Project description
Learning about childhood growth disorders from the humble fly
Growth and development are complex processes relying on numerous biochemical, electrical, and mechanical signals. The development of bilateral symmetry in multicellular organisms adds another layer of complexity, and it is not well understood. For example, scientists are still unsure of how exactly human arms, legs, eyes or kidneys grow in such a symmetrical way. The EU-funded GrowthDevStability project is studying mechanisms of bilateral symmetry development in the well-known fly Drosophila melanogaster. In this fly, a systemic circulating hormone is implicated, but its regulation and mechanism of action are not known. Teasing out the ways in which the hormone’s expression is regulated and, in turn, how the hormone regulates growth and development could provide a clue to understanding potential growth disruption in childhood as well as growth disorders associated with other conditions.
Objective
The overarching objective of the proposed project is to find how and when organs asses their growth status and which mechanisms are deployed to ensure fine size adjustment during normal animal development. As a model system, I will study the symmetrical growth of D. melanogaster, where the signaling hormone Dilp8 has been described as a central player to ensure developmental stability. However, Dilp8 regulation and mechanism of action remain elusive, providing an unprecedented framework to inquiry about the general phenomenon of growth adjustment. I will study when Dilp8 is required and in which organ it is produced during normal development. Also, I will identify signaling pathways regulating Dilp8 expression and the downstream effectors required for its action. This project will allow me to define for the first time how a systemic signal is activated and functions to adjust symmetrical growth in a bilateral model organism. The new concepts introduced by my investigation may help to better understand the pathophysiology of childhood growth disorders, as well as the growth disturbances observed in cancer survivors.
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 basic medicine physiology pathophysiology
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
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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-2019
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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.
75231 Paris
France
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.