Projects

Food and biotechnology industry needs new screening technologies to find cells with new properties (bacteria, yeasts, mammalian cells, etc) in order to produce high-value biomolecules (enzymes, antibodies, food components, etc). Those molecules are used in diagnostics, drug development of for making special foods. Droplet microfluidic-based screening technology is less resource-demanding alternative to traditional screening: cheaper because of less reagents used, faster due to small confined experimental volumes and machinery takes less lab space being table-top. Project CELLSIEVE will develop the technology in order to be used as a service-platform in collaboration with food and biomedicine industry.

The project focuses on the DAL technology developed at TalTech, which aims to purify Kraft lignin to a very low ash content (≤0.05%). DAL uses green solvents and has a simpler process than competing technologies. Within the project, the technology’s innovation readiness level (CRL and BRL) will be increased by collecting market feedback, developing a business model, and strengthening the necessary competencies. As a result, the commercialisation potential of the DAL technology will increase.

Communication between cells in ovarian follicle is a prerequisite for oocyte maturation and ovarian functions, disturbances of which lead to infertility. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and poor response to hormonal stimulation in infertility treatment are types of subfertility of ovarian aetiology. The current project addresses the importance of intercellular communication in human ovarian follicle by combining various RNA sequencing methods (RNA-seq) with systems biology analysis. The full-length single molecule RNA-seq will be exploited to characterize the mRNA isoform map of ovarian granulosa cell populations. MicroRNA profile of cells and follicular fluids will also be analysed. Single-cell RNA-seq will describe immune cell populations in the ovarian pre-ovulatory follicle. The datasets will be integrated to model communication between follicular cells to reveal signalling pathways disturbed by (post-)transcriptional events in PCOS and poorly responding IVF patients.

PIMENTO Promoting Innovation of ferMENTed fOods The long-term goal of PIMENTO is to place Europe at the spearhead of innovation on microbial foods, promoting health, regional diversity, local production at different scales.

The project deals with the development of sustainable methods of asymmetric catalysis and their application in the synthesis of biologically relevant compounds. Various methods of catalysis (organo-, metal- and enzymatic catalysis) will be used separately or in cooperative manner. Special attention will be turned to the increase of efficiency of reactions by using selective catalysts, cascade or one-pot reactions. As a new method, a halogen bond donor catalyzed asymmetric reactions will be studied. New reactions will be applied on the synthesis of biologically active compounds and their derivatives. As a result, new asymmetric catalytic sustainable methods for the creating molecular complexity will be developed. Principles of green chemistry will take root in science, in the mode of thinking of PhD students and by PhD graduates in Estonian chemistry enterprises.

The transition towards a clean economy requires novel processes for chemical, material, and liquid fuel production that use sustainable substrates, have improved life cycle, and hence a reduced carbon footprint. Cell factories provide the ultimate platform for this purpose to drive the world economy and mitigate risks emanating from climate change. An exponential increase in process productivity by rapid technological developments in the fields of additive manufacturing and synthetic biology has the potential to influence nearly every industry because of adaptability and continual cost reduction. In this project, we offer interdisciplinary research that combines the advances in additive manufacturing of living materials with synthetic biology of non-conventional yeasts to manufacture a novel flow chemistry platform for creating biorefineries that can convert sustainable, locally available substrates into value-added oleochemicals with an aim to meet sustainability goals of society.

In heart muscle cells, energy is transferred from mitochondria to multiple locations in the cell, where it is utilized to perform mechanical work and maintain ion balance. On the molecular diffusion pathway, several intracellular structures impose restrictions, which are prominent in healthy cells and, some data suggests, disappear in disease. While the restrictions and some clinical data point towards a major role of creatine kinase (CK) assisted energy transfer in the cell, data from loss-of-function animal models are equivocal. In this project, we will develop and use state-of-the-art experimental and mathematical modeling approaches to characterize the diffusion environment within cardiomyocytes and quantify the role of CK in the healthy heart. By identifying the adaptations in transgenic mice, we expect to identify new treatment targets for heart failure patients with reduced CK flux.

The general objective of this project is to create an "umbrella architecture" based on existing EBSI services. The architecture builds the basis for the realization of traceability application scenarios. Furthermore, TRACE4EU focuses on engagement with pan-European stakeholders and promotion of recommendations for further development of the EBSI eco-system.

Astrocytes comprise one of the main cell types in the central nervous system (CNS), and it is now recognized that they have important roles in ensuring proper development and homeostasis of the CNS, with astrocyte dysfunction contributing to all major neurological disorders. Recent studies have shown that these cells undergo dramatic transcriptional changes in response to neuron-derived stimuli. However, what are the astrocyte-specific mechanisms that regulate these changes are still largely unknown. Here, this issue will be tackled using state-of-the art functional genomic approaches to generate a comprehensive map of the astrocyte-specific regulatory elements (with a focus on enhancers) and transcription factors that govern stimuli-induced gene expression changes. This will provide unique and original insights into the mechanisms that control stimuli-induced gene expression in non-neuronal CNS cells, with potential implications for the understanding of several neuropathologies.

Public administrations across Europe face double pressure to adjust to the digital age while inducing sustainable development. As they do so, the governments need to develop new, and redevelop old, public administration and policy capabilities. The current project rests on the assumption that public administrations form a pivotal yet often neglected cog in social shaping of technological progress driving the sustainable future. The objective of the PAFSD project is to create a new generation world-class research, teaching and knowledge transfer capabilities at the cross-roads of public administration, digital transformation and sustainable transition at TalTech, Estonia. This will be achieved by complementing the existing unique knowledge base of TalTech with training a new generation early-career researchers, exchanging new knowledge between senior researchers and support staff, developing new educational capabilities, actively engaging in policy networks internationally, enhancing organizational capabilities and doing a hands-on small-scale research project. The PADST project will pool the competences of three of the leading European research universities - KU Leuven, Universiteit Utrecht, and University College London - with TalTech to develop an international cutting-edge research center studying and shaping public administration capabilities fit for the digital and sustainable future in Estonia, Europe and beyond.

Copper is an essential cofactor for more than twenty enzymes crucial for cellular energy production, antioxidative defense, and oxidative metabolism. Free copper ions, however, are toxic and copper metabolism is therefore highly controlled. Dysregulation of copper homeostasis occurs in multiple diseases, including Wilson's (WD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This project strives to develop a comprehensive understanding of human copper metabolism and tools for its regulation. This will be achieved using a systems biology approach, which we applied earlier to intracellular Cu(I) proteome. We will expand this research to Cu(II) proteome in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid by using a novel LC-ICP MS-based approach. The expected results will substantially advance the knowledge on copper metabolism, and facilitate the search for molecular tools for its regulation. The latter will be tested in cellular and animal disease models and could provide novel molecular tools for WD and AD treatment.

Bone loading is the stress on bones during physical activity. It affects bone health and current wearable devices cannot measure it accurately. OsteoSense uses minature biosensors to capture human motion and machine learning to estimate bone loading, providing feedback and expert guidance directly on your smart phone. The system will be tested by leading experts in Estonia and professional football and racing teams in the UK, providing a world-class solution for indoor and outdoor human motion capture and bone loading reporting.