RNAct · Project

Software Tools That Design RNA-Binding Proteins for Biosensors and Biotech Manufacturing

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Imagine proteins as tiny machines that can grab onto specific RNA molecules — like a hand picking up the right key from a pile. This project built computer software that designs these "grabber" proteins from scratch, predicts how well they'll work, and tests them virtually before anyone steps into a lab. The end result is an online platform where you plug in what RNA you want to detect or control, and the software tells you which protein design will do the job. Think of it as a design studio for molecular tools used in diagnostics and biotech production.

By the numbers

Early-stage researchers trained with computational and experimental skills

Partners in the consortium

Countries represented in the consortium

Industrial partners including SMEs

Software tools integrated into one online screening platform

Total deliverables produced

The business problem

What needed solving

Companies developing RNA-based diagnostics, biosensors, or engineered biological systems need to design proteins that bind specific RNA sequences — but current methods require deep structural biology expertise, expensive lab screening, and months of trial and error. There is no single integrated platform that takes you from protein sequence to validated RNA-binding design computationally.

The solution

What was built

The project built 4 integrated software tools: a biophysical interpretation tool linking protein sequences to RNA-binding behavior, improved structure calculation software accounting for molecular dynamics, an RRM modeling and RNA-protein docking package, and an online web server combining all tools into a single screening entry point for designing RNA-binding proteins.

Audience

Who needs this

RNA diagnostics companies developing point-of-care biosensorsSynthetic biology startups engineering metabolic pathwaysPharma R&D teams studying RNA-protein interactions as drug targetsBiotech companies designing RNA biochips for gene expression analysisContract research organizations offering protein engineering services

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Diagnostics and Biosensors

SME

Target: Companies developing RNA-based diagnostic tests or biosensor devices

If you are a diagnostics company struggling to design reliable RNA detection probes — this project built an online screening tool that models RNA-binding proteins from sequence, docks them to target RNA, and ranks candidates before you spend money on lab validation. The combined web platform integrates 4 separate software tools into one entry point, cutting your protein design cycle significantly.

Synthetic Biology and Biotech

SME

Target: Biotech startups engineering metabolic pathways in microorganisms

If you are a synthetic biology company trying to regulate fatty acid processing or other metabolic pathways at the RNA level — this project developed RRM protein designs that post-transcriptionally control gene expression. The modeling and docking software lets you design custom RNA-binding proteins matched to your target sequences without trial-and-error lab screening.

Pharmaceutical R&D

enterprise

Target: Pharma companies studying RNA-protein interactions for drug targets

If you are a pharmaceutical R&D team investigating RNA-protein interactions as drug targets — this project created structure calculation software that accounts for molecular dynamics, giving you more accurate protein structure models. The integrated biophysical space tool links sequence predictions to actual binding behavior, helping you identify druggable RNA-protein interfaces faster.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to use these software tools?

The project deliverables describe an online web server providing combined screening tools via a single entry point, suggesting free academic access. Commercial licensing terms are not specified in the available project data. Contact the coordinator at Vrije Universiteit Brussel to discuss commercial use.

Can these tools work at industrial scale for high-throughput screening?

The software package combines computational modeling, docking, and biophysical prediction into one platform, which supports screening RRM proteins computationally before lab work. However, the project was primarily a training network for 10 early-stage researchers, so industrial-scale validation would likely require additional development and benchmarking.

What is the IP and licensing situation?

The project involved 14 partners across 7 countries, including 4 industrial partners and 4 SMEs. IP ownership likely follows the consortium agreement terms. Based on available project data, the software tools were designed to be made publicly available, but commercial licensing would need to be negotiated with the developing partners.

How accurate are the protein design predictions?

The structure calculation software was specifically built to better account for molecular dynamics, integrating experimental NMR data like chemical shifts to produce more accurate structure ensembles. The biophysical space tool links sequence-based predictions to actual RRM behavior including RNA binding, though specific accuracy benchmarks are not stated in the deliverable descriptions.

What is the timeline to integrate these tools into our R&D pipeline?

The online combined screening tool was designed as a web server with a single entry point, which should allow relatively quick adoption for computational screening. The project ran from 2019 to 2022 and is now closed, meaning the tools should be in their final delivered state. Integration into wet-lab workflows would require your own validation steps.

Is there ongoing support or development?

As an MSCA-ITN training network, the project formally ended in December 2022. Based on available project data, there is no indication of a follow-up support contract. The consortium included 7 universities and 3 research organizations that may continue maintaining the tools within their own research programs.

Consortium

Who built it

The RNAct consortium brings together 14 partners from 7 European countries (Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Lithuania, Sweden), with a healthy mix of 7 universities, 3 research organizations, and 4 industry players including 4 SMEs — giving it a 29% industry ratio. The coordinator is Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium. The presence of industrial partners in a training network signals that the research outputs were designed with real-world applicability in mind, though the primary mission remained training early-career scientists. For a business looking to adopt these tools, the multi-partner structure means expertise is distributed and no single point of contact covers all capabilities.

VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSELCoordinator · BE
UNIVERSITE DE LIEGEpartner · BE
UNIVERSITE DE LORRAINEpartner · FR
HELMHOLTZ ZENTRUM MUENCHEN DEUTSCHES FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM FUER GESUNDHEIT UND UMWELT GMBHparticipant · DE
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHENpartner · DE
RIDGEVIEW INSTRUMENTS ABparticipant · SE
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI FIRENZEpartner · IT
DYNAMIC BIOSENSORS GMBHparticipant · DE
UPPSALA UNIVERSITETpartner · SE
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICASparticipant · ES
GIOTTO BIOTECH SRLparticipant · IT
UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE VALENCIApartner · ES
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRSparticipant · FR

How to reach the team

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) — search for the RNAct project lead in the Structural Biology Brussels group

Order a report on this consortium See VRIJE UNIVERSITEIT BRUSSEL profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how RNAct's protein design tools could fit your diagnostics or biotech R&D pipeline? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the right consortium partner for your specific use case.

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