Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet CLIMIFUN (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Despite the importance of soil microbial communities for ecosystem functioning and human welfare, little is known about the mechanisms controlling the composition and diversity of these communities, and the role of their attributes in providing multiple ecosystem functions and services such as nutrient cycling and decomposition (i.e. multifunctionality). Many studies have identified climate, stage of ecosystem development and soil characteristics as main drivers of plant and animal diversity. However, much less is known about the interactive effects of climate, soil properties and time in controlling microbial diversity and multifunctionality during ecosystem succession. This lack of knowledge hampers our ability to predict microbial community shifts and their consequences for ecosystem functioning under climate change, and limits the inclusion of soil microbes in global biogeochemical models. The main research objective of this action is to gain a deeper insight into the patterns and mechanisms that drive soil microbial diversity and multifunctionality under changing environments. We will use a novel conceptual framework combining long-term chronosequences, climate change experiments and structural equation modelling to quantitatively evaluate the role of time, climate and multiple soil drivers in controlling microbial diversity and multifunctionality. The research outlined in this proposal includes a range of state-of-the-art biochemical, molecular and genomic methods for the analysis of microbial communities and multifunctionality that ensure the maximum utility and impact of our results. Altogether, CLIMIFUN will reveal the factors that control soil microbial diversity and multiple functions linked to plant production and nutrient cycling under a changing environment. This work will thus address a key knowledge gap relevant to supporting increases in global demand for food and fibre over the next decades, and a research priority for H2020.

Mots clés : pedogenesis, microbial diversity, ecosystem functioning, climate change, nutrient cycling  long term chronosequences

Participants :
- University of Colorado System (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- King Juan Carlos University (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 239191.2 €
Projet 6D STRINGS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Despite the important role they play in M-theory, six-dimensional superconformal field theories (SCFTs) are to this day not well understood. A characteristic feature of 6d SCFTs is that their degrees of freedom include tensionless strings; while some properties of these strings have been studied in recent years, the 2d SCFTs that govern their behavior have not been constructed. In this proposal I outline a research plan to determine the 2d theories governing the strings, and use this knowledge to study the dynamics of six-dimensional SCFTs. I also explore two important applications of this class of 2d SCFTs. First, I will determine whether a conventional gravity dual to such 2d theories under the AdS3/CFT2 correspondence exists. I will then use the 2d SCFTs to study the properties of their gravity duals and establish whether such gravity duals behave as string theories, thus testing the string universality conjecture for 3d quantum gravity. Second, I will use one of the 2d SCFTs under consideration to investigate the Mathieu moonshine conjecture. This conjecture connects two seemingly unrelated areas of mathematics: mock modular forms and representation theory of the Mathieu group M24. It is expected that this deep mathematical relation will be explained by an appropriate string theory construction; I argue that the 2d SCFT under consideration can be expected to play a role in the proof. The research will take place at the University of Amsterdam’s Institute of Physics. The Institute hosts some of the world’s top experts on the proposed research topics. The project will be conducted by combining techniques from their areas of research with my expertise on six-dimensional SCFTs and their tensionless strings. The research program includes a strong training plan and a clear transfer of knowledge, and will contribute to reinforce European excellence in theoretical high-energy physics.

Mots clés : string theory, 6d superconformal field theory, tensionless strings, ads3, cft2, mathieu moonshine

Participants :
- University of Amsterdam (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 165598.8 €
Projet NITROGEN-LIGHT (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Despite the intensive effort on nitrogen photofixation, there is a clear gap in the design of the catalytic system at the molecular/atomic level: at the same time, the majority of literature examples for nitrogen photo(electro)reduction employed only Uv-Vis semiconductor based systems with poor control on the molecular aspects of photo(electro)catalysis. NITROGEN-LIGHT lies in the panorama of nitrogen reduction, but offering a new point of view. This project aims to develop a photoelectrolyser to efficiently convert nitrogen to ammonia, but exploiting semiconductor surfaces decorated with controlled molecular assemblies of visible-light sensitisers and nitrogen-activating multi-redox catalysts. The advantage of the molecular design is the possibility to easily tune the redox properties of active sites and the stabilization of nitrogen-derived intermediates, with the final aim of: syncronizing photo-induced electron/proton transfer (PCET), lowering the energy barrier and optimizing the quantum efficiency. Success in this task will be instrumental for the fabrication of novel photocathodes for N2RR, to be integrated within a PEC device, in combination with photoanodes for water oxidation. The photoelectrode assembly for the final device will build on the state-of-the-art expertise and recent achievements of the CalTech and the Padova group, while frontier studies on the photophysics of selected molecular assemblies, to be performed with secondment visits at the Prague Institute, will guide the overall component choice and synthetic modification.

Mots clés : nitrogen reduction, nitrogen photofixation, water oxidation, photo electro catalysis, artificial photosynthesis

Participants :
- University of Padua (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 251002.56 €
- California Institute of Technology (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet WYLM (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Economic Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Despite the presence of overall economic growth, during the last decades many developed countries have witnessed a rise in income inequality within their societies. The widening divide makes it crucial to understand why certain groups fall behind. The objective of the proposed project is to explore an avenue that has been largely overlooked by the literature so far: the role of local governmental policies in shaping labour market outcomes of vulnerable groups in society. To causally identify the importance of local governance, I exploit quasi-random variation induced by the Dutch institutional context and a uniquely rich administrative database covering the Dutch population. The project focuses on two socially-at-risk groups who are disadvantaged in the labour market. In the first subproject I look at refugees who are granted asylum in the Netherlands, I make use of their (quasi-) random placement across municipalities. The second subproject explores the outcomes for Dutch parents who have a child with a disability and utilizes a decentralisation reform of youth care responsibilities. The variation in local governance in both natural experiments can show whether and for whom the support policies are effective. In that sense, where you live matters as it may impact individuals’ life outcomes.

Mots clés : labour market performance, public policy, refugees, informal care givers, health outcomes, criminal behaviour, natural experiments

Participants :
- Erasmus University Rotterdam (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 175572.48 €
Projet SPM-RS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Despite the progress in renewable energies, oil and gas remain the primary source of energy. Recovery from hydrocarbon reservoirs is subjected to three steps: primary, secondary and tertiary. The primary step results from the intrinsic reservoir energy; the second stage usually consists of injection of water or gas to support the pressure; and the third stage is the process of extracting the oil that cannot be recovered during the previous stages, by injecting miscible gas, thermal and chemicals. To assess the performance of implemented methods during the recovery steps, reservoir simulations are usually performed. However, these traditional simulations are known to be time-consuming, and significant number of runs is required to achieve optimal results. This project will use a combination of advanced methods including optimization, statistics and data-driven techniques, to develop a novel strategy for establishing user-friendly smart proxy models which aim at reducing significantly the run-time in reservoir simulation tasks. The project will be performed at four levels: the physical and numerical aspects of the recovery methods, sampling strategies to select runs for the proxy, learning techniques to build the proxy, and their application for optimizing recovery plans. The project has ultimate multidisciplinary aspects, including reservoir engineering, data science and environment (as CO2 storage is included in the project). The project will be carried out by the experienced researcher who worked during his PhD on the application of data-driven techniques for resolving petroleum engineering problems. The experienced researcher will collaborate with supervisors with a strong background in reservoir simulation and optimization. The transfer of knowledge from the project will have a twofold benefit, to the host institution and to the researcher. Expected results have the potential to improve the knowledge about simulation calculability using new robust approaches.

Mots clés : reservoir simulation, optimization, data driven techniques, smart proxy, enhanced recovery

Participants :
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norvège) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 202158.72 €
Projet Comedy and Politics (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Despite the rich history and contemporary relevance of the intersection of comedy, political practices, and political thought, comedy has thus far not received sustained attention in the field of political philosophy. This research programme will address this lacuna by developing parallels between (i) the specific outlook on human action offered by comedies and (ii) the perspective of a tradition of political thought known as political realism. The overall objective of this research programme is to demonstrate that comedy reflects the theoretical and methodological commitments of political realism, and to establish comedy’s contribution to realism by drawing out realism’s transformative potential. Three specific research objectives will be combined to support the overall objective. (a) The first objective will develop an account of democratic citizenship informed by comedy by exploring Aristophanes’ comedies. (b) The second objective will develop an account of political judgment informed by comedy, by analysing Machiavelli’s comedies and political writings in relation to each other. (c) The third objective will develop an account of the relation between ideals and practice in politics informed by comedy by drawing on theoretical reflections on comedy by Hegel, Vischer, and Marx. Each of the specific research objectives corresponds to a central feature of political realism. By developing these objectives through comedy, the researcher will explicate structural parallels between comedy and political realism. In each of the specific objectives, the transformative potential inherent in comedy will be elucidated. In doing so, the researcher will use insights derived from this parallel to develop a more nuanced understanding of political realism’s potential to conceptualize social transformation. Thus comedy transpires as the means through which the full potential of realism for political philosophy as a whole can be grasped for the first time.


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

Despite titanic social and scientific efforts, rates of obesity continue to increase in Europe. Unfortunately, safe and effective treatments are currently unavailable. Obesity is a multifactorial disease that is largely the consequence of enigmatic and complex genetic-environmental interactions. Evidence suggests that the prevalent western-diet triggers epigenetic changes that contribute to the current obesity epidemics. Hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-expressing neurons are crucial elements of energy balance, and its dysfunction cause severe obesity in experimental models and humans. Our hypothesis is that over nutrition causes epigenetic changes in POMC neurons that in turn lead to dysregulated energy homeostasis and obesity. The objective of this proposal is to establish for the first time a genome-wide epigenetic map of POMC neurons in the context of over nutrition during adulthood and fetal programming. To pursue this aim we will use an innovative cell-specific in vivo strategy to tag and reliably isolate POMC neurons, followed by next generation sequencing to evaluate chromatin accessibility and histone marks distribution across the genome. As a result, we will provide a novel framework for understanding the underlying epigenetic signatures related with obesity development and susceptibility. Hence, this project is in line with the Horizon 2020 Framework for improving our knowledge of the causes underlying a disease. Furthermore, the outcomes of this project may have potential therapeutic implications for the treatment of obesity since most epigenetic marks are reversible and therefore potentially targetable. The multidisciplinary nature of the project is strong, involving a combination of genetic engineering techniques, molecular biology and bioinformatics. This proposal includes the transfer of knowledge to the host institution and the training of the candidate in new techniques and transferable skills.

Mots clés : obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypothalamus, epigenetics

Participants :
- Fundació Clínic per a la Recerca Biomèdica (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 160932.48 €
Projet BIOIMPROVE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Determination of the histamine content is of paramount importance for the food industry as a parameter of the hygienic quality and freshness of food, as well as to prevent scombroid fish poisoning, an allergy-like food poisoning. At present, more sensitive and user-friendly methods for histamine monitoring are needed to early detect products and raw materials susceptible of becoming hazardous for consumers. BIOIMPROVE aims to develop an improved and highly sensitive portable biosensing device for the quantification of histamine in the lower concentration range (<5 mg/l). To reach this objective, an innovative and powerful semi-rational protein engineering strategy will be used to maximize the sensitivity of the currently available histamine enzyme-based biosensor. Rather than addressing this goal by the generation and screening of large libraries, a careful selection of the most promising mutational hotspots will be performed using the structural available information in tandem with advanced computational modelling tools. Dr. Gangoiti will carry out BIOIMPROVE project at BIOLAN Microbiosensores, a Spanish SME focused on the development of biosensors capable of detecting health and food-related molecules. To support her research, she will conduct a secondment at CIC bioGUNE, a research centre that has a strong reputation in protein computational design. Thanks to this multidisciplinary research environment, Dr. Gangoiti will have the opportunity of gaining not only a high level of complementary expertise in areas of key importance in the enzyme technology field, but also the competences required for pursuing a successful research career either in industry or academy. Most importantly, the implementation of BIOIMPROVE project is expected to ensure histamine contamination to be identified at all stages of the food chain, ultimately guaranteeing food safety for European consumers.

Mots clés : enzyme, protein engineering, electrochemical biosensor, food safety, histamine

Participants :
- Biolan microbiosensores sl (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 172932.48 €
Projet SinglePass (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Deterministic nonlinear operations between single photons that are at the heart of numerous quantum information protocols require strong interactions between photons and quantum emitters. By combining cold atoms and slow-mode photonic-crystal waveguides, the goal of this project is to develop a novel platform to implement such operations by strongly coupling a photon with atomic ensembles in single pass, that is without the use of an optical cavity. Transverse optical confinement and slow group velocity are the key ingredients in this novel waveguide-QED approach, with applications in integrated quantum technologies, quantum non-linear optics and state engineering. This platform, based on a new and promising combination of photonic-crystal geometry (W1) and material (GaInP) will not only provide superior figures of merit and scalability than in free-space implementations, but also tailored functionalities not achievable in current physical interfaces. This project uniquely combines atomic physics, quantum optics and nanophotonics and will ideally prepare the applicant for a future career as an independent research group leader.

Mots clés : cold atoms, single photon, photonic crystal waveguide, waveguide qed

Participants :
- Sorbonne Université (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 184707.84 €
Projet EwiSarc (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Development of efficient therapeutic strategies in the past years has drastically reduced the lethality of several common types of pediatric and juvenile form of cancer such as leukemia, lymphoma and brain tumors. Such a tremendous success, however, does not include sarcomas treatment, whose mortality rate remains the same as twenty years ago. Ewing sarcoma is a childhood cancer with a relatively low incidence, with 3 cases/million/year. The initial oncogenic event is represented by a balanced chromosomal translocation originating a transcription factor chimeric onco-protein. Notably, 90% of Ewing sarcoma patients are characterized by the fusion between EWS and FLI1 genes. From a therapeutic point of view, as exclusive hallmark of tumor cells and driving force of the disease, the onco-chimera protein represents an ideal target, even though transcription factor onco-proteins are classified as “undruggable” from a conventional pharmacological point of view, lacking in their structure convenient targeting pockets. This project aims to break this dogma through the following steps: 1. Generation of an in vivo genetic platform based on an innovative ex vivo-in vitro-in vivo approach that will allow us to accurately recapitulate in mice Ewing sarcomagenesis; 2. Characterization in vivo and in vitro of those mechanisms and pathways that are essential for the tumorigenic process; and finally, 3. Identification of druggable targets whose fine-tuning will tear down Ewing sarcoma lethality by promoting onco-chimera degradation. The success of this project will not only lead to the development of new therapies against Ewing sarcoma, but also to the development of a novel platform which will be easily exported to other tumors driven by “undruggable” onco-chimeras.

Mots clés : mouse modeling, stem cells, ewing sarcoma, therapy

Participants :
- University of Trento (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 180277.2 €