Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
The contribution of magma-carbonate interactions in the upper crust to volcanic CO2 emissions: quantitative constraints from experimental petrology, isotope geochemistry and thermal modelling. (LIMELIGHT)

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-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-08-01
End date: 2011-10-31
Duration (months): 39.0
Total project cost (EUR): 163076.7
EU funding (EUR): 163076.7
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Mt. Etna and Popocatépetl, the most important subaerial sources of volcanic CO2 show evidence of interactions with the carbonate rocks forming their sedimentary basement. The present project aims at quantifying the contribution of magma-carbonate interactions in the upper continental crust to massive CO2 production in these volcanic areas. Carbonate assimilation will be investigated by hydrothermal experiments and thermal modelling. The experiments will be performed at magmatic conditions (pressures, temperatures and water contents). The comparison between experimental results and existing data on natural volcanic rocks will allow to assess the degree of magma-carbonate interaction and the ensuing CO2 production. Furthermore, CO2 degassing mechanisms will be experimentally investigated by studying the carbon isotopic fractionation between the magma and the fluid phase, with the final goal of interpreting the isotopic signature of volcanic gases. In conclusion, by this study we intend to define a petrological and geochemical tool to characterize carbonate assimilation occurring at a given volcanic centre to finally quantify its CO2 emissions. By the proposed project the applicant seeks a competence diversification in the volcanological, petrological, geochemical and experimental fields. The demanded host organisation is at the forefront of experimental petrology, thermodynamic and volcanic degassing modelling and therefore represents the most appropriate one to the project and to the applicant’s individual needs. Via the training, the candidate intends not only to attain a high-level of expertise with both experimental and analytical instruments, but also to definitely broaden her methodological approach to volcanology, by increasing her physical and chemical knowledge of volcanological processes. These competencies are necessary for the applicant to reach a position of professional maturity and independence in her research domain and to promote her research career.

Keywords: petrology,geochemistry,volcanology,carbon cycle (climate change)
A device for biological high-throughput assays based on in vitro compartmentalisation (BIOASSAYDEVICE)

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-2007-4-2-IIF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-03-01
End date: 2010-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 178874.06
EU funding (EUR): 178874.06
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The vision of putting a lab on a chip has far reaching implications for biological research. Microfluidic systems can now be built that - for example in past research by the applicant - can be used for protein crystallisation with only minute amount of precious proteins. A second challenge is to carry out functional biological assays on a chip. Such assays are used in high-throughput screening, e.g. for novel drug molecule or protein mutants with improved properties for directed evolution of functional proteins. In each case the economy of the assay system (total numbers screened, speed, reliability, quality of the kinetic readout) will crucially determine the success of this combinatorial approach. Water-in-oil droplets within microfluidic channels have the potential to serve as isolated reaction compartments, just like natural cells. Their femtolitre volumes minimise sample consumption and eliminate dispersion of substrates or products. To this end the candidate will build novel microfluidic devices that incoproprate the principle of in vitro compartementalisation. The fabrication of this device, and especially the integration of the various components is a significant challenge.

Keywords: in vitro compartmentalisation,directed evolution,high-trhoughput screening,microfluidics
The origin of mitochondria and the root of the eukaryotic tree (MITEUKROOT)

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-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2009-01-01
End date: 2010-12-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 161792.99
EU funding (EUR): 161792.99
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The origins of eukaryotes and mitochondria are among the most fundamental questions in biology and are central to understanding eukaryotic genomic and cellular evolution. It is now accepted that the mitochondrion was ancestrally present in all eukaryotic groups and that it derives from an alpha-proteobacterium, although the precise identity of the original endosymbiont is unknown. In this project the candidate will use sophisticated computational analyses to investigate current hypotheses for the origin of eukaryotes, to identify the closest alpha-proteobacterial relatives of mitochondria, and to determine the root of the eukaryotic tree. Genome-wide computational analysis tools developed by the host lab will be used to identify genes transferred from the mitochondrial endosymbiont to the eukaryotic host nuclear genome during the evolution of the mitochondrion. The cohort of transferred genes will then be used to (i) determine the position of mitochondria among contemporary alpha-proteobacteria and (ii) root the eukaryotic tree. To do this, the candidate will be trained in the most sophisticated probabilistic methods for modeling sequence evolution and for inferring evolutionary relationships. The project is multidisciplinary and will enhance the candidate's analytical, mathematical and computational skills on a series of tightly focused biological problems for which the host laboratory has a strong international reputation. These new skills, and her already extensive international experience and contacts, will provide her with the competencies to develop a leading role as a European evolutionary biologist and bioinformatician. The project will also provide her with generic analytical skills relevant to the FP7 Health theme, "Multidisciplinary fundamental genomics and molecular biology approaches to study basic biological processes directly relevant to health and diseases" and "Coordination and Support Actions in large-scale data gathering and systems biology".

Keywords: phylogeny,eukaryotes,alpha-proteobacteria,evolution,protists,mitochondria,models of evolution
Mechanisms underlying Wnt-induced DNA Damage Response in primary human breast epithelial cells. (BREASTCANCERWNTDDR)

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: Switzerland
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-2-IIF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-12-01
End date: 2010-11-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 180431.75
EU funding (EUR): 180431.75
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Wnt signaling is important in many developmental processes and has been implicated in tumorigenesis and in degenerative diseases. In normal cells, Wnt family proteins act through the well characterized canonical or less well understood non-canonical signaling pathways. While the canonical pathways proceed through the stabilization of beta-catenin, the non-canonical ones involve several effectors including protein kinases such as JNK, a member of the Stress Activated Protein Kinases family, which is activated by a variety of extracellular stimuli (Weston et al.). The Brisken laboratory has recently shown that increased Wnt signaling in primary human breast epithelial cells (HBECs) triggers a cascade of events resulting in oncogenic conversion of these cells (Ayyanan, A., et al). They found that an early event triggered by ectopic Wnt-1 expression is the activation of the DNA Damage Response (DDR). A hallmark of DDR is the phosphorylation state of the histone H2AX since phosphorylation of H2AX is induced in response to DSBs (double stranded breaks) originating from diverse origins including external damage (E.P. Rogakou et al.; T.T. Paull et al.), replication fork collision (T. Furuta, et al.; I.M. Ward et al.), apoptosis (E.P. Rogakou, et al.), and dysfunctional telomeres (F. d’Adda di Fagagna et al.;.H. Takai et al.). Recently, it has been shown that H2AX could be phosphorylated by JNK. The goal of this project is to determine which signaling cascades are activated by Wnt-1 in primary HBECs, and to test the hypothesis that activation of JNK leads to phosphorylation of H2AX thereby triggering the DDR. This will help to uncover the nature of molecular mechanisms activated by Wnt that could be targets of molecular or pharmacological therapies to breast cancers where Wnt signaling plays a role.

Keywords: breast cancer,wnt,dna damage response,h2ax,jnk
Biogeochemistry of New Zealand Cretaceous-Cenozoic hydrocarbon-seeps (NZGEOBIOLOGY)

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-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-08-01
End date: 2010-07-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 166982.27
EU funding (EUR): 166982.27
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Hydrocarbons accumulate in the Earth’s geosphere and can be released into the oceans and atmosphere, driven by geologic and tectonic events. On marine continental margins, faulting and over-pressured sedimentary pore-fluids can initiate fluid movement from depth, to manifest as subsurface fluid migration (plumbing) and seafloor hydrocarbon seepages or gas hydrates. Seeps and gas hydrates serve as markers for petroleum exploration, shape the biogeographic distribution and evolution of chemosynthetic ecosystems, and may trigger slope instability or climate change. In New Zealand’s North Island, these short-timed fluid-flow features leave behind robust signatures in authigenic seep-carbonates. These carbonates were precipitated due to anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) and will be investigated by detailed molecular-isotopic biomarker analyses in order to deliver their key messages. This pioneering study on lipid biomarkers in ancient NZ-seeps will provide important information on 1) scavenging former activity at methane-seeps performed by a microbial community inhabiting ancient methane-seeps, 2) impact of abrupt changes in extreme environments on methane-seeps communities 3) the composition of the microbial community at methane-seeps, 4) ecological functions of certain microbial groups. Results obtained on lipid biomarkers of ancient methane-seeps will be a major part of an international collaborative research programme which aims are to elucidate how-fluid flow manifestations, namely hydrocarbon seeps and gas hydrates, interact with biosphere-hydrosphere-geosphere interfaces over geologic time. It will also assist in linking New Zealand’s past and present chemosynthetic communities to those which occur around the Pacific Rim in the extreme environments of hydrothermal vents and hydrocarbon seeps.

Keywords: lipid biomarkers,methane-seep,carbonate,archaea,stable isotope,biosphere-hydrosphere-geosphere interaction,chemosynthetic ecosystem,biogeography
Homoclinic bifurcation in mechanical systems: theory and application (HOMMECH)

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-2007-4-2-IIF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-10-01
End date: 2010-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 225053.2
EU funding (EUR): 225053.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The theory of dynamical systems aims to understand the nature of the behaviour of solutions of evolution equations, describing processes in a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines. Dynamical systems that arise in the context of applications often admit additional structure with important consequences for the dynamics. For instance, mechanical systems often possess symmetry and Hamiltonian structure. Many mechanical systems are described by Hamiltonian equations, such as the celebrated Henon-Heiles model of galactic motion, the motion of nonlinear three-dimensional vibrations of strings, localized travelling waves in Hamiltonian lattices (Fermi-Pasta-Ulam chain), vortex dynamics (related to hydrodynamics problems) and non-holonomic dynamics. The main goal of the proposed project is to develop mathematical methods of the bifurcation theory for dynamical systems with special structures. In particular, the focus will be on bifurcations involving homoclinic solutions, which lie at the basis of the understanding of complicated recurrent dynamics, better known as chaos. While homoclinic bifurcations have been extensively studied in the context of general systems (without additional structure), the problem of homoclinic bifurcation in Hamiltonian systems has received relatively little attention, despite its obvious relevance for many practical applications. This is mainly due to the fact that homoclinic bifurcations in Hamiltonian systems are often much more challenging than those in general systems. The project objectives include the study of global bifurcations in systems with different types of homoclinic and heteroclinic orbits leading to a creation of novel methods for the study of Hamiltonian systems with symmetry. An important objective of the proposed project is the application of these mathematical methods to study the dynamics of an axisymmetric rigid body in a gravity field, which is a fundamental open problem in the field of theoretical mechanics.

Keywords: dynamical systems,bifurcation theory,hamiltonian dynamics,reversible systems,kam theory,homoclinic (heteroclinic) cycle,saddle-center,saddle-focus,complex dynamics,nonuniform hyperbolicity
Smad4-Ubiquitination by opposing E3 and DUB activities: a central control element in TGF-beta signaling (ENZYMES FOR SMAD4-UB)

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-2007-4-2-IIF, 2007)
Start date: 2009-02-01
End date: 2011-01-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 162985.98
EU funding (EUR): 162985.98
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The research here outlined deals with the relevance of ubiquitination in TGF-beta growth factor signalling. As outlined below (subchapters) TGF-beta signalling is fundamental for embryonic development and for a variety of human pathologies. In particular, recent data showed that tuning TGF-beta signalling is essential for differentiation of pluripotent cells and for cancer and metastasis. The proposal is therefore highly relevant not only scientifically but also for the socio-economic reasons. We will place emphasis of monoubiquitination as a mechanism to regulate protein function, which is a new concept emerging in signal transduction. Multidisiplinarity. As TGF-beta is such a pleiotropic cytokine, the research is highly multidisciplinary, ranging from biochemistry of the Smad4 signal transducer, to identification of new enzymes impinging on Smad4 ubiquitination levels, and how these events ultimately impact on the embryonic development and proliferative behaviour of adult cells. The reason for me to apply to this incoming international fellowship is to linked my specific expertise, that is, the ability to carry out special type of manipulations such as depletion of maternal mRNA in Xenopus oocytes (that are simply not present in Europe) or generation of transgenic frogs (poorly diffused). These technologies will be of help to the characterization of the embryonic phenotype of Smad4 modifying enzymes that are supplied maternally to the conceptus. Being the hosting laboratory a world leader in the TGF-beta signalling and embryonic development field, these expertise will now be able to spread in Europe. My own expertise will therefore integrate with those of the hosting group leading to a mutually beneficial and synergistic approach to a very complex and daring biological problem.

Keywords: ubiquitination,tgf-beta,development,cancer,xenopus laevis,ectodermin,smad4,deubiquitinase,dub,e3 ligase
Regulating nuclear organisation in telomere maintenance and DNA repair: the role of SUMO modification (SUMO AND CHROMATIN)

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-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-03-01
End date: 2010-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 179297.73
EU funding (EUR): 179297.73
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The organisation of the genome into separate domains and sub-compartments through higher order chromatin structure is an important means by which eukaryotic cells control nuclear processes such as DNA transcription and repair. Recent evidence has implicated sumoylation as an important regulator of global nuclear architecture as well as allied processes such as telomere maintenance and DNA damage repair. Using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism to look at nuclear dynamics in vivo, we aim to elucidate the mechanism by which SUMO modification regulates these processes.

Keywords: genome stability,sumo modification,dna damage,telomere maintenance,snf2 proteins,nuclear organisation
Studying very high redshift Galaxies through Gravitational Telescopes (HIGHZLENS)

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-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-09-01
End date: 2010-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 164061.03
EU funding (EUR): 164061.03
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This program aims to study the formation and evolution of high redshift galaxies strongly lensed by a massive cluster acting as a gravitational lens. I plan to study the assembly history of galaxies at 2 < z < 5 through very detailed analysis of highly magnified arcs with Integral Field Spectroscopy, in order to compare the local star formation rate and spectrophotometric properties at a spatial resolution of 0.1-0.2 kpc, allowed by the gravitational lensing effect which stretches the observed physical scales. I will use the new PanSTARRS survey to look for more examples of highly magnified arcs in galaxy-galaxy events. I will perform a large survey for very high redshift lensed galaxies (6<z<12) identified as near-infrared dropouts and undertake the spectroscopic follow-up using the forthcoming multi-object spectrographs at high resolution. By comparing the number counts, luminosity functions and spectroscopic results with theoretical expectations from semi-analytical models, I will build a complete picture of the star formation history in the early Universe, well ahead of the commissioning of the next generation of large-diameter (30m) telescopes such as the ELTs, or the JWST. All this research will be performed using the latest instruments on large-diameter telescopes accessible to the Durham group (Gemini, ESO observatories, Magellan), including the available Integral Field Units, and the space telescope. The programme includes technical training on reduction and analysis of 3D datasets, project management, collaboration with different groups and presentation/publication of scientific results.

Keywords: astrophysics,cosmology
Adrenal Androgens (AA)

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-2007-2-1-IEF, 2007)
Start date: 2008-02-18
End date: 2010-02-17
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 169390.93
EU funding (EUR): 169390.93
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The differentiation of male and female phenotype is established at 7-12 weeks post conceptionem. During this period, maintaining the appropiate intrauterine hormone environment is essential. In contrast to other species, the regulation of human sexual differentiation is linked with the development of the adrenal cortex, as can be concluded from the disorders (virilization and adrenal insufficiency in the newborn) observed in patients suffering from congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), one of the most common known autosomal recessive disorders. Until now, the explanation for the corrupted sexual differentiation in CAH is mainly hypothetical and relies heavily upon extrapolation from the adult adrenocortical function. The so far widely accepted explanation upon regulation of steroidogenesis during development is based on the description of the so called classical pathway of steroidogenesis. In this pathway the conversion of 17-hydroxyprogesterone to dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) plays a pivotal role. Recent data of the host lab, however, indicate the existance of an alternative, previously unrecognized pathway in human androgen synthesis present in fetal and early neonatal life only, not involving DHEA. As the structure and function of the human fetal adrenal gland is unique and different from the adult human adrenal gland and rodents do not synthesize adrenal androgens at all, the studies require the analysis of human fetal tissue.The main goal of this project is to determine the expression and activity of the proposed alternative androgen pathway during normal human fetal development and its significance for sexual differentiation and disordered sex development. The proposed alternative androgen pathway may play a crucial role in the prenatal virilization of females suffering from CAH due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency and it is very likely that it plays an important role in normal human sexual differentiation and maintenace of pregnancy.

Keywords: health sciences: human fetal adrenal gland,androgen biosynthesis,congenital adrenal hyperplasia,disorders of sexual differentiation