Objective
The perception and analysis of the environment is one of the most important and fascinating tasks every living organism has to perform. In most terrestrial animals substances in the atmosphere are detected by olfactory sensory organs, while molecules in so lution are sensed by gustatory organs.
These sensory inputs are essential in detecting vital resources such as food and mating partners and avoiding dangers such as poisons and predators. While our understanding of smell in Drosophila has been rapidly grow ing almost nothing is known about the genetic basis of taste perception and processing. A further essential skill animals have developed is the ability to remember the effect of an edible substance on the organism.
Drosophila has also emerged as a very use ful model organism for studying learning and memory. However our knowledge originates mainly from one olfactory conditioning paradigm and only very few genes involved in learning and memory have been identified up to date. I propose to perform a screen for novel genes implicated in taste perception, processing and memory.
This will be achieved by means of a behavioral functional genomics screen using a novel resource generated in the host lab which allows time- and tissue-specific gene silencing of any gene in the Drosophila genome based on the inducible RNAi technique. By analyzing the behavioral response of single flies to tastants using the proboscis extension response I will be able to isolate genes implicated in taste perception and processing.
By inclu ding a learning and memory paradigm based on taste I will at the same time screen for genes involved in associative learning and memory. Ultimately, this will lay the basis for the understanding of the molecular processes required for gustatory signal tran sduction, processing, and plasticity as well as the neuronal networks underlying these complex processes.
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.
You need to log in or register to use this function
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.
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.
FP6-2002-MOBILITY-5
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
Austria
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.