Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Using Reconstituted Stress Granules to Gain Insight into the Molecular Pathology of Neurodegenerative Diseases (Stress Granules)

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: 2019-02-01
End date: 2021-01-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 159460.8
EU funding (EUR): 159460.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

When cells experience stress, most protein synthesis pauses and so-called stress granules (SGs) form which store and protect mRNAs. SGs are crucial for stress adaptation and prevention of cell death. However, SGs are also implicated in age-related neurodegenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. In these diseases, SGs persist longer than normal and turn into harmful aggregates which cells cannot dissolve. Despite the importance for human health, we only know very little about how normal SGs convert into disease-causing aggregates. Ground breaking work from the Hyman and Alberti labs could recently demonstrate that SGs behave like liquid droplets which solidify over time. Importantly, this transition is promoted by disease-associated mutations in SG components. SGs form through protein-protein interactions which critically depends on the Ras GTPase-activating protein-binding protein 1 (G3BP1). The Hyman and Alberti labs could recently generate G3BP1 droplets in vitro and could show that droplet formation is promoted by mRNAs. For the first time, we have a minimal SG system that can be used as a tool to mechanistically dissect SG formation and disease association. I propose harnessing this system to generate complex droplets that resemble physiological SGs. Ultimately, my objective is to elucidate how proteins with disease-causing mutations influence SG properties and dynamics, thus allowing me to identify the molecular changes that underlie neurodegenerative diseases. The proposed work is to take place in the teams of A Hyman and S Alberti, world leaders in the field of liquid droplets. Both groups are uniquely situated in the same institute which offers cutting-edge facilities and extensive training opportunities. The fellowship would crucially assist me in my future career objective: positioning myself as an expert in the field of granule biology and developing into an independent researcher in academia.

Keywords: stress granules,neurodegenerative diseases,cellular stress response,als and ftld,rnp granlues
Role of calcium fluxes in mitochondrial dynamics (MITODYN)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Reintegration panel
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2016, 2016)
Start date: 2017-07-01
End date: 2019-06-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 183454.8
EU funding (EUR): 183454.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Mitochondria house hundreds of biochemical reactions involved in processes critical for the survival and homeostatic adaptation of the cell. Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles, which adapt their shape and network depending on the cellular needs. As mitochondria play a central and unique role in metabolism, our understanding of the complex network of interrelations between mitochondria and other organelles has crucially changed our view on the cell biology of mitochondria and a new biology and pathophysiology of this organelle are emerging. Mitochondria are in dynamic contact with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and this specialized contact is essential for a number of relevant processes, including mitochondrial dynamics, lipid exchange, calcium homeostasis and apoptosis. The Mitochondrial Calcium Uniporter (MCU) and some of its regulators (MICU1-3, EMRE) have recently been identified as the key complex regulating mitochondrial calcium uptake with some already identified functions. The goal of this project is to define the complete interactome of the Mitochondrial Calcium Uptake Machinery (MCUM) in different physiological conditions and to characterize the functions associated to this complex. To address these goals, an unbiased proteomic analysis will be performed, both in cellulo (human cells) and in vivo (zebrafish), to identify the interactors of the MCUM at steady state and under different cellular stresses using the BioID technic. The mechanisms involving the MCUM in the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics, apoptosis and cell migration will be unravelled using molecular and cell biology experiments coupled with the most recent advances in microscopic analysis. Finally, we will explore the relevance of these findings in the physiopathology associated to mitochondrial diseases using cell lines derived from patients harbouring a MCUM dysfunction.

Keywords: mitochondrial dynamics,mitochondrial calcium uniporter,proteomics,apoptosis
ACME, fly with me, fly with ACME (ACME)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing and Processing, and Biotechnology
Theme: Nanotechnologies
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Slovenia
Call: Accelerating the uptake of nanotechnologies advanced materials or advanced manufacturing and processing technologies by SMEs (H2020-SMEINST-2-2016-2017, 2016)
Start date: 2017-03-01
End date: 2019-06-30
Duration (months): 28.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3570478.42
EU funding (EUR): 2499334.89
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The main objective of the project is the implementation of a patented Octaspring® technology in the aviation industry. The ACME project represents a natural step in the business development strategy of the applicant, after a highly successful launch of the Octaspring technology in the mattress industry, a revolutionary solution, which is globally sold in over 30 countries. Octaspring® as a Key Enabling Technology, a fusion of spring coil and memory foam/foam technology, provides a basis for disruptive innovation in a range of products made of foam or containing foam in finished products across industries. Thus, as the first and only of its kind, its lightweight structure brings incredible benefits to the aviation industry. ACME project will therefore deliver the development of an aircraft seat foam cushion composition with innovative lightweight cover, including mattresses for cabin crew and support pillows, to round up the product portfolio. The main goal is to achieve weight reduction of the aircraft, increased comfort and invigorating travel experience for passengers. ACME addresses the needs of the market segment of foams & fittings within the aircraft seating market, providing benefits to our end-users, who are clearly and perpetually articulating interest in our solution: aircraft manufacturers, aircraft seat manufacturers, airline companies and passengers. The development of ACME is driven by the market trends and needs for lightweight aircraft seats, demands for premium air travel, rise in aircraft orders and need for fuel efficiency, which are the crucial factors driving the market growth. Taking all this into consideration, our ACME solution contributes to the reduction of: fuel consumption of the aircraft (which typically accounts for 40-55% of operating expenses of an airline), weight of the aircraft (up to 300g per seat), environmental impact and CO2 emissions (218.000 ton of CO2 emission reduction/year per 213 seater aircraft, Airbus).

Keywords: aviation industry,aircraft weight reduction,foam applications,aircraft seating market,environment,green technology,energy efficiency,increased air travel comfort
5G DRIVEn Resource Efficient Mobile Aggregation Networks (5G-DRIVE)

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: Information Science and Engineering
Countries involved: Latvia
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, 2017)
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 133904.4
EU funding (EUR): 133904.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The fifth generation (5G) cellular networks set ambitious goals that require technological advances in both wireless and transport network infrastructures, especially regarding cost and carbon footprint. In this context, a promising architecture for 5G aggregation networks is the recently proposed Claud-Radio Access Network (C-RAN). However, it will face the serious challenges related to (1) efficient use of network resources, (2) low-latency requirements, and (3) scalability. Seems that optical aggregation networks based on wavelength division multiplexing are the outstanding candidates to meet high-capacity and low-latency requirements. However, to reduce cost and power consumption, there has been a recent push towards the consolidation of the network by merging the access and metro transport where flexible-grid transmission is also considered. This becomes questionable in the context of the traditional C-RAN. Therefore, alternatives are being analysed including different function splits between cell-site and baseband equipment, and millimetre-wave carriers instead of optical carriers for interconnecting cell-site equipment and access central office. Hence, 5G-DRIVE project aims to explore the impact of transport cost and wireless channel (de-) aggregation technique on resource efficiency (cost, spectrum, power consumption) and service availability in aggregation network that uses optical or millimetre-wave carriers for interconnecting cell-site and baseband equipment.

Keywords: 5g cellular networks,fibre optic transmission,x haul,resource efficiency,optimization
The dark side of evolution: the deleterious mutational landscape of RNA viruses (RNAVirFitness)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution
Panel description: Ecology, biodiversity, environmental change, evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology, microbial ecology, marine biology, ecophysiology, theoretical developments and modelling
Countries involved: Israel
Call: ERC Starting Grant (ERC-2019-STG, 2019)
Start date: 2020-06-01
End date: 2025-05-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1495625.0
EU funding (EUR): 1495625.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Mutations are fundamental drivers of evolution. Characterizing how mutations affect fitness is critical across diverse fields: from pathogen biology, to human genetic diseases, and models of population extinction. RNA viruses, notorious for their high mutation rates and rapid generation times, are ideal models for studying the effects of mutations. To date, deleterious mutations (i.e., mutations with a fitness cost) have been understudied as compared to beneficial mutations, mainly since it has been technically unfeasible to sequence each single rare deleterious mutation. Using novel next generation sequencing (NGS) techniques, we and others have recently overcome this gap, and shown that an appreciable proportion of viral genetic diversity is a consequence of a multitude of rare deleterious mutations. Here, we suggest investigating the distribution of fitness effects (DFE) across a diverse array of RNA viruses, spanning representatives of each class of major human pathogens, both in vivo (in patients) and in vitro (in cell culture). Next, we will focus on genetic linkage and context-dependent fitness effects of mutations. We postulate that over- and under-represented sequence contexts may represent signatures of host anti-viral activity. Finally, we will investigate how the DFE changes following an environmental perturbation (physical and metabolic changes, tissue type, and sex of the host). We will explore how the accumulation of deleterious mutations following rapid perturbations may lead to the extinction of the viral population, and how this can be used as a novel strategy to tackle viral epidemics. To this end we will integrate state-of-the-art NGS, population genetics modelling, and reverse genetics validation. Beyond their contribution to evolutionary biology, we anticipate that our results may be harnessed for the design of safe and effective attenuated vaccine strains, and the development of broad-spectrum antiviral therapeutic strategies.

Keywords: virus evolution,population genetics
DIGITAL INNOVATION HUBS AND COLLABORATIVE PLATFORM FOR CYBER-PHYSICAL SYSTEMS (HUBCAP)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Information and Communication Technologies
Action type: Innovation actions
Countries involved: Italy,Italy,Germany,Italy,Germany,Ireland,Italy,Austria,Romania,Sweden,Sweden,Romania,Netherlands,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,Portugal,Denmark
Call: Smart Anything Everywhere (H2020-DT-2019-1, 2019)
Start date: 2020-01-01
End date: 2022-12-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 8383587.5
EU funding (EUR): 7953846.88
Participants: 18
Project status: CLOSED

HUBCAP will provide a one-stop-shop for European SMEs wanting to join the Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) revolution. It builds on seven established Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) in seven European countries, each embedded in its regional innovation ecosystem, offering complementary technical expertise, experimental capabilities, and specialist knowledge in CPS application domains. From this base, HUBCAP will create a growing and sustainable European network offering SMEs opportunities to undertake experiments, seek investment, access expertise and training, and form new business links. This is enabled by a cloud-based open collaboration platform with a ‘sandbox’ capability to help users trial new technology. HUBCAP will lower barriers for SMEs to realise the potential of growing autonomy in CPSs by accessing advanced Model-Based Design (MBD) technology, providing training and guidance, and acting as a gateway to the full network of all registered DIHs specialising in CPS. Half the project funding will go to supporting SMEs, including open call funding for SMEs join the ecosystem and experiment with MBD technology. HUBCAP will extend an existing open collaboration platform to enable SMEs to co-create, analyse and validate new CPS products in a virtual setting, by accessing CPS assets (models, tools, services) and experimenting with new solutions, de-risking investments in skills or resources. The consortium’s DIHs have been chosen to cover complementary MBD capabilities. They represent a wide area of Europe and offer considerable experience in Innovation Actions, managing open calls, and outreach to businesses. Technology providers will help populate and validate the initial collaboration platform and carefully selected seed SMEs will assist in kickstarting the ecosystem and reaching out to entirely new users of MBD technologies. HUBCAP will ensure sustainability through a not-for-profit association to extend and maintain the network and platform after the project.

Keywords: cyber physical systems,collaboration platform,autonomy,model based development,smes,digital innovation hubs
Unlocking vital mysteries in respiratory biomechanics (BREATHE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Products and processes engineering
Panel description: Product and process design, chemical, civil, environmental, mechanical, vehicle engineering, energy processes and relevant computational methods
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC ADVANCED GRANT (ERC-2020-ADG, 2020)
Start date: 2021-09-01
End date: 2026-08-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2499160.0
EU funding (EUR): 2499160.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

While the human lung is undoubtedly an essential organ, and respiratory diseases are leading causes of death and disability in the world, there still exist a lot of mysteries wrt vital processes. The main reason for this is the complete lack of measurement methods or medical imaging techniques that would allow to study dynamic processes in essential parts of a living human lung. While this would be a perfect setup for computational modeling, existing models suffer from severe constraints disabling them to unveil those essential secrets. This project aims to build on a number of most promising recent advances in modeling and high-performance simulation to present the first comprehensive computational model of the respiratory system. For this purpose, it builds upon a recent exascale-ready incompressible flow solver, toughen it up for lung specific challenges and enrich it with multiphysics capabilities to capture tissue interaction and gas transport. Parts of the respiratory zone will be represented by multiphase poroelastic media and novel pleural boundary conditions will be developed. The coupled pulmonary circulation will be included and represented by an embedded reduced dimensional network and additional phases. In order to appropriately individualize the model and also being able to adapt it during disease progression, a novel physics-based probabilistic learning approach will be developed. This will allow to use most of the very diverse and scarce data in clinical settings. Finally, special models will be developed to bridge to the micro scale. The models developed and studied here will provide unprecedented insights for biomedical scientists, and practitioners at the same time, and will help to substantially reduce elaborate animal and multicenter studies. This will be a crucial step in order to establish a shift of paradigm in health care. Novel models/tools developed here will also be very useful in other areas of biomedical engineering and beyond.

Keywords: computational biomechanics,respiratory system,coupled multiphysics,high performance computing,physics based probabilistic learning
Novel enhancers of functional recovery after stroke (VEGFDANI)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Proof of concept grants
Action type: ERC actions
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC Proof of Concept Grant (ERC-2014-PoC, 2014)
Start date: 2015-03-01
End date: 2016-08-31
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 147968.5
EU funding (EUR): 147968.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Several forms of neuroadaptation are controlled by transient increases in the nuclear calcium concentration. Nuclear calcium regulates expression of crucial genes and alterations of this signaling network likely underlie many neurological disorders. Our work led us to design two innovative strategies exploiting the therapeutic potential of nuclear calcium signaling: 1-developing direct nuclear calcium signaling activators/inhibitors (NCSA/I) and 2-manipulating expression and/or function of nuclear calcium targets. The proposed activities and budget - taking the ERC-PoC stroke study as the model project – will be used to meet the essential pre-commercial requirements prior starting up a company focusing on early drug discovery in the area of targeted nuclear calcium signaling modulation: R&D objectives: 1-PoC to validate our lead mimicking a stroke-protective regulator: VEGFD; 2-Add novel drug targets & assays and transfer to screening partner; 3-Mass screening and lead validation to expand IP; Business objectives: 1-Manage emerging IP platform; 2-Complete fund raising during ERC funding period; 3-Close early drug discovery partnership. As part of the ERC project 233024, we identified a nuclear-calcium dependent gene, VEGFD, as a new anti-stroke drug target. We showed that VEGFD regulates neuronal morphology and cognition and demonstrated that VEGFD delivery in the mouse brain prevents stroke-induced dendritic loss and promotes long-term recovery. We selected a highly biologically active VEGFD peptide mimetic (VPM) as our first lead for a conceptually novel nasal spray stroke therapy. Senior business experts advised and helped us to establish a business plan and to pre-negotiate collaborative partnerships with companies and institutions required to deliver on our objectives. Thus, by partnering with industry professionals we were able to define a clear go-to-commercialization strategy while minimizing risks originating from possible lack of business experience.

Keywords: stroke,functional recovery,vegfd,nuclear calcium signaling,nasal spray,peptides,screening,novel drug target
HIV-1 acquisition and the future of prevention strategies: deciphering the eclipse phase through modelling and phylogenetics (HIV ECLIPSE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy
Panel description: The immune system, related disorders and their mechanisms, biology of infectious agents and infection, biological basis of prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, innovative immunological tools and approaches, including therapies
Countries involved: United Kingdom,United Kingdom
Call: ERC Starting Grant (ERC-2017-STG, 2017)
Start date: 2018-03-01
End date: 2024-11-30
Duration (months): 81.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1340388.0
EU funding (EUR): 529857.0
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

The HIV eclipse phase typically refers to the time between a virus entering a sexually exposed person and detection of viral RNA in their plasma. Of the four phases of HIV-1 infection (eclipse, acute, chronic and AIDS), the eclipse phase is currently the only window of opportunity for viral clearance. Systemic infection is currently irreversible after the onset of the acute phase. Preventing systemic HIV infection after exposure, therefore, requires understanding and targeting the eclipse phase. Information on this phase, however, is partial and indirect, with fundamental gaps in our knowledge of its role in limiting transmission, in determining the efficacy of infection control strategies, and in governing later infection. Mathematical modelling, when combined with statistical inference, is a useful tool for hypothesis testing and prediction using incomplete information. To date, however, there are no mathematical models that are particularly suitable because current models do not account for two important characteristics of eclipse phase infection. First, none of these models reconcile the very small per-exposure HIV-1 acquisition probability with the high estimate of the basic reproductive number, R0, during acute phase infection. Second, models of acute phase plasma viral load obscure early local dynamics of HIV when the virus forms local, heterogeneous clusters of infection in the genital mucosa before entering the lymphatic and blood systems. My research programme will develop novel models of HIV that are calibrated to diverse data sources to ascertain whether eclipse phase dynamics determine the acquisition of HIV and later infection dynamics. I will use phylogenetic analysis of HIV samples to quantify the role of the transmitting partner in determining viral inoculum dose size, eclipse phase dynamics and HIV acquisition. This research will generate testable predictions for exposed populations and aim to propose novel methods for infection prevention.