Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet HUMANE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The presence of adult neurogenesis in humans spurs hope for brain regeneration and changed the view of the brain as an immutable structure. Adult neurogenesis was found in almost all mammals and was extensively studied in rodents. In spite of the vast knowledge accumulated in the field, data describing human adult neurogenesis is controversial. Several studies found neural progenitors in the human brain. Conclusive data was brought by the Frisén group via 14C birthdating, which showed ongoing neurogenesis in the hippocampus and striatum. Other studies based mostly on immunohistological methods and rodent neurogenesis markers, failed to identify neural progenitors in the adult human hippocampus and even questioned the existence of a stem cell niche. These conflicting reports are a clear indication that we need unbiased descriptive studies of human adult neurogenesis. The recent advances in sequencing technologies allow an in-depth transcriptome characterization at a cellular level, making possible an unbiased identification of neural progenitors and of neurogenic niches. The aim of this project is to show beyond doubt whether neural progenitors and stem cell niches are present in the adult human brain using unbiased, state-of-the-art sequencing methods. Furthermore, for the first time we will characterize the transcriptome of single postnatal and adult neurogenic progenitors and of the potential stem cell niches. Our study will not only show whether adult neurogenesis takes place in humans but will also generate tools that will lay the foundation for future studies, boosting the research in the field. Rodent studies showed that adult neurogenesis contributes to brain plasticity, cognitive flexibility and can constitute a future start for regenerative therapies. Thus, our results could open the road for using neurogenesis to fight against neurological disorders especially visible in the aging European society such as age related cognitive decline or depression.

Mots clés : adult neurogenesis, neural progenitors, stem cell niche, transcriptome profiling, brain regeneration

Participants :
- Karolinska Institutet (Suède) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 203852.16 €
Projet NeuArc2Fun (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The present project lies at the connection between theoretical and experimental neuroscience. It investigates how information is processed in neural networks with feedback, via the firing activity. On the one hand, the past decades have seen a growing interest for the analysis of the functional connectivity, namely how the spiking activity of neural populations is organized spatially and temporally. These activity patterns are hypothesized to form the basis of neural information, i.e., how neurons collectively encode information. On the other hand, experiments have revealed the complex design of the neural circuitry with many levels of organization, from the local connectivity of neurons to broad-scale pathways between cortical areas. NeuArc2Fun aims to develop a recurrent neural network model that bridges these structural and functional levels. The advantage of this model-based approach is the ability to make predictions about the role of each component of the model - in particular, its connectivity - in shaping neural activity. A key issue is to keep a balance between the mathematical tractability and biological realism in the model. To address this trade-off problem, NeuArc2Fun focuses on the mesoscopic level, namely scales at which many interacting neural populations can be simultaneously recorded by current state-of-the-art experimental techniques, such as electrode arrays. In practice, experimental data from the visual cortex will be used to tune and test the network models. In turn, gaining precise knowledge about neural cognitive processing will be applied to design experiments and test new ideas for information coding in networks. To a broader extent, this project will also benefit to applications that involve information decoding and interaction with the brain, e.g., neural prostheses and brain-machine interfaces.

Mots clés : biological neural network model, neural dynamical system, neural information coding, visual cortex

Participants :
- Pompeu Fabra University (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 158121.6 €
Projet HumEnBody (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The present project sets out to explore the hitherto uncharted culture of drug-free (‘natural’) bodybuilding that has been emerging in different parts of the world as a response to a dominant, pharmacologically-enhanced model that has thus far monopolised public attention and debate. My aim is to critically investigate the practices, discourses and structures that constitute ‘natural’ bodybuilding and make sense of it in light of a ubiquitous gym/fitness culture and the wider phenomenon of human enhancement. Focusing on Europe as a significant and intriguing site in this emerging global mosaic of body cultures, the research will employ a combination of qualitative methods to trace the development of ‘natural’ bodybuilding across diverse geo-cultural areas of the continent.

Mots clés : bodybuilding, human enhancement, pieds, drugs

Participants :
- Aarhus University (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 200194.8 €
Projet SMILE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The present proposal, SMILE, aims to answer core questions on the current climatic and biodiversity crisis. Together with Dr. Francesco de Bello, a prominent authority on functional ecology and biodiversity, at the CIDE-CSIC, Spain, the applicant, Dr. Felícia M. Fischer, seeks to understand how biodiversity responds to extreme climatic events and how this response affects multiple ecosystem functions. For so, SMILE will explore the role of key aspects of the biological communities in terms of functional traits on the resistance and resilience of natural processes and the provision of multiple ecosystem functions connected to various ecosystem services. Two approaches, one using large-scale datasets of permanent plots, and another, within an extensive biodiversity experiment in controlled conditions, will allow testing the effect of functional redundancy within biological communities (i.e. multiple species with similar ecological functions but different environmental preferences) over the ecological stability (insurance hypothesis). SMILE will rely on cutting edge quantitative methods for accessing and testing the role biodiversity to buffer extreme climatic events. It will also count on a transdisciplinary approach to evaluate multifunctionality, involving the fields of climatology, community ecology, functional ecology, soil biology and biochemistry, carbon and water cycles, among others, with promising applications to conservation. For so, SMILE will involve a large multidisciplinary and multinational collaboration network. Moreover, the project is well aligned with the priorities and themes promoted by the Europe 2020 strategies and the Horizon 2020 program, as it can have important role for restoration of degraded lands, and their maintenance. Communication and dissemination will be, thus, a key priority of the project. The execution of SMILE will be key to enhance the applicant`s career, improving her theoretical, methodological, and overall operational skills.

Mots clés : plant ecology, functional ecology, ecosystem ecology, ecological stability, climate change, ecosystem services

Participants :
- Spanish National Research Council (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 160932.48 €
Projet CABBALA (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The present research project aims at examining fresh material about the syncretistic tradition in the 15th and 16th centuries: it includes a wide range of theories by the so-called Christian Kabbalists about the different names of God and of Jesus in the context of Renaissance thought. The study will focus especially on the Christian Kabbalistic reading of the Tetragrammaton, the Pentagrammaton, and the Trigrammaton, i.e. the various names of God as expressions of new Christological interpretations to Jewish Kabbalistic doctrines. More specifically, this project intends to devote greater attention to the analysis of Renaissance syncretism in two ways: as a linguistic instrument and as a performative power. The analysis will be examined through the writings of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Johannes Reuchlin, Giles of Viterbo, Niccolò Camerario, Francesco Zorzi and Arcangelo da Borgonovo. This research will also consider some unknown Jewish sources that influenced, either explicitly or implicitly, the Christian Kabbalistic theory of the divine names. Our purpose is therefore to answer the question of facing theological “otherness” in the Renaissance through a new type of cultural synthesis. In some way, combining Abrahamic faith with Kabbalah, Hermeticism and Trinitarian creeds, results in overcoming the conflicts of dogmas in order to converge towards a unified plurality of traditions. Starting with the hypothesis of a Kabbalistic “metamorphosis” of humanistic theology in the Renaissance, we hope that the proposed research will demonstrate that the Christian theories on Jewish divine names, against the background of Kabbalah and “barbarous wisdom”, was impossible without transgressing sacred boundaries and creating new values. Accordingly the work of many Christian Kabbalists should be reintegrated into the european heritage as the first stage of a cultural change, where a comparative frame of mind is essential for the sake of interreligious dialogue.

Mots clés : the research project examines a wide range of theories by the early christian kabbalists about the different names of god and of jesus in the context of renaissance syncretistic thought

Participants :
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 173076.0 €
Projet TOFNITW (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The present study examines transformations of family norms through cross-border exposure to different family models. It focuses on the LGBT migrants from selected Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries with a constitutional same-sex marriage ban, but who now live in same-sex families in Belgium, one of the first countries to legalize same-sex marriage and adoption. This case study will explore how intercultural contact can improve reception of an institutional innovation such as same-sex family. This project is based on in-depth interviews with two groups sustaining ties across borders: (1) the CEE gays and lesbians in same-sex marriage or raising children with a same-sex partner in Belgium, and (2) their non-migrant family members, friends and neighbours in home communities. Migrant transnationalism scholars have established that migrants can effect change in their home communities not only by sending remittances, but also by transferring ideas and practices (social remittances). But empirical investigations of this phenomenon are still scarce, and typically focus on democratic ideas and practices. In a novel approach, the present study will analyse social remittances by examining cross-cultural effects of the institutional innovation of same-sex family, and it will further position its findings into the wider framework of social change analysis. In light of the European Parliament's recent decision to include LGBT and same-sex families' rights into the new EU gender equality strategy, the study's conclusions will also inform relevant policy strategies. By developing this study at the Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Families and Sexualities at the UCL, the project will benefit from Centre's multidisciplinary perspective and expertise in transnational migrations, family norms and sexuality, to which the project will add a new perspective on the LGBT migrants from CEE, thus deepening Centre's focus on LGBT studies and widening their regional expertise.

Mots clés : family, migration, transnationalism, lgbt, social change

Participants :
- Université Catholique de Louvain (Belgique) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 172800.0 €
Projet GlucoTear (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The prevalence of diabetes is continuously rising even in low-income economies. Therefore, blood glucose monitoring tools are in high social demand globally. Uninterrupted monitoring of blood glucose is a must in order to keep the fatal levels of glycated hemoglobin under control and to improve the quality of life for diabetic patients. However, glucose monitoring is compromised by the painful finger pricking about 4-5 times a day to obtain blood samples which leads to patient non-compliance and hence endangering their lifes. The main objective of NANOTEARS is the development of a non-invasive diabetes diagnostic tool by detecting in vitro ocular glucose that is ready to be integrated in a smartphone for point of care and homecare use. Compared to other body fluids, tears are more accessible than blood or interstitial fluid, more continuously obtainable, and less susceptible to dilution. So, it is a worthwhile alternative to finger pricking for repetitive monitoring. Additionally, the use of a cell phone enables systematically collection and management of glucose level records in electronic form in order to reduce medical errors and improve quality of care and promote evidence-based medicine. Our sensing strategy is based on the use of fluorescent spectroscopy. Taking into account, that glucose concentration in tear fluid is about 50-100 lower than the glucose in blood there is a need to enhace the emitted signal to meet the accuracy and tolerance as recommended in the ISO 15197:2013. To reach this goal, we will fabricate highly fluorescent nanocomposite consisting of functionalized carbon quantum dots embedded into mesoporous silica. The entire synthesis will be performed without the need to use residual chemical precursors and stabilizers allowing for “green synthesis”, owing to the use laser ablation in liquids. The use of femtosecond disruptive technology will enable to circumvent the limitations imposed by the low speeds at which nanoparticles are ablated.

Mots clés : femtosecond, diabetes, non invasive sensing, glucose, biosensor, fluorescence, tears, smartphone

Participants :
- Jaume I University (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 170121.6 €
Projet REBOST (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The prevalence of obesity worldwide continues to increase dramatically: 39% of adults are now overweight or obese. Excessive consumption of highly palatable sugar and fat laden foods, often referred to as “junk foods”, plays a central role in the development of obesity, possibly by dysregulating the brain reward system. The REBOST project aims to investigate the neurological mechanisms by which excessive junk food consumption adversely affects the reward system. I hypothesise that excessive junk food consumption desensitises the reward system, which alters responses to different intrinsic rewards. This project is innovative in that it investigates the neuronal and behavioural alterations in sensitivity to rewards beyond conditioned food rewards, by also studying the responses towards a secondary intrinsic (sexual) reward. This will be achieved by using a unique behavioural design and advanced in vivo techniques (fibre photometry, dLight1 and chemogenetics). This protocol allows to simultaneously investigate real-time neuronal activation and behavioural effects during all distinct phases of reward: i) expectation, ii) approach and iii) consummatory behaviour. Another highlight of the project is the use of the Cafeteria Diet model (CAF). CAF mimics human behaviour more accurately than other models, by feeding rats a choice of the same unhealthy, but palatable products as humans. By integrating complementary expertise on CAF and food reward from the ER and on sexual behaviour and the advanced techniques from the host, the project will unravel the effects of CAF on the specific brain reward projections from the Prefrontal Cortex to the Ventral Tegmental Area. This will contribute to explain the underlying mechanisms of the development of obesity and the vulnerability of the brain reward system, which will open up new strategies for biomedical research and therapeutic applications, both for obesity and addiction.

Mots clés : cafeteria diet, junk food, obesity, sexual behaviour, brain reward system, chemogenetics, fiber photometry, dlight1, female rats

Participants :
- UiT The Arctic University of Norway (Norvège) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 214158.72 €
Projet SELECT (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The primary goal of this Fellowship, entitled “SEmiconductor disk Lasers for EffiCient Terahertz generation” (SELECT), is to train a talented researcher through a research project focused on the development of high-performance laser sources based on semiconductor disk lasers and novel periodically poled ferroelectric and semiconductor crystals that can offer an access to new wavelengths not covered by available gain media, particularly in the THz spectral region, which are desired for THz spectroscopy, Biomedical imaging, and Safety and Security applications. The novel high-performance vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting-laser, with remarkable output parameters, will be used as a source of ultra-efficient THz emission in the 0.8-3THz spectral window based on difference frequency generation in advanced quasi-phase-matched crystals. The success of the interdisciplinary project will lead to a number of multidisciplinary disruptive innovations in Photonics with significant scientific, technical, economic and social impact, from spectroscopy and biomedical imaging to security screening and quality control. The Fellow - Dr. Ksenia Fedorova - will be trained in the fast growing field of science, technology and industrial applications of semiconductor lasers and THz technology, receiving access to a unique training experience at the host – Philipps- Universität Marburg, and at academic and industrial secondments: Aston University, Innolume GmbH, M-Squared Lasers Ltd. The project will enable the Fellow to be a rare asset to European research; she will gain a set of multidisciplinary professional skills in both theoretical and practical fields, starting from the laser system design and fabrication and finishing with implementing the final product into real industrial applications. The SELECT outputs will be relevant to the EU Photonics industry through offering new efficient compact THz lasers, which will also contribute to the enhancement of EU scientific excellence.

Mots clés : semiconductor disk laser, vertical external cavity surface emitting laser, terahertz generation

Participants :
- Philipps University of Marburg (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 159460.8 €
Projet ARCSENN (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The primary objective of the proposed project is to develop a radically new structural analysis procedure capable of accurately predicting the nonlinear behaviour of reinforced concrete structures. The proposed approach will be developed within the Soft Computing framework and as a result will require significantly less computational resources than those of more traditional methods of structural analysis. The proposed procedure will simulate each RC element, the beam-column joints included, with a single neural network, which has first to be appropriately trained. The training process will be based on the combined use of published test data, numerical predictions obtained from nonlinear finite-element analyses and the predicted behaviour of published physical models of RC structural elements at their ultimate limit state. In order to model intricate structures, the individual Neural Networks will be combined through a new solution strategy so as to provide a representative model of the structure considered. The stability and robustness of the proposed structural analysis method, as well as the validity and objectivity of its predictions, will be ensured through a comparative study of the predicted behaviour of RC frames with its counterparts established experimentally and numerically via nonlinear finite element analysis. Throughout these studies, attention will be focussed on identifying parameters affecting the overall structural response of RC frames (such as the effect of crack-formation within the joint regions) as well as their implications on practical structural analysis and design. Overall, the proposed work will lead to a stable, robust and computationally efficient numerical procedure capable of realistically and objectively predicting the nonlinear response of RC structures and suitable, not only for research and practical applications, but also for solving design optimization and reliability problems which require extensive parametric investigations.

Mots clés : neural networks, soft computing, reinforced concrete structures, nonlinear structural analysis, nonlinear behaviour, beams, columns, joints, frames, numerical analysis, structures

Participants :
- Heriot-Watt University (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €