Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Modified Gravity as an Alternative to Dark Energy (MGATDE)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Systems and communication engineering
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (ERC-2007-StG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-10-01
End date: 2013-09-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Modified Gravity as an Alternative to Dark Energy

Keywords: modified gravity,braneworld,extra dimensions,lorentz non-invariance,weak lensing,cosmic microwave background
Molecular Mechanisms of Glioma Genesis and Progression (GLIOMA)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Immunity and infection
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (ERC-2007-StG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-08-01
End date: 2014-07-31
Duration (months): 72.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1566000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1566000.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Glioma is the most common and aggressive tumour of the brain and its most malignant form, glioblastoma multiforme, is nowadays virtually not curable. Very little is known about glioma genesis and progression at the molecular level and not much progress has been achieved in the treatment of this disease during the last years. The understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the biology of glioma is essential for the development of successful and rational therapeutic strategies. Our project aims to: 1- Study the role of the TGF-beta, Shh, Notch, and Wnt signal transduction pathways in glioma. These pathways have been implicated in glioma but still not much is known about their specific mechanisms of action. 2- Study of a cell population within the tumour mass that has stem-cell-like characteristics, the glioma stem cells, and how the four mentioned pathways regulate their biology. 3- Study the role of a transcription factor, FoxG1, that has an important oncogenic role in some gliomas and that it is regulated by the four mentioned pathways interconnecting some of them. Our approach will be based on a tight collaboration with clinical researchers of our hospital and the study of patient-derived tumours. We will analyse human biopsies, generate primary cultures of human tumour cells, isolate the stem-cell-like population of patient-derived gliomas and generate mouse models for glioma based on the orthotopical inoculation of human glioma stem cells in the mouse brain to generate tumours with the same characteristics as the original human tumour. In addition, we will also study genetically modified mouse models and established cell lines. We expect that our results will help understand the biology of glioma and cancer, and we aspire to translate our discoveries to a more clinical ambit identifying molecular markers of diagnosis and prognosis, markers of response to therapies, and unveil new therapeutic targets against this deadly disease.

Keywords: cancer,glioma,cancer stem cells,foxg1
Support Actions for the Emergence of a Research Driven Automotive Cluster in West Romania (WESTEER)

Framework: FP7 — Capacities
Programme: Regions of Knowledge
Destination: Facilitating the emergence of new regional research driven clusters and mutual exchange of information
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Romania
Call:  (FP7-REGIONS-2007-2, 2007)
Start date: 2008-03-01
End date: 2010-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 189840.0
EU funding (EUR): 169924.0
Participants: 4
Project status: CLOSED

The main objective of this project is to put in place a set of tailor-made support activities and to create an appropriate institutional framework which will help catalyze the emergence of a research-driven automotive cluster in West Region Romania. Starting from the promising evolution of the rapidly growing agglomeration of automotive enterprises in West Romania, the project will promote the co-operation among various players in this field, and will activate the growth potential of this agglomeration • by mobilizing high-level scientific resources for the benefits for automotive SMEs and • by establishing a supporting cluster management unit. This will help to facilitate its evolution towards a competitive European cluster.

Keywords: clusters,automotive,rtdi transfer to smes,university - industry links
Genomics and metagenomics of bacterial endosymbionts of pest insect (GENOESYMBPESTINSECTS)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: European Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-2-ERG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-05-15
End date: 2011-05-14
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 45000.0
EU funding (EUR): 45000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

General objective of the research project is the genomic and where applicable metagenomic analysis of novel, recently emerged or in the coming years emerging data on genome sequences of diverse bacterial insect endosymbionts. These organisms include especially the endosymbiont Blattabacterium sp. of the cockroach Blattella germanica, primary and secondary endosymbionts of the silver leaf whitefly Bemisia tabaci (primary esb: "Candidatus Portiera aleyrodidarum", secondary esbs: "Candidatus Hamiltonella defensa", and Arsenophonus sp.) and the endosymbiont "Candidatus Erwinia dacicola" of the olive fly Bactrocera oleae In all cases, the endosymbionts are intricately linked to the respective host and the kind of symbiosis is a mutually obligate one. However, knowledge on the nature of the symbiosis and the functional constraints between the two partners is in all these cases rather scarce. The function of the endosymbionts for the host is not (completely) revealed yet. An emerging whole sequence of the reduced genome of the endosymbiont of Blattella germanica, the first one of a non-proteobacterial insect endosymbiont will provide the opportunity for a comprehensive and comparative genomic analysis. Similarly, in the near future sequence data for the whitefly endosymbionts, obtained in a metagenomic approach, will be accessible for our research group. For Cand. E. dacicola we pursue an own medium-sized metagenomic sequencing project to obtain representative data. In the frame of the project genomic and metagenomic studies using bioinformatic tools via comparative analysis will be performed: gene annotation, study of present cellular functions (metabolic routes, regulatory capacity), deduction of the role(s) in the respective symbiosis. In this way, the functional contexts within the specific symbiosis will be revealed.

Keywords: genomics,evolutionary biology,microbiology,bacteriology,computational biology
Promotion of Competence to Up-grade the RTD Potential in Science and Technology (PROCUST)

Framework: FP7 — Capacities
Programme: Research Potential
Destination: International Co-operation
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Romania
Call:  (FP7-REGPOT-2007-2, 2007)
Start date: 2008-06-01
End date: 2009-05-31
Duration (months): 12.0
Total project cost (EUR): 219050.47
EU funding (EUR): 200000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Research in the Scientific and Technological Development in Electrical Engineering is a strategically vital component of a competitive economy. Attaining expertise right across of this huge and multidisciplinary field, demands a high level of research potential. PROCUST`s aim is to provide an international independent expert evaluation of the existing research quality level and infrastructures of ICPE-CA, identifying the gaps and opportunities and to define an Action Plan to up-grade and reinforce its RTD potential. This project will be a complement of actions generated in FP6 SSA – INDUMAT and other national projects for improving the research capacity of ICPE-CA in order to assure a better participation as valuable partner in EU research initiatives and to increase the economic cohesion. PROCUST has the following objectives: - to analyze the state-of-art of the institute; - to realize SWOT analysis which will contain the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats; - to provide an Action Plan to up-grade and reinforce the RTD capacity of the institute. Accomplishing of PROCUST`s objectives will provide ICPE-CA the possibility to enrich its capacity to play an important role in bridging the gap between science, economy and policy in Romania and Europe in a knowledge based society, in order to fully realise the European Research Area in the enlarged Union, using the principle “learn from nature”. By the transposing in reality of the Action Plan resulted from PROCUST, ICPE-CA will fructify its improved effectiveness and gained advantages directly in the benefits of SME`s and industrial organizations, in future European and national partnerships in research projects.

Keywords: swot analysis,action plan. up-grade rtd potential,evaluation
Bridging continents across the sea: Multi-disciplinary perspectives on the emergence of long-distance maritime contacts in prehistory (SEALINKS)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Cultures and cultural production
Countries involved: United Kingdom,United Kingdom
Call:  (ERC-2007-StG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-11-01
End date: 2014-10-31
Duration (months): 72.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1200000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1200000.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

The role of the sea in drawing together peoples and cultures from distant places and continents in the historical period is readily apparent from textual sources and archaeological remains. In particular, and in contrast to the Atlantic, for example, which has served as a formidable natural barrier to east-west movement and migration, both the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean have served as important zones of interaction and trade, across which populations have migrated and mixed for at least several thousand years. Recent research findings, including those from the applicant’s archaeological field project in south India, suggest that long-distance maritime activities in this region actually have quite precocious beginnings, and that important species and population transfers across the Indian Ocean probably began to occur well before the historical period. Such findings are perhaps not surprising in light of the evidence for human maritime activity dating back to the colonisation of Australia around 45,000 years ago, but they do suggest that the much more apparent historical evidence for maritime activity has biased maritime research in favour of later periods. This project will accordingly focus on the study of prehistoric maritime activity, and exploration of the specific developments that resulted in the transition from occasional seagoing to regular seafaring and then planned, long-distance voyaging. To do so, it will draw not only upon the traditional disciplines of archaeology and historical linguistics, but also the powerful new methods of molecular genetics, cladistics, and palaeoenvironmental studies. Such research is important not only for its value to researchers trying to reconstruct the histories of human populations, domesticated plants and animals, technologies and societies, but also for its potentially important role in highlighting for the wider public the cultural exchanges and ethnic mixing that have long characterised human societies.

Keywords: prehistory,maritime,coasts,archaeology,genetics,historical linguistics,palaeoenvironment,technology,trade,exchange,migration,diffusion,dispersal
Nerve guidance channels based on synthetic polymer – polysaccharide biomaterials (NERVEREGENERATION)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Poland
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-3-IRG, 2007)
Start date: 2007-12-01
End date: 2011-11-30
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Current strategies to repair damaged axonal pathways in peripheral nervous system (PNS), besides autologous nerve grafts, have concerned the application of bridging substrates that guide axonal regeneration across the lesion site. This IRG project is focused on the developing and evaluation of a series of novel guide channels based on biocompatible and biodegradable polymers for PNS regeneration. Natural polymers and their derivatives, and synthetic polymers: polyesters, e.g. poly(epsilon-caprolacotne), polycarbonates, e.g. poly(trimethylene carbonate), and polyester-ethers, e.g. polydioxanone will be examined in the form of blends, crosslinked and grafted material. Guidance tube manufacturing technology will include phase-inversion spinning, solution cast molding, radiation crosslinking, grafting by chemical and radiation method. Since these products are intended to be sterilized by radiation method, effects of irradiation on individual components and the complete biomaterials will be examined. In-vitro assessment of fabricated tubular guides, besides standard physicochemical tests, will include biocompatibility, biodegradability, bioactivity, etc. In-vivo animal trials of carefully chosen formerly examined in-vitro tube biomaterials are considered to be performed at collaborating institute in the final period of the project. This study will have remarkable impact on enhancement of the quality of life of EU citizens. Utilization of developed nerve guide channel implants, with tailored parameters and improved functionality, will shorten recovery period after surgery of PNS injuries and facilitate restoration of nerve functions. The new knowledge generated from this project will certainly contribute to the researcher’s career and competitiveness of EU in academic research fields as well as biomedical business, especially SME, in advanced high-technology sectors.

Keywords: tissue engineering,regenerative medicine,nerve regeneration,biomaterials,polymeric scaffolds,nerve guide,radiation sterilization,radiation chemistry,polymer technology
Molecular dissection of inflammatory pathways (MOLINFLAM)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Cellular and Developmental Biology
Countries involved: Hungary
Call:  (ERC-2007-StG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-10-01
End date: 2014-03-31
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1200000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1200000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Inflammatory diseases are highly prevalent, often chronic diseases that cause diminished quality of life and are connected with major causes of death in Western societies. Despite their societal impact, their pathomechanism is incompletely understood, hindering development of novel therapeutic strategies. In particular, little is known about the intracellular signal transduction processes involved in the tissue destruction phase of aggressive autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The present proposal aims to clarify this issue using in vivo and in vitro studies on genetically manipulated mice. During the proposed studies, mice deficient in various signal transduction molecules such as Syk, PLCg2, Gab2 and p190 RhoGAPs will be used to test their contribution to inflammatory responses. In vitro studies will test the activation of major effector cells of inflammation (neutrophils, macrophages and osteoclasts) while in vivo studies will utilize mouse models such as autoantibody- and cytokine-induced inflammatory arthritis or autoantibody-induced glomerulonephritis. Further studies will be performed to test the contribution of the above signaling molecules to disease pathogenesis in a lineage-restricted manner, using the Cre-lox approach. Finally, wild type and mutant versions of the signaling molecules tested will be retrovirally re-expressed into the relevant knockout hematopoietic stem cells in vivo to allow structure-function studies during in vivo inflammation. Two novel transgenic strains and a knock-in (floxed) mutant will also be generated during the course of the project. Using state-of-the-art approaches and techniques, this project will provide information at unprecedented molecular detail on signal transduction mechanisms involved in inflammatory diseases, and is expected to point to possible future targets of novel anti-inflammatory therapies.

Keywords: inflammation,neutrophils,macrophages,osteoclasts,signaling,arthritis
The Role of Lymphatic Vessels in Dendritic Cell Homing and Maturation (DC-LYMPH)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Diagnostic tools, therapies and public health
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call:  (ERC-2007-StG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-05-01
End date: 2013-04-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1730966.0
EU funding (EUR): 1730966.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Dendritic cell (DC) activation and homing from the periphery to lymph nodes is a critical first event in the immune response. It involves upregulation of the chemokine receptor CCR7 and chemoinvasion towards lymphatic vessels. Despite its critical importance in adaptive immunity, the mechanisms of DC migration towards and entry into lymphatics are still poorly understood; this severely limits new therapeutic strategies for immunomodulation and even strategies for treating lymphedema, which is exacerbated by poor immune functioning. We propose a battery of physiological, cell-biological, molecular, and computational studies to determine both the mechanisms of DC homing to lymphatic vessels and how DCs modulate lymphatic function. We approach this from the perspectives of both the DC and the lymphatic vessel. Regarding the DC, we will examine computationally and experimentally how draining flows toward the lymphatic alter their migration tactics and test our hypothesis that DCs possess a biomolecular flow-detector network (which we refer to as autologous chemotaxis) and are thus able to sense the direction of the subtle flow of fluid toward the lymphatics. Regarding the lymphatic vessel, we will elucidate how biochemical and biophysical inflammatory signals regulate their drainage function, alter cell-cell adhesions and overall permeability, and alter adhesion receptors to facilitate DC homing and entry. Finally, we will examine DC migration in mice with dysfunctional lymphatics and explore strategies to improve immune response. These will be carried out in 4 main projects, and will complement our recent work in lymphatic functional biology as well as our more therapeutic investigations in DC targeting and activation (Reddy et al., Nature Biotechnol., 2007). This deeper knowledge of mechanisms of DC-lymphatic cross-talk in a relevant biophysical context will enable our long-term goal of rational design for therapeutic immunomodulation and lymphedema.

Keywords: lymphatic,chemokine,gradients,chemotaxis,3d tissue model,interstitial flow,bioengineering,immunology
New Synthetic Approaches to Prepare Functionalized GAG Oligosaccharides as Basic Tools in Glycomics (GAGSYNTHESISPEG)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: European Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-2-2-ERG, 2007)
Start date: 2007-09-01
End date: 2010-08-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 45000.0
EU funding (EUR): 45000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In the post-genomic era, glycomics, the functional study of carbohydrates in living organisms, has received increasing attention for biological research and biomedical applications. The usual techniques in glycomics need the preparation and supply of pure sugar samples. For instance, carbohydrate microarrays, carrying tens or hundreds of different sugars that are bound covalently or noncovalently in small spots on solid surfaces, are becoming a standard tool for glycobiologists to screen carbohydrate-protein interactions in a high-throughput manner and determine structure-activity relationships for specific oligosaccharide sequences. However, the supply of hundreds/thousands of saccharides is required for wider applications of this novel technology. Here, it is proposed the development of novel and more efficient oligosaccharide synthetic approaches in order to speed the preparation of sugar probes and expand the utility of carbohydrate chips. We will focus on glycosaminoglycans (GAG) that are highly sulphated polysaccharides implicated in a plethora of biological processes, such as cellular growth and differentiation, pathogen infection, and tumor angiogenesis, by interaction with a wide range of proteins. Polymer-supported approaches, using polyethylene glycol (PEG)-grafted polystyrene (PS) resins, will be tested. Alternatively, tag-assisted solution-phase synthesis of oligosaccharides (using low-molecular-weight PEG chains or fluorous tags) will be also explored. The use of an acylsulfonamide linker compatible with the activation conditions of glycosyl trichloroacetimidates will be crucial to the success of the synthesis and the production of oligosaccharides containing a functionalized linker at the reducing end for conjugation purposes. The development of new protecting groups for sulphates will be also considered in order to introduce the sulphate groups at the monosaccharide stage and reduce the complexity of the final sulphation/deprotection steps.

Keywords: glycomics,carbohydrate chemistry,glycosidations,solid-phase oligosaccharide synthesis,sulfated carbohydrates,protecting groups,carbohydrate microarrays,carbohydrate-based vaccines.