Objective
Surface-attached proteins establish cell-to-cell contacts and generate signals to control development and function of tissues. It is not clear how protein structure and interactions organize into intercellular assemblies to regulate signalling and adhesion. Using a hybrid approach and focusing on two cell-signalling systems critical for nervous system function, I will determine how protein conformation, interaction and spatial arrangement form cis and trans assemblies to control intercellular adhesion and signalling.
In the mammalian nervous system where intricate intercellular connections are highly abundant, two protein interaction systems play essential roles and have been studied extensively on a cellular and in vivo level:
1. Notch receptors with Jagged and Delta-like ligands in neurogenesis and neuronal plasticity
2. Contactins with Casprs, Neurofascin and Amyloid Precursor Protein in formation and maintenance of the nervous system.
In addition, Notch signalling triggered by Contactins promotes cell maturation and interlinks these two signalling systems. The detailed molecular-level structures and interactions, however, remain largely unresolved and, consequently, our understanding of how Notch and Contactin conformational and oligomeric changes trigger cell signalling and adhesion is limited.
The overall aim is to resolve the extracellular interactions of adhesion and the molecular mechanisms underlying signalling in the Notch and Contactin systems.
I will combine X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM to determine structures of proteins, complexes and higher-order assemblies in the pre- and post-intercellular state, and use biophysical and cellular methods to probe cis and trans multivalent interactions. This will provide the molecular basis of intercellular communication and a stepping stone for the development of therapeutics to treat Notch and Contactin associated neurological disorders and cancers.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences biological sciences neurobiology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pathology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine neurology
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2015-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
3584 CS Utrecht
Netherlands
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