Page 51 - AnnualReportGIGA2012

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will be provided. In addition, our goal is to enable
Thomas to gain essential skills at the level of
leadership, project management and fnancial inde-
pendency and helping him in growing as an independent
researcher. Finally, it is the aim of the outgoing and return
(Fabrice Bureau’s laboratory) host laboratories to create
a strong international collaboration and a worldwide
network of experts in the felds covered by the project,
thereby addressing societal challenges and training needs
at the worldwide scale.
Contact: Fabrice Bureau
Defne the functions of Elonga-
tor in adult brain neurogenesis.
The olfactory bulb (OB)
We obtained a Marie-Curie long term fellowship (FAN
project) to Defne the functions of Elongator in adult brain
neurogenesis. The olfactory bulb (OB) is one of the few
structures of the brain that retains a continuous supply of
newborn neurons throughout adulthood. Neuronal precur-
sors are generated in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and
follow an intricate migration path to settle in the OB.
Familial dysautonomia is a neurodegenerative disorder that
result from an impairment of Elongator activity. Elongator
is a six unit (Elp1-Elp6) complex assembled by its scafold
protein Elp1. The catalytic activity this complex (Elp3)
underlies radial migration and branching of cortical projec-
tion neurons by promoting the acetylation of α-tubulin. In
the adult brain, the stem/neural progenitor express Elon-
gator subunits and Elp1 level expression increases drama-
tically after treatment that promotes neurogenesis. The
overall goal of the current project is to understand the
functions of Elongator in adult brain neurogenesis.
Contact: Laurent Nguyen
signifcant problem for pig producers and selection companies and
leads to poor animal welfare and severe economic loss. For most of
these defects there are strong indications for a genetic component and
diferent research groups all over Europe have made eforts to fnd
the underlying causative genetic mechanisms. However, the mode of
inheritance seems complex and no genes or mutations have been iden-
tifed yet.This project aims to group the eforts of diferent research
groups that are currently working on inherited genetic defects in
pigs. Through this collaboration a faster identifcation of the genes and
suitable gene markers for use in marker assisted selection against
defects in pigs will be obtained. Thereafter, these markers can be
implemented in the breeding programs of the diferent SME partners
and can (later) be commercialised, which will improve the competitive
position of the SME partners.
Contact: Michel Georges
Study of the role of mast cells in the
modulation of immune and infamma-
tory responses associated with eczema:
novel genetic approaches from mouse
systems and relevance to the human
disease.
The overall objective of this grant is to complement Thomas
Marichal’s expertise in basic and translational Allergy and Immunology.
Thomas has therefore integrated an outstanding laboratory in this area
(Stephen J. Galli’s laboratory) at Stanford University School of Medicine,
a world leader in medical education, training and research. He is acquiring
cutting-edge knowledge in the detailed mechanistic understanding of
allergic disorders, which are increasingly recognized as a
major global public health problem. This challenging project is
possible thanks to Thomas Marichal’s previous experience, in
combination with the scientifc and training environment that
CAFFEIN - The cancer associa-
ted fbroblast function in tumor
cell expansion and invasion
The “Cancer Associated Fibroblast Function in tumor
cell Expansion and INvasion” (CAFFEIN) network is an EC
funded Marie Curie Initial Training Network (ITN)
composed of one biotech company and ten academic
partners. It will train young scientists in cancer research
with special education in relevant complementary skills
relevant for work in the pharmaceutical industry and entre-
preneurial skills important for the development of biome-
dical start-up companies. The research focus of CAFFEIN
is the contribution of cancer-associated fbroblast (CAF) in
tumor expansion and invasion. CAFFEIN aims at identifying
functional CAF subpopulations and CAF efector mecha-
nisms, and to develop therapeutic antibodies targeting
CAFs as a novel approach in cancer therapy.
Contact: Agnès Noël
PIGENDEF - Towards marker
assisted selection against genetic
defects in pigs
The University of Liège, through the laboratory of Michel
Georges, is a research partner in the EU FP7-Research for
SMEs project PIGENDEF. The ULg group is the leader of
the Genetic and Statistical Analysis workpackage and is
awarded 200 000 euros for the duration of the project.
The project focuses on the rapid identifcation of genes
underlying congenital disorders in pigs for efective
marker assisted selection (MAS) against genetic defects.
The occurrence of congenital hereditary disorders is a
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