Welcome

Welcome to the website of the European project SYSCILIA, “A systems biology approach to dissect cilia function and its disruption in human genetic disease”. SYSCILIA was a large scale integrating project funded by the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under the Health Cooperation Programme. The duration of the project was 60 months, starting from June 1st 2010. It brought together 18 partners from seven different countries.

The aim of SYSCILIA was to identify the molecular mechanisms characterizing cilium function, and the discrete perturbations associated with dysfunction caused by mutations in inherited ciliopathies, applying a systems biology approach. Our overall objectives were to establish a paradigm for studying and modelling complex eukaryotic systems, to understand how system perturbation contributes to the modulation of clinical phenotypes, and to provide a better understanding of ciliary processes in biology and their associated diseases.

During the five years, SYSCILIA delivered several large scale datasets to finally describe the first landscape of the ciliary system in health and disease. High resolution localization studies to define the sub-ciliary localization and transport add to the information on the connectivity within the ciliary protein network, and the developed models have generated important insights into disease mechanisms and pinpointed potential therapeutic avenues.

The SYSCILIA project finished 31st of May, 2015 having achieved:

• Over 200 scientific publications of which almost 50% in journals with an Impact Factor above 8.
• Publication of the Cilia protein landscape revealing new insights in disease mechanisms and functions related to the cell's antenna.
• SYSCILIA Gold Standard protein set.
• Ciliary Gene Ontology, with 50 new terms.
• Whole genome siRNA-based reverse genetics screen for defects in ciliogenesis.
• Whole genome siRNA-based reverse genetics screen for defects in ciliogenesis.
• Five SYSCILIA annual meetings, 4 cross-component workshops, 6 training/workshops, 21 online internal training sessions, 4 webinars with external academic, industrial & clinical partners.
• The initiation and continuation of the International Cilia conference in Europe, highlighting both scientific and clinical progress and uniquely integrating patient perspectives
  • Cilia2012, London
  • Cilia2014, Paris
  • Cilia2016, Amsterdam

This website will stay operative and more scientific publications regarding SYSCILIA will be uploaded.