Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Social and gender inequalities in care: childcare-related policies and parenting practices in the post-Yugoslav countries and the role of policy ideas (INCARE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Social Sciences and Humanities
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2018-10-01
End date: 2021-03-02
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 195454.8
EU funding (EUR): 195454.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Studies indicate that the middle class disproportionally benefits from social investments in childcare which target both early childhood education and care and labour market participation of parents. Still, there is lack of comparative studies which would deepen theoretical and policy understanding of social investment approaches applied in various countries and their effect on childcare-related policies and via that outcomes. This project explores these issues by undertaking the first comparative study of childcare policies in the post-Yugoslav countries (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia). It explores the framing and development of entitlements to childcare-related leaves and services, the drivers of the reforms and their outcomes. It is particularly interested in (1) reform potential of the European social investment agenda to affect a redistributive dynamic in childcare and (2) parenting practices of those parents who appear to be redistributive losers of the European social investment agenda (e.g. parents with short-time contracts, unemployed). The data analysed will include national legislation and policy documents and information obtained through expert interviews and interviews with parents. The project tackles the innovative and important topic of social inequalities in childcare, seeking to enhance the understanding of the concept of care policy, and adds a new body of empirical evidence to the field of comparative family policy, and gender and social inequalities studies. By developing this study at the Department of Social Policy and Intervention at Oxford, the project will benefit from the Department`s multidisciplinary and international perspective and expertise. For the Department the project will add new knowledge and deepen its regional focus on Central and Eastern Europe, thus augmenting the Department`s knowledge and coverage of this part of Europe, and its focus on social inequality studies as they relate to childcare.

Keywords: childcare related policies,family policy,social and gender inequalities in childcare,policy ideas,social investment approach,post yugoslav countries
Deciphering the structure and dynamics of the early spliceosome assembly (SplicEcomplex)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Germany
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2018-04-01
End date: 2020-05-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 171460.8
EU funding (EUR): 171460.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Pre-mRNA splicing is the major step of RNA edition in eukaryotes. It consists on a catalytic process that removes non-coding sequences (introns) and ligates the coding ones (exons), creating the RNA sequence that codifies the final protein. This process is highly regulated and gives rise to a great variability of proteins, expanding the versatility encoded in the human genome. In the early stage of splicing, RNA 5’ and 3’ splice sites must be brought within proximity to correctly assemble the active spliceosome (cross-intron arrangement) and perform the excision and ligation reactions. Many elements participate in the assembly of the early spliceosomal complex (E complex) through different protein-protein, protein-RNA and RNA-RNA interactions, leading to the formation of a very dynamic association. Several factors regulate the correct assembly, defining the RNA sequences that should be excised and controlling the production of alternative spliced transcripts. The full comprehension of the E complex formation will allow a deeper understanding of the splicing mechanism at molecular level which is essential in human health as aberrant processes are the basis of many diseases. Currently, the structures of cross-intron arrangement factors in the early spliceosome are not known and there is a lack of structural data of the complete E complex. In this project, I propose a novel, integrative and multidisciplinary study of the structure and regulation of the early spliceosomal assembly. I will analyse the different cross-intron interactions, elucidate the high-resolution structure of the whole association and study the effects of protein post-translational modifications in the structure and complex assembly. This will lead to the discovery of new structural insights for the first step of the spliceosome formation having an impact on our understanding of the fundamental mechanism of splicing regulation and forming the basis for future innovative therapeutic approaches.

Keywords: spliceosome,e complex,pre mrna splicing,early spliceosomal assembly,splicing regulation,alternative splicing,integrative structural biology,cryo em
Unbreakable HEART: a reconfigurable and self-healing isolated dc/dc converter (U-HEART) (U-HEART)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Proof of concept grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Systems and communication engineering
Panel description: Electrical, electronic, communication, optical and systems engineering
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC Proof of Concept Grant (ERC-2018-PoC, 2018)
Start date: 2018-10-01
End date: 2020-03-31
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 150000.0
EU funding (EUR): 150000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Isolated dc/dc converters are increasingly employed as key components in data center, aerospace and electrical distribution, because of their capability to guarantee controllability and improve system efficiency despite power electronics is still more prone to failure with respect to other components of such systems. Fault-tolerant operation, when needed, is typically achieved through redundancy, which entails higher costs. The goal of U-HEART is to obtain fault-tolerant operation of the isolated dc/dc converter avoiding redundancy. This will lead to larger acceptance in industry, typically very skeptical when it comes to higher costs. In 2017 we have applied for a patent covering isolated dc/dc converters based on a multi-winding transformer, which can ride-through failures by means of the reconfigurability of the system and of the self-healing capacity of the cells. The hardware is reconfigurable because a part of the magnetic core with the associated winding and associated power module can be removed and self-healing because in case of a failure, the healthy part of the system realizes a different power converter function. The software will guarantee that the resulting dc/dc converter will be able to operate with one cell less or with its reconfigured version. The goal is that after a failure the overall system maintains the original functionality.

Keywords: power electronics,reliability
Telomere metabolism in Genome Stability and Disease (TelMetab)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced 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 Advanced Grant (ERC-2016-ADG, 2016)
Start date: 2017-09-01
End date: 2023-02-28
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2118431.0
EU funding (EUR): 2118431.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Telomeres are specialised nucleoprotein structures that protect chromosome ends from degradation and promiscuous DNA repair activities. Critically short telomeres give rise to Dyskeratosis Congenita and Hoyeraal-Hreidarrson Syndrome (HHS), highlighting the clinical importance of maintaining telomeres. Telomeres also progressively shorten with each cell division, eventually triggering cellular senescence. Although telomerase is able to extend telomeres to solve the “end replication problem”, its re-expression is a major route to cancer cell immortalization. Hence, telomeres and telomerase must be subject to exquisite regulation to maintain telomere homeostasis and organismal function. We have previously implicated the Fe-S helicase RTEL1 in maintaining vertebrate telomeres, which is frequently mutated in HHS. In this ERC proposal, we will employ proteomic methods, super-resolution microscopy, biochemistry and genetic approaches to: i) investigate why telomerase is the cause of telomere dysfunction in the absence of Rtel1, ii) how RTEL1 is controlled during the cell cycle, and iii) how this process is compromised by Rtel1 mutations in HHS. By establishing quantitative PICh to interrogate telomere composition in unprecedented detail, we have uncovered an unappreciated compensation between RTEL1 and ATRX at telomeres and also identified SLX4IP as a key regulator of telomere recombination, which we will characterize at a mechanistic level. We will extend our expertise in quantitative PICh and genome-wide CRISPR screens to identify novel factors that respond to or are lost from telomeres as a result of: i) induction of DNA damage at telomeres, ii) inhibition of p97 segregase, and iii) the onset of senescence. Our proposal will lead to a greater understanding of the causes/consequences of telomere dysfunction in multiple contexts, the factors that mitigate these effects to maintain telomere homeostasis and how these processes are compromised in human diseases.

Keywords: telomeres,dna repair,homologous recombination
Cellular diversity and stress-induced cell-state switches in the mammalian hypothalamus (Secret-Cells)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced 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: Austria
Call: ERC Advanced Grant (ERC-2015-AdG, 2015)
Start date: 2016-09-01
End date: 2021-08-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2422698.0
EU funding (EUR): 2422698.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The hypothalamus is an essential interface among neuroendocrine, autonomic and somatomotor systems, allowing dynamic bodily adaptations to environmental cues via the orchestration of complex physiological processes. Hypothalamic nuclei exhibit unprecedented molecular, structural and functional diversity of neurons, reflecting the breadth of neuroendocrine output. To date, a significant portion of hypothalamic neurons remains unaccounted for given the lack of identity markers. For known hypothalamic neuron subtypes, their ability to undergo stimulus-dependent expressional switches challenge their neurotransmitter- and neuropeptide-based classifications. These gaps of knowledge limit conceptual advances on neuronal loci, dynamic synapse recruitment and network hierarchy for metabolic control, and the molecular origins of disease. We have established the single cell transcriptome landscape of the paraventricular nucleus including its magno- and parvocellular domains. We will use this template to reveal novel cell identities and cell-state switches upon acute stress. We describe >25 neuronal subtypes under stress-free conditions, surpassing the resolution of any prior approach. Thus, we will resolve neurotransmitter-neuropeptide relationships at the single neuron level, with a focus on corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), determine biophysical parameters of CRH co-release with a fast neurotransmitter, and decipher changes to afferent organization upon stress. A novel parvocellular subclass constitutively expresses secretagogin, a calcium-sensor, which is indispensable for CRH release. We will link secretagogin loss-of-function in CRH neurons to Addison’s disease (chronic adrenal insufficiency associated with insulin resistance). Moreover, we propose a (pro-)hormone-like role for secretagogin released from CRH neurons into the circulation. Overall, our work program will produce new understanding on cellular diversity and organizational rules in the hypothalamus.

Keywords: stress,exocytosis,hormonal axis,transcriptome analysis,systems neurobiology
Identification of regulatory signals from vascular niche in alveolar regeneration and pulmonary fibrosis (Niche Fibrosis)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting 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: United Kingdom
Call: ERC Starting Grant (ERC-2015-STG, 2015)
Start date: 2016-05-01
End date: 2021-06-30
Duration (months): 62.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1499272.0
EU funding (EUR): 1499272.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Pulmonary fibrosis is a multifaceted and fatal disease that includes damaged alveolar epithelial cells and disorganization of multiple stromal cells. Dysregulation of multicellular crosstalk between epithelial and stromal cells is likely to contribute to fibrosis. However, the precise way this tissue damage occurs is unknown. I hypothesize that impaired function of lung epithelial stem cell lead to alveolar epithelial damage in pulmonary fibrosis, and which may be caused by altered stromal/niche cells. Epithelial injury repair and regeneration in the adult lung is carried out by numerous epithelial stem/progenitor cells. Recently, I identified a crucial interaction between lung endothelial cells and lung stem cells during alveolar injury response, and demonstrated a new regulatory signalling pathway that operates in endothelial cells to support alveolar injury repair by driving alveolar lineage specification of stem cells. Importantly, introduction of endothelial-derived factors into the lung after fibrotic damage enhances alveolar regeneration and reduces pulmonary fibrosis. Given these results and unique my background knowledge, I will bring a new concept of stem cell-niche interactions in alveolar injury repair and pulmonary fibrosis. Using both in vivo murine and organoid culture, as well as human lung organoid culture systems, I will define 1) whether and how the fibrotic response affects lung stem cells and 2) how lung stem cells are regulated by endothelial cells that may comprise their respective niches during injury repair. 3) The mechanisms involved in the normal and pathological regulation of lung stem cells will be elucidated by determining secreted factors and regulatory signals endothelial cells confer through paracrine and direct physical interaction with stem cells. Insights gained from these studies will accelerate the development of novel and selective therapeutic approaches that directly target stem cells or their niches in pulmonary fibrosis.

Keywords: pulmonary fibrosis,vascular endothelial cells,lung stem cells,lineage differentiation,niche,oragnoid culture
Advanced Flow Battery Energy Storage Systems in a Microgrid Network (GREENERNET)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Action type: Innovation actions
Countries involved: Italy,Italy,Hungary,Denmark
Call: Fast Track to Innovation Pilot (H2020-FTIPilot-2015-1, 2015)
Start date: 2016-07-01
End date: 2018-12-31
Duration (months): 30.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2690251.0
EU funding (EUR): 2019881.95
Participants: 5
Project status: CLOSED

The GREENERNET project will develop a new highly innovative organic redox flow battery, integrated in an optimized microgrid infrastructure operated by an intelligent Energy Management System. The redox flow battery is a promising technology for both medium and large-scale renewable and grid energy storage, but is limited by its high price, low energy density and poor stability of the electrolyte solutions (e.g. vanadium, zinc). Starting form an internally developed prototype of an energy storage system (ESS) of 1kW based on new organic AQDS (anthraquinone di-sulphonate), we will enhance and scale up this prototype flow battery into an innovative cheap (< €150 / kWh) and safe 10 kW ESS, integrated in a smart microgrid for distributed energy applications, with a significant improvement over the existing technology. We are focusing on the distributed storage and renewables integration for residential and communities’ microgrids that represent a large market in Europe, that is estimated to grow with a CAGR of 35% from $ 0.7 billion in 2014 to $ 4.2 billion in 2020. The innovation of this action is twofold: • Develop and commercialize a storage system module of 10 kW, 40 kWh based on a breakthrough technology, originally developed by Harvard University and implemented in the 1kW battery prototype by GES and UTV, that relies on the electrochemistry of naturally abundant, inexpensive, small organic (carbon-based) molecules called quinones, which are similar to molecules that store energy in plants and animals. • Develop an innovative Microgrid Management Platform to optimize the use of the AQDS flow battery, able to monitor microgrid components (loads, energy sources, storage) and to continuously perform a multi-objective optimisation of the energy flows between them and the Power Distribution Grid whose requests will be taken into account by dynamically adhering to Demand Response programs. The Consortium revenue target is to reach € 70m by 2020 with a market share of 2%

Keywords: flow battery,microgrid,quinone,energy storage
Quantitative Models of Cities (COMMUTE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Individuals, Markets and Organisations
Panel description: Economics, finance and management
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: ERC ADVANCED GRANT (ERC-2020-ADG, 2020)
Start date: 2021-11-01
End date: 2026-10-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1868235.0
EU funding (EUR): 1868235.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

One of the most striking empirical regularities is the huge divergence in economic activity both across and within countries. Within countries, this is most clearly illustrated by the vast differences in economic activity between cities and rural areas. Despite this first-order economic phenomenon, the study of the economics of cities has been a niche interest for much of the 20th century. This has changed recently with the arrival of data with a high level of spatial resolution for cities and key theoretical breakthroughs. In particular, Ahlfeldt, Redding, Sturm and Wolf (2015) and Heblich, Redding and Sturm (2020) develop an empirically tractable model of location choices in cities. They show how this model can be used to estimate the strength of agglomeration forces in cities and the effect of the construction of the railways on commuting flows and city growth. This project will take our understanding of the economics of cities to the next level by innovating along four different dimensions. First, the project will combine quantitative urban models that build on my prior work with extraordinary detailed register data covering every person in Denmark. Second, the project will develop a dynamic version of the current static models and structurally estimate this model with the information available in the Danish data. Third, the rich heterogeneity that can be observed in the Danish register data will make it possible to innovate on the current state of the art, which assumes ex-ante identical workers and a single output, and allow for worker and firm heterogeneity. Fourth, the modelling and empirical work will directly address questions of first-order policy relevance. These questions include evaluating the general equilibrium benefits of improvements in urban transport infrastructure, and the effect of height restrictions and other planning interventions on the growth and welfare of cities.

Keywords: urban economics,quantitative models,agglomeration forces,density
NLR-ID diversity, mechanism and functionality upon transfer between species (NLR_NLR-ID power)

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: United Kingdom
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2018-05-01
End date: 2020-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 195454.8
EU funding (EUR): 195454.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Plant and animal innate immune systems detect pathogen infection by both cell-surface PRR (pattern recognition receptor) and intracellular NLR (nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat) immune receptors, and activate effective defences. Transfer of cell surface receptors between plant families can enhance disease resistance, but intracellular receptors are often non-functional when transferred to different families. This "restricted taxonomic functionality" may arise from a requirement for an appropriate helper or partner NLR. Some NLRs carry Integrated Domains (IDs) that serve as “baits” that detect the action of pathogen effector proteins, thus enabling pathogen recognition. NLR-ID proteins require for function a helper NLR, usually closely linked as a head-to-head gene pair. Some NLR/NLR-ID pairs confer resistance to diverse pathogens when transferred as a unit between plant families. For example, Arabidopsis RPS4/RRS1, when transferred as a unit, confers recognition of bacterial and fungal pathogens in Solanaceae and cucurbit plants. This project is based on the hypothesis that NLR/NLR-ID pairs from one species can detect effectors that target that class of ID from a pathogen of any species. Rice is completely resistant to fungal rusts of wheat and barley. Many NLR-IDs are present in rice but not in other Poaceae. My goals are to: (i) use DNA sequence capture and bioinformatics to discover the full NLR/NLR-ID pair repertoires of diverse rice genotypes; (ii) investigate rice IDs interactions with effectors from wheat and barley pathogens; and (iii) transfer gene pairs to barley, maximizing the diversity of IDs in these pairs, and assess transgenic lines for novel resistance to barley diseases. The outcomes of this interdisciplinary Fellowship will provide profound insights into NLR/NLR-ID diversity in plants, into the diversity of domains that are effector targets, and into the molecular basis of "non-host" disease resistance.

Keywords: plant innate immunity,immune receptors,immunity of rice nlr receptor,non host resistance