Objective
The major interest of my research activity is to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to the development of obesity, particularly focusing on the role of the central nervous system (CNS) in this context. The CNS is the critical organ for the coordination of intracellular metabolic processes that are essential to guarantee energy homeostasis at the organism level. Thus, centering my studies on the atypical kinase mammalian Target Of Rapamycin (mTOR), I recently demonstrated that this evolutionarily conserved fuel sensing pathway integrates sensory inputs from nutrients and hormones within the hypothalamus, in order to modulate food intake and body weight. The ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a cytokine whose central administration reduces body weight even in leptin-resistant states, including diet-induced obesity, and causes a weight loss that is maintained after therapy discontinuation. The explanation for this long-term effect of CNTF on energy balance likely resides in its newly described ability to induce neurogenesis within the adult murine hypothalamus. Cellular development and differentiation are tightly coordinated with nutritional status; and induction of mitogenic signaling and neuronal differentiation is known to involve modulation of the mTOR signaling. Thus, I propose that the CNTF effects on neurogenesis and energy balance require the activation of the hypothalamic mTOR signaling pathway. To investigate this hypothesis, I will use a multidisciplinary approach, including the use of genetically modified mice, specific behavioral paradigms and molecular strategies. These studies will clarify the role of cellular fuel sensing mechanisms in the regulation of energy balance and possibly highlight the function of processes, such as neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation, which might be important for the appropriate regulation of energy balance within the hypothalamus and that might require a functional mTOR signaling cascade.
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
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology homeostasis
- medical and health sciences health sciences nutrition obesity
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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.
Topic(s)
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.
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.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-3-IRG
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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.
Coordinator
75654 Paris
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.