REVEAL

Abstract

The REVEAL project aims at installing a novel microscope at the interface of instrumentation, machine learning and Biology. This new microscopy technique will rely heavily on neural networks to be able to perceive, interpret, conjecture, infer, anticipate and act.

The present project intends to lay down the foundations of this ‘neuronal microscopy’ in the realms of 2D and 3D cell live imaging.

To achieve this goal, we will develop the necessary tools and the first instruments that will demonstrate the feasibility and the power of this new microscopy framework. In particular, we will develop a ‘cell picking neuronal microscope’ that will allow us to detect and collect different subtype of liver cells that are due to become tumoral and analyse them ahead of tumour manifestation. This analysis will help us to characterize the cellular heterogeneity known to exist at the origin of liver cancer. It will provide a direct mapping between cellular phenotypes observed under microscope and gene expression present in the early stages of liver cancer. Overall, we are thus defining a novel methodology, giving a central place to neuronal microscopy in the understanding of the cellular origin of the diseases.

REVEAL is a multidisciplinary project engaging 7 EU partners (2 being SMEs) from 4 countries covering the RTO, academic and industrial worlds, including medical doctors. An implementation plan is presented in the form of 6 work packages, 4 of them being technical. Synergy in communication and dissemination by the several partners and stakeholders will permit to maximize the project impact. Solutions to overcome the technological barriers, as well as appropriate deliverables, tasks, milestones and risks are presented, in order to complete the project objectives in due time. The REVEAL project outcomes are fully in line with the H2020 ICT-36-2020 call, subtopic iv, as it will develop novel methods and devices as research tools to understand the cellular origin of diseases.

Objectives

The last decade has seen instrumentation, biology and machine learning transformed.

To embrace all these innovations altogether, the present project proposes to establish a novel microscope at the interface of these fields.

To this end, we introduce a concept of ‘neuronal microscopy’, a technique relying heavily on neural networks able to perceive, interpret, infer, anticipate and act and the project intends to lay down the foundations of this ‘neuronal microscopy’ in the realms of 2D and 3D live cell imaging.

Under Project REVEAL we will develop the necessary tools and the first instruments that will demonstrate the feasibility and the power of this novel microscopy framework.

As a first test, we will target the cellular heterogeneity that lies at the origin of liver cancer.

Once developed, the ‘cell-picking neuronal microscope’ will allow us to detect, identify and select pre-cancerous liver cells from a heterogenous mix and analyse them ahead of tumour manifestation.

It will directly map cellular phenotypes observed under the microscope to gene and protein expression programs and cellular ultra-structures present in early stages of the disease.

Overall, we are buliding an innovative and disruptive photonic tool, which gives a central place to neuronal microscopy in the understanding of the cellular origin of the diseases.