"Targeting Circadian Clock Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease” Doctoral Network (TClock4AD) is a joint doctoral programme funded within Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks that aims to train doctoral candidates thorough an international consortium of universities, research institutions, SMEs, a hospital, a patient association and other socio-economic actors from different countries across Europe and beyond.
CC has recently emerged as a viable therapeutic target for new effective drugs. However, how to develop them remains a fundamental challenge. On this basis, by harnessing different disciplines, such as neurobiology, medicinal chemistry, pharmaceutical nanotechnology, neuroimmunology, big data, bioinformatics, and entrepreneurship, TClock4AD will exploit unique expertise and advanced technologies at 12 leading universities, 3 research centers, a hospital, 12 non-academic institutions including SMEs, a large pharma company, a Health industry association, and a patient organization across EU, UK, Israel, USA and China. TClock4AD will deliver double degrees to 15 (+2) doctoral candidates, with triple-i knowledge/skills, broad vision and a business-oriented mindset. Their research activities will be structured around 5 scientific themes to: (1) develop novel artificial intelligence-, proteolysis targeting chimeras- and multitarget-based strategies for new CC drug candidates (2) develop novel drug delivery nanotechnologies, which take into consideration CC (3) investigate innovative in vitro (stem-cells, 3D cultures) & in vivo (Drosophila), as well as organ-on-chip techniques, for preclinical validation of CC drugs (4) get insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying CC in AD and associated drug response in mice and C. elegans models (5) develop innovative biotech business model and exploitation strategies.
