Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Assembly, Mechanism, and Evolution of Macromolecular Machinery (AMEMM)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG, 2013)
Start date: 2014-05-01
End date: 2018-04-30
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Life has evolved many molecular machines to perform mechanical tasks. Studying these machines promises insights into how machinery can generate force, how they assemble themselves, and how they evolved from simpler components. Ultimately this knowledge may inform synthetic biology projects to redesign existing, or evolve novel, machinery. Yet these insights have been hindered by our inability to visualize these machines as they occur in situ. The emergent technique of electron cryo-tomography, however, offers the ability to image this molecular machinery in situ, and will likely form the basis of much research on these machines due to its ability to resolve individual proteins within frozen living cells in three dimensions. Here I describe interdisciplinary work to dissect macromolecular machinery and understand its function and evolution using as 'testing ground' one of the most striking examples of molecular machinery, the bacterial flagellar motor. The flagellar motor is attached to a long filament that it spins to form a helical propellor, pushing the bacterium in favourable directions. Yet although the motor's many components and cellular role are known, the molecular mechanism of rotation and self-assembly remain enigmatic, and while its ancestry is established, how additional proteins are recruited to form novel machinery is poorly understood. Pseudo-atomic models of motors in situ will be generated using electron cryo-tomography together with development of tagging techniques to locate proteins. These structures will next be related to their mechanical output using single-molecule biophysical methods to understand the mechanical contributions of components. Finally, fundamental principles of the evolution of macromolecular machinery will be explored, both by studying recent elaborations upon motors in some bacteria, and by studying convergent evolution by the unrelated – yet analogous – archeaellum.

Keywords: hybrid methods,electron cryo-tomography,protein science,structure and function,macromolecular machinery,macromolecular evolution,bacterial genetics,bacterial flagellar motor,type iii secretion
Nanofluidic devices for high-throughput single-molecule-fluorescence detection (NANOFLUIDIC-SMFD)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG, 2013)
Start date: 2014-03-01
End date: 2018-02-28
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Currently, the two prominent schemes for single-molecule fluorescence detection (SMFD), confocal microscopy and camera-based total-internal-reflection or wide-field microscopy, are ultimately limited in their ability to combine the detection of many molecules with obtaining data at sufficiently high time resolution, necessary for resolving fast dynamics with single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET). In particular, monitoring enzymatic reactions using smFRET is extremely challenging and remains to a large extent unexplored. Here, I propose a novel nanofluidic device to overcome these limitations by using nanochannels, which provide a well-defined flow path for a fluorescent species through the excitation/detection focus of a conventional wide-field microscope. Using an array of nanochannels offers several advantages: First, the geometrical confinement enables long observation times of non-immobilized molecules. Second, the residence time of molecules in the channels is easily controlled by the flow velocity set by the syringe pump. Third, faster flow rates together with using a CCD camera in ‘streaking mode’ enable a sub-millisecond time resolution. Fourth, a high-throughput detection is achieved by using a parallel array of channels. Fifth, enzymatic reactions can be directly triggered by mixing necessary components on-the-fly using an additional inlet. The described device will pave the way for high-throughput single-molecule detection, which will greatly expand the possibilities for researchers to apply single-molecule methods in the area of Life Sciences.

Keywords: single-molecule-fluorescence detection,nanofluidics,fret
Hydrothermal Biomass Upgrade into Carbon Materials and Levulinic Acid for Sustainable Catalysis (HYDROCAT)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG, 2013)
Start date: 2014-03-01
End date: 2018-02-28
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The goal of this proposal is the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into both nanostructured materials as well as valuable chemical platforms for biofuels production. This will be accomplished in one single hydrothermal treatment step. The resulting nanostructured carbons will be used as heterogenous catalysts for the conversion of the bio-derived chemicals from the liquid phase into biofuels. We will particularly focus on the conversion of biomass-generated levulinic acid into levulinate esters, gama-valerolactone and valerate esters using low cost biomass-derived carbon catalysts. This will offer a closed cycle on biomass upgrade where both solid carbonaceous materials as well as liquid chemicals can be easily produced and further exploited for renewable energy purposes with zero emissions.

Keywords: biomass,hydrothermal treatment,levulinic acid,carbon materials,carbon-supported nanoparticles,levulinate esters,gama-valerolactone,valeriate esters,sustainable catalysis
Predicting and managing plant population responses in human altered ecosystems (POP-CHANGE)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Ireland
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG, 2013)
Start date: 2014-03-01
End date: 2018-02-28
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Humans are rapidly changing the environments that plant and animal populations exist in. In order to make predictions about which populations will persist, which we are likely to lose and where to best place our management efforts for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services we need a fundamental understanding of how the environment affects population growth and decline in human altered ecosystems. The proposed research seeks to leverage existing data-sets on plant population dynamics and spatial locations to gain insight into how abiotic conditions affect the growth, survival and reproduction of 162 species of plants worldwide. New data will be collected to extensively sample the population dynamics of a widespread plant species to develop novel models of habitat suitability for population growth at the global scale. Statistical models will be developed from existing data on 86 plant species at >40 sites worldwide to determine whether plant population responses to nutrient addition can be predicted using known demographic attributes, these models will be tested using new data from approx. 30 sites worldwide. Ultimately we need to use our knowledge of ecology together with the efficacy and costs of management to determine cost effective interventions to achieve environmental or societal goals. I will use demographic data on >20 plant species together with new management data to develop comparative models of cost effective management strategies for problematic invasive plants. I will use these interlinked objectives to develop predictive models of plant population dynamics under altered environmental conditions, predictions of population response to nutrient addition and general guidelines on how best to manage damaging pest species. The CIG will enable this research programme to be undertaken at a global scale and put European research at the forefront of mitigating the threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Keywords: population dynamics,invasive plants,climate change,species distribution models,matrix model,spatial ecology
Low-temperature CHEMical approaches to novel materials based on earth ABundant ELements. Towards advanced electronic and optoelectronic applications (CHEMABEL)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG, 2013)
Start date: 2014-03-01
End date: 2018-02-28
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The renewable energy technologies already available are not yet capable of competing with fossil fuels mainly due to a poor ratio cost/efficiency. A clear example is photovoltaic energy, for which high costs and moderate performances yield too long payback times, despite the huge amount of solar energy constantly reaching the Earth. The key to cheap and more efficient renewable energy sources lies in the materials at the heart of the different technologies. The synthesis of novel materials with superior tailored properties for each particular energy application, and the development of cheap and scalable fabrication protocols is therefore crucial if renewable energy technologies are to take a main share of modern society energy mix. Thus I plan to focus on the synthesis and study of novel materials based on earth abundant elements, with tailored properties for application in photovoltaic cells and other electronic devices, such as transparent electronics. On a complementary research line, the design of simpler and more efficient cell (nano)architectures is another key factor in maximizing the efficiency/cost ration of solar cells. In this sense I intend to develop novel nanoarchitectures in which the two main processes in solar cells, namely light abslorption and charge extraction, are decoupled and thus can be separately tackled and optimized. I want to address these goals by using and developing facile, low-cost and scalable approaches. The hydrothermal method has proven to be a very effective synthetic approach yielding both known and new phases. Moreover, it is a low cost method and easily scalable. I have also shown the efficiency of hydrothermal reactions for the fabrication of hybrid nanostructures. Additionally, other low-cost, solution-based methods will be explored (electrochemistry, chemical oxidation, etc). Finally, an exciting new approach to Atomic Layer Deposition that operates at atmospheric pressure will be developed and implemented.

Keywords: spatial/atmospheric atomic layer deposition,copper-based materials,electrodeposition,hydrothermal reactions,nanostructured solar cells. hybrid solar cells,oxide electronics
Targeting Glioblastoma Reprogrammed Stem Cells (TUMOR REPROGRAMMING)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Israel
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG, 2013)
Start date: 2015-03-01
End date: 2019-02-28
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is both the most common and lethal primary malignant brain tumor. In the last century we have accumulated tremendous amounts of data on this type of cancer, but we have achieved very little improvement in its treatment. Despite decades of concerted effort and advances in surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, the median survival is 15 months. The inadequate progress in treatment led us to reexamine the gliomagenesis theory and reconsider the cell of origin of this deadly disease. We recently developed a mouse glioma model using Cre-inducible lentiviral vectors that faithfully recapitulate the pathophysiology of human glioblastomas. Using this model, our results suggested that most differentiated cells in the central nervous system (CNS) upon defined genetic alterations undergo reprogramming to generate a neural stem cell (NSC) or progenitor state to initiate and maintain the tumor progression, as well as to give rise to the heterogeneous populations observed in malignant gliomas. We also reported the transdifferentiation of tumor cells to form tumor derived endothelial cells (TDEC) to generate new tumor blood vessels. I propose a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the mechanisms of tumor cell reprogramming and the potential development of novel therapeutic modalities. I will combine molecular biology, cancer biology, immunology, biochemistry and nanotechnology to address these lines of investigation both in vitro and in vivo in a novel mouse model of GBM.

Keywords: glioblastoma,lentivirus,cancer mouse model,cancer stem cells,nanoparticles,adoptive cell transfer,chimeric receptor,tumor vasculature,dedifferentiation
Nanoscale Organisation and Dynamics of Ionic Networks at Biological Interfaces (NANOORDER)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG, 2013)
Start date: 2014-06-01
End date: 2018-05-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In solution, ions tend to accumulate near charged surfaces and form an electrostatic double layer. The ionic density of the double layer is generally well understood, but little is known about the lateral organization of the ions at the surface. The existence of ordered ionic networks could have dramatic consequences for interfacial processes, for example in charges and molecules transfer. In biology and soft matter, ions networks would also affect the mechanical properties of interfaces and could help re-shape the cell. Recent developments in the field of atomic force microscopy have made it possible to image single ions on surfaces and study the formation of organized networks over tens of nanometres with molecular precision. NanoOrder investigates the formation of such structures at model bio-interfaces, in solution. The aim of this interdisciplinary project is to unravel the mechanisms that allow soft bio-membranes to control complex ionic networks through their molecular organization and physical properties.

Keywords: solid-liquid interfaces,ionic networks,lipid bilayer,soft matter,atomic force microscopy,electrochemistry,stern layer,ion-ion correlation,mechanical properties
Social cognition in gaze-based interaction (DUALGAZE)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG, 2013)
Start date: 2015-05-18
End date: 2019-05-17
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Social cognition studies have, paradoxically, largely ignored social interaction, because of a prevailing cognitivist tradition that assumes we can learn about the minds in “isolation”, and because of methodological difficulties in operationalising real-life interaction in a controlled experimental setup. This proposal aims to study the dynamic properties of social interaction via gaze by means of a dual interactive eye-tracking paradigm in which each person’s gaze, recorded via eye-tracking, is presented to the other by means of a virtual agent.

Keywords: social cognition,second-person,interaction,gaze,eye-tracking,behavioural contingencies,virtual avatars
Unraveling the role of Alu RNAs accumulation in cancer progression (CANALU)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Italy
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG, 2013)
Start date: 2014-05-01
End date: 2018-04-30
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Background and rationale: The Alu repeat elements are the most abundant short interspersed repeated elements (SINEs) in human genome. Recently, the accumulation of Alu RNA transcripts, following DICER1 deficit, has been shown to be responsible for a human disease, the dry form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Geographic Atrophy (GA). Interestingly, increased levels of Alu RNAs and reduced DICER1 expression have been observed in several cancers, although no correlation has yet been established. The main objective of the present proposal is to determine the potential role of Alu RNAs accumulation in tumor formation and progression. Specific aims: The project will focus on three aims: 1) the analysis of Alu RNA expression in cancer; 2) the study of Alu RNAs-mediated signal in cancer; and 3) the analysis of the inhibition of Alu RNAs accumulation in vivo. Methods: A panel of cancer cell lines and human tumors will be used for qRT-PCR, northern blot, western blot, immunohistochemical analyses and hypoxic studies, in order to determine the expression profile of Alu RNAs and its relation with DICER1 expression in cancer. To study Alu-mediated signaling, the potential involvement of inflammasome and ERK1/2 activation in human tumors and in the cancer cell lines, which express high Alu RNAs levels, will be assessed, carrying out western blot, qRT-PCR, ELISA assays and immunohistochemical analyses. The effect of Alu RNA accumulation on cell fate will be assessed, by performing proliferation, migration and tumorigenesis assays. Stable clones, in which Alu RNAs expression is inhibited, will be generated to study whether inhibition of Alu RNAs accumulation affects tumor growth and metastasis dissemination. Expected outcome: Overall, these findings will provide new insights into the importance of Alu RNA sequences and the non-canonical DICER1 signaling in cancer development and progression, and potentially yield additional, new therapeutic targets.

Keywords: cancer,alu,dicer1
Between State and Community−Public Health Campaigns and Local Healing Practice in socialist Asia 1950- 1980: Mao’s China, a case study (HEATH CARE IN CHINA)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG, 2013)
Start date: 2014-09-01
End date: 2018-12-28
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This project will survey two widely acclaimed campaigns in China under Mao Zedong: the Barefoot Doctor Campaign and the Anti-Schistosomiasis Campaign. The Barefoot Doctor Campaign has come to symbolize the success of Chinese health care to the extent that it has become a model for WHO public health strategy. Yet little has been done to understand how or whether it worked on the ground and what difficulties and contradictions emerged in its implementation. Likewise, there are no in-depth studies of the internationally acclaimed Anti-Schistosomiasis Campaign in Mao’s China. A comparison of the latter, a top-down initiative with a biomedical ‘magic bullet’ to deliver, with the former, a more general public health campaign focused on education, hygiene and the provision of basic health care, will bring out the complex interface between local everyday health strategies and state provision of both modern allopathic medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Capitalizing on the recently opening of party archives as well as newly collected oral interviews, this project intends to move away from a narrow focus on party politics and policy formulation by examining the reality of health care at the local level and the challenges faced by local authorities and individuals as the campaigns evolved. It promises to break new ground in our knowledge of the conditions of health care from below. The overall aim of the project is to understand the processes through which better standards of health care were conceived and the different contexts in which they have and can be evaluated. It will not only help us to develop a more nuanced understanding of Chinese approaches to health, it will also contribute essential background to policy formation by generating practical resources for reviewing the more comprehensive issue of global health and provide further understanding for the global health policy debate concerning the use of primary healthcare to reduce global health care disparity.