Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : REDOXCYCLE (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Cellular, Developmental and Regenerative Biology
Entité participante : University of London — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : U. London
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 235694.66 €

Aberrant cell cycle and redox regulation are hallmarks of cancer. While cell cycle and redox signaling are extensively studied, it remains poorly understood how both communicate in physiological conditions. One reason is the emphasis on oxidative stress as a signature of cancer cells. Only recently, emerging evidence indicates that reactive oxygen species (ROS) also function as signaling molecules in physiological conditions, and that some of their key targets are cysteine residues on cell cycle proteins. This indicates that more subtle changes in redox signaling can affect proliferation and have the potential to promote cancer. I propose to investigate how the cell cycle and redox homeostasis are coupled in a spatial-temporal manner and reveal the differences that distinguish physiological from pathological redox signaling. I will use genetic engineering to label endogenous cell cycle and redox proteins with fluorescent markers. I will measure relative and absolute molecule numbers of cell cycle and redox proteins, relate this to cell cycle and redox states, and determine the cysteines modified on cell cycle proteins. To functionally investigate the pathological potential of identified modifications I will use mammary 3D cell culture – a model that recapitulates many aspects of mammary architecture in vivo and is used to study early steps of breast tumorigenesis. I expect our work to provide us with a quantitative description of the interface between cell cycle and redox regulation. Although intracellular cell behavior is never completely deterministic, a reasonable quantitative model should be predictive to some degree and reveal how different levels of ROS can affect cell cycle decisions. Shedding light on the cell cycle targets of ROS will indicate the nodes that can be hijacked by cancer cells. Together, this work will provide a significantly improved basis for our understanding of redox signaling in tumorigenesis and indicate new strategies for treatment.
Projet ERC : CHROMADAPT (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
Entité participante : University of Potsdam — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UP
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1927600.0 €

Abiotic stress is a major threat to global crop yields and this problem is likely to be exacerbated in the future. Therefore, it is very important to engineer crop plants with improved stress tolerance. A large body of research has focussed on the immediate stress responses. However, in nature stress is frequently chronic or recurring, suggesting that temporal dynamics are an important, but under-researched, component of plant stress responses. Indeed, plants can be primed by a stress exposure such that they respond more efficiently to the next stress incident. Such stress priming and memory may be particularly beneficial to plants due to their sessile life style. Typically, the memory of priming lasts for several days after the end of the stress. During the past few years, my group has initiated a molecular analysis of heat stress memory in Arabidopsis thaliana. Heat stress memory is associated with sustained gene induction and transcriptional memory and we have demonstrated that this involves lasting chromatin changes. The underlying molecular mechanisms, however, remain poorly understood. Here, I propose to combine mechanistic dissection of heat stress memory in A. thaliana with concomitant translation of the results into the temperate cereal crop barley. In particular, we will study the following questions: What is the role of chromatin during heat stress memory? How do the transcription factors involved mediate memory-specific outputs? How does nucleosome positioning affect heat stress memory? How do histone modifications during stress memory interact with transcription, chromatin and nuclear organization? Is heat stress memory conserved in temperate cereal species? Can we engineer plants with improved stress memory? Using existing tools and new methodologies, the proposed analyses will yield unprecedented insight into the long-term adaptation of plants to abiotic stress and open up approaches for breeding of stress-tolerant crops.

Mots-clés : chromatin,heat stress,priming,transcriptional memory,arabidopsis,barley
Projet ERC : CHROMADAPT (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
Entité participante : Leibniz Association — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : LG
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 70925.0 €

Abiotic stress is a major threat to global crop yields and this problem is likely to be exacerbated in the future. Therefore, it is very important to engineer crop plants with improved stress tolerance. A large body of research has focussed on the immediate stress responses. However, in nature stress is frequently chronic or recurring, suggesting that temporal dynamics are an important, but under-researched, component of plant stress responses. Indeed, plants can be primed by a stress exposure such that they respond more efficiently to the next stress incident. Such stress priming and memory may be particularly beneficial to plants due to their sessile life style. Typically, the memory of priming lasts for several days after the end of the stress. During the past few years, my group has initiated a molecular analysis of heat stress memory in Arabidopsis thaliana. Heat stress memory is associated with sustained gene induction and transcriptional memory and we have demonstrated that this involves lasting chromatin changes. The underlying molecular mechanisms, however, remain poorly understood. Here, I propose to combine mechanistic dissection of heat stress memory in A. thaliana with concomitant translation of the results into the temperate cereal crop barley. In particular, we will study the following questions: What is the role of chromatin during heat stress memory? How do the transcription factors involved mediate memory-specific outputs? How does nucleosome positioning affect heat stress memory? How do histone modifications during stress memory interact with transcription, chromatin and nuclear organization? Is heat stress memory conserved in temperate cereal species? Can we engineer plants with improved stress memory? Using existing tools and new methodologies, the proposed analyses will yield unprecedented insight into the long-term adaptation of plants to abiotic stress and open up approaches for breeding of stress-tolerant crops.

Mots-clés : chromatin,heat stress,priming,transcriptional memory,arabidopsis,barley
Projet ERC : ImmUne (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy
Entité participante : Max Planck Society — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : MPG
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2498813.0 €

About 500 million years ago, the two sister groups of vertebrates independently evolved alternative forms of adaptive immunity, representing a striking example of convergent evolution. Whereas the components and functions of the immune system in jawed vertebrates (ranging from sharks to humans) are well characterized, much remains to be learned about adaptive immunity in jawless vertebrates (lampreys and hagfishes). Up to now, progress in understanding immunity in jawless fishes was hampered by their complex life-cycle, long generation time, and the difficulty of raising fish in the laboratory for extended periods, particularly after in vitro fertilization. Based on our recent methodological advances in aquatic husbandry and successful CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genetic modification, we propose to conduct a large-scale analysis of cellular immunity in lampreys laying the foundations for the identification of the unifying principles of vertebrate immunity. Our experiments will address the development and characteristics of different T cell subsets, the molecular basis of antigen receptor assembly, and the function of the two principal T cell lineages during the immune response. We will also examine the structure and function of the stromal microenvironment in the lamprey thymus equivalent, which is considered to be the site of T cell development. A particular focus will be on the functional analysis of a recently discovered MHC-like locus in the context of T cell development, and in the essential self/nonself discrimination mechanism(s) at play during the immune response. We expect that the identification of common design principles of adaptive immunity in vertebrates will provide us with an unprecedented view on immune functions in humans, potentially guiding the development of novel strategies for the treatment of failing immunity in patients with immunodeficiency and/or autoimmunity.

Mots-clés : thymus,t cell,lamprey,evolution
Projet ERC : MAIDEN (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Fundamental constituents of matter
Entité participante : University of Jyväskylä — Pays : Finlande — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1999575.0 €

About half of the elements heavier than iron have been produced via the rapid neutron capture process, the r process. Its astrophysical site has been one of the biggest outstanding questions in physics. Neutrino-driven winds from proto-neutron stars created in core-collapse supernovae were long considered as the most favourable site for the r process. Recently, neutron-star mergers have become the most promising candidates, and new exciting observations from these compact objects, such as gravitational waves, are expected in the coming years. In order to constrain the astrophysical site for the r process, nuclear binding energies (i.e. masses) of exotic neutron-rich nuclei are needed because they determine the path for the process and therefore have a direct effect on the final isotopic abundances. In this project, high-precision mass measurements will be performed in three regions relevant for the r process, employing novel production and measurement techniques at the IGISOL facility in JYFL-ACCLAB. Long-living isomeric states, which also play a role in the r process, will be resolved from the ground states to obtain accurate mass values. Post-trap decay spectroscopy will be performed to confirm which state has been measured in order to avoid systematic uncertainties in the mass values. The new data will be compared with theoretical mass models and included in r-process calculations performed for various astrophysical sites. MAIDEN will advance our knowledge of nuclear structure far from stability and reduce nuclear data uncertainties in the r-process calculations, which can potentially constrain the astrophysical site for the r process and lead to a scientific breakthrough in our understanding of the origin of elements heavier than iron in the universe.
Projet ERC : LABEL-DIOX (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Institut Català d'Investigació Química — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : ICIQ;ICIQ-CERCA
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 149750.0 €

Absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion´s studies (ADME) are essential for drug discovery and development, providing invaluable preclinical data to understand how the drug behaves in living organisms, thus allowing to make a decision on whether the drug should be terminated or advanced to the next step. At present, most of these studies are performed with a radiolabelled 14C-labelled version of the drug; unfortunately, current radiolabelling syntheses rely on lengthy-step sequences or rather expensive 14C-labelled building blocks, dramatically raising the costs for the research and development, and delaying the execution of preclinical studies. Taking into consideration that carboxylic acids are privileged motifs in a myriad of agrochemicals or pharmaceuticals, LABEL-DIOX offers the opportunity of promoting a late-stage carboxylation event with labeled CO2. The protocol is user-friendly, with components that are neither air- nor moisture sensitive, utilizes earth-abundant catalysts and operates under mild conditions. LABEL-DIOX will increase the overall efficiency of the carbon isotope incorporation, reduce the costs that would have resulted from the design of a lengthy radiolabelled synthesis, minimize the costs for waste disposal and dramatically increase the revenues, thus changing the way industrial chemists conduct radiolabelling of drugs containing carboxylic acids.

Mots-clés : carbon dioxide,radiolabelling,nickel,catalysis,carboxylic acids
Projet ERC : CLIMEVOLVE (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution
Entité participante : Norwegian University of Science and Technology — Pays : Norvège — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : NTNU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1999087.0 €

Abstract Climate change is warming waters globally. Ectothermic animals, such as fish, have the same body temperature as the surrounding water and are therefore thought to be particularly sensitive to warming. To predict climate change impacts on fish populations, we must first know how fish are affected and how rapidly evolution may help mitigate some of those impacts. Some of the most central questions regarding thermal acclimation and adaptation of ectothermic animals remain unresolved: 1. Which mechanisms limit upper thermal tolerance? 2. How rapid is evolution of thermal performance? 3. Which physiological mechanisms limit thermal performance? 4. Which genetic changes are most important for climate change adaptation? 5. Do laboratory experiments predict thermal adaptation in the wild? By addressing these important questions, this project will substantially move the field of thermal biology forward. We will gain knowledge needed to understand and predict climate change impacts, insights that may help focusing conservation efforts. The proposed project will address these great challenges by using two artificial selection experiments on wild zebrafish (Danio rerio). The first selection experiment on upper acute thermal tolerance has recently been completed, and the adapted zebrafish lines will be used in the current proposal for physiological and genetic analyses. The second and larger selection experiment on thermal performance will be conducted during the first three years of the proposed project, and those adapted zebrafish lines will be used to identify the physiological and genetic changes that adaptation required. Additionally, unique natural warm-adapted stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) populations from geothermally heated lakes on Iceland will be used to validate the project’s findings on zebrafish.

Mots-clés : fish physiology,artificial selection,ecophysiology,laboratory evolution,thermal biology,ichthyology,climate change
Projet ERC : ACQUIRE (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases
Entité participante : Leiden University Medical Center — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : LUMC
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Academia and industry urgently needs reliable models to study heart failure and toxic effects of drugs on the heart. While new models based on human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) are now emerging, accurate readouts of cardiomyocyte function fall short of needs. Apart from improving the models biologically, more sensitive, informative and accurate readouts are needed to detect abnormal cardiomyocyte behaviour. Several tools have proven their ability to assess electrical changes or calcium handling in hiPSC-CMs, but they are typically incompatible with 3D tissue models and moreover, there is paucity of appropriate tools to quantify the most important function of myocardium: contraction. Our ERC Advanced Grant STEMCARDIOVASC entailed the development of improved tools for cardiac functionality. One of the most important bioassays developed as an outcome of STEMCARDIOVASC was the Triple Transient Measurement (TTM) System. The TTM System quantifies electrical activity, intracellular calcium flux and contractility simultaneously and is our answer to the challenge of pharma in understanding when and how drugs or diseases affect cardiac contractility using hiPSC-CM models. In this ERC Proof of Concept project “ACQUIRE”, we strive to bring the TTM to a commercial applicable service, and later product. To reach this goal we have set out four aims to come to a Minimum Viable Product: i) increase the flexibility of the system to accommodate a larger variety of optical probes, ii) increase the throughput of the system to compete with current measurement systems, iii) increase user friendliness by integrating software modules for running and analysing measurements and iv) define a route for commercialisation. Resulting from "ACQUIRE" the TTM System can be commercialized as a human cardiac based 3-in-1 assay for cardiotoxicity testing and a novel tool for providing mechanistic insight in the EC coupling for disease modelling and drug discovery.

Mots-clés : excitation contraction coupling,cardiac contractility,fluorescent imaging,drug testing,human induced pluripotent stem cells
Projet ERC : RadicalHOUSING (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems
Entité participante : University of Sheffield — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : Partner
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 67396.54 €

According to UN-Habitat, each year millions of people face forced eviction from their homes, while a staggering 1.6 billion are inadequately housed. Forecasts suggest housing precarity will continue to grow in future, worldwide. In response, grassroots housing movements are becoming increasingly common. Crucially, these groups fight for more than just housing, often advancing critiques of wider societal inequalities. Yet little is known of the broader significance of these struggles, and research has failed to offer an understanding of geographically dispersed movements. The ways in which the fight for the right to housing operates is essential to understand contemporary urban life. RadicalHOUSING will fill these critical gaps through an innovative Radical Housing Approach and pioneering empirical research at a global scale. First, the project identifies the importance of a historical understanding of dwelling precarity, to appreciate the relevance of housing struggles worldwide (Objective I). Second, it investigates and profiles prominent grassroots networks in the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia to analyse their goals and organisational culture (Objective II). To appreciate the wider significance of radical housing resistance, the project deploys an ambitious ethnographic encounter with grassroots struggles in eight emblematic cities (Objective III). It then brings selected participants and experts together in a Global Forum of Radical Housing, fostering the exchange of peer-to-peer knowledge to generate further findings (Objective IV). Finally, the project will gather these insights into an innovative critical comparative framework, which will lead to agenda-setting publications, interventions, and academic scholarship (Objective V). RadicalHOUSING is a ground-breaking project that will contribute to housing, urban and geographical studies, as well as to grassroots knowledge, opening a new phase in understanding the global fight against housing precarity.

Mots-clés : housing,eviction,activism,resistance,precarity,assemblage
Projet ERC : BIGlobal (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : Individuals, Markets and Organisations
Entité participante : University of London — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : U. London
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1313103.0 €

According to the European Commission, to design effective policies for ensuring a “more dynamic, innovative and competitive” economy, it is essential to understand the decision-making process of firms as they differ a lot in terms of their capacities and policy responses (EC 2007). The objective of my future research is to provide such an analysis. BIGlobal will examine the sources of firm growth and market power to provide new insights into welfare and policy in a globalized world. Much of analysis of the global economy is set in the paradigm of markets that allocate resources efficiently and there is little role for policy. But big firms dominate economic activity, especially across borders. How do firms grow and what is the effect of their market power on the welfare impact of globalization? This project will determine how firm decisions matter for the aggregate gains from globalization, the division of these gains across different individuals and their implications for policy design. Over the next five years, I will incorporate richer firms behaviour in models of international trade to understand how trade and industrial policies impact the growth process, especially in less developed markets. The specific questions I will address include: how can trade and competition policy ensure consumers benefit from globalization when firms engaged in international trade have market power, how do domestic policies to encourage agribusiness firms affect the extent to which small farmers gain from trade, how do industrial policies affect firm growth through input linkages, and what is the impact of banking globalization on the growth of firms in the real sector. Each project will combine theoretical work with rich data from developing economies to expand the frontier of knowledge on trade and industrial policy, and to provide a basis for informed policymaking.