Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet DROPS (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

In fruit tree crops, which are vital to EU agriculture, efficient pesticide use is crucial for maintaining high yields and assuring market quality. However, traditional spraying methods often result in significant pesticide losses through drift and runoff, posing environmental and health risks. Although new smart sprayers equipped with pulse width modulation (PWM) valves are designed to control flow rates and minimise off-target losses, the droplet size variations caused by pressure fluctuations when spraying high volumes to control pests and diseases are still poorly understood, and often lead to uncontrolled pesticide dispersion to the environment. The DROPS project will optimise pesticide application in orchards by developing a novel methodology for predicting pesticide dispersion and improving spraying practices. Specifically, DROPS will directly measure droplet size in orchards and integrate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models with machine learning to create a Decision Support System (DSS) that guides farmers in optimising pesticide applications. The project will adapt and validate droplet size measurement techniques for dynamic outdoor orchard conditions, using PWM-based sprayers. This will provide accurate data on droplet behaviour under varying environmental conditions and sprayer settings. The data will inform predictive models of droplet size variation, enhanced by machine learning algorithms for greater accuracy. These models will then be integrated into CFD simulations to predict pesticide dispersion in different orchard environments. In the final phase, the DSS will be developed and field-validated to provide real-time recommendations for minimising off-target pesticide dispersion. The system will be implemented in smart sprayers and tested with an industry partner to ensure practical application under real-world conditions.

Mots clés : precision agriculture, pesticide dispersion, droplet size measurement, orchard, cfd modelling, smart sprayer, pwm

Participants :
- KU Leuven (Belgique) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Cleyfer maquinaria agricola sl (Espagne) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
- Université polytechnique de Valence (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 242593.2 €
Projet SYNAPSOTON (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : SIGNED

This project aims to address the pressing issue of energy consumption in data transmission and processing by developing materials technology for efficient memory computing. Currently, data centers consume a significant amount of electricity, and traditional computing architectures are inefficient. Neuromorphic computing, inspired by the brain's functioning, offers a promising solution with ultra-fast communication and low energy consumption. Photonic processors, which use light for probing, are particularly attractive for achieving these goals. The project focuses on integrating advanced materials into existing silicon photonic (SiPh) platforms to create efficient reconfigurable circuits. Refractive index tuning methods in Si are limited, and the project seeks to overcome them by integrating materials like Phase Change Materials (PCMs) and suitable 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) to demonstrate optical memristors. These materials can emulate neural systems, offering control over switching, energy consumption, heat dissipation, and other crucial parameters. The project's objectives include optimizing materials technology, designing optical memristors based on PCMs and 2D materials, exploring new configurations with PCM+MEMs, investigating memory functionality in VO2, and demonstrating neural response. The goal is to improve data processing speeds while reducing power consumption, ultimately leading to energy-efficient computing. Additionally, the project aims to assess the environmental impact of these advancements through empirical cost comparisons. The researcher envisions that this experience will empower them to become a high-quality academic researcher with a focus on materials photonics. Overall, the project addresses a critical need in the field of computing by developing materials technology for energy-efficient memory computing, aligning with the goals of the European Green Deal towards the pursuit of ultra-fast, low-energy data processing.

Mots clés : materials integration, si photonics, optical memristors, neural response

Participants :
- Université polytechnique de Valence (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 181152.96 €
Projet WATER-RENEQ (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The proposal focuses on addressing critical challenges in water distribution networks (WDN), recognizing its fundamental role as an essential service for society. The WATER-RENEQ approach is a comprehensive methodology that optimizes WDNs by ensuring their response capacity to adverse events (resilience), guaranteeing equity for all users, and maximizing energy savings. The first objective (O1) aims to establish a set of quantifiable indicators and performance indices that measure the operation of WDNs. These indicators will encompass key aspects of resilience and equity while focusing on energy efficiency as a quantifiable metric. Objective two (O2) focuses on the development of an innovative mathematical model. This optimization model will calculate the indices defined in O1 within a WDN. It will provide a practical methodology to evaluate and analyze WDN resilience, addressing both operational aspects and overall system performance. The third objective (O3) targets advancements in the computational efficiency of optimization algorithms. This involves reducing the number of discrete variables and optimizing the overall search space. Improving computational efficiency is crucial for solving complex real-world optimization problems effectively. Objective four (O4) involves the development of an optimization tool that proposes investment strategies for WDNs. The tool's primary goal is to maximize resilience and equity indicators within the network, even when budget constraints are present. This approach aims to provide a robust mathematical framework that considers resilience and equity criteria. In summary, the proposal addresses fundamental challenges facing WDN by introducing an innovative approach to measure and improve resilience, equity, and energy efficiency, developing a computational tool that can be applied to real-world scenarios. Once the tool will be validated in a benchmarking network, this will be applied on a real WDN in a wáter supply company.

Mots clés : water supply networks, resilience, equity, energy savings, sustainability, optimization models, evolutionary algorithms, search space reduction

Participants :
- Empresa mixta valenciana de aguas sa (Espagne) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
- Université polytechnique de Valence (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 226441.2 €
Projet BioCircus (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Biological production of chemicals and materials is a renewable and economically viable alternative to the current chemical processes, easing the transition towards a biology-based circular economy. The current biomanufacturing industry faces a scalability problem. Frequently, producer strains created in the laboratory do not respond well to industrial conditions (e.g., large fermentation volumes, accumulation of toxic intermediates, media acidification, etc.). The goal of BioCircus is to address the issue caused by the lack of robustness of the engineered microbial strains. BioCircus is based on three main research pillars: (1) the construction of biosensor and dynamic regulation circuits that measure and control the production of the target molecule, (2) the use of machine learning predictive models and automation to improve these circuits and (3) validating the designed strains in pre-industrial conditions, closer than standard molecular biology laboratory procedures to real-world bioproduction operations. Naringenin, a key molecule of the flavonoid family, will be used in as proof-of-principle molecule. E. coli will be used as model organism. The design and construction of biosensors and dynamic regulation circuits controlling naringenin production is expected to support the development of methodologies and tools suitable for any other detectable metabolite. BioCircus will produce academic and industrial impacts that will boost the bioproduction field by enabling a shorter strain time-to-market for a wide variety of adaptive and scalable microbial bioproducer strains.

Mots clés : biosensors, dynamic regulation, engineering biology, scalable bioproduction, automation, machine learning

Participants :
- Biopolis (Spain) (Espagne) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
- Université polytechnique de Valence (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 206641.2 €
Projet CORE (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

CORE proposes the category of Oppression-Related Emotions (ORE) to identify a cluster of painful emotions related to experiences of oppression (especially in the terms of gender) and their relationship to oppression, knowledge, and painful manifestations. The main research hypothesis is that oppression-related emotions are influenced by the axes of oppression: i.e., these emotions may be experienced differently depending on the dimension of gender, class, race, etc. The project will focus on the gender axis. From this, two issues will be investigated: the role of oppression-related emotions' in the production of female, feminist, and anti-oppressive subjectivities and knowledge, and oppression-related emotions’ relationship with painful manifestations. This project will be carried out through a philosophical framework informed by contemporary naturalized feminist philosophy, implementing interdisciplinary research integrating feminist philosophy with relevant research in psychology, social sciences, and health science. Located at the intersection of feminist philosophy, psychology, social sciences, and health, CORE’s goal is to develop a theoretical framework that will support interventions into health issues experienced more frequently by women, including autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, and eating disorders, among others. To investigate oppression-related emotions in a philosophical framework through interdisciplinary research, and to propose new perspectives on their relationship with painful manifestations, CORE develops a methodology that is naturalized, interdisciplinary, feminist, and intersectional.

Mots clés : emotions, feminist philosophy, feminist epistemology, posthumanities, new materialism

Participants :
- Université de Padoue (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 256442.88 €
- Université de Grenade (Espagne) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université Brock (Canada) — Partner, associated partner, Autres, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet DynamiK (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

NMDA glutamate receptors (NMDAR) are undisputed key players in synaptic plasticity, a role that has been attributed to their calcium permeability. It emerged over the past decade that the membrane trafficking and nanoscale organization of NMDARs also plays a major role in synaptic adaptation. This was further substantiated by the discovery that patients’ autoantibodies targeting NMDARs (NMDAR-Abs) induce major psychiatric and neurological symptoms through compromised NMDAR surface trafficking but intact ionotropic function. NMDAR-Abs rapidly alter NMDAR membrane dynamics by disrupting their interaction with specific interactors whose membrane organization and function are also possibly corrupted.  Herein, I hypothesize that the whole surface interactome of NMDARs, which is still poorly defined, is altered by NMDAR-Abs, explaining the complex neuropsychiatric presentation observed in NMDAR-Ab-positive patients. To tackle this, I will perform an unbiased proximity labelling approach coupled to quantitative proteomics to provide the first identification of the NMDAR surface interactome in hippocampal neurons, and determine how it is altered by patients’ NMDAR-Abs. Among the targets, the potassium K+ channels, which tightly control neuronal excitability, are of prime interest since they functionally interact with NMDARs, and preliminary evidence from the host laboratory show that NMDAR-Abs alter hippocampal neuron excitability. Using super-resolution microscopy and electrophysiology, I will test whether NMDAR-Abs modulate the membrane trafficking and nanoscale topography of K+ channels, impairing K+ channel currents. Genetic or pharmacological modulation will be used to question the membrane interplay between NMDARs and K+ channels in a pathological, as well as basal, context.  This original proposal will thus shed new light on the NMDAR membrane interactome, its dynamics at the nanoscale, and implication in a severe neurological and psychiatric autoimmune paradigm.

Mots clés : nmda type glutamate receptors k channels synaptic plasticity neuronal excitability autoimmune psychiatric disorders autoantibodies

Participants :
- Université de Bordeaux (France) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 195914.88 €
Projet NAT-ADAPT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The rise of antimicrobial resistance is an urgent global threat to human health and global healthcare capacities. Despite ongoing efforts to develop new antimicrobial drugs, eventual adaptation is an inevitable corollary of evolution. Long-term solutions therefore require innovative approaches, including (1) learning to predict adaptation and (2) developing platforms to screen strategies against microbial adaptation. The capacity of an organism to adapt to new environments, also described as adaptability, is a heritable trait that varies substantially between even closely related lineages. Dissecting the genetic basis and mechanisms driving variation in adaptability is the critical first step in achieving these long-term objectives.  As an MCSA fellow, Dr Xanita Saayman will receive training from Dr Gianni Liti at the Institute for Research in Cancer and Ageing (IRCAN) and from Dr Jonas Warringer during a secondment to the University of Gothenburg. Throughout NAT-ADAPT, Dr Saayman will exploit an extensive collection of Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolates with unprecedented scales of phenotypic and genotypic diversity. Bridging interdisciplinary fields (e.g., population genetics, phenomics, genomics, genome engineering), NAT-ADAPT will identify and characterise genetic drivers of adaptability, harnessing this knowledge for two applications. First, NAT-ADAPT will model adaptation dynamics based on quantifiable genome properties, serving as an invaluable resource for predicting the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. Second, NAT-ADAPT will produce ‘hyper-evolver’ Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Such strains can serve as critical platforms with which to screen strategies against microbial adaptation, improving the efficacy of current antimicrobial solutions.

Mots clés : evolution, adaptation, genetic engineering, antimicrobial resistance

Participants :
- Université de Göteborg (Suède) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 195914.88 €
Projet SI-MEPSI (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The development of processes for the utilisation of renewable resources is one of the main challenges of our society. Autotrophic fermentations, in which CO2 is converted into biomass, constitute a strategy towards sustainable carbon-cycle economy. In its cutting-edge research project, SI-MEPSI will combine biotechnological and chemical approaches to create an efficient route from CO2 fixation to the production of fine chemicals. In the first stage, SI-MEPSI will optimise H2/O2/CO2-based autotrophic fermentations with Ralstonia eutropha to develop an industrial production of stable-isotope-labelled (SI-labelled) RNA under non-explosive conditions. To achieve this objective, a thorough investigation into the dependence of the growth rate on physicochemical parameters, particularly the pressure, will be performed. Subsequently, the obtained SI-labelled RNA products will be employed as building blocks in a three-step, chemo-enzymatic synthesis of novel SI(2H/13C/15N)-labelled N1-methylpseudouridine (m1Ψ) compounds – important targets in the context of RNA stability studies and NMR structural analysis. Preparation of SI-labelled m1Ψ compounds with a range of site-specific isotopic patterns will rely on a modular methodology that introduces SI-labels into the target molecules at three different points. To maximise the efficiency of the research and facilitate knowledge transfer, the fermentation studies will take place at a biotechnology company in Germany, while the chemo-enzymatic synthesis will be carried out at a university in Austria. In addition, a dedicated training program within an already existing EU ITN will further increase the visibility of the applicant and reinforce his career prospects in the EU. Through targeted dissemination activities, SI-MEPSI will also enhance the competitiveness of sustainable industrial autotrophic processes in the European Biotechnology sector, create new job opportunities, and inspire young students to pursue a scientific career.

Mots clés : stable isotopic labelling, gas fermentation, chemo enzymatic synthesis, rna production, ralstonia eutropha, carbon dioxide, n1 methylpseudouridine

Participants :
- Silantes gmbh (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 173847.36 €
- Université d'Innsbruck (Autriche) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet ROOTEX-C (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Domestication resulted in a loss of crop diversity, and greater susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stressors. But did this transition to domesticated varieties also influence soil carbon (C) stabilization pathways? To address this question ROOTEX-C will bring together a multidisciplinary team with expertise in plant physiology, microbiology, biogeochemistry, and soil science. The aim is to investigate how belowground plant traits, such as root architecture and exudation patterns, interact with microbial communities and influence soil C stabilization across different crop domestication statuses. By employing cutting-edge methodologies, including metabolomics, metagenomics, stable isotope probing, and novel methods for estimating microbial carbon use efficiency (CUE), ROOTEX-C aims to significantly advance our mechanistic understanding of plant-soil C processes and gain insights into the effects of crop domestication on plant belowground traits. Project findings could ultimately inform crop breeding programs and agronomic practices that seek to enhance soil C contributing to both global food security and climate change mitigation. Beyond its scientific contributions, this project is pivotal for the fellow's professional development. By acquiring advanced interdisciplinary skills in microbial ecology, biogeochemistry, and plant physiology, she will gain the technical expertise required to tackle complex environmental and agricultural challenges. The collaboration with leading institutions and renowned experts will not only enhance her technical skill set but also strengthen her professional network, fostering future interdisciplinary research collaborations. The experience will significantly enhance her career prospects, positioning her for leadership roles in both academic research and industry sectors focused on sustainable agriculture.

Mots clés : organic matter stabilization, microbial communities, root exudates, biogeochemistry, carbon use efficiency

Participants :
- CERCA Institution (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 194074.56 €
- Université d'Innsbruck (Autriche) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet HSPTFE (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Multi-elemental mapping, allowing the characterization of the elemental distribution in heterogeneous samples at high spatial resolution (~µm scale), are opening new applications in many fields. As two laser ablation-based techniques, laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS), are becoming more and more attractive, due to the advantages such as rapid, sensitive, and high spatial resolution mapping. Especially, they are complementary to each other, where LA-ICPMS offers more sensitive analysis while LIBS can analyze the elements that are difficult or impossible for LA-ICPMS analysis, such as H, O, N, C, or halogens. Full elemental fast mapping applications can be achieved with simultaneous LIBS-LAICPMS technique. However, due to the different detection mechanisms for these two techniques, the optimal laser operation conditions were different, where LIBS typically require higher laser pulse energy than LA-ICPMS. Therefore, the LIBS signal under standard LA-ICPMS conditions are generally relatively low. In this project, to enhance the LIBS signal without significantly affecting ICPMS analysis, combination of double pulse LIBS in an orthogonal configuration and LA-ICPMS is proposed, where a second laser pulse (ns) is used to reheat the plasma plume/aerosol induced by the first laser ablation pulse (fs), to carry out highly sensitive, high spatial resolution, high throughput and full elemental mapping. To perform simultaneous optimal analysis by LIBS and LA-ICPMS, a high-performance ablation cell with optimized optical collection lenses will be designed and developed. Further on, the analytical setup will be established and corresponding analytical methodology for full elemental imaging will be developed and applied for the real samples such as gemstone. The developed DP-LIBS/LA-ICPMS technique is potential for various filed such as biological, mapping, and material sciences.

Mots clés : elemental mapping laser ablation libs la icpms

Participants :
- Université d'Oviedo (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 165312.96 €