Project description
Extracellular vesicles in melanoma metastasis
Melanoma is an aggressive type of skin cancer with a strong propensity for metastasis. Although the underlying aetiology of metastatic spread is not fully understood, growing evidence points to the presence of specific metastasis-initiating cells and the formation of favourable distant microenvironments that support tumour dissemination. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the METMAP project aims to elucidate the role of extracellular vesicles released by distinct melanoma cell in the pre-metastatic niche. The research team will define which melanoma cell populations impact metastatic niches, characterise the molecular cargo of their vesicles and determine how this communication enables dissemination. The goal is to pave the way for innovative strategies to disrupt melanoma metastasis.
Objective
Every 2 minutes someone in the world is diagnosed with melanoma, so by the time you read this application dozens of new melanoma cases will be detected. Beyond its growing incidence, cutaneous melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer and notorious for its high metastatic propensity, which constitutes the primary cause of death for these patients. Cellular heterogeneity and plasticity are key features of melanoma, supporting disease progression. The host laboratory has recently charted a functional map of the melanoma ecosystem and identified a cell population that fuels tumor growth (pre-EMT) and another that functions as metastasis-initiating cells (MICs). Increasing evidence indicates that metastatic dissemination of MICs relies on the formation of favourable microenvironments, or pre-metastatic niches (PMN), at secondary sites, and that extracellular vesicles (EVs) shed by the primary tumour are key mediators of PMN formation. I hypothesize that EVs produced by phenotypically distinct melanoma cells are likely to contain different biological information, and thus may exert different (possibly diverging) roles in PMNs formation. In METMAP, I will (i) determine the melanoma cell state(s) contributing to the formation of PMNs via EVs; (ii) dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying PMN formation; and (iii) unravel how these mechanisms facilitate metastatic spreading. I will leverage my background in EVs biology and establish melanoma cell state-reporters to track EV-mediated communication between melanoma subpopulations and PMNs. Proximity labelling will be used to dissect the bioactive contents of EVs transferred to PMNs and perturbation experiments will be conducted to decipher this complex interplay. Through METMAP, I will deliver a functional understanding of how distinct melanoma states contribute to the development of PMN and, ultimately, identify new targets for disruptive therapies that hinder melanoma metastasis.
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 oncology skin cancer melanoma
- natural sciences biological sciences cell biology
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels
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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-2023-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.
9052 ZWIJNAARDE - GENT
Belgium
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.