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EVO-NANO Evolvable platform for designing cancer treatment strategies using nanoparticles

  • High Performance Computing
  • Projects
  • EVO-NANO
  • Software Technology Research Center
  • Projects
  • EVO-NANO
H2020 - FET OPEN, 2018 — 2021

EVO-NANO will create an integrated platform for the artificial evolution and validation of novel strategies for treatment of cancer using nanoparticles (NPs). We expect our proposed framework to provide a full pipeline for the development of effective NP-based therapies that are safe, have optimal bio-distribution and delivery characteristics and can be personalised to specific patients and health risks.

Official project web site: http://www.evonano.eu

Nanoparticles are increasingly being used in cancer applications for their ability to deliver treatments and diagnostics directly to tumours. The challenge is to discover how trillions of nanoparticles, interacting in a complex tumour environment will behave as a collective.

Our targeted scientific breakthrough is to establish, for the first time, an integrated evolvable platform for artificial evolution of novel NP-based drug delivery systems, their synthesis and rapid testing both in vivo and in vitro on a newly developed microfluidic-based platform.

EVO-NANO gathers six research partners and one industrial with complementary expertise. Every partner in EVO-NANO has its own specific competencies and experience that is necessary to achieve the proposed objectives but with and overlap of knowledge that will enable an effective collaboration.

Approach

EVO-NANO is organized around two research hubs: computing sciences and modelling (PFNS, UB, UWE and AAU) and experimental in vitro and in vivo cancer and nanoparticle research (IMDEA, VHIR and PCS). Partners with cross-disciplinary expertise are expected to work between these hubs to produce an integrated synthesis between in silico models and their material realizations.

Algorithms jointly developed by PFNS, UB and UWE will need to be distributed and heavily rely on parallel processing to accommodate simulations of large numbers of agents. This will be done using expertise of AAU whose specialty is massive parallel computation and multi-core processes. 

To verify evolved anti-cancer strategies we will test them in vitro and in vivo thanks to expertise of three additional partners. PCS is a company that develops customized functionalized NPs and has interdisciplinary expertise in the fields of chemistry, nanotechnology, and biotechnology. IMDEA works on miniaturized micropatterned devices and nano-scale platforms for single-cell manipulation and surfaces for biomedical applications. VHIR is the drug delivery and targeting group working on designing new drug delivery systems and their in vitro and in vivo preclinical validation.

Project objectives

Objective 1: To develop a new class of open-ended evolutionary algorithms that will creatively assess different cancer scenarios and autonomously engineer NP-based solutions to them in a novel and creative way.

Objective 2: To implement a computational platform for the autonomous generation of new strategies for targeting CSC surface receptors using NPs. In its final form, our model will globally simulate all the main aspects of NPs dynamics: their travel via blood streams, extravasation, tumour penetration and endocytosis.

Objective 3: To streamline synthesis of functionalized NPs suggested by the computational platform.

Objective 4: To develop an integrated platform for validation of efficacy of artificially evolved nanoparticle designs. It will be composed of (i) in vitro microfluidics that will mimic major physiological barriers for NP tumour delivery and (ii) in vivo pre-clinical tests.

Project web site: http://evonano.eu

People

Sébastien Lafond Leader
Sébastien Lafond, Docent, TkD
sebastien.lafond@abo.fi
+358 40 54 64 024
+358 (0)2 215 3328
Room: 346B
Co-Leader
Jan Westerholm
jan.westerholm@abo.fi
+358 (0)2 215 4044
Room: 346I
Sepinoud Azimi Researcher
Sepinoud Azimi
sepinoud.azimi@abo.fi
+358 (0)2 215 3315
Room: 340B

Location of room

Partners

We are international team from 5 nations across Europe. The small size of our consortium enables an efficient structure that monitors progress continuously and acts rapidly on any matter.

PFNS
University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Agriculture, Novi Sad, Serbia

UWE
University of the West of England, The Unconventional Computing Group, Bristol, UK

UB
Department of Engineering Mathematics, Bristol Robotics Laboratory, Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

AAU
Åbo Akademi University, Åbo, Finland

IMDEA
IMDEA Nanosciencia, Madrid, Spain

VHIR
Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain

PCS
ProChimia Surfaces, Sopot, Poland

 

Current projects

  • EDGE (EDGE)
    2018 – 2020
  • Allied ICT Finland (AIF)
    2018 – 2020
  • Evolvable platform for designing cancer treatment strategies using nanoparticles (EVO-NANO)
    H2020 - FET OPEN, 2018 – 2021
  • Reboot IoT Factory (Reboot)
    2018 – 2019
  • Integrated Energy Solutions to Smart and Green Shipping (INTENS)
    2018 – 2021
  • Finnish Grid and Cloud Infrastructure, stage 2: enabling datascience (FGCI)
    Academy of Finland , 2018 – 2019
  • Learning and Assessing Risks for Enhancing Dependability of Autonomous Socio- Technical Systems (LARA)
    2018 – 2019
  • AlgoNano (AlgoNano)
    Academy of Finland, 2017 – 2021
  • Efficient Stream Computing by Fitting Computations to Cores (ESC)
    Academy of Finland, 2017 – 2021
  • Development of High-Assured Autonomous Systems (AutoSys)
    Nordplus, 2017 – 2019
  • MegaModelling at Runtime - scalable model-based framework for continuous development and runtime validation of complex systems (MegaM@Rt2)
    ECSEL JU, Tekes, 2017 – 2020
  • Towards a More Advanced Loaning and Reading Culture. A Study, Based on Digital Material, of Contemporary Finnish Loaning and Reading Habits (LibDat)
    Academy of Finland, 2017 – 2021
  • Novel Predictive Analytics Technologies for Future Maintenance Business (OPENS)
    Tekes, 2016 – 2019
  • Continuous Resilience Assurance of Complex Software-Intensive Systems (CoRA)
    2016 – 2020
  • High-performance geoscientific computing in multi-scale mineral potential studies (Gecco)
    Academy of Finland, 2015 – 2019

Completed projects

  • Network Pharmacology: drug re-purposing and discovery of multi-drug therapies by analytical approaches (NetPharma)
    TEKES, 2016 – 2018
  • Modular Interoperability for Healthcare Cyber-Physical Systems (INTERSYS)
    Academy of Finland, 2016 – 2017
  • Efficient Distributed Media Transcoding Platforms (EASYTRANS)
    Tekes - New knowledge and business from research ideas, 2015 – 2016
  • N4S (N4S)
    Tekes, DIGILE, 2014 – 2016
  • Adaptive Integrated Formal Design of Safety-Critical Systems (ADVICeS)
    Academy of Finland, 2013 – 2017
  • Synthetic controllability of biological networks through understanding and engineering their control elements (NetControl)
    Academy of Finland / Synthetic Biology Programme (FinSynBio), 2013 – 2017
  • Quantitative model refinement (QuantRef)
    Academy of Finland, 2013 – 2017
  • Parallel Acceleration (ParallaX)
    2013 – 2016
  • High-quality Measurement Infrastructure for Future Resilient Control Systems (FResCo)
    Academy of Finland, 2013 – 2015
  • Joint curriculum development for doctoral studies in eBusiness (KURRI)
    CIMO, 2012 – 2014
  • Practical Applications of Model-based technologies to continuous integration & testing methodologies (PAM)
    TEKES, 2012 – 2015
  • Agent Based Management of Embedded Data Reserve (AMEBA)
    2012 – 2014
  • DIGILE Digital Services - SME Services (Digital Services )
    Tekes, 2012 – 2014
  • Collaborative Research into Exascale Systemware, Tools and Applications (CRESTA)
    European Community, 2011 – 2014
  • Dataflow ORiented Automated Design tOolchain (DORADO)
    2011 – 2015
  • E-Math (E-Math)
    2011 – 2013
  • Energy Efficient Digital Hydraulic Hybrid Machines (eDiHy)
    Academy of Finland, 2011 – 2014
  • Regenerative hydraulic hybrid with digi-valve and multi chamber cylinder technology (EFFIMA-Digihybrid)
    2011 – 2014
  • IMPEd (IMPEd)
    2011 – 2014
  • Autonomic software-intensive systems: foundations of safety and resilience (ASSURE)
    Academy of Finland, 2010 – 2013
  • FCEP (CLEEN)
    2010 – 2014
  • Cloud Software Program (Cloud)
    2010 – 2013
  • DISCO (DISCO)
    2010 – 2013
  • Enabling Next GeneratIon NEtworks for broadcast Services (ENGINES)
    TEKES, 2010 – 2012
  • Work and Leadership in a Liminal Space: Projects and Innovations (LIMINARI)
    TEKES, 2010 – 2013
  • Reduced Certification Costs Using Trusted Multi-core Platforms (Recomp)
    Tekes and ARTEMIS-JU, 2010 – 2013
  • SimlTER (SimlTER)
    Academy of Finland, 2010 – 2013
  • TeachEd (TeachEd)
    Finnish National Board of Education, 2010 – 2014
  • Digital Microhydraulics (EFFIMA-DiHy)
    2009 – 2014
  • Validation of Many Models in Many Languages (VAMOLA)
    2009 – 2011
  • Industrial deployment of system engineering methods providing high dependability and productivity (DEPLOY)
    2008 – 2012
  • Device and Interoperability and Ecosystems (DIEM)
    2008 – 2013
  • Distributed Jointly Operating Networks (DIJON)
    Academy of Finland, 2008 – 2011
  • EU Fusion fOR Iter Applications (EUFORIA)
    European Union (FP7), 2008 – 2009
  • Computational modeling of the eukaryotic heat shock response (HeatShock)
    Academy of Finland, 2008 – 2010
  • Titan (Titan)
    2008 – 2011
  • LightweIght formal Methods for distributed component-based Embedded systems (LIME)
    Tekes, 2007 – 2009
  • Deployment of Model-Based Technologies to Industrial Testing (D-Mint)
    ITEA2, Tekes, 2007 – 2010
  • Broadcasting for the 21st Century (B21C)
    2007 – 2009
  • VIBRA (VIBRA)
    2007 – 2009
  • Power and Energy Consumption Testing for NoTA Devices (PECOS)
    Subcontracted from Nokia Research Center, 2006 – 2008
  • Efficient Feature Combination (EFCO)
    2006 – 2008
  • Computational processes in living cells (COMPROC)
    Academy of Finland, 2005 – 2010
  • Improving Transient Control and Energy Efficiency by digital hydraulics (ITCEE)
    TEKES, KITARA-programme, 2005 – 2008
  • Louhi (Louhi)
    Tekes, 2005 – 2008
  • MDA In Co-design ArchitectureS (MICAS)
    Subcontracted by Nokia Research Center, Helsinki, 2004 – 2005
  • Rigorous Open Development Environment for Complex Systems (RODIN)
    EC IST FP6 framework, 2004 – 2007
  • Architecture-driven software engineering for embedded systems (ADSEES)
    TEKES (The National Technology Agency), 2001 – 2003
  • Asynchronous Circuit Design Working Group (ACID-WG)
    EU, 2000 – 2004
  • Asynchronous design of DSP architectures (Asynkron)
    The Academy of Finland, 2000 – 2002
  • Methodologies and Technologies for Industrial Strength Systems Engineering (MATISSE)
    EU FP5-project, 2000 – 2003

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