Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Proteomic explanations for the adaptive significance of kin recognition in subsocial spiders (PROKIN)

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: Denmark
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-05-15
End date: 2016-05-14
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 308587.8
EU funding (EUR): 308587.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Kin selection theory predicts that cooperation should evolve among kin to reduce the costs of helping and the incentive to cheat. Altruistic behaviour provides individuals with either direct or indirect fitness benefits. As a necessary prerequisite, individuals need to recognise kin to direct their help towards them. Thus, kin recognition is a key feature of many social animals. Ultimate benefits of altruism are well studied, but proximate mechanisms explaining the maintenance and early evolution of kin recognition are still poorly understood. Social spiders provide an intriguing model system to investigate this issue, as some species show kin recognition but a less pronounced complexity of social interactions than that of eusocial insects. Social spiders only hunt and feed communally. Groups of close relatives perform better resulting in a higher individual fitness. Behavioural differences do not explain the better performance. Using proteomic analyses, this project will explore the possibility that a kin-specific investment in the extra-oral digestion and/or a kin-specific compatibility of the digestive enzymes is/are responsible for the better performance of related spiders. Our study object will be the sub-social spider Stegodyphus lineatus (Eresidae) in which kin recognition has been found. This species is an excellent study organism to help resolving one of the long-lasting questions in evolutionary biology, how cooperation can be evolutionarily stable. We will apply different proteomic analyses to identify the enzymatic compounds of the spiders’ digestive fluids and compare their relative composition among related and unrelated individuals. As the genome of our study species has recently been sequenced we will compare the diversity of proteins with the diversity of the according alleles. This will allow conclusions on whether differences are proteomic, genetic or both, and eventually whether this can explain the adaptive advantage of kin recognition.

Keywords: kin recognition,evolution of sociality,social spiders,proteomics,extra-oral digestion,stegodyphus
Digital Optofluidics for Remote Actuation of Liquids (DIOPTRA)

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-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-04-01
End date: 2016-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 194046.6
EU funding (EUR): 194046.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The precise manipulation of small amounts of liquids is a key-element in many scientific and technological processes involving physics, chemistry and biology. Digital microfluidics, where drops are individually controlled on open surfaces, has emerged as an alternative to the commonly used channel-based microfluidics. Current systems, such as electrowetting- and thermocapillary-based platforms, allow for adaptable droplet manipulation but they maintain the limiting need for external actuation devices (electrodes and heating elements). An attractive option is to use light for droplet control, since optical stimulation is both remote and re-configurable, while offering high spatio-temporal resolution. This project aims at providing an inclusive digital optofluidic toolbox for on-demand droplet manipulation. An integrated investigation will be performed, going from fundamental physicochemical research on two different actuation mechanisms on liquid-liquid and liquid-solid interfaces, to the application of the acquired knowledge for new applications in chemistry. Regarding liquid-liquid systems, the host has recently discovered the chromocapillary effect and applied it for the first time to manipulate organic droplets on aqueous photosensitive surfactant solutions. A better comprehension of this partially understood effect will allow us to expand the range of digital optofluidic operations. I wish to achieve on-demand control of a large number of droplets for parallel/sequential chemical reactions using dynamic light patterns generated from a microprojector. For liquid-solid systems, I propose to explore and apply a new photothermal wetting mechanism for elementary fluidic operations (i.e., driving, scission, fusion) with water droplets on solids. It will be based on integrating thermoresponsive polymers on top of strongly adsorbing solids, where the temperature gradient generated by asymmetric irradiation will cause imbalanced capillary forces leading to drop motion.

Keywords: digital micro- and optofluidics,marangoni flows,chromocapillary effect,thermoresponsive polymers,photothermal wetting,parallel droplet manipulation,structured light,chemistry applications
The Expression of CXC chemokine ligand 4 in Systemic Sclerosis and its Role in the regulation of immune and fibrotic responses (EXCELSIOR)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-03-01
End date: 2016-07-02
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 183469.8
EU funding (EUR): 183469.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic inflammatory disorder in which excessive fibrosis occurs in all vital organs, leading to profound disability and premature death. The pathogenesis of SSc is still unclear. Although earlier studies focused on fibroblast biology and pro-fibrotic factors, recently evidence advocates an important role of immune cells in the pathogenesis of this disease. In the last few years Prof. Radstake's has focused on immune cell subsets, in particular on plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), to identify their potential role in SSc. This has led to various landmark observations. Firstly, pDCs were found to secrete high amounts of specific chemokine-CXCL4. Secondly, CXCL4 was found to be closely associated with disease severity and implicated in key immune defects that recapitulate SSc. The current proposal builds further on these key observations and aims at elucidating the underlying mechanisms by which CXCL4 drives SSc by addressing three research topics: 1) identify factors that drive CXCL4 secretion, 2) discover novel functions of CXCL4, 3) determine the role of CXCL4 in vivo. For this purpose I will exploit patient material from a unique SSc cohort, use various state-of-the-art technologies and apply three experimental mouse models. SSc might be the ideal disease to study events that preclude the onset of fibrosis, since both the immune component and typical fibrotic events coincide in this condition. The state-of-the-art know-how, techniques and patient material present at the Laboratory of Translational Research ensure not only a fast and effective dissemination of our results to third parties (pharma) to initiate the development of therapeutic targets, but also the extrapolation to other fibrosing conditions such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis etc. Altogether, the current grant provides unique opportunities for me as researcher and research field to show that CXCL4 is an attractive therapeutic target for battling fibrosing conditions.

Keywords: systemic sclerosis,fibrosis,innate immunity,plasmacytoid dendritic cells,chemokine,cxcl4
Health on the move: Exploring the ethical, social, and political underpinnings of portable devices for healthcare and lifestyle (HEALTH ON THE MOVE)

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: 2014-09-08
End date: 2016-09-07
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Portability of healthcare raises ethical issues that warrant attention: these include the relocation of health outside the clinic and attendant redistribution of roles and responsibilities; the blurring of established moral categories and distinctions; and value conflicts among stakeholders. While market and policy agendas invest in the vision of mobile technologies for healthcare, there is so far no systematic sociological and ethical analysis on this topic. This project aims to take the first steps to fill this gap in the literature through offering an assessment of how portable mobile health technologies (mHT) will shape and be shaped by the current system of values in healthcare. The project has the following objectives: 1) to map technologies, regulations and discourses around mHT; 2) to explore moral, social and political values in the practices of use and technology design of mHT; 3) to assess these values against the background of current normative and conceptual descriptions in regulations; and 4) to set an agenda for regulation at the policy, technology and user level. The approach relies on qualitative methods in order to explore the ethical and political dimensions of portability in healthcare and offer normative conclusions. This highly interdisciplinary project, conducted in a world-leading research institution in the areas of healthcare, policy, medicine and society, will enable me to reach three training and career objectives: 1) integrating my experience in ethics/philosophy of technology with a deeper understanding of sociology of medicine and health; 2) strengthening my skills in the analysis of healthcare policy documents and governance strategies; 3) complementing my philosophical training with robust qualitative methodological skills for research in the social science. The fulfilment of these objectives will furnish me with the competences required to conduct original academic research at the borders of philosophy and sociology of medicine.

Keywords: ethics of emerging technologies,sociology of biomedicine,science and technology studies,politics,portable devices,m-health,lifestyle,healthcare innovation,wearable sensors.
Filling the Gaps, Chemo-enzymatic Approaches towards Abasic Site Sequencing (FTG-ABS-SEQ)

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: 2014-05-01
End date: 2016-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In this proposal a new sequencing method called abasic site sequencing: AbS-Seq will be developed and applied to the sequencing of abasic sites in context of DNA post-synthetic modifications and the position of abasic site DNA lesions on the genome. Abasic sites are places on the genome where the nucleobase has been removed. This “gap” can be a result of DNA damage due to exo- (smoke, tar) or endogenous sources (reactive oxygen species, alkylation) or can occur spontaneous in processes called de-purination/de-pyrimidination. Additionally, a set of specialized enzymes can remove a variety of modified/damaged nucleobases as part of a specialized cellular repair mechanism known as the Base Excission Repair (BER) pathway. In this proposal the sequencing of the naturally abundant abasic site DNA lesions will be investigated. The aim is to elucidate the sequence context of these DNA damages and their relation to the event of transcription. By the conversion of the small molecular probes into entities that can be used for pulldown and thus for the enrichment of abasic site containing DNA fragments, those part of the genome containing abasic sites can be sequenced. Such a strategy can be used to provide insights in the correlation between active gene expression and DNA damage in health and disease. Additionally, it is proposed to use the enzymes from the BER for the sequencing of post-synthetic DNA modifications by creating abasic sites in vitro. The same enrichment method can then be applied to map the modifications of interest on a genome scale. In addition, base resolution may be acquired by the comparison of sequencing data from native samples and the converted abasic sites.

Keywords: abasic sites,dna modification,sequencing,dna damage,epigenetics,small molecular probes,base excision repair
Cellular bioengineering by plasmonic enhanced laser nanosurgery (LIGHT2NANOGENE)

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-2013-IOF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-04-01
End date: 2017-03-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 283489.2
EU funding (EUR): 283489.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The use of nanoscience technologies to either perform therapy or diagnosis at the cellular level is expected to revolutionize 21st Century medicine by opening new approaches to cure various illnesses. However, cellular bioengineering is technologically challenging and becomes feasible only when different scientific disciplines are combined together to provide advanced cellular level surgery tools. To this aim, nanosurgery (i.e., surgery on the nanoscale) employs ultrafast laser technology and/or nanoscience emerging technologies (nanophotonics, nano-engineering, plasmonics etc.) to perform cell or even nucleus surgery. The major advantage of the nanosurgery approach is the prospect to disrupt submicrometer-sized organelles within living cells or tissue without affecting the surrounding material or compromising viability of the cell or organism. In this context, we intend to apply and optimize a novel femtosecond laser technique for nanosurgery of cancer cells. The technique, named plasmonic enhanced laser nanosurgery, combines the advantages of two rapidly expanding research and technological fields, namely plasmonics and ultrafast lasers, to build a versatile tool capable of performing high throughput cell nanosurgery. The main innovative goal of the proposal involves optical fiber integration of the plasmonic nanosurgery tool towards in-vivo (i.e. living subject) applications. In-vitro cell transfection (i.e., introduction of siRNA through the membrane of breast cancer stem cells (CSCs)) is the specific nanosurgery application of the Light2NanoGene project. The latter, is driven by the remarkable ability of these undifferentiated cells within a tumor to self-renew and promote metastases. The successful transfection of the CSCs with siRNA will silence the expression of key genes involved in their aggressive behavior. We expect proof-of-concept elimination of their capacity for self-regeneration and induction of metastases.

Keywords: laser nanosurgery,plasmonics,nanomedicine,femtosecond laser,laser cell trasfection,cancer stem cells,optoporation,cavitation bubbles,plasmonic nanoparticles
Investigations into Advanced Beam Instrumentation for the Optimization of Particle Accelerators (DITA-IIF)

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-2013-IIF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-09-24
End date: 2016-09-23
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 309235.2
EU funding (EUR): 309235.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

There are more than thirty thousand particle accelerators in the world, ranging from the linear accelerators used for cancer therapy in modern hospitals to the giant 'atom-smashers' at international particle physics laboratories used to unlock the secrets of creation. Beam diagnostics systems are essential constituents of any particle accelerator; they reveal the properties of a beam and how it behaves in a machine. Without an appropriate set of diagnostic elements, it would simply be impossible to operate any accelerator complex, let alone optimize its performance. Of particular importance are beam diagnostics methods based on light emitted by a beam of charged particles, such as synchrotron radiation, optical transition and diffraction radiation or Smith-Purcell radiation. The main goal of DITA-IIF is to advance the state of the art of optical beam diagnostics to meet the requirements of the present and next generation of accelerators. Our aim is to develop minimally invasive methods for low to medium power accelerators and non-invasive techniques applicable to very intense, high power particle beam accelerators. We will address four key diagnostic challenges 1) how does one extend and validate the dynamic range of current beam imaging methods to monitor and quantify beam halo, an potential source of beam loss and increased radiation levels that can disrupt beam transport and even damage accelerator components; 2) can one develop a simple, fast all optical method to map the transverse phase space of the beam that can be used to quantitatively determine how well the beam is being transported throughout the accelerator; 3) can one use near field optical diffraction radiation, a noninvasive imaging method, to measure the size and distribution of a high energy beam; 4) can one use the angular distribution of coherent diffraction radiation to measure the time duration of a single beam pulse to optimize bunch compression, a fundamental beam conditioning process.

Keywords: accelerators,charged particle beams,optical,diagnostics
Spintronics with Topological Insulator/Ferromagnet Nanodevices (STIFNANO)

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-2013-IEF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-04-01
End date: 2016-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 166336.2
EU funding (EUR): 166336.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Integration of magnetic functionalities into electronic circuits requires the use of low cost, scalable methods focusing on the manipulation of magnetic moments by electric fields, as opposed to external magnetic fields. Spin polarized carriers can exert a torque to control the magnetization orientation. These carriers can be injected from ferromagnets (FM). They can also originate from the spin-orbit interaction, by using the Rashba, Dresselhaus and spin Hall effects. Ultimately, one may take advantage of the spin-textured states at the surface of topological insulators (TIs), a recently discovered new state of matter. The later "spin-orbit torques" (SOTs) were recently observed in heavy-metal/FM and semiconducting structures. However, the mechanisms in play are under fierce debate, which is hindering technological progress. The aim of this project is primarily to perform a pioneering investigation of SOTs in TIs, opening new avenues for magnetization control and next-generation spintronic devices. In addition, information on the magnitude, symmetry and origin of the SOTs will be gathered with commonly studied heavy metals. A further objective is to investigate new magnetoresistive effects mediated by TIs surface states. We will fabricate layered FM/TI and FM/metal structures by molecular beam epitaxy and implement electrical transport and magnetic resonance measurements. The helical nature of surface states in TIs is expected to provide alternative mechanisms to produce SOTs that are currently unexplored. We will also investigate the influence of the magnetic state on the charge transport in FM/FM junctions on top of TIs, in particular current quantization which should be associated with large magnetoresistance. If successful, the outcomes of this work will include new understanding of the mechanisms by which spin-orbit coupling can lead to SOTs, new materials with optimized effects and novel devices for Information and Communication Technologies based on them.

Keywords: spintronics,topological insulator,spin-orbit torque,magnetoresistance,ferromagnetic resonance,molecular beam epitaxy,multilayer
Identification and functional dissection of key genetic events in early chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL_INCLONEL)

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: Austria
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IOF, 2013)
Start date: 2014-04-01
End date: 2017-03-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 260874.6
EU funding (EUR): 260874.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Clonal evolution represents a central feature of tumor progression and relapse. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a valuable model to study this process due to a high prevalence, initially slow progression and the easy availability of samples. Recent large-scale sequencing studies have identified putative driver genetic events of CLL, uncovered the vast inter-personal and intratumoral genetic heterogeneity in CLL and have linked the presence of aggressive subclonal mutations with clonal evolution and poorer outcome. The patterns of different aberrations within the same sample suggest a temporal hierarchy in acquisition of genetic events, and a stepwise transformation of disease from diagnosis to later more aggressive stages. To directly test these ideas, I will systematically examine the clonal dynamics of a cohort of 17 CLL patients that were recurrently sampled over years from diagnosis until the time of first treatment. Through this longitudinal study, I will seek to identify the early events in this initially indolent malignancy leading to disease progression and how the order of genomic aberrations dictates tumor fate and biology (Aim 1). To directly test the functional impact of these early genetic events on B cell biology, we will utilize novel TALEN genome-engineering technology to generate cell lines harboring key mutation events (Aim 2). The generation of these isogenic cell lines will enable me to determine the relative fitness of putative CLL drivers in vitro and to study the effect of established and novel cytotoxic and targeted drugs on the dynamics amongst CLL subpopulations (Aim 3). Answering these questions will facilitate translation of novel genetic insights towards the development of individualized diagnostic and therapeutic management of CLL.

Keywords: haematology,clonal evolution,chronic lymphocytic leukaemia