Cel The retina – a thin sheet of neural tissue in the back of the eye – is a sophisticated image processor which analyzes the incoming light pattern through a set of separate spatio-temporal channels and relays this information to the brain. The loss of the visual sense due to retinal degenerative diseases is considered to be a severe handicap for human life quality. The insertion of microbial opsins into retinal neurons is a promising approach to restore vision in retinal degenerative diseases. However, the light intensity that is needed for optogenetic stimulation is still very high, and current strategies do not allow for discrimination of different wavelengths (colour vision). To overcome these obstacles we will develop optimized optogenetic treatment strategies in mouse models of retinal degeneration by using different microbial opsins with enhanced light sensitivity and altered action spectra. Finally, by introducing microbial opsins into post mortem human retinas we will translate these optogenetic approaches into therapeutic strategies for patients who are affected by retinal degeneration.Another aim of this proposal is to investigate the structure and function of retinal interneurons that mediate the remarkable image processing capabilities of the retina. Amacrine cells represent an extremely diverse class of interneurons that contribute to visual information processing in the inner retina. Yet the function of only very few amacrine cell types is well understood. Recently, a new amacrine cell type has been identified that expresses a marker of excitatory neurons (vesicular glutamate transporter type 3, vGluT3) as well as a marker of inhibitory neurons (glycine), suggesting that this amacrine cell is a ‘dual transmitter’ neuron. However, the synaptic output of this amacrine cell remains elusive. By using optogenetics in combination with two-photon microscopy and electrophysiology we aim to uncover the function of this amacrine cell type in visual processing. Dziedzina nauki engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcolorsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopysocial sciencessociologysocial issuessocial inequalitiesmedical and health sciencesclinical medicineophthalmologynatural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdata sciencedata processing Program(-y) FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Temat(-y) ERC-SG-LS5 - ERC Starting Grant - Neurosciences and neural disorders Zaproszenie do składania wniosków ERC-2012-StG_20111109 Zobacz inne projekty w ramach tego zaproszenia System finansowania ERC-SG - ERC Starting Grant Instytucja przyjmująca FONDATION DE COOPERATION SCIENTIFIQUE VOIR ET ENTENDRE Wkład UE € 1 499 200,00 Adres 17 RUE MOREAU 75012 Paris Francja Zobacz na mapie Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Val-de-Marne Rodzaj działalności Research Organisations Kierownik naukowy Jens Duebel (Dr.) Kontakt administracyjny Eric Charretier (Dr.) Linki Kontakt z organizacją Opens in new window Strona internetowa Opens in new window Koszt całkowity Brak danych Beneficjenci (1) Sortuj alfabetycznie Sortuj według wkładu UE Rozwiń wszystko Zwiń wszystko FONDATION DE COOPERATION SCIENTIFIQUE VOIR ET ENTENDRE Francja Wkład UE € 1 499 200,00 Adres 17 RUE MOREAU 75012 Paris Zobacz na mapie Region Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Val-de-Marne Rodzaj działalności Research Organisations Kierownik naukowy Jens Duebel (Dr.) Kontakt administracyjny Eric Charretier (Dr.) Linki Kontakt z organizacją Opens in new window Strona internetowa Opens in new window Koszt całkowity Brak danych