Project description
Unlocking evolution in motion
Over the past 30 years, population genetics has made great strides, showing how genetic segregation happens in dense bacterial colonies. However, this does not explain evolution in motile organisms with complex movement patterns. Despite extensive study in the field of active matter physics, the role of such dynamics in microbial evolution remains largely unexplored. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) programme, the COFAM project will seek to unlock the dynamics of motile cell colonies. Using interdisciplinary methods, it aims to decipher genetic segregation, pattern formation, and ecological interactions within these populations. COFAM paves the way for a comprehensive theory of spatial eco-evolutionary changes in active populations, shedding light on the intricate dance of evolution in motion.
Objective
Population genetics has undergone a major revolution over the past thirty years thanks to the development of controlled microbial experiments to test the respective roles of randomness, selection, and ecological processes in evolution. For instance, it was shown that, when cell division drives the growth of dense bacterial colonies, fluctuations at the colony's edge generally lead to the emergence of spatial genetic segregation. Most organisms, however, do not spread out because of cell division but instead follow complex nonequilibrium dynamics characterized by self-propulsion and motility-induced collective behaviors. Although such nonequilibrium dynamics have been extensively studied within the new field of physics called active matter, their role in shaping microbial evolution remains largely unknown. The aim of this proposal is to address this issue and investigate the interplay between active matter physics and spatial population genetics. To do so, I will put forward an interdisciplinary theoretical framework that integrates coarse-grained descriptions of active-matter systems with evolutionary and ecological processes. By combining stochastic calculus, field-theoretical methods, and numerical simulations, I will then characterize the emergent phenomenology of such systems. To this aim, the project delves into four consecutive objectives: 1) understand the fate of genetic segregation in motile cellular colony; 2) Study the interplay of motility-induced pattern formation and genetic segregation; 3) incorporate ecological interactions in the framework developed in previous stages; 4) generalize our findings to address highly heterogeneous communities. By achieving these tasks, I aim to unravel the complex dynamics of motile cell colonies, setting the stage for a theory of spatial eco-evolutionary changes in active populations.
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-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global 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.
00185 Roma
Italy
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.