MBL–UChicago Exploratory Research Seed Funds Announced

We are pleased to announce grants in support of collaborative research among UChicago and MBL faculty (both visiting and year round) at the MBL. The grants will seed novel research that initiates collaboration between individuals and institutions and can serve as the substrate for future grant proposals. The intent is to provide the basis for collaborative research between UChicago faculty and visiting and/or year-round faculty of the MBL.

These grants are intended to be exploratory funds: budgets are at a maximum of $25,000, proposals are short, target dates are quarterly, and review and funding will be rapid.

Applications are accepted in Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters. The next round is due April 30, 2015.

Completed applications are due by midnight CST on April 30th.

Winter 2015 MBL – UChicago Exploratory Seed Fund Winners

Melina Hale, Jennifer Morgan
“Behavioral change and neural circuit reorganization during metamorphosis in Xenopus”

Understanding of neural circuit development and evolution is limited by the difficulty of establishing neuron homology among organisms and species. How does the startle circuit reconfigure from driving unilateral axial bending to controlling bilateral limb movement during development and evolution? Here we focus on development and will examine the M-cell circuit through the transition from tadpole to frog in Xenopus laevis. This work will provide new insights into how neural circuits develop through major behavioral transitions and will inform examination of startle circuit evolution in tetrapods. Homology of the M-cells to hindbrain neurons of amniotes is unknown; ultimately we aim to trace the evolution of this neuron and its circuit across the water-to-land transition and through tetrapod diversity.