Project description
Building the future of synthetic cells for global challenges
Current challenges in climate, energy and health demand new biotechnologies beyond what existing living cells provide. Synthetic Cell research mimics the IT industry achievements – based on transistors and electrodynamic principles – by creating complex integrated, programmable and functional microsystems. Yet, the underlying fundamental principles and building blocks tackling the paradigm that 'only cells can make cells' still need to be unravelled. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the SIGSYNCELL project aims to create responsive synthetic cells interacting with their environment. By training doctoral candidates to DNA nanotechnologies, optics and fluidic technologies, the project will develop microcompartments as populations of synthetic cells with programmable integrated functions. These cells will serve as building blocks for next-gen biotechnologies in energy, bioremediation and therapeutics.
Objective
Facing the challenges of the XXIst century related to climate, energy and health requires the development of new biotechnologies. Synthetic approaches of biology represent an opportunity for applications where living cells are inefficient, inadapted or undesired. Yet, ‘Only cells can make cells’ remains to date an unrefutable fundamental reality and constructing de novo living systems represents the new frontier of biotechnology. The IT industry developed over the years highly complex and integrated microsystems, based on building blocks such as the transistor and fundamental principles of electrodynamics and quantum physics. The analogon for biology must still be unraveled to develop the biotechnologies of the next century.
Our aim is to produce life-like systems of synthetic cells in interaction with their environment. We will train Doctoral Candidates to develop a toolbox of experimental building blocks, based upon soft microcompartments, molecular transporters, DNA nanotechnologies, optical technologies and microtechnologies, for the construction and integration of large population of interacting synthetic cells. Because they are built from scratch with a high-level of functional characterization and control, these cells will allow to unravel fundamental principle in life complexity and, at the same time, become integrable building blocks - analogon of the transistors of the IT industry - of a new type of biotechnology. They will pave the way for applications of synthetic cells addressing the pressing needs of the XXIst century, in energy harvesting, biomass and raw matter transformation, bio-remediation or therapeutics.
Our network based upon interdisciplinarity in research and innovation, will train the next generation of independent and responsible scientists to address pressing global challenges through the build up of fundamental knowledge and sustainable innovations.
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 genetics DNA
- engineering and technology environmental biotechnology bioremediation
- engineering and technology nanotechnology
- engineering and technology other engineering and technologies microtechnology
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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-DN - HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral Networks
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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-2022-DN-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.
75794 Paris
France
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.