Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Transgenerational epigenetic regulation of heat stress response (TRANS-EPIGEN)

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: Switzerland
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2011-02-01
End date: 2013-01-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 233576.8
EU funding (EUR): 233576.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Abiotic stresses, mainly high temperature, is among the most limiting factor of crops performance and their geographical distribution in European agriculture and worldwide. Although work on temperature tolerance dates many years back, mush less is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. New evidences point out to long-lasting effect that could be transmitted across developmental stages and even among generations. The TRANS_EPIGEN project will address this issue, focussing on the plants’ reproductive structures that are primary determinants of crop yield and vigour that is of human interest. Adverse conditions during germ cell formation, pollination, seed formation and grain filling account for the bulk of yield losses due to abiotic stresses. Important regulatory steps in these developmental stages are under epigenetic control mechanisms causing transmittable changes in gene expression by modification of DNA and associated proteins. We hypothesize that stress conditions change the interaction between epigenetic regulators and their targets. TRANS_EPIGEN will focus on investigating the influence of heat stress on sexual plant reproduction, aiming at identifying long-lasting epigenetic effects, epigenetic key regulators, their targets, and their interactions in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Thus, the TRANS_EPIGEN proposal will generate novel information relevant to stress physiology and adaptation, epigenetic inheritance, and crop performance under increasingly changing environmental conditions. Identifying genes potentially suitable to improve plant performance under heat stress conditions will pave the way for further research on their orthologues in crop plant aimed at engineering crop plants with better performance after stress exposure, generating undoubtedly IP-relevant knowledge that provides European agriculture a competitive advantage.

Keywords: agricultural science (climate change),environmental biology,genomics,developmental biology,epigenetics,inheritance,heat stress,sexual plant reproduction,arabidopsis,seed set
Advance decision-making: Advance directives and proxy decision-making in France and in England (ADVANCED)

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: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-09-01
End date: 2012-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 164540.8
EU funding (EUR): 164540.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

How should one take into account a patient&apos;s wishes when he or she is no longer capable of expressing those wishes? Both France and England have recently introduced new legal frameworks aimed at answering this question. In both jurisdictions the status of advance directives has now been clarified, and, in England, a patient is also now able to appoint a health care proxy, such as a loved one, to take decisions on their behalf should they become incompetent. Each of these models of advance decision-making presents ethical challenges, not least in the potential conflicts that can arise between the patient&apos;s perceived wishes and the health professional’s duty to treat. Indeed, although medical attitudes to patient autonomy appear to differ between France and England, take-up of the new laws in both countries has been similarly small. This project will seek to explore the similarities and differences between the different models of advance decision-making and between the different ways they are theorised and actualised in these two countries. The project will further aim to identify common themes and attempt to shape a common understanding about advance decision-making for deployment in debates in the French and English contexts (and beyond). Research into these concepts and the associated practices is essential, given not only considerable theoretical interest in the concept of patient autonomy, but also policy developments internationally on the care of the incompetent patient, particularly at the end of life. This project will therefore encompass a conceptual and normative exploration of advance decision-making, and an empirical study of the views and practices of doctors in both France and England.

Keywords: social sciences,autonomy,end-of-life,advance directive,france,england
Analysis of Waste Prevention Behaviour through a Conceptual Statistical Model and Scenario Simulation (WASTE PREVENTION)

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-2009-IIF, 2009)
Start date: 2011-01-27
End date: 2013-01-26
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 173240.8
EU funding (EUR): 173240.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The justification for this proposal is based on the growing awareness that environmental problems have more to do with the decisions of ordinary people as opposed to governments and corporations. This proposal argues that the solution for solid waste issues involves not only technical or economic regulations or both, but also real changes in individuals’ behaviour. Hence, with the aim to provide an explanation to such complex interaction of questions, an interdisciplinary study is required. The main objective is to develop a better critical understanding of impact of influential factors on individuals’ waste prevention behaviour (WPB). The specific objectives are: (a) to verify the conceptual model for WPB by carrying out a survey in two different local conditions; (b) to improve the conceptual model by including the influence of situational factors and specific social norms regarding waste prevention (WP); (c) to investigate the results of the WPB survey through structural equation modelling analysis, and; (d) to understand policy interventions on WP using the behaviour model with an agent-based simulation and, to then establish possible future solid waste reduction scenarios. Thus, the methodology will test a pre-conceived behaviour model for WP by including specific social norms and situational factors as behaviour predictors. A simulation will be designed to test out possible policy interventions based on a virtual society of autonomous agents. This bottom-up approach, where a complex system is viewed as a large set of small interacting components, will identify individuals’ behaviours and their interactions. The results may provide the much-need justification to make the municipal authorities in developed and developing cities apply WP policies as their most important input to reduce solid waste generation.

Keywords: waste prevention,behaviour modelling,autonomous agents,solid waste management
The Interactive Vision between Architecture and Photography (INVISA)

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: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-05-03
End date: 2012-05-02
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 173903.2
EU funding (EUR): 173903.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In schools of architecture students often rely on images; rarely do they have hands-on experience with the actual building. We may say that our first idea of an architectural work comes from looking at a picture, normally a photograph. Yet photography invariably involves a mode of beholding which preconditions not only our perception of an object but also our conception of it and our idea of our relationship to it and with it. The research we propose to undertake aims at studying architecture and photography during the historically decisive period of the Modern Movement, the epoch that has so influenced and inspired contemporary architectural design. The main aim is to create a groundbreaking catalogue (in print and online) that crucially will help to fill a major scholarly gap: that between the three-dimensional work of architecture and its two-dimensional representation (the real object and its simulacrum). The catalogue will be achieved by cross-referencing the published material in major European architectural reviews with photographs preserved in the archives and connecting the images of each building with its plan. The process will generate an active tool of knowledge for the architectural work in question, with a rationale similar to that achieved by Dr François Penz in 6th FP project New Millennium-New Media; the applicant will also benefit from the internationally recognized background of Cambridge University, the foremost school of architecture in Europe. The proposal fully corresponds to the objectives of the IEF: with the European institutions involved it will develop the first network of architectural resources to promote a stimulating dialogue between academic communities across the Continent; making the historical heritage available in a way that will be fundamental to European competiveness, a concrete base, as it were, for future architectural design, which provides an alternative to the solely technological view current in the United States.

Keywords: architecture,photography,urban design,contemporary history.
Cell-type specific features of serotonergic neurons in the raphe nuclei (RAPHE)

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: Portugal
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-05-01
End date: 2012-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 156364.4
EU funding (EUR): 156364.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Serotonin (5-Hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) has long been known to be involved in a variety of behavioral, cognitive and emotional processes and is commonly pharmacologically targeted in the treatment of some major psychiatric and neurological diseases. Most of the brain 5-HT innervation arises from a specific neuronal network in the brainstem, the raphe nuclei RN. For a better understanding of the brain 5-HT functions an in depth knowledge of RN network is required with a special emphasis on the activity of 5-HT neurons, since these can be directly linked to 5-HT release. Despite great interest in 5-HT function, relatively little is known about the activity of 5-HT cells in relation to behavior mainly because technical difficulties in identifying the neurochemical identity of the cells recorded. Here we propose an optogenetic approach which will allow us to to identify the neurochemical and anatomical identity of neurons recorded in behaving animals. In combination with specific behavioral paradigms, these experiments could provide insights into novel aspects of 5-HT function. The results obtained could have important pathophysiological implications.

Keywords: neurobiology,neurophysiology,behavior,serotonin,5-ht,raphe,brain research,neuronal networks
MINING THE GENOME OF P. FLUORESCENS F113 TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURAL AND BIOREMEDIATION APPLICATIONS. In silico genomics and functional genomics approaches to exploit Pseudomonas in biotechnology (MIGENOF113)

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-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-09-01
End date: 2012-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 205678.0
EU funding (EUR): 205678.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Microorganisms from the fluorescent pseudomonads group are valuable in agriculture for plant-growth promotion and biocontrol of fungal pathogens and have environmental applications in soil decontamination or bioremediation. Previously, a European-funded project successfully improved decontamination capabilities of Pseudomonas fluorescens F113. More recently, sequencing of F113 genome has revealed regions encoding putative insecticidal proteins which could expand its biotechnological uses. The overall aim of this project is to gain a deeper understanding of the properties of P. fluorescens F113 and enhance its biotechnological potential. Functional genomics and bioinformatics approaches combined with traditional molecular microbiology techniques will be used to achieve the following objectives: • To understand F113 genomic characteristics through a bioinformatics genomic analysis and to identify genes to improve and expand its biotechnological applications. • To study the properties conferring ecological fitness by the analysis of the virulence factors that F113 possesses against invertebrate predators, in particular insects. • To study gene expression and regulation in order to devise in the future engineering of a strain better adapted to the environment and better suited for agricultural and environmental uses. This project fits within the thematic area of “Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology” and will impart significant economic and social impact by developing key knowledge and tools towards sustainable agricultural practices and a cleaner environment. This proposal also fulfils the objectives of mobilization of technology, knowledge and researchers across the EU and will establish new collaborations between British and Spanish Universities.

Keywords: genetically modified organisms,genomics,functional genomics,microbiology,bioinformatics,pseudomonas fluorescens,insecticidal proteins,pesticides,agriculture,bioremediation,biotechnology
Subdivision based IsoGeometric Modelling Applied to Computer Aided Design and Engineering (SIGMACADE)

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: Austria
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2011-03-01
End date: 2014-06-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 218515.2
EU funding (EUR): 218515.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The geometry of a structure determines its mechanical performance. Structural optimisation has become increasingly important in product development. It requires a loop of structural analysis and redesign until some optimum geometry is reached. Interfacing shape models between design and analysis is a serious limitation in today's geometry modelling industry and makes geometry optimisation expensive. We will investigate ways in which surface geometry for design and analysis can be modelled in the same framework. This will enable both design and analysis to be part of product development at a minimum cost in accuracy and time. We propose to explore a unified framework based on subdivision surfaces and to demonstrate the efficiency of Subdivision-based IsoGeometric Modelling Applied to Computer Aided Design and Engineering (SIGMACADE). The project will focus on the development of an automated optimised adaptation of subdivision surfaces for design and engineering purposes. The host will provide excellent training in finite element methods to complement the researcher's existing expertise in subdivision. The synergy of the researcher&apos;s expertise in subdivision and the host's experience in finite element modelling will provide the best possible environment for this project to succeed.

Keywords: simulation engineering,computer graphics
Analysis of the gene regulatory network controlling ES cell identity (GRNES)

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: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-09-01
End date: 2012-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 181103.2
EU funding (EUR): 181103.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Self-renewal of embryonic stem (ES) cells depends on the activity of a network of transcription factors at the centre of which lies the triumvirate of Nanog, Oct4 and Sox2 that bind together to a multitude of target genes to either activate or repress their expression. Nanog was initially isolated by the host laboratory on the basis that elevating its expression increased ES cell self-renewal efficiency. Surprisingly however, the host laboratory further demonstrated that ES cells continue to self-renew in the absence of Nanog, albeit with dramatically reduced efficiency. Moreover, Nanog is not expressed uniformly within the Oct4/Sox2-expressing undifferentiated population. Instead, ES cells fluctuate between a state in which Nanog protein levels are low or absent, associated with a poor self-renewal efficiency, and a state in which Nanog levels are high, associated with a high self-renewal efficiency. In order to shed light upon the means by which these fluctuations direct altered cellular functions, we propose a project with the specific aims of: (i) determining the gene expression profile in ES cells expressing distinct forms of Nanog, (ii) analysing the co-dependency of chromatin binding by Nanog, Oct4 and Sox2 at relevant target genes, and (iii) test the functional importance of the most relevant Nanog responsiveness genes.

Keywords: molecular genetics,functional biology,mouse embryonic stem cells,pluripotency,self-renewal,nanog,high-throuput sequencing,chromatin
“The role of ALC1, a novel ATP-dependent chromatin remodelling protein, in transcriptional regulation, tumorigenesis and neurodegeneration” (CHROMALC1HCC)

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: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2011-03-01
End date: 2012-05-31
Duration (months): 15.0
Total project cost (EUR): 172740.8
EU funding (EUR): 172740.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The genome is continuously exposed to DNA damaging insults that induce a wide variety of lesions. For a proper DNA damage signalling and repair, chromatin remodelling is most likely a prerequisite. Poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) is known to induce chromatin relaxation at DNA damage sites but how this is achieved remains unclear. My host lab recently identified ALC1 (Amplified in Liver Cancer 1) that binds to PAR via a C-terminal Macro domain and catalyzes PARP1-stimulated nucleosome sliding by an N-terminal helicase core (Ahel, et al., 2009). A role for ALC1 in DNA repair is supported by its rapid PAR-dependent recruitment to DNA breaks and by the sensitivity of ALC1-depleted cells to DNA damage agents. This study revealed that ALC1 promotes PAR-dependent chromatin relaxation at DNA damage sites (Ahel, et al., 2009). These findings also have important clinical implications as hALC1 was identified as the target oncogene within the 1q21 amplicon, a frequent genetic alteration in human hepatocellular carcinoma (Ma et al., 2008). Here, I propose to study the potential role of ALC1 in chromatin remodelling at PARP1 regulated promoters. In parallel, I propose to generate gain-of function and loss-of function ALC1 mouse mutants. On the one hand, I will generate mALC1 inducible transgenic mice to establish its potential role in tumorigenesis. On the other hand, I will generate mALC1 conditional knock-out mice to study its role in neurodegenerative diseases as already described for some SSB repair-response proteins. Bibliography Ahel D , Hořejší Z, Wiechens N, Polo SE, Garcia-Wilson E, Ahel I, Flynn H, Skehel M, West SC, Jackson SP, Owen-Hughes T and Boulton, SJ. Science. 2009. Ma NF, Hu L, Fung JM, Xie D, Zheng BJ, Chen L, Tang DJ, Fu L, Wu Z, Chen M, Fang Y, Guan XY. Hepatology. 2008.

Keywords: health sciences,degenerative diseases,oncology,brain research,animal biotechnology,biotechnology
Efimov trimers of ultracold cesium in optical lattices (LATTRICS)

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: Austria
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-06-01
End date: 2012-05-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 162622.8
EU funding (EUR): 162622.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Few-body physics with ultracold atoms has emerged as an exciting new research field, following experimental breakthroughs in the last few years. The universal behavior of few-body systems links areas of physics at vastly different energy scales, also bringing together scientific communities that are tradionally not connected. Efimov trimer states, very weakly bound quantum states of three particles, represent the paradigm of the field. The basic idea of the proposed project is to introduce tight external confinement into few-body physics with ultracold atoms, and to study Efimov trimers in situations of reduced dimensionality. This can be realized in one, two, or three dimensions using the powerful techniques of optical lattices. Such lattices are created in the standing-wave fields of different laser beams and represent a special expertise of the applicant. Ultracold ensembles cesium atoms near quantum-degeneracy, used by the host group for pioneering experiments on Efimov states, will serve as the model system. The project has three specific goals, which can be considered essential steps in few-body physics in systems with reduced dimensionality. First, a quasi-two-dimensional environment will be realized where the crossover from 3D to 2D will be studied. Second, Efimov trimers will be studied for systems of three atoms tighly confined to a single lattice site. Third, the new possibility to exploit three-body interactions to realize strongly correlated many-body systems in a three-dimensional lattice will be explored.

Keywords: atomic physics,molecular physics,cold atoms,optical lattice,efimov scenario