Project description
Untangling neuronal plasticity during brain development
Brain development is driven by external signals and cell-intrinsic processes that orchestrate a circuit of diverse neurons. This takes place both before and after birth. Understanding how external signals interact and integrate with internal pathways to produce neuronal identity is necessary for unveiling brain function. The EU-funded ArealPlasticity project will employ a mouse model to study neuronal plasticity using transplantation to mimic the change in the external environment. Researchers aim to identify genes implicated in environmentally triggered neuronal plasticity during differentiation. Results will have important consequences for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders.
Objective
Cellular diversity in the nervous system determines the variety of circuits that set the framework for brain function. These different types of neurons emerge during pre- and post-natal development through the regulation of gene networks by two archetypical processes: cell-intrinsic processes, which are independent of environmental conditions, and cell-extrinsic processes, which are triggered by environmental signals. A continuum of interactions between intrinsic and extrinsic processes underlie cellular states. However, their respective contribution to neuronal identity has been difficult to untangle because neurons are highly interconnected and heterogeneous cell-types with distinct and dynamic sensitivities to environmental signals. Here, using the mouse neocortex as a model system, I will investigate how cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic processes interact to define neuronal identities using Patch-seq assessment of neuronal molecular identity following transplantation across cortical areas. Neuronal “plasticity” will be assessed by transplantation, which corresponds to the artificial altering of the environmental factors. Data comparison between transplanted neurons and controls will identify the candidate of “core genes” which regulate the environment-dependent plasticity of neuronal differentiation. Finally, I will manipulate these candidate genes and analyze their effect on final neuronal identity to validate their causal relationship. Altogether, this study will contribute to revealing the plasticity of neuronal identity across cortical areas and to addressing environment-dependent molecular mechanisms controlling the plasticity. In the long term, this may contribute to a better understanding of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, in which cell-intrinsic and extrinsic factors interact to produce the disease.
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: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences neurobiology
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine psychiatry
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine transplantation
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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.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
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.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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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.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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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.
1211 Geneve
Switzerland
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.