I am really delighted to embark on this project with Professor Karen Page, a mathematician at UCL, to understand how neurons get their incredible tree-like shapes during the development of the brain.”
Professor Laura Andreae, Professor of Developmental Neuroscience
12 December 2024
Laura Andreae awarded a Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant to uncover the rules behind neuronal development
The project Neuronal Trees: Linking Biology to Models looks at how neurons develop their complex structures
Laura Andreae, Professor of Developmental Neuroscience at the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology, has been awarded Leverhulme Trust funding for a new project Neuronal Trees: Linking Biology to Models. In collaboration with Professor Karen Page from University College London’s Department of Mathematics, Professor Andreae seeks to uncover the fundamental rules governing how neurons develop complex, tree-like shapes.
Neurons, the building blocks of the brain, exhibit highly branched structures essential for their function in cognition, learning, and communication. This project combines live imaging of neuronal growth with advanced mathematical modelling to understand the developmental processes that shape these intricate structures. The research will focus on key areas of the brain, such as the hippocampus and sensory cortex, which are critical for memory and sensory processing.
This interdisciplinary project aims to deliver new insights into fundamental neuroscience and contribute to our knowledge in mathematics and artificial intelligence. The research seeks to model neuronal circuits, which has important implications for understanding neurodevelopmental disorders and advancing artificial neural network development.
The project will start in 2025 and Professor Andreae will lead the experimental and imaging aspects of the study, while Professor Page will oversee the mathematical modelling. Together, they aim to establish new paradigms for studying neuronal development to make advances across multiple scientific domains.
The Leverhulme Trust supports innovative research projects across disciplines, fostering new insights and discoveries. This award underscores the Trust’s commitment to funding cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research.
Adapted from Understanding Neuronal Growth - Centre for Developmental Neurobiology News.
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Professor of Developmental Neuroscience