Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Assessment of nitrogen containing disinfection by-products and their precursors in drinking waters of the Mediterranean Basin (N-DBPS)

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: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-10-20
End date: 2017-05-23
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 173370.6
EU funding (EUR): 173370.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Disinfection of drinking water is a successful measure to reduce water-borne diseases and protect health. However, epidemiological evidence links bladder cancer to disinfection by-products (DBPs) formed during drinking water treatment. Disinfection with chlorine is relevant in many European countries and previous research has highlighted the need to improve water quality and decrease concentration of DBPs in countries of the Mediterranean Basin such as Spain. In particular, of the many DBPs currently investigated in drinking water, unregulated nitrogen containing DBPs (N-DBPs) are considered among the most toxic ones. Dissolved organic nitrogen, which acts as precursor for these DBPs, is increasing in many drinking water sources due to usage of impaired waters or climate change. Therefore, there is a need for research to prepare water utilities for these changes, evaluate treatment strategies, and consider the need for adaptation to more stringent regulations. The main objectives of this project are: (i) to obtain a database for nationwide occurrence of N-DBPs, (ii) to investigate the effects of existing treatments on N-DBP formation followed by an evaluation at the full and bench scale of drinking water technologies to predict and minimize their formation, and (iii) to identify N-DBP precursors with an innovative mass-spectrometry-based approach so that they can be tracked back to their origin and management at source evaluated. This project aims to transfer the experience and knowledge on DBP science gained in Australia and the U.S. by the incoming researcher Maria José Farré to the Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA) which, led by Prof Damià Barceló is one of the European research centers with the highest potential in analytical chemistry and water quality research.

Keywords: drinking water,disinfection,nitrogen,climate change,impaired water,water reuse,spain,nitrosamines,halogenated disinfection byproducts,ozone,chlorine,chloramine,mass spectrometry
Tracing the origin of a social chromosome in the red fire ant (SOCIAL CHROMOSOME)

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-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2015-02-18
End date: 2017-02-17
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Intraspecific phenotypic variation offers unique opportunities to understand the contexts in which traits evolve and how they affect fitness. However, relatively little is known concerning the molecular-genetic changes underpinning such processes in ecologically relevant contexts. The host recently sequenced the genome of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta and subsequently discovered that two distinct forms of social colony organisation in this species are under control of a pair of social chromosomes, SB and Sb, that evolve similarly to X and Y sex chromosomes. Recombination ceased between SB and Sb less than 500,000 generations ago, ie. >10x more recently than the divergence of other extensively-studied supergenes such as sex chromosomes or butterfly wing coloration genes. Furthermore, both variants of the social chromosome are found in multiple closely related species. The fire ant social chromosome thus offers a unique opportunity to gain novel insights on supergene evolution, evolution of heteromorphic chromosomes and the evolutionary transitions in social organisation. We propose a detailed study of this newly discovered pair of social chromosomes in several closely related socially polymorphic fire ants, using an integrative examination of the social chromosomes combining modern sequencing methods, genetic mapping, structural analyses, population genomics and comparative genomics methods. This will shed light on a major transition in social evolution and have wide-reaching implications on the evolution of supergenes and the spread of novel traits.

Keywords: comparative & population genomics,social evolution,next generation sequencing,genome structure,population genetics,molecular evolution,selection,heteromorphic chromosomes,fire ant solenopsis
ETHANOL AND ETHYLENE UPGRADE IN METAL-ORGANIC FRAMEWORKS: NEW SELECTIVITY TARGETS (MOF-ET-WORK)

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: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-04-15
End date: 2016-04-14
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 173370.6
EU funding (EUR): 173370.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In the current IIF application, the candidate, Oleksii V. Gutov (1984, Ukraine) describes a 2-year postdoctoral project to be carried out in the group of Dr. Alexandr Shafir at the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), a leading European catalysis center in Tarragona, Spain. As a Marie Curie fellow at ICIQ, Dr. Gutov will apply his unique expertise in Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) field to the development of catalysts for the selective ethylene and ethanol upgrade, an area in urgent need of conceptually new catalytic materials, and where any advance could mean an important step towards Europe’s more sustainable (environmentally and economically) future. We aim at creating catalytic processes for selective conversion of low-value two-carbon feedstocks, ethanol and ethylene, into valuable longer-chain substances. State-of-the art examples include the d-metal-catalyzed upgrade of ethanol to 1-butanol, and the tetramerization of ethylene to 1-octene. The selectivity and efficiency in such processes is insufficient. We propose placing the catalyst within the pores/channels of a MOF, thus altering the selectivity via confinement effects. The approach (through varying the MOF structure) would give access to species currently unattainable, such as 1-hexanol (from ethanol) or 1-decene, as well as improve the selectivity/efficiency of the already existing processes. The research proposed requires deep understanding of both MOF materials and catalysis. Having previously gained valuable experience with MOFs with a leader in the field (prof. J. Hupp, Northwestern), the applicant will be uniquely positioned to undertake this cutting-edge investigation at an institution dedicated to catalysis. With notable exceptions, most of MOF research in Europe is centered on basic investigations, gas storage and separation. As a broader objective, adding MOF-based catalyst to this repertoire would help position Europe as a leader in sustainable chemistry and renewable energies

Keywords: catalysis,supramolecular chemistry,olygomerisation,confinement,olefins,alcohols,ethylene,ethanol,polymers.
The role of DOT1L in regulating the epigenetic signature of cardiomyocytes during heart development (THE CARDIAC CODE)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Outgoing Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Italy
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IOF, 2013)
Start date: 2015-01-01
End date: 2018-09-01
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 261175.8
EU funding (EUR): 261175.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Understanding mechanisms underlying cardiomyocyte (CM) transcriptional regulation is critical for deciphering molecular origins of cardiac malformations. Epigenetics is crucial for stabilizing transcriptional programs, but little is known about the “epigenetic code” of histone methylation during cardiogenesis, and in particular the role of histone methylation at lysine 79 (H3K79me) during heart development. DOT1L is the sole enzyme that catalyzes methylation at H3K79. Different degrees of H3K79me lead to distinct transcriptional readouts (gene activation, repression, or no changes of transcription) in a context dependent manner. H3K79me fluctuates during development, with Dot1L expression being high in heart. My initial studies in mouse embryonic stem cell-derived CMs suggested that DOT1L is required at early stages of cardiogenesis. ChIP-seq results from neonatal and adult CMs show H3K79me2 enriched in genes encoding CM structural proteins and cell cycle regulators. The foregoing suggest a critical role in heart development, but the role of DOT1L and the specific functions of H3K79me during early CM development in vivo have not yet been studied. My preliminary data showed that early CM specific cKO of Dot1L, driven by xMLC2cre, results in lethality at P2, with a phenotype exhibiting increased CM proliferation, demonstrating an essential role for DOT1L in cardiogenesis and CM cell cycle regulation. My hypothesis is that DOT1L plays a key role in heart development, defining a H3K79 dependent epigenetic landscape essential for cardiogenesis and CM cell cycle regulation. To test this hypothesis, my Aims are: 1)To investigate effects of early CM-specific deletion of Dot1L on cardiac morphogenesis and CM cell biology 2)To identify genes directly regulated, by DOT1L mediated-H3K79me in vivo. Completion of these aims will define mechanisms by which DOT1L is required for cardiogenesis and cell cycle regulation, helping to design new therapies for congenital heart disease.

Keywords: heart development,epigenetics,transcription regulation,congenital heart disease,mouse genetics,histone modifications,cardiac morphogenesis,cardiomyocyte differentiation and proliferation.
Early Acquisition of Argument Structure (EAAS)

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-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-08-12
End date: 2016-08-11
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 231283.2
EU funding (EUR): 231283.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The planned research will investigate the early acquisition of argument structure, a crucial example of syntax-semantics linking, in Estonian and cross-linguistic comparison. The project investigates 2 to 5-year-old children’s ability to use information from different cues signalling argument structure, namely word order, case marking, and the discourse context. The rich inflectional system and flexible word order of Estonian provide a sharp contrast to English, on which most studies of syntactic acquisition have been based. Estonian constitutes a missing link in the available cross-linguistic research and an ideal language for examining the coalition of cues used for the semantics-syntax mapping task, due to its robust case-marking system, one-to-many syntax-semantics mappings, and its reliance on word order to convey information structure. The proposed research will analyse both the input speech of caregivers and children’s speech in existing naturalistic ’dense data’ recordings of Estonian, and follow these with experimental studies to probe children’s ability to make sense of the information contributed by linguistic cues. The research will place the analyses of the child’s and caregiver’s speech in a broader context, aiming to further the cross-linguistic research programme tracing various paths to adult knowledge of argument structure. The project proceeds by comparing the acquisition of certain constructions in Estonian with differing structural characteristics. Their development will be traced in recorded data, as well as testing comprehension and production in experiments addressing the issue of how much of children’s emerging linguistic knowledge can be characterised as semantic or syntactic. We will also examine the role of the speakers’ immediate context; the project takes into consideration syntactic, semantic and discourse-level cues to argument structure, leading to a holistic view of the cues children rely on in learning language.

Keywords: language acquisition,syntax,argument structure,child-directed speech,estonian,cross-linguistic comparison,corpus analysis
Establishing of a novel technology platform for bio-based mineral processing: Development of peptides as agents for the separation of rare earth minerals via bio-flotation (MINEPEP)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Outgoing Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Germany
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IOF, 2013)
Start date: 2015-03-01
End date: 2017-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 168321.0
EU funding (EUR): 168321.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The MinePep project is addressing the development of an innovative, clean process for the recovery of raw materials from primary and secondary sources. Processes for a sustainable recovery of raw materials are an urgent need in Europe in order to ensure the availability of strategic metals and rare earth elements, resource efficiency, the reduction of environmental impacts and in this way economic growth. Current recycling processes of secondary raw materials are insufficient by reason of scarce research improvement. Bio-based methods such as bioflotation are innovative approaches that could develop into efficient recycling technologies. This project will target the development and application of specific peptides that can be used as agents in flotation processes. The focus will be on the recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from electronic scrap. Apart from economic benefits, this technology will contribute to significantly decrease toxic waste and to implement a closed product cycle. The main technique applied in the MinePep project uses bacteriophage particles which generate special surface peptides that enable the identification of target specific phages by selective target binding. Those phage particles which exhibit the highest target specificity, are separated, modified and multiplied in order to use them in future projects in flotation processes. In particular, phage peptides with high affinity to LaPO4 and Y2O3 will be selected. These compounds are dominant rare earth components of fluorescent phosphors of compact fluorescent lamps. Therefore, such peptides can be used for recycling and recovery of rare earth compounds of fluorescent phosphors. As a long-term goal bioflotation processes will be developed that use phage surface peptides for particle separation. The development of the envisaged techniques will support the European intentions to countervail the stringency of raw material resources.

Keywords: secondary raw material,rare earth elements,resources,flotation processes,phage surface display technology,peptide linked separation,geobiotechnology,innovative technology,fluorescent phosphors
Mass spectrometry of structural dynamics in secondary membrane transporters (TRANSPORTER FUNCTION)

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-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-11-03
End date: 2016-11-02
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 231283.2
EU funding (EUR): 231283.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Secondary membrane transporters are found across the biological kingdom. The structural dynamics of their actions are elusive, as our understanding relies on few X-ray structures. Comparisons of the available structures show that large re-arrangements take place between two domains during transport, with what is generally described as a “rocking-bundle model”. However, dynamic motion between the transport domains remains largely inaccessible to most experimental analysis methods. Here we propose to use a novel mass spectrometric approach that allows the desolvation of intact membrane proteins directly from detergent or lipid environments in combination with ion mobility mass spectrometry to monitor conformational changes in secondary transporters. This study will initially focus on the glutamate transporter GltPh for which structures, inhibitor, mutagenesis and cysteine cross-linking studies are available. We will then apply the same approach to the less-well understood transporters harboring the NhaA-fold. The goal will be to elucidate the conformational dynamics of NhaA, NapA, and ASBT proteins during transport and monitor the effects of substrates, ions, lipids and oligomerization. In summary, this project aims to establish a novel mass spectrometry-based methodology to bridge the gap between structure and function of secondary active transporters.

Keywords: membrane proteins / secondary transporters / transport mechanism / native mass spectrometry / protein structure analysis
Monitoring awareness during anaesthesia – a multi-modal approach (ANAEWARE)

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-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-08-11
End date: 2016-08-10
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 299558.4
EU funding (EUR): 299558.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Modern anesthesia is achieved through the administration of a 'chemical cocktail' of agents, each targeting a specific desirable effect (loss of awareness, analgesia, amnesia and immobility). Given that there are no strict dosages for these combinations of agents, the anesthetist follows a set of approximate dosage guidelines and adjusts these based on patient characteristics and past experience. However, administering an incorrect dosage could have serious complications: over-administration of anesthetics could result in cardiovascular depression, while under-administration in intraoperative awareness. The latter in particular could result to severe psychological consequences for the patient and economic consequences in the form of large insurance claims. Given that an estimated 234.2 million major surgical procedures are conducted annually worldwide, the seemingly small reported incidence of awareness (0.1-0.8%) corresponds to approximately 1,873,600 people. Despite the existence of commercially available devices that monitor anesthetic depth through the patient’s electrical brain activity (EEG), reliability and robustness issues stop them from becoming part of routine surgical practice. The project proposes a new direction in the field: the combination of various multi-modal signals to obtain a holistic view of anesthetic-induced changes. How is the body as a whole affected by this chemical 'cocktail'? What are the measurable effects of anesthesia on the relationships between different signals? The project will investigate such questions through the collection and study of multi-modal signals during surgery, and their applicability for wakefulness/anesthesia discrimination. Training in various research and complementary skills will be achieved through the multi-disciplinary nature of the project. Integration of the fellow in an environment with an impressive track record in cutting-edge biomedical research will provide structured long-term career development.

Keywords: anaesthesia,awareness,eeg
Strategic Clean Technology Policies for Climate Change (STRATECHPOL)

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: Italy
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-07-08
End date: 2016-12-07
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 241567.6
EU funding (EUR): 241567.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Renewable energy targets and support programs form a major part of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the E.U. and abroad—but not without controversy. Recent studies indicate that the implied abatement costs from European renewable energy policies are significantly higher than corresponding ETS allowance prices. Furthermore, the generators that benefit from these policies already operate in a market subject to the ETS cap, meaning that additional abatement via renewable energy can be offset by reduced effort among other covered units. Overlapping policy instruments can be justified by overlapping policy goals. In addition to domestic emissions abatement, stated rationales for renewable energy support include promoting technological innovation, exports, employment and energy security. One question is whether the extra cost of abatement from renewables over other alternatives is outweighed by these other benefits. Another is whether green industrial policy and trade promotion is consistent with WTO obligations. I propose to explore the value of clean technology programs above and beyond their emissions abatement potential, with a focus on innovation. The approach will blend economic theory, modeling, and empirical techniques and extend the literatures on environmental policy and induced innovation, directed technical change, and strategic trade policies. The methods will address key questions for interdisciplinary research in trade law and the environment. To what extent do clean energy technologies exhibit stronger external benefits than other innovating technologies, and to what extent do popular clean technology policies bring forth those benefits? Of particular interest is the potential role of international spillovers in clean energy technologies as a justification for aggressive renewable energy support, and whether the economics indicate that WTO law should make more room for green industrial policy.

Keywords: climate change,renewable energy,clean technology,innovation,spillovers,green industrial policy,subsidies,wto