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Evolution of neuroanatomical diversity: A phylogenetic comparative analysis across vertebrates using MRI.

Project description

The evolution of the brain

The study of brain evolution across species delivers a unique perspective on the sources of normal and pathological variability in the human brain. The EU-funded BrainTree project will study the evolution of the vertebrate brain, building on the researcher's background in neuroimaging, computational neuroanatomy, and the creation of platforms for real time collaboration in neuroimaging. The project will create the largest, open database of magnetic resonance imaging data on vertebrate brains using advanced computational neuroanatomy methods based on graph theory and deep learning algorithms. BrainTree will also test different evolutionary scenarios using phylogenetic comparative methods to assess ancestral phenotypes, evolutionary changes, and the emergence of multivariate relationships across brain structures.

Objective

The study of the evolution of the brain across species provides a unique perspective on the sources of normal and pathological variability in the human brain – a major challenge for neurosciences today.

I propose a project to study the evolution of the vertebrate brain with unprecedented detail. I have a strong background in neuroimaging, computational neuroanatomy and the creation of platforms for real time collaboration in neuroimaging. During the last years I have worked on the analysis of the neuroanatomical development of the human brain and the evolution of primate brain folding, as well as in the development of Web tools to allow distributed collaboration among scientists. I propose to use this expertise to build the largest, open database of magnetic resonance imaging data of vertebrate brains. I will use state of the art computational neuroanatomy methods to build precise brain reconstructions and automatically extract a series of neuroanatomical measurements of regional brain volume, surface-based shape information and brain folding. In addition, I will develop new methods to capture the variability in shape and folding patterns using graph theory and deep learning algorithms. I will test different evolutionary scenarios using phylogenetic comparative methods, to estimate ancestral phenotypes, evolutionary changes, and the emergence of multivariate relationships across brain structures.

My project will be developed in collaboration between the Group of Theoretical and Applied Neuroanatomy at Institut Pasteur, the National Natural History Museum in Paris and the Institute of Biology of the École Normal Supérieur. This collaboration will provide the ideal framework for my project, combining the availability of one of the world’s largest vertebrate brain collections, with leading expertise in computational neuroanatomy and phylogenetic comparative methods, crucial for my future career goal of becoming a leading researcher in brain evolution.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

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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.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020

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Coordinator

INSTITUT PASTEUR
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 196 707,84
Address
RUE DU DOCTEUR ROUX 25-28
75724 Paris
France

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Region
Ile-de-France Ile-de-France Hauts-de-Seine
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Research Organisations
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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.

€ 196 707,84
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