Julien Courchet receives ERC Starting Grant

Julien Courchet’s group (team Energy Metabolism and Neuronal Development) will investigate how the regulation of glucose metabolism and mitochondria function by two kinases termed LKB1 and NUAK1 underlies neuron development and circuit formation in the cortex of the mouse. With support from the ERC, the team will develop innovative techniques to measure metabolic activity and to manipulate metabolic pathways in developing neurons in vivo. This work will contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of the neocortex and will point out some of the consequences of metabolic imbalance on the development of the brain, a question that has many important implications for public health.

ERC Starting Grants are highly competitive awards for early career researchers to pursue ambitious research projects at the frontiers of knowledge. Julien Courchet is the 3rd investigator at Institut NeuroMyoGène (INMG) to receive an ERC grant, following Valerie Castellani (CoG 2011) and Thomas Boulin (StG 2013).