Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Characterization of EWI-2wint and the mechanism behind its inhibition of HCV infection (HCV-EWI-2WINT)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-10-01
End date: 2011-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 164877.53
EU funding (EUR): 164877.53
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

There are more than 130 million people infected with Hepatitis C worldwide. The Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an enveloped RNA virus targeting liver cells. HCV represents one of the most important pathogens of humans. It is still not clear how exactly viral entry proceeds. So far several receptors have been found to play a role in virus entry, among them CD81, SR-BI and Claudin-1. The recent finding of a negative regulator, EWI-2wint, further complicates the matter. This protein, which is an Nterminally processed variant of EWI-2, a direct interactor of CD81, blocks the binding of the HCV envelope proteins to the receptor CD81. Expression of EWI-2wint in cells susceptible to HCV leads to a reduced infection rate. The aim of the proposed project is to characterize the inhibiton of HCV infection by EWI-2wint. I have three specific objectives: One is to find the minimal region of EWI-2wint that is essential for its inhibitory effect. In addition, I will test whether soluble forms of EWI-2wint can act as inhibitors of infection. Another objective is the characterization of the interactions between the viral glycoproteins, CD81 and EWI-2 or EWI-2wint. The third objective is to identify the protease responsible for the cleavage of EWI-2 into EWI-2wint. The results of these experiments will help to understand the complex HCV infection mechanism and maybe also the basis for the hepatotropism of the virus, as this might be due to the absence of the specific inhibitor EWI-2wint. Expression analyses might also lead to a better understanding of the cellular role of the protease. Furthermore, an inhibiton achieved with soluble forms of EWI-2wint or the tracing of the inhibitory properties to a defined domain are an excellent starting point for the development of new therapeutic strategies.

Keywords: virology,hepatitis c,ewi-2,inhibition of infection
Molecular and serological techniques to study Lassa virus ecology (ECOLASSA)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Germany
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2010-05-01
End date: 2012-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 230288.97
EU funding (EUR): 230288.97
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Lassa fever is a zoonotic disease caused by Lassa virus. The disease is endemic in West Africa. Hemorrhagic courses of Lassa fever are associated with high mortality. It is estimated that 100,000 to 500,000 infections occur each year because of transmission of Lassa virus from its rodent reservoir (Mastomys natalensis) to human. Rodent control measures could reduce the risk of rodent-human transmission. However, the dynamics of virus-rodent interaction is poorly understood. This information is crucial to design efficient and cost-effective rodent control measures. Therefore, objective of the research project is to enhance knowledge on rodent ecology and molecular taxonomy as well as on microphylogeny, transmission, and persistence pattern of the virus in the rodent population. A second objective is the improvement of laboratory skills of the applicant in the area of virology and molecular biology to facilitate a multidisciplinary Lassa virus research linking rodent ecology, molecular epidemiology, diagnostics, and virology.

Keywords: tropical medicine,infections,population biology,virology,phylogeny
Facing sustainability: new relationships between rural areas and agriculture in Europe (RURAGRI)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology
Destination: Sustainable production and management of biological resources from land, forest, and aquatic environment
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Partnership: RURAGRI (ERA-NET)
Countries involved: France,Austria,Belgium,Cyprus,Germany,Germany,Hungary,Ireland,Italy,Israel,Latvia,Lithuania,Poland,Slovenia,Spain,Sweden,Switzerland,Netherlands,Türkiye,United Kingdom,Denmark,Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-ERANET-2008-RTD, 2008)
Start date: 2009-10-01
End date: 2014-03-31
Duration (months): 54.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1208730.0
EU funding (EUR): 999565.0
Participants: 26
Project status: CLOSED

RURAGRI aims to improve coordination between on-going and future European, national and regional research programmes dealing with the new relationships between rural areas and agriculture in Europe and the challenge of sustainability. While the challenges and issues are mostly common, and despite of the historical coordination at the EU level for agricultural and rural development policies, research on agriculture and rural development is mostly carried out at a national level and remains fragmented. Research funding bodies from 19 European member states and associated countries have decided to set up an ERA-Net in order to develop a lasting focused network that will identify and open new research fields. They will work towards a common research agenda and coordinated research funding to enhance coordination of research in the field of agriculture and rural development. Throughout Europe, the strong urban movement leads to increased requirement for improved connectivity between urban and rural areas. The geographic, economic and human dynamics of all European rural areas is increasingly influenced by urban development, i.e. urban or semi-urban economic activities, infrastructures and habitat, patterns of human and material flows, etc. Observing, analysing and characterising how spatial dynamics triggered by urban development are changing agriculture is crucial to understanding the spatial dimension of sustainable development, within the diverse EU regions and between them at the European scale. The multiple functions expected from a sustainable European agriculture have to cope with these changes. A European approach will enhance understanding the institutional and governance approaches that will allow addressing these new challenges. In a context of deep modification of agricultural and rural development policies at a European scale, research on such topical issues is crucial to support decision-making processes.

Keywords: agriculture,rural areas,urbanisation,public policy,land use,sustainable development,governance
INDIVIDUAL HETEROGENEITY AND THE EVOLUTION OF PHENOTYPIC VARIABILITY (PHENOTYPICVAR)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2010-09-01
End date: 2012-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 168279.59
EU funding (EUR): 168279.59
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This project aims to extend our understanding of the maintenance and evolution of phenotypic variability, in particular variability in life history parameters. Among individual contributions to population dynamics will be assessed, by investigating variability in age-specific mortality and reproduction. Experiments on bacteria will be used to provide high-quality individual level data that will be analyzed using mathematical models and simulations. The main objective is to explain observed, and to predict future, ecological and evolutionary dynamics, variability and equilibrium in phenotypic distributions. The successful completion of our aims will add to the development and implementation of a new framework for the study of dynamics in variability and life history evolution in age-structured populations. This project is in biodemography and at the interface of demography, population biology, evolution, ecology and microbiology.

Keywords: biodemography,evolutionary biology,population biology,microbiology,ecology,life history evolution,phenotypic variability,population dynamics,evolutionary theory,escherichia coli
Power-integral points on elliptic curves (PIP)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-07-01
End date: 2011-06-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 151863.51
EU funding (EUR): 151863.51
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The study of Diophantine equations is one of the oldest branches of pure mathematics. The 20th century saw Siegel’s theorem about the finitness of integral points on elliptic curves, the negative solution of Hilbert’s 10th problem, Faltings&apos; Theorem and the proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem. In the 21st century much work has already been done to resolve extensions of Hilbert’s 10th problem and to make Faltings&apos; theorem effective. Moreover, solving generalized Fermat equations has, for example, led to all of the perfect powers in the Fibonacci sequence being found, an unsolved problem for over 50 years. In 2006 the applicant proved that for each positive integer larger than 2, there corresponds a finite set of rational points on an elliptic curve which contains the integral points. The points in these finite sets have an important number theoretic structure and are called power-integral points. However, the proof given by the applicant uses Faltings&apos; theorem and so gives no way to find them. Remarkably, in many cases the power-integral points can be found by solving generalized Fermat equations and by finding the perfect powers in an elliptic divisibility sequence. An elliptic divisibility sequence is in many ways an analogue of the Fibonacci sequence and its properties are receiving a lot of attention due to links with extensions of Hilbert’s 10th problem and Cryptography. It is believed that the study of these sequences combined with advances in solving Diophantine equations will achieve the objectives of this proposal. These are: to find all of the power-integral points on families of elliptic curves, and to give a quantitative bound for the number of power-integral points on an arbitrary elliptic curve.

Keywords: number theory elliptic curves diophantine equations
Regulation of immune responses by CD2, CD244 and related receptors (CD2 AND CD244)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Incoming Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IIF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-05-01
End date: 2011-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 181350.76
EU funding (EUR): 181350.76
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In order to understand how the mammalian immune system provides protection against pathogens, it is important to understand the molecular basis of immune system function. CD244 is one of the receptors related to CD150 (SLAM) with the potential to bind the adaptors, SAP and EAT-2. It has recently been shown by the host laboratory that the outcome of engagement of these receptors depends on the context of the interactions, such as which other receptors are engaged, the level of activation, and between which cells. The overall goal of this project will be to establish a paradigm for the function of the family of CD150-related receptors. With an initial analysis of CD2 and CD244, and later inclusion of additional family members, a thorough understanding of how this family of receptors modulates leukocyte function will be developed. Our specific aims are as follows. First, we plan to explore the parameters which determine the overall effect of CD244 and CD2 engagement during an immune response. Using a human NK cell line expressing CD2 and CD244, and a mouse T-cell hybridoma, we will examine the effects of the engagement of these receptors and recruitment of SAP and EAT-2 on cytotoxicity and IFN-gamma production. Second we will perform in vivo experiments relating human data on CD244 function to a mouse tumour model, in which the in vivo activity of a CD244 blocking antibody will be used to analyze the effect of CD244 blockade in resistance to tumour growth. Finally, using surface plasmon resonance and recombinant proteins, we will establish a hierarchy of likely interactions of intracellular signalling molecules with additional members of the CD150 receptor family. Using the model system established in the first two aims, the predictions derived from the BIAcore experiments can be tested for functional accuracy, and a greater paradigm for the function of this receptor family can be established.

Keywords: immunology,haematology,surface receptors,immunoglobulin superfamily,cell signalling
Biophysical principles of cellular morphogenesis (GELVESICLE)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-08-01
End date: 2011-07-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 160595.46
EU funding (EUR): 160595.46
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Living cells are endowed with structure and mechanical stability by an intricate elastic network of protein filaments known as the cytoskeleton. These filaments are stiff on the scale of the cell and thus readily deform the cell membrane, while simultaneously being affected configurationally by spatial confinement. The coupled morphogenesis of cytoskeleton and membrane ultimately appears as dynamic rearrangements that drive physiological processes such as cell migration or division. I strive to unravel biophysical principles of cell morphogenesis. To this end, I propose to construct biomimetic cell models by confining actin biopolymer gels to cell-sized lipid vesicles mimicking cellular confinement. I will systematically investigate the interplay between entropy-driven organization, and that induced by cross-linker proteins which connect actin filaments, or motor proteins which actively slide them. A key innovation lies in the bottom-up approach of gradually increasing system complexity to eventually achieve a model which is far more realistic than existing assays. The system permits quantitative measurements of network and membrane shape (using fluorescence microscopy) and of local and global mechanical properties as well as active driving (using innovative particle tracking microrheology). This will allow me testing and development of new theoretical models. The proposed project promises to significantly advance our understanding of how cells orchestrate their shape and movements, and to foster novel medical treatments of diseases related to malfunctions of the cytoskeleton. Simultaneously, it addresses exciting physical questions raised by the unusual properties of cells, such as self-organization of non-equilibrium soft matter and material properties of polymer-membrane composites. If we can identify physical design principles of cells we can eventually harness these to create novel functional and smart materials based on bio(-inspired) molecules.

Keywords: biophysics,soft matter and polymer physics,biomechanics,applied optics
Knowledge Networks in Oncology: Weavers of Medical Innovation (KNOWMI)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-10-01
End date: 2011-01-31
Duration (months): 16.0
Total project cost (EUR): 98803.44
EU funding (EUR): 98803.44
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This research seeks to advance conceptual and methodological propositions to analyse the sources and the effects of medical innovations. In particular, it will focus on the generation and use of scientific knowledge in the remit of health-care. It will take as empirical focus two areas of Oncology - Breast and Colorectal Cancers with a view to: 1. Understanding how the international knowledge bases of these two cancers emerged and developed. In particular, the project aims at situating and assessing the relative contribution of the European medical scientific community and research institutions; 2. Demonstrating the nature of the gap in delivering innovative therapies between the two diseases, and analysing to what extent it is related to differences in structure and position of the organizations involved; 3. Deriving policy implications and informing policy makers about key barriers to the generation of new knowledge and the translation of basic research into effective health-care. This question is especially relevant to the EU context where increasing multidisciplinary orientation of medical research and cross-national collaborations have been often perceived as an obstacle. The research proposes the application of network analytic methods to map and understand the development of knowledge within and across the two areas of medical research and practice. It is envisaged that this research has strong potential in opening up an important avenue for cross-disciplinary research at the interface of medical and social sciences. In particular, it will: assess the feasibility to use network approaches; enable the identification of critical areas of scientific research and clinical practice; highlight successful and un-successful developments both for diagnosis and for therapy; and identify promising organizational avenues for the efficient search for and implementation of medical solutions.

Keywords: medical innovation,growth of knowledge,innovation systems,oncology,policy design
ERA-NET Plus on Materials Research (MATERA+)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies - NMP
Destination: Materials
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Partnership: MATERA+ (ERA-NET)
Countries involved: Finland,Belgium,Belgium,Iceland,Italy,Latvia,Luxembourg,Norway,Poland,Spain,Spain,Switzerland,Türkiye,United Kingdom,Slovenia,Israel,Spain,United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-ERANET-2008-RTD, 2008)
Start date: 2009-01-01
End date: 2013-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 14601054.0
EU funding (EUR): 4633599.0
Participants: 21
Project status: CLOSED

The objective of MATERA+ is the launching, management and follow-up of a Joint Call in the field of materials. The project is a direct outcome of the coordination work initiated within ERA-NET on Materials (MATERA 016102) in FP6. MATERA+ takes advantage of the experience gained along the last 3 years in the previous transnational calls carried out in MATERA (MATERA Calls 2006, 2007 and 2008). Materials research is one of the cornerstones of the European economy, being of high importance for the development of such fields as energy, environment, health and safety. The importance of materials can also be seen in many national and regional programmes and strategic activities where materials are one of the main focus areas. To combine these national and regional interests and to reduce the fragmentation of materials research in Europe the cooperation between the funding agencies in the ERA-NET scheme has been found very useful. There are 20 European funding agencies participating in MATERA+ with a total amount of 17 million euros of national/regional funding. The project consists of four Work packages: WP1 Coordination and Management, WP2 Preparation of the Joint Call, WP3 Implementation of the Joint Call, WP4 Monitoring and Impact assessment. The Call will be opened in the spring 2009. It will have two steps, Stage 1 for pre-proposals and Stage two for full proposals. The national and regional funding agencies will jointly select the pre-proposals for the second step. The evaluation and ranking of the full proposals will be carried out by external experts in complience with the EC rules. Funding agencies are committed to do the final funding decisions according to the selection list arising from the external panel meeting. Funding agencies are committed to cover most of the coordination costs by themselves.

Keywords: materials science and engineering networking of national/regional programmes joint call innovation value chain
Trends and Patterns of Interethnic Parnerships and Well-being of Mixed Ethnic Children in the EU (INTERMARRIAGE IN EU)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Italy
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-09-01
End date: 2011-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 156610.52
EU funding (EUR): 156610.52
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This projects aims to conduct a cross-national analysis of interethnic partnerships in the European Union. The study focuses on partnerships between natives and immigrants because interethnic union has long been regarded as an indicator of integration. Focusing on the 27 member states of the EU, this research will explore two main themes: 1) trends and patterns of interethnic partnerships; and 2) socioeconomic well-being of offspring of interethnic unions. The study will focus on explaining similarities and dissimilarities in interethnic partnership patterns of different immigrant groups across 27 member states based on an empirical analysis of the EU Labour Force Survey. Furthermore, arguing that interethnic partnerships can enhance bridging social capital and facilitate the integration of children growing up in an interethnic household, this research will investigate the well-being of offspring of interethnic unions measured by their development, educational achievement and health. The study will also attempt to explain the mechanisms through which a native parent promotes the children’s well-being through the lens of social capital. Focusing on children’s outcomes and using nationally-representative longitudinal surveys of selected five member states, this research is of methodological significance in tackling the endogeneity and sample selection problems which usually arise when studying offspring of interethnic unions. This project will add to the knowledge in integration and well-being of children from various immigrant groups in different societies in the EU.

Keywords: interethnic partnership,mixed ethnicity,integration,migration,european union,socioeconomic well-being