Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet QuantOrder (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Mathematics
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Quantum computing is an emerging, interdisciplinary field of science in the intersection of computer science, mathematics and physics. Recent experimental advances in building a physical quantum computer show the urgency of finding possible applications. On the other hand to date we only have very small quantum computers, which are mostly useful for proof of concept demonstrations, thus for the time being one needs to focus on building and understanding the underlying mathematical theory. A particularly interesting aspect of quantum computing is quantum machine learning, which also needs a more firm theoretical understanding, because many of the recent developments are based on heuristic approaches which cannot be properly tested yet, due to the limitations of the available hardware. This proposal outlines new approaches and ideas for quantum algorithm development, and attempts to improve some aspects of the theory of quantum machine learning, while also encompasses some fundamental theoretical questions. The described ideas are all related to the problem of finding large-scale structures in various objects. Since quantum computers tend to be quite efficient at recognizing patterns, it is a promising angle of approach. The relevant ideas are inspired by multiple related disciplines, and several of the proposed tools were recently co-developed by the applicant. The supervisor has an outstanding track record in developing the mathematical theory of large-scale structures emerging in graphs, groups and networks, while the applicant has demonstrated strong problem solving skills and the ability of developing novel quantum algorithms, which promises a fruitful collaboration in the implementation of the proposed action.

Mots clés : quantum algorithms, quantum machine learning, quantum neural networks and tensor networks, quantum graphs, non commutative graphs

Participants :
- Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Hongrie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 139850.88 €
Projet FastoSpintrolux (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Quantum control of spin qubit plays a key role in spintronics, quantum sensing and quantum information processing. The spin control rate determines the quantum state fidelity and the accuracy in quantum sensing, and thus needs to be enhanced for many applications. Meanwhile, building scalable quantum technology often involves densely distributed qubits, which requires the feasibility of addressing individual spins with high spatial resolution. In order to cope with the growing demand for the operational rate and spatial precision, the experienced researcher proposes to use single flux quanta (Abrikosov vortices) in superconductors to individually address the electronic spin of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers with far-field optics. Optical manipulation of single vortices like optical tweezers enable the nanoscale addressability of individual spins. By rapidly passing a vortex and its strong field through the spin target, he aims at swiftly tuning the spin resonance and coherently driving spin transitions with gigahertz rate. This proposal opens new possibilities of exploring the coupling between mesoscopic flux quanta and single qubits, and provides a promising method for efficiently entangling multiple spins via optically driven Abrikosov vortices.

Mots clés : spin qubit, coherent control, diamond nv centers, flux quanta, superconductor, electron spin resonance, abrikosov vortices, optical manipulation

Participants :
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 196707.84 €
Projet RyM (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Quantum gas systems have been recognized as quantum simulators that can directly compare theoretical models and experiments because of unprecedented experimental conditions. Here, we propose experimental studies on strongly interacting quantum gases in an optical lattice. The key ingredients of our research are the strong and long-range dipolar interactions from Rydberg excited states and two-component Bosonic atoms in optical lattices, which can simulate Heisenberg Hamiltonian. Rydberg atom, having a high principle quantum number, engages in strong interactions because of its large dipole matrix element. Since the dipolar interaction of the systems can be coherently controlled and manipulated by laser light, we will investigate novel ground states of many Rydberg systems and realize many-body fast quantum gates. In this proposal, we introduce a supersolid phase in Rydberg systems, where the dipolar interaction can be tailored to a soft-core potential by off-resonant coupling. Moreover, studying coherent excitation dynamics of many-body Rydberg atoms, fast quantum gates can be realized in optical lattices. Finally, we propose a direct measurement of spin correlation function of anisotropic Heisenberg Hamiltonian in optical lattices by adapting the Ramsey interferometric technique. Our research will extend the boundaries of atomic physics by demonstrating many-body quantum phenomena and offering a new systems to study quantum information science. Demonstration of supersolid will open a new chapter of superfluidity and can clarify long-debates about the existence of superflow in solid He-4. Moreover, our experimental techniques can be further developed to study more complex phenomena such as, spin liquid phase in Rydberg system and many-body localised state in disordered spin Hamiltonian. Through the successful demonstration of ground breaking experiments, the competitiveness of European Research Area will be increased.

Mots clés : optical lattices, rydberg atoms, supersolid, quantum gates, green s function

Participants :
- Max Planck Society (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 159460.8 €
Projet ODESI (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Quantum physics, when applied to computing, is projected to lead to revolutionary enhancements in computational speed and power. However, to construct such a "quantum” computer, its building blocks, called qubits, have to be resistant to environmental disturbance; they need to hold the information encoded within them for long periods. One of the most promising ways to create such qubits consists in exploiting the spin degree of freedom of natural atoms implanted in silicon. This project proposes to investigate the coherent manipulation of a single door electron spin coupled to a charge detector. For this purpose, we will develop a new technique to determine the spin state of a single donor, relying on a spin-to-charge conversion induced by bound-exciton optical transitions. This method shows several advantages: it can work up to 4K, and at low magnetic field. It has been successfully implemented on assembly but never at the single donor level. The final experiment of this project will comprise two steps: i) the manipulation of the spin information using microwave excitations in order to create superposition of states ii) and the reading of the spin information using an optoelectronic detection scheme, which is at the centre of this project.

Mots clés : silicon, nanoelectronic, bound exciton, optoelectronic, magnetic resonance, charge detection

Participants :
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 152430.0 €
Projet QUSON (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Quantum sensing exploits effects such as entanglement to enhance the sensitivity of measurement devices. In the last decade we have witnessed a significant advance in experimental platforms such as trapped ion setups and superconducting circuits. These systems are never free from noise and dissipation, however, interactions between qubits and photons or phonons can be controlled with lasers or external fields. Even in strong dissipative regimes, cooperative effects may induce complex quantum dynamics with emergent phenomena such as non-equilibrium phase transitions and multistability. The question then arises whether we can exploit those many-body effects in robust metrological protocols. My project will address this question in two main scenarios corresponding to different limits of a network of qubits coupled to photonic cavities. Firstly, I will consider a limit of weak coupling, in which cooperative radiative decay leads to the generation of entanglement. Secondly, I will investigate networks of qubits strongly coupled to photonic cavities. I will identify, and systematically investigate, points close to non-equilibrium phase transitions in which the abrupt response of the system can be used to accurately measure properties of driving fields. The project requires a rigorous theoretical description of the qubit-cavity network. Approximations such as a mean-field theory can be used for a preliminary study. However, to achieve my goals I will need to properly describe quantum correlations across the system. I will address this challenge by using Matrix Product States methods - an advanced quasi-exact numerical technique. My reference systems will be trapped ion setups and superconducting qubits coupled to microwave resonators. In my project, I will systematically investigate their performance as quantum sensors under realistic conditions. My work will lead to proposals for the accurate measurement of microwave fields, magnetic fields and ultra-weak forces.

Mots clés : quantum sensing, open quantum systems, dissipative phase transitions, trapped ions, superconducting circuits, nonlinear cavities, quantum optics

Participants :
- University of Sussex (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- University of Oxford (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet PALEOQUINOA (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Quinoa is a highly nutritious grain identified by the UN as an essential crop to improve world food security. Pre-Columbian cultures started the domestication of quinoa about 7,000 years ago in the highland and coastal environments of the Andes where it is adapted to various biotic and abiotic stresses. The spread of quinoa out the centres of domestication likely required adaptation to new environments supported by favourable alleles at critical genetic and epigenetic loci. However, domestication as an intensive selection process can also lead to a reduction of the genetic diversity of domesticates, reducing their adaptability plants and threatening food security. Accessing the genetic makeup of dated archaeobotanical samples provides a powerful opportunity to examine the genomic information that has changed at various stages of domestication, enabling the identification of lost genetic diversity at key loci. Archaeological studies have reported quinoa remains dating back to 4,000 years before present, but the ancient genetic diversity remains under characterised. PALEOQUINOA will take advantage of the excellent preservation of ancient DNA molecules in archaeological specimens to track the genomic, transcriptomic and epigenomic changes in quinoa in the last 3,500 years. The unique combination of advanced ancient DNA techniques and cutting-edge computational methods will generate the first genome-scale dataset of ancient quinoa and characterise the domestication history of this crop. In addition to the genome, PALEOQUINOA will also investigate, for the first time, the transcriptome and epigenetic regulatory gene expression networks of ancient quinoa seeds, in relation to environmental changes. The new knowledge gained through this multidisciplinary approach will shed light into the evolutionary history of crop domestication and facilitate improvements in the genetic makeup of quinoa to increase its suitability as a crop at the time of ongoing biodiversity crisis.

Mots clés : plant genetic resources, ancient dna, epigenetics, quinoa, food security

Participants :
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 184707.84 €
Projet RLOOP-AS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

R-loops are long RNA/DNA hybrids naturally formed behind RNA polymerase II (Pol II) during transcription, but their persistence is a threat for genome integrity through the creation of DNA damage, leading to cancer development. However, several recent studies reported a new and exciting role for R-loops in gene expression regulation by influencing transcription termination and chromatin modification. As mutations in several RNA processing factors have been shown to stabilize R-loop formation, we propose here to investigate the link between R-loops and co-transcriptional alternative splicing (AS) and to decipher the underlying mechanisms, a hypothesis supported by our preliminary results identifying more than 3000 splice junctions affected by decreased R-loops upon overexpression of RNase H1. The use of a specific antibody to RNA/DNA hybrids and stabilization/removal of R-loops coupled to high-throughput analysis of splicing (RNA-seq), R-loop profiling (DRIP-seq) and Pol II positioning and measurements (PRO-seq) will allow us to investigate genome-wide regulation of AS by R-loop formation. We will use particular AS events as models to elucidate the molecular mechanisms interconnecting R-loops and AS. Moreover, based on our previous expertise, we plan to study the impact of R-loops on DNA damage-induced AS alteration as a model of physiological regulation of AS by R-loops. This project will provide new insights on AS regulation through the formation of R-loops and also on cancer progression through R-loop stabilization. Finally, this project will allow me to acquire independent thinking and scientific leadership to reach an independent academic position in France.

Mots clés : r loops, alternative splicing

Participants :
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 170121.6 €
Projet DeepRNA (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

RNA-binding proteins are implicated across a wide spectrum of human genetic disorders, with molecular mechanisms ranging from aggregation of proteins and RNAs to defects in splicing and translation. Examples include heterogeneous and life-threatening genetic disorders such as Diamond-Blackfan anaemia, spinocerebellar ataxia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among others. The DeepRNA project targets genetic diseases via disease-associated variants in the human transcriptome and is enabled by recent data on expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and experimentally determined RNA-protein and RNA-RNA interactions. The data will be complemented with high-quality RNA-protein interaction predictions carried out in the host group that has a strong track record in computing and validating RNA-protein associations. To my knowledge the use of eQTL variants to study RNA-protein interactions is a novel approach and is useful for developing new tools for personalised medicine. My approach will expand the human interactome in a genome-wide manner beyond experimental data, which is currently available for only 352 of the 1,542 recently described RNA-binding proteins. Complementing experimentally determined interactions with predictions will allow me to expand my analyses of the human interactome to the genomic scale while maintaining accuracy, by using the experimental dataset as a gold standard. I will employ methods such as graph partitioning and graph neural network encoding to rationalise the effects of disease-associated variants on the human interaction network, and make quantitative predictions of polymorphisms associated with genetic diseases, thereby aiding personalised medicine. I am confident that this fellowship will equip me with the domain knowledge, independence and transferrable skills to confidently and creatively build an interdisciplinary, globally recognised research team within Europe that will focus on medically relevant human signalling systems.

Mots clés : protein rna interactions, rna binding proteins, expression quantitative trait loci, eqtls, artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural variation, disease associated variation

Participants :
- Centre for Genomic Regulation (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 158121.6 €
Projet POL2-TERM (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

RNAs transcribed by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) undergo numerous modifications before becoming export competent mature mRNA. One key step is the addition of the poly-adenine (poly-A) tail, which involves cleavage of the pre-mRNA from the growing RNA chain and the subsequent polyadenylation by poly-A polymerase. This cascade of events is known collectively as 3’-end processing and is one of the least understood steps of mRNA biogenesis. Pol II plays a vital role in recruiting and assembling the 3’-end processing machinery onto the nascent RNA, but the structural basis of transcription-coupled 3’-RNA processing is yet to be elucidated. This project aims to bring together the fields of transcription and 3’-end processing in order to understand how poly-A tails are added onto pre-mRNA in the context of actively transcribing Pol II. The most advanced methods of protein expression in recombinant systems as well as the extraction of complexes from native source will be coupled with state-of-the-art electron microscopy analysis to determine the structural basis of co-transcriptional 3’-end processing. Complementary biophysical methods will be used to map macromolecular interactions, and biochemical assays will be conducted to measure the impact of mutations introduced to characterize this fundamental biological process. The goal of this work is to provide the mechanistic basis for this essential step in mRNA biogenesis, and to understand human diseases that are resulted from aberrations in RNA production and processing.


Participants :
- Max Planck Society (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 162806.4 €
Projet ICDSpec (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Rare-gas nanodroplets (1000-20000 atoms) provide a unique environment for trapping and cooling molecular species and thus open new possibilities for the study of physical and chemical phenomena as well as the analysis of exotic chemical species. Characterization of these nanoreactors (i.e. size distribution) is an important aspect for a better understanding and control of the embedded species. The aim of the project is to propose an original and powerful spectroscopic tool for characterizing the structure of rare-gas nanodroplets by means of the Interatomic Coulombic Decay (ICD) process. ICD is an efficient non-radiative electronic deexcitation process which can be used to selectively create two charges at neighboring sites in the droplets and thus to trigger the droplets fragmentation in a well control and characterized way. The initial structure of the droplets will be inferred from the mass-spectrum and the kinetic-energy distribution of the ionic fragments after ICD. These distributions can be measured with standard experimental apparatus which should make such ICD spectroscopy readily and easily available to many experimental groups. Furthermore, the project will considerably improve the current understanding and control of nanodroplets formation. In this respect, the outcomes of the project will interest and bring benefit to a large number of European groups studying and/or using nanodroplets. To evaluate the analytical power of ICD, theoretical methodologies and numerical tools for modeling, beyond the current state-of-the-art, the ICD driven fragmentations of droplets will be developed. The project will pave the way to a better diagnosis of nanodroplets and bring a new and efficient spectroscopy to chemists and physicists interested in nanodroplets science.


Participants :
- Sorbonne Université (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 173076.0 €
Projet reSEARCH (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : European Researchers' Night
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Re(search) will connect the citizens of Dublin with research through two fringe-festival events held in 2016 and in 2017. For each event, Dubliners will be invited to the iconic Front Square of Trinity College Dublin where they will explore how research is addressing societal challenges (the same societal challenges laid out in H2020). The societal challenges will be explored using a range of formats including comedy, drama, dining, story-telling, and citizen-science. These have been chosen to spark conversations between researchers and citizens on issues that matter to people’s lives. Conversations will allow citizens to construct their own views on research topics and the role of research in our society (and as a career). Constructivist approaches to learning are known to lead to enhanced learning outcomes in formal learning settings. This proposal is based on the idea that a constructivist approach to learning can also be applied to informal learning environments, such as Re(search) Night. Dubliners will be made aware of the two Re(search) events through an advertising campaign on Dublin’s Metro train (based on an award winning model designed by the coordinator). Evaluation of the project will be integral to its success with best-practices applied at all stages. Re(search) 2016 and 2017 will be delivered by a management team that has considerable experience in science communication, science education, public engagement and project management. The Re(search) concept outlined in this proposal is a novel way to engage large numbers of citizens. It is based on a number of previous, successful, campaigns and has a strong grounding in published best-practice.

Mots clés : societal challenges, citizen science, constructivist approach to communication, multi disciplinary, learning through conversation, research as part of our cultural identity

Participants :
- Trinity College Dublin (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 159900.0 €