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H2020Doctoral network2020–2024

SCilS · Studying Ciliary Signaling in Development and Disease

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2020-01-01 → 2024-06-30
EU contribution
€3,844,874
Participants
11
Scheme
MSCA-ITN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Studying Ciliary Signaling in Development and Disease

SCilS aimed to create an interdisciplinary and intersectoral European training network specializing in primary cilia and ciliopathies. This is a relatively new and rapidly developing research field that is in need of scientists equipped with fundamental knowledge of: (WP1) the processes that are driving development and homeostasis of these cellular antennae, which have evolved to be key signalling hubs of the cells, as they concentrate or segregate components of major cellular signalling pathways; (WP2) the critical signalling processes regulated by cilia in different tissues; and (WP3) the biomedical consequences of ciliary dysfunction that result in severe human genetic diseases (ciliopathies) with highly heterogeneous, overlapping phenotypes, affecting as many as 1 in 400 people. SCilS gave the next generation of European cilia researchers an optimal training in (stem) cell biology, biochemistry, structural biology, cryo-electron tomography, multi-omics approaches (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics), bio- informatics, and ultra-high-resolution imaging. Ciliary signalling was our scientific scaffold and research target, complemented by a unique career‐relevant training of young researchers by industrial and private sector partners. The training objectives were met through academic and industrial training-by-research via individual research projects, secondments, and network-wide training sessions.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

SCilS will create a multidisciplinary and intersectoral European training network focusing on ciliary signalling in development and disease. Primary cilia are microtubule-based cell surface projections that have evolved to be key signalling hubs of our cells, as they concentrate or segregate components of major cellular signalling pathways. Control of ciliary signaling output requires a high degree of regulation and critical feedback, which is needed for robustness in development and cellular homeostasis of different tissues and organs. Dysfunctional cilia can therefore lead to >35 severe human genetic traits (ciliopathies) with highly heterogeneous, overlapping phenotypes. Ciliopathies affect as many as 1 in 400 people, and for the majority of cases efficient therapeutic interventions are currently unavailable. SCilS research aims to uncover the multi-level organization and regulation of cilia-mediated signalling pathways in order to understand ciliopathy disease etiology and identify novel therapeutic targets. This challenging task will be accomplished by integrating unique expertise and cutting edge technology available within the SCilS network, including structural biology, super resolution imaging and cryo-electron tomography, state-of-the-art genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics, (stem) cell biology and biochemistry, as well as organoid technology and zebrafish models. SCilS training will give Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) unparalleled training opportunities in outstanding academic and industrial settings through training-by-research via individual research projects, secondments, and network-wide training sessions. All individual training and research activities have been designed to provide each ESR with the necessary broad competences in state‐of‐the art academic and industrial research. The network will thereby make a career in both industry and academia attractive to the ESRs and improve their career prospects in both private and public sectors.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • STICHTING RADBOUD UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM · NijmegenCoordinatorNetherlands
  • AARHUS UNIVERSITET · Aarhus CDenmark
  • CELL NETWORKS GMBH · HeidelbergGermany
  • EBERHARD KARLS UNIVERSITAET TUEBINGEN · TuebingenGermany
  • IMAGINE INSTITUT DES MALADIES GENETIQUES NECKER ENFANTS MALADES FONDATION · ParisFrance
  • KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET · KOBENHAVNDenmark
  • NEWCELLS BIOTECH LIMITED · Newcastle Upon TyneUnited Kingdom
  • OSPEDALE SAN RAFFAELE SRL · MilanoItaly
  • RUPRECHT-KARLS-UNIVERSITAET HEIDELBERG · HeidelbergGermany
  • STICHTING RADBOUD UNIVERSITEIT · NijmegenNetherlands
  • ZECLINICS SL · SANT FELIU DE LLOBREGATSpain

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union