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

Savannas occupy about one-eighth of the land surface worldwide but the vegetation distribution in this biome is not properly understood. Furthermore, land use and climate change are propelling shifts in vegetation characteristics and their spatial distribution. Also, at the savanna-forest boundary, where the two biomes are known to exist as alternative states for same climatic conditions, the importance of spatial heterogeneity has been recognized but not well understood. This project will study how the dynamic interaction of vegetation with its environment leads to spatial organization of vegetation in the savannas including at the savanna-forest transition zone. Motivated by recent findings, it will further explore the significance of these patterned structures in increasing ecosystem resilience and reversing transition of ecosystem states. The research will use multidisciplinary knowledge from ecology and applied mathematics. The fellow, Mr. Swarnendu Banerjee, being from a mathematical background but with experience in ecological modelling has the most appropriate foundations to carry out the proposed research. This project will aptly complement his skills by training him in tropical ecology, spatial modelling and state-of-the-art mathematical methods, which will help him grow as an independent scientist in the field. During this project, he will also develop his transferrable skills in terms of writing and communication, project management, language acquisition and networking. The research that will be carried out will provide fundamental insights into the savanna dynamics potentially opening up novel avenues in savanna conservation research. The results generated from the project will be disseminated to the scientific community via scientific conferences and journal publications. Various means like popular science articles, animated videos and social media platforms will be used to communicate the ideas to the general public.

Mots clés : savanna, forest, modelling, spatial ecology, pattern formation, regime shifts, alternative stable states, front dynamics, multistability, resilience, fire, rainfall, herbivory

Participants :
- Utrecht University (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 175572.48 €
Projet RevolutionaryOpScan (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Scandinavia provides a particularly interesting case for the study of the impact of French revolutionary theatre. The Scandinavian countries (today’s Norway, Denmark and Sweden) were never invaded by the French during the Napoleonic wars that followed the Revolution of 1789, but these countries were nonetheless strongly affected by revolutionary ideas, in some cases experiencing profound constitutional upheavals. The project examines the impact of ideas from the French Revolution in Europe, by focusing on the intriguing case of the Scandinavian countries and by centring on the largely under-studied literary and musical phenomenon of opéra-comique. Opéra-comique, a very special and hugely popular form of musical drama mixing song and spoken dialogue, was one of the most popular forms of theatre and one of the most important means of expression of public opinion during the French Revolution. Yet this kind of theatre has received little attention in scholarship, be it from historians, musicologists, or literary scholars. The project builds on multidisciplinary approaches and recent work on opéra-comique during the French Revolution in order to examine the impact of the French revolutionary ideas through this repertoire in the case of the Scandinavian countries. The project includes the collection of historical performance evidence for opéra-comique in Sweden, Denmark and Norway for the period from 1789 to 1815. Through the establishment of an open online database, the project will make this information accessible for statistical analysis by scholars for the first time. On a conceptual level, the project will use the information gathered in the database to establish where, when, and how often revolutionary pieces were staged in Scandinavia. The project will also set out questions on the adaptation and modification of this repertoire in Scandinavian context. This will lead to new knowledge and pave the way for similar studies on a European level.

Mots clés : circulation of theater pieces in eighteenth century, eighteenth century op ra comique, eighteenth century french theatre studies, eighteenth century french literature, theatre during the french revolution

Participants :
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norvège) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 303238.08 €
Projet MPAmplitudes (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Scattering amplitudes determine the probability of interactions between fundamental particles. They are essential ingredients for phenomenological predictions in high-energy physics. Experiments at modern colliders, such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, are probing fundamental interactions at previously unexplored scales of energy. The high energy involved in these interactions is responsible for the production of many particles in the final state, which needs to be theoretically understood with high accuracy in order to make the most out of experimental data. The goal of this research project is the analytic calculation of multi-particle scattering amplitudes at higher orders in perturbation theory, and in particular the two-loop five-point amplitudes in quantum chromodynamics, needed for theoretical predictions at next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbation theory. These are of great relevance for LHC phenomenology, since our success in finding new physics can depend on our capability of distinguishing its effects from the large QCD background of multi-particle processes, which needs to be known with high precision. The method used for the calculation builds upon state-of-the-art techniques, such as multi-loop integrand reduction and generalized unitarity. These techniques exploit the knowledge of the universal analytic and algebraic structure of amplitudes, and are suited for handling the complexity of multi-particle calculations. The technologies and tools which will be developed for this project are very general and will thus provide a framework useful for future precision calculations, opening up a new frontier for high-precision multi-particle theoretical predictions for collider experiments.


Participants :
- University of Zurich (Suisse) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 175419.6 €
Projet LDC4PCaTher (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Standard of care strategies for the treatment of cancer still relies heavily on non-specific radiation and chemotherapy. These treatments are commonly associated with severe toxicities and in many cases only offer limited benefit for the patient. The targeted delivery of radionuclides, cytotoxic drugs and pro-inflammatory cytokines into malignant tissue, on the other hand, can markedly improve the therapeutic index and overall efficacy of such substances. Whilst monoclonal antibodies are the most widely used delivery vehicles to date, low molecular weight targeted agents are emerging as a promising alternative to antibody-based drug delivery. These ligands have negligible immunogenic risk and are easier to chemically modify enabling fine tuning of their ADME profile. As a result, it is possible to achieve a time dependent release of the cytotoxic payload at the target tissue maximizing its therapeutic efficacy while producing minimal damage to healthy cells. Most importantly, depth of tumour penetration and tumour-to-blood distribution ratio after injection should be significantly superior. We therefore propose to systematically investigate the targeting performance of bone marrow tyrosine kinase in chromosome X (BMX) ligands for the targeted delivery of cytotoxic drugs into BMX-overexpressing tumours, namely prostate cancer. This project aims at (1) demonstrate that a BMX ligand can selectively accumulate in BMX-overexpressing cancers; (2) developing a general chemical approach for building safe ligand-drug conjugates (LDCs); and (3) when site-specifically conjugated to cytotoxic drug, this novel LDC is highly effective for the treatment of prostate cancer. This project is expected to explore new avenues for drug delivery systems since the concepts here proposed go beyond prostate cancer therapy as they can be applicable to any ligand that interferes with up-regulated disease-related pathways.

Mots clés : ligand drug conjugates, targeted drug delivery, covalent kinase inhibitors, prostate cancer

Participants :
- University of Lisbon (Portugal) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 160635.6 €
Projet FLAME (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

State fragility at the EU’s immediate Southern doorstep is a key challenge for European foreign policy in the coming years. War and fragility in the Middle East, exacerbated by geopolitical competitions, allowed the proliferation of violent non-state actors such as the Islamic State and triggered the greatest refugee crisis since World War 2. Reflecting key priorities of the Horizon 2020 work programme (Europe in a changing world-inclusive, innovative and reflective societies and Secure societies-protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens), FLAME will: 1) map the political, security and socio-economic drivers of fragility across the Middle East and North Africa; 2) assess how these are reinforced by state and non-state actors’ pursuit of geopolitical interest; and 3) explore opportunities for EU and US to jointly ease these dynamics. The fellow, currently heading the Middle East department at a renowned Madrid-based think tank, builds on a decade of experience in both academic and policy research on Euro-Mediterranean relations, and has frequently provided policy advice to EU institutions.The host, the Brussels branch of one of the most renowned institutions on transatlantic cooperation, links up EU and US policy debates on Middle Eastern security affairs. Its offices in Washington, Berlin, Paris, Warsaw and Ankara provide a privileged institutional frame for the triangular research proposed. The partnership will produce ample mutual benefit and skills transfer as it will expand the fellow’s global network; broaden her expertise in security, US policy and non-state actors; and multiply her career prospects by exposing her work to a transatlantic high-level audience. The host will fill a gap in its expertise portfolio and strengthen its academic profile and European presence on Middle Eastern affairs. Using the host's unique global reach, the project will feed research results into the ongoing process of revision of the EU’s foreign policy.

Mots clés : geopolitics, fragility, conflict, european union, mediterranean, middle east, north africa, united states

Participants :
- The transatlantic foundation (Belgique) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 172800.0 €
Projet DREAM (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Storing information and then using it to guide behaviour is one of the most remarkable abilities of the brain. Memory storage relies on network mechanisms in which the hippocampal formation interacts with the rest of the brain during periods of sleep. The neural computations associated with this process correlate with both enduring and transient changes in the excitability of neural circuits. Nuclei located in the brainstem dictate these ‘state changes’, modulating the signalling between groups of forebrain cells. However, the role of the brainstem in memory formation remains unknown. This project aims to determine the role of different sleep stages in memory formation and long-term consolidation, and to elucidate the functional role of the brainstem in these processes. To this end, I will use a battery of experimental techniques, mathematical methods and biophysical models to probe and analyse the neural activity of the brainstem-hippocampal system. Neuronal activity will be recorded concurrently from the pons, thalamus and hippocampus of mice while performing a reference memory task. I will identify specific neural mechanisms that trigger different hippocampal synchrony regimes and memory reactivations mediated by brainstem activity during wakefulness and sleep. For this, I will develop state-of-the-art methods based on signal processing and machine learning. Besides, using optogenetic tools, I will determine the causal role of the brainstem in regulating hippocampal circuits and the animals’ behavioural performance. Finally, I will develop a biophysical model to test how well different network mechanisms explain the dynamics of the interactions between the brainstem and the hippocampus. Understanding the detailed properties of the interactions between these systems of the brain in relation to memory processes will be an important step toward establishing neurophysiological markers that can be preventive targets to ameliorate effects of memory-related pathologies.

Mots clés : hippocampus, learning, memory, sleep, brain rhythms

Participants :
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (Autriche) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 174167.04 €
Projet COGBIAS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Stress has long been a major concern among researchers interested in health and welfare. Most of their work has considered stress from either a biological or an environmental perspective, focusing on the activation of the physiological systems involved in the stress process or the role of stressful life events in specific diseases. While interesting, if we are to fully understand the effects of stress on health, we must also take into account a psychological perspective that considers an individual’s perception of stress. Indeed, a deep understanding of the neural circuitry underlying psychological stress and its physiological consequences is crucial to meaningfully explain inter-individual variations in vulneraibility to stress. In this way, my ongoing research has revealed some preliminary results which indicate ‒ for the first time ‒ that cognitive bias towards pessimistic judgments (i.e. some individuals consistently evaluate ambiguous stimuli as negative) may predict an individual’s susceptibility to the detrimental effects of chronic stress. These groundbreaking results shed light on a completely unexplored and highly promising avenue of research, based on the potential impact of evaluation biases regarding stress on an individual’s vulnerability to stress-associated diseases. In this framework, COGBIAS firstly aims to characterise the specific neural circuits underlying cognitive bias by which stress is perceived, processed, and transduced into a neuroendocrine response, using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model. Secondly, COGBIAS aims to unravel the role of subjective stress on resilience to stress-associated diseases. Hence, the multidisciplinary and unique perspective of this project, combining behavioural, neural, genetic, and physiological sciences, has the potential to reinforce the already European competitiveness in the area of stress-related health and management.

Mots clés : animal behaviour, animal welfare, comparative neurobiology

Participants :
- Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Portugal) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 270862.2 €
- Inter-University Research Institute Corporation (Japon) — Partner, organization partner, Recherche, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet DE-STRESS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Stress is a common feature of our lives yet some people respond to stress better than others, a concept known as resilience. There is a growing body of experimental data which has implicated several brain structures and molecular mechanisms. However to date there has been limited focus on the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and the mechanisms in this brain region which could be involved. One of several proteins expressed by the BNST, which is a key regulator of the stress response, is the pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP). But the expression of PACAP is under the control of stress-responsive nucleotides called miRNAs. Thus, there exists a complex system in the BNST which regulates the stress-response and hypothetically could be involved in mediating resilience. To test this hypothesis, the DE-STRESS project will conduct a series of experiments with the objectives of (i) determining whether PACAP expression in the BNST is different in states of resilience and susceptibility, (ii) identifying miRNAs that are differentially expressed in these states and which regulate PACAP expression and (iii) elucidating their functional effects on the stress response. Hence, the DE-STRESS project uses an innovative approach to decode the concept of stress resilience and will advance understanding of the pathophysiology of stress-induced disorders. Additional objectives of the project include dissemination and transfer of knowledge to relevant stakeholders, forming collaborations within academia and industry with a view to commercialising research findings as well as develop project management and career development skills of the applicant. In line with the Work Programme for the MSCA fellowships, the knowledge and competencies gained by the applicant will add to developing his potential to achieve professional maturity and leadership in the field so that he may continue to make significant contributions to society and the economy.

Mots clés : chronic stress, depression, anxiety, resilience, mirnas, next generation sequencing

Participants :
- National University of Ireland (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187866.0 €
Projet MAESTRO (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : TERMINATED

Stroke is a first-order medical problem (about 600,000 strokes occurred in the EU in 2015), in which rehabilitation is critical. Currently, there are no reliable systems to monitor the patient adherence to this rehabilitation, nor its effectiveness. Combining the ER experience on biosensors and gamification, the expertise on outlier detection and machine learning of IMDEA Networks, and the knowledge on deep learning applied to medicine of the AI Lab at Brown University, in MAESTRO, we will develop algorithms capable of determining rehabilitation adherence and effectiveness by using wearables. This will optimize rehabilitation and forecast recovery by providing information to neurologists and feedback to patients and caregivers. MAESTRO aligns with the H2020 goals in Area III (digitization, research and innovation) as well as health, demographic change, and wellbeing. MAESTRO aims at recruiting 50 patients from Rhode Island Hospital for 4 months in the first of three development cycles. Mobile applications, IoT devices and questionnaires will be used in the first of the three cycles. This is viable since we will use the infrastructure and connections of an existing stroke project on-site. The innovation in MAESTRO lays in the development of software solutions to monitor the rehabilitation of post-stroke patients remotely and passively using off-the-shelf hardware and gamification. The methods employed in MAESTRO, particularly deep learning, permit the automated classification of extremely complex data, allowing scientists to extract important information from data sets that would be unmanageable otherwise. MAESTRO is a unique scientific advance because it will provide doctors, patients and caregivers, group-specific levels of feedback. In addition, the algorithms specifically developed within the project can be the bases of novel developments with different goals, for example translation to clinical practice, or expansion to other neurodegenerative diseases.

Mots clés : stroke, rehabilitation, clinical decision support

Participants :
- Brown University (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 245732.16 €
Projet INCARE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Studies indicate that the middle class disproportionally benefits from social investments in childcare which target both early childhood education and care and labour market participation of parents. Still, there is lack of comparative studies which would deepen theoretical and policy understanding of social investment approaches applied in various countries and their effect on childcare-related policies and via that outcomes. This project explores these issues by undertaking the first comparative study of childcare policies in the post-Yugoslav countries (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia). It explores the framing and development of entitlements to childcare-related leaves and services, the drivers of the reforms and their outcomes. It is particularly interested in (1) reform potential of the European social investment agenda to affect a redistributive dynamic in childcare and (2) parenting practices of those parents who appear to be redistributive losers of the European social investment agenda (e.g. parents with short-time contracts, unemployed). The data analysed will include national legislation and policy documents and information obtained through expert interviews and interviews with parents. The project tackles the innovative and important topic of social inequalities in childcare, seeking to enhance the understanding of the concept of care policy, and adds a new body of empirical evidence to the field of comparative family policy, and gender and social inequalities studies. By developing this study at the Department of Social Policy and Intervention at Oxford, the project will benefit from the Department`s multidisciplinary and international perspective and expertise. For the Department the project will add new knowledge and deepen its regional focus on Central and Eastern Europe, thus augmenting the Department`s knowledge and coverage of this part of Europe, and its focus on social inequality studies as they relate to childcare.

Mots clés : childcare related policies, family policy, social and gender inequalities in childcare, policy ideas, social investment approach, post yugoslav countries

Participants :
- University of Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 195454.8 €