Project description
Epilepsy: a point-of-care diagnostic tool
Even though epilepsy affects millions of people around the world, its diagnosis still depends largely on clinical observation. Emerging evidence shows that cell-to-cell communication through adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and nucleotides – called purinergic signalling – plays a role in triggering seizures and could serve as a biomarker for epilepsy. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the ATPsensor project aims to develop a simple, non-invasive point-of-care sensor capable of detecting specific purine molecules in blood samples. Researchers will optimise and test this innovative device in preclinical models of epilepsy and patient samples. The goal is to assess purine expression changes and evaluate their potential in epilepsy diagnosis.
Objective
Epilepsy is the most common chronic brain disease, affecting ~70 million people worldwide. Accurately diagnosing epilepsy remains a major clinical challenge due to the lack of non-invasive molecular diagnostic tools. Purinergic signalling via extracellularly released adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and its downstream purine derivatives is increasingly recognised to contribute to increased hyperexcitability states in the brain, and thus seizures. Hence, these can be potentially identified as novel promising therapeutic targets for the treatment of epilepsy but also as a source of disease-specific biomarkers. However, the diagnostic potential of purinergic signalling for epilepsy remains unclear, and current methods of detection are either unsuitable for point-of-care application or lack disease specificity. Employing a multidisciplinary approach including sensor development, testing in preclinical models of epilepsy, and testing in patients, we will develop a new, user-friendly point-of-care sensor which allows the measurement of specific purines and evaluate the diagnostic potential of blood purine expression changes. Combining my research experience in the development of biosensors with the expertise of my primary (Dr Tobias Engel, RCSI) and secondment (Prof Nicholas Dale, University of Warwick; Prof Norman Delanty, Beaumont Hospital; Prof Felix Rosenow, Frankfurt University) supervisors on purinergic signalling and the development diagnostic devices, ATPsensor will increase our understanding of purinergic signalling and provide new tools to support the diagnosis of epilepsy. The skills acquired during the research project, the excellent training record of the supervisors and host institutions, and the outstanding resources for learning and development available at RCSI and collaborator institutions will give me the tools necessary to become a highly employable neuroscientist.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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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.
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors
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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)
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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
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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
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(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.
D02 YN77 DUBLIN 2
Ireland
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.