Dr Marilena Hadjidemetriou awarded €1.5m ERC Starting Grant to advance research in nanomedicine

Dr Marilena Hadjidemetriou has been awarded a €1.5m European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant, to advance her research in nanomedicine.

The grant is part of the EU’s Horizon Europe programme to help exceptional younger scientists at the start of their careers to launch their own projects, form their teams and fulfil their best ideas.

Dr Hadjidemetriou, a Lecturer and Group Leader at the University of Manchester, leads the NanoOmics Lab, part of the Centre of Nanotechnology in Medicine, the Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre, and the Manchester Cancer Research Centre. The NanoOmics Lab focuses on developing advanced nanotechnology platforms to explore disease pathways and uncover molecular biomarkers in neurological disorders.

The Nanotechnology-Enabled Deep Profiling of the Blood and Brain Proteome, at the Intersection of Neurodegeneration and Neurooncology (NanoNeuroOmics) project aims to bridge the gap between brain pathophysiology and molecular changes in the blood, focusing on two of the most challenging central nervous system disorders: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Glioblastoma (GBM).

The approach involves using nanoparticles as scavenging agents to discover brain disease-specific protein markers in blood, which are often masked by the overwhelming presence of highly abundant molecules. By tracking blood and brain proteomic signals at different stages of disease progression, NanoNeuroOmics aims to overcome the technological challenges of discovering highly specific blood biomarkers.

"Receiving the ERC Starting Grant is a major milestone for my lab,” said Dr Hadjidemetriou. “I am incredibly excited to launch the NanoNeuroOmics project which brings together nanotechnology, proteomics, and blood biomarker discovery at the emerging intersection of neurodegeneration and neurooncology. I am deeply grateful for the ERC’s support, as well as for the dedication of my lab members, colleagues, and mentors, whose encouragement and expertise have been essential in making this ambitious project a reality."

The project proposes an innovative nanotechnology-based approach to integrative profiling of blood and brain tissue proteomes, addressing two interconnected challenges:

1. Early Diagnostic and Disease-Monitoring Blood Biomarkers: The project aims to meet the unmet clinical need for specific blood biomarkers for AD and GBM, two of the most difficult-to-treat neurological disorders.
2. Addressing the AD-GBM 'Inverse Comorbidity' Knowledge Gap: NanoNeuroOmics seeks to uncover the intriguing molecular interrelation between AD and GBM, and to explore the potential shared molecular pathways between them.

NanoNeuroOmics represents a significant step forward in the quest to understand and treat complex neurological diseases. The integration of nanotechnology with advanced proteomics could pave the way for more precise diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies, ultimately improving patient outcomes.