Objective
The balance of risk-taking and avoidance is essential for survival. Across different stages of life an animal’s priorities shift, which is reflected in changing behavioral preferences both during adolescents, when typically more risks are taken to facilitate exploration, and parenting, when avoiding risk is prioritized to ensure the safety of their young. These behavioral changes are correlated with distinct changes in hormonal levels. In mice, recently weaned adolescents exhibit high levels of corticosterone while parenting mice have increased oxytocin. The principles of how these changing hormonal levels impact the processing of information in neural circuits is poorly understood. Visually evoked avoidance behaviors are triggered through circuits of the superior colliculus. Here I will uncover how changing hormonal levels act to influence the processing of visual stimuli arriving from the retina and the resulting behaviors (e.g. freezing or escape). I will determine how this circuitry is affected by hormonal changes occurring across different life stages and whether these changes explain the resulting changes in behavior. To accomplish this, I will measure changes in innate defensive behaviors at different life stages, then identify the underlying circuit mechanisms involved. My expertise in precise circuit dissection in the retina provides me with the ideal background to uncover the mechanisms underlying the hormonal modulation of circuits in the superior colliculus. Recent technological advancement in functional imaging and large-scale electrophysiology along with new understandings of cell types and pathways of the superior colliculus provide the appropriate opportunity to identify the local and global modulations of visual processing driving hormone dependent changes in innate defensive behaviors. Overall, this research will provide valuable insight into how hormonal fluctuations allow animals to adapt to their changing needs across different stages of life.
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.
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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)
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-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-2023-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.
9052 ZWIJNAARDE - GENT
Belgium
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.