Objective
Mood disorders represent some of the most common and proliferating health problems worldwide. The present knowledge on the molecular regulation and intracellular signalling mechanisms of anxiety and depression behaviour is incomplete. A better understanding and the development of novel, improved therapeutic treatment would fill a medical need. To study the function of signal transduction pathways in the brain requires control of the activity of a signalling protein in a temporal manner in a selected cell type of the brain. Signalling processes undergo cycles of activation and repression, such that their manipulation into both directions is of experimental interest. This project will focus on the development and application of a new inducible and reversible switch to modulate the activity of signalling molecules at the protein level in the postnatal mouse brain, with the MAP Kinase (MAPK) pathway as a case study. This switch relies on the posttranslational activation of hyperactive or dominant negative protein kinase mutants fused with the ERT2 mutant estrogen receptor ligand binding domain. In mice the ERT2 technology is routinely applied to induce the activity of Cre recombinase but is not yet utilised in vivo to manipulate endogenous proteins. Here, B-Raf kinase provides an excellent starting point since the functionality of mutant B-Raf-ERT2 fusion proteins to activate in vitro MAPK signalling is known. By the use of a dominant negative or hyperactive B-Raf fusion protein the fusion protein technology will be for the first time applied to the inducible enhancement or repression of an endogenous signalling pathway in brain neurons. In these mice MAPK signalling can be manipulated in a cell type specific and temporal manner by a small molecule inducer. In particular, the hypothesis that a transient increase of MAPK signalling in glutamatergic neurons of the pubertal brain, results in increased anxiety and depression-like behavior of adult mice, will be tested.
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 cell biology cell signaling
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
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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.
FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF
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
85764 Neuherberg
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.