50 Million euro investment for LUMC spin-off RougeTx advances therapies for inherited bleeding disorders.
Two research teams including reNEW Leiden AIs Milena Bellin and Anna Alemany were selected to receive funding from the ZonMW Open Competition. Through the funding, they will be able to develop innovative team science that contributes to advancements in fundamental (bio-)medical science and healthcare.
Bellin – Purkinje-network based sudden cardiac death
Bellin is part of a research project aimed at unraveling the mechanisms underlying Purkinje network-based sudden cardiac death. The Purkinje network is a specialized structure in the heart responsible for conducting electrical signals, ensuring the coordinated contraction of the heart chambers. Genetic mutations in the DPP6 gene can cause dysfunction of this Purkinje network, leading to life-threatening arrhythmias. Nevertheless, the specific mechanisms underlying this condition remain largely unknown. This study will shed new light on the role of DPP6 in different Purkinje network cell types, providing valuable insights for developing improved risk stratification and therapeutic strategies.
As part of the project, Bellin’s research group will focus on developing human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived models that contain different cell types of the Purkinje-network. These models, which complement animal studies, will be used to assess the impact of a DPP6 mutation in different cell types and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms, ultimately identifying potential targets for future therapies.
Alemany – Single-cell membrane proteins and anti-cancer immunity
A better understanding of how tumor and immune cells interact is crucial to improve immunotherapy as anti-cancer therapies. While previous studies have shed light on this complex interplay through single-cell RNA sequencing, these data do not fully reflect how proteins are expressed at the cell surface as they don’t capture the influence of protein translation and breakdown by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Alemany will, in collaboration with Leiden University Medical Center and Luxembourg Institute of Health, develop the experimental and computational tools to combine a novel single-cell proteomic approach with single cell and spatial transcriptomics to add an extra, crucial layer of information to this knowledge. State-of-the-art mass spectrometry will be employed to perform these experiments and identify key proteins on the tumor cell surface that influence how cancer cells interact with the immune system.
About the ZonMW Open Competition programme
The ZonMw Open Competition programme aims to provide space for curiosity-driven and creative collaboration among researchers, leading to groundbreaking science. The program specifically targets researchers from two or more disciplines who synergistically promote excellent team science. This funding round, 29 projects received a total amount of 24M euros.
