ZooCELL is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie PhD network that trains twelve doctoral students in a new field of research: comparative integrative cell biology in animals. The focus is on how the diversity of cell types develops and what role genes, cell structures and the environment play in this process.
To this end, ZooCELL combines modern methods from single-cell genomics, light and electron microscopy, and artificial intelligence. Particular emphasis is placed on sensory cells, which animals use to perceive light, sound, temperature and chemical stimuli, amongst other things. By combining genetic and imaging data, detailed cell atlases are created, enabling researchers to compare cell types across different animal species and investigate their evolutionary development.
The international network brings together eight beneficiaries and seven associated partners, located in six different countries. The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) coordinates the project. The twelve PhD students work in a multi-disciplinary and international environment with plenty of training opportunities and exchange with all labs involved in the Network.
Partners
European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL)
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn Napoli (SZN), Italy
Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany
Institute of Functional Genomics of Lyon (IGFL), France
Institut de la Mer de Villefranche (IMEV), France
Uppsala University, Sweden
Centre for Organismal Studies (COS) at the University of Heidelberg, Germany
ZooCELL is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme (HORIZON-MSCA-DN-2022) under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 101119891