Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Enlightened or just less threatened: Education and anti-immigrant attitudes (EDUCATIONIMMIGRATION)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-10-01
End date: 2012-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 172240.8
EU funding (EUR): 172240.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This research proposal combines the strengths of sociology and social psychology to investigate the effect of education on anti-immigrant attitudes. Many studies in the last fifty years have found that the higher educated have less negative anti-immigrant attitudes. Anti-immigrant prejudice can have many negative consequences for social integration in communities but also for EU integration. However, the exact nature of the effect of education is unclear, partly as a consequence of the difficulty of establishing causal effects using representative surveys. We will use recent methodological (implicit measures) and theoretical (group-based emotions) advances in social psychology to tackle this issue. Theoretically, the sociological and social psychological literature on the role of group threat is integrated. The proposed research consists of (1) a detailed analysis of the education effect on all types of anti-immigrant attitudes in existing studies, e.g. the European Social Survey, (2) a study with an educationally diverse sample including explicit and implicit measures of anti-immigrant attitudes, and also group-based emotions, and (3) experimental studies that further investigate the role of intergroup economic threat in educational differences in anti-immigrant attitudes. The researcher’s strong background in sociology and social psychology makes him well-prepared to carry out this project. The exceptional training environment offered by the School of Psychology at Cardiff University will ensure the successful execution of the project and particularly the training of the researcher in the fields relevant to this proposal and in which the School of Psychology has abundant expertise (intergroup relations, emotions, automatic aspects of attitudes). Finally, the extensive international collaborations of Professor Spears (the supervisor) will provide opportunities for the applicant to collaborate on related research and establish international connections.

Keywords: social psychology,migration studies,sociology,group-based emotions
Unraveling the role of Nucleotide Excision Repair factors and the dynamic of chromatin structure in the repair of oxidative DNA damages in vivo (OXIDNA-REPAIR-CHROMA)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-08-01
End date: 2012-07-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 168035.2
EU funding (EUR): 168035.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Oxidation of DNA bases by reactive oxygen species (ROS) leads to mutations that have been linked with cancer and neurodegenerations. The occurrence of these major diseases increases upon organism aging. The life expectancy in western society and particularly EU has considerably increased in the XXth century. Thus mortality caused by cancer and neurodegenerations has become massive. Therefore fighting against aging of the population is our future medical challenge and understanding mechanisms reducing the impact of oxidative DNA damages can be one of the best weapons to win this non-violent war. Mouse mutants for Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) revealed an unexpected link between DNA damages and premature aging. The UV lesions have been for historical reason the “model lesion” for NER. However the phenotype in patients and in the several mice model of NER deficiencies together with the Oxygen Radical theory of aging suggests that endogenously generated oxidative DNA damages could be at the roots of the premature and natural aging. The molecular mechanism of NER of UV-lesions has been extensively studied but the NER of oxidative DNA lesion has not been of major focus. Our goal is to molecularly dissect the involvement of NER proteins, in the repair of oxidative DNA damages in vivo. To understand a basic process of cell physiology like mechanisms of oxidative DNA repair we will use a multidisciplinary approach with techniques spreading from mass spectrometry to live cell imaging. Our first aim would be to evaluate the recruitment of NER factors to oxidative DNA lesions generated in living cells by using confocal microscopy and a laser irradiation generating specifically those lesions. We will investigate, by mass spectrometry, for the best candidate the partners recruited during oxidative DNA repair. How DNA repair of oxidative DNA lesions occurs in a chromatin context will also be investigated by an innovative experimental design.

Keywords: molecular genetics,aging,genome stability,oxidative dna lesion,nucleotide excision repair,live cell imaging,confocal microscopy,laser micro-irradiation,chromatin dynamic,proteomics
ROLE OF RIBOSWITCHES IN REGULATING METABOLISM IN ALGAE (RIBOREGAL)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-05-01
End date: 2012-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 173065.2
EU funding (EUR): 173065.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) is the active form of vitamin B1. As well as being an important cofactor for primary metabolism, TPP also controls gene regulation through riboswitches in bacteria, fungi, plants and algae. Riboswitches are evolutionarily conserved sequences in the mRNA to which a metabolite binds directly, thereby affecting expression of the protein. In the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, riboswitches have been found to control gene expression of two thiamine genes, THIC and THI4. To date, studies on riboswitches remain descriptive. Here we propose to investigate, for the first time, in vivo, the role of riboswitches in regulating biosynthetic pathways, using the thiamine pathway in C. reinhardtii. This will be achieved by analyzing the vitamin B1 metabolism of THIC mutants transformed with a functional THIC gene with or without its riboswitch. Additionally, TPP riboswitches will be introduced into yeast, which lacks riboswitches. Data will be used to build a mathematical model of thiamine metabolism with or without riboswitches. We also plan to look for new ‘TPP riboswitch-controlled genes’ by differential display proteomics. This will also give us the opportunity to create a promising molecular tool for the fine-tuning of gene expression. As a proof of concept, a TPP riboswitch will be fused to a reporter gene and transformed either into the nucleus or into the chloroplast of C. reinhardtii. This will allow us to manipulate gene expression and investigate gene function by adding vitamin B1 to the medium. The research project will bring new insight to our understanding of regulation of vitamin metabolism. This will facilitate our ability to manipulate vitamin levels in plants thereby improving their nutritional quality. Understanding vitamin and cofactor metabolism in algae is also essential for the production of third generation biofuels, which are highly dependent on vitamin metabolism.

Keywords: vitamin b1,riboswitch,algae,metabolism,gene regulation
Understanding the Ongoing Process of Welfare State Reform (WELSTAREF)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Incoming Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IIF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-06-01
End date: 2012-05-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 159835.2
EU funding (EUR): 159835.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The aim of this proposed research project is to improve our understanding of the ongoing process of reform of existing welfare state institutions. The basic question I will explore is why some countries have reformed their social policies and institutional structures - for instance by fully funding their pension systems - while others have either tried and failed to carry out similar reforms, or chosen not to attempt any reforms at all. As a first step, I plan to characterize and categorize some of the most important reforms that have taken place during the past three of four decades. As a second step, I hope to be able to use this categorization to develop formal models that shed light on the causal mechanisms underlying the reforms. A key point here is that rather than focusing simply on the development of welfare states, or the appropriateness of different possible reforms, the basic questions here will regard why and when we see the structures and policies of today being reformed. I plan focus most of the actual work on reforms of European institutions, but I will build on my dissertation research on the United States, and use the US as a “baseline” or “reference” case. With this approach I hope to deepen the comparisons between the US and European nations that I initiate in the first part of my dissertation. I will also build on the work on local American politics that forms the basis of my third dissertation chapter. Underlying the questions aimed at here is a broader interest in the way governments (national and local) adapt to changes in their environment. Some governments appear to be better than others at responding and adapting to changes in fundamental economic conditions. However, why this is the case remains, in my view, poorly understood. There has been some compelling work done with qualitative methodological approaches, in particular by political scientists such as Paul Pierson and Jacob Hacker, but I believe their work could be fruitfully compl

Keywords: game theory,political economy,welfare state
Stimuli-responsive Zipper-like Nanobioreactors (SMART)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Incoming Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Sweden,United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IIF, 2009)
Start date: 2011-04-01
End date: 2013-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 180669.4
EU funding (EUR): 180669.4
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

The current nanobioreactor research is focussed on the fabrication of simple-to-use, inexpensive and ultra-sensitive devices which are highly selective, sensitive and stable. Thus, the fundamental goal of this research project is to design, develop and verify a novel bioreactor with self-control abilities for advanced applications (e.g. switchable bio-catalysis) utilising nanotechnology. This subject will be exploited by developing stimuli-responsive nanomaterials to construct zipper-like nanobioreactors, which could bring more attractive advantages: (i) ease of preparation; (ii) auto-switchable structure in contact with external stimuli; (iii) fast responsive/sensing time; (iv) high selectivity and sensitivity; (v) excellent storage stability; and (vi) cost-effectiveness.

Keywords: nanotechnology,materials technology,applied chemistry
Optical Fiber-based Nanobiosensors for Early Prostate Cancer Diagnosis (NANOEYE)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Incoming Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IIF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-09-13
End date: 2012-09-12
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 240289.6
EU funding (EUR): 240289.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This project intends to construct novel nanosized optical fiber-based biosensors which could be applied to detect and monitor the existing telomerase in nucleus of single living cells without significantly altering and/or destructing single cell’s intracellular architecture and physiological function. By studying the level of telomerase in single living cells, early-stage cancer could be detected and diagnosed. This project further aims to develop novel strategies for silver coating and biomolecules immobilisation on optical fiber-based nanoprobes.

Keywords: nanotechnology,diagnostics,instrumental techniques
Computational Studies of Proton Dynamics in Hydrogen Bonded Systems and Enzymes (COSPRODYN)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Slovenia
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-10-01
End date: 2012-03-31
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 99127.6
EU funding (EUR): 99127.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The main purpose of this computational research is to improve the understanding of biocatalysis and receptor triggering by studying the quantum nature of nuclear motion in proteins. Specifically, the research will be focused on three particular biological systems: Soybean lipoxygenase (SLO–1), Monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) and histamine H2 receptor (hisH2). The proposed studies will be devoted to the simulation of proton dynamics and proton transfer in systems containing short H–bonds, which are among the crucial factors for the functionality of enzymes, aimed at uncovering the relationship between the structure and the role of mentioned proteins. The work on SLO–1 should help understand and predict temperature dependence of its exceptionally large H/D kinetic isotope effect of about 80, and to clarify effects of point mutations on its activity. The research on MAO B should elucidate mechanisms of its reactive step and inhibition in the catecholamine dopamine metabolism in the central nervous system, related to the pharmacotherapy of Parkinson disease, depression and age–related cognitive disorders. By using receptor deuteration, the work on hisH2 should unlock the secrets of receptor&apos;s distinction between agonists and antagonists binding, which is of major relevance for pharmaceutical industry and drug design. Overall, it is intended to generally identify ubiquitous trends and features that are applicable well beyond the scopes of these individual investigations. During the project the researcher will acquire state–of–the–art methods of computational biochemistry. This represents a major career development as he will be able to later carry on with this leading–edge research in many directions, propelling his scientific independence and maturity. This will lay ground for future project funded within EU initiatives, which will pose the researcher for breakthroughs in the field of enzymology with the promising outlook of pharmaceutical and industrial applications.

Keywords: chemistry,computational biochemistry,enzyme biocatalysis,receptor trigering,proton transfer reaction
Avian brain evolution and higher level phylogenetics of modern birds (AVIAN EVOLUTION)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-11-08
End date: 2012-10-07
Duration (months): 23.0
Total project cost (EUR): 164689.1
EU funding (EUR): 164689.1
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The evolution of modern birds is still poorly understood. My recent phylogenetic results constitute the first step towards a new picture of the history of modern birds and demonstrate that the incorporation of key fossil taxa into phylogenetic analyses permits to elucidate hypotheses of relationship supported on the basis of extant taxa alone. Milner and colleagues recently investigated the brain anatomy of very ancient birds, using state-of-the-art high resolution X-ray computed tomographic (CT) analysis. These studies showed that: [1] Any reasonably complete and uncrushed fossil bird skull can be investigated with CT technology. [2] The application of CT techniques opens up a whole new set of characters for phylogenetic analysis of both fossils and extant birds. AVIAN EVOLUTION aims: [1] To use the state-of-the-art high resolution X-ray CT facility at the NHM (London) to obtain virtual endocranial casts of fossil and extant birds. [2] To use these to gain a better understanding of avian brain evolution across major avian clades, from the Cretaceous to the present. This will enable me to test the hypothesis that forebrain expansion provided modern birds with an advantage over archaic lineages at the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary. [3] To define new phylogenetic characters of the brain and endocranium to elucidate higher-level relationships of modern birds. [4] To provide a new, solid hypothesis for the early divergences of modern birds. This project will improve our knowledge of avian brain evolution and the diversification of birds through geological time, and will be a major contribution to the understanding of the history of life on earth. Additionally, this project will provide biologists with a solid working basis for better understanding how today’s avian biodiversity might respond to environmental change and global warming. This will ultimately have an impact on conservation biology in the European Area and around the World.

Keywords: biology,bird,brain,braincase,cladistics,computed tomography,endocast,evolution,modern birds,morphology,natural sciences,neuroanatomy,ornithology,palaeontology,phylogeny
Agricultural soils and environmental change: integrating Geomorphic and Agro-Ecosystem Modelling Across Spatial Scales (GAEMASS)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Belgium
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2011-01-03
End date: 2013-04-13
Duration (months): 27.0
Total project cost (EUR): 166800.0
EU funding (EUR): 166800.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The general research objective of this proposal is to improve our understanding of the role of the agricultural soil resource in environmental change with respect to greenhouse gas emissions, soil carbon sequestration and crop productivity. This will be achieved through: (i) the development and validation coupled geomorphic/agro-ecosystem models that will substantially reduce uncertainties by moving from conceptual and simplified coupled approaches to more advanced process-level approaches; (ii) the development and application of novel upscaling methods that explicitly accounts for the intermediate landscape scale. The management and future evolution of carbon stocks remains highly uncertain and a critical area for EU member states. This is recognised in the 7th FP Work Programme Area “6.1.1.3 The Global Carbon cycle”. GAEMASS maps onto this priority and will make an important contribution to address key science questions by advancing understanding of the distribution and vulnerability of carbon stocks in the context of the dual threats of soil erosion and climate change. GAEMASS will lead to an improved quantification of the impact of agricultural activities, erosion, climate variability on crop yields and soil carbon storage in European agricultural landscapes. GAEMASS will result in a better assessment of its current state as well as development/improvement of scientific-based projections of its future evolution. In turn, this will give the opportunity to draw links with other EU projects and to make the results relevant to larger scale Earth system models.

Keywords: agricultural sciences,physical geography,climate change,modelling tools,environmental chemistry
ENVIronmental control of CyAnoToxins production (ENVICAT)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2011-07-01
End date: 2013-06-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 180103.2
EU funding (EUR): 180103.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Harmful cyanobacterial blooms produce toxic secondary metabolites and have significant impacts that jeopardize ecosystems services provided by lakes. To date, the complexity of toxin production and the partial information provided by published studies prevent the accurate prediction of in situ toxin dynamics. The ENVICAT project aims to help an Experienced Researcher broaden his knowledge and skills through the study of cyanotoxin production using cutting-edge ecophysiological, analytical chemical and molecular approaches, and analysis of large-scale environmental databases. The tailored training package will produce a young scientist able to lead European research in this important area. ENVICAT will focus on microcystins (MCs), a diverse family of hepatotoxins that are the most widespread cyanotoxin, and BMAA, a recently identified neurotoxin produced by most cyanobacteria and about which very little is known. An in-depth in vitro study of MCs and BMAA production by Microcystis aeruginosa will be performed taking into account the main factors already identified as acting on toxin production (light, temperature, nutrients) and will provide the first comprehensive study of the factors controlling their production. Furthermore, the competitive advantage of MCs-producing strains will be studied according to the conditions identified as promoting or repressing MCs production. The results obtained from this research will be a first step to provide the data necessary to produce a module to forecast in situ toxins concentration within the PROTECH model developed at CEH Lancaster. The results obtained from in vitro studies will be compared to large-scale in situ data. Finally, we will also provide the first large-scale study of BMAA occurrence in European lakes. In addition to being a stepping-stone to a future career in science, ENVICAT will provide an invaluable opportunity to help share the knowledge between experts in cyanobacterial ecology and lake ecology.

Keywords: cyanobacteria,toxins production,microcystins,bmaa,microcystis aeruginosa,environmental controlling factors,molecular biology,ecophysiology,modelling.