Who are Aarhus University?
EU FET Open PRIME project brings together partners from across Europe into a strong multi-disciplinary team. Today we meet Aarhus University, (AU), a public university located in Aarhus, Denmark. Founded in 1928, it is Denmark’s second oldest university and the largest, with a total of 43,600 enrolled students.
The Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) was established in 2002 at Aarhus University. iNANO conducts interdisciplinary research in Nanoscience, based on close collaboration between researchers in physics, chemistry, molecular biology, biology and medicine with active participation of 40 senior researchers, 60 junior researchers and 150 PhD students. This interdisciplinary nature creates a unique situation, crucial for development of new nanomedicine, where experts in drug delivery, nanoscience and medicine can work closely together.
Prof. Jørgen Kjems’ group from AU iNANO is a vital contributor to the EU FET Open PRIME project, and the Kjems group has a long-standing interest in regulation of gene expression at post transcriptional level. In particular miRNA and circRNA influence mRNA expression and translation. Their expertise spans decades, encompassing RNA delivery and uptake mechanisms within cells, alongside pioneering advancements in antisense technology to modulate miRNA function effectively. Furthermore, their pioneering work in extracellular vesicles (EVs) has yielded invaluable protocols spanning isolation, characterization, RNA loading, labeling, and tracking—all of which constitute invaluable contributions to the PRIME project’s success.
What does Aarhus do within EU FET Open PRIME?
The primary goal of the PRIME initiative is to pioneer an autonomous implantable living cell system equipped with engineered bio-computing logic gates. These advanced systems are designed to sense, compute, and enact suppression of epileptic seizures. Once implanted into the brain, these engineered cells will seamlessly integrate with natural neural tissue, offering a promising avenue for seizure management. Within this ambitious endeavor, the Kjems research group is dedicated to developing cells with the remarkable ability to senensing the level of transfer RNA fragments (tsRNA) to regulate the production of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), thereby exerting precise control over the onset of epileptic seizures.
A recent breakthrough, spearheaded by Annemarie Svane Aavild Poulsen, a postdoctoral researcher within Prof. Kjems’ group, has unveiled the transformative potential of tsRNA in regulating circuits governing GDNF expression. While these findings ignite excitement, the journey towards optimization and overcoming technical hurdles remains ongoing.
What are the challenges of this project?
The utilization of tsRNAs to regulate GDNF expression in engineered cells is a key focus of the work package the Aarhus team works within. . While tsRNAs have only recently garnered attention, their biological functions remain unclear, making their investigation in circuit regulation particularly intriguing. They will also try to use extracellular vesicles as a delivery mechanism for tsRNAs to recipient cells. This approach not only offers a potential solution to enhance the efficiency of tsRNA delivery but also holds promise for minimizing off-target effects and improving overall therapeutic efficacy. They showed that tsRNA can regulated the circuit to control GDNF. However, the efficiency of this regulation is not as high as initially anticipated, prompting the need for further optimizations to enhance effectiveness. This pursuit of optimization is critical to ensure the success of the circuit in vivo models and future preclinical studies.
How does Aarhus collaborate with other partners across the PRIME project?
Collaboration with consortium partners within our work package is both extensive and indispensable for the effective engineering of cells. The partners we mainly collaborate with are the University of Ferrara (UniFE), Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI), Omiics, Tampere University (TAU), EPOS-Iasis and SETU. We collaborate closely with UniFE to develop transformed cells that exhibit stable expression of circuit elements. Simultaneously, it is important to maintain regular communication with TAU and EPOS to assess cell performance within scaffolds and devices. Additionally, wecontribute cell work data to SETU for the development of AI models. Furthermore, AU takes an active role in organizing regular update meetings for work packages and fostering collaborative efforts.
What excites the team most about PRIME?
For Prof. Jørgen Kjems, he is most excited that the PRIME project integrates micro-nanotechnologies, computational modelling, and biological sensing to gain a comprehensive understanding of epileptic mechanisms and develop tailored therapeutic strategies. Cross-disciplinary collaborations play a crucial role in advancing epileptic research by fostering innovation, addressing complex challenges, and maximizing the impact of scientific discoveries.
For Annemarie Svane Aavild Poulsen, Postdoc Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) at AU,her perspective underscores the interdisciplinary essence of the PRIME project, where diverse collaborations and inspiration drawn from partners enrich her scientific trajectory. Her enthusiasm reflects the collective spirit driving PRIME towards groundbreaking advancements in epilepsy management.
“In close collaboration with partners from WP3 and WP4, I am conducting extensive studies to assess the circuit’s performance across various experimental setups, including PES-tube studies,” expressed Annemarie. “These collaborative endeavors harness the diverse expertise within the PRIME consortium, fostering a synergistic environment conducive to the flourishing of innovative ideas. The project’s multidisciplinary nature offers me unparalleled opportunities to engage in cross-disciplinary collaborations, expanding my scientific horizons and exposing me to novel approaches and perspectives. Interacting with colleagues from diverse fields stimulates my creativity and nurtures a deeper understanding of the intricate interplay between molecular pathways and neurological disorders.”
What are the next steps / milestones for Aarhus within the PRIME project?
Our primary objective for the next phase is to implement further optimizations aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the circuits. This pursuit is imperative to guarantee the success of the circuit in vivo models and in future preclinical studies.
Additionally, AU remains steadfast in its close collaborations with fellow partners within the PRIME project. Through the sharing of findings, knowledge, and expertise across various work packages, AU actively nurtures a collaborative environment conducive to achieving the project’s overarching objectives.
Aarhus University is one of several multi-disciplinary European partners working on the PRIME project, funded by the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme. The PRIME project aims to prevent epileptic seizures by developing autonomous implantable living cell systems for the brain.
Led by Walton Institute at South East Technological University, EU FET OPEN PRIME project’s consortium of European partners is made up of Tampere University Finland, Università degli Studi di Ferrara Italy, EPOS-IASIS Cyprus, Aarhus University Denmark, omiics Denmark and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) in Ireland.
