Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet SELECT-IT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

SELECT-IT aims to develop small molecules that specifically target bacterial intramolecular trans(IT)-sialidases. IT-sialidases from Ruminococcus species have been related to progression of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Following elucidation of the yet unknown mechanisms of action of IT-sialidases, I will rationally design candidate inhibitors, synthesise and characterise them, and assess their binding modes, inhibition efficacy and target selectivity. Inspired by strategies previously successful for antiviral drugs like Tamiflu, SELECT-IT will modify existing molecules such as Siastatin B, DANA, and 2,7-anhydro-Neu5Ac, as starting points to develop candidates that selectively inhibits bacterial sialidases while sparing human ones. The inhibitors will undergo systematic refinement through computer simulation (molecular dynamics, QM/MM and metadynamics) and experimental techniques (biochemical assays and NMR spectroscopy) to ensure high specificity. SELECT-IT aims to develop targeted inhibitors for managing bacterial infections linked to IBD and CRC, contributing directly to the creation of new therapeutic options.

Mots clés : drug design, enzymatic reactions mechanism, cazymes, neuraminidases

Participants :
- Université de Leyde (Pays-Bas) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de Naples - Frédéric-II (Italie) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de Barcelone (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 194074.56 €
Projet HD-SC (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Neurodegenerative movement disorders e.g. Huntington’s Disease (HD) predominantly involve progressive motor symptoms as a result of disrupted basal ganglia neuronal networks. These symptoms are accompanied by early occurring deficits in visual perception and oculomotor functions, which share neuronal circuits with motor domains, and can be used in the prediction of the onset and severity of HD pathogenesis. Therefore, understanding the early circuitry alterations in HD progression is crucial to develop new disease-modifying strategies. The superior colliculus (SC) is a sensorimotor structure that receives and integrates visual information to control reflexes and is involved in visual perception and oculomotor functions. Functional MRI and behavioural studies demonstrated that the HD symptomatic mouse model show alterations in the SC function, but its role in motor symptoms has not been directly addressed. The HD-SC project proposes that (i) SC is an important factor in the basal ganglia circuit alterations found in HD, (ii) topographically segregated SC outputs provide differential contributions to the motor and defensive behaviours, and (iii) temporal control of SC neuronal plasticity with novel phytochromes will cause delay and amelioration in motor symptoms in HD model. This will be addressed using a combination of mouse behavioural, histological and biochemical phenotyping to reveal the onset of SC-related alterations in the HD model. Then, by using DREADDS we will determine the differential representation of SC outputs in motor and defensive behaviour. Finally, we will test the capability of phytochromes to modulate SC neuronal plasticity and delay and ameliorate motor symptoms in the HD model. Overall, the HD-SC aims at bringing a spotlight to mechanisms causing symptomatic resilience in the HD model, which potentially could be implemented in other neurodegenerative movement disorders with basal ganglia circuit alterations.

Mots clés : huntington s disease, basal ganglia, superior colliculus, phytochromes, defensive behaviour, optogenetic

Participants :
- Université de Barcelone (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 165312.96 €
Projet CheliPloidy (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Whole genome duplication (WGD) is a drastic event that results in the creation of new genetic material and has been suggested to play a major role in evolutionary innovations and adaptation. While ancestral WGDs (paleoploidizations) are common in plants, only a handful examples have been proposed in animals, such as in vertebrates or salmons. Among invertebrates, WGD events have been inferred in chelicerates, an arthropod clade including marine and terrestrial groups – the arachnids. Specifically, a shared event in the common ancestor of spider and scorpions, and up to 3 independent rounds in the marine horseshoe crabs. However, many of these inferences are mostly based on evidence from few loci, such as Hox genes, with a recent study questioning the validity of these conclusions. Therefore, genome-wide investigations with a diverse taxon sampling may help to answer how many paleoploidization events have taken place in chelicerates.  The CheliPloidy project will investigate the signals of WGD in chelicerates using newly assembled complete genome encompassing most of their diversity. Importantly, no study has considered that return to diploidy may have happened at different intervals (delayed rediploidization), scenario compatible with the different gene histories seen in the group. We will employ multiple state-of-the-art methods and develop novel ones to look for these signals. For example, we will analyse thousands of gene families trees, assess their synteny, and compare signals of divergence among within-species paralogs (including ohnologs derived from the WGD). As the phylogeny of chelicerates is contentious, we will test the most likely scenarios –alternative backbone trees– to polarize patterns of WGD (how many and which are shared). Altogheter, this project will not only sheds light on the complex genome evolution and the phylogeny of chelicerates, but also demonstrates how a combination of comparative methods can be used to infer signals of ancient WGDs.

Mots clés : whole genome duplication, paleoploidy, phylogenomics, molecular clocks, synteny, chelicerates, arachnids

Participants :
- Ecole normale superieure (Gabon) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes publics (hors enseignement & recherche), subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de Barcelone (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 194074.56 €
Projet LIGHT-HAT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

One pressing challenge is to develop new sustainable processes to convert abundant chemicals into added-value chiral products, thus using natural resources responsibly. The LIGHT-HAT project seeks to provide solutions by developing innovative stereoselective transformations that use abundant substrates, including feedstock and naturally occurring molecules. We will achieve this goal by combining advanced concepts of asymmetric catalysis, such as metal-based cross coupling and organocatalysis, with photochemistry. Specifically, we will directly functionalise carbon–hydrogen (C–H) bonds (the most abundant moiety in organic molecules) to enable one-step access to complex chiral molecules from readily available C-H substrates, including alkanes and natural products. To achieve this, we will use light-activated catalysts that, via Hydrogen Atom Transfer (HAT) mechanisms, can selectively activate strong unactivated C(sp3)–H bonds at sites that are unreactive for traditional methods. The project will benefit from a collaboration with Bayer AG, which will aid in identifying suitable biologically-relevant C-H substrates to be employed in the developed processes. The planned research combines perfectly the fellow’s experience in metal catalysis and radical chemistry with the host’s experience in light-triggered asymmetric processes. LIGHT-HAT brings a new industrial collaboration to the host institution and transfers knowledge of advanced techniques in asymmetric organocatalysis and photochemistry to the candidate”, contributing to sustainability and European excellence. An ambitious training program will transfer several new scientific and soft skills to the applicant. The project’s intersectorial nature will broaden the fellow’s competencies and place him in a competitive position for his next career move.

Mots clés : radicals, asymmetric catalysis, organocatalysis, hydrogen atom transfer

Participants :
- Université de Bologne (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 188590.08 €
- Bayer (Germany) (Allemagne) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
Projet MAYBRAIN (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The evolution of the brain deeply transformed the animal kingdom leading to extraordinary animal diversity. Brain evolution and plasticity were necessary for many major evolutionary changes (e.g. terrestrialization of tetrapods, evolution of sociality) as well as developmental changes within an organism's life span (e.g. metamorphosis). In this project, I propose to study the brain remodeling in the mayfly Cloeon dipterum whose biology has the advantage of offering us multiple perspectives and insights on brain plasticity: (i) evolutionary perspective: mayflies are part of the insect lineage in which wings originated. This project will shed light on brain processes controlling wings and flight. (ii) developmental perspective: mayflies are hemimetabolous insects that present a gradual metamorphosis that nonetheless accompanies a major lifestyle transition from an aquatic juvenile form to an aerial winged adult. (iii) sexual dimorphism: the species C. dipterum displays significant sexual dimorphism as males have an extra pair of eyes (turbanate eyes), whose sensory signals need to be processed by the brain. Using a combination of single cell transcriptomics (sc-RNA-seq), in situ hybridisations and drug treatments, this project will yield a gene expression atlas of the brain of C. dipterum separately for both male and female individuals, across multiple points of its life cycle (two nymphal stages and two adult stages). This atlas will give us information on the brain processes necessary for the water to land evolutionary transition, those associated with flight and the acquisition of wings and those underlying the appearance of a new sensory organ - the turbanate eyes - in males, with the data conveniently navigable along annotated chromosomes. This study will also establish C. dipterum as a model for studying hemimetabolous insect brains and provide a reference for future studies.

Mots clés : single cell rna seq, mayfly, cloeon dipterum, brain, sexual dimorphism, lifestyle transition, hemimetabolous

Participants :
- Université de Barcelone (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 181152.96 €
Projet StemStation (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The aim of the StemStation project is to propose a novel strategy for human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) cultivation and production allowing to overcome the current limitations faced by manufacturers to develop efficient and scalable processes to answer the market demand. The main strategy is to exploit the inkjet bioprinting technology to manufacture MSCs-loaded microbeads of a hydrogel for cell expansion and production scale-up. This strategy will allow the on-demand fabrication of cell-loaded customized microbeads directly inside the bioreactor. Thus, StemStation is proposing an all-included production system for MSCs with a clear objective of shortening the expansion steps in a scale-up process. Such methodological and technological innovation has the potential to be further transferred to other adherent cell bioproduction systems. Current large-scale MSCs production strategies are strongly focused on solid microcarrier cultivation where cells are adhered on their surface. Such microcarriers are then suspended in production tanks where standard cultivation protocols must be specifically optimized. Such technologies are commonly limited by the cell source, the cell-microcarrier interaction, as well as the lack of an easy to handle, robust, transferable, and scalable process. STEMSTATION targets to overcome problematics by offering an original and innovative production strategy which will bring novel scientific knowledge in the field of bioproduction, stem cell growth, inkjet bioprinting, proliferative biomaterials, and clinical grade transfer of large-scale cultivation process of human MSCs.

Mots clés : bioprinting, inkjet printing, bioreactors

Participants :
- Lyon-I université (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 195914.88 €
- Sartorius stedim biotech gmbh (Allemagne) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
Projet CHITOCAT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Deuterium (D)-labelled compounds are highly significant in drug discovery and medicinal chemistry. In recent times, they have also started finding applications further afield e.g., in organic electronics, dyes, and catalysts, due to their higher stability and enhanced properties compared with their non-labelled counterparts. As such, there is an urgent need to develop sustainable chemistry to support the synthesis of D-labelled compounds. A promising approach is to use Continuous Flow Chemistry (CFC). This is considerably under-represented for deuteration, despite its reputation for being more efficient, safe, and sustainable than conventional batch processes. Additionally, to the best of my knowledge, there are no reported CFC systems featuring recyclable catalysts or reusable catalyst supports for the synthesis of D-labelled compounds. This project therefore aims to demonstrate the concept of a sustainable, bio-based catalyst support system for H/D exchange in continuous flow chemistry (CFC) systems. Specifically, I wish to evaluate the possibility of using chitosan, a biopolymer derived from seafood waste, to immobilize Kerr’s catalyst, the “gold standard” catalyst for H/D chemistry (due to its substrate versatility). Chitosan is biodegradable, easily functionalized, and highly porous, making it an ideal support for catalysts in CFCs. I propose that this immobilized system will enhance the stability and operating lifetime of the catalyst while facilitating the recovery of the catalyst metal and reuse of the biopolymer support material. Key project objectives include synthesis of the immobilized catalyst, evaluation of its performance in H/D reactions for simple and complex molecules within batch and CFC systems, recovery of iridium from the used catalyst, and controlled degradation of the chitosan from the support to be used elsewhere. We hope that the results from this study will inspire further research in developing CFC systems based on circular chemistry

Mots clés : chitosan biopolymers, continuous flow chemistry

Participants :
- Université de Ljubljana (Slovénie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 231650.44 €
- Université de technologie de Tallinn (Estonie) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Sanofi (Germany) (Allemagne) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
Projet DataCom (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The EU has recently enhanced the potential of health data in the EU digital market by promoting a number of initiatives and new regulations to facilitate data sharing and re-use among public institutions: the forthcoming provisions of the Digital Strategy Corpus of law. These, in combination with pre-existing rules and practices of health data exploitation, might sharpen the risks for citizens, for example allowing public bodies to exploit big data sets - to make detrimental decisions regarding the access of certain patients to health care (e.g., in the case of insurance-based systems). In this context, academic analysis is urgently needed, as well as suggesting a revision of the new regulations to EU policy-makers to facilitate responsible data sharing. DataCom aims at building a new framework to facilitate an ethical secondary use of health data held by public bodies, with the aim of improving accountability and enhancing responsible re-use. To build it, I will develop and test in intersectoral practical environments the innovative concept of “Ethical Commodification”: the possibility of exploiting personal data in an ethical way for the public good, in accordance with the data subject’s expectations and needs and taking into account the risks associated with the exploitation of anonymized data sets, focusing on 3 Member States, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands. In order to reach this objective, DataCom has a strong interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach, bridging law, ethics, and computer science, taking into consideration the needs of the public sector and those of citizens. To ensure the successful implementation of these project goals I will conduct my research at the University of Turin's Law Department, with the guidance of Prof. Ugo Pagallo, a leading scholar. This project will prepare me to become a tenured scholar and obtain advanced funding, strengthening my academic profile and allowing me to establish my own research group.

Mots clés : gdpr, digital strategy, health data, anonymization, eu law, data governance act, privacy law

Participants :
- Université de technologie d'Eindhoven (Pays-Bas) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de Turin (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 188590.08 €
- Université de Barcelone (Espagne) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet ElectroCool (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Cooling accounts for 17 % of total global electricity consumption. Vapor compression cooling dominated the markets, which uses refrigerants that can leak to the environment and exhibits low efficiency. By contrast, cooling based on an electric-field driven change in temperature of certain materials, i.e. the electrocaloric (EC) effect, promises an environmentally-friendly technology with high efficiency. However, three key obstacles have prevented EC cooling from becoming commercially relevant: small temperature span, low fatigue life, and high applied voltage.  This project has an ambitious goal of gaining insight into a regenerative EC cooler, which will enable the design and fabrication of the first regenerative EC device exhibiting a large temperature span with long fatigue life. Performance targets include a temperature span of 20 K, a fatigue life of 10000 cycles, and a low applied voltage. The research is organized into three work packages: (1) advanced material characterization, (2) high-fidelity system modelling, and (3) demonstration of a high-performance demonstrator. To achieve this challenging goal, a strong collaboration will take place between three leading institutions, i.e. the Technical University of Denmark, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Barcelona. The applicant is currently at forefront of international advances in developing regenerative cooling technologies, with internationally recognized awards, 24 peer-reviewed publications, and 11 innovation patents.  The project will demonstrate a new concept of a robust, high performance electrocaloric cooler, which is expected to transform the current cooling technology to the new one that is environmentally friendly and efficient. A timely award of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship will provide the applicant the necessary resources and access to expertise to make rapid progress in this emerging research area and become an independent researcher, ready to compete globally.

Mots clés : electrocaloric cooling active caloric regeneration ferroelectric materials solid state cooling sustainable energy conversion

Participants :
- Université de Cambridge (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université technique du Danemark (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 230774.4 €
- Université de Barcelone (Espagne) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet INTIGT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumour in adults. The current standard of care is surgical resection of GBM tumours followed by chemotherapy and ionizing radiation (IR). Despite these intense efforts, GBM tumours remain incurable and the median survival rate of GBM patients remains only ~15 months. This dismal clinical outcome underscores the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies for GBM. At the cellular level, GBM tumours contain a rare population of self-renewing, highly invasive stem cells termed brain tumour stem cells (BTSCs). BTSCs are endowed with properties to proliferate, spur the growth of new tumours, and at the same time, evade IR and chemotherapy. Thus eradicating BTSCs in tumour bulk represents a promising approach to fight brain cancer at its roots. However, there are presently no treatments targeting BTSCs in GBM. Recent preliminary data obtained by the applicant led to the hypothesis that a novel signalling pathway, controls BTSC behaviour and represents a promising target to eradicate BTSCs. Thus, the applicant will join the Bordeaux institute of oncology (BRIC) at University of Bordeaux to test this hypothesis, under the supervision of Pr. Bikfalvi. The host, the supervisor and the candidate represents the perfect match to realise this proposal. The project is designed to bring forth a two-way transfer of knowledge between the host and the candidate. The advanced techniques and transferable skills that the candidate acquires through this research will largely broaden his competencies and increase his employability as an independent researcher in the field of neuro-oncology. Results generated through this proposal will be innovative and of clinical relevance for GBM patients. This study has the potential to open new therapeutic avenues and pave the way for future clinical trials for better treatment of these deadly tumours.

Mots clés : glioblastoma brain tumour stem cells carbohydrate binding proteins cancer chemotherapy radiotherapy pateint derived xenografts

Participants :
- Université de Bordeaux (France) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 211754.88 €