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

Incidence of grave pathologies including neurodegeneration and cancer increases in today’s aging European populations and new approaches to battle these diseases are required. Shared by these pathologies and premature aging syndromes is the enhanced DNA damage and genomic instability, likely causal phenomena that can be better understood by functional elucidation of the cellular DNA damage response (DDR) machinery and its defects. The central hypothesis of this project is that ‘nucleolar genome’ that contains many copies of rDNA genes, the repetitive and most highly transcribed genomic sequences essential for ribosome biogenesis and protein synthesis, may represent an exceptionally vulnerable ‘Achilles heel’ of our genome whose instability fuels aging and tumorigenesis. This project proposes to approach this problem by a combination of innovative cellular models and techniques including gene editing, proteomics and live cell imaging, to assess rDNA damage and the ensuing genomic instability in human cells exposed to exogenous (radiation, chemotherapy drugs) and endogenous (replication and transcription stress, ribosome biogenesis stress, activated oncogenes) insults and identify and functionally characterize signalling and ‘repair’ factors that guard nucleolar integrity and function. This proposal is timely due to the emerging concept of nucleolus as a sensor of diverse stresses and the fact that technological advances now allow analysis of the difficult-to-assess rDNA genes. The applicant is experienced in the DDR field and modern technologies, the receiving institute is among the world leading centers in DNA damage, cancer and cell stress research fields. These aspects, together with the large body of preliminary unpublished data makes this ambitious project feasible. The results will provide novel insights into genome integrity maintenance and cell stress responses, and may inspire novel strategies to treat or even prevent age-related diseases, especially cancer.

Mots clés : dna repair, ribosomal dna, nucleolus, homologous recombination, cancer, aging, stress response, dna damage, oncogenes

Participants :
- Danish Cancer Society (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 212194.8 €
Projet VMHCIRCUITS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Incidence of obesity has been steadily increasing for the last few decades. A corresponding rise in the obesity associated co-morbidities such as cardiovascular diseases and type-2 diabetes makes it an acute priority to understand the mechanisms underlying body weight regulation. It is well established that distributed brain circuits tightly monitor and regulate energy stores. Of particular interest, electrical and pharmacological manipulations to ventromedial portion of the hypothalamus (VMH), results in dramatic alterations in food intake, adiposity and glucose homeostasis in animal models. Furthermore, human genetic screens have shown that, at least for a subset of morbidly obese patients, genes that are heavily expressed in VMH are altered. Collectively these observations point to a central role for VMH in driving negative energy balance, yet relatively little is known how VMH neurons achieve this. To identify novel mechanisms for controlling energy balance, we propose to determine the following: 1) identify signals that regulate VMH neuronal activity, this includes synaptic input as well as circulating signals, 2) dissect out immediate downstream and upstream synaptic targets of VMH neurons mediating food intake and glucose homeostasis. To achieve this, we will use state of the art neuronal circuit mapping techniques involving virus based retrograde tracers and optogenetics. By combining functional electrophysiology and morphological approaches we will determine brain regions that has connections to and from VMH and evaluate behavioral and physiological significance each of these connections in-vivo. Understanding the basics of the functional VMH-wiring diagram will help determine how these neuronal circuits change under the conditions of metabolic and feeding disorders and will provide basis of targeted approaches for treatment.

Mots clés : optogenetics, obesity, hypothalamus, feeding

Participants :
- Istanbul Medipol University (Turquie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 145845.6 €
Projet FIRESCAPE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Increases in the frequency of wildfire driven by invasive plant species, land use change and climate change are occurring globally. The current mismatch between past and present fire regimes means we have little ability to predict how, or if, ecosystems will adapt to these novel pressures. However, many European plant species have been introduced into Australia where fire frequency exceeds levels found in the species native range. My project, hosted by Trinity College Dublin and supervised by Professor Yvonne Buckley, will capitalise on this unique opportunity to predict how species will respond to increases in fire frequency that are occurring in Europe under climate change. I have already produced an existing genomic database from hundreds of individuals across fire frequency gradients in Australia. The task now is to strategically sample areas of Europe to establish the native baseline and use cutting-edge spatial analyses to investigate the phenotypic and genomic basis underlying adaptation to changing fire regimes in European plant species. My Training Plan includes specific professional development programs to enhance my critical skills in leadership, grant writing, teaching and global networking. During the fellowship, I will improve essential competencies needed to compete at ERC-level including mastering sophisticated analytical and bioinformatics tools. My interdisciplinary research, drawing together population ecology, invasive species management and landscape genomics will make a critical contribution to the European Climate Action priority to anticipate and minimise damage caused by climate change. Following my strong track record in science communication, I will disseminate my work widely to the scientific community, end-users and to the general public at the broadest level. The prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship will allow me to develop the professional maturity to establish myself among the leaders of the European research community.

Mots clés : global change, population genomics, spatial analysis, invasive species, landscape resistance modeling, climate change, fire ecology

Participants :
- Trinity College Dublin (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 175866.0 €
Projet PERMETFIT (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Increasing physical activity (PA) is currently widespread among the population. Thus, in addition to the professional, the amateur and the physically inactive persons being engaged for many different reasons, PA is considered a major driver for optimal health achievement throughout life. Many adopters, either at a professional or an amateur level, are able to spend part of non-legible monetary resources looking for maximum performance. It is widely known and scientifically accepted that one of the most influential factors for full achievement of PA benefits, apart from adequate training, is a proper diet. All athletes tend to follow specific diets according to the type of sport performed, but still, not everyone responds the same way to the same type of intake. Interestingly, when consumers are directed to perform PA, either by self-initiative or as directed by providers (health care or recreational), the dietary advice is often misleading, without profound knowledge of general metabolism or adaptation to exercise. Thus, the personalized dietary approaches, followed for weight control, have not been adopted in response to PA. In this framework, the major goal of the present project is to generate scientific evidence for further development of personalized nutrition tools towards PA. For this purpose, we will adopt the following approach: Volunteers will follow an standardized PA(e.g. running, swimming or cycling) and blood sampling will be obtained by minimally invasive systems, both before (pre) and after (post) exercise. Samples thus obtained will be analysed by mass-spectrometry based metabolomic approaches and the expert system to be developed will help to classify changes in each volunteer in any of the metabolomic clusters. A personalized advice towards PA and dietary changes will be recommended to the volunteer, which will adopt it and repeat the analyses, to ascertain whether the expected changes occur.

Mots clés : sports science, analytical chemistry

Participants :
- Dietary molecular diagnostics sl (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 158121.6 €
Projet INDEXCLIMA (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Indian-Atlantic interocean exchange (IAIE), occurring through Agulhas current/leakage, is one of the return flows of global thermohaline circulation that contributes to the temperate climate in Europe. Since IAIE affects the transport of heat and salt to the zone of deep water formation, the variability of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is related to IAIE as shown by instrumental observation and past reconstructions. However, the relationship between the IAIE and AMOC under different climate conditions including distinct atmospheric CO2 concentration is still to be elusive. The INDEXCLIMA (INDian-Atlantic interocean EXchange as modulator of global CLIMAte) project aims to study the deep-water IAIE, Agulhas current/leakage and AMOC evolution over the last 1000 kyr when internal feedback processes have modified climatic cyclicity from 41 kyr to 100 kyr (Mid-Pleistocene transition) and enhanced the amplitude of interglacial periods (Mid-Brunhes event ca. 430 kyr). The study area is the Mozambique Channel (Indian Ocean) and the Cape Basin (SE Atlantic Ocean) where 3 marine sediment cores were drilled and are available at CEREGE, France. The originality of this project resides on the reconstruction of deep water masses (Nd isotopic compositions, benthic foraminifera) and of surface Agulhas current (planktonic foraminifera) from the same cores across an Indian-Atlantic transect. This will allow estimating lead and lag between Agulhas current/leakage and deep water circulation changes. The study period beyond 800 kyr is also in line with the next target of glaciological community. This project is a great opportunity for me to develop new geochemical and technical skills including mastering Nd isotope geochemistry, the application of an innovative instrument that automatically sort foraminiferal tests and a new software for foraminiferal classification. These new skills will complement my previous knowledge improving my career possibilities in academia.

Mots clés : paleoceanography, foraminifera, nd isotopes

Participants :
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 184707.84 €
Projet RENEW (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Inexpensive, renewable energy storage is vital for the future of humanity. Generating H2 via water splitting in proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis is a promising route for renewable fuel production. Wide-spread use of PEM electrolysis is limited by the high cost of the electrocatalysts which are composed of rare-earth metals such as Ir, Ru, and Pt (the catalysts being ~40% of the fabrication cost of PEM cells). Renewable Energy through New Electrolysis catalysts for Water splitting (RENEW) aims to develop, characterize, and mechanistically understand water oxidation catalysts (WOCatalysts) based on earth-abundant metals embedded in planar and nanostructured electrodes to replace rare-earth metals in PEM electrolysis. The specific goals of RENEW are (i) fabricate planar electrode/catalysts composed earth abundant metals such as Co, Fe, and Ni and based on recent advances in stabilizing these catalyts; (ii) determine the intrinsic activity, electrocatalytic current density, and lifetime of the electrode/catalyst assemblies; (iii) develop an understanding of the relationship between the electrode substrate and the stability and activity of the WOCatalysts; and (iv) fabricate nano-structured catalyst/electrode assemblies based on the most promising results of specific goals i-iii. The results of this project have the potential to greatly reduce the cost of H2 generated from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, or geothermal and thereby transform the European and global energy sectors, which aligns with the Horizon 2020 work programme of “Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy”. Throughout this project I will learn new techniques relevant to industrial catalysis, develop my skills as an independent researcher and mentor, and expand my network to include international collaborations and relationships as I transition to an established researcher.

Mots clés : hydrophobic electrode, carbon paste, earth abundant metals, water oxidation, proton exchange membrane, lead oxide, polyoxometalate, conducting metal oxides, acid stable

Participants :
- Institut Català d'Investigació Química (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 160932.48 €
Projet BabyMindReader (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Infants are born with a wide range of broad and universal perceptual abilities that allow them to start learning any language immediately. Findings that emerged over the last decades suggest that the acquisition of language starts already before birth, and lead to the hypothesis that the main feature of speech that humans learn prenatally is prosody. According to this proposal, prosodic information acts as a bootstrap, preparing the newborn to first recognize the relevant sound patterns of their native language, and then supporting him/her during the first year of life in learning its grammar and lexicon . Although this compelling idea is supported by considerable amount of evidence, a direct test that infants are born with a clear neural representation of prosody is still missing. The BabyMindReader project aims at casting light on this matter with an innovative interdisciplinary approach that brings together experimental methods in infant language research with technical advancements in the artificial intelligence (AI) field: infants’ brain responses to stimuli characterized by different prosody will be measured in two different experiments, by means of co-registered NIRS and EEG, two of the most employed neuroimaging techniques in the infant research. Hemodynamic correlates of electrical activity in response to auditory stimuli will be characterized; based on this step, features will be selected and used to develop a multivariate classifier, by means of machine-learning methods, that will be employed to decode newborns’ initial neural representations of prosody. The BabyMindReader project will on one hand introduce methodological innovations for NIRS-EEG coregistration and analysis that will be of great impact for the whole developmental community and beyond; second, it will provide a direct characterization of the role of prenatal learning of prosody, thus contributing to theoretical advancements in the research on the basis of language acquisition.

Mots clés : nirs eeg co registration, machine learning, newborns, prenatal learning, speech perception, prosody

Participants :
- University of Padua (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183473.28 €
Projet JDIL (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Infants spend most of their waking time interacting with their caregivers, and the mechanisms through which these dynamic social exchanges shape the development of sub-personal processes such as attention and learning remain mysterious. Most of our understanding of how the brain subserves early attention and learning has come from studies that viewed infants as relatively passive recipient of information, and studied individual brains in isolation. Correspondingly, we know very little about the neural substrates of how information is shared between caregivers and infants during learning interactions. The aim of this project is to shed unprecedented light on how dynamic social interactions affect attention and learning during infancy. I will build both on my own recent research, that has shown that internal metacognitive monitoring and epistemic requests from the infant shape social interactions and learning more than had previously been thought, and combine this approach - that views the infant as an active component of early social interactions - with innovative research by my supervisor that provides the possibility to record brain activity from infants and their caregivers simultaneously while they are interacting, and to analyze them with specific tools that allow a fine description of the dynamics of these interaction. Combining these two approaches will provide invaluable insight into the mechanisms involved during early learning in social contexts. Our findings will have substantial implications for theories of development, as well as diagnostic and educational practices. More specifically, increasing our understanding of the complex dynamics between infants and their social partners is essential for: i) enriching developmental theory; ii) developing new techniques to optimize learning and iii) understanding the mechanisms that give rise to developmental delays.

Mots clés : joint attention, dual eeg, infant learning, social learning, active learning, word learning, pre verbal communication, attentional dynamics, communicative dynamics

Participants :
- University of East London (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 212933.76 €
Projet Signalling-in-NODs (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex chronic pathology in western societies. There is an unmet need for new therapeutic strategies which can only be achieved through a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of host immunity. It is established that dysregulated host innate immune recognition either caused by genetic risk variants in pathogen recognition receptor (PRR) molecules or microbial factors is commonly associated with IBD. A unique PRR family member, Nucleotide oligomerization domain (NOD)2 programs gut immunity and protection through autophagy process initiated by the recognition of microbial peptides. Deleterious mutations in NOD2 and autophagy-associated proteins are linked to IBD susceptibility. Despite the advances made in understanding of the mechanisms underlying NOD2 biology, particularly that of autophagy, very little is known about the cell signaling components and their mechanism regulating autophagy under NOD2 pathway. Recently, I discovered that a single Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) isoform p110δ is integrated in NOD2 mediated autophagy process. PI3Ks are an evolutionarily conserved family of signaling molecules that integrate PRR signaling. PI3Ks generate lipid second messengers and regulate mediated immune responses. I now propose to unravel key biological phenomenon by which p110δ PI3K convey host protective functions through NOD2-mediated autophagy, ensuring the gut immunity and tolerance. The aims are to (1) Determine the dendritic cell-intrinsic role and mechanism(s) of action of PI3K isoforms in orchestrating anti-inflammatory processes under NOD2-mediated autophagy. (2) Discover the roles of PI3K isoforms in NLR-mediated intestinal immunity using isoform specific PI3K gene-targeted mice alongside with pharmacological targeting strategies in vivo. My plan is integrated with animal models, immunology, cell biology, microbiology and in vivo inflammation studies to elucidate key biological phenomena driving IBD.

Mots clés : phosphoinositide 3 kinases, colitis, inflammation, nods, dendritic cells, regulatory t cells, tolerance, omvs

Participants :
- University of London (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 195454.8 €
Projet MinBioTag (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Insight into dynamic processes such as uptake and intracellular trafficking and signalling of small molecules and proteins in cells is key in basic biology and drug development. The use of bioorthogonal chemical reactions for labelling and probing specific biomolecules is an exciting option but a very challenging task as these transformations should proceed very rapidly in physiological conditions with complete chemoselectivity. So, in this application we propose to achieve site-selective protein labelling by the introduction of a non-canonical Cys-cyclobutene aminoacid and a very fast alkene chemoselective ligation reaction. The small size of the proposed alkene-tagged aminoacid should not interfere with the protein structure, function, activity or localisation in contrast with other fluorescent tags such as the use of fusion proteins as GFP. This project aims at 1) developing a new photo triggered [2+2] cycloaddition bioorthogonal ligation between two alkene containing partners and to apply the already established IEDDA reaction between tetrazines and dienophiles. While the use of light as a trigger offers the possibility for an improved spatial and temporal resolution, the use of tetrazine fluorogenic probes allows for ‘turn-on’ fluorescence on their rapid reaction with dienophiles 2) use these optimized reaction to study apoptosis in cells and tissues by introducing the proposed Cys-cyclobutene non-canonical amino acid into C2A Domain of Synaptotagmin-I followed by the ligation reaction ex vivo and in vivo


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