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PLASTOCINE - Hormones and
neuroplsticity: image guided
discoveries of molecular
mechansims in neuroplasticity
This project addresses by a combination of behavioral ana-
lyses, endocrine manipulations, in vivo imaging (MRI) and
molecular techniques the question how brain plasticity is
regulated at the cellular level in two models of sponta-
neous plasticity previously established and characterized
in two songbird species with diferent song learning and
neuroplasticity characteristics. Our hypothesis is that hor-
mones and the environment induce brain plasticity at least
in part through epigenetic changes defned as alterations in
gene expression that are self-perpetuating in the absence
of the original signal that caused them. Recent evidence
indicates that DNA methylation, histone modifcations
(acetylation, methylation) and noncoding RNAs (miRNA,
long ncRNA) may serve as a contributing mechanism in
memory formation and storage as well as neuronal plasti-
city. In vivo imaging will be used to fnely characterize the
periods and anatomical localization of plastic changes in
the brain, which will then be investigated by endocrine and
molecular techniques.
Network composition
Coordinator: Annemie Van der Linden (Antwerpen
University)
Belgian partners: Veerle Darras (KUL), Wim Van Criekinge
(University Gent),
Jacques Balthazart (ULg)
International partners: Gregory Ball (John Hopkins Univer-
sity, USA), Manfred Gahr (Max Planck Institute, Germany)
ICEPATH - Integration of Cellular
signaling Pathways in health and
disease
The general objective of this project is to gain novel insights into
the properties and interactions of diferent cellular signaling
pathways under normal and pathological conditions. A better unders-
tanding of these processes forms the basis for the development of
novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Given the diversity and
complexity of cellular signaling pathways, this ambitious objective
requires a multifaceted and multidisciplinary team of researchers, and
the development and use of innovative technologies.
We therefore propose a network consisting of 6 Belgian and
2 foreign partners with highly complementary expertise in
diferent felds of cell signaling, including Ca2+ signaling, phos-
phoinositide signaling, signaling via plasma membrane and
nuclear receptors, chromatin signaling, phosphorylation/dephospho-
rylation and other post-translational modifcations.
The network has access to a broad range of cellular and
molecular techniques as well as to relevant genetically modifed cellu-
lar and mouse models, and patient material, to perform a translational
approach. The network also includes a partner focusing on interactome
biology and bioinformatics, which will be highly instrumental to inte-
grate the data and analyze the cross-talk between signaling pathways.
Network composition
Coordinator: Thomas Voets (KUL)
Belgian partners: Mathieu Bollen (KUL), Mark Rider (UCl),
Jan Tavernier (Gent),
Franck Dequiedt (ULg)
International partners: Martin Bootman (Babraham Institute, UK),
Michael Potente (Institute for Cardiovascular Regeneration,
Frankfurt, Germany)
ELECXITE - Molecular and
cellular mechanisms of electrical
excitability
The global aim of this network is to gain a better unders-
tanding of the molecular regulation of ion channels in the
heart and brain. Our group will specifcally address two
questions: 1) what is the exact contribution of L-type Ca2+
channels to the pacemaking of midbrain dopaminergic
neurons? What is the density of these channels and where
are they located in these neurons? 2) can heteromeric SK
channels be found in native neurons in the CNS and are
there specifc proteins that interact with SK3 subunits?
Network composition
Coordinator: Karin Sipido (KUL)
Belgian partners: Jan Tytgat (KUL),
Vincent Seutin (ULg
),
Luc Leybaert (Gent), Michel Rigo (Hasselt)
International partners: Neil Marrion (Bristol University, UK),
Rainer Schultz (Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Germany),
Marc Vos (Utrecht University, The Netherlands)
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