HEPCVAX: Unraveling HCV pathogenicity for the preclinical development of new therapeutic strategies

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 02.0285-1

Key words (Italian)

Life Sciences; Medicine; Health; Safety; Scientific Research; Social Aspects

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: QLK2-CT-2002-01329

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.2 Control of infectious diseases

Short description (English)

See abstract

Abstract (English)

The overall objectives of the HepCVax cluster is to identify viral and host mechanisms which are involved in:
i) viral replication and particle formation;
ii) pathogenicity and viral persistence and, based on the knowledge of virus properties as well as virus-host interactions and pathogenesis;
iii) to identify innovative antiviral and immuno-therapeutic strategies capable of inducing a broad and sustained HCV specific cellular-mediated immune responses. All information emerging from the understanding of the HCV genome will be integrated in the first ever-European sequence database dedicated to Hepatitis C virus. The cluster will be subdivided in three component Networks. Whereas HepCVax-PARTIC will concentration the molecular and intracellular level of the virus-host interactions through the identification of factors involved in HCV-particles formation, HepCVax. IMPA TH will focus on the interaction between HCV and different arms of the innate and adaptive immune response. HepCVax-PRECLIN will exploit the expected discoveries made by Networks 1and 2 to develop and test new immuno-therapeutic strategies in vitro and in small animal models.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 02.0285-1