Two Ascending Investigators
Professor Jean-Francois Perrier and Associate Professor Carmelo Bellardita have been named Ascending Investigators by the Lundbeck Foundation.
The Ascending Investigator grants from Lundbeck Foundation are specifically for talented mid-career researchers wanting to move in a new research direction, or researchers with a small research group in the building phase.
Congratulations to Jean-Francois Perrier and Carmelo Bellardita.
Professor Jean-Francois Perrier’s project has the title “Innovative Therapies for STXBP1 Related Neurodevelopmental Encephalopathy”.
Project description: STXBP1 encephalopathy, a rare childhood brain disorder, triggers relentless seizures and severe developmental delays. No cure exists. We will test L-serine—a safe, widely available amino acid that boosts key brain receptors—to see if it calms overactive circuits. First in mice, then in a small “one child at a time” trial, we’ll measure seizure control and development. If effective, L-serine could become the first targeted therapy, offering families rapid, real hope.
Associate Professor Carmelo Bellardita will be leading the project “Cortical Inference Across Motor Hierarchies: Dissecting Predictive Circuits for Sensorimotor Control”.
Project description: This project investigates how the brain keeps movement accurate by constantly predicting what should happen next and comparing it to what actually happens. When there’s a mismatch—like stumbling or missing a target—the brain quickly adjusts. We study how this process works in real time, and how it adapts when sensory feedback is missing. These insights could inform new therapies for brain and spinal cord injury and inspire the design of smarter, more adaptive technologies.
See all Ascending Investigators 2025.