EI-HCV · Entry inhibitors for the treatment of HCV infection
FP6 — Marie Curie Actions (Human Resources and Mobility)
- Duration
- 2006-10-01 → 2010-09-30
- EU contribution
- €3,507,650
- Participants
- 14
- Scheme
- RTN
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
Final Activity Report Summary - EI-HCV (Entry inhibitors for the treatment of HCV infection)
The EIHCV network equipped twenty three early career researchers with integrated multidisciplinary and multi-sector training in a range of leading skills relevant to antiviral and immunotherapeutic drug development in the post-genomics era. The researchers gained world-class expertise in specialist shortage skills including structural biology, functional genomics and obtained training in specialist instrumentation including DNA sequencers, confocal microscopes, gene arrays, mass specs, flow cytometers, bioinformatics clusters, synchrotrons, biophysical instruments etc. Training was acquired through at the bench training, formal courses, workshops and mobility placements. Scientific outputs were also significant. The network developed novel virus culture systems to allow high throughput screening of antiviral drugs and neutralising antibodies. We defined the effects of receptor binding, fusion and entry. EIHCV also devised expression systems and purification systems that enabled high level production of viral glycoprotein and subsequent elucidation of a model for E2 glycoprotein organisation and fold. These same systems were also used for the selection and production of novel neutralising antibodies. A further significant achievement was the generation of anti-receptor antibodies which were shown to prevent and clear HCV infection in appropriate model systems.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
The EI-HCV Network will provide an integrated multidisciplinary and multi-sector training in a range of leading skills relevant to antiviral and immunotherapeutic drug development in the post-genomics era. The researchers will gain world-class expertise in specialist shortage skills including structural biology, functional genomics (genomic analysis, bioinformatics, transcriptomics) and proteomics. They will also obtain training on a range of specialist instruments (e.g. DNA sequencers, confocal microscopes, gene arrays, mass specs, flow cytometers, bioinformatics clusters, synchrotrons, biophysical instruments etc.). This will be facilitated by an individual-focused and needs-driven structured training program encompassing in-house training, formal courses, workshops and major mobility elements such as training placements. Trainees will have the unique opportunity to be involved in a cross-sector project that will develop antivirals and immuno-therapies from the bench to the bedside. Specifically, the Network will identify new therapeutic interventions for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Chronic HCV infection is frequently associated with severe liver disease including liver cancer. Even the latest treatments are ineffective in a significant proportion of infected individuals. Therefore there is a paramount need to identify new therapies. The Network will: Define HCV receptor binding, fusion and entry events; Determine the structure and functional regions of the HCV glycoproteins and receptors; Isolate and characterise neutralizing monoclonal antibodies and sera; Refine in vitro models to measure infectivity and antiviral effects; Use these advances to develop lead antiviral agents and immuno-therapies suitable for clinical trial.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM · NOTTINGHAMCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
- CEINGE BIOTECNOLOGIE AVANZATE SCARL · NAPLESCity levelItaly
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) · PARISFrance
- HOSPITAL CLINIC I PROVINCIAL DE BARCELONA · BARCELONASpain
- INSTITUT PASTEUR · PARISFrance
- ISTITUTO DI RICERCHE DI BIOLOGIA MOLECOLARE P. ANGELETTI" SPA" · POMEZIACity levelItaly
- KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET · STOCKHOLMSweden
- MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL · LONDONUnited Kingdom
- MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL TECHNOLOGY · MILL HILL LONDONCountry levelUnited Kingdom
- MOLECULES OF MAN AB · BROMMACity levelSweden
- THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD · OXFORDUnited Kingdom
- UNIVERSITAET ROSTOCK · ROSTOCKGermany
- UNIVERSITAETSKLINIKUM HEIDELBERG · HEIDELBERGGermany
- UNIWERSYTET GDANSKI · GDANSKPoland
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union