The mucus layer produced by the goblet cells (GCs), provides the barrier between the microbiota and the intestine preventing the occurrence of the inflammation process. Indeed, alteration in microbiota towards mucus degrading bacteria, are often associated with impaired mucus barrier properties and inflammatory bowel diseases, such as ulcerative colitis (UC). Although, the exact mechanisms behind UC are not understood, defects in luminal compartmentalisation of bacteria by mucus could play a major role in this disease etiology. The recent identification of the intercrypt goblet cells (icGCs) population has improved the understanding and modified the model of the mucus layer formed on the epithelial surface. The icGCs secrete mucus that differs from mucus produced by crypt-residing GCs, and both are required to provide a protective mucus barrier function. Deficient intercrypt mucus secretion or reduced icGC numbers leads to disruption of the mucus layer with an impaired organization at the mucus surface which correlates with increased colitis susceptibility. However, the mechanisms behind icGC defects still remain unclear. In this project, I will combine both animal and human studies to decipher the molecular mechanisms behind the loss of icGCs that occurs during UC and elucidate to what extent a deviated microbiota is involved in their modulation. The data from the research programme will underpin the development of future therapeutic strategies to improve human health. The fellow has experience in microbiota research, metabolism and nutrition. With this fellowship, he will have the opportunity to develop skills in mucin biology, evaluation of the mucus properties and imaging experiments. This grant will enable the fellow to develop his current skill set to include methodologies and approaches so that the microbiota features can be placed within a new biological context.

A key problem in Mental Health is that up to one third of patients suffering from major mental disorders develop resistance against drug therapy. However, patients showing early signs of treatment resistance (TR) do not receive adequate early intensive pharmacological treatment but instead they undergo a stepwise trial-and-error treatment approach. This situation originates from three major knowledge and translation gaps: i.) we lack effective methods to identify individuals at risk for TR early in the disease process, ii.) we lack effective, personalized treatment strategies grounded in insights into the biological basis of TR, and iii.) we lack efficient processes to translate scientific insights about TR into clinical practice, primary care and treatment guidelines. It is the central goal of PSYCH-STRATA to bridge these gaps and pave the way for a shift towards a treatment decision-making process tailored for the individual at risk for TR. To that end, we aim to establish evidence-based criteria to make decisions of early intense treatment in individuals at risk for TR across the major psychiatric disorders of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression. PSYCH-STRATA will i.) dissect the biological basis of TR and establish criteria to enable early detection of individuals at risk for TR based on the integrated analysis of an unprecedented collection of genetic, biological, digital mental health, and clinical data. ii.) Moreover, we will determine effective treatment strategies of individuals at risk for TR early in the treatment process, based on pan-European clinical trials in SCZ, BD and MDD. These efforts will enable the establishment of novel multimodal machine learning models to predict TR risk and treatment response. Lastly, iii.) we will enable the translation of these findings into clinical practice by prototyping the integration of personalized treatment decision support and patient-oriented decision-making mental health boards.

This project addresses the scientific, technological and clinical problem of recovery of hand function after amputation. Despite decades of research and development on artificial limbs and neural interfaces, amputees continue to use technology for powered prostheses developed over 40 years ago, namely myoelectric prostheses controlled via superficial electrodes. These devices do not purposely provide sensory feedback and are known for their poor functionality, controllability and sensory feedback, mainly due to the use of surface electrodes. The consortium has pioneered the use of osseointegration as a long-term stable solution for the direct skeletal attachment of limb prostheses. This technology aside from providing an efficient mechanical coupling, which on its own has shown to improve prosthesis functionality and the patient’s quality of life, can also be used as a bidirectional communication interface between implanted electrodes and the prosthetic arm. This is today the most advanced and unique technique for bidirectional neuromuscular interfacing, suited for the upper limb amputees, which was proven functional in the long term. The goal of the DeTOP project is to push the boundaries of this technology –made in Europe– to the next TRL and to make it clinically available to the largest population of upper limb amputees, namely transradial amputees. This objective will be targeted by developing a novel prosthetic hand with improved functionality, smart mechatronic devices for safe implantable technology, and by studying and assessing paradigms for natural control (action) and sensory feedback (perception) of the prosthesis through the implant. The novel technologies and findings will be assessed by three selected patients, implanted in a clinical centre. DeTOP bridges several currently disjointed scientific fields and is therefore critically dependent on the collaboration of engineers, neuroscientists and clinicians.

Studies showed that high father involvement supports children’s language and cognitive development, psychological well-being, social and emotional development. It was also indicated that high father involvement in education decreases early school-drop out- one of the main aims of European Union-, increase children's academic achievement, self-esteem, self-confidence and all developmental abilities. Traditional gender role of mothers attitudes leads pre-schools to overemphasize the involvement of mothers while spending insufficient effort to involve fathers. Although there are some efforts and studies, father involvement in early childhood programs is not widespread. Main objective of this project was to increase the visibility of father involvement in early childhood education. Therefore it was aimed to increase father involvement through increasing early childhood educators' awareness of the importance of father involvement and supporting all adults in early childhood education settings. Within this context, the purpose of the project was to provide resources for teachers to use while organizing father/parent involvement activities which supports high involvement of fathers. Başkent University from Turkey, Sticting Drio from Netherlands, University of Gothenburg from Sweden and Life Long Education Association from Turkey were the partners of the project.The aim of the project was reached through three main intellectual outputs: Father Involvement Guidebook , Father Involvement Activities Handbook and project web site/learning platform. The Father Involvement Guidebook was prepared to inform early childhood educators about the importance of father involvement and the ways to create a father-friendly early childhood settings and to help teachers provide parent education classes related to father involvement. Father Involvement Activities Handbook was prepared for teachers to include father-centered parent involvement activities in their educational programs. The web page/learning platform of the project was opened to share all information and the outputs of the project. The forum was opened in the project web site in order to initiate and increase the connection of teachers to share their information and activity suggestions or father involvement. By using social media devices such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin, project process and results were disseminated to public and relative stakeholders. All intellectual outputs were prepared in English and translated to Swedish, Dutch and Turkish. The main target group of the project was teachers, fathers, mothers and children. The effectiveness of the project activities on teachers, fathers and mothers were measured with pre and post analysis. The interviews were semi-structured with the pre-test questions focusing on the views and perceptions of father engagement in Turkish, Dutch and Swedish preschools, and the post-test questions focusing on change or improvement in parental and father engagement. The children were asked to talk about and draw the activities that they enjoy doing with their fathers/parents before and after project activities. The results showed an increase in father/parent engagement in the short term and positive perspective towards activities and implementation of some activities in future. Transnational meetings and online meetings were effective to increase collaboration and then quality of project. Long and short term learning activities provided opportunity for early childhood educators to observe good practices and enlarged their vision and knowledge of father involvement . Multiplier events provided the dissemination of the project outputs and possibilities to work with other stakeholders in this area. Public institutions, visual and written media, academicians and organizations are activated to get involved in the project. The teachers of preschools were informed about the project web site, social media and fliers. The media were informed about our work. With the project, an increase in early childhood educators competence of including fathers into early childhood education, increase in fathers' awareness the importance of their involvement, increase in mothers' knowledge on their own impact on fathers' involvement, increase in father-friendliness of early childhood education was obtained and this created an impact with father involvement in Early Childhood Education more visible in partner countries .The dissemination activities will continue in future in earlychildhood education programs in universities, in different preschools, NGOs and govermental organisations using project outputs. It is believed that produced intellectual outputs of this project will be used effectively in all European countries to increase fathers' involvement in early childhood education settings that will highly support the children’s development.