The role of cell competition in carcinogenesis: genetic analysis of the relationships between glial and neuroepithelial cells in the Drosophila larval brain

The project focuses on myc function in determining the stem cell fate. The neuroepithelial cells of Drosophila (NEs), which differentiate in neurons and glia through intermediate neuroblasts (NBs), will be used as a model. The onco-protein Myc is expressed at high levels in NEs and repressed in the descendant NBs. In the female germline, the Transforming Growth Factor β (TGFβ) released by the niche induces the stem cells to express myc, maintaining their stem fate. Such a mechanism may be conserved in the NEs specification, since we found a TGFβ source located in cells of glial origin adjacent to the NEs, which express its receptor. The aim of this project is to characterise the topography of this specific glial subpopulation and demonstrate the role of the TGFβ-myc signalling in the survival and maintainment of the neuroepithelium.

Research Fields

Biological sciences

Eligibility criteria

to apply for research grants fill out the form available at the following address: https://www.aric.unibo.it/AssegniRicerca/BandiPubblicati/zz_Bandi_din.aspx

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Programme Description

Eligible destination country/ies for fellows	Italy
Eligibility of fellows: country/ies of residence	All
Eligibility of fellows: nationality/ies	All
Website of Fellowship Programme	https://www.aric.unibo.it/AssegniRicerca/BandiPubblicati/zz_Bandi_din.aspx

Fellowship's Details

Career Stage	Early stage researcher or 0-4 yrs (Post graduate)
Research Profile	Not defined