Hub Molecules of Metabolism and Signalling – Key regulators of Life: HubMOL

Programme(s): HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) MAIN PROGRAMME

Topic(s): HORIZON-MSCA-2023-DN-01-01 - MSCA Doctoral Networks 2023

Call for proposal: HORIZON-MSCA-2023-DN-01

Funding Scheme: HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN - HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral Networks

Grant agreement ID: 101168783

Project description: Doctoral training in signalling and metabolism of hub molecules
Metabolic disorders put a significant burden on European healthcare systems and contribute to diseases such as neurodegeneration and cancer. These diseases are often accompanied or even caused by changes in the hub molecules of life (HubMOLs). HubMOLs (such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and coenzyme A) are small molecules with dual functionality that play critical roles in metabolism but also in signalling and gene regulation, for example through their involvement in post-translational protein modifications. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the HubMOL project will train 16 doctoral candidates in experimental, computational, and clinical methods to explore hub molecule biology and develop personalised vitamin supplementation strategies. Furthermore, the project aims to create therapies targeting metabolic and regulatory imbalances.

Objective

Metabolic disorders are a major burden on the European population and health care systems. Moreover, metabolic perturbations contribute substantially to other pathologies such as neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. The causes of metabolic dysregulation are manifold and lead to pathological shifts, often in response to imbalanced nutrition. Likewise, changes in metabolism affect signalling mechanisms and gene regulation, aggravating the pathology. The mechanisms of this interdependence between metabolism and signalling are still not well understood. HubMOL will fill this knowledge gap and open new horizons by exploring the functional duality of a set of small molecules that are involved in all cellular functions - the Hub Molecules Of Life (HubMOLs) including ATP, SAM (S-adenosylmethionine) and the vitamin-derived cofactors, NAD, FAD, and CoA. They are key components of both metabolism and signalling networks and are interconnected, for example, through their participation in posttranslational protein modifications (PTMs). The complexity of this emerging area requires interdisciplinary scientists equipped with comprehensive competences covering experimental, computational and systems biology as well as clinical medicine. Therefore, the main HubMOL goal is to provide world-class training in these areas to 16 DCs enabling them to establish fundamentally new insights into cofactor biology and lay the ground for patient-tailored vitamin supplementation concepts. The strategic exposure of the 16 young researchers to leading European academic institutions, companies and clinical environments combined with systematic training in entrepreneurship and transferable skills will strongly improve their employability for positions in both private and public sectors. HubMOL will impact patients and society by developing therapies for metabolic and regulatory imbalances based on hub molecule biology.