ERC FUNDED PROJECTS

Integrins are transmembrane cell adhesion receptors controlling cell proliferation and migration. Our objective is to gain fundamentally novel mechanistic insight into the emerging new roles of integrins in cancer and to generate a road map of integrin dependent pathways critical in mammary gland development and integrin signalling thus opening new targets for therapeutic interventions. We will combine an in vivo based translational approach with cell and molecular biological studies aiming to identify entirely novel concepts in integrin function using cutting edge techniques and synthetic-biology tools. The specific objectives are: 1) Integrin inactivation in branching morphogenesis and cancer invasion. Integrins regulate mammary gland development and cancer invasion but the role of integrin inactivating proteins in these processes is currently completely unknown. We will investigate this using genetically modified mice, ex-vivo organoid models and human tissues with the aim to identify beneficial combinational treatments against cancer invasion. 2) Endosomal adhesomes – cross-talk between integrin activity and integrin “inside-in signaling”. We hypothesize that endocytosed active integrins engage in specialized endosomal signaling that governs cell survival especially in cancer. RNAi cell arrays, super-resolution STED imaging and endosomal proteomics will be used to investigate integrin signaling in endosomes. 3) Spatio-temporal co-ordination of adhesion and endocytosis. Several cytosolic proteins compete for integrin binding to regulate activation, endocytosis and recycling. Photoactivatable protein-traps and predefined matrix micropatterns will be employed to mechanistically dissect the spatio-temporal dynamics and hierarchy of their recruitment. We will employ innovative and unconventional techniques to address three major unanswered questions in the field and significantly advance our understanding of integrin function in development and cancer.

1 887 910 €

Start date: 2014-05-01, End date: 2019-04-30

The goals are 1. To develop a scale assessing the diversity of active ageing with four dimensions that are ability (what people can do), activity (what people do do), ambition (what are the valued activities that people want to do), and autonomy (how satisfied people are with the opportunity to do valued activities); 2. To examine health and physical and psychological functioning as the determinants and social and build environment, resilience and personal skills as modifiers of active ageing; 3. To develop a multicomponent sustainable intervention aiming to promote active ageing (methods: counselling, information technology, help from volunteers); 4. To test the feasibility and effectiveness on the intervention; and 5. To study cohort effects on the phenotypes on the pathway to active ageing. “If You Can Measure It, You Can Change It.” Active ageing assessment needs conceptual progress, which I propose to do. A quantifiable scale will be developed that captures the diversity of active ageing stemming from the WHO definition of active ageing as the process of optimizing opportunities for health and participation in the society for all people in line with their needs, goals and capacities as they age. I will collect cross-sectional data (N=1000, ages 75, 80 and 85 years) and model the pathway to active ageing with state-of-the art statistical methods. By doing this I will create novel knowledge on preconditions for active ageing. The collected cohort data will be compared to a pre-existing cohort data that was collected 25 years ago to obtain knowledge about changes over time in functioning of older people. A randomized controlled trial (N=200) will be conducted to assess the effectiveness of the envisioned intervention promoting active ageing through participation. The project will regenerate ageing research by launching a novel scale, by training young scientists, by creating new concepts and theory development and by producing evidence for active ageing promotion

2 044 364 €

Start date: 2016-09-01, End date: 2021-08-31

Wireless power transfer (WPT), pioneered by Tesla, is an idea at least as old as radio communications. However, on the one hand, due to health concerns and the large antenna dimensions required for transmission of high energy levels, until recently WPT has been limited mostly to very short distance applications. On the other hand, recent advances in silicon technology have significantly reduced the energy needs of electronic systems, making WPT over radio waves a potential source of energy for low power devices. Although WPT through radio waves has already found various short-range applications (such as the radio-frequency identification technology, healthcare monitoring etc.), its integration as a building block in the operation of wireless communications systems is still unexploited. On the other hand, conventional radio wave based information and energy transmissions have largely been designed separately. However, many applications can benefit from simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT). The overall objective of the APOLLO project is to study the integration of WPT/SWIPT technology into future wireless communication systems. Compared to past and current research efforts in this area, our technical approach is deeply interdisciplinary and more comprehensive, combining the expertise of wireless communications, control theory, information theory, optimization, and electronics/microwave engineering. The key outcomes of the project include: 1) a rigorous and complete mathematical theory for WPT/SWIPT via information/communication/control theoretic studies; 2) new physical and cross-layer mechanisms that will enable the integration of WPT/SWIPT into future communication systems; 3) new network architectures that will fully exploit potential benefits of WPT/SWIPT; and 4) development of a proof-of-concept by implementing highly-efficient and multi-band metamaterial energy harvesting sensors for SWIPT.

1 930 625 €

Start date: 2019-07-01, End date: 2024-06-30

Recent advances in systems-level study of cells and organisms have revealed the enormous potential to live more sustainably through better use of biological processes. Plants sustainably synthesize the most abundant and diverse materials on Earth. By applying recent advances in life science technology, we can better harness renewable plant resources and bioconversion processes, to develop environmentally and politically sustainable human enterprise and lifestyles. At the same time, the global market for high-value biochemicals and bioplastics from forest and agricultural sources is rapidly increasing, which presents new opportunities for forest and agricultural sectors. The overall aim of BHIVE is to illuminate uncharted regions of genome and metagenome sequences to discover entirely new protein families that can be used to sustainably synthesize novel, high-value biomaterials from renewable plant resources. The approach will include three parallel research thrusts: 1) strategic analysis of transcriptome and metagenome sequences to identify proteins with entirely unknown function relevant to biomass (lignocellulose) transformation, 2) mapping of uncharted regions within phylogenetic trees of poorly characterized enzyme families with recognized potential to modify the chemistry and biophysical properties of plant polysaccharides, and 3) the design and development of novel enzyme screens to directly address the increasing limitations of existing assays to uncover entirely new protein functions. BHIVE will be unique in its undivided focus on characterizing lignocellulose-active proteins encoded by the 30-40% of un-annotated sequence, or genomic “dark matter”, typical of nearly all genome sequences. In this way, BHIVE tackles a key constraint to fully realizing the societal and environmental benefits of the genomics era.

1 977 781 €

Start date: 2015-09-01, End date: 2020-08-31