Project description
New role for astrocytes in maintaining energy homeostasis
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are highly prevalent diseases in modern society. Recently published data from the host lab have shown that astrocytes insulin receptors regulate glucose delivery into the brain. This suggests that astrocytes interplay with neurons in the control of metabolism, body weight, and energy balance. The objective of the EU-funded AstroCOMET project is to test the hypothesis that the maintaining of normal energy homeostasis requires astrocyte-neuron communication, and its impairment contributes to obesity development. The research will involve designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drug technology to uncover the astrocyte's role in the maintaining of normal energy homeostasis.
Objective
Obesity and type 2 diabetes have been increasing during the last decades, becoming highly prevalent diseases in our society. Until very recently, astrocytes and other glial cells have been traditionally known as supportive cells to neurons, but the host research group led by Prof. Matthias Tschöp has recently reported that insulin receptors (IRs) in astrocytes regulate glucose delivery into the brain and lack thereof leads to a reduced response of glucose-induced suppression of food intake (Garcia-Caceres et al., Cell 2016). These data, together with previous findings, suggest a new paradigm in which astrocytes interplay with neurons in the CNS control of metabolism, body weight, and energy balance. However, the molecular underpinnings remain to be investigated. My main objective is to test the hypothesis that astrocyte-neuron communication is required for maintaining a normal energy homeostasis, and its impairment contributes to the pathogenesis of obesity. To achieve this, I will use Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADD) technology to examine whether astrocyte activity is required for maintaining a normal energy homeostasis. I will generate two transgenic mouse models (dnSNARE mouse and iBot mouse) to specifically interfere with the release of gliotransmitters in order to test whether astrocytes release vesicles to regulate the activity of hypothalamic neurons in the control of energy metabolism. Finally, I will investigate whether hypercaloric diet disrupts astrocyte-neuron communication, thus contributing to obesity progression. This project has the potential to reveal new mechanism(s) of metabolic homeostasis and how its impairment explains the development of obesity. Moreover, this proposal will enhance my individual competence in terms of skill acquisition and creativity through an advanced training in a privileged host environment; representing all together a significant contribution to the Horizon 2020 Work Programme.
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 clinical medicine endocrinology diabetes
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology homeostasis
- medical and health sciences health sciences nutrition obesity
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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-2018
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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.
85764 Neuherberg
Germany
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.