Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Grasp-Related Neuronal Activity in Monkey and Human and Its Applicability in BMI (GRASP CONTROL & BMI)

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-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2012-06-01
End date: 2014-05-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 209092.8
EU funding (EUR): 209092.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The complexity and precision of human hand control is staggering and unravelled, yet, its neuronal control is not well understood. Loss of this ability has devastating consequences for a human’s daily life. Restoring this ability and, thus, bringing relief to the patient’s condition should be an important aim of science. We propose an interdisciplinary investigation of both the neuronal activity controlling skilled hand movements and how this activity can be used in a Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) to control hand postures suitable for grasp of different everyday objects. For example, relevant patients rank the loss of skilled grasp as one of the most debilitating features of their injury (Anderson, 2004). Thus, grasp BMIs are of great importance, but not yet available. We will investigate grasp-related neuronal activity in monkeys and human volunteers based on recordings of (i) intracortical single-unit activity (SUA) and local field potentials (LFP) through multiple electrodes in monkey primary motor cortex (M1), ventral pre-motor cortex (PMv) and boundary areas between M1 and PMv, and (ii) non-invasive human magnetoencephalograms (MEG). Recent studies have shown grasp-specific neuronal activity in SUA and LFP recorded in monkey. We will record grasp-related activity simultaneously at various sites ranging from PMv to M1. Central points are the investigation of the spatial distribution of this activity across motor areas and different cortical laminae, the long-term stability and how this activity is modulated by novel motor tasks. We will also assess how these points affect the decoding of different grasps in a potential BMI and whether human MEG shows similar grasp specificity during execution and imagination of grasp, which is significant for patients controlling a BMI by imagining performance of different actions. The ultimate goal is precise, dexterous, real-time BMI grasp control of hand prostheses; our project represents a first step in this direction.

Keywords: natural sciences,neurophysiology,neurosciences,neurobiology,brain-machine interface,decoding,grasp,monkey,human,lfp,sua,meg,intra-cortical,non-invasive,neural control of movements
Prefrontal and cingulate interactions in cognitive control: reversible inactivation and electrocorticograms. (REVERSIBLE COGNITION)

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-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2012-03-01
End date: 2014-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 185748.0
EU funding (EUR): 185748.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

An important feature of human cognition is its remarkable flexibility. Cognitive control refers to processes that allow behaviour to vary adaptively depending on current goals. Understanding it is therefore fundamental to knowing how our behaviour can be adapted and flexible. Deficits in cognitive control, and imbalances in related neurotransmitters such as dopamine, are associated with a number of psychological and neurological conditions, including schizophrenia and the cognitive symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Both prefrontal cortex (PFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) are known to have important roles in cognitive control, but the details of how they achieve this, how they interact, and the roles of those neurotransmitters are unclear. An important way to discover this is to record the effects of inactivating those regions and neurotransmitter systems, as this reveals how these systems are critical to cognition. This project will reveal the nature of the frontal lobe interactions that subserve cognitive control, and their neurochemical basis, by combining inactivation and neurophysiological techniques. In macaque monkeys performing a well-established test of multiple elements of cognitive control, we will reversibly inactivate targeted regions of ACC and PFC whilst simultaneously recording continuous neurophysiological data using chronically implanted electroencephalography. We will go on to record the same data during reversible localized blockade of targeted neurotransmitter systems, beginning with dopamine, and then to functionally disconnect ACC and PFC. The project will have significant benefits for both fundamental and clinical research, and represents a rare combination of techniques made possible by mobility between laboratories. It will substantially enhance the career of the researcher.

Keywords: prefrontal cortex,anterior cingulate,macaque,monkey,cognitive control,acetyl choline,dopamine,serotonin,reversible inactivation,infusion,electrocorticogram,eeg,episodic memory
Efficient sequential decision making under uncertainty (ESDEMUU)

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-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-05-01
End date: 2013-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 232777.8
EU funding (EUR): 232777.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Many applications require efficient methods for automated decision making, such as control systems, crisis response, finance, logistics, network security, robotics and traffic management. These problems involve sequential learning and decision making under uncertainty in an unknown environment. As we have incomplete information about the state and dynamics of the environment, the outcome of any specific plan is uncertain. Statistical decision theory offers a framework for finding optimal solutions, but in most problems of interest exact inference and planning are intractable. The project will develop efficient approximate methods for nearly optimal learning and decision making in such problems. Our first goal is to obtain provably efficient algorithms for decision making in discrete, fully observable environments. Our second goal is to extend these to continuous and partially observable domains. Recent advances in statistical learning theory and in stochastic planning, make this avenue of research particularly promising. Our third theoretical goal is to consider collaborative planning among multiple agents in unknown environments for each of the above cases. Finally, we shall develop open source code and perform extensive comparative experiments in classical benchmark problems for evaluation purposes. As a more realistic test-bed, we shall focus on the network intrusion detection and response problem, where we must safeguard a network against the attacks of malicious users. The project coordinator is an expert on Bayesian reinforcement learning and stochastic planning and the host institution has produced seminal breakthroughs in the area of distributed planning, while both have prior experience in problems of network intrusion detection.

Keywords: sequential decision making,reinforcement learning,bayesian inference,game theory,distributed planning,artificial intelligence,algorithms,operations research,intrusion detection
Chemical biology approach to study the role of PDZ domain-mediated interactions in synaptic plasticity (NEUROCHEMBIOTOOLS)

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-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-05-01
End date: 2013-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 185248.0
EU funding (EUR): 185248.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Complex dynamic protein-protein interactions are the base of protein-based networks in cells. Among them, the synaptic connection between two neurons is one of the most challenging. The postsynaptic density (PSD) at excitatory synapses in the brain is a prototypical example of protein-based network whose nanoscale structure and composition determines cellular function. Moreover, dynamic regulation of PSD composition and receptor movement into or out of the PSD is the base of current molecular theories of learning and memory. However, the nature of this regulation remains poorly understood partly due to the lack of tools that would allow disruption and control of specific interactions. Several key components of the PSD such as PSD-95 contain multiple PDZ domains and the interactions mediated by these small domains are involved in critical events such as synaptic targeting and anchoring of glutamate receptors (AMPARs, NMDARs). The aim of this project is to design and exploit original tools to better understand the role of PDZ domain-mediated interactions in the context of synaptic plasticity by employing a chemical biology approach associating synthesis, biophysical measurements and live cell studies. In particular two different aspects will be addressed: 1) development of efficient and specific competing biomimetic ligands that integrate the multivalent nature of these interactions and 2) spatio-temporal control of the disruption of these PDZ domain-mediated interactions by incorporating to the previous ligands photolabile caging groups. The specific targets comprise on the one hand the main synaptic PDZ domain-containing scaffolding proteins (PSD-95, SAP97, PSD-93 and SAP102) and on the other AMPA and NMDA receptor complexes. Finally, these tools will complement common biological approaches by allowing us to study localized and dynamic macromolecular events between endogenous proteins.

Keywords: synaptic plasticity,ampars,nmdars,maguks,protein-protein interactions,pdz domains,chemical biology,biomimetic ligands,environment-sensitive fluorophores,caging,solid phase peptide synthesis
The adaptive nature of spiteful behaviour (SPITE)

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-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-09-01
End date: 2013-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 280680.0
EU funding (EUR): 280680.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Spite is one of four fundamental categories of social evolution (alongside selfishness, altruism and mutualism). It is costly to both actor and recipient, and puzzles evolutionary biologists. Historically, conditions favouring spite were thought to be narrow, which resulted in relatively little research interest. This assumption has been recently challenged by theoretical work that shows that spite is likely to be widespread in nature. The unusual biology of the parasitic wasp Copidosoma floridanum will enable me to test recently identified factors predicted to favour spite in its specialised soldier larval caste. During the Fellowship, I will conduct several novel experiments to measure the relative importance of potential adaptive functions of spite in this species. These include the mediation of competition and conflict over sex ratio. This training will greatly enhance my future career prospects and open up to me many opportunities for future projects. Working in a top UK university will extend and consolidate my existing experience, knowledge, and skills base, and will enable me to develop a new suite of professional qualities. Moreover, the intended international collaborations will add further to these factors, which will all help me to realise my goal of becoming an independent researcher. The resulting data from this Fellowship will further general understanding of social evolution and will be applicable to other non-biological disciplines. In Europe, social evolution is mainly centred on ‘traditional’ model systems such as social insects, not those with unusual life-histories such as C. floridanum. The few spite studies on C. floridanum have all involved researchers based in the USA, who have agreed to cooperate with this project. This proposal will thus bring focus and highlight international cooperation in exploring a neglected but fundamental branch of social evolution, and will increase the profile and attractiveness of the European Research Area.

Keywords: copidosoma floridanum,dispersal,local mate competition,parasitoid,polyembryonic wasp,relatedness,sexual conflict,social evolution,spite
Nanostructure Injected Lasers for Ultra-High Frequency Applications (NINFA)

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: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IOF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-10-01
End date: 2014-09-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 239221.6
EU funding (EUR): 239221.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This proposal is concerned with optically-injected nanostructure lasers, including quantum-dot and quantum-dash semiconductor lasers and the potentials of these devices for Ultra-High Frequency applications, including Terahertz (THz) technologies. In particular, attention will be focused on long-wavelength devices, emitting at the very important telecom wavelengths of 1310 and 1550nm. The aim of this proposal is to analyze experimentally and in theory the effect of optical injection in several nanostructure lasers, including Fabry-Perot, Distributed-Feedback (DFB) and multisection DFB devices with quantum dot and quantum dash active regions. The investigations will include the analysis of the injection locking properties and the mapping of the different regions of nonlinear dynamics when the devices are subject to weak optical injection. In addition, the enhancement of the modulation bandwidth and resonance frequency when these devices are subject to high and ultra-high external optical injection will also be investigated throughout the Fellowship. The limits in the enhanced frequency response will be analyzed for different designed optically-injected nanostructure lasers and the prospects of these devices for use in Ultra-High Frequency applications will be explored. In particular, attention will be focused in pushing up the frequency response of these devices to the THz frequency range which has a wide variety of applications in very disparate fields, including communications, biology, medicine, security, sensing etc. Hence, the vision of this project will be the practical development of a Tuneable THz oscillator built directly from simple and compact photonic components such as nanostructure semiconductor lasers totally compatible with optical communications technologies.

Keywords: nanostructure lasers,optical injection,ultra-high frequency,terahertz technology,electrical engineering,photonics.
Investigation of human nucleoporins stoichiometry and intracellular distribution by quantitative mass spectrometry (NPCQUANT)

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-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2012-04-01
End date: 2014-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 162742.4
EU funding (EUR): 162742.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The nuclear pore complex (NPC) is one of the most intricate multi-protein assemblies found in eukaryotic cells encompassing ~30 different components called nucleoporins (Nups). The structural determination of the NPC represents a major challenge due to its size and location in the nuclear envelope. Accurate quantitative data on NPC composition that are required to generate structural models at atomic resolution are currently lacking. Here, I propose to apply targeted mass spectrometry to study the stoichiometry and intracellular distribution of the human NPC components. For this purpose, I will establish an assay based on selected reaction monitoring (SRM) experiments that will allow the absolute quantitation of Nups in different cell compartments. The assay will be used to systematically analyze the effect of Nup perturbation on NPC composition by screening cell lines where single Nups are depleted by gene silencing. The compositional analysis of the gene silencing phenotypes will provide the base for complementary structural investigations performed using cryo-electron tomography. The integration of proteomic and structural data will provide accurate information on the stoichiometry and spatial arrangement of Nups within NPCs. In addition, by mapping the intracellular distribution of Nups, it will be possible to gain insights into their functional roles beyond transport. The multidisciplinary approach that will be developed has the potential to pave the way towards the integration of quantitative proteomic technologies in structural studies of other cellular substructures. This fellowship will give me the opportunity to lead an ambitious project at the interface between proteomics and structural biology, and to work in a collaborative interdisciplinary environment. The scientific and complementary skills I will acquire and the opportunity to work in a leading European institution will be fundamental for my development towards an independent scientific career.

Keywords: structural biology,biochemical technology,proteomics
Climate-induced phenological change and its consequences for bird populations (BIRD POPULATIONS)

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: Norway
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2012-04-01
End date: 2014-06-20
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 200779.2
EU funding (EUR): 200779.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Migratory birds have during the last decades advanced their phenology, i.e. the timing of events such as migration and breeding, as a response to climate change. Species unable to adjust their phenology have shown declining populations. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this trend is necessary for predicting long term population dynamical consequences of climate change and taking possible conservational action. The proposed project aims at sorting out associations between phenology and changes in population size, and to bridge the gap between these two areas of research classically considered separately. Migratory birds provide an appropriate model system for this purpose due to their apparent phenological responsiveness, well known ecology and the large amounts of data available. More specifically, the aims are approached by i) developing models for quantifying phenological variation and resource mismatch, ii) linking phenology to density dependent population models, and iii) investigating properties of different scenarios by computer simulation. Standardized data from Nordic bird observatories and monitoring schemes will be used in collaboration with responsible institutions. The applicant possesses a unique combination of skills in advanced statistical modelling and natural history, including field experience from bird observatories. The work combines the applicant’s two strongest research topics: population dynamics and bird phenology. The project is carried out at the University of Oslo in an internationally acknowledged research group: Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), chaired by Prof. Nils Chr. Stenseth. The broad expertise of the CEES and its excellent track record ensures a stimulating environment for carrying out successful research and acquiring complementary skills necessary for career development. The project is likely to provide new insight and stronger tools for assessing climate effects in ecological dynamics.

Keywords: population dynamics,animal ecology,migratory birds,phenology,statistical modelling,climate change,evolutionary biology,ecosystem impact (climate change),modelling (environmental risks)
Survey of tissue-specific alternative splicing in vertebrates by high-throughput sequencing: finding the elements of an evolutionary ‘splicing predictor’ (EVOALTSPLICE)

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: Portugal
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IOF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-06-01
End date: 2014-05-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 210446.0
EU funding (EUR): 210446.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Splicing is a crucial aspect of gene regulation and this step in the processing of pre-mRNA to mature mRNA must occur with extreme precision to ensure that the correct message is translated by the ribosome. The coding potential and functional versatility of genes is dramatically increased by alternative splicing pathways that generate different protein isoforms, very often in a developmental stage- or tissue-specific manner. About 95% of multiexon human genes undergo alternative splicing but the functional significance of the vast majority of splice variants is entirely unknown. Moreover, little is known about the evolution of the mechanisms of alternative splicing in vertebrate species. The main goals of this proposal are therefore to: (a) generate the first large-scale RNA-Seq analysis of splice variants across major vertebrate species; (b) develop a “splicing code” for vertebrates that predicts tissue-specific splicing patterns; (b) identify and characterize the regulation and function of both conserved and tissue/species-specific splice variants; (d) determine the minimal number of code elements sufficient to promote constitutive and different types of regulated alternative splicing. We will develop an RNA-Seq computational pipeline for the large-scale profiling of alternative splicing in a set of physiologically-equivalent tissues across representative species of vertebrates. From the resulting data we will derive probabilistic models that will allow us, not only to identify biologically informative conserved and condition-specific splicing patterns, but also to make predictions on how individual transcripts are spliced in specific tissues. Such predictions will then be tested in the lab and the experimental results will be used to refine and improve the models. These models will be used to de novo design synthetic splicing reporters with minimal sets of code elements predicted to confer different classes of tissue-dependent alternative splicing.

Keywords: alternative splicing,evolution,comparative genomics,transcriptomics,mrna-seq,bioinformatics,protein-protein interactions,synthetic rna constructs,live-cell microscopy,machine learning