Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet UNIVERSALITY (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

How universal is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights? The question attracts more debate than one might expect. This research project—UNIVERSALITY—will break new ground in such debates by contributing an innovative Global History of the origins and development of the international Human Rights regime after the Second World War, from the perspective of the (Arabic-speaking) Islamic world. The Applicant is a junior academic—a graduate of the London School of Economics, Yale University and Harvard University—with unique professional experience as a diplomat beyond Europe, research fluency in the Arabic language, and experience in journalism communicating to non-specialist audiences, all of which this project leverages. The fellowship will be carried out at the Freie Universität Berlin (FUB) under the supervision of Professor Sebastian Conrad, one of the foremost practitioners in the project field of Global History. The project deliverables address one of the most pressing historical and social needs for our contemporary multicultural Europe—namely, how we can contribute political histories of the twentieth century that place the agency, experiences and political thought of the non-Western world at the centre of historical action. Through innovative method and using a range of neglected sources, UNIVERSALITY will support this objective through reconstructing a hitherto hidden story of the birth and contestation over the UDHR that can also serve as an alternate origins story for our modern international world. And by foregrounding Arab and Islamic perspectives in debates over the international Human Rights regime, it will offer both academic and public new ways of thinking about how we can include non-Western epistemologies in understanding modern-day processes of globalization and integration.

Mots clés : modern middle east, islamic studies, arabic political thought

Participants :
- Freie Universität Berlin (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 162806.4 €
Projet RTEL1inHHS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome (HHS) is a multisystem disorder with patients presenting inter-uterine growth retardation, immunodeficiency, and/or aplastic anaemia. Recently, mutations in RTEL1 have been shown to be causal for this disease. RTEL1 prevents genomic instability and maintains integrity of the telomeres by disassembling different secondary structures that arise during DNA replication, repair, and recombination.Although recent discoveries from the host lab and others have shed light on the function of RTEL1 in maintaining genome stability, many outstanding questions remain to be addressed. Currently very little is known about RTEL1 regulation or how it is dynamically recruited to replication forks and telomeres to execute its functions. Moreover, it is not known whether RTEL1 expression or recruitment is regulated by post-translational modifications. Of the 18 identified mutations, only two have been characterized. As these undefined mutations are causal for HHS and must therefore affect the RTEL1 function, their detailed characterization is likely to shed light on new aspects of its function and/or regulation. The main objective of this project is to characterize the undefined HHS mutations in RTEL1 and determine how they impair the physiological protein function, in vitro and in vivo. To this end, we will take advantage of a complementation system that permits the stable expression of RTEL1 variants in RTEL1 deficient cells, allowing us to study RTEL1 mutant contribution to RTEL1 phenotypes. We will also perform comparative proteomic analysis of the mutants to determine if they abolish specific/novel protein-protein interactions. HHS mutations that present with a defined phenotype or affect a novel interaction will be studied in vivo in a mouse model. In summary, we anticipate that the combination of approaches proposed here holds the potential to significantly contribute towards the understanding of how different mutations affect RTEL1 function.

Mots clés : telomeres, genome stability, hoyeraal hreidarsson syndrome

Participants :
- The Francis Crick Institute (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet POPHEALTH (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Human activities are imposing major environmental alterations in natural populations and ecosystems. One of these alterations is pollution, which is the introduction in natural environments of contaminants that can alter the health, reproduction and survival of free living organisms. Consequently, there is increasing concerns about the sources of exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and about their consequences on human health and on natural populations and ecosystems. POPs are known to persist in the environment and to bioaccumulate through the lifetime of organisms as well as to increase in concentration with each successive step in the food chain (biomagnification), therefore top predators as birds are used as bioindicators. Moreover, migratory animals as birds don’t have borders, and hence, one growing issue is that European breeding species may also become exposed to POPs when visiting non-European ecosystems, such as during migration to Africa where many POPs banned in the EU are still used there as pesticides. POPs can be measured in different tissues (e.g. feathers, preen oil, and blood), although it is less clear to which extent these measure. For instance, blood samples are expected to reflect rather recent exposure to POPs. Currently, no study has addressed how POPs accumulate in different tissues using repeated measures from the same individuals, and as such explore what types of samples are best describing POPs bioaccumulation. Therefore, by applying in a European migratory bird species (the Alpine swift, Tachymarptis melba) new tracking technologies and state-of-the-art physiological and biomolecular tools, the overarching aim of POPHEALTH is to improve our understanding of how wintering and breeding areas influence the exposure to POPs in the wild, to provide novel insights on the health and fitness consequences of exposure to POPs in a long-term perspective, and to validate which tissue best describe exposure to POPs in birds.

Mots clés : pops, oxidative stress, ageing, omics, immunology, migration ecology

Participants :
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 196707.84 €
Projet Sialoglycan Array (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Human cells display a staggering repertoire of different sialic acid-carrying glycans (sialoglycans) at the surface - the Sialome. The Sialome regulates numerous biological processes including cell communication and migration and is involved in diseases such as infections , autoimmunity and cancer. However, most biological interactions and functions of the Sialome remain elusive, because suitable methods to address the Sialome as an ‘Ome’ and to dissect specific sialoglycan functions in the cell context are lacking. Therefore, I propose to generate a cell-based sialoglycan array for the display of all human sialoglycans in the natural context of individual glycoconjugates at the cell surface in an arrayable format. Using precision genome editing (CRISPR/Cas9) genes involved in sialoglycan synthesis will be targeted to create a library of isogenic human cells each displaying a unique part of the Sialome. These isogenic cells together form the cell-based sialoglycan array and will be used for high-throughput screening and discovery of binding specificities of sialoglycan-binding proteins such as Siglecs, selectins and factor H. Finally, the cell-based sialoglycan array will be used for the production of a representative panel of recombinant glycoproteins carrying homogenous N-linked or O-linked sialoglycans. The proposed research will take place at the at the Copenhagen Center for Glycomics a world leader in Glycomics and pioneer in precision genome editing in Glycobiology where I will be trained in precision genome editing, glycoengineering and state-of-the-art glycan mass spectrometry. Altogether, the cell-based sialoglycan array will be indefinitely sustainable, addressable by any multiplex assay, and serve as production platform for recombinant sialoglycoproteins. Ultimately, I expect that the proposed cell-based sialoglycan array will open the door for wide discovery of biological interactions and functions and of the human Sialome.

Mots clés : glycobiology, sialic acids, sialome, glycome, precision genome editing

Participants :
- University of Copenhagen (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 200194.8 €
Projet PCDfert (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Human health issues due to genetic causes induce prominent costs for the society and cause serious health problems. Therefore, this project aims to train the Experienced Researcher in human molecular genetic studies to identify genetic causes for inherited defects and utilize the previous knowledge of the Researcher in molecular genetics of spermatogenesis to establish causes of human male infertility. Specifically this study uses a unique Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) patient cohort for identification of novel causative mutations and their roles in cilia. PCD is characterized by recurrent infections of the respiratory tracts starting soon after birth, which without early intervention will develop into severe respiratory disease. The functionally similar microtubular core structure (‘axoneme’) of cilia and sperm tails required for their motility means that compromised ciliary function may also be a cause of male infertility. For the first time the effect of PCD mutations on sperm development will be examined, which is crucial for consultation of PCD patients for their fertility status. These experiments will also provide data for genetic causes of male infertility and allow development of a gene panel for specific sperm defects. To further gain expertise in state-of-the-art methods and research objectives, the Researcher will familiarize in high resolution imaging and investigates the transition zone (TZ) structure in developing sperm. TZ has been recently shown to be indispensable structure controlling the protein transport to cilia, but its role is poorly understood and not known in sperm. Thus, this project will produce novel insights into the mechanisms of cilia and sperm tail formation and enhance the career prospect of the Researcher through extensive training and state-of-the-art research plan. The fellowship enables integration of the Researcher within the Cilia research group in UCL and future senior fellowship application to UK based foundations.


Participants :
- University of London (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet MicroMI (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Human microbiota has vital effects on human health and physiology. Gut microbiota alteration has been linked to risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as allergy, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. NCDs are increasing and account for more than 41 million people deaths per year (71% of all deaths globally), being more critical in infants. Early microbial colonization of the GIT is essential for an optimal health, thus, altered microbial colonization patterns have been linked to an increased risk of NCDs. Mother-to-infant transfer of microbes is believed to be a crucial opportunity to pass on IM from one generation to another, representing a pivotal step in the development of the early infant gut microbiota. Much research to date has addressed the impact of the environment on the microbiota composition, nowadays, is time to go further and to define this mechanism in a compositional, functional and metabolic level. An in-depth understanding of the effect of maternal IM in the early life and its long-term impact is urgently needed. The EU is promoting actions developing new dietary solutions to improve public health, therefore, MicroMI aims to make a novel approach by using state-of-the-art methodologies already established within the host institution (CSIC) to reveal the mechanisms underlying this host-microbe interaction in the GIT development and maturation in early life. MicroMI adapts methods based on cutting-edge sequencing technologies to gain knowledge on probiotic-related issues. This project will positively impact on the European society and economy. Within MicroMi, the applicant will perform state-of-the-art research, will promote science as a career and gender equality and she will establish an innovative translation multidisciplinary programme. Funding of this action will allow the research applicant to foster and share her skills and reinforce herself as a mature and independent professional, starting to forge a stable career.

Mots clés : microbiota, metagenomics, mother to infant transfer, host microbe interaction, probiotics

Participants :
- Spanish National Research Council (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 172932.48 €
Projet STEPV (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) cause a range of serious diseases, with particular regard to cervical cancer, most anal cancers and half of head and neck cancers, and the need for new and effective antiviral therapies is of paramount importance. Important advancements regarding the HPV infection, throughout the infected epithelium, have been recently made. However, a full mechanistic understanding of how stochastic and dynamical properties of the HPV gene network interact with the cellular circuitry that controls proliferation/differentiation and cell-to-cell communication affects responses at the single cell and tissue level during infection is lacking. A better understanding of these aspects is critical to understand viral persistence, cancer progression, and to develop novel strategies for antiviral therapies. Mathematical models, developed under rigorous mathematical and biological assumptions, can be of great help in generating optimal solutions to these problems. STEPV project aims at improving the current available frameworks for stochastic tissue-level mathematical modeling, by tackling their limitations and specialize them in the context of HPVs, as well as to improve clinical/biological discoveries about HPVs infection. The specific goals are: (1) development of novel spatio-temporal modeling frameworks in order to describe HPVs gene expression and its connection with the phenotype control; (2) use of the developed models to understand the phenotype regulation by oncoproteins, understand viral persistence and propose novel antiviral strategies. By achieving these goals, STEPV will provide, for the first time, innovative modeling frameworks in the field of the computational systems biology applied to the context of HPVs infection, allowing quantitative and noninvasive tools to deeply investigate still elusive mechanisms, regarding HPVs infection, as well as investigate inaccessible or poorly understood clinical/biological scenarios.

Mots clés : spatio temporal mathematical models, cell to cell communication, cell phenotype, papillomavirus, cell differentiation, cell proliferation, computational disease pathology, computational virology

Participants :
- University of Cambridge (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 159700.32 €
Projet HF2ET2D (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Human safety and the protection of air quality would clearly benefit from the deployment of widespread, unattended, wireless networks with gas sensing capabilities. While the Internet of Things (IoT) is on the rise (3.2 billion devices connected by 2023), the 5G will improve IoT performance and reliability. The development of high frequency field effect transistors (HF-FETs) for wireless networks is fuelling the research in a new generation of high frequency electronics employing new nanomaterials. In this context, the HF2ET2D aims at the synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) materials and at the fabrication of HF-FETs in order to realize high frequency gas sensors for being integrated in the new generation of unattended gas sensor networks. Additionally, it aims at improving sensor performance (sensitivity and selectivity) by using surface functionalization and light excitation. 2D materials like black phosphorus, Indium Selenium (InSe) and Platinum Diselenide (PtSe2) are still very new materials, which deserve being investigated further. Their rich electrical-optical-gas sensing properties will allow us to fabricate high frequency FET gas sensors with superior performance. The crystalline quality of these materials, their good carrier mobility and high on/off current will affect the figure of merit of the HF-FETs (maximum frequency of oscillation and the cut-off frequency). Direct band gap, good light absorbance, and high photo-responsivity are interesting factors to enhance the electrical characteristics of the transistors and ameliorate the repeatability and drift issues often experienced with gas sensors. Ultra large surface to volume ratios, rich surface chemistry and favourable surface energy levels for gas adsorption will allow to obtain room temperature gas sensors and avoid the high operation temperature of commercially available metal oxide gas sensors, at an affordable cost.

Mots clés : gas sensors, 2d materials, high frequency fet, functionalization

Participants :
- Rovira i Virgili University (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 259398.72 €
Projet EVOSPARROW (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Human-commensal species are almost constantly present in our daily lives; they are the mice in our fields or the sparrows in our gardens. The evolutionary trajectories of these species are intertwined with our own through the development of agriculture and human civilization, yet we know surprisingly little about their origins. My project, EVOSPARROW, will focus on Passer sparrows, including the House sparrow, one of the most ubiquitous commensal species. I will first use whole-genome resequencing to resolve the phylogeny of the Passer genus and provide context for the evolution of human commensalism. I will then make use of genomic data from over 120 individuals from across the Passer distribution to reconstruct the recent evolutionary history of sparrows in Europe. I will use coalescent models to test whether House sparrow migration into Europe is consistent with the introduction of agriculture during the Neolithic. The consequences of commensal relationships have rarely been studied in an evolutionary context. Yet comparisons between commensal and non-commensal lineages offer a means to understand the phenotypic and genetic basis of adaptation to human modified niches. I will quantify behavioural and morphological phenotypes between commensal House sparrow populations and a non-commensal House sparrow lineage occurring in the Near East, as well as other non-commensal Passer species. I will then scan the genome to identify the genetic basis of these phenotypes and quantify their segregation in the wild. With EVOSPARROW, I will develop an evolutionary framework to study how, when and dependency on the human niche arose in commensal species. Passer sparrows are the ideal system for this aim and with high-resolution genomic data, it is now possible to answer these questions. Through understanding the evolutionary origins and consequences of commensalism, I aim to also shed light on the development of our own civilization towards an agrarian society.

Mots clés : speciation, human commensalism, passer sparrow, genome scan

Participants :
- University of Oslo (Norvège) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 196400.4 €
Projet SELFIEv2.0 (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Humans have a remarkable ability to construct a complex conceptual representation of their own identity and personality. This self-concept plays a crucial role in everyday life; however, its neurobiological basis remains unknown. Here, we will use the state-of-the-art method of intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) to characterize the neuronal representation of self-concept at the level of single-neurons in the medial prefrontal and medial temporal brain regions. IEEG will be recorded from awake human subjects, which is possible because a subset of neurosurgical patients requires placement of intracranial electrodes to identify the focus of epileptic seizures. We will conduct our studies during this monitoring time, with no added risk to the patients. Our data will provide unprecedented insights into the neuronal basis of the human self. Our findings will be of great interest to scientists in a broad range of disciplines, including neuroscience, psychology, artificial intelligence, neurology, psychiatry, as well as to the general public. The supervisors are world-leading experts in the neural self-representation (Prof. Ehrsson) and iEEG (Prof. Fried). Their laboratories conduct excellent research, as documented by multiple high-impact publications. The host institution (Karolinska Institute) and the partner institution (University of California, Los Angeles) are among the best universities in the world. Together, the fellowship provides an exceptional opportunity for the experienced researcher to become a leader in his field; he will learn the unique method of iEEG and he will collect the very first data on the neuronal basis of the conceptual self.

Mots clés : self concept, declarative memory, intracranial electroencephalography, humans, single neuron, responses, neuronal populations, connectivity, medial prefrontal cortex, medial temporal lobe

Participants :
- University of California System (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Karolinska Institutet (Suède) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 265059.0 €