Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet Neuroprosthesis-UI (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In this project, I will develop a user interface that will allow persons with upper limb disabilities to control neuroprosthesis using their residual motor skills. This interface will consist of inertial sensors (IMU) and electromyography (EMG) that are capable of capturing movements and muscle contraction that even persons with high tetraplegia still can control. The interface will also be able to learn different inputs, customizing the system for each user. This requires techniques of machine learning, making it flexible and indicated for users with different upper limb disabilities, such as spinal cord injury, stroke and multiple sclerosis. The machine learning techniques will classify the user inputs into desired commands, working as an intention decoder. The interface will be used to control a hybrid upper limb neuroprosthesis based on surface functional electrical stimulation (FES) and a semi passive mechanical orthosis. The system will allow users to perform activities of daily life independently. To my knowledge, such a hybrid system with FES, and controlled by an interface based on IMUs, EMG and machine learning techniques is novel. I will be working with Christine Coste, an expert in neuroprosthesis for disabled persons, and her interdisciplinary team, which consist of engineers and health professionals with vast experience in neurorehabilitation. This fellowship will enable the transfer of knowledge between her team and me through experiments with real patients and mutual training. I can contribute to the team with my expertise in machine learning and control, whereas they have vast access to patients, medical doctors, mechanical designers, electrical stimulators and sensors. This project is going to be an important step in my career as expand my network in Europe, develop my skills as a biomedical engineer and improve my research experience towards becoming a world-leading expert in neurorehabilitation engineering.

Mots clés : intention recognition, motion analysis, linear discriminant analysis, assistive devices, inertial measurement unit, electromyography

Participants :
- Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies du numérique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 196707.84 €
Projet Topo-circuit (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In this project, we aim to design and experimentally demonstrate topological phenomena in RF circuits. In particular, we will realize both two dimensional (2D) linear topological circuits showing nontrivial edge states immune from circuit defects and disorders, and nonlinear topological circuits whose topological properties can be controlled by the intensity of the input signal. To utilize the robustness nature of topological circuit, we will also fabricate flexible topological circuit on top of polyimide (PI) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films, where the topological features of circuit are preserved when the circuit is bent or stretched. 3D topological circuit will also be theoretically and numerically investigated to achieve exotic topological phases such as nodal lines and Weyl states at RF frequency. This project will provide not only possibilities for designing novel RF circuits that could function properly under different types of circuit defects and tolerance, but also a new platform for exploring and experimentally demonstrating topological phenomena with ease and low cost.

Mots clés : topological insulator, topologically protected edge state, wyel points, nodal lines

Participants :
- University of Birmingham (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 212933.76 €
Projet GRANITE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In this research project we will perform the first search for a promising new type of gravitational-wave signal from neutron stars: medium-duration transients (MDTs). We will use data of unprecedented sensitivity from the new detectors Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo. A successful detection will provide a novel test of gravity and unique insights into the structure of neutron stars. Gravitational waves (GWs) were predicted by Einstein a century ago, but are extremely hard to detect. Their first direct observation will herald the start of a new era in astronomy but requires specialised searches to extract the full astrophysical information about each source. Much effort already goes into the search for continuous waves (CWs) emitted by rotating neutron stars (NSs) with non-axisymmetric deformations, which should be observable over many years. Only very weak CWs are expected, but NSs can also emit relatively strong transient GWs on much shorter timescales. In this fellowship we will develop and implement the first practical search for signals spanning these extremes, bridging the gap between continuous and transient phenomena. Based on an explicit CW-like signal model, limited in duration, and on a Bayesian model selection approach, we will first construct an optimal detection method for medium-duration transient (MDT) signals taking into account astrophysical priors on transient GW emission from rotating NSs. Second, we will use synergies with established CW data-analysis methods to guarantee an efficient implementation and build on previous experience to account for complex detector noise properties. We will then apply these newly-developed methods to the best advanced-detector data available. This novel CW-based transient search will be the first to provide the ability to detect NSs as MDT sources, to estimate their astrophysical parameters with high precision, and to infer their internal properties which are inaccessible through other observational methods.

Mots clés : gravitational waves, neutron stars, data analysis, bayesian statistics, continuous waves, pulsars

Participants :
- University of Glasgow (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 195454.8 €
Projet BIBLACE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In what ways did the Bible shape the formation of political communities in early medieval Europe? This project studies the impact of biblical models on royal legislation in the Carolingian period (ca. AD 780-880). It proposes a new approach to the study of the intersection between religion and politics in a formative period of European history, during which crucial institutional and conceptual resources for the development of political and religious community, statehood and law were created. Under the Carolingian rulers from Charlemagne onwards, we can observe a steady increase of biblical quotations in legal texts issued by the ruler or by assemblies of lay and clerical advisers (so-called royal ‘capitularies’ and conciliar decrees). Biblical prescriptions and prohibitions were either directly integrated into legal norms or used to justify the establishment or modification of norms. To understand this convergence between biblical law and royal legislation, the rich material of Carolingian biblical exegesis is of crucial importance, since it provides access to the concepts and interpretative traditions associated with specific biblical texts in the minds of contemporaries. Authors and readers of exegetical commentaries were often at the same time advisers to kings and important political decision makers, and also involved in the drafting of legislative texts. The project thus proposes a comparative study of legal and exegetical texts and of their dynamic relationship. It has a twofold objective: first, to analyse the concrete impact of biblical models upon Carolingian society, and the ways in which they were used to (re)define its legal and moral framework; second, to understand the ‘social life’ of Carolingian biblical commentaries, both as a spiritual and intellectual endeavour and as a social and political practice.

Mots clés : carolingian europe, history of law and legislation, bible in the early middle ages, biblical exegesis, political theology

Participants :
- Freie Universität Berlin (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 119595.6 €
Projet OOCSOCS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Increasing maternal age, a prevalent trend in developed countries, negatively influences oocyte quality and consequently female fertility – 5% of all couples experience fertility problems arising from a physiological source in the women. To develop novel approaches to prevent or treat infertility, a more complete understanding of oogenesis is required. The host laboratory has recently identified the Socs3 gene, to date associated only with roles in the immune system, as a novel strong candidate regulating oogenesis. The project exploits a genetic approach to ablate the Socs3 gene from the female germ-line and addresses the role of Socs3 gene during mouse oocyte maturation and fertilisation, e.g. in correct chromosomal segregation, followed by further detailed and cutting-edge functional characterisation. The results could lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets to treat female infertility. Dr. Veselovska, coming from a world-renown institute, is joining a well-established early mammalian development orientated host group, within the Department of Molecular Biology at the University of South Bohemia. Synergies arising from this multidisciplinary proposal will benefit both host and applicant. In particular, Dr. Veselovska is bringing a wealth of highly relevant mouse oocyte experience and bioinformatics skills for genome-scale analyses that are currently an underrepresented skills set in the host laboratory and host institution, as well as her network of UK based collaborators. She will receive training that is both complementary to her current knowledge and skills and novel and highly contemporary in relation to the experimental approaches used. Consequently, the fellowship award will substantially further the Dr. Veselovska’s career ambitions to become an independent early mammalian developmental biologist within her native Central European region, and facilitate the under-represented exchange of ideas between Western and Eastern European countries.

Mots clés : socs3, oocyte, meiosis, chromosome segregation, fertilisation

Participants :
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (Rép. Tchèque) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 142720.8 €
Projet Decolonizing Ecology (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Indigenous movements in Latin America exemplify alternatives ways of relating to urban nature. These different practices and ecological imaginaries at play in urban contexts could signal different routes for a more sustainable development. Yet, they remain under-investigated, this proposal argues, due to a lack of an adequate conceptual repertoire and methodological tools to analyse these practices. This is despite new starting points for a more global urban theory: while post- and decolonial scholars have argued to further diversify socio-spatial theory, scholars engaging with an ontological turn are rethinking dualisms separating nature and culture or urban and rural to open up new grounds to study urban political ecology. This project addresses this gap by building on Latin America-based scholarship to reframe these types of socio-environmental struggles as urban contestations, emphasising intersectional dimension of indigeneity, race and gender, to understand these multiply scaled processes. The main questions are: What practices do indigenous urban movements mobilize to defend their right to territory? How do the urban worlds enacted through these practices challenge and inform concepts and methods in urban studies more widely? Empirically, the research builds on a systematic comparative study of Mexico City (Mexico) and La Paz-El Alto (Bolivia) – cities marked with indigenous urban movements and rapid urbanization. This research will demonstrate novel strategies to compare different ecological and urban understandings. By advancing an interdisciplinary approach to analyse environmental conflicts in cities, the project will contribute to knowledge on urban development and provide a sound base to put forward suitable policy instruments to work towards sustainable cities and communities.

Mots clés : comparative urban studies, social geography and ecology, urbanization and urban development, ontological turn, socio territorial movements, latin america

Participants :
- University of London (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 224933.76 €
Projet MICRO-BIO (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is an important public health concern since most people spend 80-90 % of their time indoors. The coronavirus pandemic has increased the public awareness of the effects of poor IAQ. In enclosed indoor spaces fresh air supply can be very low or null and CO2 levels can reach health-threatening levels. Therefore, there is an increasing need to develop technologies to mitigate atmospheric CO2 and improve IAQ, but also technologies capable of transforming it into value-added products such as carbon-neutral commodity chemicals. The MICRO-BIO process is proposed as a comprehensive platform to capture CO2 from indoor air, transform it into valuable carbon-neutral commodity chemicals by developing a multi-unit, modular, and scalable platform process. The MICRO-BIO process is composed by three different modules: 1st a CO2 micro-concentrator module (CO2-MCM) to efficiently adsorb CO2 from indoor air. 2nd, the Microbial Electrochemical Synthesis Module where the H2 bioelectrochemically produced is mixed with CO2 from the CO2-MCM to produce short chain commodity chemicals. And 3rd, the Microbioreactor Module where the carbon-chain elongation process is performed in a capillary microbioreactor to produce hexanol, a sustainable liquid biofuel with high market demand. Objectives of the proposal: 1) Design and operation of a CO2-MCM prototype to efficiently adsorb CO2 from indoor air. 2) Development of a real-control system for steering gas bio-electro-fermentation towards selective production of hexanol. 3) Set-up a MICRO-BIO process prototype to demonstrate the optimized operation for hexanol production. This fellowship will contribute to addressing the actions included in the Green deal roadmap of the EU, by investing in environmentally friendly technologies and decarbonizing the energy section. Also shares the target of UN Sustainable Development goal titled "Affordable and clean energy”: to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology.

Mots clés : indoor air quality, air pollution control, greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, biodegradation, bioelectrochemical system, carbon chain elongation, microbioreactor, capillary channels, adsorption material

Participants :
- University of Girona (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 160932.48 €
Projet FRC BioEnergetics (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Induction and regulation of optimal immune responses depends on the proper functioning of fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs) of secondary lymphoid organs (SLOs). Energy balance maintained through the choice of ideal metabolic pathways critically influences the performance of immune cells. Currently, the bioenergetic demands of FRCs and how they impinge on their function remain elusive. The overarching goal of this project is to decipher the bioenergetic needs of FRCs in homeostasis and during inflammation and to uncover the critical immunological signals involved in the metabolic shift of FRCs that underpin immune activation. Combination of state-of-the-art models for in vivo FRC targeting, novel methods from quantitative systems biology and molecular perturbation analysis will be utilized to reveal the metabolic landscape supporting optimal FRC function and the induction of immune responses. Specifically, “FRC BioEnergetics” will determine: The bioenergetic profile of homeostatic vs. inflammatory FRCs and identify the metabolic switching necessary to support the transition to immune-activated state of FRCs (Aim 1); Identify the immunological signals that trigger metabolic switching necessary to support FRC activation (Aim 2) and Determine to what extent metabolic regulation of FRC function impacts on global immune responsiveness (Aim 3). The focus of the multidisciplinary research program on metabolic regulation of FRC function as central means for the control of immune responsiveness will reveal novel principles underlying immune homeostasis and immunity. “FRC BioEnergetics” will expand our knowledge of the intricate metabolic regulation of immune cell function, with the final goal to provide novel options to modulate immune responses by targeting FRC metabolism and deliver better immunotherapeutic strategies against infection, cancer and autoimmune disorders.

Mots clés : stromal cell biology, immunometabolism, fibroblastic reticular cells, lymph nodes, metabolic switching, bioenergetic profile

Participants :
- Max Planck Society (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 162806.4 €
Projet BabyBayes (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Infants come into the world equipped with amazingly powerful learning competences. The past decades have witnessed an ever-growing series of discoveries about young infants’ early cognitive achievements, illustrating these fast and unique adaptive abilities. However, the brain bases of learning mechanisms in the developing brain remain poorly understood. Meanwhile, in the past decade, the Bayesian brain has been put forward as a promising computational model accounting learning processes in the mature adult brain. In the present project, I propose to bring the two communities together and inspect the validity of the influential Bayesian brain hypothesis when learning processes are most crucially shaping the brain. Two assumptions derived from the Bayesian theory will challenged with studies conducted in young infants, using non-invasive behavioral and brain imaging techniques. In a first study, I will inspect whether the infant brain actively propagates predictions about upcoming events, as hypothesized in the Bayesian framework. In a second study, I propose an integrated application of computational modeling, neural recordings and behavioral measurements to test a second assumption of the Bayesian brain which postulates that the brain continuously tracks and adjusts to the progressive discovery of regular patterns in the input. I will establish an international research network and rely on two hosts with distinct expertise to provide me with new skills. By bridging multiple levels of description, this research program will open up translational perspectives for the understanding of developmental processes and ultimately for the diagnosis of atypical development.

Mots clés : brain imaging, brain development, learning, prediction, attention

Participants :
- École normale supérieure PSL (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 216303.36 €
- Haskins laboratories inc (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Recherche, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet TANWORM (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Infection with gastrointestinal parasites is one of the most severe impediments on sustainable production of meat and milk from grazing livestock. Widespread resistance to the small number of available synthetic drugs has rendered continued prophylactic drug treatment unsustainable. One solution is to graze animals on bioactive forages that contain bioactive compounds with anti-parasitic activity such as condensed tannins (CT). This approach has been shown to be effective in reducing parasitic infection in grazing sheep and cattle, but as yet the anthelmintic mechanism of CT is unknown. The aim of the current proposal is to use highly purified CT molecules to investigate how CT bind to nematode parasites, and the role of CT polymer size in the binding properties. Furthermore, transcriptomics and functional biochemical experiments will be used to elucidate the biological pathways that are perturbed in nematodes after exposure to sub-lethal doses of CT in vitro. This unique multidisciplinary project will involve leading groups in both veterinary parasitology and phytochemistry, and combine the latest techniques in molecular parasitology and tannin chemistry. It is envisaged that the unique skill sets obtained from the project will be highly beneficial to my future career, as well as uncovering novel insights into the biological properties of CT that will greatly aid the practical future use of CT-containing forages, thus ensuring the continued sustainability of pasture-based livestock production.

Mots clés : tannins, anthelmintic, helminth, ostertagia

Participants :
- University of Copenhagen (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 212194.8 €