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

In a grey, but not yet cold, autumn day, people walk through the city centre minding their own business, looking at the pavement and ignoring the other passers-by. Then something happens: they stop abruptly, they appear perplexed, for a moment and then, slowly, their eyes are filled with awe: someone is playing some games over there, in the city streets! The citizens' reaction to moments of urban playfulness is often the same: a simple, almost childish, joy at seeing the anonymity of modern cities being invaded by coloured, fun and light-hearted activities. Nowadays, the idea that cities should not just be smart, but also playable is gaining more and more recognition. Pro-social activities such as those organised by the Watershed of Bristol try to channel the power of city play (already exploited by bottom-up, spontaneous activities such as parkour, flash-mobs and zombie walks) and use it to promote more inclusive communities and a sense of city-ownership. This proposal aims at studying urban play in the wider frame of gamification, in order to deepen our understanding on how we can use play to affect the urban spaces and on what effects this might have on the citizens and their practices. The project draws from the knowledge and methodologies of gamification, critical design and pervasive play and aims at building an innovative and usable methodology. The latter will be tested through the analysis of case studies and through empirical testing, thus allowing the ER to build a framework for the study and design actions of urban gamification. ReClaim will be carried out within the Gamification Group of Tampere University of Technology (the most published and cited group on the topic) and during a secondment at the Watershed of Bristol (home of Playable Cities). This, together with the numerous actions aiming at the communication to the general public, will ensure the maximum chances of success to the project and of dissemination of its results.

Mots clés : gamification, playfulness, playable city

Participants :
- Tampere University (Finlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 191325.6 €
Projet globalfertilitychain (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In a new kind of post-Fordist niche, called the reproductive bio-economy, organised around the “flow” of reproductive substances and organs, such as egg cells, embryos and wombs, women are increasingly commercialising their bodies by working as oocyte vendors, surrogate mothers or tissue providers. There is fundamental disagreement among scholars and policy makers on how the reproductive bio-economy should be organised. Market critics propose a gift economy based on altruistic donations and informed consent, while market proponents encourage the commercialisation of reproductive tissues and the remuneration of tissue providers. This research addresses and moves beyond the conflicting terms (gift v. commodity, reproduction v. production, labour v. donation) in which the debate has been framed. It empirically investigates how (bio-)value is created and governed in one particular strand of the “actually existing” reproductive bio-economy, i.e. the global fertility industry, by exploring the intricate ways in which reproductive tissues and labour move in and out of a commodity state as they move through different regimes of governance. By ethnographically mapping the shifting regimes of labour and property in one specific fertility chain that is becoming increasingly popular, i.e. between Israel/Palestine, South Africa (oocyte vending) and Nepal (surrogacy), the volatile boundaries between gift and commodity, value and waste, labour and donation, property and entitlement will be unpacked. This will be done in an attempt to discern “hidden strategies of resistance” of female reproductive workers in the Global South, and propose alternative and more emancipatory ways of configuring the governance of the reproductive bio-economy.

Mots clés : globalisation, assisted reproduction, labour, property, value, egg vending, surrogacy, israel, palestine, south africa, nepal, bio economy

Participants :
- University of London (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet CASCADE-X (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In a waste-to-value perspective, CO2 can represent a sustainable carbon source to produce light olefins, representing key building blocks for petrochemical industry. CASCADE-X proposes an ultimate approach to directly convert CO2 to light olefins through cascade reactions over a bi-functional catalyst, obtained by molecular scale integration of an active metal alloy for the CO2-to-methanol reaction onto a zeotype catalyst for selective methanol-to-olefins conversion. Such a single-reactor cascade approach enables a simplified process scheme while overcoming the thermodynamic restrictions of the methanol synthesis by its sequential conversion. The action will generate fundamental knowledge on properties-performances relationships for the combined system, providing a rational for the optimization of catalyst and process conditions, as well as an improved understanding of key fundamental issues in both hydrogenation and methanol-to-olefins chemistry (restructuring, deactivation mechanisms, confinement effects). These goals will be pursued by an ‘all-X-ray’ approach, synergizing in situ and operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy and diffraction/scattering at the laboratory and large-scale facility level in combination with complementary physico-chemical methods, to identify activity/selectivity/stability descriptors for the bifunctional catalyst. Multi-modal synchrotron nano-mapping of individual catalyst particles will elucidate the space-resolved dynamics of restructuring and deactivation phenomena. Integrating the applicant’s experience in X-ray spectroscopy, the Host’s excellence in structural analysis, testing and rational optimization of zeotype catalysts, as well as the industrial know-how of the private sector partner (a leading Company in recycling and manufacturing precious metal catalysts, where a Secondment is planned), CASCADE-X provides a unique platform to diversify the proponent’s individual competences and to promote trans-sectoral knowledge transfer.

Mots clés : methanol synthesis, methanol to olefins, supported metal nanoparticles, zeotype catalysts, synchrotron characterization

Participants :
- University of Oslo (Norvège) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 196400.4 €
Projet SINGREP (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Mathematics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In algebraic geometry one tries to understand and explain geometric phenomena of zerosets of polynomial equations (algebraic varieties) with algebraic techniques. Singularities of algebraic varieties are, roughly speaking, points of indeterminacy, where most analytical methods collapse. Geometrically, this corresponds e.g. to cusps or crossing points. In a practical example, the arm of a robot can break if it passes through a singular point, which could result in a complete breakdown of the system. Such a situation should be avoided by theoretical considerations. This project lies at the intersection of singularity theory, (non-commutative) algebraic geometry, commutative algebra, and representation theory. The main goal is to develop homological methods to understand geometric phenomena of algebraic varieties in the presence of singularities and use them to study representation theoretic concepts such as cluster categories and friezes. The project will provide a bridge between these seemingly distant areas that can be exploited in both directions. The specific research objectives: (1) Construction of noncommutative (crepant) resolutions of singularities (NC(C)Rs), in particular for not necessarily normal varieties/rings: computation of global dimension, application to positive characteristic (global dimension of ring of differential operators) (2) McKay correspondence for reflection groups: study of the geometry of discriminants of pseudo-reflection groups and their relation to the representation theory of the groups, characterization of McKay quivers (3) Friezes and singularities: show how (higher) integral friezes can be constructed from cluster categories and categories of maximal Cohen-Macaulay modules The project will be carried out by Eleonore Faber, supervised by Robert Marsh at the University of Leeds. Apart from the scientific value, this project should serve to integrate Faber in the algebra research group and to establish her as a research leader.

Mots clés : noncommutative resolutions of singularities, noncommutative crepant resolutions, mckay correspondence, cohen macaulay modules, reflection groups, characteristic p methods, cluster categories, friezes

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

In an effort to reduce the incidence of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, leading health agencies around the world are currently promoting the consumption of food and beverages containing non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS), advocating them as healthy alternatives to products sweetened with added sugars. As the harmful health effects of excess sugar consumption are often attributed to the high-energy content of added sugar, it has been assumed that NNS are physiologically inactive simply because they have little to no energy content. Recent evidence, however, demonstrates an increased risk in total and cardiovascular disease mortality in people consuming at least two NNS-sweetened beverages per day. While these findings are interesting, they are difficult to interpret as NNS are typically consumed more often by those whose cardiometabolic health is already compromised. Despite this, evidence from animal studies, including that delivered by our own consortium, indicate that NNS have the potential to disrupt normal metabolic and vascular function, events that are primary in the development of obesity, insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. Indeed, rather than benefiting us, the impact of consuming NNS may be as bad on human health as the effects of excess sugar consumption. To bridge the findings from epidemiological and experimental research, this Standard EF will, for the first time in vivo, in humans, assess the metabolic and vascular effects of consuming NNS habitually; via a prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized, three-period crossover study. This research will also provide information about the role of type 1 sweet taste receptors (T1Rs), as well as oral sweet taste perception, in any potential NNS-mediated vascular/metabolic dysfunction. Ultimately, the findings from this research will inform policy makers about the safety of NNS, with the potential to lobby health authorities to revisit the regulatory status of these substances.

Mots clés : non nutritive sweeteners, artificial sugars, vascular reactivity, vascular function, vascular dysfunction, metabolism, cardiovascular disease, obesity, insulin resistance

Participants :
- Université Grenoble Alpes (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 196707.84 €
Projet EcoLabSS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

In an historical moment where citizens of the world are called to take action to face ´multiple crises´- the emergency of climatic change, high and rising socio-economic inequalities, and the upsurge of intolerance and racism within and between countries - the study of transformative grassroots initiatives becomes crucially important and timely. ‘Ecovillages as Laboratories of Sustainability and Social Change´ (EcoLabSS) is conceived as an international, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary project aiming at producing a theoretically grounded and methodologically innovative study of one of these grassroots initiatives: the ecovillage movement. EcoLabSS provides a multi-level and mixed-method study of the ecovillage movement that combines the comparative study of two local ecovillages, respectively in Denmark and Italy, with a systematic analysis of the actions and networks of the transnational organization Global Ecovillage Network (GEN). The review and the fieldwork is then used to develop a comprehensive theoretical and analytical framework centred on the path-breaking definition of ´community-based prefigurative social movements´. The empirical analysis is structured along three mutually informing levels of analysis: micro-individual level, meso-community level, and macro-societal level. The first level is focused on the study of individual life trajectories and biographies of ecovillage inhabitants. The meso-community level is analyzing the everyday practices and processes involving organization, decision-making and creation of future-oriented norms and codes of conduct inside the two case studies. Finally, the macro-societal level is centred on the study of how the ecovillage movement - represented by the transnational organization GEN - translates and diffuses its practices, narratives and visions of a just and sustainable society to policy-makers, institutions, other civil society actors and the wider public.

Mots clés : ecovillages, sustainability, social change, prefigurative politics, mixed methods

Participants :
- Copenhagen Business School (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 200194.8 €
Projet RECREPEMLE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In any organism, the need to reproduce is paramount, with genome replication being the earliest step in the process. The machinery and mechanisms of DNA replication are widely conserved, with initiation occurring at defined bi-directional DNA synthesis sites termed origins. Though origins may not be conserved DNA sequences, they are defined through binding conserved replication initiator factors. In some circumstances, such as after DNA damage or origin deletion, origin-independent replication can be observed in cellular organisms and can be driven by recombination. However, origin-independent replication is not normally considered to be a genome-wide, central reaction of genome replication. Very recently, genome-wide mapping of DNA replication initiation in two species of the kinetoplastid parasite Leishmania revealed only a single locus-specific origin per chromosome. Analyses of Leishmania S phase length and DNA synthesis speed suggest that a single origin-based strategy is insufficient for complete genome duplication, indicating replication in these eukaryotic microbes relies on origin-independent initiation to support origin-directed initiation. In this proposal, I will test the hypothesis that stochastic origin-independent DNA synthesis initiation events occur throughout the Leishmania genome due to homologous recombination acting on DNA lesions. If correct, this work will reveal the first example of a cellular organism that uses origin-independent replication as a core feature of genome duplication. The genome-wide use of recombination-driven replication would alter our view of DNA replication evolution and would explain the remarkable genome plasticity of Leishmania, with implications for how the parasite adapts genome structure and gene expression in the face of changing environments. Such adaptive change is seen during acquisition of resistance to anti-leishmanial drugs, and so this work will provide insight into the use and development of therapies.

Mots clés : leishmania, replication, trypanosomatids, genome plasticity, genome maintenance

Participants :
- University of Glasgow (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet DMC-ReaDy (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In aquatic sediments microorganisms are gradually buried by newly deposited layers and cut off from their main energy source, organic matter from overlying water or adjacent land. Yet, large populations of microorganisms are found in buried sediments, living in a state of strongly reduced metabolic activity. The evolutionary advantages of survival in this dormancy-like state remain unclear and may be related to rare events where buried microorganisms are returned to energy-replete conditions after centuries or millennia of starvation. The aim of this project is to observe how fast different sediment-inhabiting microbes are able to reactivate their metabolism and resume growth, and to determine the physiological changes and molecular mechanisms associated with the process. To initiate reactivation of starved microorganisms in a natural setting, deep layers of lake sediment will be transplanted to energy-rich surface sediments in diffusion chambers allowing nutrients to enter the chamber while preventing invasion of other microbes. Changes in gene expression of individual populations, combined with monitoring of cell size, shape, and biomass production will reveal molecular, physiological, and morphological responses involved in exiting starvation. The hypotheses on preferential substrate utilization and interdependencies between different populations derived from results of this in-situ experiment will be tested in controlled laboratory experiments, where targeted reactivation of selected community members will be triggered by addition of predicted preferred substrate. The uncovered mechanisms of microbial starvation survival and reactivation will have implications for the carbon cycling performed by sediment microbial communities, an essential part of the global cycle of carbon sequestration and remineralization. With dormancy being wide-spread in the microbial world, the results will also be relevant for other areas of microbiology and environmental sciences.

Mots clés : limits of life, microbial dormancy, microbial communities, microbial activity

Participants :
- Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (Suisse) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 191149.44 €
Projet IgEPath (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In combination, Immunoglobulin E antibodies (IgEs) and IgE effector cells, most importantly mast cells (MCs) and basophils, are best known for their disease-causing roles in allergic conditions. MCs can also participate in innate host defense against pathogens and toxins. In contrast, physiologic functions of IgEs that benefit the host are still elusive. Dr. Philipp Starkl led a recent study reporting the critical role of IgEs and IgE effector cells in a beneficial type 2 immune response against bee venom in mice, supporting the idea that allergies represent defense mechanisms against toxins. Toxins that induce IgE development are also produced by various pathogenic bacteria. IgE production during bacterial infection has been considered detrimental since it is associated with the exacerbation of atopic diseases. This study investigates the hypothesis that toxin-specific IgEs can be important for acquired immunity against pathogenic bacteria by increasing the sensitivity, extent and specificity of the bactericidal MC response. The main objective of this study is to decipher the roles of IgEs and IgE effector cells in host defense against invasive secondary infections with antibiotic resistant pathogenic bacteria, which are a major health problem in Europe. The experimental approach facilitates knowledge transfer between the US and EU and complementarily combines the applicant’s expertise in type 2 immunity, IgEs and MCs (acquired in the US) and Prof. Sylvia Knapp’s competence in bacterial infections and involves in vivo mouse models of infection in transgenic mouse strains and MC in vitro models. The secondment in a pharmaceutical company will inspire collaboration and translation of results into vaccine development. This MSC fellowship will support the applicant’s career development by fostering acquisition of novel expertise in infectious diseases, collaboration with and reintegration into the European research community and connecting with the industrial sector.

Mots clés : ige antibodies, mast cells, toxins, allergy, host defense, pathogenic bacteria

Participants :
- Medical University of Vienna (Autriche) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 166156.8 €
Projet StillNoFace (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In computer vision, human identity matching from images and/or video has been an active research topic for more than two decades and its popularity is increasing with the increase in computing power. The state of the art techniques are based on face images and gait recognition from long video sequences. However, in many real applications only some static images of the subject may be available where face information is missing (e.g. posterior views). These scenarios have not been addressed by the research community as they are difficult to handle. In this action, we propose a method for matching identities from a set of 2D images of a person without any facial information. The method consists of two steps: at first, the human body is modelled by a 3D articulated model whose pose is estimated by its 2D projections onto the images. Then, biometric features are computed by fitting 3D deformable models to the image data, thus capturing the form and size of the main parts of the anatomy. The overall framework works under a probabilistic framework, with a learning step, in order to encode pose and anatomy variations between a set of individuals that are to be identified.


Participants :
- University of Ioannina (Grèce) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 168391.8 €
- University of Houston System (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €