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

The hippocampus located in the temporal lobe of the brain is of fundamental importance for storage and retrieval of episodic memories. Such brain computations take place at a time scale of milliseconds or less, and rely on neuronal information transfer over subcellular structures which are called axons. Neuronal precision and speed can be achieved by wrapping axons with multi-lamellar membrane sheets of myelin and is of critical importance for proper brain function. Until recently, myelination was thought to be exclusive to long-range excitatory neuronal projections. This view has been drastically revised, and it is now commonly accepted that myelination can be abundant around the axons of local inhibitory interneurons as well. Parvalbumin positive basket cells (PV+ BCs) are fast spiking interneurons which are prominent in the hippocampus where they contribute to the synchrony of action potentials of large populations of neurons. They function as clockworks that drive network oscillations such as sharp wave ripples, are critical for memory consolidation, and are highly abundant in hippocampal area CA2. Whether myelination of the CA2 PV+ BC axon plays a role in their temporally precise inhibitory function, and whether this supports temporally precise neuronal encoding and cognitive performance remains obscure. In this Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship, I will address this question by combining my expertise in subcellular patch-clamp methods with the expertise of the host on Ca2+ imaging, myelin physiology, and in vivo electrophysiology. The proposed multimethod and multidisciplinary study will be unique in showing how biophysical changes in small neuronal compartments will lead to alterations of neuronal networks and ultimately to behavioral alterations of the organism. The fellowship is expected to provide me with transferable skills and high throughput techniques that will greatly improve my chances to become an influential leader in the field of neuroscience.

Mots clés : hippocampus, patch clamp, interneuron, parvalbumin, axon, myelin, release terminal

Participants :
- Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 175572.48 €
Projet GATTACA (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The human body is constantly exposed to infectious agents. Efficient immune response is therefore fundamental to protect the cells from infection and keep individuals healthy. Still, extreme variations are observed in the efficiency of immune response among individuals and populations. Recently, the dissection of the genetic bases of the host immune response to infection has fostered a large interest in the scientific community. As a result, there is now a growing understanding of the influence of genetic variation on the transcriptional reprogramming of immune cells during infection. However, it is now widely accepted that the underlying ‘one gene–one protein’ paradigm is overly simplistic and cannot account for the full complexity of the transcriptome. Here, we propose to study how genetic variants affect transcript diversity to modulate the response to pathogens at the individual and population levels. To do so, we will seek to identify genetic variants that have conferred a selective advantage to human populations through modulation of isoforms usage in response to infection. This work will rely on an innovative strategy that combines coexpression-based studies of the isoform regulatory networks with analysis of the genetic determinants of splicing in response to infection. In doing so, this study should improve our understanding of isoform regulation and identify novel regulatory elements and splicing factor-target relationships in the specific context of infection.

Mots clés : quantitative trait loci, splicing, gene regulation, natural selection, infection, regulatory motifs

Participants :
- Institut Pasteur (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 173076.0 €
Projet FungArth (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The human body is in constant interaction with a complex group of micro-organisms like bacteria, viruses and fungi which populate various body surfaces like our skin, lungs and gut. These organisms generally don’t pose a threat to the host but in contrary have many beneficial functions like stimulating the correct development of our immune system. Until now, research has mainly focused on bacteria, while fungi have largely been overlooked. Enteric fungi represent a significant part of the intestinal microbiota, but their role in human health and disease is poorly characterized. Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a common immune pathology which causes severe spine and joint inflammation and the lab of Prof. Dirk Elewaut was the first to show a mechanistic link between spondyloarthritis and intestinal inflammation. Interestingly, anti-fungal immune reponses require Th17 (specific T lymphocytes) activation, an immune arm commonly hyperactivated in arthritic disease. We therefore hypothesize that abberrant antifungal immune responses may be contributing to arthritic pathology. Alternatively, homeostatic fungal-host interactions may be important for both mucosal and systemic immune homeostasis. With this research project, I propose to study in detail the contribution of naturally occurring intestinal fungi to health and SpA development in a multi- disciplinary manner, using elegant genetic mouse models of disease, state-of-the-art tools and technologies and clinical samples from SpA patients.

Mots clés : fungi, gut inflammation, mycobiome, arthritis

Participants :
- Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (Belgique) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 160800.0 €
Projet IMMUNO_CRC (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The human gastrointestinal tract harbours trillions of bacteria that have co-evolved to play important roles in health and disease, conferring immunological, metabolic and neurological benefits to the host. This assemblage is known as the Gut Microbiota and has been a focus of investigation over the last decade. Altered gut microbiota composition has been associated with colorectal cancer (CRC), and studies in germ-free mice established an important role for some gut microbiota members in oncogenesis outcome, tumour progression and response to therapy. Data from the host laboratory show that patients with CRC harbour specific gut microbiota sub-types, among which some are associated with distinct mucosal gene-expression profiles. Thus either directly or through their metabolites, these tumour-associated microbiota appear to differentially recruit and interact with host inflammatory cells, which we hypothesize may be involved in different outcomes of carcinogenesis. The presence of particular immune cells is known to be prognostic of clinical outcome, because it often creates a tumour-promoting environment. Therefore, strategies aimed at manipulating the tumour-associated microbiota in CRC represent a promising therapeutic approach for patients. IMMUNO-CRC’s goal is to elucidate the mechanisms by which certain bacterial sub-types associated with CRC may alter immune function and influence clinical outcome. Using multicolour flow cytometry, I will analyse infiltrating immune cells characteristic of different inflammatory responses and microbiota sub-types. Histo-immunophenotyping analysis on tumour biopsies will determine their inflammation and cancer phenotype. Metabolomics will identify specific microbial metabolites involved in the regulation and progression of inflammation. Ultimately, this unique and innovative combination of techniques will pave the way for novel therapeutics targeting the human microbiota for cancer treatment.

Mots clés : microbiota, colorectal cancer, inflammation

Participants :
- National University of Ireland (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187866.0 €
Projet TransVivome (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The human microbiome plays essential roles in modulating human health and disease. Based on preliminary data as well as previously published work, I hypothesise that 1) the oral cavity acts as a reservoir of microbes which continuously seed the gut and that 2) specific aberrations of the microbiota along the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) are linked to the development of colorectal cancer (CRC) and oral cancer (OC). My aim is to test these hypotheses through an integratation of metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data generated from microbial consortia in the colons/recta as well as oral cavities of patients with CRC or OC, and compare these to healthy individuals. Successful completion of the project objectives would address the questions: which microbial strains survive passage from the oral cavity in to the gut? Does the mouth act as a reservoir for strains driving CRC development? And can a panel of multi-factorial biomarkers outperform current CRC and OC diagnostic standards?

Mots clés : metagenomics, metrascriptomics, intergaration, diagnostics, gastrointestinal, colorectal cancer, oral cancer, bioactivity

Participants :
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 171460.8 €
Projet NEACHA (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : TERMINATED

The hydrosilylation of alkenes represents one of the largest applications of homogeneous catalysis on an industrial scale, and currently platinum-based catalysts are used in the industries which are expensive. Although homogeneous Earth abundant metal catalysts have been developed, they are not suitable for large-scale industrial applications. Hence, I will develop novel, inexpensive, and Earth-Abundant supported base metal nano-catalysts for the hydrosilylation of alkenes to produce linear alkylsilanes including Si-polymers, which are important products in the chemicals, materials, and pharmaceutical industries. The proposed catalysts are heterogeneous, easily separable from the reaction mixture, and reusable. To achieve this aim, supported Fe, Co, Ni and Mn nano-catalysts will be prepared, characterized, and tested for catalysis. Priority will be given to iron-based catalysts. The most effective nano-catalysts will be applied to the production of silicon-polymers/materials. Altogether, the acquired knowledge from this research project will help the scientific and chemical community to design cheap nano-catalysts for hydrosilylation. This project will be carried out in Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Catalysis (LSCI) at EPFL under the supervision of Prof. Xile Hu. This project will allow me to develop my knowledge and skills in the field of nanomaterials and heterogeneous catalysis in order to enhance my future as an independent researcher in the area of catalysis for advanced organic synthesis and energy applications.

Mots clés : hydrosilylation, earth abundant, base metals, nano catalysts, si polymers

Participants :
- Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (Suisse) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187419.6 €
Projet iPALMS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The iPALMS or “identifying Practicable functional biomarkers to Monitor nutritional requirements in oil palm agroSystem” is devoted to the elaboration of a K-Bio-Index which will permit a better potassium fertilizer use by planters. This bio indicator will be completed by a K-Profiles-Library and a data base “iPALMS DATA”. Oil palm is a typical case of a tree-crop that has a strong impact on local biodiversity and landscape via deforesting but the global demand in palm oil is still increasing, including by oil companies looking for resources other than petroleum. A considerable effort should now be devoted to reconcile oil palm cropping and nutrient fertilization in order to reduce inputs and the carbon footprint, and increase sustainability. The present project aims to set up a biomonitoring technology based on functional genomics (metabolomics, proteomics) to control potassium (K) fertilization in oil palm. Despite its very high oil-production yield, this species is highly K-demanding, with tissue K content often exceeding nitrogen content. In most agricultural oil palm practices, K fertilization follows standard protocols, in which potash addition is uniform and exceeds tree needs, leading to considerable losses in the environment. Such losses are further detrimental to other agricultural systems and water-tables nearby, potentially causing hypocalcaemia in cattle and humans. Here, we will use metabolomics and proteomics to explore the functional linkage between K conditions and oil palm metabolic efficiency and identify biomarkers than could be implemented to better define K fertilization strategies.

Mots clés : oil palm, potassium, mineral fertilization, metabolomics, proteomics, k bio index

Participants :
- Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 263827.2 €
- Australian National University (Australie) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet milieuPCa (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The immune contexture of prostate cancer is poorly studied, despite among researchers there is a strong interest in developing immunotherapy approaches to cure the disease. It is known that the immune system can have a dual role in the tumor progression, in other words, it can either promote or suppress tumor growth and invasion. However, the immunomodulation of prostate cancer and the immunosuppressive mechanisms involved are still not entirely known. In this proposal, I suggest using and integrating Omics data from various sources to give a holistic and comprehensive overview of the immune milieu of prostate cancer at a single cell level. Human prostate cancer samples will be used to generate transcriptomics with scRNA-Seq, epigenomics with scATAC-Seq and multiplexed images with the Hyperion system. Transcriptomics and epigenomics data at the single cell level will allow the classification of the cell types at the molecular level, the delineation of related biomarkers and biological mechanisms as well as the establishment of a prostate cancer specific deconvolution approach. Spatial information will be obtained for candidate biomarkers found through scRNA-Seq and scATA-Seq, and all data will be then integrated in order to create a link between transcriptional regulation, signaling pathways and cell-cell interaction. High throughput data integration in prostate cancer will allow elucidation of the biological mechanisms involved in an unprecedented level. This study will be a powerful resource for future basic studies on prostate cancer, but also for guiding the development of novel immunotherapy approaches.

Mots clés : single cell analyses, multiplex imaging

Participants :
- University of Freiburg (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 174806.4 €
Projet TRACERxTME (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The immune system imposes a continuous selective pressure that influences the evolutionary trajectories of tumour cell populations. The interplay between evolving genetics of tumour cells and the corresponding immune response is poorly understood. A deeper understanding of tumour microenvironmental constraints upon cancer evolution may define an evolutionary rulebook and help to inform the rational and personalized design of combination immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. In this study, we aim to integrate detailed genomic information from the TRACERx lung cancer cohort (TRAcking lung Cancer Evolution through therapy (Rx), a multiregion longitudinal study aiming to study >5000 tumour regions from 842 patients) with highly multiplexed tumour microenvironment imaging mass cytometry data in order to decipher the dynamics of distinct microenvironmental cell types during the disease course and tentatively begin to construct the rulebook of cancer. We will characterize how the tumour genome and microenvironment evolves throughout the disease course by analyzing multiregion tumour samples taken at time of surgery, relapse and death through the fast-autopsy PEACE study (Posthumous Evaluation of Advanced Cancer Environment). Successful completion of these aims will generate the most complete understanding of the lung tumour microenvironment to date within the contexture of the evolving tumour genome. This knowledge will ultimately inform the design of innovative precision medicine strategies in lung cancer.

Mots clés : imaging mass cytometry, cytof, tumour evolution, tumour genomics

Participants :
- The Francis Crick Institute (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 212933.76 €
Projet WATERISKULT (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The impact of climate change on cultural heritage has been addressed only recently beside the most discussed environmental and socioeconomic implications. Broad attention is given to the vulnerability of tangible cultural assets on land, whereas underwater sites are often neglected. WATERISKULT provides the first quantitative assessment of the climate change risk to underwater cultural heritage, with a focus on archaeological stone. The project aims at predicting the effects of key-factors of climate change on stone deterioration, i.e., ocean acidification (combined with sea level rise and ocean warming) and increasing intensity and shifts of extreme weather events (cyclones); by laboratory simulations, field-exposure tests, and monitoring of heritage stones, the effects of different levels of CO2, pressure, and temperature in seawater and high-intensity ocean currents will be investigated. This project also aims at exploring the causes and effects of current deterioration in underwater archaeological sites, constrained by diverse stone properties and submarine environments, specifically in the Mediterranean region. Downscaled trends and patterns of observed and predicted stone decay will be obtained, based on the (micro)structural and compositional changes and biodeterioration. This research adopts an interdisciplinary approach involving petrography/mineralogy, oceanography, analytical chemistry, marine biology, hydraulic engineering, and underwater archaeology. WATERISKULT may pave the way to long-term strategies of heritage protection and studies of other archaeological materials. By marking a step forward in assessing the climate change risk to the anthroposphere, the timeliness of this project reflects the policies and research promoted by the EU, at the forefront of the fight against climate change and heritage valorization. The echo of the environmental debate on the media is now stronger than ever, and so are the possibilities to raise public awareness.

Mots clés : stone properties and decay, tangible cultural heritage, climate change impact, underwater archaeologichal sites, ocean acidification, extreme weather events, monitoring, biodeterioration

Participants :
- University of Padua (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 171473.28 €
Projet DRmov (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The impact of mosquito-borne diseases has expanded dramatically in the last few decades to become an emerging global health problem, with around 1 billion new infections and 1 million deaths each year. In Europe there are more than 20 countries with established populations of invasive Aedes mosquitoes. Aedes mosquitoes are the principle vectors responsible for transmitting high-risk pathogens such as ZIKA virus (ZIKV), dengue (DENV), yellow fever virus (YFV), chikungunya virus (CHKV) and Venezuelan equine encephalitic virus (VEEV). Despite our vulnerabilities to mosquito-borne diseases, virus replication dynamics is still poorly understood especially in the invertebrate vectors. No treatment against these viruses targeting essential viral proteins are currently available. Thus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and its Vector Control Advisory Group has urged for insect vector control. Vector control is usually performed through insecticides; however, resistance can emerge in mosquitoes leading to persistence of the disease. Therefore, virologists are turning their interests toward host factors that play essential roles in infection as novel antiviral targets, since they can potentially exhibit broad-spectrum efficacy. In particular, scientists envision that genetically modified mosquitoes with disrupted genes required for infection can be re-inserted into natural habitats or through targeting these genes by RNAi in order to control viral spread. As all mosquito-borne viruses have RNA genome, cellular RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) emerge as ideal targets for antiviral therapies, as they are key players in cellular and viral RNA metabolism . Thus, we propose here to profile comprehensively the compendium of mosquito RBPs (RBPome) using RNA-interactome capture (RNA-IC). Furthermore, we will apply different cutting-edge methods to identify the role of mosquito RBPs during virus infection.


Participants :
- University of Glasgow (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 74977.92 €
- University of Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 149955.84 €