This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (CFDA 93.853) federal grant program, provides $246,750.00 to Columbia University for a research project titled "Neuronal Ensemble Mechanisms of Behavior and Plasticity in a Cnidarian."
The goal of this 2-year project, which runs from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2027, is to elucidate the neuronal ensemble mechanisms underlying feeding behavior and neuronal plasticity in the cnidarian Hydra vulgaris. The research will involve imaging the entire neuronal activity during feeding and using photostimulation to identify the functional circuits and neuronal ensembles responsible for this behavior. The project will also characterize the neural mechanisms underlying feeding habituation, a basic form of learning, in Hydra. The findings from this research are expected to provide a comprehensive understanding of behavior and neuronal plasticity, with potential implications for studying the neural basis of behavioral disorders in mammals.
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