Objective
Instinctive or innate behaviours such as eating, social interaction, mating, parental care, defence and aggression, are fundamental for survival and reproduction. Innate behaviours do not need to be learned, are encoded by developmentally hard-wired subcortical circuits and are conserved across mammalian species.
In this highly ambitious synergistic research programme, which builds on our track record of discoveries, our aim is to deliver a step-change in the understanding of mammalian innate behaviour.
INSTINCT partners have developed technological approaches and defined distinct neural signatures of innate behaviour (Branco). Our pioneering studies showed that genetic disruption of hypothalamic circuits which defend against starvation, increases the drive to eat (hyperphagia) and causes obesity in humans (Farooqi). Uniquely, by modelling human genetic disorders in mice, Xu and Farooqi identified causal mechanisms underlying anxiety, aggression, reduced socialisation and postpartum depression. Now, by working together, across scientific disciplines, we will:
1. Identify new genetic causes of disordered human innate behaviour by studying people with hyperphagic obesity and anxiety/aggression/autistic spectrum disorder from childhood. We will develop and phenotype mouse models of these conditions, using leading-edge technologies to measure behaviour in naturalistic social settings.
2. Integrate state-of-the-art functional neuroimaging in humans and systems neuroscience approaches in mice, to define the neural basis of disordered innate behaviour.
3. Test how external stimuli such as smell and stress impact the brain and behaviour, building tools to permit synergistic studies in mice and humans.
4. Investigate how synaptic strength modulation in hard-wired circuits contributes to changes in behaviour and integrate multi-dimensional datasets to build computational models of mammalian innate behaviour.
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
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine obstetrics postnatal care
- 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-SYG - HORIZON ERC Synergy 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-SyG
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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.
CB2 1TN CAMBRIDGE
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.