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H2020Doctoral network2017–2021

ImageInLife · Training European Experts in Multilevel Bioimaging, Analysis and Modelling of Vertebrate Development and Disease

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2017-01-01 → 2021-06-30
EU contribution
€3,562,029
Participants
18
Scheme
MSCA-ITN-ETN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners. CORDIS does not always give exact coordinates for projects before 2014. These points are placed at city or country level.

Results in brief

Training European Experts in Multilevel Bioimaging, Analysis and Modelling of Vertebrate Development and Disease

It is now possible to image complex biological processes not only within living animals but also within the human body to understand pathological situations and open the way to therapeutics.The main problem is to adapt these new imaging possibilities to the biological material in use in research laboratories, to develop mathematical tools to study the huge amount of data generated and to translate these progresses into new software for medical image analysis and modelling. The overall objectives of the project were: 1) Find the best incubation conditions to image developmental or diseases processes, and this led to new protocols that have now been published, 2) Find the best reporters to image populations of specific cell types or cells in a given physiopathological state, and this led to the development of new instrumental reporter transgenic lines, and new markers, 3) Find the best microscope setup to achieve the spatial and temporal resolution required to generate images amenable to high throughput analysis, and this led to the development of new imaging chambers and new microscopes that have been used through the network, 4) Develop new algorithms for automated and quantitative image analysis, and this led to widely available tools, 5) Develop new strategies for computational modelling and simulation of developmental and pathological processes that have been published. Using the vertebrate embryos as models, the fellows were trained through research by addressing the following scientific bottlenecks and challenges: • How to prepare and label the biological samples to image complex biological processes • How to improve the existing microscopes • How to deal with the huge amount of images generated during imaging sessions • How to use the images to model the ongoing processes • How to translate all this into new tools for medical image analysis While it was very important for EU to train these future experts, in academia, and in companies to manage in vivo imaging, it was also important to train them to ethical issues and to all skills necessary for them to be good scientists involved in raising the scientific awareness of the general public. For this reason, the fellows have also been trained to become fully efficient scientists either in the academia or in the industry through network wide training events that included both technical training sessions and transferable skills training sessions.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

This proposal sprang from European scientists in both academia and industry who identified a common challenge: setting up a training frame to educate the next generation of imagers in complex biological systems (healthy & pathological), so they are able to master all major aspects of this competitive field and bring important innovations to universities and companies.The long-term goal of any initiative to image biological processes is reaching cellular or subcellular resolution in a complete organism. This is now possible using vertebrate embryos as models and the most recent technological advances as tools. ESRs will be trained by addressing the following scientific bottlenecks and challenges: -Preparing vertebrate embryos (rodent & zebrafish) for optimal imaging-Fine-tuning sensors, reporters and actuators to track cell types, cellular processes and behaviours in living organisms-Developing and implementing new imaging instruments-Analysing complex sets of big-data images to extract relevant information-Using processed images to design computational and mathematical models of development and pathologies-Comparing these models with experimental data and create a feedback loop improving the whole work chain from sample preparation to instrumentation and analysis.This interdisciplinary training is based on an intersectoral organisation of the consortium with partners from academia and companies that need these future experts to develop new instruments, screen drugs and chemicals in living systems and develop software to analyse and model medical images. The full training programme is based on an optimal balance between training through research and many network-wide training events, including conferences with physical presence, digital conferences and monthly videolink events.Consortium members are keen to implement both classical and original outreach activities (eg MOOCs, serious games, Lego designs) to bring state-of-the-art microscopy to the classroom.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • UNIVERSITE DE MONTPELLIER · MontpellierCoordinatorFrance
  • 4D - NATURE IMAGING CONSULTING SL · MADRIDSpain
  • ACQUIFER AG · PforzheimCity levelGermany
  • CARL ZEISS NTS GMBH · OBERKOCHENGermany
  • CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS · ParisFrance
  • DITABIS DIGITAL BIOMEDICAL IMAGING SYSTEMS AG · PforzheimGermany
  • FUNDACIO INSTITUT DE CIENCIES FOTONIQUES · CastelldefelsSpain
  • INSTITUT PASTEUR · ParisFrance
  • PHASEVIEW · Verrieres Le BuissonFrance
  • SLOVENSKA TECHNICKA UNIVERZITA V BRATISLAVE · BratislavaSlovakia
  • SORBONNE UNIVERSITE · ParisFrance
  • TATRAMED SOFTWARE SRO · BratislavaSlovakia
  • THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE · CAMBRIDGEUnited Kingdom
  • THE MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY · MANCHESTERUnited Kingdom
  • UNIVERSITATSKLINIKUM HEIDELBERG · HeidelbergGermany
  • UNIVERSITE PARIS-SACLAY · Gif-Sur-YvetteFrance
  • UNIVERSITEIT LEIDEN · LeidenNetherlands
  • Union Biometrica BVBABelgium

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union