Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet Brain_stability (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

During brain development, neural stem cells (neuroblasts) divide asymmetrically to produce a neuroblast and a neural progenitor cell, the ganglion mother cell (GMC), which will later divide to produce two neurons or glia. Asymmetric protein localization and transcriptional activation are two well-established mechanisms that influence cell fate decisions during this process. I hypothesize that a relatively unexplored regulatory component—mRNA stability—also plays a major role in neural differentiation. mRNA stability is regulated to achieve high temporal and spatial control of gene expression and may therefore provide a powerful way to establish or reinforce cell fate decisions in the nervous system. However, little is known about the functions of regulated mRNA stabilization or decay during development of the brain (or any other complex tissue). Our lab recently discovered that the mRNA encoding a key conserved neural differentiation-promoting transcription factor, Prospero, is unstable in Drosophila neuroblasts, but is stabilized in the more differentiated GMCs. This proposal seeks to expand upon this finding and to determine the extent of mRNA stability regulation and its functional significance in the developing brain. I aim to develop a novel genome-wide technique that will allow quantitative comparison of mRNA decay rates between neuroblasts and GMCs. I will then use this technique to query the function of conserved RNA-binding proteins in the regulation of neural mRNA stability. Finally, I will use our state-of-the-art live brain imaging assays to determine the functional requirement for specific regulatory events in brain development at the cellular and molecular levels. The experiments described in this proposal have the potential to uncover a major new class of post-transcriptional regulatory events that determine the balance between proliferation and differentiation in the developing brain.

Mots clés : mrna stability and decay, brain development, neuroblast, live cell imaging, drosophila melanogaster

Participants :
- University of Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet ENDODEP (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

During mitosis, cells can undergo asymmetric cell division, where daughter cells are endowed with different fates. Asymmetric division enables developing organisms to generate their particular diversity of cell types through a balanced combination of self-renewal and differentiation. Better understanding the mechanisms of asymmetric cell division will shed light on how cell renewal, differentiation and proliferation are controlled. In the longer term, this knowledge might enable regenerating defective cells in ageing and disease, generating cells of a particular identity for therapeutic purposes and tackling cell proliferation in cancer. The fate asymmetry results from a differential distribution of fate determinants between daughter cells. One way this segregation is implemented is through the directional trafficking of vesicles called endosomes along the microtubules of the mitotic spindle. While our understanding of the trafficking step has improved a lot through recent studies, it remains unclear how asymmetrically distributed endosomes at the spindle are ultimately released into the target daughter cell. This proposal aims at identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying this final, decisive step of asymmetric division: endosome departure from the spindle. We will work through four specific aims: 1 Characterise the dynamics of endosome departure under wild-type conditions, 2 Identify molecular interactions triggering departure, 3 Build a mathematical theory of the physics of departure,4 Test whether our proposed model can be generalised to other models of asymmetric division. Recent progress on directional endosomal trafficking has laid strong conceptual and practical frames to now focus on the next step of asymmetric division. Thus the proposed project is timely both through the question it addresses and the tool availability. This project is also intrinsically intersectorial, integrating physics, chemistry and mathematics to address a biological question.

Mots clés : asymmetric division, notch signalling, sara endosomes, drosophila, sensory organ precursor

Participants :
- University of Geneva (Suisse) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187419.6 €
Projet EpiRetention (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

During spermatogenesis, germ cells go through important chromatin remodelling steps, the most striking being the replacement of histones by protamines, which promotes the compaction of the paternal genome in the sperm . However, a proportion of nucleosomes, ~1% in mice and ~15% in humans, are retained following protamine incorporation. It is thought that those remaining histones might play a role in the development process after fertilization possibly by transmitting epigenetic information to the progeny. Investigating the process of histone/protamine exchange has been extremely challenging because of the difficulty to isolate and manipulate germ cells at different stages of their development in vivo. Recently, an in vitro system has been established to produce mouse embryonic stem cell (ESC)-derived male haploid gametes . We propose to use this remarkable system for a comprehensive genomics approach to get an understanding of the chromatin dynamics and functionally test the requirement of candidate proteins involved in the histone/protamine exchange process. This represents a novel approach to investigate the pathways responsible for histone eviction and protamine incorporation. Furthermore, we will determine how nucleosomes are retained at specific genomic regions in mature sperm and if they are involved in the transmission of epigenetic traits to the progeny. Such innovative study relying on advanced in vitro differentiation methods together with genome and chromatin editing techniques aim to bring valuable insight regarding germ cell development and determine whether stochastic or environment-directed changes in the nucleosome profile can be epigenetically propagated to the embryo via the sperm and affect the fitness of the offspring.

Mots clés : in vitro spermatogenesis, epigenomics, histone protamine, exchange, nucleosome retention, intergenerational epigenetic inheritance

Participants :
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 158121.6 €
Projet FOOTSTEP (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

During the course of human evolution, we have transitioned from the arboreal environment of our ancestors to become committed, terrestrial bipeds. These changes are reflected in many aspects of our postcranial skeleton, including our highly specialised foot. Due to the mosaic morphology of fossil hominins, it is remains unknown in what ways their locomotion differed from our own, both in a continued dependence on arboreal environments and in the way they walked bipedally. As internal bone structure, both cortical and trabecular bone, remodel during an individual’s lifetime in response to their behaviour it has the potential to reveal how they actually behaved. FOOTSTEP will answer these questions by using state-of-the-art, whole-bone methods to analyse the internal bone structure of the foot (all tarsals and metatarsals) of extant non-human great apes and humans from a range of populations. These methods will include a cutting-edge geometric morphometric approach. FOOTSTEP will analyse internal bone structure of all tarsals and metatarsals of Australopithecus africanus, Paranthropus robustus, Australopithecus sediba, Homo naledi, Homo floresiensis and the OH8 foot (Homo habilis/Paranthropus). The project will change our understanding of locomotor evolution in the human lineage, and through including a range of taxa, will resolve questions about locomotor variability among hominins. Results of the project will be disseminated to a broad range of target audiences, via high-impact, open access journal publications, at scientific conferences across three continents and to non-specialists through public outreach activities. The training that I will receive during the fellowship, along with the opportunities available at the University of Kent to further develop my transferable skills, will provide me with the knowledge and experience required to enhance my future career prospects.

Mots clés : trabecular, cortical, cancellous, functional morphology, locomotion

Participants :
- University of Kent (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 212933.76 €
Projet FAMilyDECisions (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

During the last decades, Spain has experienced not only an strong decrease on its fertility levels but also a significant delay in its timing to childbearing, so much so that it has been considered one of the countries with the lowest-low and latest-late fertility in the world. This research aims to better understand the reasons behind young adults’ behaviors in family dynamics in a moment where it is possible to approach the impact of the economic crisis from different dimensions of the analysis. An extended scientific literature can be found about family formation dynamics and fertility, especially for European countries and mainly using a quantitative perspective. This mainly qualitative project proposes an innovative methodology to analyze the Spanish case from a three different perspectives of analysis: a cross-country comparison (five countries in 2012), an historical comparison (Spain 1985 vs. 2012) and a longitudinal comparison (Spain, same sample in 2012 and 2017). Furthermore, mixed methods will be applied considering the contextualization of qualitative data with quantitative data from census and surveys as complementary approaches; and the application of quantitative analysis to qualitative data. Main data from Spain in 2012 comes directly from the words of young adults in three different moments of their family formation decisions: i) to start a stable relationship; ii) to become parents; and iii) to expand the family after the first child. Main data consists of eighty (80) in-depth personal interviews already carried out to young adults between 24 and 35 years old, living in the Madrid and Barcelona metropolitan areas, that will be compared with an identical sample in the US, Sweden, Japan and Korea. Historical data comes from an existing comparable study from middle 80’s in Spain and longitudinal data will be obtained after re-interview in 2017 the same sample interviewed in 2012 for Spain.

Mots clés : low fertility, family formation, marriage, cohabitation, economic crisis, gender, decisions, attitudes, young adults, spain, personal interviews, mixed methods, comparative analysis, longitudinal

Participants :
- Harvard University (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- CERCA Institution (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 239191.2 €
Projet IAPEMIDE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

During the last decades, changes in diet and lifestyle have increased the risk of non-communicable diseases in the western countries. It is known that once they are established in the childhood, they continue into adult life with the associated negative impact on health, quality of life and health care costs. The correct establishment of the intestinal microbiota (IM) at the beginning of life plays a key role in health, reducing risk of chronic disease. Some factors affecting this process have been studied; however, other like the intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis (IAP), in spite of been present on over 30% of total deliveries, have been much less studied. It is already known that at least 11 types of broad-spectrum antibiotics cross the placenta and reach the foetus. Given the increasingly evident relationship between early microbiota, later disease risk and the rising worries regarding antimicrobial resistances, there is an urgent need to assess the potential adverse consequences of IAP in the establishment of the IM and resistome. This project will be the first to study mechanisms orchestrating the impact of IAP on the neonatal IM establishment. The objectives are: identify the alterations induced by IAP in the neonatal IM development; identify the antibiotic resistance genes that the IM carried as consequence of IAP; study the potential role of infant feeding in the modulation of the microbiota after IAP administration and design of specific dietary strategies for minimising the impact of IAP on the IM establishment. Moreover, if the breast-milk exerts a protective role, it would help to strengthen the maternal breast-feeding recommendations. Following this study, doctors will be better able to address the consequences to make knowledge-based decisions about IAP treatment in those situations where it is not extremely mandatory. Besides, the present project will represent a worthy opportunity for the applicant to improve her research competences and career.

Mots clés : probiotics, neonates, microbiota, intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis, dietary interventions

Participants :
- Spanish National Research Council (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 158121.6 €
Projet FLUOPHOT (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

During the past few years airborne/spaceborne detection and quantification of sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) emitted by terrestrial vegetation became possible at several narrow wavelengths. These improvements in Earth Observation technology offer huge possibilities to increase our knowledge on the basic functioning of the Earth’s vegetation, i.e. the photosynthetic process of plants resulting in atmospheric carbon uptake. However, still some efforts are required for establishing well-funded relationships between SIF and photosynthesis under different plant physiological states. Hence, in order to improve the quantification of photosynthesis through SIF, the main aim of this proposal (FLUOPHOT) is to further establish the link between the SIF characteristics and both the actual and potential photosynthesis of the plant. This will be achieved by coupling dedicated field/laboratory measurements and campaigns with modelling activities. As a result of the planned activities, significant progress is foreseen in the remote quantification of vegetation productivity. FLUOPHOT strives to unravel fundamental SIF-photosynthesis systems at the leaf and canopy scale. These findings are in direct support of ESA’s candidate Earth Explorer mission FLEX, and eventually will lead to unbiased global estimates of photosynthetic carbon uptake.

Mots clés : sun induced chlorophyll fluorescence

Participants :
- University of Valencia (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 158121.6 €
Projet QUTEMAG (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

During the past ten years tools from Quantum Optics such as quantum-non-demolition (QND) measurements and squeezed light have emerged as powerful means to control quantum states of matter, perform ultra-sensitive measurements, and enhance physical systems beyond their classical limits. At the same time optical magnetometers developed within the discipline of Atomic Physics have established themselves as the most sensitive detectors of magnetic fields with current performance reaching the limits of classical techniques. To date, in a proof-of-principle way, QND and squeezed light have been used to improve the performance of these instruments independently but not within the same device. Their simultaneous use in a best-in-class magnetometer remains an open challenge. To achieve this ambitious research goal we propose to combine QND and squeezed light resources to magnetometry at large atomic densities, i.e. in a regime where spin-exchange collisions dominate the spin dynamics. This novel approach will be key in enhancing current technology most suitable to address challenges in the real world. QUTEMAG combines a wealth of expertise in Optical Magnetometry and Quantum Optics. The Experienced Researcher Dr. Ricardo Jiménez Martínez, is an expert in Optical Magnetometry. The Supervisor Professor Morgan Mitchell is a leader in QND methods and quantum light pioneering the techniques that will enable the quantum-enhancement of optical magnetometers in the proposed work. The goal of the training program of the researcher is to develop new research competencies in quantum optics and managing skills of interdisciplinary research in Quantum Optics and Metrology, Atomic Physics and Photonics.The Host Institution, ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences in Spain, provides a world-class research and training environment to achieve the research and training goals of QUTEMAG during the 24-month span of the project.


Participants :
- Institute of Photonic Sciences (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 170121.6 €
Projet RenEcoPol (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

During the years it has been shown that the problem of the environmental impact due to the dispersion in the environment of organic materials recalcitrant to biodegradation (e.g. plastics, lubricants) can only be partially solved by collection and recycling strategies. In this respect, studies are needed that provide effective solutions, embracing the entire life cycle of the material, starting from its design, up to its "end of life". Thus, The RenEcoPol project aim is to develop alternative routes for recyclable polyester synthesis based on biobased building blocks using green processes such as biocatalysis. RenEcoPol first develops a strategy for the selection of monomers from renewable sources completed by a selection of the green catalysts for synthesis of polyesters possible candidates for different applications ranging from packaging to high performance materials. The new biobased polyesters will be characterized in detail by several analytical techniques for structure confirmation and assessment of the physico-chemical properties. In the third step the biodegradability in different natural and synthetic conditions of the synthesized materials will be evaluated and in the last step the development of a strategy for the recoverment of the components will be performed. Following all the steps the compliance to bioeconomy and circular economy criteria will be demonstarted. The RenEcoPol project will familiarize the researcher with bioinformatics, marine biotechnology and will promote her development as independent researcher and facilitate the acquisition of a stable research position in Europe.

Mots clés : sustainable plastics, biodegradable polymers, renewable polymers, ecotoxicology, enzymatic polyesters, marine ecotoxicity

Participants :
- University of Trieste (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 171473.28 €
Projet E-SPACE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

During this fellowship at Dublin City University (Ireland), the researcher will enhance, significantly, the clinical utility of existing traditionally used cognitive tests, particularly as it relates to the early detection and accurate diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. Cognitive difficulties represent the hallmark of many neurodegenerative conditions and, in relation to dementia, cognitive evaluation represents one major pillar of current methods of detection and diagnosis. There are, however, many difficulties with existing cognitive tests and this project has been designed to address this issue. The need for and the potential benefits of early and accurate detection of MCI and dementia is well-recognised. Early and accurate detection is, however, complex and, at present, is subject to high diagnostic error rates. With the expected advent of new effective drug treatments for different neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease), early and accurate diagnosis will be even more vital into the future. Using the principles of what is known as the Qualitative Process Approach (QPA), the goal of this project is to identify and develop a battery of cognitive tests, both in traditional paper-and-pencil form and, when clinically appropriate, in a computerised version, with the aim of enabling a wide range of clinicians improve early and accurate diagnosis. This fellowship will play a crucial role in the career of Dr. Unai Diaz Orueta by providing him with international research experience and making him a reference expert in international neuropsychological research. Patients, families and society will benefit for earlier detection, earlier intervention, and reduced healthcare costs, as the improvement in the accuracy of the diagnosis of neurodegenerative conditions will subsequently impact in planning appropriate early interventions and saving millions of Euros associated to both formal and informal care of older people with dementia.

Mots clés : early detection of dementia, process based approach, cognitive evaluation, qualitative information

Participants :
- Dublin City University (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187866.0 €