Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet TESTIMONY (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Immunotherapy, in the form of immune checkpoint inhibitors, is the upcoming anti-cancer therapy, but suffers resistance in large fractions of cancer patients (also lung cancer). Tumors stimulate angiogenesis to ensure their supply of nutrients, however much less studied is how tumor endothelial cells (TECs) contribute to immunosuppression. Endothelial cells (ECs) represent a major non-hematopoietic component of immunity and TECs are presumed to be immunosuppressive, in part by expressing elevated levels of PD-L1. However, the role and dynamics of TEC-expressed PD-L1 in anti-tumor immunity relative to the cancer expressed PD-L1 remain incompletely understood. Given the strategic “1st line” location of TECs, the question raises if at least part of the success of PD-L1 inhibition, is attributable to an effect on TEC immunity. Therefore, for the 1st time, I will fill this gap of knowledge by characterizing mice lacking PD-L1 in ECs and assess tumor progression and anti-tumor immunity in these mice using different tumor models. I will assess the efficacy of anti-PD-L1 blockade in mice lacking PD-L1 in ECs in different stages of tumor growth to delineate the dynamics of PD-L1 expression in TECs. Moreover, by using established in vitro approaches, I will study the effect of PD-L1 knock-down in human lung tumor derived TECs vs. normal ECs on human T cell proliferation, effector function and transmigration. The proposed research provides unprecedented insights in the relative role of tumor endothelial vs. cancer cell-derived PD-L1 in immunosuppression. This is a multi-disciplinary project at the interface of angiogenesis, immunology and cancer. Combining my expertise on T cell biology with the host’s expertise in angiogenesis and exceptional scientific infrastructure (core facilities) and innovative science (EC:T cell interactions during immunotherapy) will ensure successful achievement of the project goals and provide a highly competitive training for my future career.

Mots clés : tumor immunity, endothelial cells, t cells, immunotherapy, immune checkpoint proteins

Participants :
- Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (Belgique) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 178320.0 €
Projet THIRST-MARS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Impact cratering is a main geological process in the Solar System that can generate a conspicuous amount of heat and, in wet conditions, potentially favor hydrothermalism. The latter plays a key role in the mobilization of elements critical for the habitability of a planetary body and, can promote the formation of economic deposits. Over the last decades, the potential for impact craters to create favorable conditions for life, and the evidence of the past presence of liquid water on the surface of Mars, fed a growing interest in Mars impact craters exploration. Geophysics plays a critical role in the recognition of impact structures, particularly where we lack direct evidences. Gravity and magnetic observations, as testified by terrestrial impact craters investigations, are primary indicators of these structures and can be used to track physical changes induced by hydrothermal alteration. On Mars, while impact craters are well preserved, the spatial resolution of the geophysical data is limited by the satellite altitude, therefore the identification of areas of interest for impact-related hydrothermalism is challenging. This project aims to provide a new vector gradient based crustal magnetic model of Mars to better resolve geological features, e.g. hydrothermally altered zones within impact craters. However, magnetic data interpretation can be ambiguous and requires a solid knowledge of the variables controlling the magnetic properties of altered/unaltered impact craters rocks. The project aims to accomplish this knowledge with a multi-scale and multidisciplinary study of three selected terrestrial impact craters that experienced hydrothermal alteration. By investigating the magnetic signature of impact craters and by improving the resolution of the global magnetic crustal model of Mars, this project will provide a new tool to investigate the evolution of Mars, and to target areas of interest for future missions where to search for resources and traces of life.

Mots clés : magnetic anomalies, rock magnetism, impact craters, hydrothermal alteration

Participants :
- Government of the United States of America (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Recherche, subvention : 0.0 €
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 257619.84 €
Projet ATiNaRI (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Implantable neural recording devices are being used by neuroscientists and neurosurgeons for monitoring the behaviour of particular parts of the brain. With the advancement of microelectronics manufacturing processes, wireless multi-channel neural recording systems have become available during the last decade. However, the capabilities of neural recording implants are still limited by their power density in order not to harm the surrounding tissue by heat generation, and by their total power consumption which limits the operational longevity of the implant. If the operational capabilities and longevity of the neural recording implants are to be improved, new methods of power consumption reduction are required. I will address the power consumption reduction problem in a Marie Skłodowska-Curie European Fellowship with Prof. Serdijn at the Dept. of Microelectronics of TU Delft. I will try to solve the problem by researching asynchronous time-domain signal processing and by creating a generalized implementation framework for the time-domain signal processing applications. During the course of the project, I will be able to collaborate with experts in biomedical circuits, signal processing, and microfabrication to conclude this research project successfully. The proposed research will result in a working prototype ultra-low power asynchronous time-domain wireless neural recording chip, and at least three peer-reviewed research articles will be published. Undertaking this research along with formal training and mentoring will enhance my academic profile, scientific experience, and expertise in bioelectronics. The proposed research is in line with the scientific aims of EU to improve lifelong health and wellbeing of all. By the successful completion of the project, new methodologies for power reduction in neural implants will be available for use by both academic and industrial entities.

Mots clés : asynchronous, time domain, time mode, subthreshold, wireless, neural implant, neural recording

Participants :
- Delft University of Technology (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 151798.9 €
Projet ECO-BROKER (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Economic Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Improving the sustainable management of agricultural biodiversity is a key objective in regional and international natural resource policy, and is also critical for safeguarding food production and adapting to climate change. Within Europe, small farmers are custodians of the region's greatest agro-biodiversity assets, yet without remuneration for this stewardship activity. As public sector budgets struggle to provide compensation, the case for exploring the potential support from the agro-biodiversity based food chain is the driver of this Fellowship which aims to explore innovative business models and learning approaches not only to support sustainable management but also to reconnect food chain players and civil society with conservation values. The prospective Fellow, Dr Humberto Rios Labrada, is an experienced plant breeder and winner of national and international awards for innovating with participatory and action research methodologies for rural innovation. He will be hosted at Coventry University, UK, in its multidisciplinary Centre for Agroecology. Field research, and industry secondments and visits, will involve institutions in the UK, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Cuba, to explore initiatives that have been generating economic benefits through participatory agro-biodiversity management (termed Agro-biodiversity Management Enterprises) and identify opportunities for their scaling up. The Fellow will receive training in social enterprise development and entrepreneurship which will diversity his skillset to become a lead player in sustainable rural innovation. He will also develop transferable leadership skills in academia and rural development. Key outputs include two peer-reviewed articles, a Policy Brief, an arts-meets-science Performance, and training curricula for the continued development of AMEs.

Mots clés : agrobiodiversity, brokering, action learning

Participants :
- Coventry University (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 224933.76 €
Projet Tran-Reg (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

In 2011, new European regulatory legislation proposed criteria aimed at phasing out many chemical pesticides and substituting them for non-chemical techniques of pest and weed control. The aim of this project is to understand the ideational and knowledge politics entangled in efforts to develop and implement those transformative regulatory ambitions. It will research the ways in which the purposes of the new legislation, the problems it is designed to resolve, its objects of attention, and its anticipated interventions and solutions have been imagined, contested and interpreted by different networks of state and non-state actors, and how efforts have been made by those networks to institutionalize their preferred meanings in legislative measures, and subsequently in policy and practice, including scientific practice. It will focus on experience of legislative development and its revision at European level, at implementation in the UK and Denmark, and on European debate about the methods for performing comparative hazard assessment and environmental risk assessment. An analytical framework drawing on sociotechnical transitions theory, ‘discourse analysis’ from political science and ‘deconstruction’ from science and technology studies will be used to illuminate how actors seek to influence policy-makers and others’ understandings of what is at stake in this area of technological practice, and how these become embedded in legislation, policy interventions and scientific standards. The project seeks to support the implementation of the EC’s Farm to Fork Strategy, a key component of the European Green Deal, and its ambitions to be a frontrunner in implementing the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

Mots clés : pesticide regulation, agricultural transformation, sustainability transitions, knowledge politics

Participants :
- University of Sussex (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 224933.76 €
Projet PEER (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In 2015, Estonia launched its e-residency program that gave foreigners the ability to apply for a digital residency in Estonia, even if they don't live in the country. At the time of writing, more than 40,000 people have obtained e-residency. Moreover, these e-residents have established nearly 6,700 companies in Estonia, benefiting from Estonian business-friendly tax laws, access to online payment systems, and so forth. Recently, a small number of academic papers have emerged that discuss the governance and business aspects of e-residency. However, most of the key texts have been authored by civil servants, and there has been a lack of analyses on how the e-residency initiative shapes the broader global political economy. Some of the crucial questions are as follows: How does the proliferation of e-residency program impact the EU-level efforts of international tax cooperation, as well as the concept of economic citizenship that underlies the international tax system? Should the e-residency initiative be seen as a new solution to the governance challenges of the EU's Digital Single Market, or does it rather accelerate international race to the bottom in business regulation? How does the initiative alter the self-perception of both Estonian government and the entrepreneurs that use e-residency? By analyzing the broader political economy of the initiative, the PEER project carries a potential for significant academic and policy-level contributions. Utilizing interviews, textual sources and financial statement analysis, the project focuses both on the governance side of the initiative and its users. The result will be a broad-ranging, inter-disciplinary inquiry into a phenomenon that may have potential to transform the concept of citizenship. The results will have high policy-relevance not only in Estonia, but also within the European Union, as well as in those EU member states that are allegedly considering implementing similar initiatives.

Mots clés : e residency, estonia, citizenship, global tax governance

Participants :
- Tallinn University of Technology (Estonie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 154193.28 €
Projet EUSAT-RCS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Staff Exchanges
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

In 2016, the World Health Assembly launched the WHO’s ‘End TB strategy’; an ambitious project to reduce TB incidence by 90% before 2035 and progress to 1 TB case per million in 2050 worldwide. Effective routes to TB elimination are, among others, optimized treatment regimens to shorten treatment duration and better diagnostic methods. Unfortunately, advances are very slow due to a huge lack of funding and clinical research capacity to conduct trials. The TB research community needs to be both creative and innovative to build and strengthen existing capacity as well as to expand clinical trial networks to perform more cost- and time effective drug- and diagnostic trials. With this RISE proposal we aim to strenghten the European-Latin American TB Research Collaboration Network (EUSAT-RCS), offer capacity building for Paraguayan and European TB professionals and build up a Latin American TB clinical hub. A group of ESRs, ERs, TECH and other professionals are brought together to carry out clinical research spanning epidemiology of TB in populations to GWAS and the validation of an innovative eNose device for point-of-care diagnostic value.

Mots clés : enose, smell print, pharmacogenetic, dried blood spot, clinical trial

Participants :
- Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 202400.0 €
- Radboud University Nijmegen (Pays-Bas) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 119600.0 €
- Ministerio de justicia (Paraguay) — Partner, organization partner, Organismes publics (hors enseignement & recherche), subvention : 0.0 €
- Western Cape Department of Health (Afrique du Sud) — Partner, organization partner, Autres, subvention : 0.0 €
- The eNose (Netherlands) (Pays-Bas) — Partner, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 59800.0 €
- Instituto nacional de enfermedades respiratorias y del ambiente - ineram (Paraguay) — Partner, organization partner, Autres, subvention : 0.0 €
- University of Porto (Portugal) — Partner, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 156400.0 €
- CERCA Institution (Espagne) — Partner, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 312800.0 €
- University Medical Center Groningen (Pays-Bas) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 59800.0 €
- Universidad Nacional de Asunción (Paraguay) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet Light4Sight (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In 2016, the global sales of biopharmaceutical drugs (protein, peptides) in ophthalmic applications exceeded $8 billion and is estimated to increase to $35.7 billion by 2025. The growth of the ophthalmic drug market is primarily driven by an increasing aged population suffering from age- and lifestyle-related diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, among others. These diseases cause moderate or complete vision loss, resulting in significant reduction in quality of life. Consequently, innovative approaches for the effective delivery of biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of chronic intraocular diseases are required. Currently, intravitreal injection of drugs is the most acceptable and effective method to treat vitreoretinal diseases. By placing the drug in the posterior eye, it evades the ocular barriers common in topical and systemic delivery, allowing higher drug doses to reach the target site. However, treatments require frequent injections to maintain adequate intraocular concentration, which are invasive, increase the risk of adverse effects and pose significant treatment burden on patients and healthcare providers. Thus, alternative ways to deliver these drugs that require less frequent administration need to be developed. Light4Sight aims to develop a novel delivery platform consisting of self-assembling nanocarriers incorporating therapeutic peptides and suspended within a light-sensitive supramolecular hydrogel. The hydrogel can be injected in the vitreous and release of nanocarriers be activated through the irradiation of visible light. This approach provides several benefits: 1) minimizes the use of repeated injections reducing treatment burden; 2) reduces burst release of the nanocarriers avoiding potential dose related toxicity; 3) on-demand release to match patient needs; 4) allows high drug loading for long-term therapy; 5) protects peptide drugs from rapid clearance in the vitreous increasing their half-life.

Mots clés : hydrogels, peptides, hyaluronan, self assembly, nanocarriers, controlled and targeted delivery, light, vitreous, posterior segment ocular diseases

Participants :
- University of London (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 224933.76 €
Projet VioMH-Mig (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

In 2018, over 550,000 foreign migrants were documented as entering Spain. Migrant women are often at increased risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) due to factors such as financial insecurity, a lack of social support and discrimination. A higher prevalence of IPV has been shown among migrant women than native Spanish women and migrants are also at increased risk of depression, anxiety and somatic disorders. The impacts of IPV on women's mental health is well documented, however little is known about the differential effects of IPV on the mental health of women across migrant groups. Migrants living in Spain come from a diverse range of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, therefore understanding how women from different backgrounds narrate their experiences of violence and its impacts on their physical and mental health is vital for producing culturally sensitive interventions and care. Migrant groups often face barriers to accessing services and care in their host country due to language barriers, a lack of awareness about available services or previous experiences of discrimination. Cultural competency in a healthcare system is therefore important to ensuring migrant survivors of IPV have access to the appropriate care, particularly for their mental health. The aim of the current proposal is to explore the differential effects of violence on the mental health of women across migrant groups living in Valencia, Spain, using a mixed-methods study with three main areas of focus: the associations between IPV and symptoms of common mental disorders, the differential narratives of violence and mental health experiences among women from different migrant groups and the barriers to accessing mental health care. The proposed research will be conducted with a view to developing a culturally informed intervention to address violence against women in migrant groups and to provide policy recommendations to improve mental health care for migrants living in Spain

Mots clés : violence against women, domestic violence, mental health, common mental disorders, public health, migrant women, migrant health, access to healthcare, mixed methods

Participants :
- University of Valencia (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 160932.48 €