Objective
Gut microbes are known to affect the neurophysiology of their hosts and genome sequencing now easily allows metabolic characterization of elusive microbial diversity that cannot be cultured. While investigations on the neurological and behavioural consequences of mammalian gut symbionts have grown exponentially in recent years, little is known about the ‘gut microbiota–brain axis’ in insects of major economic interest. The applicant is a molecular evolutionary ecologist who previously used gene expression data to predict physiological modifications in the honeybee after insemination and published a comparative analysis of bacterial symbionts across ants. He now aims to realize an inter-disciplinary program to map the neurological and behavioural extended phenotypes of gut symbionts in bees. Through experimental approaches of microbiome manipulation, neurotranscriptomics, behavioural-tracking, FISH, and isotope-labelling of bacterial metabolites, the project seeks to understand: (i) the extent to which Apis mellifera gut symbionts affect host brain function by identifying the specific bacteria, their metabolic products, and the brain regions involved in host-symbiont interactions, and (ii) assess whether these processes affect behavioural traits relevant for the social organization of bees. None of these objectives have been addressed before and achieving them has high potential to change the way in which biologists think about bacterial symbioses and animal behaviour. The project includes training-through-research for the applicant in microbiology, behavioural ecology, microscopy and bioinformatics, and considerable knowledge transfer in transcriptomics and conceptual symbiosis theory from the applicant to the host groups. Although challenging in its ambitions, the project is synergistic and feasible, and will allow the European Research Area to harvest tangible benefits to improve the health of a domesticated species of primary importance to secure food production.
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: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology entomology apidology
- natural sciences biological sciences biological behavioural sciences ethology biological interactions
- 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-2017
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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.
1015 LAUSANNE
Switzerland
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.