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Animal evolution from a cell type perspective: multidisciplinary training in single-cell genomics, evo-devo and in science outreach

Objective

One of the first events in the evolution of multicellular animals was the differentiation of cells into distinct types with different roles. Starting from their most simple multicellular ancestors, the cells that compose animal bodies have become increasingly diverse; each cell type distinguished by the unique set of genes it expresses. This increase in diversity of cell types over evolutionary time is recapitulated in the process of development during which a single undifferentiated cell - the fertilised egg - divides and its progeny differentiate into the countless cell types of the adult body. Currently we do not even know how many distinct cell types animals posses, how new cell types arise in evolution, how many are in common between different animal groups and how many unique cell types have evolved in different lineages. Our aim in EvoCELL is to lay the foundation for a new branch of evo-devo focussing on cell types. We will study these fundamental questions in animal evolution and development using a new technology - single cell sequencing - which we will for the first time employ outside of lab models to sample the great diversity of animal phyla. Europe is home to world-leading expertise in evo-devo and single-cell genomics, but research and training efforts are as yet uncoordinated and their potential for synergy underexplored. EvoCELL will harness and expand this European excellence by training a new generation of multidisciplinary scientists skilled in exploring the vast breadth of animal differentiation. We will jointly sample data from all major animal lineages, richly represented in the biodiversity of European waters, and develop new tools for comparative analyses, through which we will together pioneer three branches of cell evo-devo: evolution of stem cells; emergence of animal life cycles, and the stunning diversity of neural cell types.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

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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.

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-ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN)

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Call for proposal

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

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

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Coordinator

EUROPEAN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABORATORY
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.

€ 477 664,92
Address
Meyerhofstrasse 1
69117 Heidelberg
Germany

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Region
Baden-Württemberg Karlsruhe Heidelberg, Stadtkreis
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.

€ 477 664,92

Participants (9)

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