Project description
Mapping the brain circuits that control metabolism
The brain plays a central role in coordinating the body’s metabolism by adapting to changing nutrient levels. It receives signals about hunger, hormones and nutrient status, and it adjusts feeding, energy use and organ function accordingly. Although many different neuron types contribute to this process, we lack an understanding of how they work together as a circuit. The ERC-funded DeWireMetab project aims to identify the molecular profiles of connected neurons across the metabolic network. Researchers will employ advanced neurobiological tools by precisely mapping how hormonal signals and gut-derived nutrient cues are integrated in the brain. The project will offer new cues into the origins of metabolic diseases and identify potential therapeutic targets.
Objective
Systemic metabolism has to be constantly adjusted to the internal variance in nutrient availability. Therefore, the brain integrates multiple signals related to energy balance and coordinates alterations in energy intake with fuel distribution by precisely fine-tuning feeding, hormone release, and autonomic output. Cell-specific investigations have shown that this involves various molecularly distinct neurons that are distributed throughout the nervous system, each encoding different aspects of behavior and physiology. However, it has not been possible to comprehensively assess the circuit organization of these functionally distinct cells due to the enormous neuronal heterogeneity and anatomical complexity of the regions they reside in. Addressing this issue would have fundamental implications for elucidating the information network flow within the brain that ultimately orchestrates metabolic processes across cells, tissues, and organ systems. Thus, the proposed research program will employ a newly developed approach for the unbiased identification of the molecular profiles of connected neurons. This knowledge will then be used for targeting engineered neurobiological tools to newly identified neurocircuits in order to characterize their integrative features and metabolic functions with unprecedented precision. This multidisciplinary combinatorial approach will be employed to (1) unravel hypothalamic neurocircuits that integrate hormonal signals, (2) identify the neurocircuits that relay nutrient signals from the gut, and (3) define convergence of hormonal and vagal inputs in distinct neurocircuits. Collectively, the proposed research program will provide a more holistic insight into the integrative wiring diagram of metabolism-regulatory neurocircuits, which could provide long-elusive insights into how their disruption is linked to metabolic disorders, and may even lay the foundation for developing new druggable targets to better treat specific metabolic 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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
-
HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
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
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
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-2024-COG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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.
80539 MUNCHEN
Germany
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.