Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet CHRONOTEC (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : TERMINATED

Deciphering duration and conditions of metamorphism in orogenic systems is crucial to understand large-scale tectonic processes. In the last decades, the development of thermodynamic modeling and instrumental advances in elemental and isotopic analysis have open new avenues to unravel the Pressure-Temperature-time paths of rocks, to assess the rates and duration of large-scale orogenic processes. However, orogenic roots in Large Hot Orogens (LHOs) that can attain and maintain temperatures higher than 800°C over several tens of million years still challenge our ability to decode the timing of events, and our understanding of tectonic processes and crustal evolution. CHRONOTEC proposes an innovative multi-approach strategy using state-of-the-art instrumentation, to link the chronometers garnet and zircon through their isotopic (U-Pb in zircon; Lu-Hf and Sm-Nd in garnet, O in garnet and zircon) and elemental (trace element) record, combined to a detailed petrological investigation, including phase diagram modeling. This approach will be systematically used on selected mafic granulites from distinct crustal levels (mid and high pressure) of the Central Grenville Province in Canada, one of the first LHOs on Earth. CHRONOTEC will bring a complete portfolio of new fundamental results from natural samples to assess the link between zircon and garnet in high-T mafic rocks. Integration of the results will provide an unparalleled framework to assess the metamorphic evolution of the central Grenville province, and by comparison to other LHOs, will refine our understanding of large-scale high-T orogenic processes.

Mots clés : petrochronology, radiogenic isotopes, stable isotopes, garnet, zircon

Participants :
- Memorial University of Newfoundland (Canada) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 244385.28 €
Projet AXO-MATH (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Decision-making is a crucial brain function which neuronal substrates are largely unknown. Deciphering those mechanisms is critical for the prevention and the treatment of brain diseases as decision-making is maladaptive in many neuropsychiatric disorders (obsessive behaviors, schizophrenia, autism, substance abuse); it would also significantly advance neuroeconomics and therefore positively impact society. AXO-MATH (MATHematical analysis of AXOnal projections) investigates the neuronal mechanisms involved in decision-making in behaving mice using interdisciplinary approaches and state-of-the-art methods. We hypothesize that a final step before the action is taken is implemented in the dorsal PFC as it is an anatomical hub receiving projections from both sensory areas and regions believed to participate in choice valuation, such as the ventral tegmental area and the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala. Using an original combination of advanced microscopy and genetic and viral tools, we will image the activity of those long-range axons in two conditions: while the expert animal is taking a choice, and during the stage of preference learning. Precise measures will allow us to test a model in which projections from the amygdala to the PFC encode choice values and can be dynamically modulated as a function of the context by the ventral tegmental area to switch preference. The characterization accuracy will be unprecedented thanks to the design of new analytical tools - the initial expertise of the applicant. We propose novel mathematical methods tailored to the automatic extraction of complex-shape and micrometer-scale features of synaptic activity in in vivo microscopy images; they lack human input and can handle large volumes of data. By a seamless combination of the host and applicant multidisciplinary expertise we will address the relationship between synaptic network dynamics and functional brain plasticity which is a major challenge in modern neuroscience.

Mots clés : decision making, in vivo microscopy, image processing, algorithmic, prefrontal cortex, animal behavior

Participants :
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 185076.0 €
Projet Cameleer (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Deductive software verification, a subject within the broader field of formal methods, proposes a very ambitious path: to turn the correctness of a computer program into a mathematical statement, and then prove it. This project aims to develop a deductive verification framework, with a clear focus on proof automation, that directly tackles the verification of OCaml-written programs. OCaml seems to be particularly good target for verification. On one hand, it is the language of choice for the implementation of sensible software such as proof assistants, automated solvers, and compilers. On the other hand, OCaml is a multi-paradigm language, supporting both the functional and imperative paradigm, one can write clean, concise, type-safe, and efficient code. Yet, a verification tool that can handle hand-written code and is mostly automated does not currently exist. OCaml programmers must chose between proof automation, with the price of learning and programming in a verification-aware language, and then perform code extraction, or tools that require manual proof assistance. The Cameleer project aims to remedy this situation by providing the tools and principles for the verification of OCaml programs. The main outcome of this project is a powerful, usable, and mostly automated verification framework for the OCaml-written code. This will be a major step towards making verification more accessible to OCaml programmers, even in case they are not verification experts. The Cameleer framework will feature a translation of OCaml programs annotated with specifications written in GOSPEL, a recently proposed specification language, to different intermediate verification languages, namely WhyML, Viper, and Coq. This coexistence of multiple intermediate verification infrastructures allows the devised framework to target the verification of a large subset of OCaml programs, while combining the strengths of each individual intermediate language to obtain better verification results.

Mots clés : deductive software verification, ocaml, why3, viper, separation logic

Participants :
- Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Portugal) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 147815.04 €
Projet MITOBIOPATH (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Defects of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) metabolism (maintenance, integrity and expression) are the most common cause of multiple mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) defects in children. Several new disease genes have been identified in these complex pathways but the functional link between mutant protein and mtDNA metabolism is unknown or poorly understood. Example of the latter is FBXL4 (F-box and leucine-rich repeat protein 4) gene, mutations of which have been recently found in 28 patients with a multisystem complex syndrome, hallmarked by combined MRC defect and reduction of mtDNA copy number in muscle and fibroblasts. Approximately 60% of patients still lack genetic definition of their disease. Objective of MITOBIOPATH proposal is the discovery and characterization of novel mitochondrial biogenetic and maintenance pathways by implementing three specific aims. 1) Gene discovering by whole exome sequencing (WES): unbiased WES screening will be applied to a large cohort of paediatric patients presenting early onset hypotonia, developmental delay, failure to thrive, severe encephalomyopathy and/or liver failure associated with combined MRC defects. 2) Pathogenic pathways revealed by new gene defects: functional studies using cellular and animal models (knock-out zebrafish or mouse models) will be performed to establish the pathogenic mechanism of the mutation(s) and the function of unknown disease-associated protein(s); 3) FBXL4 function in cellular and in vivo models: immortalized cell lines expressing six different FBXL4 mutations will be generated by using CRISP/Cas9 technology and characterized with a combined molecular, biochemical and proteomic approaches. In addition, proteins in the Parkin-proteasome complex were recently identified as potential partners of FBXl4, and they will be further analyzed. Knock-out mouse model of Fbxl4 will be also investigated. Overall results will have impact on both mitochondrial disorders and other neurodegenerative disease.

Mots clés : mitochondrial disorders, mitochondrial dna, mtdna depletion, mtdna multiple deletion, transcription, translation, mitochondrial biogenesis, animal models

Participants :
- UK Research and Innovation (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 81439.5 €
- University of Cambridge (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 114015.3 €
Projet EduCommon (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Democratic education is a condition for the construction and preservation of democracies. On this basis, UNESCO purposed in 2015 to rethink education as a common good to reverse the privatised views of education, dominant since the 1990s, which diluted the key role of education in the construction of democratic citizenship. This interdisciplinary action aims to reinforce a conception of education as a common good by foregrounding experiences that stretch beyond the traditional school model and actively engage civil society actors in an education for transformation and social justice. To this end, EduCommon will develop knowledge exchange through an intercultural dialogue between two educational/social trends recently developed in crises contexts: Commons Paradigm (CP) and Popular Education (PE). CP has gained strength in Europe after the 2008 crisis in several social domains, including education; however, so far has not provided relevant applications in education. PE is a long tradition in Latin America that offers numerous experiences organising education as a common good, as show the current projects in Buenos Aires emerged after the 2001 crisis. Although PE experiences have not been connected to CP and had barely gained visibility in Europe, they both share key points with CP; both are based on the premise that an education for democracy must be democratically organised, and therefore promote the active participation of civil society through grassroot democracy and participatory citizenship models. Thus, EduCommon would bring out mutual synergies: CP would strengthen the theoretical framework of PE, whilst PE would provide CP with experiences to follow. To set up this intercultural dialogue, the fellow will bring to Argentina her previous knowledge on CP, whilst will return to Europe analytical knowledge on the current PE experiences. Lessons generated will be of wider relevance for the European education governance, with transferable outcomes to other contexts.

Mots clés : commons paradigm, popular education, democratic education

Participants :
- Autonomous University of Madrid (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 206496.96 €
- National University of General San Martín (Argentine) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet TCRabX (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Demographic change includes population ageing, and incidence rates begin to increase for many types of cancer in middle-aged and elderly people. Traditional cancer treatment includes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, while tumour immunotherapy by T cell receptor (TCR) gene transfer represents an alternative form of treatment. The transfer of tumour-specific TCR genes into patient’s peripheral blood lymphocytes targets cancer specifically and effectively. But while patient-derived low-affinity TCRs do not show therapeutic activity, optimal-affinity TCRs, as isolated from newly-generated antigen-negative humanized mice with a diverse human TCR repertoire, can effectively delay tumour regression. X-ray crystallography is a powerful tool of structural biology, which helps researchers to identify the three-dimensional (3D) structures of biological macromolecules such as TCRs complexed to their cognate peptide-loaded major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) molecules. Recent research uncovered the docking topologies of naturally selected TCRs, but therapeutically efficient optimal-affinity TCRs recognizing tumour-associated self-antigens, have not been analysed to date. The exceptional specificity of TCRs is determined by three complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) of the TCR alpha- and beta-chains. Biomedical research on TCR gene therapy and design of future clinical trials will hugely benefit from the identification of CDR-mediated contact points made between therapeutic TCRs and the pMHC on their target cells. TCRabX is an interdisciplinary research project investigating the 3D structures of 13 TCRs complexed to MHC-I or MHC-II, respectively. It connects innovative clinical immunology research in Berlin/Germany and world-class structural biology research in Melbourne/Australia. The proposed research will enhance the health and well-being of citizens in Europe and worldwide by supporting the advancement of cancer immunotherapy approaches.


Participants :
- Monash University (Australie) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 264110.4 €
Projet LectiNet (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen-presenting cells due to their ability to prime T-cell immune responses. The numerous endocytic transmembrane receptors located on their surface can recognise and process endogenous and exogenous antigens. Despite DCs being efficient sentinels, pathogens, unfortunately, in some cases can evade their guard, and cause viral, bacterial infections, and cancer. The DCs mechanisms behind the lack or the presence of an immune response are not fully understood. Chemistry offers powerful tools to prepare synthetic antigens, mimicking the natural one. Synthetic antigens can, not only be exploited to disclose the relationship between the antigen chemical structure and its processing by the immune cells but also used to train the immune system to fight pathogens. The overall aim of LectiNet is to reveal how cooperative engagement of human C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) on DCs surface influences antigen internalisation, trafficking, and presentation. This will be achieved by targeting CLRs with heterogenous multivalent polymers and analysing DC signaling and antigen routing. LectiNet hence will disclose multitarget polymers as vectors to selectively deliver antigens through DCs following a pre-designed pathway to fight viral infection and cancer. In this global fellowship, I will benefit from the joint supervision of Professor Laura L. Kiessling from MIT and of Professor Paul V. Murphy from NUIG. LectiNet will provide me an excellent training to complement my current knowledge in synthetic chemistry, with immunology cell biology and polymer chemistry, placing me in a unique interdisciplinary area in the European research scenario. LectiNet will explore novel delivery strategies of vaccines for infectious disease and cancer and provide novel insights into the role of CLRs co-engagement.

Mots clés : c type lectin carbohydrates polymers antigen chemical biology endocytosis cancer hiv dendritic cells imaging flow cytometry vaccines

Participants :
- National University of Ireland (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 275561.28 €
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet depreg (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Depressive symptoms frequently occur during pregnancy and may have a tremendous impact on the developing child. Unfortunately, pharmacological antidepressant treatments during pregnancy can negatively impact behavioral development and health of the offspring. In humans it is difficult to discern between the effects of the drug and the effects of the depression itself, therefore it is unclear whether children exposed to antidepressants in utero are at increased risk, and if so, what the underlying molecular mechanisms are that may point to potential solutions. My overall aim is to identify molecular mechanisms and behavioral alterations in the offspring due to antenatal depression, antidepressant treatment during pregnancy, and their combination. To achieve this goal I will use an advanced rat model for depression to allow an experimental approach. I will identify the effects of antenatal depression, antidepressant treatment during pregnancy, and their combination on: (1) behavior of the offspring, (2) gene expression patterns with micro-array in the fetal brain, and (3) epigenetic profile of genes from the micro-array in adult brain and blood plasma. So far, Genome Wide Association Studies have not yielded new targets for the treatment of depressed (pregnant) patients. The outcome of this study will not only advance our knowledge on genes underlying the alterations found in brain and blood of the offspring due to antenatal depression, antidepressant treatment and their combination, but will also reveal early biomarkers as the epigenetic profile for the altered genes are studied. Ultimately, the results of this project will be beneficial for human health as it will open up new avenues for biomedical research and therapeutic applications.

Mots clés : antenatal depression, antidepressants, pregnancy, behavior, gene expression, epigenetics, ssri

Participants :
- University of Groningen (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 177598.8 €
Projet BMACS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : TERMINATED

Design and development of biomaterial based wearable, conformable and planar microwave antenna for biomedical, communication and telemetry application is proposed in this project. The project targets a new innovative field comprising of Material science, Microwave Engineering, and Biomedical Sensing. The usage of biomaterials as a substrate in microwave application will reduce the electronic waste, thereby protecting the environment. This project aims to identify at least three biomaterials with suitable synthesis methods leading to the fabrication of microwave substrate to enable conformal biomedical sensing, radio telemetry (Transmitting antennas used to track animals and birds in the forest or other sensitive environments) applications, antennas for the Internet of Things (IoT), ISM and 5G applications. Keeping these application possibilities, I would like to extend the research horizon of biomaterial based microwave devices and to establish this prospective research area, which will be having the highest research priority in the future considering the biological and environmental aspects. High efficient conformable antennas, planar antennas and wearable antennas suitable for sensing, communication and telemetry applications using biomaterials will be developed, which is an innovative aspect of this proposal. The research area of this proposal is not only interested for the scientific community but also beneficial for the whole human and living beings, since the replacement of non-biodegradable materials with biodegradable material in electronic gadgets will tremendously reduce the e-waste content of our planet hence causing a bigger positive impact to the ecosystem in total.

Mots clés : microwave antenna, conformal antennas, bio electromagnetics, microwave material characterization, biomaterials

Participants :
- Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (Suisse) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 203149.44 €
Projet BrainChip4MED (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Despite all the progress and effort that has been made in the last few decades regarding the research on neurodegenerative diseases, the complexity of the human brain and the low efficiency of drugs that can cross the brain-blood-barrier (BBB), have halted significant breakthroughs in neurosciences. Motivated by the lack of an appropriate in vitro model to study brain-targeting nanocarriers, the aim of BrainChip4MED is to develop an advanced microfluidic preclinical tool to recapitulate the structural and functional aspects of the human brain tissue and BBB, using brain-on-a-chip (BoC) technology, to assess and study possible alternatives for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This breakthrough vision will be accomplished by exploring for the first time a novel and multidisciplinary strategy, where chemistry-, engineering- and biology-based approaches will be combined for the creation of a robust microfluidic 3D brain-model, combined with multiplexed biosensor system, for real-time screening of new nanotechnologically-designed drug BBB-targeting nanocarriers. In order to pursue this project, the researcher will carry out the outgoing phase at HMS/BWH - Harvard Medical School/Brigham and Women’s Hospital (USA), pioneer in the development of organ-on-a-chip (OoC) and biosensors, for a period of 12 months (WP1). The researcher will then return to INL - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (Portugal), for the final 12 months (WP2 and WP3), where novel engineered nanoformulation will be developed and tested on the BoC prototype. With BrainChip4MED the researcher will greatly expand her scientific expertise in the fields of OoC and nanotechnology, positioning her as a leading independent researcher, bridging the worlds of engineering and medicine. At the same time, BrainChip4MED has great outreach for academia and pharmaceutical research, contributing to the advancement of nanomedicine and neurosciences in Europe and beyond.

Mots clés : organ on a chip, degenerative diseases, nanoformulations, biosensors, theranostics

Participants :
- Mass General Brigham (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Recherche, subvention : 0.0 €
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (Portugal) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 156540.48 €