Innovating Works

BehavIndividuality

Financiado
Uncovering the basis of behavioral individuality across developmental time scale...
A fundamental question in biology is why different individuals show different behaviors. While individuality in behavior is usually explained by genetic heterogeneity or differences in environmental exposures, more recent studies... A fundamental question in biology is why different individuals show different behaviors. While individuality in behavior is usually explained by genetic heterogeneity or differences in environmental exposures, more recent studies have shown that stable behavioral variation is also observed among isogenic individuals that were raised in the same environment. However, this important and potentially conserved epigenetic source of individual-to-individual behavioral variation remains largely unexplored. I have recently developed a novel imaging setup, using C. elegans, that allowed for the first time to study behavioral individuality across the full development time of animals, at high spatiotemporal resolution and under tightly controlled environmental conditions (Stern et al. Cell 2017). By using this unique system I found that isogenic animals show long-term behavioral individuality that persists across all developmental stages, and was dependent on specific neuromodulators. In this proposal I suggest to study how behavioral individuality emerges across development from non-genetic differences among individuals. In particular, I plan to (i) identify neuronal circuits and variations therein that lead to different behavioral states among individuals by combining my established methods for longitudinal behavioral quantifications with cutting-edge neuronal imaging and molecular techniques; (ii) study the role of conserved epigenetic mechanisms in generating stable neuronal and behavioral variations by integrating high-throughput gene-expression, neuronal, and behavioral analyses in single animals; and (iii) explore how stressful conditions affect behavioral individuality. I hypothesize that stress may enhance variation as a population-level mechanism to diversify risk in the face of complex or unpredictable conditions. The proposed research will shed light on novel processes that establish and maintain inter-individual diversity in neuronal and behavioral patterns. ver más
30/11/2025
1M€
Duración del proyecto: 72 meses Fecha Inicio: 2019-11-28
Fecha Fin: 2025-11-30

Línea de financiación: concedida

El organismo H2020 notifico la concesión del proyecto el día 2019-11-28
Línea de financiación objetivo El proyecto se financió a través de la siguiente ayuda:
ERC-2019-STG: ERC Starting Grant
Cerrada hace 6 años
Presupuesto El presupuesto total del proyecto asciende a 1M€
Líder del proyecto
TECHNION ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY No se ha especificado una descripción o un objeto social para esta compañía.
Perfil tecnológico TRL 4-5