Objective
Coordinated walking in vertebrates and multi-legged invertebrates such as the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is controlled
by an evolutionarily conserved network capable to control movement in a fast, stable, and energy-efficient way. At the same
time, it provides the flexibility to adapt to changes in the terrain, load, and internal motor representations due to disease or
injury. Currently, the contribution of different brain structures responsible for the recovery process is only partially understood
and, importantly, the role of specific genes remains mostly elusive. Preliminary data shows that adult Drosophila flies in
which the two middle legs were amputated improve their gait performance gradually over the course of a few days engaging
in a more controlled gait. We also find that mutants for the learning and memory gene rutabaga lack any kind of short- or
long-term recovery. These results suggest that flies can readjust their motor circuitry upon injury and that a mechanism of
synaptic plasticity might be involved.
The overall goal of this proposal is to establish the fruit fly Drosophila as a genetic model for neurorehabilitation and recovery
after amputation, which will allow the identification of new genes and mechanisms of motor plasticity. In order to carry out
these aims, I will take advantage of the sophisticated Drosophila neurogenetic toolkit that allows gene manipulation and the
execution of in vivo gain and loss-of-function experiments in a controlled number of neurons. In addition, I will use an adult
fly walking assay that I developed during my postdoc, the FlyWalker system, which allows a detailed quantification of locomotor activity. Identifying genes and molecular components that affect the process of plasticity and motor adaptation will allow us to identify new biochemical pathways that influence the recovery process and design new approaches to enhance recovery outcomes.
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.
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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.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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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.
MSCA-IF-EF-RI - RI – Reintegration panel
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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) H2020-MSCA-IF-2016
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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.
1099 085 Lisboa
Portugal
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.