Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet BRONC (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

CAREER PLAN: The Experienced Researcher (ER) has revealed causal neural mechanism of cognitive memory by optogenetics and psychophysics in macaque monkeys. ER wish to combine cognitive neuroscience in monkeys and circuit-based neuroscience in mice to build a new field to study cognitive functions at the level of genetically-defined circuits. Thus, ER plans to develop and acquire new technologies in a top laboratory investigating the mouse brain. INTRODUCTION: We humans can quickly change what we do. This would require dynamic reorganization of brain networks. Recent studies have revealed differential roles of cortical layers and interneurons in local neuronal circuits. However, a mechanism that reorganise cortical networks to integrate local circuit processing has been poorly understood, while this is a core principle of the brain to work. OBJECTIVE: Elucidating mechanisms of global integration of local processing from a view point of spatiotemporally-selective causal actions of different cortical layers and interneurons. APPROACH: Spatiotemporal actions of cortical layers and interneurons in task-performing mice will be observed by wide-field optical imaging with genetically-encoded calcium or voltage indicators. Simultaneously, optogenetic stimulation mapping to layers and interneurons will visualize their causal contribution to global processing and task execution. IMPACTS: 1. Mechanisms of dynamic cortical reorganisation for switching behavior have a clinical impact for common psychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder in which patients can not stop repeating a single action. 2. ER transfers knowledge in monkey cognitive science to the host lab to sophisticate mouse paradigm. 3.Techniques developed by ER will be transferred to marmoset, a small non-human primate suited for gene-modification and optical observation. This program is highly beneficial for the society and the career of ER toward understanding of human mental functions.

Mots clés : cortex, optical imaging, optogenetics, task performing mouse, behavioural demand

Participants :
- Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (Suisse) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187419.6 €
Projet EvoBias (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Understanding the mechanisms that generate phenotypic variation and their impact on the course of evolution is a central challenge in modern biology. The genetic architecture of development may limit or bias the phenotypic spectrum obtained after random mutation, deemed developmental bias. These phenotypic biases in turn may influence evolutionary trajectories. Despite the recognition of the importance of developmental biases in constraining and pacing evolution, there is no direct empirical evidence for this potential role. Here, I propose to tackle this key question using the ecologically-relevant avoidance to pathogens in the genetically-tractable organism Caenorhabditis elegans. To this aim, I will: (i) quantify and uncover mechanisms of developmental biases in avoidance behaviour; and (2) test the role of developmental biases on the tempo of phenotypic evolution. On the first objective, I will generate a novel panel of random mutant lines containing a transgene for whole-organism neuronal cell-fate identification, determine developmental biases in locomotor and avoidance behaviour, and uncover mechanisms of developmental biases. On the second objective, I will construct hybrid outbred populations with varying developmental biases to test their impact on the tempo of phenotypic evolution in an ecologically relevant scenario using experimental evolution. To achieve this, I will adopt an innovative interdisciplinary approach that combines my expertise in neurodevelopmental and behaviour genetics, quantitative genetics, genome-editing and know-how with the model C. elegans with that of the host lab in experimental evolution, behaviour ecology and host-pathogen interactions. Thus, promoting an active exchange of multidisciplinary expertise between the two parties. EvoBias will elucidate the role of developmental bias during the evolutionary process and its mechanisms in an ecologically-relevant scenario, and it will be a milestone towards my scientific independence

Mots clés : developmental biases, mutational variance, experimental evolution, caenorhabditis elegans, evolution of behaviour, pathogen avoidance behaviour, host pathogen interactions

Participants :
- Fciencias.id - associacao para a investigacao e desenvolvimento de ciencias (Portugal) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 172618.56 €
Projet HIM (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

In the plant root or stem, cells orient themselves along the basal and apical axis. This polarity determines incorporation of important proteins such as plant hormone transporters or structures such as root hairs, which always emerge at the basal pole of the root hair cell. What mechanism governs this polarity is unknown. The source of polarity signal, referred to as the Unknown Polarity Cue (UPC), has stumped the scientific community for decades, largely attributed to the failure to reliably and significantly disrupt the planar polarity of the plants. The host laboratory pioneered the method to interfere with the UPC by ectopically expressing polarity cues from the root columella - NGR proteins. Resulting plant lines exhibit a previously unachievable root hair displacement to the middle of the trichoblast- HIM phenotype and other phenotypes consistent with full loss of the planar polarity. I will use targeted NGR expression and subcellular targeting as a tool to understand how plant planar polarity is established. By investigating and functionally characterising the NGR family proteins and how they interrupt the UPC, I will unravel the origin and character of the UPC, as well as mechanisms driving its manifestation. Successful delivery of the project will equip the scientific community with fundamental knowledge on plant planar polarity establishment and generate innovative tools for directional membrane targeting, complemented by optogenetic control over membrane domain assembly. Furthermore, experience, skills and networking opportunities gained through the implementation of the MSCA Action will elevate my postdoctoral experience and build a strong career foundation, positioning me as an expert in the field of cell polarity.

Mots clés : planar polarity, gravitropism, root development, membrane domains, trichoblasts, auxin

Participants :
- Université Heinrich Heine de Düsseldorf (Allemagne) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Biology Centre (Rép. Tchèque) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 191918.16 €
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (Autriche) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet NMDAR-DCM (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The richness of chemical signalling in the brain supports the flexible neural dynamics required for adaptive behaviour. The NMDA receptor, one of the most ubiquitous receptors in the brain, controls synaptic plasticity and mediates learning and memory formation. Its dysfunction is theorised to be one of the mechanisms of schizophrenia. Profiling the changes and dysfunctions of ion channel receptors can elucidate the biological substrate of functional brain impairments and facilitate individual patients’ personalised treatment strategies. The aims of this project are two-fold: methodological—developing a robust and translational dynamic causal model able to profile NMDA-R dynamics—and clinical—studying NMDA-R dysfunctions and their trajectory within a longitudinal study of a large cohort of schizophrenic patients. The NMDA-R DCM will first be developed and validated on animal data with a high signal-to-noise ratio. The ground-truth dataset comes from a repeated measures study, with one of the measurements involving a pharmacological intervention using an NMDA-R blocker. Next, the model will be translated to human rsEEG data with the same within-subject design. Finally, the validated NMDA-R DCM will be applied to schizophrenic patients. The prospective design of the study will allow for the assessment of the predictive power of generative embedding for individual patients’ clinical trajectories. This approach might help clinicians predict clinical outcomes and tailor treatments to individual patients. We plan to disseminate the project’s results through two main channels: peer-reviewed publications of both methodological and clinical advancements, and by sharing the relevant source code for the analyses, including the envisioned additions to the TAPAS package, thereby fostering replicability, reproducibility, and rapid distribution within the community. Ultimately, this project aims to help establish computational assays as a standard procedure in clinical practice.

Mots clés : nmda receptor schizophrenia dynamic causal models generative embedding resting state eeg ketamine

Participants :
- National Institute of Mental Health (Rép. Tchèque) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 166278.72 €
Projet BiM-ION (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Magnesium-ion batteries (MIBs) present compelling performance and sustainability attributes, while sharing common manufacturing techniques with lithium-ion batteries, thus enabling rapid commercialization. However, challenges remain to be addressed, such as low capacity and poor cycling stability of the cathode materials stemming from sluggish Mg2+ diffusion kinetics, dendrite growth and irreversible Mg plating/stripping of the Mg metal anode, especially when operating in non-corrosive electrolytes. In response to these challenges, BiM-ION project leverages the expanding toolbox of 2D non-van der Waals (nvdW) bimetallic transition metal chalcogenides (BTMCs) and hybrids thereof with functionalized conductive graphene derivatives as potential cathode materials for MIBs. The 2D engineered nvdW BTMCs will be utilized to boost the Mg-ion diffusion and by leveraging metal-metal cooperativity in these structures BiM-ION aims to ascribe stable redox cycles and boost the stored energy. Importantly, tailored graphene derivatives with dense out-of-plane functionalities can facilitate the formation of covalent hybrids with 2D nvdW BTMCs, ascribing improved charge transport and stability of the resulting heterostructured electrodes, ultimately enabling long-term cyclability of MIBs. The Mg metal anode will be engineered by applying heteroatom doped graphene structures adorned with single metal atoms at the surface to improve the Mg-nucleation, and magnesiophilicity, to impede the irreversible Mg plating/stripping in non-corrosive electrolytes. The BiM-ION project aims to revolutionizing energy storage based on safer, abundant, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective solutions, thereby reducing our reliance on lithium-based technologies and accelerate the transition to sustainable energy sources.

Mots clés : two dimension, non van der waals, bimetallic transition metal chalcogenides, conductive graphene, hybrids, magnesium ion batteries, sustainable

Participants :
- Université Palacký (Rép. Tchèque) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 150438.72 €
- Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (Grèce) — Partner, associated partner, Recherche, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet ANDROMEDA (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

ANDROMEDA is an unprecedented study regarding the philosophy and epistemology of dark matter and modified gravity. The project will synthesize existing knowledge from cosmology and philosophy of science in order to realize an innovative and original study of the epistemological foundations of the debate between theories of dark matter and theories of modified gravity as competing explanations of specific cosmological observations. The main objectives of ANDROMEDA are (a) to develop a philosophically informed historical narrative of the parallel development of dark matter theory and modified gravity as an alternative, (b) to identify the most appropriate epistemic values by which dark matter and modified gravity theories should be assessed and compared to each other, and (c) to examine the extent to which certain models of dark matter and modified gravity theory should be evaluated as mutually exclusive and competing explanations of certain phenomena. The clear elucidation of these issues will create new avenues for a constructive dialogue between the dark matter and modified gravity communities in physics and will advance the public understanding of theory choice in astrophysics, demonstrating how philosophy can (i) make useful and substantial contributions to an important on-going scientific problem, and (ii) facilitate the communication of scientific challenges to the public.

Mots clés : philosophy of physics, philosophy of cosmology, epistemology of science

Participants :
- National Observatory of Athens (Grèce) — Partner, associated partner, Recherche, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université nationale et capodistrienne d'Athènes (Grèce) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 153486.72 €
Projet ENLIVEN (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

ENLIVEN is a research-through-training project designed to equip researcher with key expertise to tackle challenges in nanotoxicology. Plastic pollution has rapidly surpassed unprecedented in less than a century, with microplastics (MPs) found across various environments, ecosystems, and within the human body. MPs are present in the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink. While current analytical techniques limit the detection of nanoplastics (NPs <100 nm), plastic degradation continues beyond the microscale, leading to nanoscale interactions with potentially unknown consequences. NPs pose significant environmental and public health risks, particularly due to chronic exposure to harmful chemicals. Environmental nanoplastics (eNPs) are of particular concern due to their ability to penetrate cells and vital organs, increasing their retention in organisms. However, most research focuses on the environmental impact of MPs and NPs, leaving critical gaps in understanding their long-term effects on public health and biology. ENLIVEN aims to address this by uncovering the biological mechanisms of eNPs, examining their degradation, liver resilience, and long-term health impacts. Using human liver organoids and zebrafish embryos, ENLIVEN will study genes related to tolerance, sensitivity, and heritability, alongside liver resilience. The project proposes an innovative, integrative approach in predictive toxicology, combining bottom-up and top-down methodologies. It will link Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOP) through single-cell combinatorial RNA-seq and explore phenotypic variability via Drug-Induced Liver Injury studies in human liver organoids. This research will advance comparative human toxicology by revealing the biological mechanisms that respond to eNPs throughout life. Additionally, ENLIVEN will enhance researchers’ career prospects, foster international collaborations, and support the establishment of a research group at the home institution in Spain.

Mots clés : scirna seq, adverse outcome pathways, human liver organoids, zebrafish embryos, environmentally aged nanoparticles

Participants :
- Institut national de Biologie (Slovénie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 198557.52 €
Projet PLAXI (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : TERMINATED

Recent progress in Ultra-High Intensity optical laser systems together with the advent of Free Electron Lasers has enabled the possibility to experimentally study hot dense plasmas with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. This early state of the plasma is prone to several ultrafast phenomena relevant for astrophysical scenarios – such as Gamma-Ray Bursts - and plasma-based technologies – such as Inertial Fusion Energy. Recently, thanks to the a novel high-resolution X-ray imaging system, an experimental campaign hosted at the Linac Coherent Light Source has resolved for the first time the sub-micron scale plasma filaments originated in the interaction of a high intensity laser with a thin solid target. These results open a unique opportunity to unravel the underlying physical mechanisms behind the formation and evolution of these filaments of relevance to the aforementioned scenarios. The proposed PLasma Advanced X-ray Imaging project will leverage these recent developments with improved diagnostics and the help of advanced numerical simulations that will transform the exploration and quantitave identification of the main physical processes that dictate the onset and non-linear evolution of the relativistic plasma filamentation instability. This project will bring together the fields of advanced X-ray imaging and High Energy Density Physics, and is expected to enable the visualization of ultra-fast processes in solid-density plasmas in a similar way as optical imaging is now-a-days routinely used in underdense plasmas. The outcomes of the PLAXI project will shed light on the extreme processes that control energy transport in gamma-ray bursts and fast igniting plasmas, which so far could only be assessed theoretically, paving the way to new plasma-based applications.

Mots clés : plasma instabilities, high energy density physics, laboratory astrophysics, relativistic laser matter interaction

Participants :
- Université Stanford (Etats-Unis) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université polytechnique de Madrid (Espagne) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de Lisbonne (Portugal) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 156778.56 €
Projet CatModStab (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Mathematics
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Model theory traditionally studies mathematical structures (models) which can be characterised by first-order logical axioms (a theory). However, a number of important mathematical concepts do not fit in this framework, so researchers have been increasingly interested to generalize successful techniques of model theory to other frameworks, such as continuous logic, positive logic and a very general category-theoretic approach. One of the deepest parts of model theory is stability theory, which has inspired a great deal of research with countless applications, even when limited to the traditional first-order framework. Stability theory can be studied through independence relations that tell us which parts of a given structure are related, and which are not. Such independence relations work especially well in the stable, simple and NSOP1 settings, which relate to the complexity of the structures involved. Modern formulations of independence relations allow for a clear translation to categorical language.  We propose to build on pioneering work to generalize stability-theoretic tools for the simple and NSOP1 settings to the categorical framework. This overarching goal is split up in three objectives. (O1) Develop categorical independence, primarily in the unstable settings. (O2) Establish novel approaches to the long-standing stable forking conjecture. (O3) Found an enriched model theory and stability theory through enriched categories.  This ambitious generalization will be achieved by combining my experience in modern model theory and stability theory, with the complementary expertise of my supervisor, John Bourke, and my advisors, who are world-leaders in categorical model theory and other categorical aspects relevant to this project, such as enriched category theory. On an international level this project will build a bridge between the model theory and category theory communities, thus enlarging my network and enhancing my prospects towards an academic career.

Mots clés : model theory, category theory, stability theory

Participants :
- Université Masaryk (Rép. Tchèque) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 150438.72 €
Projet ISLADAPT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Understanding body size variation across and within species has been a main quest in evolutionary biology, but many of the mechanisms underlying body size evolution remain elusive. This is largely because of the complex interplay of different factors such as climate, diet and interactions with competitors and predators. Island are simplified ecosystems with a reduced number of habitats, species diversity and number of predators, and generally milder climate, making them ideal natural laboratories for dissecting the intricate mechanisms underlying body size evolution. ISLADAPT aims to unravel mechanisms of morphological evolution and species diversification in birds, using both macro and microecological-evolutionary approaches based on state-of-the-art methodologies such as metabarcoding and Bayesian analysis. First, this project will use data from museums and literature for endemic island species and their closest relatives from mainland worldwide (WP1) to unravel the underlying mechanisms, such as changes in the ecological niche, geographical features and phylogeny, that explain the systematic morphological changes on islands (WP2). Second, ISLADAPT will use field-based data to test the hypothesis that morphological changes on islands are linked to changes in the feeding niche breadth. To do this, faeces and biometric data will be analysed from 20 bird species from Gulf Guinean Island and the nearby mainland, and diet composition will be identified with metabarcoding techniques (WP3). Third, ISLADPT will examine the relationship between bird morphological evolution and lineage diversification on islands by using biometric data from museums and phylogenetic information for three archipelagos: New Caledonia, the Gulf of Guinea and Salomon Islands (WP4). ISLADAPT will therefore address central, open questions in island biology and reveal the underlying mechanisms, thereby providing a major contribution to our understanding of island adaptation.

Mots clés : morphology, island patterns, birds, diet, metabarcoding

Participants :
- Biopolis (Spain) (Portugal) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 156778.56 €