Grants Awarded in 1997
Mina
J. Bissell, Ph.D. Director of Life Science Division, Lawrence Berkeley
National Lab
Edmond Puvion, Ph.D. Director of the "Molecular
Genetics and Integration of Molecular
Function" Unit, Institut de Recherche Sur le Cancer, Villejuif
"Regulation of Gene Expression by Nuclear architectural organization:
an Ultrastructural Analysis Combining a Unique 3-Dimensional Cell Culture System
with Novel Electron Microscopy Techniques". The Project hopes to establish
the bases to study the dynamics of nuclear matrix and chromatin inter-relationships
in differentiated and related tumor cells. Their goal is to develop, via this
initial collaboration, a multi disciplinary research on the relationship between
cell-bioarchitecture and gene regulation.
Professor Robert Brayton, EECS Dept., CAD
Group, University of California, Berkeley
Professor Dominique Borrione, Laboratoire TIMA,
Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble
"Multi-Standard Verification Environment for Digital
Systems Design." The VIS system of UC Berkeley uses the
Verilog standard as an input description language, and the PREVAIL
system of TIMA uses the VHDL standard. Both systems integrate
CAD tools for the verification, diagnosis and synthesis of digital
hardware. The project will implement a link between the two systems,
to constitute as a whole a distributed, multi-standard comprehensive
environment for digital systems design.
Professor Thomas Broadhurst, Dept. of Astronomy,
University of California, Berkeley
James Bartlett, Astronome-adjoint, Observatoire de Strasbourg,
Strasbourg
"Large-Scale Structure and Galaxy Formation", The
principal problem in cosmology currently concerns the development
of a detailed model for the formation of galaxies and large-scale
structure in the Universe. The FBF funds will provide seed money
necessary to finance a workshop and exchange visits to begin
to develop the new research techniques and tools that will be
essential to the interpretation of the impending flood of new
observational data in cosmology.
Professor Lawrence Cohen, Dept. of Anthropology,
University of California, Berkeley.
Marc Abeles, Directeur du Laboratoire d'Anthropologie
des Institutions et Des Organizations, Paris
"Anthropological Concepts at the Turn of the Century:
A French American Dialogue." The FBF grant will be used
to help sponsor a conference which has two aims. The first is
that of articulating and discussing the programmatic, methodological,
and conceptual difference between two national traditions of
anthropological research that have drifted increasingly far apart
since the 1970s. The second and primary aim is that of identifying
and exploring the theoretical and empirical common ground upon
which the two traditions might build a more productive and more
collaborative relationship in the coming century.
Dr. William Danchi, Space Sciences Laboratory,
University of California, Berkeley
Dr. Jean Gay, Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur,
Nice
"High Angular Resolution and Mass Loss of Evolved Stars".
High angular resolution astronomy at infrared wavelengths holds
great promise for solving fundamental astronomical problems from
that of diameter of stars, to mass loss around stars, and the
formation, evolution, and detection of planets. This proposal
aims to further develop a collaboration between U.S. and French
astronomers working with the U. C. Berkeley Infrared Spatial
Interferometer, the forefront instrument at mid-infrared wavelengths.
It will also seed new efforts to develop interferometry in the
infrared.
Prof. Ralph Freeman, School of Optometry, University
of California, Berkeley
Prof. Yves Fregnac, Institut Alfred Fessard,
Gif-sur-Yvette
"Integrative Regulation of Functional Connectivity in
the Developing and Adult Visual Cortex". The aim of this
proposal is to study dynamic aspects of adaptative changes in
functional connectivity of the visual system at the level of
the visual cortex. These changes may be expressed in cortical
networks during development and possibly during learning. The
linking point of our proposal is that similar cellular mechanisms
could be implicated on different time scales in the regulation
of functional connectivity. At the integrative physiology level,
we well use complementary electrophysiological and pharmacological
techniques, and modeling tools, in order to compare adaptive
processes in cortical circuits put into play during the natural
development of cortical specificity and connectivity, versus
those triggered during forced regimes of pre- and post synaptic
correlations.
Dr. Melvin Klein, Structural Biology Division,
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.
Dr. Jean-Jacques Girerd, Institut de Chimie
Moleculaire D'Orsay, Orsay
"XAS (xanes and exafs) studies coupled to electro-chemistry
of chemical models of the catalyticsite of the oxygene evolving
center of PSII".
Prof. Paolo Mancosu, Dept. of Philosophy, University
of California, Berkeley
Prof. Hourya Sinaceur, Institut d'Histoire et
Philosophie des Sciences et des Techniques, Paris
"Bernard Bolzano: Philosophy of Logic and Mathematics".
A workshop on Bolzano's work in philosophy of logic and mathematics
with emphasis on the relevance of Bolzano's work to contemporary
philosophical projects.
Prof. Frank McLarnon, Lawrence National Laboratory,
Berkeley
Prof. Françoise Argoul, Centre de Recherche
Paul Pascal, Pessac
"Application of advanced optical techniques for probing
interfacial electrochemical processes". The purpose of this
scientific project between the Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal
and the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory is the sharing of our respective
expertise in the application of optical methods for in-situ probing
of interfacial phenomenon. In particular the techniques which
are of principal interest are respectively: spectroscopic and
time resolved ellipsometry, attenuated total reflectance (ATR)
applied to the characterization of transport in the neighborhood
of an electrochemical interface and Raman spectroscopy.
Dr. Saul Perlmutter, Center for Particle Astrophysics,
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Dr. Pain Reynald, Laboratoire de Physique Nucleaire
de la Haute Energie, Paris
"Measurement of the cosmological parameters using type
Ia supermovae". The collaboration of the two groups will
make it possible to obtain a new measurement of Omega m using
type Ia supernovae. This measurement will be obtained using a
population of more distant type Ia Sne and will therefore end
up having a better precision than previous measurements.
Prof. Richard Saykally, Dept. of Chemistry,
University of California , Berkeley
Prof. Claude Leforestier, Lab. Structure et
Dynamique des Systemes Moleculaires et Solides, Montpellier
"The Dynamics of Nucleotide Base Hydration". The
hydration of nucleotide bases is a process of fundamental significance
in numerous biological contexts, e.g., replication, transcription,
mutations. We propose to study the dynamics of nucleotide base-water
interactions using complementary experimental and theoretical
approaches.
Prof. David Stronach, Dept. of Near Eastern
Studies, University of California, Berkeley
Dr. Frantz Grenet, Centre d'Archéologie,
Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris
Workshop on strategies for joint archaeological excavation
and research in Central Asia and for the development of curricula
connected with Central Asian Studies.
Prof. Brian Staskawicz, Dept. of Plant Biology,
Berkeley
Dr. Ulla Bonas, CNRS-Institut des Sciences Végétales,
Gif-sur-Yvette
"Identification and characterization of novel genes
for disease resistance in Capsicum annum". A collaborative
effort to identify plant genes controlling disease resistance
will be undertaken in both Gif and Berkeley. Fast-neutron mutagenized
seed will be screened to identify disease susceptible plant mutant
that will assist in cloning the corresponding wild type genes.
This will lead to the identification and characterization of
novel genes involved in signal perception and signal transduction
pathways that control plant disease resistance. In addition,
the two laboratories will share DNA libraries and technology
to identify and clone the pepper Bs3 gene.
Prof. Michael Watts, Institute of International
Studies, Berkeley
Prof. Gilles Allaire, INRA, Economie Sociologie
Rurales, Castanet-Tolosan
"Systems and Trajectories of Innovation: Institutions,
Technology and Conventions in Agriculture Regulation (French-American
comparisons). This project entails a Workshop bringing together
French and American researchers working on (sectoral) innovation
in agriculture focusing on theoretical and conceptual questions
of decentralization/privatization, quality institutional and
political contests of regulation and biotechnology.
