Projet CARTHAGO (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Doctoral Networks
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Chronic low back pain due to intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and osteoarthritis (OA) worldwide impact human health and well-being due to pain and impaired mobility. Non-viral gene therapy has great promise as safe and precision treatment to restore IVD and joint tissue health. However, the lack of accessibility of the affected cartilaginous tissues to drugs has inhibited progress in this field. We will finally fulfil the promise of non-viral gene therapy in these diseases. We will do this through educating 15 young researchers in 10 different countries in physics, quality by design (QbD), nucleic acid chemistry, nanomedicine, cartilage and IVD biology, ethics, entrepreneurship and academic transferable skills. This highly multidisciplinary team will exploit the potential of gene therapy in IVD and joint disease by taking a multi-faceted approach towards the delivery and activity of oligonucleotides and encoding nucleic acids (NA). Cell and tissue delivery will be achieved by nucleic acid modification, innovative nanocarriers and tissue targeting, supported by QbD. Ultrasound will for the first time be used to enhance NA tissue penetration and transfection, and to trigger local release from systemically administered endogenous albumin-NA conjugates. Imaging tools will be developed to monitor in vivo regeneration, saving numerous animal lives in the future. Moreover, we will set up an educational framework for embedding biomedical ethics in biomedical research and valorisation, providing a firm and sustainable basis for Responsible Research and Innovation for future biomedical science and technology. Participation of a patient organisation and a scientific organisation experienced in the dialogue with society, will ensure researchers at ease in communicating with different audiences. Hence CARTHAGO will deliver the agile scientists freely moving between sectors and firmly anchored in society, required to take science and innovation to the next level in Europe.

Mots clés : osteoarthritis, intervertebral disc degeneration, nanomedicine

Participants :
- Percuros (Netherlands) (Pays-Bas) — Partner, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 531239.76 €
- Jenacell gmbh (Allemagne) — Partner, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 252788.4 €
- University Medical Center Utrecht (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 265619.88 €
- Aarhus University (Danemark) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 595044.0 €
- Jagiellonian University (Pologne) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 227478.6 €
- Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy (Roumanie) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 219591.36 €
- AO Foundation (Suisse) — Partner, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 562553.28 €
- 20med therapeutics bv (Pays-Bas) — Partner, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 265619.88 €
- University of Porto (Portugal) — Partner, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 237720.24 €
- Albumedix ltd (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
- Aalto University (Finlande) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 280805.76 €
- Uppsala University (Suède) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 563965.92 €