Požadovaný rozpočet: 7.842.331 EUR

The quest for effective cancer treatment faces a formidable challenge: balancing efficiency with minimal side effects, particularly in the context of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Side effects often limit the efficacy of therapies. This grant proposal presents an innovative approach to treatment of these diseases through the development of on-demand programmable polymer "octopus-like" nanostructures. These intelligent nanomedicines, with a central peptoid or peptide backbone, are designed for precise targeting of immune cells or cancer cells while safeguarding healthy cells. The core innovation lies in the creation of multivalent synthetic mimics of bispecific antibodies tailored for selective receptor binding and internalization within the target cell subpopulation with unique additional features enhancing their performance far beyond compared to “conventional” bispecific antibodies. By necessitating the presence of at least two cell-surface markers on the target cell population, the peptoid conjugate system introduces a novel method for immunomodulation, enhancing specificity and enabling more selective immunotherapies. The "octopus" conjugates induce receptor internalization through polymer-mediated aggregation and crosslinking, offering an innovative approach to immunomodulation, elevating specificity, and generally revolutionizing cancer treatment. The developed polymer self-containing medicines will ensure efficient and selective receptor internalization even in cases where mere receptor crosslinking would not lead to internalization. Membrane anchoring enhances receptor binding by switching a 3D case to a 2D case. By incorporating elements sensitive to the tumor microenvironment, this project strives to achieve precise biological effects in cancerous or inflamed tissues (as inflammation typically accompanies cancerous lesions), augmenting therapeutic efficiency. The solid-supported synthesis allows personalized “programming” in a toolbox-like manner.

Žadatel: Ústav makromolekulární chemie AVČR

Požadovaný rozpočet: 150.438,72 EUR

Wilhelm Schapp (1884-1965) was a leading figure in the phenomenological tradition. His doctoral dissertation of 1910, written under the supervision of Edmund Husserl in Göttingen and entitled Contributions to the Phenomenology of Perception (Beiträge zur Phänomenologie der  ahrnehmung), was of crucial importance in the early reception of Husserl’s philosophy. However, his fame is mainly due to the philosophy of stories which he developed from the 1950s onwards. In particular, the concept of entanglement-instories has been quoted and used by some of the great classic authors from the field of narrative studies without yet systematically investigating its implications on a theoretical and practical level. Behind such an appealing formula, there is a whole series of complex issues revolving around central themes in the contemporary philosophical debate: e.g., the relationship between knowledge and narrative, the importance of narrative for the development of a collective identity, and above all the investigation of how the great stories of the past still shape and condition our present by structuring both our perception of reality and the events that happen around us, both on a personal and socio-political level. This project aims to provide a systematic exposition of Schapp’s narrative phenomenology with special regard to two closely related concepts, namely the concept of being-entangled-in-stories and that of positive world. According to Schapp, human beings are constitutively beings-entangled-in-stories so that no action or thought is at all possible outside such an entanglement, which depends first and foremost on the cultural and historical context in which the subjects exist. This is what Schapp refers to as positive world. The last element would stand out as a new perspective in contemporary literature on narrative as well as on the understanding of current socio-political phenomena, such as the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Žadatel: Univerzita Karlova

Požadovaný rozpočet: 199.440,96 EUR

We have reached a point where we have to use recycled wood, which is mostly contaminated, to a greater extent because there is a shortage of raw wood in the EU. At the same time, in pulp mills, we produce large amounts of lignin, however, use it mainly for energy purposes. LignoMBB is bringing technology for the production of mycelium-based biocomposites (MBB), during which recycled wood is decontaminated. Secondly, LignoMBB is using lignin, which is currently mainly used for energy and is understood as a by- or waste product, in order to achieve better mycelial growth on the developed substrate. I am the first to suggest enriching the substrate for the production of MBB with lignin, expecting that the addition of lignin will result in better mechanical properties of the MBB. LignoMBB develops materials only from recycled wood and lignin, i.e. it does not use agricultural residues, as is currently common practice, and does not endanger food security. At the same time, it finds application for large volumes of old contaminated wood, which is currently entering circulation. My first objective is to develop a technology for the material use of lignin and a substitution technology of agricultural residues in MBBs with lignin and recycled wood. Then, I will answer the questions: To which extent additional lignin in MBB is consumed by fungi? What are the limits of substrate enrichment by lignin? In accordance with the second objective, I will develop a novel MBB to be used in structural applications. At different stages of the MBB cycle, I will measure the VOC emissions because I am hypothesizing that the production process of MBB can act as bioremediation and decreases VOC emissions from materials. LignoMBB will be implemented at BOKU in Bio-Resources & Technologies Tulln group, where the emphasis is placed on cradle-to-cradle design and brings to this group methods of recycled wood decontamination and production of fully degradable MBB.

Žadatel: Universität für Bodenkultur Wien