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

We aim to develop a novel label-free optical microscopy approach to transform our ability to characterize and quantify biomolecular dynamics and interactions at the single small-molecule level. The core of the technology, termed rotating total internal reflection mass photometry (RoMP), rests on delivering a step change in label-free detection and quantification of light scattering from individual biomolecules in solution. We will achieve this by leveraging the advantages of total internal reflection to boost optical contrast, and suppress background signatures. This will be enabled for the first time in the context of interferometric microscopy through the use of a specifically-designed optical attenuation optic. Compared to the state-of-the-art Mass Photometry (MP), RoMP will transform the quantitative detection limit and improve mass resolution from ~50 kDa to 10 kDa and from 20 kDa to 2 kDa, respectively. These advances will dramatically expand the range and identity of studies that can be performed by single molecule mass measurement, representing an advance comparable to the change in resolution from 15 to 1.5 Angstrom in cryo-electron microscopy over the past decade. The interdisciplinary and complementary aspects foster two-way transfer of optical nano-imaging knowledge between the applicant (illumination-modulated fluorescence microscopy) and the host (detection-modulated label-free mass microscopy), ultimately catalyzing innovative biochemical investigations and their application by a broad user base for maximum impact.

Mots clés : single molecule mass imaging, mass photometry, interferometric scattering microscopy, label free optical microscopy, total internal reflection

Participants :
- Université d'Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 260347.92 €
Projet SUGAR (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a looming global threat, rendering antibiotic treatments useless, and making bacterial infections difficult to treat. With diminishing antibiotic options to control infectious outbreaks, we must develop new strategies to prevent widespread mortality. Our group develops novel vaccines to leverage the body’s natural immune responses to fight bacterial infections. To do this, it is crucial to understand how our immune systems recognize harmful bacteria (“pathogens”), and how they distinguish them from the ‘good’ gut-resident microbes which promote human health. Oral vaccines typically induce protective immune responses which recognize sugar structures on the outer membrane of harmful bacteria, promoting their elimination. However, some of these sugar structures use the same molecular building blocks as those found on the surface of beneficial bacteria. In fact, some pathogens mimic the sugar structures of beneficial microbes to evade the immune system. In turn, this may lead to inappropriate recognition of good bacteria by the immune system. I plan to combine vaccination studies in mice with molecular tools to study direct surface sugar-immune interactions, focusing on immune responses to World Health Organization AMR priority pathogens Salmonella and Shigella. I will answer fundamental questions about immune-bacterial recognition: (1) Can immune antibodies induced in response to harmful pathogens also recognize good bacteria? (2) Does this recognition impact the composition and host-beneficial functions of gut resident microbial communities? (3) Does non-specificity of bacterial immune targeting reduce vaccine-mediated protection? Outcomes will contribute to fundamental scientific knowledge of immune-bacterial interactions and provide valuable public health insights, including explaining individual variation in vaccine protectiveness. Ultimately, this work will inform the design of effective human vaccines to combat AMR.

Mots clés : glycobiology immune bacteria recognition surface glycans commensal microbiota pathogens microbial ecology infection dynamics vaccination cross reactive antibodies immunoglobulin a iga seq

Participants :
- Université d'Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 260347.92 €
Projet purine synthesis (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Proliferation of tumour cells requires continuous DNA synthesis and energy supply. Purine nucleotides are essential building blocks for DNA. Recent research has highlighted the role of NUDIX hydrolase 5 (NUDT5) catalytic activity in nuclear ATP metabolism in breast cancer. Notably, NUDT5 has also been suggested as a more general prognostic marker for various cancers, and NUDT5 depletion leads to suppression of tumour cell proliferation in a variety of model systems. Strikingly, the host lab has recently discovered that NUDT5 possesses an unexpected non-enzymatic, likely scaffolding role in de novo purine synthesis. This observation is unprecedented for a catalytically active member of the NUDIX family. In this project, I aim to dissect the molecular mechanism and reveal the structural basis of NUDT5-regulated purine metabolism by combining Affinity Purification Mass Spectrometry (AP-MS) proteomics and metabolomics with X-ray crystallography and cryogenic Electron Microscopy (cryo-EM) with three main goals: (1) Unravel the molecular mechanism and role of NUDT5 in purine synthesis using a comparative metabolomics and proteomics approach using CRISPR knock out (KO) cell lines, small molecule inhibitors and degraders of NUDT5 in relevant cell line models. (2) Identify and define the NUDT5 interactome via AP-MS, and validate candidate NUDT5 interactors in biophysical and functional assays using purified proteins and cellular models. (3) Explore NUDT5 protein complexes using X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM to dissect the molecular interaction between NUDT5 and complex partners for regulation of purine synthesis. This work will offer novel fundamental insights into the molecular mechanism of NUDT5-mediated purine metabolism, and the scaffolding role of this enzyme to provide new perspectives on cellular metabolism and potential anti-tumour drug development.

Mots clés : cellular metabolism purine synthesis cancer therapy nudt5 structure

Participants :
- Université d'Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 276187.92 €
Projet MG-Spin-Qbits (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Quantum computing technologies face a fundamental challenge of scalability, primarily due to the lack of materials capable of performing error-free quantum operations at room temperature. Molecular graphenoids (MGs) have displayed superior quantum properties at room temperature, making them an attractive alternative.  This project will bring novel magnetic graphenoids with atomic precision through scalable solution (wet) chemistry and study them as two-qubit systems at room temperature. This proposal will also uncover the suitability of the spin arrangement (ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic) in MGs as qubit systems with implications for future developments in the field of molecular quantum materials. In the second part, the project focuses on increasing the spin coherence time, one of the key parameters for quantum operations at room temperature. This will be achieved through structural tuning of MGs to minimize the spin decoherence channels. The overarching goal of the proposed work is to introduce new graphenoids as two-qubit systems, answer a fundamental question, and use the new knowledge generated to tune the respective MGs to achieve a spin coherence time (~100 μs) at room temperature, bringing a major advancement in the field.  The proposed study will be of critical fundamental and practical significance by providing novel graphenoids with potential applications in future quantum technologies. The nature of the proposed project is highly interdisciplinary, involving chemistry, physics, molecular magnetism, and material science. The project is in line with the European objectives of sustainable industrial growth and climate change mitigation.  My supervisors, Prof. Feng and Prof. Bogani, have the experience and resources to effectively supervise me and ensure the success of the MSCA action. The fellow will get substantial career enhancement opportunities for future leadership roles through skills development and extensive training.

Mots clés : magnetic graphenoids, organic biradicals, molecular qubits, molecular magnetism, nanographene magnetism, organic spintronics

Participants :
- Société Max-Planck pour le développement des sciences (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 189687.36 €
- Université d'Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet DEPICT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

“Critique” represents a fundamental notion of modern European societies. It is, at least according to our own self-understanding, by thinking and acting critically – that is, by “thinking for ourselves” and by “resisting authority” – that we distinguish ourselves from societies that came before us and from those with which we continue to co-exist. However, in stark contrast to critique’s contemporary political importance, exemplified by its enthronement in educational institutions and its consecration by the labour market, the specifically political aspects of critique’s history remain either taken for granted or acutely underexplored.  How did it come to be that the concept of critique self-evidently implies the emancipatory ability to “think for oneself”? When and how did the concept of critique become inseparably tied with the revolutionary imperative to “resist authority”? What were the general ideological assumptions and specific political implications of these conceptualisations? Which social groups championed such a comprehension of critique and which historical struggles structured its conceptual elaboration? Against which rival comprehensions, antagonistic social entities, and conflicting political agendas, did this version of critique establish itself as the legitimate and the dominant one?  Amid growing theoretical concerns related to critique’s intellectual, social, and political efficiency, answers to these historical questions are urgently needed if critical thought and critical action are to maintain their central role in the functioning of modern European societies.  DEPICT will contribute to this endeavour in a timely manner, by providing an original account of the socio-economic, confessional, and political coordinates of the emergence of the concept of critique in the early modern period and of the various ideologies structuring its mobilisation in the 16th and 17th century.

Mots clés : critique, early modernity, ideology, digital humanities, religion, politics, sociology of knowledge, conceptual history, book history

Participants :
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 195914.88 €
- Université d'Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet STUCCO (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The STUCCO project deals with the exceptional stucco decorations (lime and marble powder) from the Roman necropolises of Puteoli (1st-3rd century CE)- an important city of ancient Italy - which were removed in the 17th-18th century and bought by collectors: 70 stucco bas reliefs are nowadays preserved in the collections of the greatest European museums. STUCCO aims to 1) study the craftsmanship of the Pozzuoli (current name) workshops, 2) acquire data on the iconography in order to add a chapter of art history for the centuries following the destruction of Pompeii in 79 CE, a period for which the remains of decorative arts are scarce and rarely studied and 3) recontextualize the stuccoes by spotting the tombs still rising from which they were taken. For the first time since they were removed from their original contexts, the stuccoes will once again form a coherent ensemble, thus becoming one of the most important collections of Roman stuccoes in the world. The project will be monitored by interdisciplinary teams based at the Université Paris-Nanterre (host institution, France) and the University Libre of Bruxelles (secondment, Belgium), and by professional curators working in archaeological museum (secondment, Saint-Romain-en-Gal). These research collaborations with top-rank scholars and international museum institutions will further expand my skillset, build my professional network and refine my ability to transmit results to a broad audience. Digital humanities and open access will be a fundamental aspect in the implementation of this research and used to share information and enhance its outcomes. The limited number of stucco fragments guarantees the feasibility of the project. By enhancing and recontextualizing the overlooked archaeological heritage of Pozzuoli, STUCCO will have both a scientific and societal impact, and pave the way for a renewal of studies on ancient stuccoes, a field for which there is currently no expert holding an academic position.

Mots clés : classical archaeology, art history, stucco, digital humanities, iconography, ancient craftsmanship, cultural heritage, roman decoration, museum, funerary art, mythology, roman art, puteoli

Participants :
- Université Paris Nanterre (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 211754.88 €
- Université libre de Bruxelles (Belgique) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Departement du rhone (France) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes publics (hors enseignement & recherche), subvention : 0.0 €
Projet AXIOMS (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Semantic notions such as truth, validity, and paradoxicality are central to both philosophical and logical inquiries, shaping our understanding of language, meaning, and rationality. An approach studying semantic concepts individually, rather than globally, has proven insufficient. Developing unified systems describing multiple semantic notions simultaneously is a key and outstanding challenge in contemporary philosophical logic. This challenge is made particularly complex by concepts which are reluctant to formal treatment, like 'paradoxicality'. At present, it is unknown whether formal theories of paradoxicality can even be developed.  AXIOMS aims to address this challenge by providing formal and philosophical foundations for unified theories of semantic notions and paradoxicality. Specifically, the project seeks to pioneer the development of axiomatic systems modeling their behaviour. It will determine which formal principles for paradoxicality are consistent with various rules of reasoning, and it will investigate how paradoxicality interacts with other key notions, such as truth. Moreover, AXIOMS will explore the potential duality between paradoxicality and 'determinateness', a concept currently at the forefront of logical and philosophical research. This part of the project will be carried out under the supervision of Prof. Volker Halbach during a secondment at the University of Oxford.  The impact of AXIOMS extends beyond its immediate scope. It promises to (i) influence ongoing philosophical debates on topics such as classical recapture and (ii) serve as a critical step toward constructing formal and artificial systems capable of reasoning globally with diverse semantic information. For the researcher, the project offers an opportunity to deepen cross-disciplinary expertise, expand his publication record, and acquire a wide range of transferable skills, significantly enhancing his prospects for securing an ERC Starting Grant or a tenure-track position.

Mots clés : paradoxicality semantic notions truth determinateness proof theory classical logic vs nonclassical logics semantic paradoxes

Participants :
- Université d'Amsterdam (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 217076.16 €
- Université d'Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet R2R4postgrowth (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The need to continuously stimulate consumer demand within saturated capitalist markets has driven manufacturers of electronic equipment to adopt dubious marketing practices associated with planned obsolescence (e.g. they might artificially shorten the lifespan of their products, downplay issues of durability and maintenance during the design stage, and on). The social and ecological costs of these trends are enormous, and the world is currently on track to produce 74 million tonnes of e-waste by 2030. In this context, there is mounting pressure on manufacturers and policy-makers to facilitate consumers the "right to repair" (R2R) their electronic devices, rather than relying on the manufacturer to make/authorise repairs with proprietary components. This demand has sparked a controversy concerning the limits of the R2R, with large multinational corporations such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, or John Deere disputing this concept on economic, technical, legal or safety grounds. In this regard, the present project aims at elucidating how ongoing debates and policies about the "right to repair" can be conceptualised and implemented to support a transition towards a postgrowth society. The methodology adopted will be based on controversy mapping, which is widely used in the field of Science and Technology Studies. First, a controversy map will be elaborated, showing the different stakeholders and their evolving positions (both for and against) regarding the R2R. Next, fieldwork will be conducted with grassroots organisations and technology activists involved in the R2R campaign. Finally, I will analyse the R2R in light of contemporary postgrowth frameworks to establish key challenges/opportunities for transforming society-technology relations in more sustainable ways. By doing so, this project pushes forward the boundaries of current knowledge and advances our understanding of the role of technology and innovation in postgrowth transitions.

Mots clés : postgrowth, right to repair, e waste

Participants :
- Université de Vigo (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 181152.96 €
- Université de Warwick (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet DIGIPHYT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Recent innovations in Digital Agriculture (DA) gather and analyze real-time data on plant conditions and aim to assist growers in making more efficient decisions regarding water usage, fertilizers, and pesticides. Proponents of DA argue that these advancements will foster sustainable agricultural practices. However, assessments of these claims have been primarily quantitative. In contrast, DIGIPHYT proposes a qualitative investigation into the relationship between sustainability claims and sustainable practices in assisted plant cultivation. This project will employ ethnographic and video-based methods to examine specific cases of DA innovations. It will observe the daily activities of developers and users to understand the roles of humans, plants, and DA devices in defining sustainable actions in agriculture to understand sustainability as defined from the ground-up. By taking sustainability claims seriously and examining their potential implementation in practice (O1), as well as documenting the agency of previously overlooked actors like plants and digital devices (O2), DIGIPHYT aims to comprehend how DA's sustainability claims intersect with specific notions of agency and responsibility in carrying out sustainable actions. DIGIPHYT contributes to both social scientific research and broader societal interests by investigating the practical interpretations and definitions of sustainability proposed around DA innovations.

Mots clés : plant sensors plant agency qualitative video methods

Participants :
- IT University of Copenhagen (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 214934.4 €
Projet MolEvoNeu (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The immense variety of behaviours displayed by animals – including ourselves- arose through the evolution of neural circuits within the brain. However, how central neuronal circuits change over time, integrating these modifications within the brain's highly interconnected networks remains largely unknown. Particularly puzzling is that evolution acts at the level of the genome but behaviour arises through the activity of neuronal networks. How are these two levels integrated? How do evolutionary changes on the genome lead to changes in neuronal circuits that themselves lead to behavioural divergences across animals? The larval olfactory system of Drosophila provides a powerful model to address these questions because: 1) different Drosophila species have evolved diverse odour-guided behaviours, 2) the olfactory system is numerically simple yet parallels more complex circuits, and 3) the availability of molecular tools and resources. I will use this system to identify hotspots of central neuronal circuit evolution at both functional and genetic levels by comparing two Drosophila species. First, leveraging comparative connectomic data from the host lab, I will use calcium imaging and modelling to examine the functional impact of cross-species connectomic changes. Second, I will employ a combination of transcriptomic approaches to determine the molecular changes that lead to functional and connectivity differences. Finally, I will apply these insights to re-engineer the neuronal circuits across species by making use of the genetic tools available in D. melanogaster. This research will enhance our understanding of the intricate interactions between genes, neuronal circuits, and behaviour in the context of evolution.

Mots clés : evolution, central neuronal circuits, brain, olfaction, drosophila

Participants :
- Institut Francis Crick (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 276187.92 €