Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet MILLET (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

In the middle of the second millennium BC, the spread of two new Asian crops (broomcorn and foxtail millet) throughout Europe led to major socio-economic changes. However, despite its abundance in archaeological sites, we know very little about its cultivation techniques and uses. Millets can be traced through multiple archaeological approaches (seeds, phytoliths, biomolecular markers) providing great potential for their investigation. In order to understand their importance in agricultural systems this project aims to produce new evidence from modern and archaeological samples from western Europe. To provide innovative perspectives, the project will focus on an interdisciplinary approach that combines ethnobotany, archaeobotany, stable isotopes and experimental agriculture to reconstruct cultivation techniques and environmental constraints. Combining stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values with functional weed ecology – an approach pioneered at Oxford – will allow detailed reconstruction of growing conditions and production regimes. The fellow will receive training in these techniques, which will enable comparison between present-day millet-growing systems and archaeobotanical assemblages from 24 sites in the Iberian peninsula. Determining the agroecology of millet cultivation will provide a fresh perspective on current theories regarding their adoption in late prehistory and will contribute to major advances in the study of past and present-day farming systems. The results will also articulate with work on climate change, food, genetic diversity and sustainability associated with traditional knowledge, placing this research at the forefront of the current scientific context of agrarian studies.

Mots clés : ancient agriculture, isotope analysis, weed functionality ecology, ethnobotany, archaeobotany, experimental farming, europe

Participants :
- University of Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 212933.76 €
Projet WATCh (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In the past few years, a new topological phase of matter, the Weyl semimetals, has been discovered. In Weyl semimetals, the bulk band structure is characterized by pairs of Weyls cones with opposite chirality that are separated in momentum space, resembling graphene. Its non-trivial electronic structure leads to quantum anomalies and unique transport properties including an extremely high mobility, which offers not only a platform for testing relativistic theories but also a great potential for device applications. The combination of bulk-transport and topological protection currently inspires many researchers to seek novel applications of Weyl semimetals in the emerging areas of neuromorphic computing, quantum computing or reversible computing. However, the great promise of Weyl semimetals, or topological material in general, is yet to be unleashed through meaningful demonstrations of their potential in device applications. In this action, we will develop electrically-gated devices to actively control the transport properties of Weyl semimetals at IBM Research - Zurich. More precisely, we will build and test a Weyl semimetal valley filter based on a recent theoretical proposal. To do this, we will first perform extensive material characterizations and magneto-transport measurements on the candidate Weyl semimetal materials to verify sample quality and its influence on the transport properties. Afterward, we will develop the processing steps to fabricate Weyl semimetal field-effect devices with high gate control and allow incorporation of additional contact structures for valley polarization sensing. Being able to actively control the transport properties of Weyl semimetals is not only a crucial step for its application in information technology but also for probing new physics of Weyl fermions. To achieve the objectives, a secondment is planned at Max Planck-Institute for the Chemical Physics of Solids for knowledge transfer and complimentary experiments.

Mots clés : weyl semimetal, field effect transistor, valleytronics, magneto transport, electrical measurement

Participants :
- IBM Research - Zurich (Suisse) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 203149.44 €
Projet SOCISS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In the proposed project “Spin-Orbit Coupling at Interfaces from Spintronics to new Superconducting effects” (SOCISS) the experienced researcher Dr. Juan Borge and the scientist in charge Prof. Angel Rubio, Head of the Nano-Bio Spectroscopy (NBS) group at the university of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), aim at stablish a complete description of interfacial spin-orbit coupling. This understanding will allow us to describe many transport, both electrical and spin, phenomena, and to include the effect of this interaction in normal and superconducting alloys. This study will be done following two different approaches; a theoretical description using effective kinetic equations, and through simulations performed with a computational platform combining recent theoretical developments in density functional theory and many body physics.SOCISS responds to two different purposes, the implementation of its results into the realization of new devices, and contribute to a deeper understanding on the fundamental relations in quantum mechanics. On one hand interfacial spin-orbit coupling looks one of the best alternatives to heavy atoms in the research of new materials with high values of the spin Hall and Edelstein conductivities. On the other hand SOCISS provides the perfect opportunity to gain some insight into the relation between the spin and the charge of the electron in equilibrium and non-equilibrium situations. The skills the researcher will acquire in computational methods and superconductivity will be essential in order to advance its career as an independent investigator.

Mots clés : spintronics, spin orbit coupling, spin hall effect, long range triplet component superconductivity, junctions, interface, many body theory, kinetic equations, density functional theory

Participants :
- University of the Basque Country (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 158121.6 €
Projet Photosense (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In this Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship (Photosense), I will design a photoacoustic and fluorescence imaging platform for the sensing of disease-related biomarkers, using conjunction rare-earth upconversion nanophosphors (UCNPs) with organic dyes to form kinds of nanoprobes. By incorporating UCNPs and dyes, I aim to efficiently develop a series of organic and inorganic hybrid nanoprobes. The fluctuations in the concentration of disease-related biomarkers can be monitored by fluorescence and photoacoustic signals simultaneously. Furthermore, this strategy can be easily expanded to detect different biomarkers by tuning and modifying the UCNPs and organic dyes pairs. I will apply my knowledge in multimodal imaging and nanoparticle design and carry out these exciting tasks in the labs of Prof Molly Stevens at Imperial College London (ICL), exploiting her research programme’s expertise in nanomaterial-based components in biosensing technologies. My Fellowship will be best executed in The Stevens Group (2016 Clemson Award for Basic Research/2014 Research Group of the Year) based on their world-class technological knowhow in designing such systems to yield the best outputs from Photosense.

Mots clés : sensor platform, disease related biomarkers, upconversion nanoparticles, organic dye, photoacoustic, fluorescence

Participants :
- Imperial College London (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 195454.8 €
Projet DogSPEC (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In this action, we propose a novel portable and cost-effective multispectral device for smartphones that will monitor dog skin health in terms of erythema. Up to 50-% of European households own a dog, and the five of the ten most common reasons for a veterinary visit can be reflected in erythematous skin. Currently, there are no methods for the objective estimation of the intensity of erythema. In this action, we will first develop multispectral near-infrared device for the detection of extra absorption peaks of hemoglobin. In order to learn about hemodynamics, we will continue with objective measurements of capillary refill time. Then, we will develop a device for the multimodal acquisition of visible multispectral and fluorescence images and near-infrared multispectral data. This will serve for an estimation of erythema intensity by calculating an erythema index. The latter will be validated using existing dermatological tests (e.g. CADESI) in order to study whether erythema index can replace erythema visual assessment. Finally, we will investigate if there is any correlation between erythema and underlying causes (tumors). The proposed methods can simplify and improve current diagnostic procedures in veterinary dermatology. The action will improve the experienced researcher’s knowledge and skills in both fields of his profession: biophotonics and veterinary medicine, which will lead to well integrated interdisciplinary knowledge. This will allow the researcher to address interdisciplinary research challenges much better and, consequently, enhance his future career prospects. Furthermore, he will also obtain additional training to acquire extra professional skills (e.g. mentorship). Moreover, the beneficiary’s biophotonic techniques will be upgraded and promoted in the new scientific field (i.e. veterinary medicine). Additionally, the host will be able to better validate his work with higher number of samples, which will make research in human medicine much safer.

Mots clés : biophotonics, spectral imaging, multispectral, rgb imaging, photonics, spectroscopy, biomedical optics, ultraviolet, visible, near infrared, veterinary dermatology, allergy, erythema

Participants :
- University of Latvia (Lettonie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 145904.4 €
Projet LARMAR (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In this fellowship, I aim to explore the trade-off and synergies between conservation and commodity production through an Ecosystem Services (ES) lens in order to determine how sustainable land use practices can be created and strengthened over time, and to extend knowledge on ES within broader land use, and natural capital research. I will carry out targeted fieldwork to investigate the following research lines: 1) how ES are defined and conceptualised as commodities and how these relate to more established ‘land’ commodities. This research line will include ES to humans, but also factors causing ecosystem change that can affect the long-term resilience of such ecosystems, by examining selected drivers of land use change. Research line 2) relates to the impact of appropriation of land for commodities (e.g., the demand for cash crops such as soy, biofuels and land used for livestock production or conservation) on local communities, and the global economy and policies that may drive (the current or any) 'land grabs'. I will take into account the discourse, practices and social relationships around land use that are currently unfolding within the 'realpolitik' of a studied region. These phenomena are highly debated yet remain poorly understood and should become key analytical domains for academics insofar that they are related to broader processes of economic globalization, biodiversity loss and climate change. The findings will be complementary to climate change mitigation efforts and feed into policy processes around securing food security, with an objective to not only contribute to sustainable land use practices but to promote the livelihood opportunities and environmental quality of (often) marginalized communities living in and around contested land.

Mots clés : agricultural commodities, land use change, payments for ecosystem services

Participants :
- University of Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet HIPSAM (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Mathematics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In this interdisciplinary project we will describe the mathematical structure of superstring amplitudes in genus one and two, generalizing recent beautiful progress made at genus zero. This will enable us to present original ideas for advancing in the study of higher-genus polylogarithms, and at the same time to obtain new information on string theory predictions for fundamental interactions. To reach our goal, we will focus on three main research directions, and we will collaborate with some of the world-leading experts on the subject, among which my host supervisor P. Vanhove. In particular, we will complete the description of genus-one superstring amplitudes in terms of elliptic polylogarithms, we will begin a systematic analysis of the special functions involved at genus two and we will push the computation of the low-energy expansion of closed-string amplitudes. Parts of this project will require advanced tools from algebraic geometry, which we plan to discuss with the secondment supervisor F. Brown at University of Oxford. The Theoretical Physics Institute (IPhT, Saclay) of CEA (host institution) is one of the few places in Europe hosting international experts in all branches of mathematical physics related to the topic of this proposal. The results obtained will point towards new directions in many fields of mathematics, such as mixed motives and moduli spaces of curves, opening new research gates completely inspired by physics. On the other side, the techniques developed will allow to attack similar nowadays intractable computations of amplitudes in quantum field theory, which can be compared with the experimental data produced by particle accelerators.

Mots clés : scattering amplitudes, polylogarithms, multiple zeta values, feynman integrals, periods, string theory, modular forms, elliptic functions, riemann surfaces, mixed motives, special functions

Participants :
- Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 184707.84 €
Projet ARIADNE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In this project I plan to investigate the transition between a liquid state and a disordered solid-like state in systems of active particles using numerical simulations and experimental approaches. In contrast to equilibrium (passive) systems, where this transition is controlled by temperature and/or density, active systems incorporate a new control parameter in the form of a locally-absorbed energy of non-thermal origin. Thus, with this investigation, I propose an extension to the canonical Glass Transition (GT) problem to non-equilibrium, actively-stimulated, systems. Active interplay between liquid and solid states manifests in real systems such as the cytoplasm of animal cells, dense bacterial colonies, tissues, and packed crowds. However, despite the deep biological implications, it is unclear how the presence of non-thermal energy affects the emergence of the GT in these systems. This will be the first time that this problem will be addressed with a collection of representative models of active systems. Using molecular dynamics simulations of variable complexity, I will consider part of the rich variety of features present in real active particles. This will include shape, polarity, and anisotropy. I will also explore how these features influence the emergence of collective active behaviour. These computational approaches will be accompanied by an uncommon interplay of experimental techniques which will serve to contrast computational results. I will study rheological material properties and characterise the emergence of the glass solidness for active systems using suspensions of colloids and bacteria. To extend the experimental characterisation to a microscopic level, I will use diffusive wave spectroscopy and optical microscopy. With this novel and comprehensive investigation, I aim to provide a foundation for exploring much more complex biological environments, where distinct primary entities coexist and cooperate.

Mots clés : glass transition, active matter, collective behavior, molecular dynamics simulations, experimental colloidal physics, bacterial colonies

Participants :
- University of Granada (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 160932.48 €
Projet GTR (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In this project I will use Single Molecule Pull-down (SiMPull) for studying activity and regulation of human gamma-tubulin ring complexes (gamma-TuRCs). Gamma-TuRCs are the main nucleators of microtubule (MT) polymerization. Additionally, gamma-TuRCs may play a role in modulating MT dynamics. Regulation of gamma-TuRC activity is key to organizing the dynamic MT arrays needed for essential processes in various cell types. Progress in understanding gamma-TuRC regulation at the molecular level is currently hampered by a lack of information about subunit stoichiometries and interactions, and by technical difficulties that have prevented reconstitution of gamma-TuRCs in vitro. I will tackle these challenges by using SiMPull to immunoprecipitate and immobilize gamma-TuRCs to a glass surface directly from cell extracts collected at different cell cycle stages, and analyze individual gamma-TuRCs using high resolution microscopy. I will express tagged gamma-TuRC subunits in cells to isolate wildtype and mutant gamma-TuRCs. Using fluorescent protein tags and antibodies I will visualize and quantify components in individual gamma-TuRCs and, by incubation in pure tubulin and GTP, determine how gamma-TuRC composition is related to its ability to nucleate MTs and modulate MT dynamics. Together, the proposed research will expand the field’s toolbox, thereby allowing new, molecular level insight into gamma-TuRC activity and its regulation.

Mots clés : simpull, gamma turc, tirf microscopy, microtubules, tubulin

Participants :
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 158121.6 €
Projet QuantumLaP (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In this project the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with semiconductor materials will be investigated on a principally new level by taking into account quantum effects that can emerge in highly-excited non-equilibrium matter. The central goal is to study bi-chromatic irradiation regimes which have been found to be extremely effective, compared to monochromatic laser beams, for various applications from micro-/nanostructuring of surfaces to nanoparticle generation and film deposition. This topic will be addressed through the development of a new powerful large-scale 3D model of laser-matter interaction. For the first time two modeling approaches will be combined, electronic structure theory and classical electrodynamics. Necessary steps to achieve these goals are: • Making an existing classical FDTD model to be self-consistent via introducing feedback to the laser field from the swiftly evolving free electron population; • Extending the model to the large scale 3D domain to account for realistic response of materials to polarized laser light; • Modelling of the action of bi-chromatic laser light on semiconductors at the quantum level based on the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT); developing a theory of photo-ionization of materials by mixed laser wavelengths; • Bridging classical large-scale simulations of ultrashort pulse excitation of semiconductors with quantum peculiarities of photo-ionization. The key goal of the project is to demonstrate the power of the developed model in predicting the morphology of functionalized surfaces for materials of various properties under new irradiation conditions in collaboration with experimentalists at HiLASE. By providing in-depth understanding of underlying physics, this work will open the way to achieve the control over functionalization of semiconductor surfaces, thus, pushing this field away from empirical methods to a smart computer-predicted technique.

Mots clés : ultrashort laser matter interaction, bi chromatic laser processing, semiconductors, large scale simulations, quantum modeling, nanostructures, photonics

Participants :
- Czech Academy of Sciences (Rép. Tchèque) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 142720.8 €
Projet HOTHSPOH (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Mathematics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In this project we propose to study homotopy theoretic properties of spaces of commuting elements in compact Lie groups. These spaces play an essential role in mathematical physics and geometry, but only in the last decade a systematic study by homotopy theoretic methods has been initiated. Important open questions in the field concern the homology as well as the (stable) homotopy type. In the first part of the project, we attempt to prove a conjectural stable splitting theorem, which would establish an intriguing relationship between spaces of commuting elements and commuting varieties in Lie algebras, an object of classical interest in algebraic geometry. In the second part, we propose to investigate the phenomenon of homology stability for spaces of commuting elements in the unitary and orthogonal groups. Building on recent work of the experienced researcher, an approach to calculate the stable homology is presented. This is expected to uncover a wealth of previously unknown homology groups of these interesting spaces. The research conducted to achieve the project goals, together with the training in teaching and management received during the fellowship, will have a major positive impact on the career development of the experienced researcher. On the research level, this impact is through the acquisition of knowledge in new research areas, in particular in homology stability and the homotopy theory of Lie group actions. The project will be carried out in an exceptionally active and successful scientific community at the University of Copenhagen, supervised by a world expert in the homotopy theory of Lie groups. Completion of the project will serve as a springboard to build new collaborations and to enter further advanced projects in a range of areas. It is thus a perfect preparation for a high-level research career in mathematics.

Mots clés : homotopy theory, homology, lie groups, homology stability, representations, stable homotopy theory, equivariant homotopy theory

Participants :
- University of Copenhagen (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 207312.0 €