Objective
The brain regulates various physiological functions, including body weight, through descending autonomic sympathetic neurons. While targeting this system can improve obesity, it often carries cardiovascular risks. These limitations arise from a limited understanding of sympathetic neural networks due to their complexity and anatomically inaccessible location. My laboratory has been developing innovative strategies, including a novel imaging technique with single-neuron resolution and advanced single-cell analysis algorithms. In mice, these methods have enabled my laboratory to identify sympathetic interneurons, offering a new perspective into autonomic neuroscience. These interneurons are melanocortinergic and reside in sympathetic ganglia that do not target the heart but a unique thermogenic fat cluster, which we hypothesize is analogous to one found in adult humans. SympNetO will investigate whether these sympathetic interneurons can provide a neurobiological basis for cardioprotective anti-obesity mechanisms that promote fat burning. My laboratory will expand its suite of unpublished techniques, integrating single-cell genomics data across humans and macaques, alongside intersectional mouse models. This approach will enable us to develop anatomical and molecular atlases and functionally characterize sympathetic neural networks conserved across species. In Aim 1, my laboratory will molecularly define sympathetic neural networks across ganglia. In Aim 2, we will manipulate these networks to differentiate those regulating energy expenditure from other physiological processes like heart rate and blood pressure. In Aim 3, we will determine how sympathetic circuits control previously unrecognized thermogenic fat pads to regulate energy expenditure. This research aims to bring sympathetic neuroscience into the era of neural networks, providing a platform that could identify new fat-burning medications that spare the cardiovascular system.
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
- medical and health sciences health sciences nutrition obesity
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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-2024-ADG
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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.
OX1 2JD Oxford
United Kingdom
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.