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Prof. Pullamsetti of LOEWE-iCANx receives ERC Proof of Concept grant for gene therapy against lung diseases
Impactful Research: Prof. Dr. Soni Savai Pullamsetti, who conducted research as part of the LOEWE Research Cluster LOEWE-iCANx, has been awarded an ERC Proof of Concept Grant. This prestigious funding will be used to further develop the "TBX4-PRECIS" technology – originally created under an ERC Consolidator Grant – specifically for clinical application and technology transfer.
Chronic respiratory diseases are among the world's major health risks. While gene therapies offer great potential in this area, they often fail because genetic therapeutic agents do not reach the diseased lung tissue with sufficient precision. Instead, they disperse throughout the body, potentially causing unwanted side effects.
This is precisely where TBX4-PRECIS comes in: Prof. Pullamsetti and her team have developed a platform technology that functions like a biological address code. Therapeutic genes are activated specifically within the lung tissue, while their activity in other organs remains minimal.
The ERC Proof of Concept grant – worth €150,000 and awarded exclusively to researchers who have already secured an ERC grant – will now enable comprehensive validation of the technology. The goal is to demonstrate its efficacy, safety, and transferability, thereby laying the groundwork for future clinical application and commercial exploitation.