DRYNET

Marie Skłodowska Staff Exchange (RISE)

Call: H2020-MSCA-RISE-2015

GA No 734434 - DRYNET

Setting an interdisciplinary/sectorial/international research network to explore dry storage as an alternative strategy for cells/germoplasm biobanking

Recent progresses in regenerative medicine, drug testing, and disease modelling have resulted in massive increase in stored cell lines under liquid nitrogen (LN, -196°C). Moreover, the Convention on Biological Diversity calls all signatory nations to set up cells and gametes repositories from species in their respective territories as an instrument to counteract biodiversity decline worldwide. Although effective, cryostorage presents several problems, including high maintenance costs, need for specialised storage facilities and continuous LN supply, energy-dependency, safety concerns, and risk of pathogen transmission, and all serious issues in clinical practice. Besides these intrinsic problems, the industrial production of LN has a serious environmental impact, leaving a massive carbon footprint.

DRYNET project objective is to set an international and multidisciplinary network between European academic, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), the European Union pan-Biobank, and international partners (Japan and Thailand), with the aim of sharing know-how and expertise to lay down the theoretical and early empirical basis for the dry storage of cells/ germplasm. DRYNET project relies on water subtraction to induce a reversible block of metabolism, a survival strategy available in nature (anhydrobiosis).

In the context of DRYNET, the screening for important xero-protectants will be performed in two of the best-characterized anhydrobiont animals in literature, such as midges and tardigrades. In particular, UNIMORE will perform screening studies for finding important essential xero-protectants in tardigrades by -omics approach (transcriptome and metabolome) and reverse genetics approach (gene knock-down and/or knock-out, such as RNAi and CRISPR/Cas system) on tardigrades.

For more information:

Official website: https://drynet.unite.it/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DryNetwork/

Twitter account: https://twitter.com/DryNet_project

Research Gate project: https://www.researchgate.net/project/DRYNET