Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Role of the alpha4 integrin (CD49d) in Type-1 Diabetes mellitus prevention and treatment (CD49D IN DIABETES)

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: Germany
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-3-IRG, 2007)
Start date: 2007-09-03
End date: 2011-09-02
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Type-1 Diabetes mellitus (T1D) is caused by destruction of insulin-producing tissues by autoreactive T lymphocytes, which leads to insulin deficiency. The high frequency of T1D, as well as the significant T1D-associated morbidity and the substantial burden from long-term sequelae despite state-of-the-art insulin substitution therapies underscore the urgency of developing causal treatments. Protection of remaining islet cell mass at T1D diagnosis and (potentially) subsequent islet cell regeneration could palliate or cure T1D and reduce long-term morbidity and mortality. The alpha-4 integrin is a dominant homing receptor for inflammatory lymphocytes, and blockade of alpha-4 adhesion is therapeutic in a variety of inflammatory conditions, including autoimmune diseases, in mice and humans. Thus continued substitution of anti-functional alpha-4 antibodies from birth could prevent T1D in the spontaneously diabetic NOD mouse. Such an approach is, however, not clinically applicable to patients, since the risk of T1D can not be predicted at birth. Therefore, we here propose to test the hypothesis that by ablation of alpha-4 integrin adhesion during pre-diabetes (normoglycemic insulitis) or during early diabetes (recent onset of hyperglycemia), the continued recruitment of autoreactive T-cells to inflamed pancreatic tissue might be arrested. It is proposed that this might protect the remaining insulin producing cells, and thus, depending on the regenerative capacity of the pancreatic islets, might prevent or delay T1D if initiated during pre-diabetes (secondary prevention) or cure or palliate T1D if initiated early after its onset (tertiary prevention). This hypothesis will be tested in a new genetic mouse model of inducible ablation of alpha-4 integrin in the NOD strain. Since human alpha-4 adhesion blocking drugs are already available, these studies are testing a modality with immediate potential as a treatment for newly diagnosed patients with T1D.

Keywords: health sciences,diabetes,prevention,cd49d,vla-4,integrin,nod,autoimmunity,pancreas,plasticity,regeneration,chronic diseases,diabetology,immunology
Mycobacterium tuberculosis W-Beijing genetic diversity and differential virulence and host immune responses (TB-VIR)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Health
Destination: Translating research for human health
Action type: Collaborative project
Countries involved: France,Germany,Spain,China,Korea, Republic of,France,Germany
Call:  (FP7-HEALTH-2007-A, 2007)
Start date: 2008-04-01
End date: 2011-03-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3887442.2
EU funding (EUR): 2967000.0
Participants: 11
Project status: CLOSED

Improvements in TB control require the development of new tools for rapid and accurate diagnosis and intervention. This development is likely to benefit from more detailed knowledge of microbe-host relationships during infection. Following M. tuberculosis infection, only 5-10% of immunocompetent individuals develop TB. It is increasingly thought that the virulence of the infecting strain, together with host genetic factors, contribute to such differences between infected individuals. The M. tuberculosis W-Beijing lineage is one of the most successful mycobacterial families, in terms of morbidity and mortality. This lineage has been detected almost worldwide. The predominance of the W-Beijing lineage probably results from genetic advantages, including unidentified virulence factors and the induction/modification of specific host responses not yet thoroughly investigated. This project aims to unravel the links between differential host responses to M. tuberculosis infection and mycobacterial genetic diversity and virulence at the global genomic and post-genomic levels within the W-Beijing family, and between the W-Beijing family and other M. tuberculosis families, in order to improve our understanding of the epidemiological success of this particular lineage. Overall, this work will provide the scientific and clinical community with pioneering research and novel information increasing our understanding of the impact of M. tuberculosis strain diversity on virulence, immune response and pathology. This project will complement and expand the efforts of several internationally recognized laboratories to unveil new genotype-phenotype associations by integrating complex phenotypic data and information about mycobacterial genetic diversity.

Keywords: tuberculosis - mycobacterium tuberculosis - w/beijing family - microbial diversity - genotype/phenotype associations
LATENT TUBERCULOSIS: New tools for the detection and clearance of dormant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. (STOPLATENT-TB)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Health
Destination: Translating research for human health
Action type: Collaborative project
Countries involved: Spain,Italy,Spain,United Kingdom,Mexico,France,Colombia
Call:  (FP7-HEALTH-2007-A, 2007)
Start date: 2008-02-01
End date: 2011-07-31
Duration (months): 42.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3591672.2
EU funding (EUR): 2716003.5
Participants: 7
Project status: CLOSED

Although the definition of latency under a clinical point of view seems clear, the bacterial biology behind that clinical situation remains poorly understood. While dormant, the tubercle bacilli are considered to be under non-replicating (NR) stage. In such a condition, bacilli are not only difficult to be detected but also refractory to the standard treatments avoiding their clearance from the infected tissues. The proposal has been built with the intend of providing tools to understand the bacterial mechanisms that leads to metabolic stage of M. tuberculosis during dormancy as the basis of sorting out the detection and treatment of latent infection. Several models of analysis have been developed trying to characterize dormant tubercle bacilli. Those models are ranging from in vitro conditions, such as hypoxia or starvation, to in vivo analysis, such as the animal model. We propose not only to study a complete range of those previously tested conditions, but also checking some other putative newly described, such as the recently described adipocytes ex vivo model, the new developments of the classical model of hypoxia, and the use of guinea-pigs as more adequate animal model of latent infection. Moreover, a set of drug combinations will be applied to determine their capability of clearance of the bacterial load. Due to its central role in the bacterial metabolism and growth we will analyze the non-replicating stage of the M. tuberculosis bacilli by determining the pre-rRNA synthesis. Finally, the cellular and tissue distribution of dormant bacilli will be also tested during in vivo latent infection both in the animal model and in clinical human samples. Research on the metabolic conditions of the dormant bacilli inside hosts, will provide important and invaluable insight into the biology of M. tuberculosis. That knowledge may lead to the development of novel strategies targeted at the control of the latent infection.

Keywords: latent tuberculosis - dormancy models - treatment of latent tb
Molecular mechanisms underlying BDNF functions in the brain: role of ARMS protein (NEUROTROPHINS-ARMS)

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: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2007-4-3-IRG, 2007)
Start date: 2008-01-01
End date: 2011-12-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Neurotrophins are growth factors including NGF, BDNF, NT-3 and NT-4, which function in cell survival, differentiation, apoptosis, axonal and dendritic growth, and plasticity in the nervous system. Additionally, BDNF has been implicated in human brain pathologies, such as depression, Alzheimer, Huntington, Parkinson, etc. Neurotrophins bind to two different sets of receptors, Trk and p75 receptors, to mediate their functions. Trk activation leads to its phosphorylation in tyrosine and the phosphorylated residues work as docking sites for different adaptor molecules, such as Shc, PLC-γ, FRS-2, SH2B and APS. Recently, a new molecule, ARMS/Kidins220, has been described in association with Trk receptors. ARMS is tyrosine phosphorylated in primary hippocampal and cortical neurons in response to neurotrophins, and is involved in the sustained MAPK mediated by neurotrophins. My work hypothesis is that ARMS/Kidins220 may be an important molecule in neurotrophin functions. For this reason, we propose the study of ARMS/Kidins220 in the differentiation, dendritic branching and neuronal synaptic plasticity mediated by BDNF. The study will be carried out using biochemical and cellular techniques together with molecular biology and genetic approaches. The detailed study of ARMS/Kidins220 will provide a better understanding of the neurotrophin functions as well as the molecular mechanisms that regulate neurotrophin actions and its potential role in nervous system pathologies.

Keywords: neurosciences,neurobiology,neurophysiology
Metagenomics of the Human Intestinal Tract (METAHIT)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Health
Destination: Translating research for human health
Action type: Collaborative project
Countries involved: France,Denmark,France,Germany,Spain,Italy,Denmark,Netherlands,United Kingdom,China,Denmark,France
Call:  (FP7-HEALTH-2007-A, 2007)
Start date: 2008-01-01
End date: 2012-06-30
Duration (months): 54.0
Total project cost (EUR): 21355988.85
EU funding (EUR): 11400000.0
Participants: 16
Project status: CLOSED

A detailed understanding of human biology will require not only knowledge of the human genome but also of the human metagenome, defined here as the ensemble of the genomes of human-associated microorganisms. Our proposal focuses on the microorganisms of the gut, which are particularly abundant and complex and have an important role for human health and well-being. We shall implement and integrate the following activities: (i) creation of a reference set of genes and genomes of intestinal microbes, using high fidelity metagenomic sequencing and full genome sequencing of selected bacterial species; (ii) creation of the generic tools, based on the high density DNA arrays and novel ultra-high throughput re-sequencing techniques, to study the variation of human gut microbiota; (iii) use of the tools to search for correlations between the genes present in the gut microbiota and disease, focusing on the inflammatory bowel disease and obesity, the two pathologies of increasing social relevance in Europe; (iv) study of the genes correlated with the disease, both in terms of their function in microbes and their effect on the host, with the focus on host-microbe interactions; (v) development of an informatics resource to store and organize the heterogeneous information generated within the project, such as gene and genome sequences, gene frequencies in healthy and sick individuals or gene functions and also enriched by information relevant to human gut microbiota from the outside of the project; (vi) creation of the bioinformatics tools to carry out the meta-analysis of the information; (vii) creation of an interface with the stakeholders, including an international board to promote cooperation and coordination in the human metagenome field, and general public. Our project will place Europe in a leading position in this field and open avenues to modulate human gut microbiota in a reasoned way, enabling to optimize the health and wellbeing of any individual.

Keywords: metagenomics,reference set of genes and genomes of human intestine microbes,micrarray-based profiling tools,sequencing-based profiling tools,database,obesity,inflammatory bowel disease
Communication of medical research through film production and wide distribution (COMED)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Health
Destination: Other Actions across the Health Theme
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Germany
Call:  (FP7-HEALTH-2007-A, 2007)
Start date: 2008-08-01
End date: 2011-02-28
Duration (months): 31.0
Total project cost (EUR): 727672.4
EU funding (EUR): 655742.6
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

COMED is a Support Action to communicate the results and activities of contemporary health sciences to the general public by using information from EU-funded projects. The overall aim of COMED’s innovative communication strategy is to reach the maximum number of European citizens. Ten image films dealing with the subject of ten representative EU-funded HEALTH projects will be produced and widely distributed via TV and Internet/Mobile TV. COMED’s image films will be filmed in HDTV and distributed across Europe to TV broadcasting stations for the integration into science magazines. In order to extend the target group and to maximise the number of viewers, COMED will expand the traditional distribution channel TV by distributing and presenting the films via the internet as well. The objective of this ubiquitous multimedia distribution approach is to reach young recipients and target groups of high-school students and adolescents, who frequently use these channels. The content and style of the films will also have a positive impact on the young target group’s perception of natural sciences and focus on the daily life of young researchers working in EU-funded projects. COMED will also create a Multimedia Kit for each of the ten projects. The Kit will contain the films in various formats, 3D bio-animations, the film scripts, interviews, pictures, etc. It will provide them or other media with multimedia material for the generation of news, dissemination, presentations or press articles to communicate and therewith raise public perception of EU-funded health sciences. The COMED consortium consists of two complementary partners with long-term professional experience in film production and distribution and who have successfully collaborated in the FP6 SSA APPEAR: BROADVIEW TV, an international award-winning film and Internet production company and german united distributors, one of the largest German TV distributors, acting successfully on the international TV markets.

Keywords: science communication,health sciences,medical research,film production,tv distribution,internet distribution,reach european public,science tv
Coordination Action for Reinforcing the Health National Contact Points Network (HEALTH-NCP-NET)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Health
Destination: Other Actions across the Health Theme
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Spain,Poland,Italy,Austria,Israel,Malta,France,Egypt,Czechia,Latvia,Netherlands,Romania,Portugal,Germany,Italy,Estonia,Greece,Belgium,Estonia
Call:  (FP7-HEALTH-2007-A, 2007)
Start date: 2008-05-01
End date: 2013-04-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2242207.52
EU funding (EUR): 1999973.0
Participants: 22
Project status: CLOSED

The Framework Programme is the European Commission instrument put into place to finance research in Europe. As part of the Community Research and Technological Development Policy, it is expected that participation in the Seventh Framework Programme will increase and the quality of submitted proposals must rise. The objective of this project is to reinforce the network of National Contact Points (NCPs) for the health related research areas and the Health theme under the Seventh Framework Programme by promoting trans-national cooperation. This trans-national cooperation is extended to officially appointed Contact Points in International Cooperation Partner Countries, and other third countries Contact Points are not excluded. The basis for improving the NCP services in the area of health across Europe will be to identify the weaknesses of the network. The action will focus on identifying and sharing good practices. The mechanisms put in place will be benchmarking, training programme and networking and brokerage events. A set of execution, result and impact indicators will measure progress and efficacy of these mechanisms. (And corrective action will be taken if needed). The network will assist NCP and potential applicants to adapt to the new health issues in the Seventh Framework Programme. Special attention will be given to helping less experienced NCPs rapidly acquire the knowledge accumulated in other countries.

Keywords: health,national contact point,partnering,networking,capacity building,benchmarking
Non-invasive imaging of brain function and disease by pulsed near infrared light (NEUROPT)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Health
Destination: Biotechnology, generic tools and medical technologies for human health
Action type: Collaborative project
Countries involved: Italy,Germany,United Kingdom,Poland,Germany,United Kingdom,Germany
Call:  (FP7-HEALTH-2007-A, 2007)
Start date: 2008-04-01
End date: 2012-03-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 7529109.0
EU funding (EUR): 5738653.0
Participants: 14
Project status: CLOSED

The proposal aims at the development and clinical validation of advanced non-invasive optical methodologies for in-vivo diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis of major neurological diseases (stroke, epilepsy, ischemia), based on diffuse optical imaging by pulsed near infrared light. Established diagnostic imaging modalities (e.g. X-ray Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Positron Emission Tomography) provide 3D anatomical, functional or pathological information with spatial resolution in the millimetre range. However, these methods cannot be applied continuously or at the bedside. Diffuse optical imaging is expected to provide a valuable complementing tool to assess perfusion and blood oxygenation in brain tissue and their time evolution in a continuous or quasi-continuous manner. The devices will be portable and comparably inexpensive and can be applied in adults and in children. Time-domain techniques are acknowledged as offering superior information content and sensitivity compared to other optical methods, allowing for separation between contributions of surface tissues (skin and skull) and brain tissue. Time-domain imaging can also differentiate between the effects of scatter and those of absorption.The consortium plans major developments in technology and data analysis that will enhance time-domain diffuse optical imaging with respect to spatial resolution, sensitivity, robustness of quantification as well as performance of related instruments in clinical diagnosis and monitoring. The diagnostic value of time-domain diffuse optical imaging will be assessed by clinical pilot studies addressing specific neurological disorders, in comparison with established neurophysiological and neuroimaging techniques. Perspectives regarding clinical application of time-domain diffuse optical brain imaging will be estimated and a reliable basis for a potential commercialisation of this novel technique by European system manufacturers will be created.

Keywords: diffuse optical imaging,time-domain,brain imaging,near-infrared spectroscopy,stroke,epilepsy
Adipokines as Drug Targets to Combat Adverse Effects of Excess Adipose Tissue (ADAPT)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Health
Destination: Translating research for human health
Action type: Collaborative project
Countries involved: Sweden,France,Czechia,Germany,France,France,France,Germany,Germany
Call:  (FP7-HEALTH-2007-A, 2007)
Start date: 2008-02-01
End date: 2012-01-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3938400.0
EU funding (EUR): 2980280.0
Participants: 12
Project status: CLOSED

Obesity represents the major risk factor for the cardiometabolic syndrome, which is an epidemic disease that generates a severe global socio-economic burden for the public health systems. Enhanced production of proinflammatory adipocytokines by expanded adipose tissue is now considered as a key event in the pathogenesis of this syndrome. This process involves i) the systemic release of adipokines, preferentially by visceral abdominal fat and ii) the paracrine, adipokine-mediated crosstalk between periorganic fat and different organs including skeletal and cardiac muscle. Members of the ADAPT consortium have pioneered this novel view of adipose tissue as an active endocrine organ. However, there is very limited knowledge if adipokines and their downstream signalling pathways may represent “drugable” targets potentially opening new avenues to combat the devastating complications linked to obesity and the cardiometabolic syndrome. Therefore, the major goal of this project is to identify novel or existing adipocytokines as drug targets that could be used to reverse obesity-associated inflammation and adverse reactions related to excess fat, as outlined in the work programme. For this purpose the mustidisciplinary ADAPT consortium has been formed which integrates basic and clinical science, bioinformatics, in silico drug design and the specific expertise of a large pharmaceutical company. To reach the objectives, a stepwise strategy will be used including i) the identification of novel adipocytokines and the cellular sources and regulation of adipokine production, ii) the analysis of intraorgan crosstalk within adipose tissue which plays a pivotal role in adipose tissue inflammation, iii) the assessment of interorgan crosstalk with a focus on skeletal and cardiac muscle and the role of brown fat and iv) the pharmacological and clinical evaluation of adipokines as drug targets and potential biomarkers.

Keywords: adipokines,obesity,inflammation,organ crosstalk,diabetes,metabolic syndrome,insulin resistance,drug design,prevention and treatment of diabetes