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

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is the most severe form of respiratory failure. Pulmonary vascular dysfunction during ARDS increases mortality and therapies focused in improving pulmonary vascular mechanics could improve patient prognosis. Inhaled Nitric Oxide (NO), improves pulmonary vascular mechanics, but despite of this effect, has not proven to improve outcomes in ARDS. One of the most representative problems is the lack of information of the quantitative dose used and all consequences that this uncontrolled administration entails. In this project we aim to establish bedside physiologic variables and algorithms to guide efficient NO delivery during ARDS. It will involve the collaboration between an enterprise that has developed a new NO delivering system and is looking for expanding its applications and a researcher with expertise in physiology, imaging and biologic variables monitoring. As a result of this collaboration, the company will gain a quantitative way of determining the treatment efficiency that could be used in this and other applications, a more patient-oriented and physiology-focused approach for this product and the researcher will acquire skills for turning his career from the academy to the industry side. This research will combine edge technology to define bedside tools for patients monitoring with the application of this information for improving the performance of the delivery system. Clinically relevant imaging tools such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Positron Emission Tomography, and pulmonary artery pressure waveform advanced analysis as well as other non or minimum invasive tools will be studied in animal models. Software, algorithm or dedicated products will be proposed for incorporation into the gas delivery system or clinical monitors for improving patient safety. We are expecting a clear benefit to emerging European-based technologies that make our companies more competitive and well-positioned in a worldwide business.

Mots clés : nitric oxide, acute respiratory distress syndrome, patient safety, pulmonary hemodynamics

Participants :
- Ingenieria y tecnicas clinicas sa (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 158121.6 €
Projet ELITE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Adaptation, whereby organisms become fitted to their environment, is a key evolutionary process driving biodiversity. Our understanding of how natural selection impacts genetic diversity has greatly advanced with recent developments in high-throughput DNA sequencing and genome-wide selection scans. However, microbiomes and epigenomes are other systems selection can act upon as they influence our health and phenotype, and thus our fitness. Although microbiomes, epigenomes and genomes can now be reconstructed, no study has evaluated their relative importance in populations exposed to new selective pressures. This is what ELITE aims at achieving by reconstructing the history of the biological changes undergone by the Yakut people of Far Eastern Siberia after their contact with Russians in the 17th century, and the resulting profound lifestyle transition, diet shifts and massive epidemiological outbreaks. By applying a multidisciplinary approach combining the latest advances in physical anthropology, ancient genomics, metagenomics and epigenomics to a unique collection of cultural and biological material from ancient Yakuts, ELITE proposes an innovative experimental approach in evolutionary biology, which could eventually reveal a possible maladaptation to our modern lifestyle, making us more susceptible to diseases. The success of ELITE will be based on the excellent synergy between the experienced researcher and the host institution, as the applicant will benefit from state-of-the-art facilities and expertise to gain advanced training in physical anthropology methods, while applying her genomic skills to a sample set available at no other research institution in the world. By acquiring these new skills in an international context, the experienced researcher will become a fully trained evolutionary anthropo-genomicist at the interface of physical and molecular anthropology, which will place her in ideal conditions to develop as a mature and independent researcher.

Mots clés : anthropology, ancient dna, yakuts, genomics, metagenomics, epigenomics, transition, pathogens, diet

Participants :
- Université de Toulouse (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 173076.0 €
Projet SN2DNA (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Administration of DNA-damaging reagents constitutes one of the most effective chemotherapeutic strategies for the cancer treatment. The families of drugs developed over the years for this purpose are based on second-order nucleophilic substitution (SN2) reactions. Innovative candidates to improve the therapeutic action of these compounds have been designed based on increasing the number of electrophilic positions (En) of the reagent by making n>2. This increased electrophilicity must generate interstrand crosslink adducts that should result in irreversible lesions in the DNA of cancer cells. Computational chemistry tools based on quantum mechanics and molecular modelling, constitute key tools for a better understanding of DNA damage and repair after the formation of the covalently bound complexes that distort the double helix. Thus, the aim of the project described in this proposal is to: 1) compute the structures and evaluate the distorting effects of DNA adducts with polyelectrophilic chemotherapeutic reagents, 2) compute the kinetics of the consecutive SN2 processes (on both carbon atoms and metallic centres) involving interstrand and intrastrand crosslinks and 3) assess in silico the ADME (Adsorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion) properties of the synthesised candidates. Those objectives will be achieved by computing the behaviour of different families of molecules through quantum mechanical - at DFT level of theory- and Molecular Mechanics calculations - based on QM/MM method. Some of these candidates have been synthesised in the laboratories of the hosting group and the corresponding preliminary and promising biological results are already available. The outputs of this project will result in a patent proposal and research articles to be published in high impact journals. Our findings will be open-access available in order to contribute with the research on anticancer drugs design.

Mots clés : sn2 reaction, cisplatin, in silico drug design

Participants :
- University of the Basque Country (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 259398.72 €
Projet SELECT-A-PROTEIN (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Advanced materials are at the heart of many scientific fields, particularly in the biomedical and biotechnological areas. Many devices (e.g., biosensors, implants, catheters, and systems for drug delivery) would benefit from an effective control over molecular and cellular interactions at material surfaces. Main challenges in this field include the control of biomolecules (e.g., proteins, DNA) adsorption on different surfaces. Designing surfaces that allow proteins to be adsorbed in a controlled manner is particularly important and challenging. Many strategies were recently developed to spatially or temporally control protein adsorption. In this project, a novel strategy for selective protein adsorption from a mixture of proteins will be developed. This strategy will be based on the use of mixed polymer brushes sensitive to ionic strength and pH of the surrounding medium. The project rests on the following steps: i. The design of mixed polymer brushes whose properties will be tuned by adjusting pH and ionic strength of the medium. The influence of polymer properties (molecular weight, and degree of dissociation and conformation through pH and ionic strength variations) on protein adsorption will be studied. ii. The development of a procedure, based on time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS), to distinguish different proteins adsorbed together on model interfaces. iii. The use of this ToF-SIMS-based procedure to investigate the potential of the created mixed brushes to selectively adsorb one protein, at first from a mixture of two or three proteins, and then from a more complex medium. The results obtained in this work will be significant for material science and biomedical applications through the development of a robust procedure to prepare “smart” surfaces with novel properties to control protein adsorption.

Mots clés : polymer brush, protein adsorption, stimuli responsive polymers, polyelectrolytes, tof sims, surface characterization methods, surface modification methods

Participants :
- Université Catholique de Louvain (Belgique) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 172800.0 €
Projet Rotary Wing CLFC (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Aerodynamic loads and noise emitted from rotating blades are of interest in many industrial applications, such as wind-turbines, aircraft propellers, helicopter blades, and cooling fans. This research project aims to achieve, for the first time, a combined aerodynamic and aeroacoustic optimization of rotary wing by experiments conducted in a controlled environment of gusting flow and rotating motion. In the current work focus will be made on wind-turbine applications. Both passive and active flow control technologies will be utilized to enhance the amount of energy harvested from the wind, while improving the aeroacoustic properties. Leading- and trailing-edge serration have proven to be effective in reducing the noise emitted from wind-turbine blades. However, their effectiveness under realistic flow conditions in a controlled environment has not been investigated. These experiments will be used for further development and validation of new aerodynamic and aeroacoustic models. The ultimate and final goal is to apply closed-loop flow control by utilizing a physics based model. Alongside these experiments, innovative and stand-alone technology for data acquisition and control in rotating blade environments will be developed and implemented. This holistic interdisciplinary approach, bringing together the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic behaviour of wind-turbine blades under realistic flow conditions into one comprehensive study is unique and novel, and will lead to major advances in our understanding of rotating blades aerodynamics and aeroacoustics.

Mots clés : aeroacoustics, closed loop flow control

Participants :
- Technische Universität Berlin (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 171460.8 €
Projet APTAFRAME (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Affinity reagents such as antibodies and aptamers are of paramount importance as tools in biotechnology and the treatment of a wide range of diseases. However, despite their scientific and economAffinity reagents such as antibodies and aptamers are of paramount importance as tools in biotechnology and the treatment of a wide range of diseases. However, despite their scientific and economic impact it remains challenging to systematically generate high-affinity ligands to cover all epitopes of a given target. Here I propose a strategy to provide spatial control over ligand discovery process leveraging the power of in vitro evolution in conjunction with the spatial addressability of DNA nanotechnology methods. Together they form a new discovery platform for the systematic and parallel generation of ligands, specifically aptamers and single-chain Fv antibody fragments (scFv), to provide coverage of epitopes at predefined targets. The proposed strategy exploits cooperative binding (avidity), by co-evolution of the affinity reagents, in the context of a defined molecular three-dimensional framework provided by DNA origami structures. This further expedites structure determination of ligand-target complexes by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The combination of rational framework design, in vitro evolution and structural feedback provided by cryo-EM reconstructions will provide a toolbox for the systematic generation of ligands to all accessible epitopes. Our approach also provides a tool for electron microscopy reconstruction of smaller (< 100kDa) biomolecules and their molecular interactions by enhancing contrast and providing context. Once established, this approach will provide a transformational technology platform that enables the parallel interrogation of multidimensional, spatially resolved libraries, yielding cooperative ligands for highly specific target recognition, with direct applications in biosensor development, proteome analysis, diagnostics and therapy.

Mots clés : dna origami, in vitro selection, dna nanotechnology, aptamers, antibody production, structural biology

Participants :
- UK Research and Innovation (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 212933.76 €
Projet Mobilising Archives (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Africanist archival photography has posed significant questions from a postcolonial perspective. This project aims to further investigate its current visual economy by studying different practices of ethnographic field photography in Lusophone countries. It explores three collections produced over different historical times by using an innovative methodology that combines postcolonial archival research, visual culture studies, ethnographic fieldwork and a collaborative photography project with contemporary villagers. It scrutinises the historicity of the ethnographic concept of the visual by looking at the archives resulting from three distinct photographic engagements with Southwest Angolan cultures, during the colonial period and after: the ethnographic photographs taken by a missionary (1930s-1970s), a museum officer (1960s) and an ethnographer (1990s). The research aims to understand the historical trajectory and contemporary uses of these collections to explore how different production and reception contexts impact on their social meanings over time – and to present its findings in a virtual exhibition. By mobilising these collections from the archive to the field and back again, the research will test through photo-elicitation and new photographic practice, the resonances of two topics among scientists and indigenous people. a) It will analyse the persisting yet changing approaches to gender carried out by the selected photographers with the perceptions of contemporary rural indigenous people. b) It will explore the resilience of rural domestic economies to the precarious ecological conditions of semi-arid highlands today, a topic which former photographers only marginally approached in their own collections. Therefore, this project will contribute to global climate issues as well as to gender studies, while overall adding value to visual anthropology studies about evolving practices of photography and to debates on archival, science and exhibition practices.

Mots clés : 20th century photography, archives, collections, rural livelihood, domestic economies, gender, agro pastoralism, angola, social ecological resilience, deforestation, local conventional knowledge

Participants :
- University of Lisbon (Portugal) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 148635.6 €
Projet HealingFromEnclosure (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Against the background of the ongoing crisis of the world’s food systems, this research project investigates how agricultural knowledge shapes, and is shaped by, its broader cultural, economic, socio-technical and socio-ecological context. A transdisciplinary approach –theoretically and empirically explorative, methodologically innovative, and action-oriented—to the production, transmission and application of agricultural knowledge in Belgium, and Europe more broadly, offers a powerful way of thinking about the complex relationships that exist between food systems and agricultural knowledge. Drawing on insights from a variety of disciplinary perspectives –ranging from political ecology, Science, Technology and Society studies, agroecology and ecofeminism—this project seeks to: (a) develop an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary ‘political agroecology’ framework that broadens and opens up critical discussions on agricultural knowledges; (b) study processes of enclosure and commoning through the study of a science-and-society controversy around the development of genetically engineered potatoes in Belgium to frame agricultural knowledge trajectories; (c) involve ‘concerned groups’ –including farmers, researchers, policy-makers, NGOs and activists— in the development of strategies and actions for social innovation in agricultural knowledge systems. The innovative approach advanced in this research provides a necessary corrective to the prevailing yet partial views of existing approaches to agricultural knowledge systems. By using the lens of ‘political agroecology’, the project engages with the power dynamics inherent in the social interactions which are part of agricultural knowledge, while exploring possibilities for social innovation. The project is hosted at a global, interdisciplinary and policy-committed research centre for sustainability and includes a farmers’ organisation as a non-academic secondment partner to maximise the impact of the IF.

Mots clés : transdisciplinarity, knowledge production, social innovation, agroecology, political ecology, ecofeminism, agricultural knowledge, potato blight, belgium, science in society controversy

Participants :
- University of Sussex (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 195454.8 €
Projet 3D-NANOFOOD (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Statut du projet : TERMINATED

Ageing accelerates the prevalence of malnutrition due to physiological changes, such as masticatory and swallowing dysfunctions, body composition changes and special nutrition needs. In addition, degradation of sensory functions in seniors results in an appetite decrease. Therefore, personalised foods that enable optimal nutritional maintenance and food pleasantness are required, being a cornerstone for healthy ageing. The main goal of this research project is to provide innovative and feasible strategies to manufacture personalised foods for older adults with superior nutrition and sensory properties. This action proposes the combination of promising techniques including nanoencapsulation, food enrichment and 3D printing to manufacture personalised foods. 3D printing is a versatile and emerging technology that will enable fast food manufacturing and flexibility to formulate products with target texture and special nutrition needs. Food enrichment with functional compounds (e.g. flavourings and bioactive compounds) can improve the quality and functionality of printed foods. For instance, flavourings can reinforce the taste and smell of printed foods, making them more palatable; while fortification with bioactive compounds can promote health. However, the process of food fortification entails technological challenges, affecting the food attributes. This will be addressed using nanostructured delivery systems for protecting and/or enhancing the performance of functional compounds. The work plan of this project proposes: 1) the fabrication of nanoparticles and nanostructured layers using electrospraying and ultrasonic spray for delivering bioactive compounds and flavours; 2) the design of texture-modified foods using 3D printing containing nanoparticles or nanostructured layers loaded with functional compounds; 3) the evaluation of the quality and functionality of the new foods developed, and 4) the development of an industrial protocol for printed foods manufacturing.

Mots clés : nanoencapsulation, bioactive compounds, flavourings, 3d printing for food, healthy ageing, new food structures

Participants :
- International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (Portugal) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 147815.04 €
Projet Microbiota and aging (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Aging drives cognitive impairment and general health demise increasing the susceptibility to neurodegenerative disorders in healthy individuals. It is also associated with changes in the gut-microbiota and a general increase in the secretion of stress hormones, known to have debilitating effects when sustained. The gut-microbiota has recently emerged has a crucial modulator of cognitive abilities and general health. Nonetheless, the causes and consequences of the gut-microbiota changes seen in aging are currently unknown. In this application, we propose to study the importance of the age-associated gut-microbiota changes on brain functions, by swapping the gut-microbiota from aged mice into young mice and vice-versa. This will allow knowing the contribution of the gut-microbiota in the cognitive decline and depressive state associated with aging. Furthermore, we will test if the increase in stress hormones known to occur during aging are upstream of those age-associated microbiota changes, by testing the involvement of the amygdala to the hypothalamus-adrenal axis in this phenomena. This will be achieved by using a chemo-genetic approach to control the activation of each component of this pathway. This project will provide the first description of the functional repercussions of the age-associated changes in the gut-microbiota composition on learning and memory deficits and depression, and possibly elucidate one of the upstream mechanisms responsible. The outcome of this work will pave the way toward the elaboration of probiotic treatments against the detrimental effect of aging.

Mots clés : aging, gut microbiota, learning and memory, depression, stress, amygdala, hippocampus, dreadd

Participants :
- Institut Pasteur (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 185076.0 €