Project description
Profiling the three oscillatory signalling pathways in mouse embryo development
Synchronised and rhythmic activity is a hallmark of multicellular organisms. It is evident in phenomena such as circadian oscillators, neural oscillations during sleep and spatiotemporal signalling oscillations during embryonic development. In mouse models of embryonic development, three major signalling pathways have been found to oscillate in activity with a period of about 2 hours. The European Research Council-funded Oscillations project will quantify the activities in these pathways, associated protein dynamics and their interrelationships. The team will use a high tech combination of quantitative real-time imaging, novel ex vivo assays and multimodal functional perturbations to identify how these oscillations emerge and how they modulate developmental patterning in the embryo.
Objective
This project aims to reveal the origin and principal functions of spatiotemporal signalling oscillations in the context of embryonic development. Vertebrate embryo segmentation offers a particularly suitable context to study an assembly of ultradian, genetic oscillators, which in addition, exhibit striking synchronization that generates periodic, wave-like patterns.
Using the mouse model, in which three major signalling pathways (Wnt, Notch and Fgf) have been found to oscillate in activity with a period of ~2 hours, we aim to address the following key questions: How do signalling gradients control higher-order, spatiotemporal synchronization of genetic oscillators? What is the role of self-organization? What is the function of spatiotemporal signalling dynamics that are phase-shifted between multiple pathways for developmental patterning? To address these challenging questions, we bring together a unique combination of quantitative real-time imaging, novel ex vivo assays and multi-modal, i.e. genetic, chemical and physical functional perturbations.
To this end, we propose to employ customized knock-in reporter mouse lines developed in my lab and cutting edge microscopy for simultaneous quantification of multiple, oscillating signaling pathway activities and protein dynamics. We aim to combine these dynamic quantification with novel functional perturbations which are made possible due to a critical technical breakthrough achieved in my lab: an ex vivo primary cell culture assay that recapitulates mouse mesoderm patterning, including complex oscillatory wave patterns, and segment formation, in a simplified, 2-dimensional (2D) context. This ex vivo assay will allow an unprecedented versatility of (time-resolved) perturbations and simultaneous quantitative, dynamic read-out at both molecular and phenotypic level.
Our approach thus has an outstanding potential and is ideally positioned to reveal how temporal order emerges and impacts on developmental patterning.
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
- natural sciences biological sciences developmental biology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine embryology
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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.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
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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-2014-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.