Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Neural basis of auditory processing in young congenitally deaf subjects with cochlear implants (BRAINCI)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Croatia
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG, 2011)
Start date: 2012-05-01
End date: 2015-04-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 75000.0
EU funding (EUR): 75000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The goal is to study the neural basis of auditory processing, as experienced by young congenitally deaf users with cochlear implant (CI). CI is a neuroprosthetic device that can evoke sensation of sound in deaf people by electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve. However, CI still produces very limited auditory sensations. Speech recognition in noise, multi-talker conversation, sound localization and music appreciation remain highly problematic for most of CI users. Current knowledge on auditory processing with CI is mostly based on studies with post-lingual CI users; these subjects used to have normal hearing, but had to adapt to electrical stimulation after they became deaf. It is not clear whether current problems in auditory processing by CI are due to the crude information provided by CI devices or because post-lingual subjects can not fully exploit all auditory information provided by CI devices. Therefore, our proposal aims at understanding auditory processing and its neural basis in specific subpopulation of young congenitally deaf subjects who received their cochlear implants within their first three years of life and have no normal hearing experience. In other words, we will collect and analyze data in subjects who developed their auditory system being exposed exclusively to electric stimulation. Our general hypothesis is that malleable brain plasticity during maturational phase, driven by solely electric stimulation, leads to enhanced use of available auditory CI cues and even to new forms of auditory processing. By comparing results of pre-lingual congenitally CI deaf users with those of post-lingually CI users, we will be able to disentangle neurobiological contributions from technological aspects of current CI devices to the auditory processing. The project will contribute to basic understanding of how our ability to process sounds and speech depends on sensory experience. This knowledge will lead to improved CI designs and rehabilitative programs.

Keywords: cochlear implant,deafness,brain plasticity,auditory perception,otorhinolaryngology
Development of novel Disinfection Technologies for Fresh Produce (DITEC)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Malta
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG, 2011)
Start date: 2012-09-15
End date: 2016-09-14
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This project (DiTec) will respond to a requirement identified by the industry to coordinate and reinforce European research in sustainable cleaning and disinfection technologies of fresh produce. DiTec will result in a series of key innovations on disinfection technologies, which will address the impact of these new technologies on safety and shelf-life improvement of bean sprouts and fresh-(cut) lettuces. The overall objective of this project is to develop the new environmental friendly disinfection technologies of assisted ultrasound and the in-package cold atmospheric plasma for the fresh produce industry. The proposed disinfection technologies will be assessed for their potential to reduce pathogens (i.e., E. coli O157:H7, E. coli O104:H4, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp), retain quality properties and increase the shelf life of fresh produce. The effectiveness of these technologies will be optimised based on sound mathematical modelling approaches. Potential future commercialisation of products processed by novel technologies requires a toxicological risk assessment which will be implemented using non-carcinogenic functional cell models. The applied disinfection technologies are expected to stand as replacements for chlorine therefore the outputs of this project will be communicated to SMEs and scaling-up approaches for industrial applications will be discussed during dissemination activities. This project will undertake an active role in coordinating the demonstration of the research findings which will contribute to set-up necessary infrastructure for application of disinfection technologies on an industrial scale. This will be achieved through collaboration with the Maltese and European SMEs.

Keywords: food safety,food quality,food storage,food toxicology
Multifunctional surfaces structured with electroactive and magnetic molecules for electronic and spintronic devices (ELECTROMAGIC)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG, 2011)
Start date: 2012-06-01
End date: 2015-05-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 75000.0
EU funding (EUR): 75000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

ELECTROMAGIC is embedded in the field of molecular electronics which has gained much attention during the last decade. The current limitations of the silicon based technology for the fabrication of electronic devices able to fulfil the actual demand, i.e., speed, miniaturization, low cost and flexibility among others has drawn the attention of the scientific community. The use of functional molecules appeared as a very attractive alternative. The current goal is to develop new molecular systems and immobilize them on surfaces to obtain real devices based on the molecular intrinsic properties leading to specific functions such as memories, switches, sensors, etc. The main aim in ELECTROMAGIC is to functionalize surfaces structured with self-assembled monolayer (SAMs) with TTFs and PTMs that are multifunctional (electroactive and magnetic) systems. TTF radical cation and PTM radical forms are highly persistent and have a spin moment. Using these molecules it is possible to obtain surfaces with an electroactive function with optical and magnetic properties that can be easily and reversible tuned. The possibility of performing a partial oxidation of the molecules forming the SAM would permit the electronic transport within the layer itself. Thanks to the opposite electroactive properties of TTFs and PTM, the preparation of mixed SAMs would lead to multifunctional 3-state switch devices. This project addresses some of the main barriers in molecular electronics which in many occasions are limiting the possible future integration of the molecules into real devices, such us the stability of the different states of the molecules (stability of the ON and OFF state of the memory device), the easy access to these different states and, finally the long-term stability. A big effort will be devoted to the use of PTM radicals SAMs as platforms for spintronic devices. The possible polarization of the spin during the transport could be used to store information.

Keywords: self-assembled monolayers,functional organic molecules,ttf,ptm,molecular electronics,spintronics,magnetism,molecular switches
Epigenetics and chromatin dynamics in gametes : using yeast spores and advanced proteomics (EPIGAM2)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG, 2011)
Start date: 2012-03-01
End date: 2016-02-29
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The field of epigenetics has been developing exponentially over the last decade. However, the organization of chromatin in gametes is still poorly understood. The role of this organization in fertilization and early embryonic development is largely unknown. For many years, I have been exploring different aspects of chromatin organization and dynamics during male gamete differentiation. The study of gametogenesis has proven to be technically challenging. My post-doctorate work, realized in the USA, demonstrated that a simple model, yeast sporulation, shares functional similarities with mammalian spermatogenesis. Taking advantage of this observation, I propose to deploy a new research program, EPIGAM2, using yeast sporulation as a powerful model for mammalian spermatogenesis. EPIGAM2 will be hosted by the group “Exploring the Dynamics of Proteomes”, directed by Jérôme Garin (Grenoble, France). The partnership between the candidate and the host laboratory has long-term interests, reinforcing cooperation between fundamental research and the development of new methodologies in proteomics. Indeed, EPIGAM2 combines multi-dimensional approaches using genetic, biochemical, and proteomic techniques. Project management has been carefully planned, and tasks, risk analyses, and milestones are presented. Support from this Marie Curie Action is vital for the launch of this research program, allowing the complete reintegration of the candidate and adequate development of his research program. To conclude, EPIGAM2 research program is based on a unique combination of (i) an innovative biological question, with potential implications for fertility care, cancer biology, and regenerative medicine, (ii) an original biological model, yeast spores, validated by several high profile publications, (iii) the impact of the program on the career of the candidate, the scientific community and outreach activities.

Keywords: biochemistry,proteomics,chromatin,gamete,reproductive biology,human fertility
Function, Mechanism, and Regulation of Mammalian Mov10L1 RNA Helicase (CHAMP RNA HELICASE)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Israel
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG, 2011)
Start date: 2012-04-01
End date: 2016-03-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Adult cardiac myocytes retain the ability to respond to a variety of stimuli by hypertrophic growth. Hypertrophy is initially beneficial, permitting enhanced cardiac output; it can ultimately become deleterious and result in cardiomyopathy, heart failure, and sudden death. Mitogenic signaling drives cell cycle progression as consequences of their effects on cyclins, which interact with cyclin-dependent kinases and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. Recent work showed that CHAMP has antihypertrophic activity, which requires the conserved ATPase motif that is characteristic of RNA helicase superfamilies 1 and 2, and is associated with up-regulation of the cell cycle inhibitor p21CIP1 and p27KIP1. CHAMP is localized in the cytoplasm of cardiomyocytes and is likely regulates its target RNA at the level of translation and degradation. The regulation p21CIP1 and p27KIP1 translation levels controls the proliferation of cardiomyocytes by inhibiting cell cycle progression. However, very little is known regarding the molecular mechanism of how RNA helicases regulate translation. To date detailed enzymology regarding the mechanical transduction of RNA helicases is scarcely known, especially from superfamily 1 to which CHAMP is identified with. This proposal is aim to decipher the molecular mechanism of a putative RNA helicase CHAMP and how it regulates mRNA metabolism of genes essential for the heart development during prenatal stages and regulates CDKI’s mRNA in postnatal stages. The research program will integrate state of the art molecular biochemistry and biophysics approach with medicinal translational research. An interdisciplinary structured based team will be assembled to integrate knowledge, and capacity from molecular to physiological aspects of cardio myocytes hypertrophy. This will result from integration of key enzymatic regulators as CHAMP to the physiological regulation of cardiomyocytes hypertrophy response in human at the molecular level of mRNA metabolism.

Keywords: biological sciences,enzimology,structural biology
Role of Angiogenic Factors in Neurodevelopment (NEUROVASCULAR LINK)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Germany
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG, 2011)
Start date: 2012-03-01
End date: 2016-10-17
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Despite their distinct functions, the nervous and vascular systems share many more similarities and common principles than previously anticipated2. For example, factors involved in the development of the nervous system are also known to regulate blood vessel formation3. Conversely, the key angiogenic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-A, termed from hereon VEGF), as well as other members of its family such as VEGF-C and VEGF-D, and their receptors, are expressed in neuronal cells and participate in processes such as neurogenesis, neuronal migration, axon guidance, dendritogenesis and dendrite maintenance4-10. All these new findings bring up the new concept of an existing Neurovascular link controlling vascular and neurodevelopmental processes. Despite these initial findings, still little is known about the biology of VEGF or of any other angiogenic factors in neurons, the signaling pathways that they activate and their functional role in neurodevelopment. Thus, this proposal aims to further investigate the role of angiogenic factors and their molecular signaling in neurodevelopment. Determining how angiogenic molecules influence neuronal wiring, will shed new light in the understanding of the molecular control of neuronal development and the possible causes of neurodevelopmental disorders. Research in this field may suggest new strategies to treat those disorders and to promote axon regeneration after injury or disease.

Keywords: neurobiology,vascular biology,neurovascular link,developmental biology,axon growth and guidance,neuronal migration,multiprotein receptor complexes
Isoperimetric and Concentration Inequalities in High-Dimensional Convex Spaces (ICIHDCS)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Israel
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG, 2011)
Start date: 2012-06-01
End date: 2016-05-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The proposed project lies at the intersection of the local theory of Banach spaces (more precisely "Asymptotic Geometric Analysis"), Global Riemannian Geometry, and the study of isoperimetric and concentration properties of such spaces. We will study Riemannian manifolds endowed with a probability measure, whose (generalized Ricci) curvature is non-negative ("convex"), or more generally, bounded below ("semi-convex"); an important example is that of the uniform measure on a convex bounded domain in Euclidean space. Despite the immense diversity of these structures, even in the Euclidean case, it is known that they exhibit various unifying geometric and probabilistic properties. In this project, we are interested in various quantitative manifestations of the concentration of measure on these spaces, as their dimension tends to infinity. These include isoperimetric inequalities, providing lower bounds on the boundary measure of sets; Sobolev-type inequalities, such as the classical Poincar\'e (or Spectral-Gap) and logarithmic-Sobolev inequalities; and concentration of measure of various Lipschitz functionals, such as the distance functional. All present conjectures suggest that despite the great diversity, convexity and high-dimensionality serve as unifying forces which render all of these spaces not very different from some canonical ones, like the uniform measure on a Euclidean ball or hyper-cube. In recent years there has been much progress in the analysis of these and related questions. The proposed project intends to deepen and extend our qualitative and quantitative understanding of isoperimetric and concentration inequalities on high-dimensional convex and semi-convex manifolds-with-density in general, and on log-concave measures and convex bodies in particular.

Keywords: isoperimetric inequalities,concentration inequalities,asymptotic geometric analysis,convex geometry,high-dimensional phenomena,global riemannian geometry,ricci curvature.
Gene-Environment Interactions in the Etiopathogenesis of Parkinson's Disease: Role of Inflammation (PDGENNI)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Germany
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG, 2011)
Start date: 2012-07-01
End date: 2016-06-30
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a relentlessly progressive disease characterized clinically by bradykinesia, rigidity, and resting tremor. Clinical manifestations of PD are not apparent until 80~85% of neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) have degenerated and striatal dopamine (DA) levels are depleted by 60~80%. At the time of diagnosis, the therapeutic window and the potential to intervene are therefore greatly reduced. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand better the pathogenetic basis of PD so that effective early neuroprotective therapies can be developed. There are many diverse genetic and age-associated risk factors for developing PD. Converging evidence, including the reduced risk for PD among long-term users of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, strongly supports the role of inflammation in PD pathogenesis. The current research proposal aims to define the role of inflammation in the etiopathogenesis of sporadic and familial PD. By the means of a series of novel transgenic mice, we will dissect the role of different immune cells subsets in the initiation of neuron dysfunction and degeneration. To investigate whether genetic vulnerability combined with inflammation could underlie the patterns of neuron degeneration seen in PD, we will focus on the commonest form of hereditary PD which relates to mutations in the Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) generated from skin cells of LRRK2-PD patients, and novel transgenic mice overexpressing human LRRK2 in specific neuronal and immune cell populations, will allow us to investigate the non-cell autonomous mechanisms involved in the disease onset. Such in vivo and in vitro models of sporadic and hereditary PD provide promising experimental situations in which to investigate the subtle changes of the preclinical stages of the disease, as well as the identification of early disease biomarkers and potential new therapeutic agents.

Keywords: neurosciences,parkinson's disease,neurodegeneration,neurogenetic,lrrk2,inflammation,microglia,induced pluripotent stem cells
From extracellular matrix rigidity to vascular aging (STIFFMATRIXVASC)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG, 2011)
Start date: 2013-09-01
End date: 2016-08-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 75000.0
EU funding (EUR): 75000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The extracellular matrix (ECM) affects many aspects of cell growth and behavior. Not only do cells respond to the composition of the ECM, but they also respond to its physical properties, adjusting to the stiffness of their physical environment by generating tension within the cytoskeleton. In the vascular system, the large arteries from the central arterial system become stiffer with age. It is now well established that arterial stiffening significantly contributes to cardiovascular disease (CVD) development. Recent studies have highlighted that ECM stiffness affects endothelial cells (ECs) and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) differentiation, proliferation and motility, suggesting that the cellular response to ECM stiffness may play an important role during the development of aging-associated CVD. We recently found that LARG and GEF-H1 regulate the mechanical response to force on integrins. In preliminary results we found that these two proteins are activated in response to ECM stiffness, suggesting that LARG and GEF-H1 may also regulate the mechanical response to ECM stiffness. In this proposal we will test this hypothesis and we will investigate the role of LARG and GEF-H1 in ECs and VSCMs during arterial stiffening.

Keywords: cell biology,applied biology.,cardiology
The role of water vapor in midlatitude storm track dynamics (CIGSTYK2011)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Life-long training and career development
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Israel
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-CIG, 2011)
Start date: 2012-04-01
End date: 2016-03-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Atmospheric circulation in the midlatitudes is dominated by regions of strong eddy activity known as storm tracks. These storm tracks transport the bulk of the heat, momentum and moisture in the extratropics. Despite their importance to midlatitude climate much of the mechanisms governing the storm tracks remain poorly understood. Particularly the role of water vapor and latent heat release has received little attention, though the energy release due to latent heating over storm track formation regions is comparable to that of baroclinic processes. This work will investigate the mechanisms controlling the energy budget of storm tracks focusing on the role of water vapor. A hierarchy of models ranging from idealized dry and moist general circulation models (GCMs) to full comprehensive atmospheric GCMs will be used through systematic studies in order to isolate the mechanisms governing the dynamics.

Keywords: storm tracks,atmospheric dynamics,climate change,water vapor,baroclinic instability