Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet SynapTau (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The overall aim of SynapTau is to evaluate the contribution of microglia on tau-mediated synaptic loss in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), based on synaptosomal changes, which may help to develop therapeutic strategies against AD. Determining the impact of tau accumulation on synaptic loss is critical since it correlates with cognitive decline in AD. Beyond tau and amyloid-β pathologies, gliosis is also an AD hallmark and is thought to play a pivotal role on synaptic loss. Despite the link between tau, synapses and inflammation in AD, we do not yet understand the specific interactions between synaptic proteins, glia and pathological tau that lead to synaptic loss. My objective is to provide a better understanding of the role of microglia in tau-mediated synaptic loss based on recent observations I made. I recently explored synaptosomes containing glial processes near synapses from microglia depleted P301S mice, a mouse model of tauopathy, to identify changes resulting from microglia depletion that account for synaptic protection against tau pathology. I reported an upregulation of UCH-L1, an enzyme required for normal synaptic function. Moreover, most of the upregulated proteins in the synaptosomes of microglia depleted-P301S mice are expressed by astrocytes. I propose to study potential protective mechanisms against tau-mediated synaptotoxicity set in motion by microglial depletion that target neurons and neuron/astrocyte interactions. In objective 1, I hypothesize that enhancing UCH-L1 expression in neurons will protect against tau-mediated synaptic damages. In objective 2, I hypothesize that neuron-glia interactions are modified after microglia depletion, with changes in the formation and function of perisynaptic astrocytic processes that may support beneficial pathological outcomes. SynapTau is a highly significant project as it aims to discover new therapeutic targets to maintain synaptic integrity and function to slow down AD neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.

Mots clés : tau pathology, alzheimer s disease, synapses, microglia, astrocytes, tripartite synapses, uch l1

Participants :
- Aix-Marseille Université (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 195914.88 €
Projet Call to Prayer (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The project “Call to Prayer” explores Muslim missionary activity (da’wah) in Romani-majority neighborhoods in Amman, Jordan. Until relatively recently insulated communities without significant participation in public religious life, the various Romani groups in Jordan are increasingly inculcated in praying in mosques, attending Friday sermons, and, only now attaining literacy, are for the first time being introduced to Islam’s textual tradition. Long distinguished from wider Jordanian society by an identifiable heritage that includes peculiar dress, caste-like occupations, unconventional dowry and marriage rites, and use of non-Arabic languages, the entry of Romani peoples into organized religious life poses a novel situation in the social trajectory of these groups. How do missionaries who recruit from already Muslim but ostensibly not actively religious populations find success among Romani groups? This is particularly poignant for Romani peoples because da’wah has a tendency to minimize national, ethnic, and linguistic difference, fostering instead a pan-Islamic identity that transcends particularities as such. I will use the fellowship period to complete several writing projects, including a book manuscript, based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted as a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Postdoctoral Fellow at the American Center of Research in Jordan for ten months during the 2022-2023 academic year, as well as during earlier visits. My work is a close-up ethnographic look that engages philosophical questions about how da’wah helps shape working-class religious sensibilities in lieu of an orthodoxy that has remade Muslim ethics in recent decades, the capacity of religious doctrine to accommodate alterity, and the relationship between folk religion and orthodoxy in the contemporary world.

Mots clés : islam, missionary work, romani people, anthropology, religious studies, jordan, ethics

Participants :
- Centres des sciences humaines de Berlin (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 165312.96 €
Projet PLuTO (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are currently the most versatile all-purpose energy storage solution. However, LIB performance is strongly affected by temperature. In particular, at sub-zero temperatures, LIB performance is dramatically reduced. This is detrimental for LIB deployment in cold climates found in Northern Europe or high-altitude mountainous regions and hinders their widespread use in airplanes, high-altitude aerial vehicles and military and aerospace applications. The PLuTO project aims to develop a new viable approach to improve LIB performance at low temperatures. To this end, the PLuTO project will forge a photo-induced heating route for low temperature operation of liquid electrolyte batteries by incorporating in-situ synthesized noble metal nanoparticles suspended in the electrolyte, harnessing the nanoparticles capability to efficiently and quickly heat up when illuminated by light. Moreover, with a proper distribution of nanoparticles, uniform heating will guarantee a safe operation of the cell. The PLuTO project aims at achieving a first-time demonstration of photo-induced heating in a liquid electrolyte battery by using a transparent electrochemical cell with a LiFePO4 cathode (chosen due to its recognized stability at extreme temperatures). A balanced approach between computational modelling, chemical synthesis, fabrication and characterization will be implemented to investigate the influence of photo-induced heating in the electrochemical processes of the LIB cell and identify design rules for a suitable practical implementation in industrial/commercial applications. Finally, the research proposed within PLuTO is strategically positioned at the intersection between the optical-thermal-electrochemical fields and provides an excellent opportunity for the researcher to come out as a leading figure at the forefront of battery research, contributing to European competitiveness in the battery field.

Mots clés : thermoplasmonics, plasmonics, nanoparticles

Participants :
- Agence spatiale européenne (France) — Partner, associated partner, Autres, subvention : 0.0 €
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (Portugal) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 156778.56 €
Projet CoHisT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Urban cultural heritage sites often undergo transformations driven by industrial shifts to tourism and sustainable development, but these changes frequently exclude local communities and fail to generate value at the local level. While participatory design addresses this exclusion by building local capabilities, it has largely overlooked the potential of engaging with the past - specifically through collaborative historical interpretation - to help communities reflect on long-term change and mobilise these reflections for collective action. Since narratives and experience of the past are often diverse and contradictory, a key challenge is how to bring together these different perspectives to strengthen local participation in future decision-making. CoHisT addresses this gap by designing a capability-building programme that innovates civic participation in urban heritage transformation by including often excluded, diverse local groups in cultural activities. By integrating methods from participatory design, critical heritage studies, and public history, CoHisT creates tools and spaces for communities to explore their past, reflect on current changes, and collaboratively envision future possibilities. The project contributes two key tools, history-craft and co-curate, to guide participants in interpreting and curating urban transformations. These efforts culminate in two exhibition prototypes – design platforms where community members can deliberate on the effects of transformation processes and learn about ways to shape their community’s future. The project is executed through a situated action in Hasselt, Belgium, focusing on the transformation of its historic Beguinage site.

Mots clés : participatory design, public history, urban transformation

Participants :
- Université de Hasselt (Belgique) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 200400.0 €
- Université d'Aarhus (Danemark) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet MaPWave (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Atomically thin semiconductors are emerging as an important class of quantum materials that provide groundbreaking functionalities in device architectures. In particular, tailoring quantum degrees of freedom associated with charge, spin and orbital quantum numbers, as well as twist angle, could enable novel electronic, spintronic, valleytronic and twistronic applications. These fascinating properties are all contained in the quantum mechanical wavefunctions associated with the charge carrying electrons and holes of the semiconductors. Here, I will prepare heterostructures of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductors and use the strong many-body interactions in the materials to generate condensates of electron-hole pair excitations. The many-body wavefunctions of these so-called exciton condensates will be visualised for the first time using advanced photoemission spectroscopies that provide complementary access to the energy-, momentum-, time- and length-scales of the excitations. I hypothesise that this fundamental level of control of the underlying quantum mechanisms of the semiconductors will ultimately enable highly specific quantum engineering of 2D optoelectronic devices. I will combine my expertise on non-equilibrium femtosecond dynamics of 2D semiconductors with the capabilities of my host group at Aarhus University, Denmark, in order to gain access to multiple photoemission spectroscopy experiments with nanoscale spatial resolution and femtosecond time-resolution, as well as 2D material fabrication facilities. These new skills and networking opportunities will ultimately enable me to obtain a permanent academic position.

Mots clés : many body physics, excitons, twistronics, optoelectronics, valleytronics, transition metal dichalcogenides, nanoarpes, time resolved arpes

Participants :
- Université d'Aarhus (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 230774.4 €
Projet WILDMINDS (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The term “mind” is as much an everyday word in English language as it is a technical term widely used across various sub-disciplines in the cognitive sciences. And it is not uncommon to see the English-based understanding of mind as representing a universal category of human thought. No doubt, our basic ability to understand various mental states that we attribute to others and to ourselves is crucial for our social life. This has been acknowledged by the Theory of Mind (ToM) research tradition, and more recently by mind perception research. Still, the English term "mind" has remained a starting conceptual point for studying the folk theory of mind as universal. This state of affairs is problematic since there is little systematic non-English cross-cultural data about the very concept of “mind” or how the mental sphere is categorized and organized. This is especially noteworthy given the fact that many languages do not even have an equivalent lexical expression of English “mind”– it might as well be a culture-specific concept, infused with specific semantic connotations. Thus, this project will (1) bring a richer cultural perspective to the study of the folk concept of mind by investigating in-depth Mongolian cultural model of mind and comparing it to the dominant English-language based model of mind; and will (2) investigate how Mongolians attribute minds to human and non-human agents. Finally, the project will (3) develop a framework to connect “culture” as cultural models (of mind) with the postulated universal cognitive features of folk theory of mind.

Mots clés : theory of mind, folk psychology, concept of mind, culture and cognition, cultural models, cross cultural research, cognitive anthropology

Participants :
- Université d'Aarhus (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 230774.4 €
Projet SOCRESTA (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

SOCRESTA is the first systematic exploration of how ordinary people used violence and the law to resolve their disputes in Renaissance Germany after the 1495 ban on feud or Fehde in the Holy Roman Empire. To ensure its feasibility, the project focuses on the Prince-bishopric of Würzburg in 1500-1600. A central German territory, marked by the social upheaval of the Peasants’ War, religious discord of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, and aristocratic conflicts, it presents an ideal laboratory for analysing early modern social relations and the state. SOCRESTA’s objective is to qualitatively and quantitatively investigate how early modern peasants, burghers and lesser nobles characterised, experienced and settled their disputes; how they used violence and the law to pursue their enmities; how interpersonal violence was shaped by gender and class expectations; how effective was the state in mediating disputes and controlling violence. SOCRESTA adopts a multidisciplinary approach rooted in legal anthropology and comparative social, legal, gender and women’s history and history of emotions to fill significant gaps in the history of feud in early modern Germany. By centring on the lower orders who remain critically underexplored, the innovative project goes well beyond normative discourses and legislation to address actual social phenomena and deconstruct the dominant views on Fehde as a medieval institution and prerogative of the nobility. Thereby, the project also contributes to a broader history of European social relations, the state, violence and the law. Finally, SOCRESTA’s programme enables the fellow to expand his existing knowledge in the field of history and acquire new techniques, especially in digital humanities, substantially advances his networking and dissemination skills, and enhances his teaching.

Mots clés : holy roman empire, germany, feud, enmity, dispute settlement, violence, mediation, law, litigation, peacemaking, the state, emotions, class, gender

Participants :
- Université de York (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 260347.92 €
Projet FUTVRE-COR (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Coral ecosystems are vital to millions of people worldwide, offering immense biodiversity and essential ecosystem services. Yet, they are among the most threatened marine ecosystems on Earth, making their preservation a global priority. Despite this urgency, our ability to predict how coral biodiversity loss will affect ecosystem functioning remains very limited. The project FUTVRE-COR aims to revolutionize our understanding by employing an innovative modeling framework to assess and forecast the impacts of coral species loss on the diversity of coral functional strategies. By integrating trait, phylogenetic, and conservation status data with occurrence data at global, regional, and local scales (i.e., Jiigurru Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia), the project will: i) provide the most comprehensive characterization of functional strategies across the coral tree of life to date, ii) identify which functional strategies are most at risk, and iii) predict future declines in functional diversity under various extinction scenarios. The insights generated will significantly enhance our understanding of coral functional vulnerability, refining target species selection for conservation and restoration, and anticipating potential trait erosion scenarios to which humans may need to adapt. Additionally, the framework's replicability across coral systems will empower stakeholders (e.g., managers and policymakers) to meet their own conservation and sustainability goals while contributing to global and EU efforts aimed at reversing marine ecosystem degradation, such as Horizon Europe’s Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters”. Moreover, the project will present substantial research challenges and interdisciplinary training opportunities—including a secondment focused on acquiring advanced mathematical tools—equipping the candidate with invaluable skills, marking a significant leap forward in his career and laying a strong foundation for future professional growth.

Mots clés : functional ecology, trait based ecology, benthic ecology, corals

Participants :
- Université de Nottingham (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Fciencias.id - associacao para a investigacao e desenvolvimento de ciencias (Portugal) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 207183.12 €
Projet GENESIS (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Demographic and selective processes jointly influence the distribution of species in space and time. However, their interaction remains poorly studied despite its potential to formulate evolutionary and conservation hypotheses. GENESIS aims to characterize how temporal changes in different modes of linked selection – such as positive, negative, divergent, and adaptive introgression – impact genetic diversity in spatially structured populations. To that end, the action will be organized around four key objectives. I will first develop theoretical models (1) and statistical software (2) to detect genomic signatures of selection and their temporal variation. These tools will then be applied to Iberian chubs that display temperature-driven local adaptation and a mito-nuclear discordance (3), and to hybridizing North American pest sawflies to examine how selection shifted over time due to host-jumping (4). By integrating mathematics, bioinformatics, population genetics, evolutionary theory and experimental evolution, this multidisciplinary action aims to fill critical gaps in our understanding of the demography-selection interplay in spatially structured populations. GENESIS will be carried out with leading experts from the University of Lisbon and the University of Kentucky, enabling me to cultivate my network of collaborators. This action will provide me a unique opportunity to further my training in evolutionary biology. I will notably acquire novel skills, expanding my expertise in field and experimental work, and in bioinformatic method development, crucial for my development as an independent researcher. GENESIS will make a bridge between empirical and theoretical evolutionary biology to tackle fundamental questions in adaptation and speciation, with direct implications to ecology and conservation fields, and transferable to address agriculture and global change challenges.

Mots clés : population genetics, adaptation, historical demography, coalescence theory, freshwater fishes, pine tree sawflies, hybridization

Participants :
- University of Kentucky (Etats-Unis) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Fciencias.id - associacao para a investigacao e desenvolvimento de ciencias (Portugal) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 191343.12 €
Projet NAcMupro (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Ocean circulation is a key regulator of climate that driven by both atmospheric and thermohaline processes. The Labrador Sea holds a complex mixture of water masses and plays a crucial role in North Atlantic Deep Water formation and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, and thus for global ocean circulation. However, the mechanisms of the Labrador Sea Water formation and its interactions with upper North Atlantic Deep Water remain largely unknown. Understanding the water formation of the Labrador Sea Water and ocean circulation in the North Atlantic region in historical time by using proxy reconstruction data is crucial for benchmarking and understanding the present and future variations using model simulations. The purpose of this proposal is to provide information on the evolution of the North Atlantic intermediate water formation and the impact of changes on ocean circulation in the Labrador Sea during several cold periods including the Last Glacial Maximum, understanding of North Atlantic water inflow, the Labrador Sea deep water ventilation conditions and formation respond to the fundamentally different glacial cold events. By combining benthic foraminiferal morphology and geochemistry data, and other existing proxies, this project will discover the link between shell morphology and multiple stresses, and quantitatively evaluate the impact of changes in the ocean circulation on marine ecosystems. The project aims to apply a multiproxy approach including the application of foraminiferal morphology and geochemistry to reconstruct the seawater conditions. I will generate new high-resolution records of changes in subsurface to deep-water formation in the Labrador Sea region to evaluate the impact of changes in ocean circulation and to significantly improve the application of this multiproxy approach. Results from this project will also increase the data window of oceanic circulation for climate model validation.

Mots clés : paleoceanography, north atlantic ocean, micropaleontology, last glacial maximum, foraminifera

Participants :
- Université d'Aarhus (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 214934.4 €