Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Identification and characterisation of plant Golgi biosynthetic multiprotein systems (GolgiBiosSys)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) (H2020-MSCA-IF-2015, 2015)
Start date: 2016-05-01
End date: 2018-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 187419.6
EU funding (EUR): 187419.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The Golgi apparatus is a system of organised membrane structures that performs pivotal cell functions: biosynthesis and secretion of polysaccharides, protein and lipid glycosylation. The relevance of this organelle is measured by the amount of biomaterial produced by its activity. The highly abundant polysaccharides account for at least a third of all renewable organic carbon on Earth and are of great importance to the biosphere and to humanity, providing food, fibre and fuel. The functionality of the Golgi is thought to be governed by molecular organisational features, as the precise arrangement of its membrane proteins. Each of the numerous biosynthetic pathways performed in the Golgi requires the cooperative and orchestrated action and interaction of several different enzymes and auxiliary proteins. Currently very little is known about the composition and sub-Golgi localisation of such multiprotein systems. Firstly, a comprehensive insight into the interaction map of the Golgi proteome is needed. I propose to develop and apply a technique that will allow high-throughput assignment of membrane protein interactions, and identify stoichiometries. An experimental design is presented based on separation of membrane protein complexes in conjunction with state of the art quantitative proteomic approaches. Secondly, the results will be validated on selected multiprotein systems by immunoprecipitation and functional biochemical studies on knockout lines. Thirdly, the data will be used to model the interactions by protein-protein docking. The accomplishment of this project will provide new insights into the organisation and activity of the biosynthetic systems. Such insight is of great value to the production of specific polysaccharides, tailored to yield less recalcitrant material for the bioenergy and carbohydrate industries. Through this work I aim to deepen my academic expertise, gain technical and leadership skills and to establish myself as an independent researcher.

Keywords: golgi apparatus,polysaccharide biosynthesis,bioenergy
Ultra-high density three dimentional DNA arrays for biosensing (NanoPorous DNA-array)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Physics
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) (H2020-MSCA-IF-2015, 2015)
Start date: 2016-09-01
End date: 2018-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 187419.6
EU funding (EUR): 187419.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Extra cellular, circulating nucleic acids – such as DNA or RNA – have been found as important biomarkers for identification and diagnosis of cancer and other diseases However, the detection of circulating nucleic acids is non-trivial because they often exist at very low concentrations in large volumes of body fluids. Although many attempts have been tried for the detection of these biomarkers in recent years, including various nanostructure based sensors, there is still no approach in sight that could reach the desired sensitivity. Hence, there is a great need for a sensor which can effectively detect the diagnostically relevant (low) concentrations of circulating nucleic acids with a high degree of selectivity and sensitivity. In this project we propose a new platform for detection of nucleic acids; the aim of this project is to achieve a multi-layered filtering device, which allows effective filtration, purification and detection of biomolecules from complex biofluids. The platform is based on implementation of ultra-high density 3D DNA arrays - which are made on a functionalized nanoporous substrate (nanoporous anodic aluminium oxide) – into a microfluidic device assay (so called FoRe assay, i.e combination of Forward and Reverse assays, which is consist of multiple filters, each capable of capturing specific target biomarkers from different sample). Pores are able capture the target molecules because locally the concentration of even a single target molecule in the pore is sufficient for binding and hybridization. The captured target molecules can then be detected by subsequent specific labeling using DNA-tagged gold nanoparticles (via hybridization), which will allow detection with single molecule sensitivity. If successful, the scalable system will be used as a point-of-care diagnostic platform in the future.

Keywords: nanoporous materials,dna arrays,gold nanoparticles,filtration,single molecule detection
The determinants of cross-seeding of protein aggregation: a Multiple TANGO (MANGO)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Integrative Biology: from Genes and Genomes to Systems
Panel description: Genetics, epigenetics, genomics and other ‘omics studies, bioinformatics, systems biology, genetic diseases, gene editing, innovative methods and modelling, ‘omics for personalised medicine
Countries involved: Belgium
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2014-CoG, 2014)
Start date: 2015-06-01
End date: 2020-05-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1995523.0
EU funding (EUR): 1995523.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Amyloid-like protein aggregation is a process of protein assembly via the formation of intermolecular β-structures by short aggregation prone sequence regions. This occurs as an unwanted side-reaction of impaired protein folding in disease, but also for the construction of natural nanomaterials. Aggregates appear to be strongly enriched in particular proteins, suggesting that the assembly process itself is specific, but the cross-seeding of the aggregation of one protein by aggregates of another protein has also been reported. The key question that I aim to address in this proposal is how the beta-interactions of the amino acids in the aggregate spine determine the trade-off between the specificity of aggregation versus cross-seeding. To this end, I will determine the energy difference between homotypic versus heterotypic interactions and how differences in sequence translate into energy gaps. Moreover, I will analyse the sequence variations of aggregation prone stretches in natural proteomes to understand the danger of widespread co-aggregation. To achieve these outcomes, I will study the interactions and cross-seeding of aggregating proteins and model peptides in vitro and in cells. I will extract the sequence and structural determinants of co-aggregation, and employ these to construct novel bioinformatics algorithm that can accurately predict co-aggregation and cross-seeding. I will use these to analyse co-aggregation cascades in natural proteomes looking for mechanisms that protect them from wide-spread cross-seeding. This work will have a significant impact on the understanding of the downstream effects of protein aggregates and may reveal co-aggregation networks in human diseases such as the major neurodegenerative diseases or cancer, potentially opening up new research lines on the mechanisms underlying these pathologies and thus identify targets for novel therapies.

Keywords: protein aggregation,amyloid,cross seeding,protein folding,prediction,protein sequence analysis,structural bio informatics
Cosmochronology within the stellar neighbourhood: Leaving no star and planet behind (MOS100PC)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Universe sciences
Panel description: Astro-physics/-chemistry/-biology; solar system; planetary systems; stellar, galactic and extragalactic astronomy; cosmology; space sciences; astronomical instrumentation and data
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: ERC CONSOLIDATOR GRANTS (ERC-2020-COG, 2020)
Start date: 2021-12-01
End date: 2026-11-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1999338.0
EU funding (EUR): 1999338.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The stellar population near the Sun, which contains the brightest specimens of almost all types of stars and planets, is a key research area that remains poorly explored. The spacecraft Gaia has provided, for the first time, a near complete census of stars and white dwarfs within 100 pc, but a full understanding of the local stellar population is still a major challenge. From this project and my involvement in the next generation multi-object spectroscopic surveys 4MOST and WEAVE, I will obtain medium resolution optical spectroscopy of all stars within 100 pc. I will also conduct theoretical development to improve our understanding of how white dwarf and low-mass star evolve. Modelling the combined astrometric, photometric and spectroscopic data for these 400,000 stellar objects, including crucial sub-samples of wide binaries as well as white dwarfs with well constrained ages, I propose a novel and ambitious method to improve our knowledge of single and binary stellar evolution with a particular focus on stellar ages. This will unlock the enormous potential of using stellar remnants as cosmic clocks to trace the local stellar formation history for the Galactic disk, halo and associated clusters, which will help to comprehend the chemical and dynamical evolution of the Milky Way on a larger scale. The assembly of galaxies like our own is itself paramount to understand the evolution of the low redshift Universe. I will also study evolved planetary systems that are currently being accreted in the convection zone of their white dwarf hosts, providing a direct and unique window into the beginning and evolution of rocky planet formation in our Galaxy. The project will be at the forefront of the stellar revolution triggered by Gaia and multi-object spectroscopic surveys, as well as major forthcoming and deeper surveys such as LSST and Euclid.
Innovative Volumetric Capture and Editing Tools for Ubiquitous Storytelling (INVICTUS)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Information and Communication Technologies
Action type: Innovation actions
Countries involved: Germany,Ireland,France,France,France
Call: Interactive Technologies (H2020-ICT-2019-3, 2019)
Start date: 2020-10-01
End date: 2022-12-31
Duration (months): 27.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2357492.69
EU funding (EUR): 1997107.5
Participants: 7
Project status: CLOSED

The INVICTUS project aims at delivering innovative authoring tools for the creation of a new generation of high-fidelity avatars (numerical representations of real humans) and the integration of these avatars in interactive and non-interactive narratives (movies, games, AR+VR immersive productions). The project proposes to (i) exploit the full potential of recent volumetric motion capture technologies that consist in capturing simultaneously the appearance (shape, texture, material) and motion of actors using simple RGB cameras to create volumetric avatars, and (ii) rely on these technologies to design narratives using novel collaborative VR authoring tools. INVICTUS proposes the design of three innovative authoring tools: a tool to perform high-resolution volumetric captures of both appearance and motion of characters and that will enable their exploitation in both high-end off-line productions (film quality) and real-time rendering productions. This will ease high-fidelity content creation and reduce costs through less manual labor. a tool to perform edits on high-fidelity volumetric appearances and motions, such as transferring shapes between characters, performing stylization of appearance, adapting and transferring motions. This will reduce manual labor and improve fidelity. a story authoring tool that will build on VR interactive technologies to plunge storytellers in virtual representations of their stories to edit decors, layouts and animated characters, improving productivity and creativity. By demonstrating and communicating on how these technologies can be immediately exploited in both traditional media (films/animation) and novel media (VR + AR) narratives, the INVICTUS project will open opportunities in the EU market for more compelling, immersive and personalized visual experiences, at the crossroads of film and game entertainment.

Keywords: volumetric motion capture,virtual reality tools,content creation
VOtIng Citizens and the Ethics of Democracy (VoiCED)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Social Sciences and Humanities
Countries involved: France
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2018, 2018)
Start date: 2019-10-01
End date: 2021-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 184707.84
EU funding (EUR): 184707.84
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

VoiCED is a project in normative democratic theory and its aim is to provide a diversified theory of political obligation for citizens, political parties and elected representatives, by taking into account how these political actors relate to each other. Since the issue of citizen competence has forcefully risen attention not only in scientific debates, but also in the public discourse, a normative analysis is called for to understand what should be expected of citizens in representative democracies. This first step is necessary in order to evaluate, first and normatively, what kind of competence citizens ought to have and, second and empirically, whether actual citizens do have the competence needed for democracy to work properly. In so doing, VoiCED will not only tie together various literatures, such as those on political obligation, democratic legitimacy, partisanship and political representation, which albeit overlapping have been rarely addressed in conjunction, but it will also intercept highly relevant debates in contemporary political science, concerning political behaviour, the rationality of voting and citizens’ competence, as well as in the public discourse, regarding the nature and value of democracy. Furthemore, VoiCED will provide the Experienced Researcher, Chiara Destri, with an unparalleled opportunity to enhance her research and teaching skills and to boost her academic career opportunities in Europe, because she will be hosted by Sciences Po, an internationally acclaimed centre in political and social science, and she will work under the supervision of Prof. Anabelle Lever, a leading expert in democratic theory. Thanks to both factors, she is confident that she will able to publish four scientific articles and to complete a book manuscript during the time of the Fellowship, as well as to set up a website in order to share the resulting theory with the public at large.

Keywords: democracy,ethics of voting,partisanship,representation,legitimacy,citizenship,obligation
Neuronal regulation of CNS myelin plasticity (MyelinPlasticity)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System
Panel description: Nervous system development, homeostasis and ageing, nervous system function and dysfunction, systems neuroscience and modelling, biological basis of cognitive processes and of behaviour, neurological and mental disorders
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2017-COG, 2017)
Start date: 2018-06-01
End date: 2023-11-30
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1999729.0
EU funding (EUR): 1999729.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Myelin is essential for normal brain function, as it provides fast signal transmission, promotes synchronisation of neuronal signals and helps to maintain neuronal function. Alterations in myelination are increasingly being implicated as a mechanism for sensory-motor learning. The importance of myelin becomes evident in diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), where myelin damage causes cognitive and motor disability. Moreover, recent studies have highlighted the contribution of myelin to many diseases that were previously considered to be ‘neuronal’, such as dementia, schizophrenia, autism and bipolar disorder. Despite the profound importance of myelin, there are serious deficits in our understanding of how myelination is regulated and to what extent myelin is plastic; which are impediments for understanding both the functional connectivity of the central nervous system (CNS) and white matter disease. We, and others, have shown that myelination can be regulated by neuronal activity, thus I hypothesize that neuronal activity is a driver of myelin plasticity, similar to synaptic plasticity. By using an innovative approach combining electrophysiology, optogenetics, pharmacogenetics, imaging, transgenic animals, behavioural tests, and in vitro and in vivo models of myelination, this research programme will determine mechanisms that mediate neuronal activity dependent myelination, establish to what extent myelin changes occur with learning and identify to what extent myelin is plastic. The outcome of this proposal will break new ground in our understanding of myelin plasticity, and has the potential to provide novel therapeutic strategies for myelin regeneration in white matter diseases such as MS.

Keywords: myelin,oligodendrocyte,glia,neuron glia interactions,neuronal activity,myelination,axon,myelin plasticity,neurotransmitter signalling
From pills to bio-electronics: a wearable neurostimulator for the personalised treatment of chronic pain (AuriMod)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Austria
Call: SME instrument (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-2, 2019)
Start date: 2019-10-01
End date: 2022-12-31
Duration (months): 39.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3138211.25
EU funding (EUR): 2196747.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Chronic pain is one of the most underestimated healthcare problems in the world today, causing major consequences for the quality of life of the sufferer and a major burden on the healthcare system and society. One in five people in the general adult population – 150 million Europeans – have chronic pain, more than heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined. With an aging population, the problem is likely to be felt even stronger in the years to come. Conventional treatment options offer only a partial response to the problem, with many people continuing to suffer with their severe chronic pain on a daily basis despite receiving several treatments. Consequently, there is a true and significant unmet need in optimal pain management. SzeleSTIM offers an innovative patient-centred, non-invasive pain management system based on electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve in the ear. Its unique biofeedback-controlled algorithm uses patient real-time physiological data for automatically adjusting the therapy. In this way, SzeleSTIM paves the way for truly individualized therapy, based on the patient’s individual condition and dynamic needs. In addition to pain management, other potential future applications of the AuriMod device include vascular diseases such as Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), but also migraine, or autoimmune diseases. The key objective of the project is to demonstrate the safety, efficacy and usability of AuriMod when applied to the auricle, confirming also the performance and usability of a therapy management system put in place, in order to eventually achieve CE marking and reimbursement in target countries.

Keywords: chronic pain,neurostimulation,vagus nerve,pain management,personalised therapy,treatment,medical device,big data
Cellular and molecular analysis of the skeletal pathologies associated with mucopolysaccharidosis-VI (MPS-VI) (LYSOBONE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Germany
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2018-03-01
End date: 2020-02-29
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 159460.8
EU funding (EUR): 159460.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Mucopolysaccharidosis-VI (MPS-VI) is a lysosomal storage disorder predominantly affecting skeletal remodelling and caused by pathogenic mutations in the ARSB gene, encoding the glycosaminoglycan-degrading enzyme arylsulfatase B. Preliminary analysis of Arsb-deficient mice unraveled a skeletal phenotype of similar severity and with lysosomal storage defects in different skeletal cell types. This Arsb-deficient mouse model therefore provides an excellent tool to understand the skeletal and non-skeletal pathologies related to MPS-VI and to address the clinically relevant question, if enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) can influence the existing (non-)skeletal pathologies in lysosomal storage disorders. Moreover, another major objective is to unravel the cellular consequences of Arsb-deficiency on a molecular level and to investigate mechanisms of ARSB uptake and lysosomal delivery in different primary cell types of Arsb-deficient mice. This project will therefore certainly generate knowledge with relevance for other (skeletal) disorders as well, as the cellular defects in MPS-VI are closely linked to that of two of the most prevalent disorders in the European Union, i.e. osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Next to its scientific goals, this proposal aims to offer a broad personal training program for me as a postdoctoral researcher as well. Handling this project will not only offer an intensive scientific training (intellectual-methodological), but also improve my skills regarding project management (administrative-financial) and writing. As a two-way transfer, my previously acquired knowledge on the genetics of skeletal disorders and related experimental skills will be transferred to the host organization. A final goal of this proposal is to disseminate the acquired data towards specialized scientific audiences (scientific conferences and publications) and propagate these data towards non-expert audiences (patient meetings, press releases) as well.

Keywords: mucopolysaccharidosis vi,lysosomal storage disorders,skeletal remodelling,enzyme replacement therapy