12/12/24
Laura Andreae, Professor of Developmental Neuroscience, has been awarded a Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant for a new, exciting project on understanding neuronal growth, “Neuronal trees: Linking biology to models.” This innovative project, in collaboration with Professor Karen Page from UCL’s Department of Mathematics, seeks to uncover the fundamental rules governing how neurons develop their complex, tree-like shapes.
Neurons, the building blocks of the brain, exhibit highly branched dendritic structures that are 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.
Professor Andreae commented, “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.”
Not only does this interdisciplinary project promise to deliver new insights in fundamental neuroscience, it will make significant contributions to our knowledge in mathematics, and artificial intelligence. By bridging disciplines, the research aims to model neuronal circuits, with 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 is testament to the Trust’s commitment to funding cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research.
