Objective
Organ development and function are controlled by complex interactions between genetic, cellular, and environmental factors. Because these interactions are challenging to study in live organisms, their mechanisms remain largely unknown. Gut development is regulated by microbiota colonization, making it a valuable organ for dissecting gene-environment interactions.
Cytokines, small secreted proteins highly responsive to environmental changes, regulate immunity and gut function in mammals. Our data indicate that specific cytokines are also essential for gut development in zebrafish. We found that these cytokines are first expressed in gut epithelial cells during development, and later their expression is switched to immune cells, including innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). ILCs were discovered in the mammalian gut but their function has not been dissected due to the lack of specific markers. Having identified the first vertebrate ILC markers in zebrafish, we will combine our novel tools together with other unique benefits of zebrafish such as live microscopy, easy environmental manipulation and abundant genetic tools, to dissect how microbial cues interact with genetic networks to control organ development. We hypothesize that gut development is regulated by cytokine signaling that is, in turn, regulated by crosstalk with the microbiota, and the emergence of ILCs.
Our specific aims are to:
1. Characterize the roles of cytokines during gut development
2. Determine how microbiota-cytokine crosstalk controls gut development
3. Uncover the role of ILCs and cytokine source switching in gut maturation
This project, at the intersection of developmental biology and immunology, will provide fundamental insights into how symbiont-host crosstalk controls organogenesis, and a new conceptual framework for the function of the immune system. Furthermore, conservation with the human gut could help identify new therapeutic strategies for common diseases such as inflammatory bowel 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 biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- medical and health sciences basic medicine immunology
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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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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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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) ERC-2021-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.
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.