Project description
Interactions in biomolecular condensates
Cells constitute a crowded and complicated environment, where thousands of chemical processes take place. To address this complexity, cells have evolved separate compartments for specific functions. Apart from membrane organelles, there are dynamic regions within cells called biomolecular condensates with concentrated proteins and RNAs that come together through liquid-liquid phase separation. Misregulation of condensates is linked to diseases, including cancer. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the NanoProt4Cond project is focusing on the Wnt signalling pathway, often disrupted in colorectal cancer. The key objective is to understand how key proteins of the pathway form condensates. Researchers will create nanoparticle-based tools that can enter cells and help restore biomolecular condensate function.
Objective
"Biomolecular condensates, formed by liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), play a pivotal role in diverse biological processes and diseases, including cancer. Despite their importance, it is still a challenge to understand the role of condensates in biological regulation. ""NanoProt4Cond"" aims at exploring the Wnt signalling pathway, deregulated in cancers like colorectal cancer, using the cutting-edge high-throughput technology ‘PhaseScan’ to investigate condensate formation by Wnt-related proteins. After identifying the proteins driving condensate formation, the project will engineer consensus-designed tandem repeat proteins (RPs) as condensate modulators (c-mods) by grafting short linear peptide motifs (SLiMs) from Wnt-pathway proteins onto RPs, creating multi-valent and multi-functional c-mods.
While nanoparticles have been widely studied for overcoming traditional therapy limitations, their interaction with biomolecular condensates remains unexplored. ""NanoProt4Cond"" will fuse the most promising c-mods with proteins that self-assemble into nanoparticles, creating engineered protein nanoparticles that offer precise control over multifunctionality and valency. The c-mod protein nanoparticles (c-NPs) will be tuned to target and modulate condensates, unlocking novel therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.
This project will deepen the understanding of condensate formation within the Wnt pathway and contribute to novel cancer therapeutics. Hosted at the University of Cambridge, this MSCA PF will provide advanced technical training in protein design, molecular therapies, and biomolecular condensates, allowing the researcher to apply her expertise in nanomaterials and biomedicine while expanding her skills in supervision, project management, and proposal writing.
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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
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- engineering and technology nanotechnology nano-materials
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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-2024-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.
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
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.