📋 Tender Overview
Deconstructing Hypothalamic Neurocircuitry Architecture And Function In Metabolic Control During Health And Disease
Understanding The Exact Nature Of Cns-Dependent Regulation Of Body Weight Has Become Of Utmost Societal Importance As We Are Witnessing An Ever-Increasing Number Of Overweight And Obese Subjects Who Exhibit A Predisposition For A Plethora Of Obesity-Associated Diseases Such As Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Cardiovascular Diseases, And Certain Types Of Cancers. However, Despite The Tremendous Advances Made In Defining The Neurocircuitry Basis Underlying The Central Control Of Feeding And Metabolism, Critical Open Questions Still Remain. For Example, How Can We Reliably Identify The Exact Anatomical Localization Of The Recently Identified Molecularly Heterogenous Cell Types In The Hypothalamus? What Are Yet Unknown Energy State- Or Food Cue-Regulated Neuronal Cell Types And What Is Their Functional Contribution To Energy Homeostasis? Which Are Yet Unidentified Neurocircuits Critical For The Initiation Of Adverse Metabolic Effects Upon Highly Palatable Food Consumption? And What Are The Lipotoxic Species Accumulating In Energy State-Regulated Neuronal Cell Types Upon Obesity Development? The Proposed Work Program Will Employ State-Of-The-Art Technologies In Modern Molecular Systems Neuroscience And Mouse Genetics And Will Focus On The Following Four Key Aims:
1. Establishment Of A High-Resolution Spatial Transcriptional Map Of The Murine Hypothalamus
2. Identification, Validation, And Functional Characterization Of Novel Hypothalamic Neuronal Cell Types Activated During Fasting/Feeding Transitions And Upon Sensory Food Perception
3. Discovery Of Novel Hypothalamic Neurocircuits Activated During Obesity Development
4. Assessment Of Cell-Intrinsic Lipidomic Changes In Metabolism Regulatory Neurons During Obesity Development
Thus, The Proposed Work Program Will Not Only Advance Our Fundamental Understanding Of The Cns-Dependent Regulation Of Metabolism, But Could Also Open Up New Channels Of Drug Discovery For Tackling Obesity And Obesity-Associated Metabolic Diseases.
Funded Under
European Research Council (Erc)
Total Cost
€ 2 500 000,00
Eu Contribution
€ 2 500 000,00
Coordinated By
Max-Planck-Gesellschaft Zur Forderung Der Wissenschaften Ev
Germany
Start Date
1 January 2025
End Date
31 December 2029
Objective
Understanding the exact nature of CNS-dependent regulation of body weight has become of utmost societal importance as we are witnessing an ever-increasing number of overweight and obese subjects who exhibit a predisposition for a plethora of obesity-associated diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancers. However, despite the tremendous advances made in defining the neurocircuitry basis underlying the central control of feeding and metabolism, critical open questions still remain. For example, how can we reliably identify the exact anatomical localization of t
