Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Synaptic mechanisms underlying neural coding in the retina during visual response (SYNAPSE TRANSMISSION)

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,United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-03-01
End date: 2015-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 231283.2
EU funding (EUR): 231283.2
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

A formidable challenge for the visual system is to encode the statistical variability in the visual environment. For example, the vital statistics of contrast and luminance vary by several orders of magnitude within an image and during global changes in overall viewing conditions. The range of visual signals far exceeds the dynamic range of neurons in the retina. Traditional views dictate that during the visual contrast processing the retinal circuitry undergoes adaptation and thereby extends its dynamic range. This is intuitively appealing. However, recent studies have demonstrated an opposite form of plasticity – facilitation. Both adaptation and facilitation originate at the synaptic terminals of the bipolar cells. A combination of adaptation and facilitation might help to detect both an increase and decrease in contrast. However, the mechanisms underlying such plasticity and subsequent neural coding are largely unknown and my work will focus on studying these questions. This requires studying the properties of synaptic terminals of bipolar cells and that of amacrine cells which provide lateral inhibitory input. I shall use multiphoton microscopy to do in vivo measurements in the retina of zebrafish larvae. I shall monitor calcium signals and exo-and endocytosis of neurotransmitter vesicles at the synaptic terminals of both bipolar and amacrine cells under spatio-temporally different contrast illuminations. The calcium signals and vesicle activity will be simultaneously monitored using novel genetically encoded reporters of varying spectral properties. Secondly, I shall study the role of various neurotransmitters in modulating synaptic activity. Finally, I shall study how opposite forms of plasticity segregate into different layers of the retinal circuitry. Similar challenges for neural coding exist in other sensory systems. The insights gained from studying synaptic bases of neural coding in the retina will improve our general understanding of neural function.

Keywords: sensory systems,neuroimaging and computational neuroscience,retina,visual perception,synpatic plasticity,neural coding,zebrafish,multi-photon microscopy,genetically encoded optical reporters
Rational Design of Hybrid Nano-porous Composites made from Carbon Nanostructures and Crystalline Open-Framework Solids for Advanced Applications (CARBONCROFS)

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: Greece
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2014-10-15
End date: 2016-10-14
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 161968.8
EU funding (EUR): 161968.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The CarbonCROFs proposal is directed at the rational design and development of novel open-frameworks solids including metal organic-, zeolitic imidazolate- and covalent organic-frameworks well as their smart combination with carbon nanostructures (carbon nanotubes and graphene) towards advanced, multifunctional hybrid nanoporous materials. The combination of the unique and diverse physical and chemical properties of carbon nanostructures such as high surface area, increased chemical and mechanical stability in conjunction with the remarkable properties of final open framework nanoporous composites, is strongly expected to deliver tailor made, hybrid, composite materials showing a very promising potential to serve clean energy (such as hydrogen and fuel cell) technologies. In this respect, the CarbonCROFs project is aiming at the development of composite nanoporous materials featuring: (i) Significantly improved sorption properties for technologically important gases including H2, CO2, CH4 and NH3. (ii) Ultrahigh anhydrous proton conductivity for potential utilization in high temperature fuel cells. In order to achieve these overall goals, research within CarbonCROFs will focus on: (i) Drastically enhancement of the degree of aromaticity in CROFS and in this way improvement of their gas storage properties. Aromatic rings are Lewis base sites and their presence in porous solids improves the gas storage capacity through either acid-base interactions (the case of CO2-acidic molecule) or induced dipole (the case of H2). (ii) Radical improvement of the mechanical and chemical stability of open-framework solids and development of air stable hybrid composites while maintaining maximum porosity. (iii) Preparation of moisture stable composites functionalized with acidic groups such as sulfonic and aromatic hydroxyl groups. These solids are strongly expected to exhibit anhydrous proton conductivity suitable for application the next generation fuel cells applications.

Keywords: c102 nanochemistry,c124 porous materials,c128 nanomaterials,c131 environment chemistry,c119 structural properties of materials,c126 new materials
Holocene climate variability at Talos Dome, Antarctica (TALDICE HOLOCENE)

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: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IIF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-10-02
End date: 2015-10-01
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 194046.6
EU funding (EUR): 194046.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Polar regions are warming rapidly, but the significance of this trend can only be appreciated in the context of the long-term regional climate variability. The climate variability of Antarctica, on decadal to centennial timescales, is poorly constrained, due to the lack of long temperature time series, and we must rely on ice cores to reconstruct past temperature at high resolution. A new 1000-year temperature record at WAIS Divide, in the center of West Antarctica has highlighted the large amplitude of multi-decadal variability there, but no such work has been accomplished in East Antarctica, where the dynamics of the climate are very different. We propose here to reconstruct the temperature history of Talos Dome, in the Ross sea sector of East Antarctica, with decadal resolution for the last 2000 years, and 50-year resolution over the Holocene (last 10,000 years). We will combine a new temperature proxy based on inert gas isotopes (δ15N, δ40Ar and δ86Kr), with a detailed measurement of all water isotope pairs (δ18O, δD, 17Oexcess) in the Talos Dome ice core, to produce the best possible temperature history at this site. This approach will allow us to deepen our understanding of the temperature imprint in water isotopic records. In addition, we will be able to test whether there was a bi-polar see saw associated with the Little Ice Age, and we will assess the stability of the climate in the Ross Sea. This new knowledge will improve our ability to forecast the consequence of the anthropogenic warming, and evaluate the vulnerability of the Ross Sea to rapid climate changes. This study will be led at LSCE, which has the unique analytical capacity and expertise in stable isotope measurements, climate modeling and climate reconstruction from ice cores for this project. The PI is already an expert in temperature reconstruction from inert gas isotopes, on the Holocene period. The project should thus benefit from the great complementarity between the host and PI.

Keywords: v201 climatology and climate change,v201 paleoclimatology - paleoecology,v201 biogeochemistry - biogeochemical cycles - environmental chemistry
Synthesis of Diketopiperazine Based Bioactive Compounds via Palladium Catalyzed Cascade Alkynylation Reactions (CASDKP)

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: Switzerland
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IIF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-04-01
End date: 2015-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 192622.2
EU funding (EUR): 192622.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

More than 50% of drugs currently on the market are either natural product inspired derivatives or natural products. Despite this remarkable feat, the pharmaceutical industry has partly abandoned this traditional method of drug discovery resulting in a decline of newly approved drugs. In this context, we propose the development of a novel Pd-catalyzed cascade reaction to gain highly efficient entry into the diketopiperazine framework. Using this newly developed chemical tool, analogs of natural products with confirmed quorum sensing or anticancer properties will be synthesized. Quorum sensing represents a novel therapeutic target to fight bacteria, which is especially attractive in light of the ever-expanding bacterial drug resistance, as it is based on bacterial cell-to-cell signaling disruption. Thus, we propose the synthesis of a series of diketopiperazine derivatives, based on the structure of known diketopiperazine based natural quorum sensing modulators. This task will additionally result in the implementation of a biological screening subunit within the host group. Furthermore, we aim to utilize the cascade reaction to access a series of tryprostatin A and B analogs (promising anticancer agents). A highly convergent approach is proposed herein, allowing for the synthesis of these chemical entities in half as many steps in comparison to the current “state-of-the-art” method. The synthesized derivatives will be assessed for their anticancer activity in collaboration with leading experts of the field. Thus, the proposed project entails a multidisciplinary, trans-national effort to find novel potent bioactive compounds that will certainly represent a high-quality contribution to advance the fields of Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Biology and Microbiology with a sustained positive impact on overall public health and welfare.

Keywords: organic chemistry,chemical methodology,quorum sensing,biofilms modulation,anticancer,antibacterial,medicinal chemistry,natural product analogs,total synthesis
Monitoring vegetation phenology at multiple scales in Europe from the GMES satellite sensor time-series: a special consideration to natura2000 areas (EUROSAT4PHENOCHANGES)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-06-01
End date: 2015-05-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Global warming has been evidenced by numerous studies, and can be clearly identified in the recent historical evolution of temperatures across the globe. Increasing temperatures may leads to changes in the phenology of vegetation. The objective of this project is to develop an accurate methodology based on satellite sensor imagery for studying and mapping the phenological response of European terrestrial vegetation to climate drivers. These maps will be available to be used for tuning models of carbon emissions and planning for the management of natural vegetation. The new generation of biophysical time-series from the European Global Monitoring of the Environment and Security programme, at coarse, medium and fine scales, will be used to extract the two main phenological variables (onset of greenness and end of senescence) for the whole European continent at a broader scale, and country and local scales (natura2000 areas). On the one hand, it is expected to evaluate the suitability of different biophysical parameters related to the state of vegetation for the extraction of phenological variables. On the other hand, the influence of the scale factor on the phenology of vegetation is studied, by comparing information obtained at continental, regional and local scales from the different European sensors available. Because of high resolution biophysical parameter are not available for the study of phenology at local scales, a geostatistical methodology will be developed for downscaling the phenological information to the scale of specific sites of ecological importance in order to monitor the state of the natura2000 areas. The specific methodology to obtain phenological variables from biophysical parameters at country scale can be applied to study the changes in phenology in all the European countries. More specifically, the data fusion approach for merging remotely sensed data, which allows operational monitoring the phenology of protected areas, is generalizable.

Keywords: earth observation and remote sensing,physical geography,vegetation phenology,european global monitoring of the environment and security (gmes),time-series analysis
Non-canonical signalling pathways relayed by retinoic acid affecting germ cell differentiation. (INVIVO_RA_NONCANON)

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: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-03-01
End date: 2015-06-20
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 261384.6
EU funding (EUR): 261384.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Cell proliferation, differentiation and death are controlled by different transcription factors amongst which the non-steroid nuclear receptors (nsNR). Deciphering the mechanisms of action of nsNR is a challenge in various research fields ranging from cancer and neurodegenerative disorders to metabolic diseases. According to the canonical signalling pathway liganded nsNR, in the form of dimers with a rexinoid receptor (RXR), bind to specific DNA response element of target genes and activate transcription. Retinoic acid (RA) receptors (RARs) belong to the nsNR family. RA is the active metabolite of vitamin A, which is indispensable for normal embryonic development and, postnatally, for survival, growth, reproduction and epithelial differentiation. Its properties to induce cell differentiation are used to treat diseases, from benign defects to cancers. According to in vitro data, RARs can act via several non canonical signalling pathways independently of RXR. The InVivo_RA_NonCanon project proposes to characterize such pathways in vivo, using the seminiferous epithelium of the testis as a model system. Working hypotheses have been constructed which integrate yet unpublished data aimed at uncovering genes differentially expressed in RA-deficient contexts and existing datasets identifying RAR binding sites genome wide. The experimental strategy will combine in vitro experiments to identify the mechanisms of action of RARs and in vivo genetic analyses, in the mouse, to test their functionality in a physiological context. Also, InVivo_RA_NonCanon aims at offering to a young scientist with an excellent scientific record, multi-disciplinary training and research experience in the field of cell biology with the goal of broadening the applicant’s skills in science on complementary subjects. The overall mission is to train the young researcher to become an independent scientist as well as to prepare him for a leading position in academia.

Keywords: vitamin a,nuclear receptors,non-canonical pathway,gene regulation,proteomic,sertoli cell,conditional mutants,mice,l108,l201,l305,l308,l403
Producer Organizations in Food Supply Chains (PRODORG&FOODSUPPLY)

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: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-06-20
End date: 2014-09-19
Duration (months): 15.0
Total project cost (EUR): 168589.88
EU funding (EUR): 168589.88
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The objective of the proposed fellowship is to investigate the working of Producer Organizations (POs) and their interactions with other actors in the food supply chains, e.g., processing and retailing firms. POs are important players in EU food markets, because they can improve their performances and possibly assure a fairer economic welfare distribution across farmers, processing and retailing firms, and consumers. For these reasons, POs are given a prominent role in the EU Common Market Organization. For the economic analysis of POs, the applicant is proposing to visit the Toulouse School of Economics. Taking advantage of the strength of the Host Institution, with a world reputation for its expertise on Industrial Organization, Competition Policy and Applied Contract Theory, the applicant would broaden and update his knowledge of applied microeconomics attending advanced courses, seminars, and conferences, under the supervision of Prof. Rey. Working together with colleagues at the Food, Farms, Firms group at TSE, the applicant would apply these tools to food industries. Learning from the exceptional experience of IDEI and TSE of interacting with industry representatives, regulators, and policy-makers, he would learn how effectively lead research groups, from the individuation of a relevant problem, to the development of the research idea and economic analysis, to the technology transfer and the suggestion of implementable policy options to industry governing bodies and policy-makers. The fellowship would allow the applicant to step-up in his professional career, by helping him to improve his publication record, research group management skills, and expendability within industry and policy-making institutions.

Keywords: producer organizations,food industries,industrial organization,contract theory,private label,vertical relationships.
Structural preferences of histone variants during chromatin assembly in Physarum polycephalum. (CHROMAPHY)

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: Germany
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2014-01-01
End date: 2015-12-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 161968.8
EU funding (EUR): 161968.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

One of the main challenges of 21st century biology is to describe the many factors controlling our genes – our ‘epigenetics’. Having sequenced the human genome in 1999, and the genomes of many other organisms since then, we already know what genes these organisms have, but we must now study where those genes are used, in which cell types, during which stage of development, and in response to what environmental factors. This ‘epigenetic’ knowledge is crucial to the understanding of development and disease. Current models in this field can demonstrate that epigenetic information is passed through generations, but they cannot fully explain how the information is inherited. The ChromaPhy project studies the mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance. We combine novel techniques of chemical biology and live-cell imaging with those of molecular genetics, in the model organism Physarum polycephalum. Physarum has a unique ability to absorb whole proteins from its environment into its cellular physiology, making it ideal for our study. ChromaPhy brings together four research groups in Germany and France to support and enable the UK-trained researcher. Because chromatin components are some of the most highly conserved proteins in nature, discoveries we learn from Physarum polycephalum will be directly applicable to human biology.

Keywords: chromatin,histone,chaperone,h3.3,epigenetics,dna replication,nucleosome,physarum,l208 epigenetics and gene regulation,l101 molecular biology and interactions
Influence of hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment on the adaptive immune response and cancer immunotherapy. (HYPOXIC TILS)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2014-01-01
End date: 2015-12-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The tumor microenvironment determines many of the hallmarks of cancer. Stromal components and malignant cells dialogue and mutually change their functional responses. Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are a prominent feature of solid tumors, whose presence has correlation with a better survival in cancer-patients. However TILs are severely restrained in their ability to tackle tumors as a result of immunosuppressive mechanisms. This proposal is based on the hypothesis that low levels of oxygen availability in solid tumors induce profound changes on the adaptative immune response mediated by HIF-1α and HIF-2α transcription factors. Research objectives include: 1) To study TILs behaviour under hypoxia 2) To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed changes, and importantly, 3) To evaluate the impact of these changes for different immunotherapeutic strategies (monoclonal antibodies, adoptive transfers, and drugs targeting the hypoxia pathway). The state-of-the-art technical approaches to address these objectives include cutting-edge two-photon in vivo imaging to study the immune response inside hypoxic tumors, and unique-in-the-world transgenic mice to unravel the HIF-1α and HIF-2α pathway importance in T cells. This project will enable a more rational design of anti-tumor immunotherapies and could help to explain disease recurrence and identify potential targets for therapeutic interventions.

Keywords: l602 adaptive immunity,l405 metabolism,l703 pharmacology - toxicology - pharmacogenomics - drug therapy