Collaboration on neural development and regeneration supported by the Austrian Science Fund
A network inspiring collaboration
The Special Research Program (SFB, for "Spezialforschungsbereich") consortium “Stem cell modulation in neural development and regeneration”, or, shorter, “Neuro Stem Modulation”, unites six leading research institutions in Austria working to understand the different ways in which stem cells, the building blocks of animal brains slowly diversify to generate a multitude of individual neuron types. The consortium aims to dissect these molecular mechanisms that control how stem and neural progenitor cells differentiate into specialized neurons in the central nervous system.
Besides generating distinct scientific and methodological synergies, the consortium has established a central hub for neural stem cell biology in Austria, taking full advantage of complementary expertise and research breakthroughs of the partners. The consortium combines modern technologies, including single cell transcriptomics, high resolution lineage analysis and reprogramming with model systems ranging from invertebrates to human brain organoids. All partners capitalize on a central bio-informatics hub that advances data analysis using innovative molecular evolution algorithms and quantitative modeling.
Scientific Program
Building on the success and technological advances of the first funding period, which resulted in 42 publications, 11 of which with collaboration by partners in the consortium, the SFB “Neuro Stem Modulation” now investigates how nascent neurons are temporally modulated by extrinsic and intrinsic factors while establishing the different functions of the nervous system. The hypothesis is that proper integration of extrinsic signals and changes in the internal state of neural stem cell lineages and neuronal subtypes are critical for the establishment of neural circuits and a functional nervous system.
Collaborative excellence
The SFB F78 consortium “Neuro Stem Modulation” began its scientific activities in March 2020 with 10 research groups that are embedded in the leading life science campuses in Austria. The groups of Juergen Knoblich and Noelia Urban (IMBA), were joined by the groups of Elly Tanaka (IMP), Arndt von Haeseler (CIBIV, University of Vienna), Kristin Tessmar-Raible and Florian Raible (Max Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna), Gaia Novarino, Simon Hippenmeyer and Anna Kicheva (ISTA), and Frank Edenhofer (University of Innsbruck). To accomplish its goals for the second funding period, the consortium continues in unison for another four years of outstanding neuroscience research and is importantly joined by three new groups: Igor Adameyko (Centre for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna), Sofia Grade (IMBA) and Lora Sweeney (ISTA).
With the upcoming retirement of trusted colleague Arndt von Haeseler, SFB F78 expresses deepest gratitude to him and his incredible team of computational biologists and recognizes the impact of their work on the progress of the consortium to be a critical factor for its continued success.
Further reading