Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet DISD-TG2 (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Diabetes impairs blood supply and disrupts the integrity of the nervous system in genital organs, leading to sexual dysfunction (SD) and genital tissue fibrosis in both sexes. SD is strongly correlated with depression, reduced social well-being, and a diminished quality of life. Current therapeutic options for SD are inadequate, have important side effects, and no effective treatments exist for vaginal/penile fibrosis, underscoring an urgent need for advanced mechanistic studies to identify new therapeutic targets and develop effective and safe treatments. Transglutaminase-2 (TG2) is a multifunctional enzyme that operates in two conformations: in its open conformation, it exerts transamidase activity, which has a pro-fibrotic effect; in its closed conformation, it regulates vascular tone. It has been reported that TG2 is involved in vascular dysfunction and fibrosis, and pharmacological inhibition of TG2 improves endothelial function and shows great promise for treating fibrotic diseases. However, its role in the pathophysiology of diabetes-induced SD (DISD) remains unexplored. We hypothesize that TG2 may play a crucial role in DISD and erectile tissue fibrosis. Promoting the closed conformation of TG2 with an allosteric reversible inhibitor could improve sexual function by enhancing vascular function and preventing fibrosis. We will test this hypothesis by investigating: i) TG2 expression/activity in primary fibroblasts isolated from healthy rat erectile tissues and the involvement of TG2 in the fibrotic process; ii) the acute effect of TG2 inhibition on sexual function in healthy rats; and iii) the role of TG2 and the therapeutic effect of allosteric TG2 inhibitors in the rat model of DISD and vaginal/penile fibrosis. Furthermore, our project will address a significant gap in the current literature by investigating female SD, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding and management of the impact of diabetes on women’s sexual health.

Mots clés : pharmacology, diabetes, sexual dysfunction, fibrosis, reproductive system

Participants :
- Université d'Aarhus (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 263393.28 €
Projet IntegrAAir (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

In the current context of the “One-Health” concept, the importance of assessing and monitoring microbial biodiversity and ecology in all environmental compartments is becoming increasingly apparent. However, although the atmosphere participates in worldwide dispersal of microorganisms and their genetic material, it has been relatively little studied compared to freshwater, marine and soil ecosystems. Recently, concerns have been raised about the atmospheric dispersal of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs). Interestingly, ARGs are part of integrons, important bacterial genomic elements that facilitate the dispersal and acquisition of genetic material. In this context, the main objective of the two-year IntegrAAir project is to assess the ecodynamic of integrons in the atmosphere and assess their impacts on human and ecosystems health. It relies on the hypothesis that aerosolization can impact integron dynamic by inducing the integron integrase gene expression and thus mobilizing new genetic elements from the environmental gene pool. In order to respond to this hypothesis, two main sub-objectives are planned: (i) Understand the drivers behind integron complexity in the Arctic boundary layer using an omics approach, the Arctic being an ideal environment to attempt to focus primarily on environmental integrons, as it is little impacted by anthropogenic sources; (ii) Understand whether aerosolization can affect integron dynamics (gene gain and loss). We will investigate the integron integrase gene expression under simulated atmospheric conditions, using unique atmospheric chambers developed by the host research team. Overall, the project will provide new insights in the fields of aeromicrobiology and microbial ecology, as well as for public health, with regard to the impact of atmospheric transport on bacterial evolution and adaptation, and integron ecology in an environmental context.

Mots clés : aeromicrobiology, metagenomics, integrons, bacteria, arctic

Participants :
- Université d'Aarhus (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 247553.28 €
Projet NanoACATre (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Hepatic fibrosis is a dynamic process characterized by the progressive replacement of functional liver tissue by an extracellular matrix rich in highly cross-linked collagen, with hepatic stellate cells being the main actors of this process. NanoACATre, intended for the treatment for hepatic fibrosis based on augmenting intracellular Acyl-CoA:Cholesterol Acyltransferase (ACAT) in hepatic stellate cells, brings together a talented researcher (Dr. Andoni Rodriguez-Abetxuko), with a background in nanomaterials and biocatalysis, and iNANO-Aarhus University, an innovative and multidisciplinary research institute at the forefront of nanohybrid-based biomedical solutions for liver disease. NanoACATre will focus on advancing the scientific career of Dr. Rodriguez-Abetxuko through the development of new Single Enzyme Nanogels (SENs) for the successful management of cholesterol homeostasis in activated hepatic stellate cells to prevent or reconvert their activation and prevent associated complications such as hepatocellular carcinoma. Under the supervision of Prof. Brigitte Städler, a globally recognized researcher on the field of bottom-up synthetic biology, NanoACATre will proceed in a stepwise fashion using cutting-edge methodologies to prepare and physiochemically characterize ACAT-SENs. The effect of the ACAT-SEN surface physicochemical properties will be evaluated on the ACAT delivery in a rat hepatic stellate cell line. The interdisciplinary work, integrating expertise in polymeric nanogels and protein delivery, will be necessary to achieve NanoACATre's main goal, and the Cell Mimicry Lab, led by Prof. Stadler, is the ideal place to turn this into reality. NanoACATre is designed to broaden the scientific knowledge and transferable skills of Dr. Rodriguez-Abetxuko. In addition, NanoACATre will expand his professional network on the way to eventually becoming an independent group leader in the field of nanomedicine.

Mots clés : bottom up synthetic biology, single enzyme nanogels, acyl coa cholesterol acyltransferase, hepatic fibrosis treatment, hepatic stellate cells

Participants :
- Université d'Aarhus (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 214934.4 €
Projet sRNAUR (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Small RNA-mediated gene regulation and DNA replication are fundamental genome-regulatory pathways essential for cellular life, organismal development, and disease prevention. While small RNA pathways are known to sequence-specifically regulate DNA copy number in some unicellular animals, such connections have yet to be found in multicellular animals. With this project, I will investigate and mechanistically characterize such a potential connection in the Drosophila animal model system. Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), a class of animal small RNAs, safeguard the germline genome against repetitive DNA proliferation by guiding repressive heterochromatin formation at target loci. In Drosophila melanogaster ovarian nurse cells, heterochromatic (peri)centromeric DNA repeats undergo selective local suppression of DNA replication thus lowering their relative copy number. Interestingly, abundant piRNAs able to target to these 'underreplicated' regions have been found, yet the potential functional interactions between small RNA genome defense and DNA replication remain unexplored. With this project, I will bridge this gap by investigating the role of satellite piRNAs in Drosophila melanogaster, focusing on the interplay between regulated DNA replication and small RNA genome defense. Two interconnected hypotheses will be examined: (1) piRNA-directed heterochromatin formation regulates centromeric DNA copy number, and (2) piRNA-regulated heterochromatin sinks alter epigenetic inheritance. To do so, I will apply advanced sequencing- and imaging-based methods for DNA copy number quantification and leverage the powerful Drosophila genetics to uncover underlying molecular mechanisms. In sum, my investigation of small RNA-based regulation of DNA replication holds the promise to reveal a new paradigm in animal genome regulation and to provide deeper insights into the mechanisms regulating genome stability and the role of piRNAs in maintaining it.

Mots clés : heterochromatin, small rna, pirna, dna replication, underreplication, drosophila

Participants :
- Université d'Aarhus (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 230774.4 €
Projet BES.WIRE (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Biomethane is a gas consisting mainly of methane (CH4) that can be produced from agricultural and food waste or other organic materials at a low or even negative price. Since biomethane is almost equivalent to natural gas, it is seen as a possible functional substitute: biomethane can be used an energy carrier for excess renewable electricity and as a feedstock for chemical synthesis. It is possible to produce biomethane by means of various biochemical and bioelectrochemical reactors in which the main role is played by methanogenic micro-organisms that convert CO2 or other organic compounds into CH4. This project is dedicated to the development of two bio(electro)chemical reactors based on a trickle-bed reactor using raw biogas from an industrial anaerobic digester and hydrogen from an alkaline electrolysis for the synthesis of CH4. The main fundamental novelty of this project is the use of immobilized redox mediators (anthraquinone derivatives), which promote the rate of methanogenesis and thus increase the performance of the whole set-up. In the case of the bioreactor, carbon particles with immobilized redox mediators are used as the biofilm support material. In the case of the bioelectrochemical reactor, the same materials also act as colloidal electrodes. This approach is expected to significantly improve key characteristics such as methane conversion rate and power density, which will enhance the economic attractiveness of the technology. Also, the project will use zero-gap flow electrochemical cells for the first time to accelerate the screening of promising materials.

Mots clés : biomethane, redox mediators, power to x, power to methane, trickle bed reactor, redox flow batteries, bioelectrochemical systems, biogas upgrade, co2 valorization, granular activated carbon, aqds

Participants :
- Université d'Aarhus (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 230774.4 €
Projet SMART (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Tumor-derived circulating exosomes are a suitable, readily accessible reservoir of cancer biomarkers for disease process analysis. The microRNAs (miRNAs) inside the exosomes provide information about the mechanisms of change in cancer of affected individuals. Quantitative determination of miRNAs in the exosome, a clinical area of unmet need, is tempting but challenging. The main objectives of the proposal are to develop a non-invasive, affordable, user-friendly, and deliverable platform that can measure mutant miRNA-107 in prostate cancer (PCa)-associated exosomes with unmatched accuracy, combining a hybrid oligonucleotides (ONs)-nanomaterials integrated composite system with an E-μPAD. The proposed platform offers "Self-Monitoring of Prostate Cancer by Automated hybrid Recognition of Exosomal miRNA: towards personalized analytical Tool" named " SMART". SMART provides a universal technology for non-invasive PCa diagnosis and quantitative tracking of miRNA levels in cancer-derived exosomes in a very simple and effortless manner in biofluids such as serum and urine. The novelty of the proposed interdisciplinary project work will evolve into the next generation of intelligent point-of-care (POC) tools for precision medicine. This proposal will contribute to the sustainability of the healthcare system by enabling patients to stratify and/or predict disease, thereby improving clinical decision making. This MSCA PF will be carried out at the University of Naples, Italy, will provide the researcher with advanced technical training in exosome isolation, PCR and DNA sequencing, molecular biology, microfluidics, pathology, nanomaterials synthesis, analytical techniques, proposal and manuscript preparation, and academic supervision in research management. The proposed multidisciplinary collaboration in the SMART project has resulted in a new generation of smart medical devices with functions comparable to existing highly specialized hospital devices.

Mots clés : electrochemistry, exosomes, prostate cancer, mirna, nanomaterials, point of care

Participants :
- Université de Naples - Frédéric-II (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 172750.08 €
Projet SPACER (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Cells contain numerous membraneless organelles, also called biomolecular condensates referring to the liquid-like properties of these condensate droplets. Intrinsically disordered proteins enrich these condensates, and the presence of enzymes makes these condensates interesting reaction crucibles. In this project called Synthetic Programmable Artificial Condensates for Enzymatic Reactions (SPACER), I propose to design such organelle that can boost an enzymatic cascade both in vitro and in vivo. For this, a synthetic condensate scaffold protein will be used inspired by a consensus repetitive sequence of resillin. Such a model offers to twitch the protein length and material properties. Using the leading technology of the lab in coiled-coil sequences, the aim is to design specific recruitment of enzymes to the scaffold using hetero-dimeric coiled coils with high affinity. These fundamental building blocks will offer a large but still manageable variety of designs to explore conditions where enzymatic activity could be boosted. Aiming to further improve this system by designing it in such a way that our synthetic condensates function in cells, it could open up doors for the production of synthetic molecules that are currently challenging to produce in cells such as yeast and e.coli.

Mots clés : enzymes, biomolecular condensates, synthetic biology

Participants :
- Université d'Aarhus (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 247553.28 €
Projet ZAIRWAYS (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The global transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources is crucial to address the current energy crisis and environmental challenges. However, renewable sources like solar and wind are intermittent, making energy storage solutions critical. Zinc-air flow batteries (ZAFBs) have emerged as promising candidates for long-duration energy storage due to their high energy density, safety, and low cost. Yet, challenges such as zinc dendrite formation and byproduct accumulation in conventional systems limit their efficiency and lifespan.  The ZAIRWAYS project aims to revolutionize ZAFB technology by incorporating High-entropy alloys (HEAs) into the cathode design (catholyte tank). HEAs, with their unique combination of five or more elements, offer exceptional structural integrity and electrochemical properties, making them ideal candidates for enhancing the oxygen reduction and evolution reactions in ZAFBs. By optimizing HEAs, ZAIRWAYS will address critical issues such as discharge duration and cycling stability, paving the way for a new generation of sustainable energy storage systems.  State-of-the-art research has explored HEAs for electrochemical applications, but their use in mediated oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) within ZAFBs still needs to be explored. This project, with its unique focus on synthesizing HEAs using a colloidal surfactant-free (CSF) method and testing their performance in real-world ZAFB systems, is of significant importance. Planned secondments with industrial partners will ensure the practical application of this research.  The expected impact on the fellow includes the development of cutting-edge skills in advanced materials synthesis, energy storage technology, and collaborative research. This project will foster interdisciplinary expertise, enhance career prospects, and contribute to the fellow’s growth as a leader in sustainable energy research.

Mots clés : energy storage, redox flow batteries, mediated orr, nanoparticles, high entropy alloys heas

Participants :
- Université d'Aarhus (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 263393.28 €
Projet FullyConjugatedPNs (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

π-Conjugated macrocycles are promising materials for applications in organic electronics and they are being studied to gain fundamental understanding of aromaticity. Cyclic porphyrin oligomers exhibit unique properties, such as ultrafast energy delocalization and quantum interference, and they serve as valuable models for studying aromaticity on the nanoscale. This project aims to synthesize the first fully π-conjugated porphyrin nanobelts (PNs). These PNs are expected to have stronger electronic delocalization than the single-strand porphyrin nanorings previously studied in Anderson's group. Two complementary work packages are proposed. In WP1, the target β,meso,β-triply-linked PNs will be synthesized using a cleavable covalent template. In WP2, curved building blocks will enable the synthesis of target β,β-fused PNs. The target PNs will be purified by recycling gel-permeation chromatography (GPC) and structurally characterized using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The electronic and magnetic properties of the PNs will be elucidated using techniques such as NMR spectroscopy, UV-vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, backed up with quantum-chemical electronic structure calculations. This research will explore the electronic structures and photophysical properties of the fully conjugated NPs, and determine whether global (anti)aromaticity occurs in their neutral, oxidized or reduced states. This work will generate new insights into molecular structure-property relationships by studying unprecedented molecular nanostructures.

Mots clés : porphyrin, nanobelts, aromaticity

Participants :
- Université d'Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 276187.92 €
Projet ITFprosd (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Prosody is the melody and rhythm of speech. All languages use prosody in one way or another. English uses falling or rising tune (also known as intonation) in the expression of communicative functions such as making a statement, asking a question, and highlighting part of the utterance. Different tunes (also known as tone) are also used in tonal language to distinguish lexical and/or grammatical meanings along with intonation. Cross-linguistic examination of the prosodic patterns sees problems in analysing prosody and its dynamics with grammar and information structure in tonal languages where tone and intonation entangled by using the same acoustic parameter of pitch. Among tonal languages, Tibeto-Burman languages are significant in understanding prosodic typology because they are outliers in Asia, with tone functions and patterns that resemble African-type tone languages. ITFprosd will investigate the typology of prosody of tonal language and examine the prosodic interfaces through a fine-grinded analysis of an endangered Tibeto-Burman language of Tsum. ITFprosd innovatively integrated fieldwork-based data collection with theoretical data analysis and will contribute three theoretical innovations addressed to the prosodic interface studies literature, the prosodic typology, and Lexical Functional Grammar (LFG). It employs a mixed method to provide empirically rich, granular analyses of prosody through the investigation of natural speech data in Tsum. One aim of the project is to understand how prosody interacts with other grammatical aspects in tonally complex language. The second contribution lies in its implication for prosodic typology. By conducting a comprehensive examination of the prosody in Tsum, what does Tsum tell us about the typology of Tibeto-Burman language and beyond? Thirdly, ITFprosd will enrich current theoretical perspectives on and advance the field of prosodic interface study with novel empirical data from Tsum using the framework of LFG.

Mots clés : prosodic interface, tonal typology, endangered language, lexical functional grammar, himalayan language

Participants :
- Université d'Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 276187.92 €