Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS
Content archived on 2024-06-18

MicroRNA Networks in Neuronal Development and Plasticity

Objective

microRNAs (miRNAs) are novel gene circuitry regulators with an elusive role in neuronal development and plasticity. These small non-coding RNA molecules may explain some of the dysfunctional mechanisms in mental disorders, and are promising targets for diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. I have recently identified pre-synaptically enriched miRNAs, of which miR-338 was found to modulate the mitochondrial function. This fellowship will allow me to use the knowledge I have gained on the roles of synaptic translation in neuronal development and plasticity as a Research Associate in USA and implement that knowledge to Europe. The three main objectives of my proposed research are: (1) to identify candidate miRNAs differentially expressed during hippocampal development and plasticity; (2) to delineate miRNA’s regulatory role on local protein synthesis which is required for synaptic plasticity; and (3) to determine the functions of miRNAs in neuronal development and plasticity. To address objectives 1 and 2, I will employ deep-sequencing to identify miRNA genes differentially and spatially expressed during experience-dependent synaptic plasticity in the rat hippocampus and its synaptic compartments, respectively, and carry out computational prediction followed by experimental confirmations to identify miRNAs involved in synaptic function. In objective 3, I will investigate miRNA function in different forms of synaptic plasticity using cell biological approaches combined with in vivo behavioral experiments. I anticipate that my interdisciplinary research approach will define the role of miRNAs in synaptic plasticity and memory storage. The research proposed is innovative and significant because it may establish a new avenue of research on synaptic pathophysiology in mental disorders, and may provide the European society with cutting-edge technology with the potential to generate new miRNA-based therapies to treat nervous system disorders.

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.

You need to log in or register to use this function

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.

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

FP7-PEOPLE-2010-RG
See other projects for this call

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.

MC-IRG - International Re-integration Grants (IRG)

Coordinator

STICHTING RADBOUD UNIVERSITEIT
EU contribution
€ 100 000,00
Address
HOUTLAAN 4
6525 XZ Nijmegen
Netherlands

See on map

Region
Oost-Nederland Gelderland Arnhem/Nijmegen
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

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.

No data
My booklet 0 0