Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Optical control of CaMKII signaling

Objective

How are memories formed and stored in the brain? One candidate mechanism is long term potentiation (LTP), a form of synaptic plasticity that is characterized by strengthening of synaptic connections between neurons in the brain, lasting from minutes to hours. The first step in LTP is a sharp influx of calcium ions, which serves to activate many Ca2+-dependent proteins, one of which is Calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). Once activated, CaMKII translocates to the post-synapse, and phosphorylates numerous substrate responsible for LTP induction. Curiously, CaMKII also has a role in specifying cellular structure by bundling actin. After activation, CaMKII activity apparently becomes Ca2+-independent, and can last for hours after the initial stimulation. This property of CaMKII lead the researchers to propose that CaMKII, in addition to induction of LTP, could also be responsible for LTP maintenance and hence memory storage. I propose to study the role of CaMKII in both the induction and maintenance of LTP in neurons. For this purpose, I plan to generate variants of CaMKII that can be acutely controlled by light. Using the tools I develop, I will investigate the interplay between CaMKII function and structure with respect to LTP and other neuronal processes. This approach offers unprecedented molecular, spatial and temporal control over CaMKII activity in neurons, allowing a better understanding of its involvement in learning and memory.

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.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

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.

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.

MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2017

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

FORSCHUNGSVERBUND BERLIN EV
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 171 460,80
Address
RUDOWER CHAUSSEE 17
12489 Berlin
Germany

See on map

Region
Berlin Berlin Berlin
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost

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.

€ 171 460,80
My booklet 0 0