Objective
Major changes in the structure, functional complexity, and size of the brain led to the cognitive abilities of extant humans. Adaptive changes in early hominoid evolution likely laid the foundation for more recent changes on the human lineage. We will use an integrated approach ? bridging cognitive neuroscience and molecular evolution ? to identify and characterize recent molecular innovations involved in cognitive abilities unique to humans. We will achieve this by comparing humans and apes using the fo llowing three complementary strategies: 1) We will identify ?human cognition? genes that originated recently on the primate lineage by gene duplication and show signatures of adaptive evolution (genome level). 2) Comparative expression analyses between human and ape brains will shed light on differences that evolved at the transcriptome and proteome levels. We will distinguish between neutral and selective expression changes. 3) We will pinpoint genes associated with higher cognitive function in humans by a comparative study of a complex neurocognitive disorder (schizophrenia) and normal controls (transcript level, proteome level). The functional relevance of changes in candidate genes derived from approaches 1-3 will be elucidated using transgenic m ice. We will cross different transgenic mouse lines to combine candidate genes with the long-term goal to reconstruct adaptive changes that led to the emergence of neurological functions that form the basis of aspects of human cognitive abilities. Our ap proach and the groups involved provide a highly interdisciplinary framework (molecular evolution, bioinformatics, molecular neuroscience, and clinical psychiatry). Thus, it reflects the spirit of the program and is likely to foster to high-quality resear ch that is likely to attract wide interest in society at large.
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 zoology mammalogy primatology
- natural sciences biological sciences neurobiology cognitive neuroscience
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins proteomics
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology molecular evolution
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology molecular neuroscience
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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.
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.
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.
FP6-2003-NEST-PATH
See other projects for this call
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.
Coordinator
MUENCHEN
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.