Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Effects of maternal gestational adiposity on fetal development and perinatal, postnatal and next generation health. (ObesityDevelop)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases
Panel description: Medical technologies and tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, therapeutic approaches and interventions, pharmacology, preventative medicine, epidemiology and public health, digital medicine
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: ERC Advanced Grant (ERC-2014-ADG, 2014)
Start date: 2015-11-01
End date: 2021-07-31
Duration (months): 69.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1863321.0
EU funding (EUR): 1863321.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Pregnant women who are overweight/obese have increased risks of adverse perinatal outcomes, and of having offspring who are subsequently overweight/obese. A potentially important consequence of this is that it will drive the obesity epidemic across generations. Evidence from animal models supports this, but it has not been explored in humans. Furthermore, we need to know the mechanisms linking maternal adiposity to adverse offspring and next generation outcomes in order to develop preventive interventions. I will use data from up to 100,000 participants from nine cohorts and two consortia to determine the effects of maternal pregnancy levels of adiposity and associated circulating nutrients on levels of adiposity and cardiometabolic health at three periods of the lifecourse: (i) fetal development, (ii) infancy to adulthood and (iii) in the next generation. My team is world leading in this area, and we will use state-of-the-art methods to advance the field by: (i) assessing a larger number of maternal nutrients than previously; (ii) accurately assessing maternal gestational fat deposition; (iii) determining the effects of maternal exposures on fetal fat and lean mass, and metabolic response; and (iv) measuring outcomes into the next generation. Effects will be replicated in several independent cohorts and triangulated across different state-of-the-art statistical methods: (i) cross-cohort comparisons between European and low and middle income country cohorts, in which confounding structures differ; (ii) comparisons of associations of maternal exposures to equivalent associations of paternal exposures, under the assumption that intrauterine effects are maternal specific; and (iii) Mendelian randomization using genetic variants as unconfounded proxies for maternal exposures. My proposed research is important because of how many women start pregnancy overweight/obese. It will provide a step-change in knowledge of how to prevent adverse outcomes across generations.

Keywords: developmental origins,obesity,cross generation effects
Discovery and characterization of functional disordered regions and the genes involved in their regulation through next generation sequencing (IdrSeq)

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: United Kingdom
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2015-CoG, 2015)
Start date: 2016-05-01
End date: 2021-04-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1998126.0
EU funding (EUR): 1998126.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

A large fraction of any eukaryotic genome (>40%) encodes protein segments that do not adopt a defined tertiary structure. These proteins or regions are called intrinsically disordered proteins/regions (IDPs/IDRs). IDRs are enriched in critical functions such as transcription and signaling, and have been linked with numerous diseases including neurodegeneration and cancer. In contrast to structured regions, the molecular principles behind the sequence-function relationship of IDRs remain poorly understood. We propose to identify functional IDRs and discover genes that regulate their function using yeast as a cellular model. We will develop and apply a targeted, high-throughput approach called IdrSeq. This technology exploits next generation sequencing to simultaneously assay vast libraries of sequences (~millions) that code for IDRs by coupling IDR sequence (genotype) to a selectable function (phenotype) and identifying functional variants through a selection experiment. Specifically, using IdrSeq, we aim to identify and characterize IDRs in a cellular context that can (Aim 1) activate transcription, and discover genes that regulate IDR mediated transcription (Aim 2) influence protein stability, and discover genes that regulate IDR mediated half-life (Aim 3) form higher-order assemblies and discover genes that regulate assembly formation The unique feature of this proposal is its integrative vision of synthetic & systems biology, structural biology, cell biology, genetics, experiments and computation to establish a discovery platform to study IDRs in a cellular context. Since IdrSeq is modular and scalable, it can be readily extended to investigate a broad range of IDR functions, and adapted to other organisms. Elucidating the principles of sequence-function-gene relationship of IDRs holds enormous potential for synthetic biology. The discovery of genes that regulate IDR function has direct implications for human health by revealing novel therapeutic targets.

Keywords: intrinsically disordered proteins
Bio-inspired electrONIC NOSE interfacing olfactory electrical biosensors and carbon NANOtubes (NANOZ-ONIC)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases
Panel description: Medical technologies and tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, therapeutic approaches and interventions, pharmacology, preventative medicine, epidemiology and public health, digital medicine
Countries involved: Korea, Republic of,France
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2015-CoG, 2015)
Start date: 2016-10-01
End date: 2022-03-31
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1926870.0
EU funding (EUR): 1434325.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

The goal of this project is to develop an innovative biosensor for the non-invasive, painless and real-time detection of volatile biomarkers in the exhaled breath of patients. Volatile biomarkers have been identified for several diseases including cancers, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and neurodegeneration. A miniaturized system for fast and simple breath-analysis would not only improve the early detection of these pathologies but also enable point-of-care monitoring of patients either in medical institutions or at home. Different electronic noses are in development (or even in use for diagnosing asthma), however their generalisation in reliable medical diagnosis devices is mainly hindered by their poor versatility. The main challenge is to quantitatively and simultaneously detect several volatile biomarkers with high specificity and selectivity. The ideal technology would be one which mimicked the natural olfactory systems that recognize odours by combinatorial analysis of receptor responses. Inspired by this biological example, this project aims at integrating natural olfactory receptors into two state-of-the-art technologies: Ion Channel-Coupled Receptors (ICCRs) and single-walled Carbon NanoTube-Field Effect Transistors (swCNT-FETs). ICCRs are original biosensors created by fusion of G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) with an ion channel. The recognition of a chemical compound by the GPCR is transduced into an electrical signal by the ion channel. Mammalian olfactory receptors are GPCRs, and the objective of this 5-year project is to engineer an original library of olfactory ICCRs for multiplex detection of volatile biomarkers. To detect the electrical signal with very high sensitivity and at the nanometric scale, ICCRs will be interfaced with swCNT-FET transistors by coating the carbon nanotubes with ICCR-containing nanovesicles. The recent detection of a biomarker with an ICCR-swCNT-FET device by project members demonstrates the feasibility of this approach.

Keywords: biosensors,diagnostic tools,olfactory receptors,g protein coupled receptors,ion channels,carbon nanotubes field effect transistors
Research Centre in Interactive Media, Smart Systems and Emerging Technologies (RISE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Spreading excellence and widening participation
Programme: Widening participation and spreading excellence
Theme: Improved access to Excellence
Action type: Specific Grant agreement
Countries involved: Germany,Cyprus,United Kingdom
Call: Teaming (H2020-WIDESPREAD-2014-1, 2014)
Start date: 2015-06-01
End date: 2016-05-31
Duration (months): 12.0
Total project cost (EUR): 476427.0
EU funding (EUR): 476427.0
Participants: 7
Project status: CLOSED

In line with WIDESPREAD-2014-1 TEAMING, this proposal puts forward the vision for establishing a “Research centre on Interactive media, Smart systems and Emerging technologies” (RISE). RISE aims to become a Centre of Excellence and a hub across the three continents bordering Cyprus, facilitating thus the local scientific, technological, and economic growth of the region. The proposal identifies the potential of Interactive Media to bring together several scientific areas, yielding applications in the priority areas of the Smart Specialisation Strategy of Cyprus. Therefore, research in RISE integrates the Visual Sciences, Human Factors and Design, and Communications and Artificial Intelligence, in a tight synergy that provides a unique interdisciplinary research perspective that emphasizes an “Inspired by Humans, Designed for Humans” philosophy. To support the implementation of the research and innovation agenda of RISE, the proposal puts forward the a consortium coordinated by the Nicosia Municipality, the largest regional authority of Cyprus with extensive experience in managing large projects and commitment in establishing and supporting an innovation ecosystem in Nicosia, along with all three public universities of Cyprus. The four local partners will contribute their research, infrastructure, and financial potential for the establishment of RISE and with guidance by two Experienced Partners (MPI and UCL) with unequivocal scientific excellence and demonstrated success in running Centres of Excellence, aim to establish a sustainable Centre of Excellence in Cyprus. With the long-term sustainable growth of RISE in mind, the proposal designates an administrative structure for the Centre to facilitate its interdisciplinary view of research, its outreach perspective towards human users and businesses, and its multi-institutional composition.

Keywords: interactive media,visual sciences,human factors,cyprus smart specialisations
MidFrontal Cortex Theta Oscillations: Causes and Consequences (MidFrontalTheta2.0)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting 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: Netherlands
Call: ERC Starting Grant (ERC-2014-STG, 2014)
Start date: 2015-07-01
End date: 2020-06-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

While reading this text, pat your head and rub your stomach (if someone sees you, tell them it's OK; you're doing science). Right now you are engaging in an action that must be actively monitored and quickly adjusted to avoid making mistakes. Over the past five years, my collaborators and I discovered that there is a specific pattern of brain electrical activity that occurs during response conflict—competition between multiple conflicting actions when a mistake could be made. This brain activity is observed over the midfrontal cortex (MFC) and is characterized by oscillations at around 6 cycles per second (the theta band). MFC theta is a highly statistically robust marker of the neural networks involved in action monitoring and behavior adjustments, correlates with single-trial reaction time, and predicts how well people learn from mistakes. Despite these robust findings linking MFC theta to action monitoring, the significance of MFC theta for how neural microcircuits actually implement action monitoring and adjustments is unknown. In the ERC research we will use computer simulations and rodent models to understand how different types of neurons in different cortical layers might use action potentials and oscillations to implement action monitoring. The results will help us understand how the brain monitors behavior and avoids mistakes, and will also give insight into neural microcircuit organization as it relates to higher cognitive function. While developing these computer simulations and rodent models, we will also take our human research to the next level by asking: If action monitoring in the MFC is supported by theta oscillations, does this mean that our actions, and our ability to monitor and adjust them, occur with theta rhythmicity? To answer this question, we will develop new tasks combining data-gloves and EEG to test how the timing of human sequenced actions during keyboard typing (typists type in “theta”) corresponds to temporal dynamics of MFC theta.

Keywords: cognitive control,oscillations,theta band,action monitoring,microcircuits,neurophysiology,modeling
ENERGy access and green transition collaboratively demonstrated in urban and rural areas in AfrICA (ENERGICA)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Secure, clean and efficient energy
Action type: Innovation actions
Countries involved: Germany,Spain,Spain,Spain,Uganda,Madagascar,Côte d'Ivoire,Norway,Sweden,Namibia,Sweden,Switzerland,France,France,France,France,France,Netherlands,Niger,Kenya,Sierra Leone,Cabo Verde
Call: Accelerating the green transition and energy access Partnership with Africa (H2020-LC-GD-2020-1, 2020)
Start date: 2021-11-01
End date: 2025-10-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 12348175.75
EU funding (EUR): 9999370.39
Participants: 31
Project status: SIGNED

Gathering 11 African-based partners and 17 Europeans with offices or subsidiaries in Africa, the ENERGICA project is ambitiously fostering the collaboration between partners of both continents on energy access and sustainable energy development. Developing innovative and tailored solutions on productive use systems through innovative nano-grids in rural Madagascar in WP4; low-tech efficient biogas system, coupled with water purification demonstrated in peri-urban Sierra Leone in WP5; and solar powered e-mobility solution for boda-boda in urban Kenya in WP6, ENERGICA addresses a wide range of issues and provides solutions. From energy production, local renewable value chain development and e-mobility also providing flexibility services to the grid, ENERGICA is applicable to many different technical and socio-economic contexts. Built upon local stakeholders and through a co-creation methodology that will take additional local stakeholders’ inputs into account (WP2), ENERGICA aims to reach a powerful market uptake and wide replication (WP9) during and after the end of the project, with strong environmental and socio-economic local benefits (WP8). The innovative business models developed in WP7 will support this movement for local market uptake while some of the solutions will even rely upon local production and manufacturing, and local business and workforce participating to capacity building activities (WP3). Developing solutions that are based on renewable energy (mainly solar and biogas), and studying projected climate change impact evolution in Africa, ENERGICA will strengthen the joint EU-AU climate change and sustainable energy partnership effort and contribute to fighting climate change as well as improving health and social conditions in the demonstration sites and beyond. ENERGICA will demonstrate its solutions and gather data for 24 out of the 48 months that it will last and will directly impact positively more than 1500 local stakeholders across Africa.
A cloud-based food analytics platform for the rapid detection of adulterant matter and quality assessment of milk, fruit juice and olive oil (SPECTRA280)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Estonia
Call: Resource-efficient eco-innovative food production and processing (H2020-SMEINST-1-2015, 2015)
Start date: 2015-12-01
End date: 2016-03-31
Duration (months): 4.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

JEKO Disain OÜ is an SME founded in Tartu Estonia in 2005. It is focused on industrial automation and measurements. The team consists of highly experienced engineers with expertise in mechanical engineering, optical sensors, electronics and software. JEKO owns a unique and proprietary flow-through liquid fluorescence sensor, SPECTRA-280™, that is currently used in Dialysis medical equipment. JEKO is exploring new ways how to adapt this sensor for the Food Industry, specifically for detecting concentrations of adulterant substances and assessing quality in milk, fruit juice and olive oil. JEKO sees a huge business opportunity through sales. The benefits of SPECTRA-280™ are on-line, high-accuracy, low-cost, contact-free and non-destructive. The uniqueness of SPECTRA-280™ solution will disrupt the Food Safety Market bringing new benefits to the industry and to the consumer. JEKO believes that SPECTRA-280™ will raise the Company’s profitability and sustainability and grow its workforce. JEKO requires further financing through SME Instrument to fund the commercialisation of the product in the three markets. In Phase 1 our specific objective is to prepare a clear Feasibility Study and Business Plan to determine the feasibility, possibility, risk, viability and sustainability of this new project.

Keywords: food safety
Extra-gonadal roles of Anti-Müllerian Hormone in the aetiology of polycystic ovary syndrome: the domino effect to reproductive neuroendocrine dysfunctions (REPRODAMH)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing
Panel description: Organ and tissue physiology, comparative physiology, physiology of ageing, pathophysiology, interorgan and tissue communication, endocrinology, nutrition, metabolism, interaction with the microbiome, non-communicable diseases including cancer (and except disorders of the nervous system and immunity-related diseases)
Countries involved: France,France
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2016-COG, 2016)
Start date: 2017-05-01
End date: 2023-02-28
Duration (months): 70.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1999740.0
EU funding (EUR): 1999740.0
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

Reproduction in mammals is dependent on specific neurons secreting the Gonadotropin Hormone-Releasing Hormone (GnRH). Many reproductive disorders in humans are associated with abnormal or deficient GnRH secretion. Among reproductive dysfunctions, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common form of female infertility with a prevalence of up to 10%, characterized by increased ovarian androgen biosynthesis, oligo-anovulation and frequent metabolic morbidities. Because women with PCOS have increased luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse frequency, it has been inferred that the pulse frequency of GnRH must be accelerated as well. However, so far PCOS has been considered mainly as a gonadal pathology and possible regulations from the central nervous system or interactions with it remain elusive. In patients with PCOS, ovarian levels of Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) are also elevated, indicating the potential relevance of AMH for PCOS diagnosis and management. Recently, we showed that AMH acts directly on GnRH neurons to increase neuropeptide secretion, raising the intriguing hypothesis that AMH-dependent regulation of GnRH release could be involved in the neuroendocrine control of fertility and pathophysiology of PCOS. By providing integrative, functional and mechanistic in vivo strategies, combined with clinical human investigations, REPRODAMH will represent a major step forward into the understanding of PCOS with the final goal of developing new therapeutic strategies. To achieve these goals we will: 1: Determine whether developmental or postnatal AMH excess leads to PCOS endocrine disturbances by hyperactivation of GnRH neurons. 2: Study whether inhibition of GnRH neuronal activity rescues the neuroendocrine reproductive phenotype in PCOS-mouse models. 3: Study whether modifications of the hypothalamic structural plasticity occur in PCOS and contribute to alterations of GnRH release. 4: Design and test new preclinical therapeutic strategies in PCOS animal models.

Keywords: fertility,gnrh,pcos,hypothalamus