. This technology will be first applied in testing corneal regenerative technologies (topical drugs, limbal stem cells, post-corneal transplant monitoring), as corneal wounds are an excellent model to study electric field-regulated cell behavior.
COSMOS will provide the technological tool to enable addressing a fundamental scientific question, as well as pave the way towards new diagnostic methods, therapeutic strategies, and in vitro drug testing platforms.
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 clinical medicine ophthalmology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies
- natural sciences chemical sciences electrochemistry bioelectrochemistry electroporation
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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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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01
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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.
16163 Genova
Italy
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.