Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ABASynth (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Small ring azabicyclic amines are predicted to possess unique molecular properties, but lack of synthetic access has to date prevented their thorough evaluation and deployment in high value functional molecules, including drugs. Much recent attention has focused on small-ring carbocyclic frameworks such as bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes (BCPs), but analogous azabicyclic compounds are poorly described in the literature, which is surprising given the ubiquity of amines in bioactive organic molecules. A literature screen reveals that azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanes are equivalent to BCPs in frequency of occurrence, but their [3.1.1] isomers and smaller azabicyclo[2.1.1]hexane relatives are much rarer. Azabicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes are essentially unknown, despite one isomer being an attractive bioisostere of the pyridine ring system. This proposal aims to address this ‘void’ in the bioisostere portfolio by introducing ‘small-ring azabicyloalkanes’ (ABAs) as novel motifs of great potential in drug discovery. As well as representing new bioisosteres for biologically-relevant heterocycles (not limited to pyridines, but also piperidines, pyrrolidines, etc.), ABAs offer new opportunities for drug design in their own right due to the impact of the bicyclic scaffold on amine hybridization. This project will deliver general access to small ring ABAs using a wide variety of novel chemical approaches, explore their functionalization, and demonstrate their application. It will use rational theoretical design to tailor ABA properties and develop structural models. Ultimately, this proposal will access a new domain of chemical space with broad application in organic and medicinal chemistry.

Mots clés : small ring amines, bioisosteres, propellanes, drug design

Participants :
- University of Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 212933.76 €
Projet ReSensE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Smart, enhanced detection of ultraviolet (UV) radiation will be a key enabling technology for many forthcoming technological revolutions in fields such as industrial processing, space research, defence and medicine. AlGaN alloys with high Al content are the perfect materials for this type of device. By varying their composition, the absorption edge can be precisely controlled across the whole UV range down to wavelengths as short as 200 nm. AlGaN-based photodetectors are fast, with very low dark currents, highly biocompatible, and chemically stable. However, two main problems limit their development: the difficulty in achieving satisfactory p-type doping, and the presence of polarization fields that disrupt the internal electric field and make it difficult the separation of the photo-generated carriers. This project aims to use N-polar AlGaN materials to tackle both problems. This material orientation has proved to favour incorporation of p-type impurities and induce higher electric fields for carrier separation. Different Metal Organic Vapour Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) growth conditions will be studied to control the growth of N-polar AlN templates and magnesium doped AlGaN epilayers. Finally, a prototype of solar-blind UV photodetector based on AlGaN/AlGaN heterostructure will be grown, fabricated and fully characterized. In order to pursue this project, the fellow will carry out the outgoing phase at Nagoya University, Japan, under the join supervision of Prof. Hiroshi Amano and Prof. Markus Pristovsek for a period of 21 months. He will then return to the Tyndall National Institute in Cork, Ireland, for the final 12 months under the supervision of Prof. Peter Parbrook. At the start of this project the candidate will also carry out an initial 3-month secondment period in a company that specialises in sensors to perform a preliminary simulation study and gain better understanding of the industrial requirements for a possible future commercialization of these devices.

Mots clés : iii nitride materials, algan, movpe

Participants :
- National University of Ireland (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 283056.96 €
- Tokai University (Japon) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet IFSSOC (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Social interactions are fundamental for many ecological and evolutionary processes, including foraging. However, in many animals that use social information, a high degree of individuality in traits such as site and diet selection also exists. This represents an apparent paradox when sociality could potentially reduce individuality. Thus, it is unknown how these two processes interact to shape current and future foraging behaviour. For instance, can some animals become specialised in terms of social information use, or does group foraging erode individuality? This project will determine the interplay between the social and learned components of foraging, and levels of specialisation in habitat use and diet, across of range of seabirds in the Sulidae family (a morphologically constrained but geographically diverse group). State-of-the-art biologgers will be used to collect coupled video and GPS data to quantify the prevalence of group, solitary and commensal foraging in focal taxa representative of tropical and temperate environments, and link strategy to foraging success. State-space models, trained on coupled datasets, will be applied to long-term tracking data from nine Sulid species, to allow a family-scale comparison of specialisation. Through these focused analyses of individual foraging, this research action will enable predictions about the adaptive capabilities of populations to climate change, thus aligning with EU environmental priorities. The current skill set of the experienced researcher, together with a suite of newly acquired skills gained under tutelage of the strong supervisory partnership at host organisations, will make this timely research possible. This global, interdisciplinary project will result in high levels of knowledge exchange, foster international collaboration, and maximise the experienced researcher’s professional development, mobility and career potential, while addressing a fundamental question by combining two fields in bioscience.


Participants :
- Heriot-Watt University (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 295940.16 €
- University of Exeter (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Deakin University (Australie) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet Rewarding Stereotype (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Social interactions are guided by stereotypical knowledge about others: Should I turn to a male or female friend for emotional support? Should I be concerned about the foreign-looking person walking behind me? In the past few decades the endeavour to reduce cultural stereotypes has proved to be very difficult and often unsuccessful. The current research program promotes a novel proposal regarding the underlying neurobiological basis of stereotype perseverance: the “rewarding stereotype hypothesis”. In an interdisciplinary integration of models and theories, I suggest that stereotypes and stereotype-consistent information evoke a neural reward response, leading to powerful feedback that reinforces culturally-pervasive stereotypes and their associated behaviors. A battery of experiments encompassing neuroimaging and computational studies utilizing state-of-the-art tools will test the core tenets of the hypothesis. This will be completed by observing the hypothesized mechanism and then by its manipulation. Importantly, the putative sensitivity of stereotypes to rewards suggests that altering the reward scheme for non-stereotypical behaviors can have a strong impact on decisions and behavior. Following initial proof of concept, I suggest several scalable intervention examples to explore the potential implications on educational, institutional and social policies promoting a just society. Effective communication of these efforts holds the potential for a long term improvement of society. Altogether, the current proposal combines the complementary strengths of the researcher and the host to establish the building blocks for a new view of stereotypes, one that suggests that we can render them less pervasive if we consider their underlying reward value.

Mots clés : reward

Participants :
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (Israël) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 185464.32 €
Projet SED-RUNS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Soil erosion by water is one of the most widespread forms of soil degradation in Europe which annual cost for agricultural productivity loss is estimated to be around €295 million. Under global change soil erosion due to rainfall is dramatically increasing, for the most part because of an increasing of the frequency of extreme, localised events. This project aims to understand and quantify this effect using ground-radar rainfall monitoring and hydrological modelling at regional scale (Tuscany region, Centre Italy). In hydrological phenomena, such as intense surface runoff, flooding, and soil erosion, the spatiotemporal extent plays a crucial role in the development of the processes. This component defines the impact and the evolution of the phenomenon, especially in extreme rainfall events. Therefore, an approach directed to refine as much as possible the knowledge of these dynamics is recommended both for monitoring and modelling level. Using an approach based on statistical analysis of ground-radar rainfall data and modelling, this project aims to: 1) quantify on historical data the spatiotemporal distribution of extreme rainfalls / runoff and soil erosion over the last 10 years, 2) build a platform to model runoff and soil erosion in the extreme events in real-time, 3) acquire data for calibration/validation of the model and implement new methods for monitoring, 4) simulate in real-time runoff and soil erosion issue of extreme rainfalls integrating the current regional-warning-system for extreme climatic events.

Mots clés : soil erosion, modelling, warning systems, hydrology, climate change

Participants :
- University of Florence (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 171473.28 €
Projet SoPla_Fate (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Soil provides us with 98.8% of our food and by 2050 we need to increase the production by 70%; yet our soils are degrading. Soils were recently recognised as a sink for plastic. This is particularly of concern for agricultural soil health due to extensive and increasing plastic use in farming such as plastic mulching and unintentional plastic introduction through biosolid applications. Based on plastic persistence, widespread use and recent results in soil eco toxicology and eco system effects, plastic has been proposed as driver of global change. However, critical data to clarify the impact of plastic on soil health is currently lacking. This project employs a multidisciplinary approach to determine the extent of plastic contamination in agricultural soils as well as the fate of plastic and its impact on soil processes while providing training and knowledge gain that will be transferred to the EU and further exploited. SoPla_Fate will address the current knowledge lack by (1) quantifying the polymer distribution and concentration in different agricultural soils. Polymer properties including size, shape and surface area will be quantified for representative samples. (2) State-of-the-art analytical instruments and workflows will be employed for the fingerprinting, screening and identification of plastic additives. (3) The workflows will further be employed to determine the leaching and partitioning behaviour of additives from plastic and aged plastic into the soil environment. (4) The impact of different plastic aspects such as polymer type, additive composition and aging induced changes to polymers and plastic on vital soil processes will be quantified. The outcomes from SoPla_Fate will advance our assessment of potential soil health impairment though plastic pollution highlighting the importance of an integrated multidisciplinary research connecting plastic fate in soil with its impact.

Mots clés : consumer plastic, plastic additive behaviour, additive screening, fingerprinting, consumer plastic aging, soil cores, vital soil processes

Participants :
- Freie Universität Berlin (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 252876.48 €
- University of Queensland (Australie) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet SubSpread (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Soil spreading is an extensional creeping movement occurring along a shear surface and caused by liquefaction of a gliding plane. Spreading has been documented at many sites worldwide, and it represents an hazard for subaqueous and land infrastructures. Geological factors influencing the mechanics of spreading and its development have not been extensively explored. This proposal focuses on characterising the subaqueous spreading and investigating its triggers and development mechanisms, with the final purpose of testing the use of the spreading signature as a new proxy for paleoseismic research. The methodology will involve a comprehensive analysis of published data on on-land and subaqueous spreading, gathered in two databases respectively. This information will support the development of a 2D Finite Element model implemented on the Tuaheni slide complex (North Island of New Zealand). The final part of the project will investigate the role of spreading as a new proxy for supporting palaeoseismic analysis in the subaqueous setting. Spreading signature will be investigated in the stratigraphic and bathymetric record of Lake Tekapo (South Island of New Zealand). Results from this research will be significant to the European community, as they will be exploited to improve the understanding of spreading along the giant Storegga Slide on the Norwegian margin, and in relation to the on-going palaeoseismic research on Alpine Lakes. The beneficiary of this funding would be the University of Malta, whereas GEOMAR (Germany) and NIWA (New Zealand) will be partner organizations. This funding represents an ideal opportunity for the fellow allowing her to transfer the knowledge on land liquefaction and palaeoseismology to the subaqueous setting. Through this project the fellow will learn about subaqueous geophysical interpretation (bathymetry, 2D and 3D seismic reflection), geomorphometry and finite element analysis, and to return to Europe to undertake high impact research.

Mots clés : liquefaction, spreading, subaqueous landslides, paleoseismology, sedimentology, numerical modelling, earthquakes, marine geology, marine paleoseismology

Participants :
- University of Malta (Malte) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 148049.28 €
Projet S4ILS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Solar Sailing for Space Situational Awareness In the Lunar System (S4ILS) will deliver radically new orbits in space by exploiting the potential of solar sailing, an exciting new type of spacecraft propulsion. As a flight-proven technology, a solar sail spacecraft rides on sunlight the way that sailboats ride on the wind. Its renewable attribute makes solar sailing a truly mission enabling technology, which is exploited by S4ILS to further one of Europe’s key space priorities, Space Situational Awareness (SSA): the new orbits will improve our ability to keep ground and space assets safe from natural cosmic hazards (e.g. space weather) and man-made threats from space (debris). S4ILS offers novelty of research and solutions to global challenges, as well as excellent training of the Experienced Researcher (ER) by a world-leading astrodynamics institute at the University of Colorado, USA, and by one of Europe’s top universities of technology, TU Delft, the Netherlands. The entire team of renowned experts in astrodynamics, low-thrust space mission design and SSA built around the ER enables a unique fusion of knowledge and a pool of resources, creating the best environment for the ER to fully develop her potential. The fundamentally new orbital dynamics that S4ILS will deliver combined with the compelling application of SSA, that impacts industries far beyond the aerospace sector, will put solar sailing firmly on the European space agenda and will underpin the need for further European solar sail technology development. Influencing decision makers is ensured by collaborating with the American space agency (NASA) and through a secondment at the European Space Agency. These opportunities expose the ER to a vast international network, crucial for starting an independent research career. In summary, the Fellowship allows the ER to emerge as a leader in game-changing developments in space technology and applications and provides a platform for a successful academic career.

Mots clés : astrodynamics, orbital dynamics, space mission analysis and design, solar sailing, space propulsion, space situational awareness

Participants :
- University of Colorado System (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Delft University of Technology (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 202897.2 €
Projet ZESMO (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Solar light promoted CO2 reduction could be the “greenest” alternative to fossil fuels as it would also decrease the atmospheric CO2 emissions. ZESMO comes from the idea of developing an efficient, robust and low-cost photocatalytic system to improve reported conversion rates for CO2 reduction by H2O. Some of the problems to overcome are the limited wavelength response (frequently limited to only 4% of the total solar light energy), photo-corrosion and low quantum efficiencies. The photocatalyst presented in this proposal is designed to tackle these issues and achieve a better performance by incorporating Suphthalocyanine (SubPc) (light harvester) and metal clusters (semiconductor) into zeolites. Zeolite’s pores act as “nano-reactors” entrapping both species and enhancing chemical stability and catalytic activity. The second part of the project deals with the evaluation of the photocatalytic activity of a series of synthesised hybrids. The system will be subjected to operation lifetime studies for its possible future commercialisation. The development and management of ZESMO would introduce me to important fields such as inorganic chemistry, photochemistry and material science. It would provide the best opportunity for me to grow as an independent researcher. I would contribute with my expertise in organic and supramolecular chemistry, especially in synthesis and characterisation of SubPc and nanoparticles. SubPc-zeolite hybrids are unknown, to date there are no examples of zeolites entrapping two different systems in the same pore. Therefore the expected scientific impact is very high. The overall purpose of the proposal is to find an efficient photocatalyst which will be tested for the implementation and real use for society. Since this achievement would give access to solar fuels, it would impact not only EU but worldwide economy. ZESMO would also be an environmental breakthrough towards mitigation of the greenhouse effect problem.

Mots clés : photocatalysis, co2 reduction, host guest systems, zeolites, subphthalocyanines, metal oxide clusters, ship in a bottle synthesis, supramolecular chemistry, solar fuels

Participants :
- Universitat Politècnica de València (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 158121.6 €
Projet SOLARACT (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

SolarAct aims at a fundamental theoretical understanding of transition metal catalysts that mediate the photochemical bond cleavage of the dinitrogen molecule. The efficient activation of dinitrogen (N2) as an abundant and thus very cheap resource is a promising target for the development of sustainable chemistry, e.g. to produce NH3 as a “solar fuel” or synthesize value-added products relevant for chemical industry. A new approach in N2 activation is the photolytic N-N bond cleavage in linear M-N-N-M complexes, for which five synthetic examples are known. However, the dynamical processes inducing N-N cleavage in these complexes after light excitation are not understood at a molecular level. SolarAct is the first research project to unravel the working principles of the existing N2 photoactivation catalysts using a combination of ab initio excited state dynamics simulations and multiconfigurational quantum chemistry methods. The project will push the boundaries of excited state dynamics simulations and provide a proof of principle for their application to dimeric transition metal complexes with demanding electronic structures. The key requirements for N2 photocleavage will be rationalized by systematic in silico variations of the known systems, culminating in improved N2 photoactivation catalysts according to a design target formulated for SolarAct. The researcher will transfer expertise in computational transition metal chemistry and theoretical spectroscopy to the host group and will gain expertise in novel methods for static and dynamic chemistry problems. A cross-sectorial and interdisciplinary workshop will increase the researcher's and host's networks. The researcher will emerge from SolarAct fully qualified for an independent career, including a unique, highly competitive research profile, enhanced presentation proficiency, optimal teaching and management skills, a wide scientific network and a breadth of dissemination and public engagement experiences.

Mots clés : quantum chemistry, ab initio excited state dynamics simulations, computational photochemistry, theoretical spectroscopy, transition metal chemistry, dinitrogen activation, small molecule activation

Participants :
- University of Vienna (Autriche) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 166156.8 €