Tommaso Patriarchi from the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology has received the prestigious ERC Starting Grant for his work on visualization of neurotransmitter dynamics in the brain.
The European Research Council awards its highly competitive ERC Starting Grants to young researchers who demonstrate great potential. The grant consists of 1.5 million euros spread over five years.
With the grant, Tommaso Patriarchi and his team aim to create novel protein-based fluorescent probes for various important neurochemicals to illuminate the hidden language of chemical transmission in the brain.
Patriarchi uses the ultrasensitive probes in combination with the most advanced imaging modalities to illuminate previously invisible aspects of brain function. These techniques enable high-resolution imaging of neurochemicals directly in awake behaving animals, thus revealing essential aspects of brain function in real time.
Furthermore, the applications of this novel neuro-technological toolbox can be used to establish next-generation screening assays for drug development.
See also
- Patriarchi Lab Website
- UZH Media Release
- ERC News – ERC Starting Grants 2020: €677 million Awarded to Unravel Scientific Mysteries