Objective
Understanding how diversity of life arises at the level of the genes is one of the biggest challenges in modern biology. Genomic methodologies now allow us to dissect the molecular basis of this phenotypic diversity and plasticity. However, we lack an integrated study of key phenotypic traits and their dynamic changes in an ecologically relevant setting, with the associated dynamic nature of the underpinning genes. I propose to use an inter-disciplinary approach, by uniting classical ethology with new molecular tools of genomics, to understand how genes give rise to phenotypic traits and their dynamic plasticity using an insect social parasite system as model. Insect social parasites show striking phenotypic diversity compared to their hosts and have been identified as unique models for understanding the molecular basis of phenotypic diversity and plasticity. Yet, they have remained largely unexploited so far, due to the difficulty of conducting genomic studies on non-model organisms. This project will combine for the first time the transcriptomic (i.e. multiple species comparisons of brain genome-wide RNA-seq analyses followed by candidate gene approach RT-PCR) and behavioural phenotyping in order to reveal the molecular basis of phenotypic diversity in a Polistes paper wasp social parasite system, which comprises the social parasite, the host and a related non host species. This will be a landmark project in the exploding field of Behavioural Genomics as it will ensure high replication in an ecologically relevant setting in wild populations and it will exploit a deep ethological knowledge of the model system to ensure precise integration of behaviour with new methods for dissecting molecular processes. This project offers a unique opportunity to capitalize on molecular and behavioural expertise of the Supervisor and ER, generating the most comprehensive empirical and theoretical body of work to date, thus placing the ER as a leader in this new and exciting field.
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 evolutionary biology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA transcriptomes
- natural sciences biological sciences biological behavioural sciences ethology biological interactions
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology entomology
- natural sciences biological sciences biological behavioural sciences behavioural ecology
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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-2015
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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.
WC1E 6BT London
United Kingdom
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.