Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Towards an European training market and professional qualification in Geological Disposal (PETRUS II)

Framework: FP7 — Euratom
Programme: Nuclear fission and radiation protection
Theme: Support the development of nuclear competences at Union level and socio-economic aspects
Destination: Human Resources and training
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: France,United Kingdom,Germany,Finland,France,Slovenia,Czechia,France,Spain,Germany,Portugal,France,Sweden,Sweden,Switzerland
Call:  (FP7-Fission-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-01-15
End date: 2012-01-14
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1707916.0
EU funding (EUR): 800000.0
Participants: 16
Project status: CLOSED

The aim of this proposal is to enable present and future professionals on radioactive waste management in Europe, whatever their initial disciplinary background, to follow a training programme on geological disposal which would be widely recognized across Europe. This ambitious aim will only be achieved over a close collaboration between all stakeholders and through an effective and flexible use of academic and non-academic resources and competences. In addressing the needs of the end-users that will be identified through updating the CETRAD outcomes, access to a combination of education (formal), continuous learning and professional development (non-formal), and in-job learning (informal) will be offered and developed within the project. Under the FP6, PETRUS group has developed within the ENEN II project, a structure for addressing education. The new proposal seeks to extend the outcomes of the former study to the training activities that together with other measures like the establishment of an adequate quality assurance framework, will address the challenge of the non-formal sector. Besides, the project targets the development of a qualification framework (“training passport”) that is in the interest of different end-users and trainees. The qualification system should be transparent, based on the fair assessment of skills learned. The feasibility study on European recognition of non-formal learning through the comparison of different national recognition systems will allow proposing an adequate scheme applicable to competences in geological disposal. Finally, the project aims at networking all the training actors in order to form and foster the “geological disposal training market”. This will be achieved by developing Knowledge Management Strategy and implementing communication tools notably the “face to face remote teaching” infrastructure, which has been developed during the ENENII project.

Keywords: training courses,geological disposal,professional qualification,knowledge management
The influence of Aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands on protective and pathological immune responses (AHRIMMUNITY)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Immunity and infection
Countries involved: United Kingdom,Germany,Finland
Call:  (ERC-2008-AdG, 2008)
Start date: 2009-02-01
End date: 2014-01-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1242351.6
EU funding (EUR): 1242351.6
Participants: 3
Project status: CLOSED

The Aryl hydrocarbon receptor is an evolutionary conserved widely expressed transcription factor that mediates the toxicity of a substantial variety of exogenous toxins, but is also stimulated by endogenous physiological ligands. While it is known that this receptor mediates the toxicity of dioxin, this is unlikely to be its physiological function. We have recently identified selective expression of AhR in the Th17 subset of effector CD4 T cells. Ligation of AhR by a candidate endogenous ligand (FICZ) which is a UV metabolite of tryptophan causes expansion of Th17 cells and the induction of IL-22 production. As a consequence, AhR ligation will exacerbate autoimmune diseases such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Little is known so far about the impact of AhR ligands on IL-17/IL-22 mediated immune defense functions. IL-22 is considered a pro-inflammatory Th17 cytokine, which is involved in the etiology of psoriasis, but it has also been shown to be a survival factor for epithelial cells. AhR is polymorphic and defined as high or low affinity receptor for dioxin leading to the classification of high and low responder mouse strains based on defined mutations. In humans similar polymorphisms exist and although on the whole human AhR is thought to be of low affinity in humans, there are identified mutations that confer high responder status. No correlations have been made with Th17 mediated immune responses in mice and humans. This study aims to investigate the role of AhR ligands and polymorphisms in autoimmunity as well as protective immune responses using both mouse models and human samples from normal controls as well as psoriasis patients.

Keywords: aryl hydrocarbon receptor,th17,psoriasis
Telomeric Repeat Containing RNA: Biogenesis, Composition and Function (TERRA)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Molecular and Structural Biology and Biochemistry
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call:  (ERC-2008-AdG, 2008)
Start date: 2009-04-01
End date: 2014-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2385047.0
EU funding (EUR): 2385047.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, known as telomeres, play crucial roles as guardians of genome stability and tumor suppressors. Telomeric DNA is maintained by the ribonucleoprotein enzyme telomerase. Most normal human somatic cells express only very low levels of telomerase and telomeres shorten with continuous cell division cycles. Ultimately, short telomeres activate a DNA damage response that leads to a permanent cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. Reactivation of telomerase is a key requisite for human cancer cells to attain unlimited proliferation potential. The key questions that need to be tackled in the telomere field are (1) how telomeres protect from DNA repair activities, (2) how recruitment and regulation of telomerase is mediated by telomere structure, (3) how cell cycle arrest occurs upon telomere shortening, and (4) how telomeres regulate their heterochromatic state. In all four areas, important progress is expected in the near future. We recently made the unexpected discovery that telomeres are transcribed into TElomeric Repeat containing RNA (TERRA) and that this RNA is an integral part of telomeric heterochromatin. Our working hypothesis is that the telomere is an RNA-dependent machine, and that several if not most of its crucial functions are regulated by TERRA. In this proposal we will explore TERRA functions, by elucidating its biogenesis, by identifying its protein partners and by genetic manipulation of the expression of TERRA and TERRA binding proteins. This work should provide fundamental insight into how our chromosome ends function. The gained knowledge may also provide novel avenues on how to manipulate telomere function and dysfunction in cancer cells and other diseased tissue.

Keywords: telomeres,telomerase,genetic stability,dna replication,heterochromatin,ribonucleoprotein
Quantitative understanding of a living system and its engineering as a cellular organelle (CELLDOCTOR)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Genetics, Genomics, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (ERC-2008-AdG, 2008)
Start date: 2009-03-01
End date: 2015-02-28
Duration (months): 72.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2400000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2400000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The idea of harnessing living organisms for treating human diseases is not new but, so far, the majority of the living vectors used in human therapy are viruses which have the disadvantage of the limited number of genes and networks that can contain. Bacteria allow the cloning of complex networks and the possibility of making a large plethora of compounds, naturally or through careful redesign. One of the main limitations for the use of bacteria to treat human diseases is their complexity, the existence of a cell wall that difficult the communication with the target cells, the lack of control over its growth and the immune response that will elicit on its target. Ideally one would like to have a very small bacterium (of a mitochondria size), with no cell wall, which could be grown in Vitro, be genetically manipulated, for which we will have enough data to allow a complete understanding of its behaviour and which could live as a human cell parasite. Such a microorganism could in principle be used as a living vector in which genes of interests, or networks producing organic molecules of medical relevance, could be introduced under in Vitro conditions and then inoculated on extracted human cells or in the organism, and then become a new organelle in the host. Then, it could produce and secrete into the host proteins which will be needed to correct a genetic disease, or drugs needed by the patient. To do that, we need to understand in excruciating detail the Biology of the target bacterium and how to interface with the host cell cycle (Systems biology aspect). Then we need to have engineering tools (network design, protein design, simulations) to modify the target bacterium to behave like an organelle once inside the cell (Synthetic biology aspect). M.pneumoniae could be such a bacterium. It is one of the smallest free-living bacterium known (680 genes), has no cell wall, can be cultivated in Vitro, can be genetically manipulated and can enter inside human cells.

Keywords: simulation,bioengineering,design,proteomcs,metabolomics,transcriptomics,systems biology,synthetic biology
Signaling Pathways Controlling Patterning, Growth and Final Size of Drosophila Limbs (DROSOPHILASIGNALING)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Cellular and Developmental Biology
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call:  (ERC-2008-AdG, 2008)
Start date: 2009-02-01
End date: 2014-01-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2310000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2310000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Developmental biology seeks not only to learn more about the fundamental processes of growth and pattern per se, but to understand how they synergize to enable the morphogenesis of multicellular organisms. Our goal is to perform real-time analyses of these developmental processes in an intact developing organ. By applying a vital imaging approach, we can circumvent the normal limitations of inferring cellular dynamics from static images or molecular data, and obtain the real dynamic view of growth and patterning. The wing imaginal disc of Drosophila, which starts out as a simple epithelial structure and gives rise to a precisely structured adult limb, will serve as an ideal model system. This system has the combined advantages of relative simplicity and genetic tractability. We will create several innovations that expand the current toolkit and thus facilitate the detailed dissection of growth and patterning. A key early step will be to develop novel reporters to dynamically and faithfully monitor signaling cascades involved in growth and patterning, such as the Dpp and Hippo pathways. We will also implement quantification techniques that are currently being set up in collaboration with an experimental physicist, to deduce, and alter, the mechanical forces that develop in the cells of a growing tissue. The large amount of quantitative data that will be generated allow us derive computational models of the individual pathways and their interaction. The focus of the study will be to answer the following questions: 1) Is the Hippo pathway regulated spatially and temporally, and by what signaling pathways? 2) Do mechanical forces play a pivotal controlling role in organ morphogenesis? 3) What are the global effects on growth, when pathways controlling patterning, cell competition or compensatory proliferation are perturbed? The proposed project will bring the approaches taken to define the mechanisms underlying and controlling growth and patterning to the next level.

Keywords: final size,growth,patterning
Simultaneous multi-pathway engineering in crop plants through combinatorial genetic transformation: Creating nutritionally biofortified cereal grains for food security (BIOFORCE)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Applied life sciences and biotechnology
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (ERC-2008-AdG, 2008)
Start date: 2009-04-01
End date: 2014-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2290046.0
EU funding (EUR): 2290046.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

BIOFORCE has a highly ambitious applied objective: to create transgenic cereal plants that will provide a near-complete micronutrient complement (vitamins A, C, E, folate and essential minerals Ca, Fe, Se and Zn) for malnourished people in the developing world, as well as built-in resistance to insects and parasitic weeds. This in itself represents a striking advance over current efforts to address food insecurity using applied biotechnology in the developing world. We will also address fundamental mechanistic aspects of multi-gene/pathway engineering through transcriptome and metabolome profiling. Fundamental science and applied objectives will be achieved through the application of an exciting novel technology (combinatorial genetic transformation) developed and patented by my research group. This allows the simultaneous transfer of an unlimited number of transgenes into plants followed by library-based selection of plants with appropriate genotypes and phenotypes. All transgenes integrate into one locus ensuring expression stability over multiple generations. This proposal represents a new line of research in my laboratory, founded on incremental advances in the elucidation of transgene integration mechanisms in plants over the past two and a half decades. In addition to scientific issues, BIOFORCE address challenges such as intellectual property, regulatory and biosafety issues and crucially how the fruits of our work will be taken up through philanthropic initiatives in the developing world while creating exploitable opportunities elsewhere. BIOFORCE is comprehensive and it provides a complete package that stands to make an unprecedented contribution to food security in the developing world, while at the same time generating new knowledge to streamline and simplify multiplex gene transfer and the simultaneous modification of multiple complex plant metabolic pathways

Keywords: biofortification,maize,rice,vitamins,minerals,insect resistance,herbicide tolerance,food security,developing countries
Anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria: unique prokayotes with exceptional properties (ANAMMOX)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Evolutionary, population and environmental biology
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call:  (ERC-2008-AdG, 2008)
Start date: 2009-01-01
End date: 2013-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

For over a century it was believed that ammonium could only be oxidized by microbes in the presence of oxygen. The possibility of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) was considered impossible. However, about 10 years ago the microbes responsible for the anammox reaction were discovered in a wastewater plant. This was followed by the identification of the responsible bacteria. Recently, the widespread environmental occurrence of the anammox bacteria was demonstrated leading to the realization that anammox bacteria may play a major role in biological nitrogen cycling. The anammox bacteria are unique microbes with many unusual properties. These include the biological turn-over of hydrazine, a well known rocket fuel, the biological synthesis of ladderane lipids, and the presence of a prokaryotic organelle in the cytoplasma of anammox bacteria. The aim of this project is to obtain a fundamental understanding of the metabolism and ecological importance of the anammox bacteria. Such understanding contributes directly to our environment and economy because the anammox bacteria form a new opportunity for nitrogen removal from wastewater, cheaper, with lower carbon dioxide emissions than existing technology. Scientifically the results will contribute to the understanding how hydrazine and dinitrogen gas are made by the anammox bacteria. The research will show which gene products are responsible for the anammox reaction, and how their expression is regulated. Furthermore, the experiments proposed will show if the prokaryotic organelle in anammox bacteria is involved in energy generation. Together the environmental and metabolic data will help to understand why anammox bacteria are so successful in the biogeochemical nitrogen cycle and thus shape our planets atmosphere. The different research lines will employ state of the art microbial and molecular methods to unravel the exceptional properties of these highly unusual and important anammox bacteria.

Keywords: nitrogen,wastewater,cell biology,climate change,proteome,genome,tomography
A biological network approach to the study of biochemical origins, early cellular evolution, and gene distributions across genomes (NETWORKORIGINS)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Evolutionary, population and environmental biology
Countries involved: Germany
Call:  (ERC-2008-AdG, 2008)
Start date: 2009-01-01
End date: 2013-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1931280.0
EU funding (EUR): 1931280.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The further back we look in time, the less we know about the course of life's history. Genomics, through phylogenomics, will eventually resolve the evolution of macroscopic life, whose phylogeny can be properly modeled in the mathematical image of a bifurcating tree; where the evolutionary process is fundamentally tree-like in nature, we only have to collect enough data to bring the structure of the tree into focus. But when we look back into the evolution of microscopic life and early evolution that is, prokaryotic evolution, the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition, and the origin of life genome sequences are only of limited help. That is because neither the evolutionary process linking the evolution of genes across prokaryotic genomes nor the process linking prokaryotes to eukaryotes is strictly tree-like in nature. In prokaryote genome evolution, lateral gene transfer (LGT) is an important mechanism of natural variation, while the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition involved the wholesale merger of prokaryotic genomes via endosymbiosis. This proposal aims to deliver a quantum advance in our understanding of early evolution. Prokaryotic genome evolution and the prokaryote-to-eukaryote transition will be investigated with mathematical tools that better approximate the process as it occurs in nature, by using the graph theoretical tools of networks rather than that of trees. For understanding the origin of life, genome data is inapplicable, because genes cannot be compared to inorganic compounds from which life ultimately arose. When it comes to linking microbial life to geochemical processes, the comparison of chemical reaction sequences in living things to those geochemistry is all with which we have to work. Some forms of hydrothermal vents harbour newly discovered chemical reaction sequences with striking overall similarity to that used by methanogens and acetogens, findings that bear upon the nature of the deepest evolutionary divide among modern microbes.

Keywords: early evolution,hydrothermal vents,lateral gene transfer,origin of prokaryotes,origin of eukaryotes
HUMAN AND MOUSE MODELS OF RHINOVIRUS INDUCED ACUTE ASTHMA EXACERBATIONS (MORIAE)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Physiology, Pathophysiology and Endocrinology
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (ERC-2008-AdG, 2008)
Start date: 2009-04-01
End date: 2014-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2497761.0
EU funding (EUR): 2497761.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease and in many countries prevalence continues to rise. The major cause of asthma morbidity, mortality and health care costs are acute exacerbations, with rhinovirus infection the major cause. The aim of this application is to identify novel targets for the development of new more effective therapies for treatment and prevention of virus-induced asthma exacerbations, a disease area where there is a major unmet current clinical need. This proposal combines two unique state of the art novel models of acute exacerbations of asthma. First, a human model will be used to identify dysregulated genes/proteins and determine relationships with disease outcomes in vivo. This study will compare lower airway responses between asthmatic and control subjects undergoing rhinovirus experimental infection. This will have the dual advantage of investigating mechanisms in the most natural model possible, as well as developing a better model for testing novel therapeutic approaches. The second utilizes a unique new mouse model of rhinovirus infection in which causal relationships with disease outcomes can be investigated in vivo. This will be performed using gene-knockout mice, blocking antibodies, siRNA, pharmacologic inhibition and/or over-expression in genes in a novel mouse model of rhinovirus exacerbation. Any genes/proteins shown to be dysregulated and related to disease outcomes in the human model, AND causally related to disease outcomes in the mouse in vivo model will be very strong candidates for immediate translation of approaches to correct the dysregulation in proof of concept pivotal human intervention studies. The development of a new low dose challenge human model proposed will also provide a new and optimal model of naturally occurring exacerbations, in which such proof of concept pivotal human intervention studies can be carried out.

Keywords: asthma,respiratory,infection,innate immunity,rhinovirus