Project description DEENESFRITPL Functional genetic architecture of complex tissues in vivo The EU-funded DECODE project will employ leading-edge system genetics methods to study molecular determinants for cell fate specification in Arabidopsis and Drosophila, as the plant and animal models, to decode context-dependent genetic networks in vivo. Project partners with expertise in model organism genetics and cellular phenotyping, single-cell genomics, statistics, and computational biology will create functional genetic maps using CRISPR/Cas9-based knockout perturbations in vivo combined with single-cell expression profiling and imaging. The thousands of conditional knockouts and several million single-cell transcriptome profiles with high-resolution imaging will create the largest single-cell perturbation map of the model organism and provide fundamental insights into the genetic architecture of complex tissues. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective The evolutionary success of multicellular organisms is based on the division of labor between cells. While some of the molecular determinants for cell fate specification have been identified, a fundamental understanding of which genetic activities are required in each cell of a developing tissue is still outstanding. The DECODE project will develop and apply leading-edge system genetics methods to Arabidopsis and Drosophila, two major model systems from the plant and animal kingdoms to decode context-dependent genetic networks in vivo. To achieve this, DECODE will bring together experimental and theoretical groups with complementary expertise in model organism genetics and cellular phenotyping, single-cell genomics, statistics and computational biology. Building on our combined expertise, we will create functional genetic maps using conditional CRISPR/Cas9-based single- and higher order knockout perturbations in vivo combined with single-cell expression profiling and imaging. Coupled with powerful computational analysis, this project will not only define, predict and rigorously test the unique genetic repertoire of each cell, but also unravel how genetic networks adapt their topology and function across cell types and external stimuli. With more than thousand conditional knockouts, characterized by several million single-cell transcriptome profiles and high-resolution imaging this project will create the largest single-cell perturbation map in any model organism and will provide fundamental insights into the genetic architecture of complex tissues. Analyzing two tissues with divergent organization and regulatory repertoire will enable us to uncover general principles in the genetic circuits controlling contextdependent cell behavior. Consequently, we expect that the DECODE project in model organisms will lay the conceptual and methodological foundation for perturbation-based functional atlases in other tissues or species. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsnatural sciencesmathematicspure mathematicstopology Keywords Systems Genetics Single-Cell transcriptomics Genetic Networks Cell Identity Cell States Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2018-SyG - ERC Synergy Grant Call for proposal ERC-2018-SyG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-SyG - Synergy grant Coordinator DEUTSCHES KREBSFORSCHUNGSZENTRUM HEIDELBERG Net EU contribution € 4 042 500,00 Address Im neuenheimer feld 280 69120 Heidelberg Germany See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Karlsruhe Heidelberg, Stadtkreis Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 Beneficiaries (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all DEUTSCHES KREBSFORSCHUNGSZENTRUM HEIDELBERG Germany Net EU contribution € 4 042 500,00 Address Im neuenheimer feld 280 69120 Heidelberg See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Karlsruhe Heidelberg, Stadtkreis Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 RUPRECHT-KARLS-UNIVERSITAET HEIDELBERG Germany Net EU contribution € 2 812 500,00 Address Seminarstrasse 2 69117 Heidelberg See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Karlsruhe Heidelberg, Stadtkreis Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00 EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY Germany Net EU contribution € 3 770 000,00 Address Meyerhofstrasse 1 69117 Heidelberg See on map Region Baden-Württemberg Karlsruhe Heidelberg, Stadtkreis Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
