Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
The role of Butyrophilin-like molecule 1 in intestinal epithelial cell-T cell interactions and immune surveillance (BUTIES)

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-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2010-01-05
End date: 2012-07-04
Duration (months): 30.0
Total project cost (EUR): 180216.74
EU funding (EUR): 180216.74
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The butyrophilin-like (Btnl) molecules share similarities with the B7 family of costimulatory molecules for T cells, yet no functions are known. They are encoded in the major-histocompatibility complex (MHC) locus, a region of the genome known to be highly relevant in many diseases. Recently, Professor Hayday&apos;s lab identified a novel immunoglobulin-related molecule, Skint1, which appears to be a selection determinant for skin gamma delta T cells. Furthermore, in the absence of Skint1 and normal skin gamma delta T cells, mice develop spontaneous skin inflammation and are susceptible to skin carcinomas. Hence, Skint1 seems to underpin key aspects of skin immune surveillance. Interestingly, Skint1 shares close sequence homology with Btnl1, 4 and 6; moreover, whereas Skint1 is expressed specifically in thymus and skin epithelia, Btnl1, 4 and 6 are expressed specifically by intestinal epithelia. The gut is a site of chronic immune stimulation where the control of tissue inflammation and stress responses is very important. Therefore, the functional relatedness of Skint1 and the Btnl family provoked our hypothesis that Btnl1 and its relatives may be novel regulators of immunosurveillance, by interacting with intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) in the gut. Indeed, human Btnl2 is genetically associated with sarcoidosis and ulcerative colitis. To investigate Btnl1, I will use novel anti-Btnl1 antibodies, a Btnl1-Fc fusion protein and Btnl1 knockout mice to define situations in which Btnl1 receptor engagement occurs and the significance of this interaction. I will also attempt to identify the Btnl1 receptor on IEL. Finally, I wish to address the role of Btnl1 in immune surveillance, by examining the interaction of IEL and Btnl1+ cells in a mouse model of epithelial stress. By this, I hope to be able to place Btnl1 in the context of tumour immunology and inflammatory diseases of the gut, by characterising a potential target for clinical manipulation.

Keywords: mucosal immunology,chronic diseases,tissue culture,molecular biology,immune surveillance,butyrophilin-like molecules,intra-epithelial lymphocytes,inflammation
Heterologous expression of wood-rotting and litter-decomposing fungal genes involved in lignin degradation (FUNGEN)

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-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-03-01
End date: 2011-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 246983.34
EU funding (EUR): 246983.34
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Lignin is a highly recalcitrant integral polymer in higher plants and the second most abundant organic polymer in nature. Lignin degradation by white-rot fungi has been studied intensively in relation to highly important biotechnological applications such as biopulping, biobleaching and treating of pulp mill effluents. Indeed, lignin-selective fungi that degrade lignin in preference to cellulose are considered the most promising fungi for alternative energy saving applications in pulp and paper industry. Other important biotechnological applications of these fungi or their selected enzymes include biofuel generation and bioremediation, i.e. removal of toxic pollutants from soil and effluents. To make industrial applications feasible, an efficient production system for these enzymes would be needed Litter-decomposing fungi possess a similar lignin modifying enzyme system as wood-decaying white-rot fungi but relatively little is known about their potential and significance in the degradation of lignin, humus and organopollutants in soil. In this project ligninolytic enzymes of the litter-decomposing fungi and fungal oxalate decarboxylase, an essential part of effective lignin degradation, will be heterologously produced and characterised. The production of heterologously produced proteins will be scaled up to reach high levels of recombinant enzymes that will improve the utilization of these fungi in commercial biotechnological applications. The structural and functional properties of recombinant enzymes will be characterized at the University of Nottingham as well as within joint projects in EU and Europe. Importantly, to significantly strengthen her career the applicant will learn several novel and valuable techniques including gene array methodology, associated bioinformatics and molecular genetics approaches applied to Aspergillus spp. The project will enable effective collaborations between the Nottingham and Helsinki in an area which is highly competitive.

Keywords: molecular genetics,lignocellulose,heterologous expression,micro array
Modelling the self-assembly of polymers in solution (MSAPS)

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-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2010-06-14
End date: 2012-06-13
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 164877.53
EU funding (EUR): 164877.53
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This project focuses on theoretical studies of polymers (long chain molecules) dissolved in a liquid. If a section of each molecule is incompatible with the solvent, the polymers may self-assemble into a range of structures in order to minimise the contact of this section with the liquid. This project will consider the self-assembly of polymers into vesicles (hollow spheres), which resemble those seen in cells and can also be used to encapsulate and deliver drugs. Novel polymers will be designed with the aim of producing batches of vesicles of uniform size, in order to allow the amount of encapsulated chemical to be precisely controlled. Next, the interaction between vesicles will be calculated, and the packing of a number of these objects will be considered. This problem is of relevance to signal transmission in nerves. Micelles (spheres of polymer molecules with no solvent core) will also be studied, to determine how they may be used to coat and hence modify the properties of a large particle or a surface. Finally, the process by which vesicles form will be investigated, since this determines how efficiently they encapsulate chemicals. Three different scenarios for vesicle formation will be considered and compared with experimental data from the host group and elsewhere. The theoretical work is based on the candidate's previous experience in calculations of polymer properties, and is linked to and sometimes directly inspired by experimental work performed in the host group. As required by the Work Programme, the proposal will increase the candidate's experience of interdisciplinary working through direct collaboration with experimental physicists and chemists, and continue his progress towards scientific independence through the performance of research largely based on his own ideas. All the research problems considered have been chosen with potential applications and relevance to industry in mind.

Keywords: soft matter and polymer physics,statistical physics
Cellular and structural determinants of amyloid toxicity (AMYLOID HOT SPOTS)

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: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2010-05-01
End date: 2012-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 161332.58
EU funding (EUR): 161332.58
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzehimer´s or Parkinson´s affect millions of people in Europe and are linked to the misfolding and aggregation of proteins in the form of amyloid fibrils. The molecular pathways of amyloid aggregation are complex and poorly understood, and involve the population of oligomeric intermediates before fibrils form. Little is known about the role in vivo of amyloid intermediates, despite generally recognized as the major neurotoxic agents. The challenge of this project is to bridge the gap between structural and functional studies of amyloid intermediates, and to rationalize the role of protein-associated factors in amyloid toxicity. I intend to provide new experimental evidence into the causes of conformation-dependent neurotoxicity for the protein alpha-synuclein, the amyloid culprit of Parkinson’s disease. I will identify cellular factors associated with amyloid intermediates by employing mass spectrometry techniques. A protein interaction map for such amyloid species will be created based on the proteins identified. This protein network will provide a pathological atlas of the cellular pathways affected upon amyloid formation. Selected protein targets of the oligomeric intermediates will be characterized structurally, with the aim of identifying structural determinants of amyloid toxicity, the so-called amyloid hot spots. State of the art biophysical methodologies, such as NMR, fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy will be employed, all of them available at the host institution. Finally, computational modeling of protein-protein interactions will support the experimental work, another major expertise of the host laboratory. It is foreseen that such amyloid hot spots will naturally become targets for therapeutic intervention. Accordingly, the present proposal will have impact on both basic and translational research in Parkinson’s disease.

Keywords: structural biology,neurobiology,computational biology,molecular biophysics
Parallaxes of Southern Extremely Cool Objects (PARSEC)

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: Italy
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IIF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2010-04-14
End date: 2012-06-13
Duration (months): 26.0
Total project cost (EUR): 236272.97
EU funding (EUR): 236272.97
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

We request an Incoming International Fellowship for Dr Alexandre Andrei from the Observatório Nacional (ON) in Brazil to work at the Osservatorio Astronomico di Torino (OATo) on a research program to measure the parallaxes, hence distances, of nearby sub-stellar objects. The project plan requires data treatment and analysis, the development of astrometric methods, and the astrophysical exploitation, for 148 brown dwarfs in an ongoing observational program on the Wide Field Imager of the ESO 2.2m telescope began in 2007. By the beginning of the proposed fellowship the observational program will be finishing. An extended period of close collaboration will enable the full exploitation of the images, distances, proper motions, binarity status etc. In addition to tripling the number of brown dwarf parallaxes and contributing diretctly to sub-stellar research this project will also have repercussions in many other areas of Astronomy from the evolution of the galaxy to the formation of planets. This activity will cement OATo’s world leadership in the area of ground based parallax determinations, an area of European excellence in research. Dr. Andrei is an established researcher with a global reputation in the field of astrometry and solar studies. He holds positions of responsibility in the activities of many international bodies, many with a large European involvement which will benefit by his presence in Europe, for example he is preparing a key part of the data reduction effort for the ESA cornerstone mission GAIA. The database of raw images and treated data consistently samples the southern hemisphere sky and will be a valuable source for further Brazilian – European collaborations of scientists and students. Finally, the activity of Dr. Andrei in the framework of this project directly involves other Brazilian researchers and institutes where the determination of parallaxes provides a new and fruitful area for future work

Keywords: astrophysics,brown dwarfs,distances
Regulation of selective translation via signal transduction pathways (TRANSLATION CONTROL)

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: Switzerland
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-03-01
End date: 2011-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 190864.29
EU funding (EUR): 190864.29
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The overall rate of protein synthesis is an important factor modulating cell and tissue metabolism. In addition, the translational machinery plays key roles in controlling gene-specific expression in eukaryotic cells. The regulatory mechanisms involve changes in the activities of components of translational complexes that lead to selective translation of specific subsets of messenger RNAs. Modulations of translational activity are primarily mediated by changes in the phosphorylation states of translation factors or RNA-binding proteins promoting specific modes of translation. Kinases closely associated with translation initiation complexes have a huge potential to regulate selective modes of translation. However, despite many studies on signalling pathways controlling the phosphorylation status of the translation machinery, little is known about how these modifications regulate the quality of the translation. The main research objective is to uncover novel molecular mechanisms regulating the expression of specific genes at the translation level triggered by signalling pathways. The project proposed will make use of a variety of modern molecular biology, biochemistry and cell biology techniques, including detailed proteomic and genomic analyses. In addition, the clinical relevance of the new identified mechanism will be analysed in human brain cancer. Understanding the mechanisms selecting specific mRNAs for translation would not only explain the principles underlying rapid signalling responses controlling translation and the phenotypical consequences but would also allow development of molecular strategies for therapeutic interference in human diseases with deregulated signalling pathways.

Keywords: cell biology,molecular biology,translation,signal transduction pathways,tissue culture,histology,oncology,anticancer therapy,brain research
Evolution of floral size control in the genus Capsella. (EVO_FLORE)

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: Germany,United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-10-01
End date: 2011-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 170733.61
EU funding (EUR): 170733.61
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

A fascinating challenge in biology is to understand how the evolution of molecular mechanisms leads to phenotypic variation. In plants, the morphology of flowers is subject to strong selective pressures, given their central role for reproduction. A common trend of flower evolution is the reduction of floral display following the transition from out-breeding via animal pollinators to selfing. This reduction of flower size is commonly assumed to reflect a conflict between pollination efficiency and energy cost; for a selfing species, pollinators become dispensable, and the presumed energetic cost to build large flowers for pollinator attraction would have losts its adaptive value. The genus Capsella is a genetically amenable model to dissect the genetic basis of this major trend in flower evolution. The selfing species C. rubella, with its dramatically reduced flowers, evolved from C. grandiflora, an outbreeding species with large flowers. The Lenhard group has identified and mendelized quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying the change in flower size in the genus Capsella. This project proposes to use three complementary approaches to better understand evolutionary changes in flower morphology in relation to changes in the mating system. (1) A positional cloning approach will be used to identify the causal gene underlying the major flower size QTL. (2) Comparative QTL mapping and population genetic analyses will be employed to reconstitute the history of floral evolution in Capsella. (3) Isogenic lines differing only in flower size will be generated to rigorously determine the fitness value of flower size in a selfing species. This project will provide important novel insight into the genetic mechanisms and the forces driving evolutionary changes in morphology; at the same time, it will offer a highly relevant multidisciplinary training at the overlap of molecular biology and evolutionary genetics, which will be an increasingly sought-after combination.

Keywords: plant,capsella,flower,size,evolution,fitness,quantitative genetics,population genetics,positional cloning.
Understanding the axon-glial functional unit in myelination and remyelination (AXOGLIA)

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: Portugal
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-03-01
End date: 2011-07-31
Duration (months): 29.0
Total project cost (EUR): 148615.67
EU funding (EUR): 148615.67
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Loss or damage of myelin is one of the major mechanisms underlying the pathology of several neurological disorders, e.g. leukodystrophies, central and peripheral neuropathies, and inflammatory demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), a serious health as well as economic and social burden at European level. Remyelination, the process by which demyelinated axons are reinvested with new myelin sheath, is required to ensure recovery of physiological activity of the nerves. Even if spontaneous remyelination in human demyelinating diseases can occur, it is an uneven process often insufficient to preserve axon integrity. Long-term axon protection could be achieved through the re-establishment of an efficient axon/myelin functional unit. Only a “correct” remyelination consisting in the preservation of the original axonal and myelin expressed proteome could potentially reduce axonal loss. No clear understanding of the key molecules involved in myelination and remyelination is at the moment available. Conventional molecular and cell biological assays do not provide a complete profile of the molecular changes involved in the establishment and maintenance of the myelin sheath. The fellow will apply a multidisciplinary approach. Forefront proteomics techniques (iTRAQ) will allow to profile the membrane proteins present at the axon/myelin interface and involved in initiating and maintaining myelination. The fellow will also address how remyelination, in a demyelinating animal model, differs from developmental myelination. The localization and specific function of a subset of interesting candidates will be analyzed in vitro and in vivo, in order to broaden our knowledge of the basic molecular processes underlying myelination/remyelination and to identify potential therapeutical targets. The fellowship will help Europe to become more prominent in the area of Systems biology, in which North America is at the moment leading, and strengthen European collaborations.

Keywords: neurobiology,developmental biology,myelination,multiple sclerosis,remyelination,proteomics,cell biology,molecular biology
RSL4 is a master regulator of cell growth and size (RSL4)

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-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-08-15
End date: 2011-08-14
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 171300.62
EU funding (EUR): 171300.62
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Growth and size of cells is tightly regulated in all organisms. Recent work in the host lab identified a transcription factor called RSL4 that is a master regulator of cell growth. RSL4 controls cell size in root hairs, a model cell type for the study of eukaryotic cell growth. The current hypothesis is that RSL4 is present in growing cells and its degradation signals the cessation of growth. The overarching aim of this proposal is to understand how RSL4 controls cell size during development. The first objective would be to identify and study the genes that effect RSL4-regulated growth while the second is to characterize the temporal regulation of RSL4 protein stability during the phase of active growth and its degradation as growth ceases. We anticipate that these studies on RSL4 will unravel general mechanisms of eukaryotic cell growth regulation.

Keywords: plant growth,arabidopsis,cell growth,cell size,root hair,gene regulation
Effective Field Theory for Loop Quantum Gravity (EFTFORLQG)

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-IEF-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-09-01
End date: 2011-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 156712.58
EU funding (EUR): 156712.58
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The objective of this research project is to develop the Loop approach to Quantum Gravity and identify the regime where the dynamics of the theory can be described in terms of a perturbative quantum theory of gravitons on flat space. The project is to be articulated into three main levels of work: (a) investigate the dual picture of quantum geometry proper of Loop Quantum Gravity, identifying semiclassical states peaked on simplicial geometries; (b) compute large scale correlations for spin foam models using a strategy introduced by Rovelli and collaborators in 2006 for extracting the graviton propagator from a background-independent theory; develop a semiclassical perturbation theory for spin foams; (c) derive the effective field theory for spin foams on a semiclassical state; determine the free parameters in the effective theory and identify signatures. Completing this research program would establish Loop Quantum Gravity as a strong candidate for a description of physics at the Planck scale – a description which provides a quantum picture of space-time at such microscopic scale, which is compatible with the present knowledge in quantum field theory and which may predict experimental signatures to be investigated in future.

Keywords: loop quantum gravity,simplicial geometry,gravitons,effective field theory