ERC Proof of Concept Grant to Emma Andersson will lead to fewer laboratory animals

The grant is awarded by the European Research Council, ERC, and is a one-off amount of EUR 150,000, about SEK 1.65 million, over 18 months. The aim is to translate a discovery from the researcher's previous ERC-funded project into a commercial application.

Emma R. Andersson is a principal researcher at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, KI, and researches how cells form different types of tissue. 

“In the ERC project LIMITNESS, we developed new technology to influence gene expression in mouse embryos. This means that we can reduce the number of mice needed to answer scientific questions,” she says.

Mice receive the desired genetics via nano-injection 

Previously, mice with certain genetic mutations were propagated through breeding, but then many mice are born with the “wrong” genetic signature. With the new technology, week-old mouse embryos are engineered to obtain the desired genetics through nano-injection.

“Then we can create four mice with the right mutation and four controls that do not have mutations,” says Emma R. Andersson.

Her research group has mapped the choices that cells make when they develop from stem cells to form the brain and inner ear, which was published in Science.

“With other methods, a lot of animals are required, but we were able to build the map for the inner ear with only eight mice,” she says.

Technology to be made more user-friendly

Because the technology is complicated, other groups have found it difficult to adopt. Therefore, in the project "In_UteROBO", Emma R. Andersson will scale up and automate the process, which is being done together with Christian Smith's research team at KTH. 

“For our part, we are quite satisfied, but we have to develop the robot to be useful for others. This innovation can lead to a drastic reduction in the number of animal experiments worldwide, not just in my lab,” she says.

The new robot requires less dexterity 

Today, the researcher sits at a laminar flow hood and has their left hand on a micromanipulator, three wheels that, when spun, move part of the device in three dimensions: front and back, up and down, right and left. 

The right hand controls another part of the appliance in the same way. With the robot, however, the intended injection site is displayed on the computer screen. Simply click on the desired location, and the robot automatically moves the needle to that position.

“You don't have to be as dexterous at all,” she says. 

Now the robot's user-friendliness will be tested. 

“We invite people from labs we collaborate with to get feedback on what can be improved,” says Emma R. Andersson.

“Research becomes more fun and less random”

With today's methods, it is possible to identify the ten genes that may be important for a particular disease. In the past, researchers had to choose which one to knock out or amplify, with the risk of choosing the wrong gene. 

“Now we can study all ten, find the three that matter the most and focus on them. Research becomes more fun and less random when we can systematically explore all the possibilities,” she says. 

She is grateful for the grant, which gives their innovation a stamp of quality. 

“We have not previously tried to commercialise anything, so it feels reassuring to have been entrusted with it,” says Emma R. Andersson and concludes: 

“For me, it is also a confirmation that the original project was of value. And given the complicated world situation, it is gratifying to receive funding for continued research and innovation.”

Text: Lotta Fredholm