Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ARISE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Cofund Postdoctoral programme
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Scientists engaging in technology development, including method, resource and infrastructure development and respective service provision (both experimentally and computationally), became essential in modern life sciences and are the most important resource of European research infrastructures (RI). However, there is a strong human resource deficit of RI scientists and no dedicated programme to train new RI Scientists exists in Europe and worldwide. We propose to establish a "Career Accelerator for Research Infrastructure Scientists (ARISE)", a novel programme for future RI Scientists. The ARISE programme will enable experienced Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics (STEM) professionals to become future leaders in technology development, management and operation of advanced RIs and to speed up the technology innovation in Life Sciences. The programme will be established by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), an intergovernmental organisation with sites in Germany, UK, France, Spain and Italy. In the ARISE programme, EMBL teamed up with 46 partner organisations, which will support training of the Fellows. The Programme will provide opportunity to work on a wide range of technology development of their choice, in which EMBL and ARISE partners have considerable expertise, including (but not limited to) areas such as imaging, bioinformatics, structural biology, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and (bio)chemical engineering. The programme aims to train 62 incoming Fellows in the course of 5 years. Fellows will be recruited in 3 recruitment rounds, employed by EMBL and will receive a 3-year Fellowship to perform research and receive training in research, professional and transferable skills. After successfully finishing the training, we expect the Fellows to take positions as senior scientists or leaders in core facilities, research infrastructures or technology development groups, either in academia, industry, health care and other sectors.

Mots clés : life sciences, technology development, fellows, research infrastructure, scientific services, engineering

Participants :
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 6841080.0 €
Projet PIONEER (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Seagrass meadows serve many important ecosystem functions and services in coastal waters. Most notably, through their role as nursery and feeding areas they support a great abundance and diversity of fish and invertebrates, making them important for fisheries and local economies. In spite of their ecological and socio-economic importance, seagrass meadows worldwide have been experiencing declines and habitat degradation through fundamental changes in their structural complexity. Currently only limited knowledge exists of how these configurational changes influence the functioning and the ecological and cultural services provided by seagrasses. Through a combination of ecological and social data collection methods that include citizen science, PIONEER takes an interdisciplinary approach to assess how changes in the environmental status of Posidonia oceanica ecosystems affect important ecosystem services for both marine biota and humans in the Balearic Islands, namely (i) seagrass nursery function for juvenile fish, (ii) food provision capacity for adult fish and fishers’ perception of the recreational fishing sector. PIONEER provides relevant and timely information for the implementation of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, which aims to achieve Good Environmental Status in all water bodies across EU member states by 2020. Findings from this project will be relevant for both conservation and management of these habitats; dissemination of results will target scientists, governmental and non-governmental authorities and end-users of seagrass habitats. The fellowship contributes to the candidate’s career development mainly through the acquisition of advanced skills in ecological and social sciences that will provide a notable improvement to her multidisciplinary background and diversification of research expertise, as well as enlarging the international network of professional contacts to southern Europe.

Mots clés : ecosystem services, mediterranean seagrass beds, recreational fisheries, citizen science, cultural benefits, nursery areas, feeding grounds, juvenile fish, good environmental status, eu msfd directive

Participants :
- Spanish National Research Council (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 158121.6 €
Projet HEALSEA (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Seagrasses are key ecosystem engineers that create structurally complex habitats in coastal areas, thereby increasing biodiversity and providing important ecosystem services. Their documented and worldwide loss calls for effective conservation measures. Our capacity to succeed in this task largely depends on our aptitude to anticipate their decline. Ecological theory and some evidence suggest that seagrass loss is often sudden, and cannot be predicted without exactly knowing the trajectory of their response to increasing stress or their behaviour before and after decline. Ecological theory also proposes that systems close to decline become more stochastic and slow in recovering from disturbance, a phenomenon known as critical slowing down. Such theory can be applied to complex ecological systems, providing appropriate experimental tests on suitable signals of this phenomenon, called indicators of resilience. Yet, knowledge on seagrass response patterns and the identification of these theoretical indicators of resilience is lacking. By means of a field manipulative experiment and model simulation based on literature and experimental data, the proposed research aims at (1) identifying what are the response patterns of seagrass traits to a gradient of stress; and (2) testing for the existence of indicators of resilience in seagrasses. In addition, the project will (3) implement the results into a protocol of action to be used by practitioners as innovative tools to anticipate potential changes in seagrass resilience. The development of this project will contribute significantly to seagrass conservation using an innovative approach that combines experimental work with ecological theories and modeling.

Mots clés : seagrass, experimental ecology, indicators of resilience, stress, disturbance

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

Secreted proteins and their receptors underlie the communication networks of multicellular organisms and guide the proper organization of developing tissue. An essential process involves the human transmembrane receptor and signal integration hub, Deleted in Colorectal Cancer (DCC). Emerging evidence indicates that the netrin and draxin guidance cues are secreted by neighboring cells and form competitive and complex multivalent interactions with DCC. The DCC receptor thus integrates multiple inputs (netrin and draxin) to elicit the appropriate physiological response (cell migration towards or away from the source of netrin or draxin, or even programmed cell death), resulting in proper connectivity of neurons in the brain and of endothelial cells in blood vessel networks, or their misprogramming in tumorigenesis. Our knowledge of this medically important signaling pathway is now poised for translation to an integrated systems mechanism across biological scale. This research action will address the challenge by experimentally determining the competitive and multivalent assemblies formed among netrin, draxin and DCC as a biophysical basis for signal integration. These binding events will then be computationally simulated to examine their dynamic partner exchange and polarized orientation of assemblies in the membrane that are dependent on their distance from the netrin and draxin sources. Experiments and simulations of competitive binding and assembly will be further complemented and validated by assaying the distance-dependent turning response of living axons placed between netrin and draxin-soaked beads. Together, these approaches will describe the competitive assembly dynamics of signaling and will provide unprecedented mechanistic insights into cellular communication and organization, thereby targeting efforts for therapeutic intervention.


Participants :
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 159460.8 €
Projet ADOQ (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Securing exchanges of information on a global scale represents a major challenge in our society today. The emerging field of quantum communication relies on the fundamental laws of physics to offer unconditional security. In this respect, encoding information on spatial properties of photons has recently demonstrated a strong potential for increasing security level and data rates of quantum communications. However, disturbances in the distribution of quantum states in free-space (i.e. atmospheric turbulence) are critical challenges that must be overcome to advance beyond laboratory proof-of-principle demonstrations and implement long-distance communications. The goal of this work is to enhance information capacity and enlarge distances of free-space quantum communications by monitoring optical disturbances using adaptive optics. This ambitious goal will be achieved by combining the powerful techniques of the emerging field of quantum light shaping, with the speed of adaptive optics systems and the extreme sensitivity and high temporal resolution of quantum imaging sensors. Specifically, the proposal is based on our novel insight that wavefront correction performed in the classical domain (i.e. using an intense classical light beam) can be transferred to the quantum domain to prevent degradation of quantum states that carry the information.

Mots clés : adaptive optics, quantum communication, quantum information, high dimensional quantum key distribution, wavefront shaping, disordered media, optical aberrations, atmospheric turbulences

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

Seismic risk management in fast-growing populated seismic areas is a challenge for governments and communities in case of catastrophic events. Seismic resilience options are considered to mitigate risk, by either reducing the risk through vibration-control designs of risky assets, or by transferring the risk into the capital markets, through disaster financing options or (re)insurers. Both strategies require a good understanding of the seismic risk, which can be achieved only through thorough ground-motion uncertainty quantification and propagation to structural response, and accurate estimates of damage, cost and downtime estimates of the affected assets. The current proposal presents a compete framework to analyze the effects of resiliency measures on the overall risk of communities by (1) developing novel probabilistic model to characterize local seismic hazard by using site-specific records, (2) characterizing the exposed assets accurately at high resolution, (3) developing novel and efficient seismic vulnerability models consistent with the seismic hazard and (4) calculating probability distributions of seismic-performance metrics rather than just mean values for a better characterization of the risk. This methodology will be applied to study the risk reduction and transfer effects on communities. Seismic risk-reduction will be achieved through implementation of seismic control devices to structures and risk-transfer is achieved through financing mechanisms, such as catastrophe bonds and other parametric models, used to carry over risk to risk-takers.

Mots clés : seismic resilience, earthquake engineering, seismic fragility, exposure, catastrophe modelling, risk assessment, disaster risk financing, probabilistic seismic hazard analysis

Participants :
- University of Bristol (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet colloidlego (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Self-assembly is a spontaneous arrangement of building blocks into ordered structures. Shape of the building block is one of the key factors, determining the structure of resulting assembly. During the process of self-assembly, the building blocks move through thermal motion and, once in contact, adjust their mutual positions and orientations to minimize free energy and form ordered structure. Increasing shape anisotropy of the building block gradually hinders its reorientation during the process and increases the energy barriers. I propose to study the impact of increasing anisotropy of building blocks on their ability to overcome kinetic barriers during self-assembly process and reach equilibrium. Systematic experimental study will be performed with two dimensional Brownian dispersions of platelet microparticles. The platelets will have irregular pentagonal shape of such geometry that allows complete filling of the plane (valid solutions of pentagonal tiling problem). The shape anisotropy of the microparticles will be gradually increased (decreasing symmetry and circularity, increasing complexity of ordered pattern) and the effect on self-assembly kinetics will be evaluated. Proposed study is the first, systematically revealing relation between shape anisotropy and self-assembly kinetics. Its results will enable new fundamental insights into self-assembly of complex shapes. Proposed self-assembly experiments require large quantities of microparticles of complex shapes and, simultaneously, not larger than a Brownian limit (~micron). Thus, I propose to develop novel low-cost high-throughput synthetic procedure, utilizing stop-flow lithography for production of Brownian silica particles. The host group participance in the project is vital as it is currently the only laboratory in Europe, working with stop-flow lithography. Furthermore, self-assembly is the main research theme in the host group, thus I can rely on their excellence in both parts of proposed project.

Mots clés : self assembly, stop flow litography, pentagonal tiles

Participants :
- Utrecht University (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 177598.8 €
Projet SEXY (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Selfish genetic elements increase their transmission at the expense of others. The ultimate reasons for their increased transmission are generally well understood. However, the molecular mechanisms driving their transmission above the Mendelian 50/50 ratio are poorly understood, especially in the case of selective exclusion of entire haploid genomes. A prime example for genome exclusion is hybridogenesis: some F1 hybrid species clonally transmit one of their haploid genomes (the selfish one) by selectively eliminating the other (the so-called ‘host genome’) during gamete formation. Here, I propose to use Bacillus stick insects to elucidate the molecular innovations that enable genome exclusion and lead to the evolution of hybridogenesis in Bacillus. The Bacillus system is uniquely suited for the proposed research as it is possible to introgress genome-eliminating elements into the genetic background of a ‘normal’ sexual species. This enables identification of genomic regions associated with genome exclusion by targeted genotyping. The project will answer three key questions: I) Bacillus comprises at least two hybridogenetic species that use different host genomes: how did host genome exclusion originate (independent origin vs host switch)? II) what is the genomic basis of genome exclusion?, and III) are cytoplasmic (maternally derived) components involved in genome exclusion? The methodological repertoire will comprise haplome phasing and phylogenomics using long-read data, experimental introgression and genetic mapping, and an experimental cytoplasm switch. By combining the methodology of different disciplines we will generate a cohesive understanding of the mechanistic basis of genome exclusion in a new model organism. The project addresses general hypotheses and will serve as a blueprint for genome exclusion studies with applicative potential in medicine and agriculture.

Mots clés : genome exclusion, selfish genes, hybridogenesis, sexual parasitism, reproductive systems

Participants :
- University of Lausanne (Suisse) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 191149.44 €
Projet MUSE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Sensory systems enable animals to perceive their worlds and make adaptive decisions for survival. However, finding out about the world outside is energetically expensive: it involves complex sensory systems to collect the information, and dedicated neural systems to process it. Therefore, the benefits of acquiring information need to be balanced against the costs of receiving and processing it. Consequently, evolution has equipped animals with sensory systems that fit their lifestyle and environment, to give them the information they need to enhance their survival and reproduction. However, most, if not all, animals have multiple sensory systems: how should investment in different sensory systems be balanced, and what factors affect the trade-off between investment in different sensory modalities? When environmental constraints limit the usefulness of specific sensory modalities (e.g. living in the dark), shifts in investment in different sensory modalities can occur. What is not known is how trade-offs occur between sensory modalities that are still useful to an animal, but perhaps their relative importance changes according to lifestyle or environmental factors. This project aims to investigate the trade-off that occurs in diurnal species between the visual and olfactory systems, and explain why it occurs. I will use insects as a model system, since their neural structures, ecologies and sensory systems are well studied, and can be easily measured. I will measure the relative size of olfactory and visual systems within insect species, and test if predatory species or those that fly (i.e. species that need to rapidly assess changes in their environment) invest more in vision than olfaction. I will also test if the sizes of neural structures associated with each modality correlate with sensory ability. The project will provide the first concrete evidence that sensory capabilities are traded-off against one another, and identify the reasons why.

Mots clés : sensory ecology, animal behaviour, insect neuroethology

Participants :
- Newcastle University (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 195454.8 €
Projet QFRNA_SH (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Economic Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Sentiment drives the stock market (Shiller, 2000). Over-optimistic and over-pessimistic emotions can lead to great mispricing and excess volatility. The question is no longer whether investor sentiment affects stock prices, but rather how to measure investor sentiment and quantify its effects (Baker and Wurgler, 2007). (1) The proposal firstly plans to improve upon existing measures of investor sentiment by combining financial proxies and textual variables. Then it tries to calibrate the option-pricing model with the investor sentiment measure incorporated to achieve precise pricing. (2) While there has been much work on investor sentiment, there is a lacuna in research that explores sentiment network, in particular the interdependencies of the sentiment indices and their relationship with equity returns. The researcher aims to explore the interconnectedness of sentiment measures among different stocks and identifies which stock plays a crucial role by proposing an innovative semiparametric tail event driven network. (3) The interdependencies and co-movements of investor emotions may lead to herd behaviour in the financial market. One of the difficulties lies in differentiating between a rational reaction to changes in fundamental values and irrational herd behaviour. The proposal aims to detect and interpret the phenomenon considering macroeconomic signals, buy or sell transaction behaviour and investor sentiment. The overall proposal is, therefore, original not just because of employing new investor sentiment measures but for the development of new econometric methods in the first place. Moreover, it potentially contributes to inclusive, innovative and reflective societies in Europe by supporting financial decision-making processes and managing risks for investors and institutions.

Mots clés : quantile regression, risk management, network analysis, investor sentiment, herd behaviour, stock markets, text mining, option pricing, behavioural finance

Participants :
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 174806.4 €