Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet NanoPSYCH (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Neuropsychiatric disorders are a heterogeneous group of mental pathologies that demand prolonged and treatments that are frequently ineffective. Elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these diseases is paramount for a precise classification of subgroups of patient and application of appropriate therapeutic strategies. The role of the immune system in the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders has been the subject of debate for many decades. However, recent recognition of antibody-mediated central nervous system (CNS) disorders has fueled the search for a subgroup of patients with an antibody-mediated psychiatric illness. CNS autoantibodies have demonstrated to be pathogenic by disrupting the functional or structural integrity of synapses and their study has become an exciting research topic. Several aspects about the mode of action of these pathogenic autoantibodies remain unsolved, such as their accumulation in specific brain regions. An important factor for this preferential retention could be the influence of brain extracellular space (ECS), a component of the brain that has remained largely inaccessible for exploration due to its complex organization and technical limitations for its examination in living tissue. Recent advances in Nanotechnology and Biotechnology have given rise to unique tools to tackle the study of complex biological systems, thus we are now in a privileged position to explore the architecture of the ECS and the dynamics of CNS autoantibodies into brain tissue. The aim of this project is to define how the dynamics of CNS autoantibodies is affected by the ECS architecture in specific brain regions. This goal will be accomplished by using an original strategy combining classical imaging approaches to map the distribution of CNS autoantibodies between different brain structures and nanoparticle monitoring techniques to visualize at the nanoscopic scale the dynamics of CNS autoantibodies and the ECS architecture.

Mots clés : psychosis, autoimmunity, brain extracellular space

Participants :
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 196707.84 €
Projet MISWORD (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Neuroscientific research suggests a link between the style of caricature and neurocognitive procedures of perception: the brain perceives reality and makes sense of it by isolating and emphasising patterns. Similarly, by misshaping and exaggerating visual features, caricature provides an enhanced perception of facts and feelings, uncovers hidden aspects of reality, and reveals unconventional knowledge about the world. Insofar as the image of the human figure is a space where a broad range of meanings are inscribed, the definition of caricature requires a wideranging methodological framework, enhancing visual studies with a philosophical and anthropological perspective. As it deforms the body and its social skin, caricature questions the concept itself of subjectivity, as well as hierarchies and balances of power. Moreover, from its early genesis, caricature is connected to anatomical studies and the evolution of scientific knowledge: medical inquiries about feelings and emotions contributed to interface the outer representation of the body with the comprehension of the inner world of human beings. Grouping all these elements, caricature is a complex cultural object, and inherently a hybrid between visual and verbal codes. However, approaches to caricature have neglected its textual dimension: thus the aim of this project is to provide a theoretical definition and a historical overview of literary caricature conceived as a figure of speech in its own right. Drawing on the tradition of studies on the relationships between words and images, the research will trace the presence of caricature in literary texts, providing an anthology of case-studies from different periods of Italian literature, compared with French and English examples. Thus showing how, from the illustrated book to newspapers and digital media, caricature inhabits a cross-media space where historical variables and universals of cognition, cultural schemas and mental models interact with each other.

Mots clés : humanities, caricature, italian studies, european literature, words and images, cultural history, history of the body, comic, satire, theory of perception, neurocognitive sciences, media theory

Participants :
- University of London (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet VesHemiSyn (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Neurotransmitters are released by exocytosis of synaptic vesicles at the presynaptic terminal. After exocytosis, vesicular components are retrieved by endocytosis for maintaining efficient synaptic transmission. The mechanism of vesicle fusion and retrieval has been subjected to intense interest but also fierce debate for the last 40 years. Several modes of synaptic vesicle cycling have been described that rely on distinct kinetics, associated proteins and spatial organisation of the exo- and endocytosis sites. Yet, the mechanisms underlying endocytosis initiation and coupling to exocytosis are still largely unknown because the detailed dissection of single vesicle recycling remains a major challenge. Using live imaging techniques and protocols to detect fusion pore opening directly, the fate of vesicle proteins at the plasma membrane will be monitored during synaptic vesicle cycling in synapses and hemi-synapses of cultured hippocampal neurons. I will test the relative contribution of each mode of exo-endocytosis during synaptic activity. Additionally, the favourable geometry of the new hemi-synapse model will allow high resolution mapping of the presynaptic exo- and endocytosis sites. Correlating the organization of exocytosis and endocytosis sites with the location of key proteins such as calcium channels and scaffold proteins will reveal the functional microarchitecture of the presynaptic nerve terminal. Overall, this project will provide new insights into the mechanisms of exo-endocytosis cycle of individual synaptic vesicles.

Mots clés : cell biology, neuroscience, high resolution optical imaging, ph sensitive probe, hemi synapse, synaptic vesicle, exocytosis, endocytosis dynamics, presynaptic nerve terminal organisation

Participants :
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 173076.0 €
Projet NU-RING (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Neutron-induced cross sections of short lived nuclei are key quantities in many domains, such as fundamental nuclear physics, astrophysics and applications in nuclear technology. However, the difficulties to produce and manipulate the necessary amounts of radioactive nuclei make the measurement of such cross sections with current techniques extremely difficult or even impossible. Surrogate reactions in inverse kinematics represent the most promising indirect approach to determine these cross sections: The excited nucleus of interest is produced by a different reaction than the neutron-induced reaction. The measured decay probabilities strongly constrain model parameters enabling accurate predictions of the desired neutron cross section. We propose to combine surrogate reactions with the unique possibilities at ion storage rings, which are high-precision tools to study nuclear reactions in inverse kinematics with radioactive ion beams. The advantages range from greatly improved beam properties over the absence of target contaminants and backings, and a strong reduction of the straggling, thanks to the use of pure, windowless and ultra-thin targets. However, the demanding vacuum conditions of storage rings put severe constraints on the detection setup. In addition, it is necessary to validate this completely new methodology by comparing first results with good-quality data measured in direct kinematics. Still, there is a lack of direct-kinematics data that can be used as benchmark. We propose to perform simulations to define the set-up for the first surrogate-reaction measurements at the storage rings of the GSI facility. We will also investigate innovative solutions to overcome the vacuum issues like the use of solar cells. Finally, we will measure the 208Pb(d,d’) reaction in direct kinematics, which is one of the best suited cases to be used as benchmark. With Nu-Ring we will set the basis to establish a cutting-edge technology for the study of surrogate reactions.

Mots clés : nuclear physics, neutron induced reactions, surrogate reactions, inverse kinematics, direct kinematics, storage rings, solar cells

Participants :
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 184707.84 €
Projet PBIGP (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

New and sustainable methods must be developed to meet society’s ever-increasing demand for food, energy, and chemicals. Feeding tomorrow’s population requires increasing food production sustainably and developing novel approaches to invert the excessive consumption growth of fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation-water by modern agriculture. Fortunately, symbiotic or non-symbiotic interactions between plant-hosts and specific microbes were shown to promote host-vigor, and improved product quality and yield and plant-growth-promoting bacilli have been commercialized as biofertilizers in recent years. However those benefits associated to the PGPRs are divided across a large diversity of bacteria; and host-plants demands, nutrient availability, and pathogen attacks vary constantly during the entire plant lifespan. The proposed research project for the H2020-MSCA-IF-2014 will focus on identifying, validating, and stacking bacterial gene clusters responsible of those properties. The approach consists of establishing libraries of hybrid-bacillus and screening them for novel plant growth promoting properties. Because of the current importance of reducing inputs in agriculture while increasing crop yield; the screen will focus on identifying properties that allows decreasing use of chemical fertilizers such nitrogen and phosphorus and improve drought and salt tolerance. The proposed research intertwines fundamental and applied fields and is designed to seed larger projects toward a sustainable agriculture and feed tomorrow’s population. It is designed to increase our knowledge in plant-microbe interactions, result in discoveries, and generate innovative technologies.

Mots clés : bacillus subtilis, bacillus amyloliquefaciens, hybrid bacteria, plant growth promoting bacteria, pgpr, gain of function screen, plant microbe interaction, nitrogen, phosphorus

Participants :
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 185076.0 €
Projet EsterPep (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Next generation bioabsorbable and biocompatible polymeric biomaterials are key for the development of new medical devices and advanced approaches in healthcare with significant impact on applicable and affordable treatments for EU citizens. EsterPep will bring together the expertise of the applicant in organo-catalytic synthesis of polyesters with the expertise of the host in synthetic polypeptides and medical applications with the objective to design a new class of poly(ester-peptide) hybrid materials fully based on natural raw materials. The marriage of both systems promises novel functional, processible biomaterials with adaptable material and degradation properties not available from the individual building blocks alone. The objective will be achieved in an interdisciplinary approach combining polymer chemistry and biomaterial science as well as the demonstration of processing feasibility into a biomedical scaffold for tissue engineering. The workpackages have been designed to balance synthetic and application work as well as offering opportinities for intersectorial contacts to benefit the applicants experience. This project is ideally suited to the MSCA-IF programme as it provides mobility and a nurturing, world-class environment for the applicant to embark on a future professional academic career. This will be achieved by developing relevant competences and skills supporting this career path combined with unique scientific training in applied biomedical and biomaterial science guided by a tailored Career Development Plan. The dissemination of research results will target professional audiences as well as communicating to the general public through outreach activities.

Mots clés : polyester, polypeptide, organo catalysis, structure property relation, biodegradable

Participants :
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 175866.0 €
Projet MassLOC (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Next-generation 5G wireless data networks promise significant gains in terms of offering the ability to accommodate more users at higher data rates with better reliability while consuming less power. To meet such a challenge, massive MIMO systems have been proposed to allow for orders of magnitude improvement in spectral and energy efficiency using relatively simple processing. The basic idea is equipping cellular base stations with rectangular arrays, each of them is consisted of very large number of antennas. The extra antennas help focusing energy into ever smaller regions of space to bring huge improvements in throughput and radiated energy efficiency. Other benefits include reduced latency, simplification of the media access control layer, and robustness against intentional jamming. An unexplored and unintentional side-effect of using a very large number of antennas combined with high carrier frequencies, is the ability to pinpoint the location of the user with high accuracy. This project aims to develop several analytical tools in order to model, design, and analyze massive MIMO-OFDM systems from the localization point of view, and ascertain their validity via experimental datasets. Ultimately, our broad goal is to conceptualize an engineering research idea, and then transition it into innovative applications that can be replicated for real-world cellular networks operated by established service providers and mobile manufacturers. In parallel, the project will allow the fellow to achieve several knowledge transfer objectives and increase prominence in his research field.

Mots clés : 5g networks, positioning, massive mimo

Participants :
- Chalmers University of Technology (Suède) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 185857.2 €
Projet EpiSeq (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Next-generation DNA sequencing technologies are at the core of modern molecular biology and are rapidly entering the technological arsenal for personalized medicine. The recent explosion of sequencing technologies has provided researchers with various solutions to fit their sequencing needs, with a large spectrum of costs and limitations. However, most sequencing methods use enzymatic duplication of DNA to generate a strong enough sequencing signal. Therefore, chemical modifications potentially present on native bases are lost, and with them, an entire level of epigenetic information about. Although some workarounds are emerging, they are indirect, costly, and not yet amenable for the targeted sequencing of a given native genomic locus or biophysical analysis of the modified DNA. Given the need to understand the epigenetic layer of genetic information, I propose to develop a reliable and cheap method to map, at the single-molecule resolution, the epigenetic status of a genomic DNA locus of interest. This will be achieved through biochemical capture of this locus using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and its epigenetic sequencing via single-molecule manipulation by magnetic tweezers. In addition to identifying the nature and the position of the modified bases at a given genomic DNA locus, I will use this magnetic tweezer technology to address fundamental questions about the effect of epigenetic modifications on the biophysical properties of DNA (formation of DNA structures and protein interactions). Specifically, I will focus on 8-oxoguanine, for which there is increasing interest since it is a hallmark of degenerative pathologies like cancer or Alzheimer’s Disease, and since it has recently entered the known epigenetic arsenal. This project has great potential applications in medical diagnosis. It will give me a first-hand experience in developing a cutting-edge technology, which will be of great benefit to my future independent research career.

Mots clés : epigenetic sequencing, magnetic tweezers, 8 oxoguanines, next generation sequencing, medical, diagnostic tool development, crispr, cas9

Participants :
- Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 184707.84 €
Projet NAP-QDYS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Nitroaromatics are a vast group of molecules of interest in different fields of research and applications: for example urban atmospheric contamination, energy materials and to the drug delivery sector. The simplest nitroaromatics compounds are nitrobenzene, 1-nitronaphthalene, and 2-nitronaphthalene. The study of such systems will then constitute the most natural starting point in order to investigate the properties of the nitroaromatics group of compounds. Moreover these three particular molecules are characterized by important and in some case unique photophysical and photochemical properties. For example, 1NN is the organic compound with the fastest multiplicity change ever measured. Recently, an increasing interest in NB has occurred in relation to the so-called roaming radical reactions, which are a new type of reactions that follow a mechanism not contemplated in transition-state theory. With the present project, we aim to characterize the photophysics and photochemistry of the related systems NB, 1NN and 2NN under UVA/UVB exposure through the computation of ab initio quantum chemical dynamics simulations. In particular we will study: their main decay paths, the intersystem-crossing process toward the triplet manifold, the mechanisms leading to the photoisomerization of the nitro into a nitrite group, including the possibility of roaming radical photoisomerization, and the competition among all the mentioned processes.

Mots clés : photophysics, photochemistry, quantum dynamics, urban pollutants, photodegradation, rooming radical reactions, ab initio electronic structure methods

Participants :
- University of Birmingham (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 91727.4 €
- University of London (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 91727.4 €
Projet NITROX (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Nitrogen (N) is a limiting nutrient for life in the ocean and the atmospheric pool of dinitrogen gas (N2) is only accessible to a limited group of microbes. Classically, those N2-fixers were supposed to be mainly present in nutrient depleted surface waters. Recent studies, however, suggest that in oxygen depleted waters, such as e.g. present in the tropical oxygen minimum zones (OMZ) or in semi-enclosed basins of the Baltic Sea, a broad diversity of N2-fixers is present. This N2-fixing community and it’s potential to contribute to the N-budget of the ocean is largely understudied, but is of critical importance, as human-made climate change leads to a loss of oxygen from the ocean. To date a systematic investigation of N2-fixation in OMZ waters and its controls and feedbacks is missing; the exploration of this important but largely understudied topic is now addressed by the present proposal ‘NITROX- Nitrogen Regeneration under changing Oxygen conditions'. NITROX will allow to characterize and quantify factors controlling N2-fixation and primary productivity in a systematic manner. Rate determinations for C- and N2-fixation will provide valuable information about the significance of O2 depletion and the development of sulfidic conditions for the functionality of N2-fixation and primary productivity. By integrating biogeochemical rate measurements and metabolomic information into the previously applied meta-omic approach, this project will for the first time illuminate the potential of the diazotrophic community to respond to ocean deoxygenation and sulphidic anoxia, both of which are considered key challenges of the future ocean.

Mots clés : ocean deoxygenation, nitrogen fixation, nitrogen cycle, rate measurements, meta omics, iron limitation

Participants :
- University of Southern Denmark (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 212194.8 €
Projet EPIRIN (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a rapidly growing clinical problem, affecting a third of the European population. The transition of hepatic fat accumulation to inflammation is the key event taking place in the progression of NAFLD. This is controlled by a number of inflammatory and immune pathways including the activity of Natural Killer (NK) and Natural Killer T (NKT) cells. Progression from hepatic lipid deposition to inflammation and cirrhosis also follows a substantially variable course. It has been estimated that less than 10% of patients develop end-stage liver disease. Individual variability for disease progression is partly controlled by environmental factors and genetic background. However, it is not known how immune and inflammatory pathways are orchestrated by epigenetic mechanisms. The project hypothesises that “NK and NKT cells are programmed into inflammatory state by epigenetic modifications in progression from fatty liver to inflammation”. In this project, histone modifications and DNA methylation will be studied by genome-wide and loci-specific approaches in NK and NKT cells purified from animal models of NAFLD and a prospectively-designed human NAFLD cohort. Reversibility of these modifications will be investigated following the regression of liver disease in animal models and after the implementation of lifestyle changes in humans. Lastly, the therapeutic potential of targeting histone modifying enzymes by short hairpin RNA and small molecule inhibitors in NK and NKT cells for modulating inflammatory response will be investigated. The project will be the first comprehensive study investigating cross-talking epigenetic mechanisms in NK and NKT cells in NAFLD.

Mots clés : non alcoholic fatty liver disease, natural killer cells, epigenetics, histone modifications, dna methylation

Participants :
- Koç University (Turquie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 157845.6 €