Project description
Mitochondrial regulation in neurodegeneration
Mitochondria are the energy-producing organelles of the cell and play a key role in neuronal health. Their dysfunction is increasingly recognised as a central driver of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. A family of proteins called MIROs, located on the outer mitochondrial membrane, are emerging as key regulators of mitochondrial function. However, it remains poorly understood how they coordinate their diverse interactions. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the MiroMap project aims to delineate the network of MIRO interactions in neurons. By revealing how MIROs respond to neuronal activity and disease-related stimuli, the project will provide fundamental insights into mitochondrial regulation and identify potential therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative diseases.
Objective
MiroMap is a highly interdisciplinary project designed to investigate how MIRO proteins regulate mitochondrial dynamics in neurons. Mitochondria are essential for brain health, and their dysfunction is increasingly recognised as a central feature of numerous neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), ALS, and Alzheimer’s. The outer mitochondrial membrane MIROs are emerging as key regulators of mitochondrial homeostasis, being implicated in an ever-growing list of mitochondrial processes. Accordingly, this proposal hypothesises that MIROs act as mitochondrial adaptors that sense changes in the cellular environment and selectively engage with molecular machinery to maintain neuronal health. Despite their importance, the mechanisms by which MIROs coordinate their spectrum of interactions and functions remains unclear.
To address this knowledge gap, MiroMap will: 1) define the MIRO interactome in neurons using in situ crosslinking and mass spectrometry, 2) identify factors that influence MIRO binding including neuronal activity and PD pathology, and 3) investigate how MIROs contribute to mitochondrial dynamics using spatial proteomics. To achieve these research objectives, MiroMap integrates cutting-edge techniques such as genetic code expansion and spatial proteomics with live-cell imaging and neuronal models. By uncovering how MIROs dynamically coordinate mitochondrial function in response to synaptic activity and pathological stimuli, MiroMap will generate foundational insight into the molecular mechanisms that underpin neuronal health and disease, with the potential to inform future therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegeneration. This fellowship will be hosted at UCL under the supervision of Prof. Josef Kittler, a leading expert in mitochondrial neurobiology. This environment provides the ideal platform to expand my expertise into neuroscience and develop the skills required to lead an independent research group.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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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.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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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) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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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.