Project description
Dissecting the autophagy pathway in neurodegeneration
Autophagy is a natural process for degrading and clearing damaged or unnecessary cellular components. However, evidence indicates that autophagy perturbation, especially in sensitive cells such as neurons, may lead to neurodegeneration. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) NeuroDiDro project proposes to develop a neurodegenerative disease model using the fruit fly Drosophila. Researchers will mutate one of the genes implicated in the autophagy pathway and study the early-stage implications of such a defect. Project results will provide important molecular insight into the mechanisms that lead to neurodegeneration during development and identify early disease biomarkers.
Objective
Understanding the fundamental basis of brain disorders is a one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century. Large-scale genetic studies have identified numerous genes with associated roles in both neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, suggesting that common mechanisms are involved in the different phases of the same disease. Autophagy is such mechanism, which dysfunction during development or in adult can lead to neurodegenerative diseases, including beta-propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration (BPAN). BPAN is a disease caused by loss-of-function mutations of the autophagy-related gene Wdr45 resulting in neurodevelopmental defects and neurodegenerative phenotypes. Although BPAN is a rare disease, it represents a genetically simple model to understand the contribution of developmental defects during neurodegenerative disease. To answer these questions, we will use Drosophila that provides unequaled experimental power for generating models of human neurological diseases and establishing their molecular genetic basis. Here, using CRISPR/cas9-made Wdr45 null mutant flies generated by Mollereau and col., I examined human Wdr45-linked phenotypes in Drosophila. I found adult-onset neurodegenerative phenotypes including age-related locomotion decline as well as an abnormal hyperkinetic movements in the embryos of Wdr45 mutants. Therefore, targeting Wdr45 in Drosophila, we aim not only to allow identifying the developmental and neural basis of autophagy-associated neurodegeneration, but also to uncovering the disease molecular responses that are prior to the appearance of neurodegenerative syndromes. Ultimately, findings of our proposal can help find early disease biomarkers and design therapies for broad range of neurological 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: 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
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics mutation
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine embryology
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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.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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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-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01
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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.
69342 Lyon
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.