Objective
The genetic architecture of behavior is a major topic in biology, but remains poorly understood. The behaviors with the most dramatic effect on animal fitness are those involved in mate attraction and courtship, which are directly related to reproductive success. Males and females share a genome but have idiosyncratic roles in courtship rituals; mating traits thus experience sex-specific selection regimes. Variation at the gene expression level can facilitate sex-specific trait evolution to some degree. However, sex-specific traits inevitably covary, leading to correlated evolutionary responses (pleiotropy). Here I propose an innovative and multidisciplinary framework integrating a quantitative genetic approach to multivariate phenotypic evolution with functional genetic experiments. The key objective is to reveal how genes controlling traits involved in mating behavior can have widespread phenotypic effects across sexes by quantitative genetic measurements of pheromone communication variation in wild-type and knock-out lines of noctuid moths. I will examine the correlated evolution of pheromone signals in male and female moths and identify candidate genes using differential expression analyses. Then, I will examine the phenotypic effects using the cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas9 system and a quantitative genetic framework to test behavioral effects. The proposed research combines behavioral, quantitative genetic, and gene editing techniques and will make headway towards understanding the genotype-phenotype map of mating behavior. I will be based at the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), an excellent interdisciplinary research institute focusing on functional biodiversity at the University of Amsterdam (UvA). Via training-through-research and a secondment at a collaborative lab of the host supervisor, I will learn essential, state-of-the-art skills including genetic engineering, gene expression assays, and advanced bioinformatic scripting.
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.
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology genetic engineering gene therapy
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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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-ST - Standard EF
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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-2017
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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.
1012WX Amsterdam
Netherlands
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.