Projet ASTROTECH (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Doctoral Networks
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The past four decades demonstrated that non-neuronal cells, called astrocytesare emerging as crucial players for brain function & dysfunction. A major obstacle of previous and current initiatives on Neurotechnologiesis a lack of focus on astrocytesand most of the tools used to probe and sense astrocytes are derived from those developed to study neurons. ASTROTECH will create and develop the field of Glial Engineering, to provide a consistent range of tools to record, study, and manipulate astrocytes in the healthy and diseased brain. ASTROTECH will train 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) on research, training and complimentary skills aiming at: engineering biomaterials and nanostructured interfaces to provide in vivo-like in vitro models for controlled & reliable studies of astrocytes in vitro; fabrication and characterization of nanostructured devices for stimulation, recording and biosensing of astrocytes; optogenetics tools, optoelectronic device &photonic methods for precice and cell selective stimulation of astrocytes; computationalapproaches to describe and predict neuron-astrocytes interactions.The training on state-of-the-art biomaterials interfaces, electronic, photonic devices will be combined with in depth knowledge on optogenetics, neuroscience, glial physiology and biology and computational methodsto validate the developed tools in vitro, ex vivo, in silico & in pathological models of glioma, ischemia, epilepsy and depression.The ASTROTECH network combines 11 beneficiaries and 14 partners belonging to 9 European and Non-EU countries Academia, Public Research Centersand industrial labs, that combines interdisciplinary, intersectoral and soft skills knowledges where the private sector is highly representedand covers every step “from benchside to bedside” of the value chain. ASTROTECH Glial Engineeringto provide a more complete understanding of brain health and disorders.

Mots clés : advanced biomaterials, flexible electronics, optogenetics, neurostimulation, computational, neuroscience, neuron glial vascular unit, neuron astrocyte interaction

Participants :
- National Research Council (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 784499.04 €
- Avanzare (Spain) (Espagne) — Partner, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 250904.88 €
- Czech Academy of Sciences (Rép. Tchèque) — Partner, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 234871.56 €
- Optoceutics aps (Danemark) — Partner, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 595044.0 €
- Spanish National Research Council (Espagne) — Partner, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 250904.88 €
- Italian Institute of Technology (Italie) — Partner, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 261499.68 €
- University of Bari Aldo Moro (Italie) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 261499.68 €
- Basque Center for Applied Mathematics (Espagne) — Partner, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 250904.88 €
- Aix-Marseille Université (France) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 549604.08 €
- University of Porto (Portugal) — Partner, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 237720.24 €
- University of Cambridge (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 303172.56 €