StratNeuro awards the 2023 bridging grant at the consolidator level
The StratNeuro Bridging Grant at the consolidator level is a funding initiative where StratNeuro awards outstanding researchers in the field of neuroscience at Karolinsk Institutet, who have not been awarded the KI consolidator grant or equivalent, giving them the opportunity to consolidate their research.
Based on an external review process, StratNeuro has decided to award Kristiina Tammimies with at two-year bridging grant of 1.2 million SEK for the period 2022-2023.
Evaluation process
StratNeuro received 20 applications from KI researchers in the neuroscience field, after an open call for submissions. These applications were then subjected to an evaluation process:
- Assessment of eligibility
- Selection of the application to be reviewed by external experts
- Selection of applications for external review were performed byt te members of the Executive Board of StratNeuro. StratNeuro board members did not evaluate or score submissions for which there was a conflict of interest.
- Review by external reviewer panel, based on Vetenskapsrådet's (the Swedish Research Council) evaluation process, including declaration of conflict of interest.
External review panel
- David Engblom, Linköping University
- Johan Holmberg, Umeå University
- Åsa Petersén, Lund University
- Anna R Punga, Uppsala University
Project
Decoding neurodevelopmental disorders using genomic and molecular information – path to earlier diagnosis, drug discoveries, and better treatments
Interview with Kristiina
Kristiina, tell us about your project!
My project focuses on getting a better understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, with the help of combined clinical, genomic, and molecular information. One of our aims is to generate a combination of genetic variants that can be used for earlier diagnosis and identification of specific groups of individuals with these conditions. Additionally, we will model the identified genetic factors together with known environmental exposures using human neural cells and brain organoids to pinpoint the mechanisms and potential intervention targets.
What does this grant mean for you and your research?
This grant means a great deal to me! It will help us push forward our projects for the coming years and provide the foundation for many future studies.
Is anyone else involved in the project?
We work closely with the other research groups at the Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet (KIND) and many other national and international collaborators.
How can your research influence patient care and treatment? Which patient groups will benefit from the research and how?
We hope to help individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders reach a correct diagnosis and access more individualized healthcare plans. We have already shown that autistic individuals with certain genetic profiles have differential responses to social skills training, and the training could be modified further to help the individuals better.
What are your future plans?
Although many of our studies are still focused more on the basic science side, I hope that in the future, we will focus more on implementing our research into clinical use.
The Strategic Research Area Neuroscience (StratNeuro)
The strategic research area neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet, Umeå University and KTH has the mission to integrate clinical and basic research and to foster a new generation of leaders and scientists in translational neuroscience.