Réseau Européen ITN NEUCREST

The NEUcrest project is an Innovative Training Network funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme and will start on the first of November 2019.

For more information please visit the Neucrest project website.

General presentation

The neural crest (NC) lineage is a specialised multipotent embryonic tissue, which contributes notably to the development of the human peripheral and enteric nervous system, craniofacial structures, pigment cells, as well as many other tissues and organs. Neurocristopathies, diseases of NC-derived tissues are an acute societal problem.

The aim of the NEUcrest project is to train 15 creative and innovative PhD students within a novel, ambitious and interdisciplinary research program. This network is aimed at considering the overall genetic, molecular and epigenetic regulation of the NC tissue in human health. It involves 11 main interacting participants and 9 associated partners, from hospitals, academic laboratories and small and medium-sized enterprises, from 7 European or EU-associated countries: France, Ireland, Spain, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Austria and Israel. Their cumulative expertise will provide an exceptional environment for PhD students, both for excellent research training and multiple transferable skills. This will allow the PhD students optimal career development and employability, through their acquired expertise in manipulating cells and embryos in various animal models, analysing biological images and datasets, and modelling complex genetic interactions.

Training

With an exceptionally rich training environment and regular network-wide events, our aim is to train 15 PhD students to be part of the next generation of leading European young scientists, highly proficient in the multidisciplinary range of scientific skills and technological expertise required for a comprehensive view of development and diseases : developmental and stem cell biology, cell and molecular biology, cancer biology, imaging, bioinformatics, human and animal genetics, and drug screening.

In addition to the excellent doctoral training that each beneficiary will follow at his/her University, the network will provide an active training environment, by bringing together selected partners from the academic, industrial and communication sectors, and will stimulate fruitful interactions between the NEUcrest PhD students themselves through regular network-wide events.

There will also be a strong emphasis on communication skills and public/patient/clinician outreach. Thus, the NEUcrest ITN will enable the selected PhD students to master scientific and transferable competences indispensable for addressing complex questions in Life Sciences and Human Health, and position them for leading roles in European academia and industry.