Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Structural and Biochemical Examination of the Yeast U4/U6 snRNP. (STRUCTUREU4U6SNRNP)

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-2010-IIF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-04-01
End date: 2013-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 201049.6
EU funding (EUR): 201049.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The spliceosome is a large RNA–protein assembly that catalyzes the removal of introns from mRNA precursors (pre-mRNA) and the splicing of coding exons to produce mature mRNAs. Four small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (U1, U2, U5 and U4/U6 snRNPs) assemble onto pre-mRNA substrates together with non-snRNP proteins to form the spliceosome. After binding of the U1 snRNP and the U2 snRNP to the 5’ splice site and the branch point sequence within the intron, a pre-assembled U4/U6.U5 tri-snRNP joins and the spliceosome undergoes extensive remodeling to yield the catalytically active spliceosome. In the tri-snRNP, the U4 and U6 snRNAs are extensively base-paired but upon activation this duplex is unwound by an RNA helicase, Brr2p. The ultimate aim of this project is to determine the structure of the U4/U6 snRNP by X-ray crystallography and reveal details of spliceosome activation/mechanism. This work will initially employ electrophoretic gel mobility shift assays and gel filtration chromatography for characterization of assembly, isothermal titration calorimetry to identify/quantify protein-protein interactions, chemical/enzymatic RNA footprinting to identify protein-RNA contacts and protein-induced conformational changes in the RNA, and pulse-chase quantitative mass spectrometry to further substantiate and characterize the pathway of assembly of the U4/U6 snRNP and the U4/U6.U5 tri-snRNP biochemically and thermodynamically. These experiments will also aid crystallization. Unwinding directionality and helicase-induced protein displacement by the U5 snRNP protein Brr2p will be examined in the context of the fully assembled U4/U6 snRNP and tri-snRNP complexes. This will reveal details of spliceosome activation/mechanism. The proposed project will exploit my extensive knowledge and experience with RNA/protein complex biochemistry, complex engineering skills, and crystallographic approaches but will also allow me to develop new knowledge and skills.

Keywords: spliceosome,rna/protein interactions,x-ray crystallography
The contribution of adipose tissue gene regulation to obesity-related pathogenesis (ADIPOSE GENETICS)

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-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-05-01
End date: 2013-09-30
Duration (months): 29.0
Total project cost (EUR): 211110.0
EU funding (EUR): 211110.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Obesity is major challenge for healthcare worldwide and is linked to increased risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However not all obese individuals are equally vulnerable and it has long been appreciated that central obesity (an excess of visceral fat) comprises a major risk factor for disease. It is also well established that adipose tissue from different parts of the body displays distinct biochemical properties, with biological profiles of subcutaneous and visceral fat being clearly distinguishable. It is likely that the biological mechanisms that govern these differences are, in part, responsible for rendering visceral fat a risk factor for disease. Given the need to understand the critical differences between adipose depots, the project I propose aims to identify key differences in the biology of subcutaneous and visceral fat, by addressing the fraction of genetic variants that contribute to this through a regulatory effect. To achieve this, mRNA will be extracted from subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue from an initial sample of 50 individuals and will be sequenced using next generation sequencing. DNA will be extracted from lymphoblastoid cell lines from the same individuals and will be genotyped. Expression quantitative trait loci with an impact on cis gene expression will be identified through association of single nucleotide polymorphism genotypes with expression levels. Furthermore, chromatin will be extracted from subcutaneous and visceral fat from five individuals, and regions of open chromatin will be identified through formaldehyde-assisted isolation of regulatory elements. Integrating data on regulatory variation and open chromatin is an important way forward. This approach allows formulation of hypotheses regarding function outside of coding regions and is likely to lead to the identification of genetic variants that have a role in influencing susceptibility to obesity-related disorders.

Keywords: genomics,health sciences,population genomics,medical genetics,obesity,chronic disease,inflammation,nutritional disorders
Microswimmer Environments: Modelling, Control and Tailoring (MICROENVS)

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-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-04-01
End date: 2013-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 200549.6
EU funding (EUR): 200549.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Bringing together ideas from soft-matter physics and hydrodynamics, the aim of the research activities presented in this proposal is to elucidate the effect of active microscopic swimmers (microswimmers) on the dynamics of surrounding environments at the microscale, and to explain how the environment shapes the behavior of microswimmers. Based on integrated theoretical and numerical modeling, we intend to investigate the interplay between microswimmers and their environment, considering the key effects of single and collective interactions, structured surfaces and interfaces, external biasing and local fluid properties. We hence aim at applications that exploit active systems, by controlling existing biological environments, such as bacterial baths and biofilms, and by developing new tailored technologies, such as swimmer-actuated microfluidic devices.

Keywords: soft matter and polymer physics,hydrodynamics,low-reynolds number propulsion,active materials,microfluidics
Characterisation of molecules regulating adult hippocampal neurogenesis (MOLREGNEUROGEN)

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: Germany
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IIF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-04-01
End date: 2013-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 226945.0
EU funding (EUR): 226945.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The hippocampus contains a population of stem cells that continually proliferate to produce new neurons. The development of new markers capable of identifying and isolating defined neural stem cell populations are of utmost importance. Prominin-1 has successfully been used as a marker for the isolation of neural stem and progenitor cells from other brain regions including the mouse embryonic forebrain, the adult SVZ and the postnatal cerebellum. However, its potential as a marker of stem cells in the adult hippocampus remains to be confirmed. The first aim of this proposal is to examine the efficacy of Prominin-1 as a potential marker for the isolation and characterisation of hippocampal stem cells. We have recently discovered a dormant or latent population of neural precursors in the adult hippocampus that can be triggered to generate new neurons. Identification and characterisation of the molecules that trigger these latent neural precursors to generate new neurons should lead to the development of radical new therapies to treat neurodegenerative conditions that affect the hippocampus. Two candidate molecules (Prominin-2 and AP2-gamma) have been chosen based on preliminary microarray data and will be examined for their ability stimulate hippocampal neurogenesis.

Keywords: neuroscience,hippocampus,neurogenesis,stem-cell,prominin,activator protein 2,neurodegenerative disease
Global redox state of the ocean during Cretaceous oceanic anoxic events: new insights from molybdenum isotopes (MOLY-OAES)

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-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-05-01
End date: 2013-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 200049.6
EU funding (EUR): 200049.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The main goal of this proposal is in the investigation of the relationship between major perturbations in the carbon cycle and the global extent of euxinia during three Cretaceous oceanic anoxic events (OAEs), with important implications for the temporal evolution of ocean chemistry and for the better understanding of interactions between environmental change and the physical state of the oceans. By providing detailed analyses of both Tethyan key sections and ODP legs, we seek to better constrain the onset and the duration of reducing conditions and relate these changes to the perturbations of the global carbon cycle during the Valanginian, the early Aptian and the Cenomanian/Turonian OAE. We propose to investigate the behaviour of molybdenum (Mo) isotopes during these three periods of time. Mo isotopes provide a method to assess whole ocean chemistry from a limited numbers of sites. In the modern ocean, the preferential removal of the lighter isotopes under oxic conditions dominates, leading to a heavy Mo isotope signature for residual Mo in seawater. During OAEs, the emplacement of a larger completely anoxic sink diminished the dominance of oxic sinks. As a consequence the Mo isotope signature of seawater decreased towards that of the input. Thus, marine sediments deposited under euxinic conditions are thought to record the Mo isotopic composition of seawater at that time. From this, it is possible to estimate the proportion of euxinic areas in ancient oceans using a quantitative model of Mo isotopic balance. The importance of this project lies in the observation that Cretaceous OAEs are related to phases of rapid global environmental change. This is all the more important since most of the processes to explain the origin of OAEs during the Cretaceous - such as global warming, increased continental weathering, increased oceanic productivity and the disappearance of reef systems are observed today as the consequence of anthropogenic change.

Keywords: molybdenum isotopes,paleoceanography,biogeochemistry,climate modelling (climate change)
Imaging influenza nucleic acid recognition by RIG-I in living cells. (RIG‐I LIVE IMAGING)

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-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-05-01
End date: 2013-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 200049.6
EU funding (EUR): 200049.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Despite of intensive research the last decades, viral infection still represents a serious threat to human health. One crucial aspect of the defence against viral infection is the activation of the host innate immune response. Recent advances have highlighted the crucial role of the RIG-I receptor in triggering IFN synthesis upon virus infections. This virus sensing pathway mediated by RIG-I is crucial for successful host defence against negative stranded RNA viruses infection such as influenza virus. Influenza viruses are common pathogens responsible for recurrent seasonal respiratory illness and pose a serious threat to public health. Part of the virulence of influenza virus is due to its ability to manipulate the innate immune system. Therefore it is important to understand the mechanism of influenza detection by the RIG-I receptor. Much work in the host and other laboratories has contributed to our understanding of how influenza infection initiates the activation of RIG-I and the identity and properties of RIG-I agonists are well defined. However, the kinetics, subcellular localization and mechanisms underlying this recognition still remain unclear. This question of the localisation of virus recognition and the accessibility of the RIG-I ligand is stressed by the subcellular site of virus replication. For example, the replication cycle of influenza virus occurred in the nucleus of infected cells. Therefore it is quite puzzling how RIG-I that has been described to be a cytoplasmic receptor could be able to interact with the viral genome. The overall goal of this project is to develop a non-invasive technique that allows visualization and localization of influenza nucleic acid replication to analyze its detection by the RIG-I innate immune receptor in living cells. Documenting the spatiotemporal detection of influenza genome will certainly improve our understanding of the host-defence race.

Keywords: health sciences,mammalian immunity,influenza virus,rig-i receptor
Pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticosteroids in the Central Nervous System. (GCS-CNS-IS)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Outgoing Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IOF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-04-01
End date: 2014-09-02
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 223669.6
EU funding (EUR): 223669.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Glucocorticoids (GCs), the adrenal steroid hormones released during stress, can have an array of adverse effects in the nervous system, including disruption of hippocampal-dependent plasticity and cognition. Of relevance to this proposal, GCs can also compromise the ability of hippocampal and cortical neurons to survive an array of necrotic neurological insults. Amid this picture of deleterious effects, there is the accepted paradigm in which GCs are seemingly protective in the context of necrotic insults, namely concerning the well-known anti-inflammatory effects of the hormone. There has been a growing appreciation for the extent to which inflammation can worsen the neurotoxicity of necrotic insults, and the anti-inflammatory capacity of GCs has long been exploited pharmacologically to protect against circumstances of post-insult edema. This proposal is therefore designed to address this paradox of how and why GCs can have adverse effects on neuronal survival given the well-accepted anti-inflammatory effects of the hormone. The purpose of this project is to better understand when GCs are classically anti-inflammatory, and when unexpected pro-inflammatory effects occur in the challenged nervous system, and to explore the mechanisms underlying such unexpected effects. This represents an innovative and fascinating question (i.e., understanding how a signaling molecule such as GCs can have diametrically opposite and simultaneous effects. At the same time, understanding this phenomenon is of great potential clinical relevance, given the common use of GCs.

Keywords: neuropsychology
tunAble Liquid-crystal LOng-range surface PLASMon polariton components (ALLOPLASM)

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: Italy
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2011-09-01
End date: 2013-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 180084.0
EU funding (EUR): 180084.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

ALLOPLASM aims at the theoretical analysis and the experimental fabrication and characterization of liquid-crystal tunable long-range surface plasmon polariton elements. Conventional metal stripe plasmonic waveguides shall be enhanced with an electrically-switchable liquid-crystal superstrate layer. Through appropriate design, the electrical tuning of the LC-molecule tilting shall control the level of structural asymmetry and, therefore, the propagation properties, such as propagation constant and losses. The proposed structures shall be first theoretically analyzed and optimized by means of numerical tools, e.g. finite-element method, capable of addressing the anisotropic nature of the waveguiding structures. The derived structures shall be fabricated and optically characterized. Three types of end-components are targeted: a) a variable optical attenuator, b) a Mach-Zender interferometric modulator, and c) a directional coupler switch. Finally, the fabricated prototypes shall be packaged and pig-tailed, leading to compact electrically-tunable end-components. The fellowship aims to promote the career development of the fellow, who already possesses a strong theoretical background in optics, nanophotonics and nanomaterials, as well as in numerical tools needed to study the properties of optical waveguiding structures, which comprise both isotropic and anisotropic materials, such as liquid crystals. During this project he will receive complementary training in clean room fabrication processes, clean room processes specific to fabrication of liquid crystal guided optics devices, morphological investigation techniques, back-end processing and optical characterization of free space and guided optics devices. Training-by-research will provide him expertise in the entire chain of integrated optics devices.

Keywords: technological sciences,electrical engineering,plasmonics,tunable photonic devices,liquid crystals,integrated optics,silicon photonics,microfibraction,optical interconnects
Adaptive Flight Control for Advanced Aircraft Concepts (ADFLICO)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Outgoing Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Germany
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IOF, 2010)
Start date: 2012-04-15
End date: 2015-11-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 228104.0
EU funding (EUR): 228104.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Worldwide aviation traffic is predicted to increase manifold, putting challenges on the safety and environmental impact of air transport. Safety as well as “green” aircraft fit in the EU FP 7 Research Vision for Aeronautics. This will require advanced aircraft concepts. Advances in the development of nonlinear and adaptive control theory turn these control algorithms into enabling technologies for these advanced aircraft concepts. Two important examples are fault tolerant and next generation "green” aircraft. In the former category, a Fault Tolerant Flight System (FTFS) is capable to detect and adapt to changes in the aircraft behaviour. For next generation "green” aircraft to enforce energy efficiency and environmental compatibility (fuel consumption, emissions and noise), nonconventional strategies are required to control them. Therefore, this project will focus on some key aspects of reconfigurable flight systems for these new concepts. In my PhD, I have already focused on system identification and adaptive control and a few months abroad at DLR in Germany opened up a new perspective on adaptive control. However, flight envelope estimation and flight path prediction, to be considered in this research, are other crucial aspects which need to be included in the global setup of technological solutions for safety. Our approach differs from others since it is physically inspired. This more transparent approach allows interpreting data in each step, and it is assumed that these physical models based upon flight dynamics theory will therefore facilitate certification for future real life applications. After the fundamental developments, research results will be evaluated in the highly sophisticated simulators and flight testbeds at NASA Ames and DLR Oberpfaffenhofen. Since the applicant acquired experience in the field of reconfigurable flight systems during his PhD research on FTFC, these research groups have great interest in this fellowship.

Keywords: technological sciences,aircraft,flight control,adaptive control,system identification,fault,failure,environment,efficiency,flight envelope,flight path prediction,simulator,flying testbed
Dynamic super-resolution mapping of neurotransmitter release events and synaptic glutamate receptors (SYNAPSEMAP)

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-2010-IEF, 2010)
Start date: 2012-02-08
End date: 2014-02-07
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 185748.0
EU funding (EUR): 185748.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Proper functioning of the brain requires points of rapid communication between nerve cells. This is achieved at specialized junctions called chemical synapses, which function by the vesicular release of neurotransmitter onto a post-synaptic apposition decorated with neurotransmitter-gated ion channels. Fast chemical synapses release glutamate to activate AMPA-type glutamate receptor ion channels, which excite the post-synaptic neuron. Since these receptors desensitize rapidly, their dynamic exchange with naïve extrasynaptic receptors by surface diffusion plays an important role in shaping the short-term plasticity of synapses and thus the fidelity of synaptic transmission. Localized glutamate transients in the synaptic cleft and the gating kinetics of AMPA receptors occur on the millisecond timescale. Furthermore, the steep glutamate concentration gradients lead to heterogeneous binding-site occupancy and receptor gating. Therefore, the position of vesicle release locations relative to AMPA receptor confinement and diffusion are of crucial importance to understanding the fundamental operating principles of excitatory synapses. Therefore, this project proposes new super-resolution methods for simultaneous live-cell imaging of individual vesicle release events and synaptic AMPA receptor confinement and diffusion. Within this context, the project will also investigate a role in short-term plasticity for multiple release locations and the diffusional exchange of low-occupancy AMPA receptors at the synapse.

Keywords: neurons,synapse,synaptic transmission,vesicle,exocytosis,ampa receptor,single particle tracking,dynamic,diffusion,mobility,desensitization,imaging,super-resolution,fluorescence,reporters