Molecular coding and subset specification of dopamine neurons generating the meso-limbic and nigro-striatal system (MDDANEURODEV)

Title of project or programme

Principal Investigators of project/programme grant

Title	Forname	Surname	Institution	Country
Professor	Marten	Smidt	UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM UTRECHT	Netherlands

Address of institution of lead PI

Institution	UNIVERSITAIR MEDISCH CENTRUM UTRECHT
Street Address
City
Postcode

Country

Netherlands

Source of funding information

European Commission

Total sum awarded (Euro)

2582749

Start date of award

01-01-2009

Total duration of award in months

The project/programme is most relevant to

Parkinson’s disease

Keywords

Research abstract in English

This project aims to elucidate the molecular coding of meso-diencephalic dopaminergic (mdDA) neurons forming the complex meso-limbic and nigro-striatal dopaminergic system in the vertebrate central nervous system. Recent advances in molecular and developmental biology have shown that this system harbors u multitude of functional units that are defined by spatial and temporal cues and are represented by specific molecular codes. These codes are essential to understand specific mdDA neuronal pathology as Parkinson’s diseases and schizophrenia. In this collaborative project we gather the expertise on early and late development, cross species molecular-coding conservation, migration and axonal pathfinding to capture the significance of the understanding of mdDA neuronal development to generate a real advance in clinical understanding and treatment of mdDA pathology.

Lay Summary