Project description
Understanding PTSD for better treatment
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects around 4 % of people worldwide. Treatment options are limited, and research has been constrained by challenges such as small sample sizes, slowing progress in understanding the condition. The ERC-funded sc-PTSD project aims to explore PTSD pathology using single-nuclei RNA sequencing, DNA methylation profiling, and 3D chromatin structure analysis. It aims to identify cellular and transcriptional changes in post-mortem brains, uncover molecular targets, and characterise traditional PTSD models through genomics. The project will also develop a novel humanised model for PTSD, test the efficacy of new and existing targets to reduce PTSD in mice, and ultimately enhance our understanding of PTSD for better interventions.
Objective
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a devastating psychiatric disease triggered by severe psychological trauma, affecting 4% of the global population - a prevalence projected to rise due to ongoing conflicts like the war in Ukraine and the looming threat of climate change. Despite its widespread impact, we lack effective treatments of PTSD, placing a significant burden on individuals and society.
Previous PTSD research was hindered by limitations such as bulk tissue analyses, a lack of epigenetic focus, or small sample sizes. These drawbacks limit our understanding of cell-type-specific alterations during PTSD. My proposed project will leverage single-nuclei RNA sequencing, DNA methylation profiling, and 3D chromatin structure analysis to achieve unprecedented insights into PTSD pathology.
Specifically, I aim to:
1) Identify cellular, epigenetic, and transcriptional perturbations in a post-mortem human brain PTSD cohort, revealing promising molecular targets.
2) Characterize classical models of PTSD using single-nuclei genomics, and develop novel humanized model of PTSD. This will enable the identification of the most relevant model for human PTSD, and streamline further validation of targets.
3) Test the efficacy of novel as well as already identified targets from my pilot animal study by utilizing epigenome-modifying tools to alleviate PTSD pathology in mouse models.
This project will deepen our understanding of PTSD at unprecedented resolution, ultimately validating novel molecular targets and paving the way for more effective interventions in future.
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.
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine psychiatry posttraumatic stress disorder
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA transcriptomes
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pathology
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences atmospheric sciences climatology climatic changes
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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)
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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-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-2025-STG
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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.
69117 Heidelberg
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.