VTT is participating in the ASSET (Analysing and Striking the Sensitivities of
Embryonal Tumours) project of the European Union. The project focuses on three
types of paediatric tumours: neuroblastoma, medulloblastoma and Ewing sarcoma.
The goal is to identify mechanistically understood network vulnerabilities
that can be exploited for new approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of
major paediatric tumours.
VTT has a central role in performing the high-throughput RNA interference and
compound screens to identify novel putative drug targets and growth inhibitory
compounds. The first results on high-throughput miRNA screens will be obtained
already during this year.
The 5-year ASSET project is funded by the FP7-Health-2010 Seventh Framework
programme. ASSET is a collaborative project between 15 research groups around
Europe with a total funding of 12 Million euros, VTT’s share being 661 000
euros.