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Differences in language learnability across ages
This project examines the learning mechanisms and linguistic/cognitive biases deployed by children and adults when they learn a language. We study the acquisition of multiple linguistic levels, from the sound system, to the lexicon, to morphosyntax. The major differences in outcome between learning in children and adults may depend on differences in the input to learners (task 1), the learning mechanisms deployed (task 2), or the linguistic/cognitive biases (task 3).
uORF-mediated post-transcriptional control of stem cell niche activity in plants
Target of Rapamycin (TOR) functions as a central hub to link a wide range of external stimuli to protein production. In plants, protein production is limited by upstream open reading frames (uORFs) located within the 5’UTRs of about 30% of eukaryotic mRNAs. The mechanism of uORF-mediated suppression of translation and reinitiation factors that mediate uORF inhibitory potential are not yet clear.
Getting the record from the disc: A study of the Milky Way disc with WEAVE and Gaia
The Milky Way is a test-bed to study in details the mechanisms that shape galaxies. The synergy between Gaia and WEAVE gives access, for the 1st time, to more than 30 tracers of the past of our Galaxy for a 10^6 stars of the Solar neighborhood, and to a dozen of tracers for another 2 million stars outside of it. Our project concerns the study of the Galactic disc, a structure that encodes both internal and external mechanisms that come into play in the chemo-dynamical evolution of our Galaxy.
Manganese complexes for PET and MRI: production of 52Mn and ligand design for stable and inert complexation
Bispidine-derivative manganese complexes with unprecedented kinetic inertness for imaging applications
Innovative strategy to treat Charcot-Marie-Tooth patients based on translational readthrough molecules by in vitro screening using CRISPR-Cas9 and iPSc technologies
Innovative strategy to treat patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease based on an in vitro study of readthrough molecules in induced pluripotent stem cell-derived motor neuron models modified by CRISPR-Cas9 molecular scissors technology
To capitalize on activated adventitial fibroblasts metabolism to treat pulmonary hypertension
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a deadly enigmatic disease of the pulmonary vasculature that is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide with substantial unmet medical needs. In response to hormonal, inflammatory and environmental stresses such as hypoxia/ischemia, or vascular distention, pulmonary artery adventitial fibroblasts (PAAF) are the first vascular wall cells to exhibit evidence of activation.
Flaviviral transmission enhancer in mosquito saliva
Pathogenic flaviviruses of global importance such as dengue (DENV), Zika (ZIKV) and yellow fever (YFV) viruses are transmitted through a mosquito bite. Mosquito saliva contains viruses that initiate skin infection before spreading to the rest of the body. Understanding the factors that determine skin infection will lead to new strategies to block transmission.
Role of Piezo1 in pulmonary arterial hypertension
In pulmonary hypertension (PH), both an increase in arterial reactivity and a structural remodeling, causing a thickening of the muscular medial layer of small pulmonary arteries (PAs), are implicated in the etiology of the disease.Several arguments point to an important role for mechanical stress in the stimulation of PA smooth muscle cells (SMCs) proliferation. We hypothesize that opening of the mechanosensitive ion channel Piezo1 in PA SMCs is implicated in experimental and human PAH.
SEarch-oriented ConverSAtIonal systeMS
The project envisions a novel paradigm in IR in which the user can interact with the search engine in natural language through the intermediary of a conversational system. We refer to this as search-oriented conversational systems. There are several important challenges underlying this novel paradigm: 1) understanding the user's information need; 2) designing a proactive system; and, 3) evaluating this novel paradigm.
Fundamental, genetic and clinical aspects of male infertility due to severe sperm flagellar abnormalities
Although multifactorial, male infertility has a strong genetic basis, which has so far not been extensively studied. Previous work permitted to characterize and publish causative mutations in 9 genes. Here, the same consortium will leverage the previously acquired expertise and tools to further investigate the molecular basis of flagellogenesis and to translate this knowledge into actionable information and strategies to improve diagnosis and care of infertile patients.
