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20 interdisciplinary and exploratory research projects

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Last March, the University of Bordeaux launched a call for projects aimed at stimulating interdisciplinary approaches to exploring new fields of research or providing answers to complex questions faced by society. Of the 71 projects submitted, 20 have been selected and will start this autumn.

Photo : Interdisciplinary and exploratory research projects are designed to answer a specific research question © vegefox.com
Interdisciplinary and exploratory research projects are designed to answer a specific research question © vegefox.com

"It's a huge success", is how Nathalie Sans, the university's Vice-President for research, describes the results of the call for interdisciplinary and exploratory research projects launched last spring aimed at the scientific community, made up of the site's laboratories, of which the university is co-supervisor. A total of 71 eligible projects were submitted, involving all 11 of the university's research departments. "We were surprised by the number of projects submitted," explains Nathalie Sans, "which made the selection process harder in order to choose the 20 winners." The institution's provisional budget of 1 M€ was exceptionally increased to 1.37 M€ - with a 40,000€ contribution from INRAE - and a revision of the budgets was requested from the various project leaders in order to reach the initial target of 20 selected projects (see list below).

Removing scientific and technological barriers

The University of Bordeaux has defined interdisciplinarity as a strategic priority for the institution in order to transcend the current state of the art of a given scientific question in order to remove scientific and technological barriers, in particular in response to societal and environmental issues. These interdisciplinary and exploratory research projects had to meet two clearly expressed imperatives.

The first is to liaise with different scientific fields and create the conditions for greater interdisciplinary scientific responsiveness in order to create knowledge and value by capitalising on the openness of fields, approaches and cultures.

"The definition of interdisciplinarity is very broad," explains Nathalie Sans, "it encompasses all forms of collaboration between disciplines, and although we deliberately prioritised collaboration on interdepartmental projects, interdisciplinarity is possible within a single department, a single research unit or even within a single team. However the aim of this programme was to encourage the university's researchers to go beyond their own community, and it was the innovative nature of the cross-disciplinary approach associated with a given scientific question that was paramount."

Nathalie Sans, vice-présidente Recherche © Arthur Pequin
Nathalie Sans © Arthur Pequin

With this call for projects, the Vice-President wished to increase synergies between the different scientific communities, encourage new cross-disciplinary approaches and allow researchers to express themselves.

Second requirement: exploratory projects. In other words, the projects had to be innovative, either in terms of their cross-disciplinary approach or in terms of the scientific question addressed by the consortium, and therefore must not have been the object of funding or co-publications on the same subject over the previous 3 years.

A stepping stone towards national and European funding

These interdisciplinary and exploratory projects are small consortia of 2 to 3 researchers and their teams, with the aim of answering a very specific research question, which differentiates them from the Major Research Programmes, which are broader in scope and involve a larger number of scientists. These projects, managed by the laboratories concerned, are also intended to be a stepping stone for other national calls for projects, such as the French National Research Agency (ANR), or European calls for projects (as part of the Horizon Europe programme), or even early-stage funding if the results show potential for innovation.

The projects were evaluated on the basis of analyses carried out by the heads of the research departments and by an ad hoc committee drawn from the Research Commission and an interdisciplinary think tank made up of young researchers. The proposals ranked in this way were validated by the University of Bordeaux's Executive Committee.

The evaluators and the department heads have already made suggestions for improving the process. This call for projects, operated by the Support Service for Scientific Animation (Service d'appui à l'animation scientifique des départements - SAASD), will be relaunched in December 2023. The coordinators of unsuccessful projects, if they have not already found other funding, will have the opportunity to resubmit their project, taking into account the feedback from the evaluations.

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The 20 winning interdisciplinary and exploratory research projects

AxonMetal

Synchrotron imaging of metals to identify normal and pathological axon maturation mechanisms linked to autism spectrum disorders

Coordination:
Mireille Montcouquiol, Inserm Research Director - Magendie Neurocentre (Inserm and University of Bordeaux unit)
Bordeaux Neurocampus  
Richard Ortega, CNRS Research Director - Laboratoire de physique des deux infinis de Bordeaux (LP2IB - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Material and light sciences department

ENDOWINE

Bacteriophage-derived endolysins in fermented foods

Coordination:
Claire Le Henaff-Le Marrec, Bordeaux INP Professor - Oenology laboratory (Bordeaux INP, BSA, Inrae and University of Bordeaux unit)
Environmental sciences department
Charlotte Cabanne, University Professor - Institute of Chemistry and Biology of Membranes and Nano-objects (CBMN - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Health sciences and technologies department
Charlotte Brives, CNRS Research Fellow - Emile Durkheim Centre (CNRS, Sciences Po Bordeaux and University of Bordeaux unit)
Social sciences of contemporary changes department

GALOPin

Automated management of drug dosage for haemodynamic and anaesthetic control in diabetic patients

Coordination:
Jérôme Cieslak, Associate Professor - Integration: from Material to Systems Laboratory (IMS - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Engineering and digital sciences department
Alexandre Ouattara, University Professor and Hospital Practitione - Biology of Cardiovascular Diseases Laboratory (BMC - Inserm and University of Bordeaux unit)
Biological and medical sciences department

GlioGel

Design, characterisation and evaluation, in vitro and in vivo, of an implantable, biocompatible hydrogel for the sustained delivery of nanodrugs for the post-surgical treatment of glioblastoma

Coordination:
Elisabeth Garanger, CNRS Research Fellow - Organic Polymer Chemistry Laboratory (LCPO - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Material and light sciences department
Océane Martin, Associate Professor - Institute of Cellular Biochemistry and Genetics (IBGC - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Biological and medical sciences department

HémaMoX

Influence of ageing on haematopoietic cell differentiation: from single-cell data to formal explanatory models

Coordination:
Catherine Sawai, Inserm Research Fellow - Bordeaux Institute of Oncology (BRIC - Inserm and University of Bordeaux unit)
Biological and medical sciences department
Loïc Paulevé, CNRS Research Director - Bordeaux Computer Science Research Laboratory (LABRI - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Engineering and digital sciences department

HOMOGENIZE

Project aimed at revolutionising the field of optics by exploring the properties of dense clusters of sub-wavelength resonant particles

Coordination:
Alexandre Baron, Associate Professor - Paul Pascal Research Centre (CRPP - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Material and lights sciences department
Mathieu Colin, University Professor - Bordeaux Mathematics Institute (IMB - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Engineering and digital sciences department
Virginie Ponsinet, CNRS Research Director - Paul Pascal Research Centre (CRPP - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Material and lights sciences department

LEITMOTIV

Interdisciplinary collaboration on the recycling of dredged sediments following analysis of their durability and the environmental risks of releasing bioavailable metals measured by innovative sensors

Coordination:
Alexandra Coynel, Associate Professor - Environnements et paléoenvironnements océaniques et continentaux laboratory (EPOC - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Environmental sciences department
Nadia Saiyouri, University Professor - Institute of Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering (I2M - Arts et Métiers ParisTech, Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Engineering and digital sciences department
Nicolas Layglon, researcher - Environnements et paléoenvironnements océaniques et continentaux laboratory (EPOC - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit) and University of Geneva
Environmental sciences department

M&M-FRUIT

Molecular and nano-mechanical factors responsible for ultrastructural invaginations in the endo-reduplicated tomato fruit core

Coordination:
Lucie Fernandez-Lochu, INRAE Research Fellow - Fruit Biology and Pathogenicity Laboratory (BFP - INRAE and University of Bordeaux unit)
Environmental sciences department
Michaël Molinari, University Professor - Insititute of Chemistry and Biology of Membranes and Nano-objects (CBMN - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Health sciences and technologies department

MicroOrgaChip

Real-time decoding of functional interactions between pancreatic islets and muscles using multi-organ-on-a-chip microfluidic microphysiological devices

Coordination:
Matthieu Raoux, Associate Professor - Institute of Chemistry and Biology of Membranes and Nano-objects (CBMN - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Health sciences and technologies department
Damien Thuau, Associate Professor - Integration: from Material to Systems Laboratory (IMS - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Engineering and digital sciences department

MISTIC

Microfluidic insights into the development of specific species and the toxicity of amyloid proteins

Coordination:
Marion Mathelié-Guinlet, Research Fellow - Institute of Chemistry and Biology of Membranes and Nano-objects (CBMN - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Health sciences and technologies department
Thomas Salez, CNRS Research Fellow - Laboratoire ondes et matière d’Aquitaine (LOMA - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Material and light sciences department

MONC4AS

Deciphering the tumour response to propranolol in angiosarcoma: an integrated approach using mathematical modelling and biological experiments

Coordination:
Annabelle Collin, Associate Professor - Bordeaux Mathematics Institute (IMB - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Engineering and digital sciences department
François Moisan, researcher, University of Bordeaux - Bordeaux Institute of Oncology (BRIC - Inserm and University of Bordeaux unit)
Biological and medical sciences department

NoVi-Ther

Development of a new non-viral transport vehicle for cancer gene therapy

Coordination:
Valérie Desvergnes, CNRS Research Fellow - Nucleic Acids: Natural and Artificial Regulations Laboratory (ARNA - CNRS, Inserm and University of Bordeaux unit)
Health sciences and technologies department
Christophe Grosset, Inserm Research Director - Bordeaux Institute of Oncology (BRIC - Inserm and University of Bordeaux unit)
Biological and medical sciences department

OITNSD

Interdisciplinary observatory on digital technologies for surveillance in democracy

Coordination:
Frédéric Alexandre, Inria Research Director - Bordeaux Computer Science Research Laboratory (LABRI - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Engineering and digital sciences department
Gayo Diallo, University Professor - Bordeaux Population Health Research Centre (BPH - Inserm and University of Bordeaux unit)
Public health department
Pauline Gervier, Associate Professor - Centre d'études et de recherches comparatives sur les constitutions, les libertés et l'État (CERCCLE - University of Bordeaux)
Law and social transformations department

PhoTau

Photocontrol of liquid-liquid phase separation of tau protein

Coordination:
Yann Fichou, CNRS Research Fellow - Institute of Chemistry and biology of membranes and nano-objects (CBMN - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Health sciences and technologies department
Nicolas Martin, CNRS Research Fellow - Paul Pascal Research Centre (CRPP - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Material and light sciences department

RECOPA

Reconstructing the cultural history of Palaeolithic Europe through the diversity and evolution of personal ornaments

Coordination:
Virgil Fievet, Associate Professor - Biodiversity, Genes and Communities Laboratory (BIOGECO - INRAE and University of Bordeaux unit)
Environmental sciences department
Solange Rigaud, CNRS Research Fellow - Prehistory to Present Time: Culture, Environment, Anthropology Laboratory (PACEA - Ministry of Culture, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Archaeological sciences department

RT-HippoNeuroStim

Real-time simulations of hippocampal neurostimulation

Coordination:
Timothée Lévi, University Professor - Integration: from Material to Systems Laboratory (IMS - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Engineering and digital sciences department
Amélie Aussel, INRIA researcher - Inria Bordeaux Sud-Ouest research centre, Bordeaux Computer Research Laboratory (LABRI - Bordeaux INP unit, CNRS and University of Bordeaux), Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases (IMN - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Bordeaux Neurocampus
Fabien Wagner, CNRS Research Fellow - Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases (IMN - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Bordeaux Neurocampus

SHAPE

Object structure as an added hypothesis for the production of emission tomography images

Coordination:
Claire Michelet, Associate Professor - Laboratoire de physique des deux infinis de Bordeaux (LP2IB - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Material and light sciences department
Pascal Desbarats, University Professor - Bordeaux Computer Science Research Laboratory (LABRI - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Engineering and digital sciences department
Jean-François Giovannelli, University Professor - Integration: from Material to Systems Laboratory (IMS - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Engineering and digital sciences department

SpectroPolo

Spectroscopy of polaritons in organic microcavities

Coordination:
Rémi Avriller, CNRS Research Fellow - Laboratoire ondes et matière d'Aquitaine (LOMA - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Material and light sciences department
Sophie Fasquel, Associate Professor - Integration: from Material to Systems Laboratory (IMS - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Engineering and digital sciences department

StopEfflux

Development of molecules inhibiting the efflux of antibiotics active in antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Coordination:
Olivier Lambert, CNRS Research Director - Institute of Chemistry and biology of membranes and nano-objects (CBMN - Bordeaux INP, CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Health sciences and technologies department
Véronique Dubois, University Professor and Hospital Practitioner - Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité Laboratory (MFP - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Biological and medical sciences department

µTriEV

Micro- and optofluidic sorting of bacterial extracellular vesicles

Coordination:
Rémi Fronzes, CNRS Research Director - Microbiologie Fondamentale et Pathogénicité Laboratory (MFP - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Biological and medical sciences department
Amaury Badon, CNRS Research Fellow - Photonics, Digital and Nanosciences Laboratory (CNRS, IOGS and University of Bordeaux)
Material and light sciences department
Jean-Christophe Baret, University Professor - Paul Pascal Research Centre (CRPP - CNRS and University of Bordeaux unit)
Material and light sciences department