“The RDF award provided me with an exceptional opportunity to try a novel genetic technique that I had no previous experience with. Although I have a strong background in the field of learning and memory research, I would not have been able to get support from any other resources because this method has never been explored in the pond snail (Lymnaea stagnalis), the species I have been using as a model organism in my experiments.

The RDF award had a huge impact on the success of my BBSRC application that resulted in  ~£700,000 funding. Most importantly, the results we obtained during the RDF enables us to take our research to a different level. The ultimate goal of this direction of my research is to genetically manipulate specific learning related pathways and study the effect on memory formation. Although during the RDF project we successfully managed to genetically alter the expression of an important protein that opened up exciting possibilities we only dreamed about, we also realized the many difficulties we have to face. To expand our expertise we are also planning to apply for further funding in order to establish the Lymnaea genome that would strongly complement our efforts to utilize genetic manipulations in this species.

Another important impact of the RDF was that the research technician (Ildiko Felletar) on the project gained substantial expertise with the genetic techniques and she is now employed in my lab and has a key role in the experiments involving the application of the CRISR method.

I am extremely grateful to the RDF for the generous investment in this high-risk project and I can only praise the organizers for their unlimited help and support all the way of my project.”

Dr Ildiko Kemenes, Reader in Neuroscience (Life Sciences)

Timeline

November 2014: RDF bid submitted

May 2015: RDF project begins

April 2016: RDF grant ends

May 2016: BBSRC Research Grant submitted

October 2017: BBSRC project started