Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Mucosal dendritic cells in intestinal homeostasis and bacteria-related diseases. (DENDROWORLD)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Cellular and Developmental Biology
Countries involved: Italy
Call:  (ERC-2007-StG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-07-01
End date: 2013-06-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1195680.0
EU funding (EUR): 1195680.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The bacterial microflora has always been regarded as beneficial for the host but recent studies have shown that this symbiosis has risks as well as benefits. Although active mechanisms allow tolerating the commensal flora, the physiological stress that is associated with the symbionts’ metabolism can exhaust the intestinal barrier resulting in serious effects on the health of the host. Protracted immune deregulations can lead to severe disorders including diabetes, cancer and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Several mechanisms and players are involved in the maintenance of intestinal immune homeostasis, including T regulatory cells and Immunoglobulin (Ig)-A. In this proposal we focus our attention on dendritic cells (DCs) for their ability to induce both tolerance and immunity by regulating B and T cell responses. We have recently shown that DC function is controlled by intestinal epithelial cell (EC) derived factors and in particular by Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). EC-conditioned DCs acquire a ‘mucosal’ phenotype as they are prone to activate T regulatory cells and IgA responses. Three major issues related to the maintenance and disruption of intestinal immune homeostasis will be explored in this project: 1) What are the mediators and mechanisms that regulate the interaction between intestinal epithelial cells and dendritic cells? What is the function of TSLP? 2) Which are the sites and players for the activation of an IgA response to pathogenic and commensal bacteria? Can we visualize them in vivo? 3) Can prolonged infections or bacterial products promote intestinal tumour development? Are there different bacterial constituents acting as inducers or protectors of carcinogenesis? What is the role of Toll-like receptors?

Keywords: dendritic cells,intestinal tumours
Promoting and linking Wood Industry and Research in Romanian Regions using good practice from acknowledged wood clusters in the EU (PRO-WOOD)

Framework: FP7 — Capacities
Programme: Regions of Knowledge
Destination: Facilitating the emergence of new regional research driven clusters and mutual exchange of information
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Germany,Germany,France,Romania,Finland,Romania,Romania
Call:  (FP7-REGIONS-2007-2, 2007)
Start date: 2008-05-01
End date: 2010-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 241096.16
EU funding (EUR): 199620.0
Participants: 8
Project status: CLOSED

PRO-WOOD is a project designed to support an emerging wood cluster in the County of Brasov-Covasna in Romania. The wood sector has a long tradition in business and R&D, and an economic potential that needs to be developed. A very successful tool to trigger such economic and knowledge-based environments are cluster initiatives (CIs). However CIs do not have a long tradition in Eastern European, so called transition countries. Therefore it is the challenge of PRO-WOOD to initiate a know how-transfer in order to structure the existing cluster elements. The know how-transfer will be based upon a fact finding analysis and will be harmonized with the special needs of the wood sector in Brasov-Covasna. The project resolves to achieve four objectives: (1) Establish an infrastructure for regular co-operation between the stakeholders of the wood sector in Brasov-Covasna. (2) Trigger and increase the role of R&D within the future cluster work. (3) Formulate a vision for the wood cluster, that indicates objectives and measurable results. (4) Release a web-based network platform. Beside the economic effects that an established wood cluster will have for the region Brasov-Covasna, it will support the integration of the region into the European Research Area. Eight partners from Romania, Finland, France and Germany have formed a consortium. This partnership comprises the needed stakeholders on the Romanian side and the knowledge about cluster policy tools, wood research and business on the other side.

Keywords: cluster,wood,romania,know how transfer
Asymptotic Geometric Analysis and Learning Theory (AGALT)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Mathematical foundations
Countries involved: Israel
Call:  (ERC-2007-StG, 2007)
Start date: 2009-03-01
End date: 2014-02-28
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 750000.0
EU funding (EUR): 750000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In a typical learning problem one tries to approximate an unknown function by a function from a given class using random data, sampled according to an unknown measure. In this project we will be interested in parameters that govern the complexity of a learning problem. It turns out that this complexity is determined by the geometry of certain sets in high dimension that are connected to the given class (random coordinate projections of the class). Thus, one has to understand the structure of these sets as a function of the dimension - which is given by the cardinality of the random sample. The resulting analysis leads to many theoretical questions in Asymptotic Geometric Analysis, Probability (most notably, Empirical Processes Theory) and Combinatorics, which are of independent interest beyond the application to Learning Theory. Our main goal is to describe the role of various complexity parameters involved in a learning problem, to analyze the connections between them and to investigate the way they determine the geometry of the relevant high dimensional sets. Some of the questions we intend to tackle are well known open problems and making progress towards their solution will have a significant theoretical impact. Moreover, this project should lead to a more complete theory of learning and is likely to have some practical impact, for example, in the design of more efficient learning algorithms.

Keywords: asymptotic geometric analysis,statistical learning theory,empirical processes
Attachment anxiety, Self Structures and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) (ATTACHMENT AND OCD)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Israel
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-3-IRG, 2007)
Start date: 2007-10-01
End date: 2011-09-30
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

We aim to investigate, via experimental tasks, the nature of the relationships between attachment anxiety, self structures and key phenomenological features of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in order to inform conceptualisations and improve psychological treatment of this disorder. In Study 1, we aim to assess whether the triggering of attachment-anxiety is associated with lower implicit self esteem (ISE) and greater urge to act in response to scenarios previously shown to be OCD-relevant. It is hypothesized that triggering attachment-anxiety will decrease ISE and result in greater urge to act in response to OCD-related scenarios. Conversely, in Study 2, we aim to assess whether priming attachment security is associated with higher implicit self esteem (ISE) and lesser urge to act in response to scenarios previously shown to be OCD-relevant. It is hypothesized that enhancing attachment security will increase ISE and result in lesser urge to act in response to OCD-related scenarios. In Study 3, we will investigate whether suppressing intrusive thoughts rated as personally meaningful will lead to decreased ISE, particularly for individuals with high attachment-anxiety. We expect the suppression of intrusive thoughts considered indicative of hidden self-aspects will result in lower ISE, in particular for individuals with high attachment-anxiety. In Studies 4, 5 and 6, we aim to replicate the findings in a clinical OCD sample. The proposed research involving the integration of OCD, cognitive, attachment and self research is consistent with the aim of creating internationally competitive ‘state of the art’, interdisciplinary research capacity within the EU. Given the expertise of the host organization, collaborator (from the applicants’ previous residence) and applicant in the development and dissemination of evidence-based psychological research, the successful reintegration of the applicant into the EU research community is extremely high.

Keywords: clinical psychology,experimental psychology,cognitive behavioural therapy,social psychology
Biomimetic Lipid Structures on Nano- and Microfluidic Platforms (NMU-LIPIDS)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Computer science and informatics
Countries involved: Switzerland,Germany
Call:  (ERC-2007-StG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-07-01
End date: 2014-06-30
Duration (months): 72.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1941000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1941000.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

The projects aim at the formation, manipulation, and analysis of three-dimensional lipid membrane structures on micro- and nano-structured platforms. The goal is to develop a novel methodology to design and create simple artificial cells and cell organelles, bio-hybrid cells, and bio-mimicking membrane networks, which could be an entirely novel tool for cell analysis, and promises fascinating prospects for cell manipulation, biotechnology, pharmacy and material sciences. The basis of the projects is formed by an unconventional concept that involves two current cutting-edge fabrication technologies, i.e. the so-called top-down and bottom-up approaches. The combination of the two approaches, with respect to both engineering methods and biological applications, opens the door to overcome current limitations in the creation of complex soft matter objects in micro- and nanometre dimension. The key method is a recently developed micro-extrusion process. It relies, on the one hand, on the ability of the lipid molecules to self-assemble (“bottom-up”). On the other hand, photolithography processes (“top-down”) are utilized to fabricate microchips, in which shape transformation, handling and analysis of the lipid structures are performed. The proposed engineering process will enable, for the first time, to precisely design composition, size and morphology of complex membrane structures. It will provide the requirements to design an artificial cell of reasonable complexity (“bottom-up”). One main emphasis is the creation of unique bio-hybrid systems, in which artificial membrane structures are connected to living cells, or in which natural membranes of cells are integrated within artificial systems (“top-down”). This highly interdisciplinary study will further include fundamental studies on membrane properties, engineering aspects to generate novel soft-matter devices, and the development of analytical methods and lipid sensors based on micro- and nanostructured chips.

Keywords: microfluidics,self-assembly,artificial cells,lipid membrane,synthetic biology,soft matter objects,lab-on-chip technology,nanotechnology,microengineering,biosensor
Molecular Dissection of the Kinetochore – Microtubule Interface (KINETOCORE)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Molecular and Structural Biology and Biochemistry
Countries involved: Austria
Call:  (ERC-2007-StG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-10-01
End date: 2013-09-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 900000.0
EU funding (EUR): 900000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The ability of spindle microtubules of to interact dynamically with centromeric chromatin is a critical feature of chromosome segregation and ensures the faithful distribution of genetic material. Errors in this process lead to abnormal chromosome numbers and are a hallmark of cancer and birth defects. The kinetochore is the key cell division organelle that enables high fidelity transmission of genetic information by coupling chromosomes to the plus-ends of spindle microtubules during mitosis and meiosis. Despite its cytological description more than a century ago, little information is available on kinetochore function at a molecular level. Here, I propose to dissect the molecular mechanisms of kinetochore function using the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system. My previous work has demonstrated that fundamental aspects of kinetochore organization are conserved throughout evolution. I will use a combination of biochemistry, electron microscopy, in-vitro assays with static and dynamic microtubule substrates as well as yeast cell biology to address fundamental questions of kinetochore function. Specifically, my experiments aim to elucidate 1) the mechanism of phospho-regulation at the kinetochore-microtubule interface 2) the roles of plus-end tracking proteins in chromosome segregation 3) the roles of kinetochore subcomplexes in connecting microtubules and centromeres. Successful completion of the project will help to move the kinetochore field towards a detailed understanding of the molecular mechanisms of chromosome segregation and can open up new perspectives for analyzing the functions of this complex macromolecular machine.

Keywords: mitosis,chromosome segregation,kinetochore,microtubules
Understanding the structure and stability of heavy and superheavy elements (SHESTRUCT)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Fundamental constituents of matter
Countries involved: Finland
Call:  (ERC-2007-StG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-09-01
End date: 2014-02-28
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1249608.0
EU funding (EUR): 1249608.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The aim of the project is to further our understanding of the structure and stability of atomic nuclei at the extreme upper end of the chart of the nuclides. One of the major goals of contemporary Nuclear Physics experiments is to locate and chart the fabled superheavy element "Island of Stability". Experiments which aim to directly produce the heaviest elements may provide only a limited number of observables, such as decay modes or half-lives. Detailed Nuclear Structure investigations provide extensive data which can be used as a stringent test of modern self-consistent theories. Such theories require input from the study of nuclei with extreme proton-to-neutron ratios. The upper part of the chart of the nuclides is one region in which this data is much sought after. The project will employ state-of-the-art spectrometers at the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä, Finland (JYFL) to acquire such data. The spectrometers are part of a multi-national collaboration of European institutes. Results obtained in the course of the project will have a direct impact on current nuclear structure theories. The unique nature of the facilities at JYFL means that it will be impossible to obtain data of comparable quality elsewhere in the world. The project should yield a large number of publications and result in the training of several Ph.D students. The students will benefit from the fact that the Accelerator Laboratory is part of a large and well-respected University.

Keywords: nuclear structure,nuclear spectroscopy,superheavy elements
Breaking Inversion Symmetry in Magnets: Understand via THeory (BISMUTH)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Physical and Analytical Chemical sciences
Countries involved: Italy
Call:  (ERC-2007-StG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-05-01
End date: 2012-04-30
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 684000.0
EU funding (EUR): 684000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Multiferroics (i.e. materials where ferroelectricity and magnetism coexist) are presently drawing enormous interests, due to their technologically-relevant multifunctional character and to the astoundingly rich playground for fundamental condensed-matter physics they constitute. Here, we put forward several concepts on how to break inversion symmetry and achieve sizable ferroelectricity in collinear magnets; our approach is corroborated via first-principles calculations as tools to quantitatively estimate relevant ferroelectric and magnetic properties as well as to reveal ab-initio the main mechanisms behind the dipolar and magnetic orders. In closer detail, we focus on the interplay between ferroelectricity and electronic degrees of freedom in magnets, i.e. on those cases where spin- or orbital- or charge-ordering can be the driving force for a spontaneous polarization to develop. Antiferromagnetism will be considered as a primary mechanism for lifting inversion symmetry; however, the effects of charge disproportionation and orbital ordering will also be studied by examining a wide class of materials, including ortho-manganites with E-type spin-arrangement, non-E-type antiferromagnets, nickelates, etc. Finally, as an example of materials-design accessible to our ab-initio approach, we use “chemistry” to break inversion symmetry by artificially constructing an oxide superlattice and propose a way to switch, via an electric field, from antiferromagnetism to ferrimagnetism. To our knowledge, the link between electronic degrees of freedom and ferroelectricity in collinear magnets is an almost totally unexplored field by ab-initio methods; indeed, its clear understanding and optimization would lead to a scientific breakthrough in the multiferroics area. Technologically, it would pave the way to materials design of magnetic ferroelectrics with properties persisting above room temperature and, therefore, to a novel generation of electrically-controlled spintronic devices

Keywords: ferroelectricity,multiferroics,density-functional,spin,antiferromagnetism
The role of a nuclear expression site in the regulation of virulence genes in malaria parasites (MALGENEXPRESSION)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Israel
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-3-IRG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-01-01
End date: 2011-12-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The deadliest form of human malaria is caused by the protozoan parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, which annually infects millions worldwide. The virulence of P. falciparum is attributed to its ability to evade the human immune system, by modifying the host red blood cell surface to adhere to the vascular endothelium and to undergo antigenic variation. The main cell surface ligands responsible for both cytoadherence and antigenic variation are members of the P. falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein-1 (PfEMP1) family. These polymorphic proteins are encoded by a multi-copy gene family called var. Each individual parasite expresses a single var gene at a time, whereas the remaining ~60 var genes found in its genome are maintained in a transcriptionally silent state. Switches in PfEMP1 expression allow the parasite to avoid the human immune response and maintain a long-term infection. The regulation of var gene expression is therefore responsible for both immune evasion and the pathogenicity of the disease. Mutually exclusive expression and antigenic switching of var genes is epigenetically regulated at the level of transcription. This was recently demonstrated to involve chromatin modification, subnuclear localization, promoter/promoter interactions, and sterile RNAs. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which var genes are regulated is still elusive, particularly the aspects of var gene activation. I hypothesize that there exists a specific subnuclear var expression site that is involved in var gene activation. To this end the goals of the proposed research are: 1) to determine the capacity of the postulated var expression site and its role in var gene expression; 2) to determine the specificity of the expression site as a limiting factor for var gene regulation. This knowledge could lead to ways of disrupting the parasite’s ability to evade immune attack and could be exploited for the discovery of novel targets for drug and vaccine development.

Keywords: health sciences,malaria,plasmodium falciparum,parasite,virulence gene expression,antigenic variation,var genes
Innovation and application of genetically-encoded probes for correlated live-cell imaging and electron microscopy (PROBES FOR CLEM)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-3-IRG, 2007)
Start date: 2007-10-01
End date: 2011-09-30
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Advances in molecular biology, organic chemistry, and materials science have recently created several new classes of fluorescent probes for imaging in cell biology. The possibilities are endless: the probes can be used to study proteins in live or fixed specimens; in vitro or in vivo; to study localization or activity, or modify function; and by light and electron microcopy. With the emergence of specialized microscopy units at most universities and research centers, the use of these techniques is well within reach for a broad research community. However, the fluorescent toolbox has become very complex and each tool has specific requirements and pros and cons for different applications. The aim of this project is to develop, validate and implement a probe for combined fluorescence live-cell imaging and electron microscopy of proteins of interest. The combinatorial probe will be based on a genetically-encoded tag consisting of a fluorescent protein (highly suitable for live cell imaging) and horseradish peroxidase to visualize proteins by electron microscopy at high resolution with high quality preservation of the ultrastructure. In addition, we will explore the general application of a recently introduced manner of increasing resolution using light microscopy (photoactivatable localization microscopy; PALM). While the focus of this project proposal is to create probes for general application in cell biology, initially these probes will be implemented in my studies that aim to resolve the role of cell-cell contacts in regulating beta cell proliferation.

Keywords: health sciences