Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet PLACAV (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Imagine life without colour. Many of the rich layers of information in our visual world would disappear and simple tasks, such as finding a red apple in a tree, would be far more difficult. There are many examples of animals in nature that have limited colour vision, yet some have managed to develop high-performance eyes that, in some respects, far surpass our own visual capabilities. One of the ways that animals have achieved this is to make use of the polarization of light rather than colour. The reasons behind this are not understood and represent a novel area for scientific exploration. Many animals have been shown to be sensitive to the polarization of light, but nearly all research to date has focussed on dedicated eye structures for detecting specific cues such as the polarized sky field for navigation (e.g. in honey bees, ants, and locusts). The recent discovery that some animals make use of a highly developed sensitivity to polarized light across the whole visual field of their image-forming eyes opens the way for new investigations into the use of polarized light for object detection and discrimination, a field previously dominated by the study of colour and intensity visual systems. I have shown in recent investigations that fiddler crabs have highly-acute sensitivity to polarized light across their whole visual field. These animals have been model species for behavioural ecology research over the past 50 years and so represent an ideal organism for developing a clear understanding of image-based polarization vision. The central question of what has caused evolution, in the case of fiddler crabs, to develop high performance polarization vision rather than colour vision will be addressed at both the physiological and behavioural levels by asking the following two broad questions: Q1 – How is polarized light information processed in the nervous system of fiddler crabs? Q2 – How do fiddler crabs use polarized light information in their natural environment?

Mots clés : polarized light, vision, crustacean

Participants :
- University of Bristol (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 195454.8 €
Projet ARGONAUT (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Immunotherapy is currently revolutionizing cancer therapy by harnessing the power of the innate and adaptive immune system against cancer cells, thus providing a more tumour-selective approach in assistance to traditional treatments. The identification of tumour-associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs), aberrant types of glycans decorating the surface of tumour cells, has paved the way for the development of new types of cancer vaccines. However, while significant progress has been made in this area of research, TACA-based cancer vaccines have not yet reached the clinic. In this context, ARGONAUT will address some limitations that characterize classical approaches in carbohydrate cancer vaccine development, with the overall aim of establishing a strategy to access novel, more effective, and fully synthetic vaccine candidates. ARGONAUT’s journey aims at the preparation of vaccine candidates based on ganglioside-type TACAs (expressed in melanoma, neuroblastoma, and small cell lung cancer) that are easy to formulate, able to elicit a immune response independent from individual polymorphisms, and with better chances to reach the clinical environment. Employing a synthetic carbohydrate chemistry approach, ARGONAUT explores its application as a tool to contribute to H2020 European efforts in cancer research, while providing excellent training in a multidisciplinary and intersectoral environment through a well-implemented work-plan. From another perspective, ARGONAUT’s impact will also benefit from the transfer of knowledge to the host institution with the establishment of a new research line in active cancer immunotherapy.

Mots clés : tumour associated carbohydrate antigens, neuroectodermal cancers, galcer, gangliosides, oligosaccharide synthesis, sialylation, liposomes, invariant nkt, cancer vaccine, self adjuvanting vaccine

Participants :
- Technical University of Denmark (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 207312.0 €
Projet TACOMA (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Impact of carbon nanomaterials (CNM) on society can be significant as they have the potential to revolutionize applications in sensors, catalysis, supercapacitors and energy storage. For sensors, currently used materials such as glassy carbon (GC), cannot selectively and sensitively detect neurotransmitters in physiological environment and the required surface properties in a given application environment are not known. However, by understanding the connection between sensing performance and material properties we can enable tailor-made materials. Unfortunately, even with the rigorously studied GC, this is not known. This can be attributed to the limited access to highly sensitive and high-resolution characterization methods and especially to the lack of in situ measurements. TACOMA-Project offers implementation of the world’s first in situ soft X-ray Spectroscopy (X-RS) setup with Stanford Linear Accelerator Laboratory and NASA based on the new transition edge sensor technology allowing detailed spectroscopic studies of carbon, its surface functional groups and various carbon-metal bonds under realistic use environments. Further, a novel hybrid characterization method combining photoelectron, absorption and X-ray emission spectroscopy to study CNM as fabricated, chemically modified and aged under laboratory conditions will be established. TACOMA is supported by a network of collaborators providing (i) access to machine learning and atomistic simulations that are integrated with the experimental work, (ii) insight into electrochemistry and (iii) access to high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The TACOMA-Project will address questions such as what is the root cause of the electrocatalytic properties of CNM and how surface of the CNM evolves in the application environment? This will realize the huge potential of CNMs and allow the future fellow to transfer this unique knowledge of CNM and X-RS to European universities, industry and synchrotron facilities.

Mots clés : carbon nanomaterials, in situ x ray spectroscopy, x ray absorption spectroscopy, x ray emission spectroscopy

Participants :
- Aalto University (Finlande) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Stanford University (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- University of Oulu (Finlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 278606.4 €
Projet ART-BONE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Implant biomaterials currently used for bone repair and regeneration often cause inflammation responses, and possess suboptimal osseointegration capability and osteoconduction ability. These significant clinical problems are due to their chemical, structural and physical properties which differ greatly with respect to a natural bone tissue. ART-BONE aims to overcome these limitations via an innovative, nanotechnology strategy for the manufacturing of a new type of synthetic biomaterial that precisely mimics bone tissue features. This strategy pairs 3D printing technology with a bottom-up process in which the elementary building blocks of bone (hydroxyapatite crystals, collagen fibrils, water molecules, active bioorganic molecules) are combined to reconstruct the overall architecture and chemical composition of a natural bone tissue. In parallel, numerous materials characterization techniques (solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, scanning helium ion microscopy, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, etc.) will be applied to scrutinize the finalized synthetic biomaterial; and the experiment conditions will be adjusted accordingly to ensure its biomimicry with native tissues. The novelty of this strategy resides in the fact that the experimental approach is inspired by the latest concepts in bone biomineralization, and enables the design of highly biomimetic, synthetic biomaterials in terms of chemical, structural and physical properties. This strategy must not only guarantee the biocompatibility of the finalized synthetic biomaterial and prevent inflammatory responses, but also insure a good adhesion to the surrounding bone tissue following implantation. Such highly biomimetic, synthetic biomaterial possesses, in theory, optimal osteointegration capacity and osteoconduction ability, and will offer an appealing alternative to the clinical “gold standard” autografts in the future.

Mots clés : bone, biomaterial, bioengineering, regenerative medicine, biomineralization, bone repair, bone regeneration, biomimetic, artificial bone, translational medicine, bone graft, bone substitute, alloplast

Participants :
- Trinity College Dublin (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 175866.0 €
Projet Organ-VIP (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Implementation of next generation sequencing to genetic diagnosis and precision medicine has revolutionized the fields of hereditary cancer and oncology, increasing exponencially the identification of genetic variants of uncertain significance. Their classification is one of the most relevant and urgent challenges we face, since decision-making in the clinics depends on it. Evidence obtained from empirical functional studies is essential to reach a definitive classification; however, clinical relevance of such studies is currently low due to lack of standardized tests, use of inadequate models, and tediousness and cost- and time-inefficiency of available assays. Organ-VIP aims at surpassing the barriers we face when using and implementing functional assays for the interpretation of genetic variants in colorectal cancer (CRC) genes. State-of-the-art methodological and conceptual developments will facilitate the development of a screening platform to interpret the pathogenicity of variants in any CRC gene. To do so, we aim to: i) Use a model that faithfully represents the target tissue and genetic context (CRISPR/Cas9-edited human normal colon organoids); ii) Optimize end-point assay(s) to maximize performance, implementation, robustness and agreement with clinical evidence; iii) Assess genetic variants in hereditary CRC and polyposis genes; and iv) Calibrate the results for implementation in variant classifiers. Organ-VIP integrates clinical aspects, molecular and cell biology, next generation sequencing, and advanced bioinformatics analysis. The platform will not only be useful for variant interpretation in germline and somatic testing, but also for functional evaluation of new candidate CRC genes. In the longer term, Organ-VIP will become high-throughput by the implementation of saturation genome editing, high-throughput organoid culture, automation of sampling, and implementation of artificial intelligence.

Mots clés : hereditary cancer, colorectal cancer, intestinal organoids, genome editing, variant interpretation

Participants :
- Institut d'Investigació Biomédica de Bellvitge (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 160932.48 €
Projet IPMRB (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Imprecise Probability Models of Rational Belief. The goal of this project is to provide a philosophically well founded theory of rational belief based on "Imprecise Probabilities"(IP). That is, instead of the orthodox Bayesian approach to modelling belief using probability functions, the IP approach uses a set of probability functions as the representation of belief. This promises to be a more foundationally secure, more normatively compelling, more descriptively accurate and more representationally powerful theory of rational belief. The project consists of three parts. The first analyses the basic concept of IP, and the methodology of formal epistemology more generally. The second explores learning and inference in an IP setting, and the third focusses on decision making with IP.

Mots clés : formal epistemology, decision theory, imprecise probability

Participants :
- University of Leeds (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet MaritimeImagination (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In 1609, Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius, commissioned by the VOC, published Mare Liberum. The book argued for a juridical distinction between land-based sovereignties and the "free sea," heralding a new maritime imagination and international legal order that still persists today. Grotius is not just an exemplary figure for early deliberations on maritime worlds, his work carries particular resonance for Dutch articulations of empire and colonialism rooted in oceanic spaces that have shaped its historical and contemporary position in a global context. Although historians agree that The Netherlands was more interested in commercial maritime trade than European settlement, accounts of Dutch empire and colonialism remain land-based, simply mentioning the ocean as a route between colony and metropole. Maritime Imagination addresses this oversight by developing a cultural oceanography of the Dutch maritime imagination, generating an innovative multi-era and interdisciplinary approach to the study of maritime worlds. Applying an oceanic perspective, I aim to show how a maritime frame -rather than a land-based frame- engenders new ways of theorizing the formation of Dutch empire and colonialism and its impact on the present. Starting from an oceanic framework that crosses existing analytic divides between culture, society, law, economy, and environment, I aim to contribute to the emerging interdisciplinary field of Oceanic Studies. Maritime Imagination researches four interrelated ocean temporalities (17th cent. - present), in which I position Dutch ship voyages as laboratories of colonialism and empire. Visions of the ocean, deeds performed at sea, how they are imagined and their impact are what I call maritime imagination, which can only be illuminated by foregrounding the ocean as a central locus that engenders, shapes and transforms world views, culture, self/other definitions, laws, economy, and ecologies of extraction and sustainability -i.e. through a cultural oceanography.

Mots clés : ocean and maritime worlds, colonial legacies, imperialism, globalization

Participants :
- University of Amsterdam (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 239817.6 €
- University of British Columbia (Canada) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet QUAPT (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In 1998, one of the fundamental assumptions in quantum mechanics, that the Hamiltonian describing a quantum system has to be Hermitian, was overturned. The existence of an entire class of Hamiltonians that are non-Hermitian yet still possess real eigenvalues was discovered. These non-Hermitian Hamiltonians describe PT-symmetric systems, which are systems that are invariant under the combined operations of parity-inversion and time-reversal. Currently, it is still under debate what implications PT-symmetry has for quantum physics. Yet in photonics, PT-symmetry can be readily realized by a proper distribution of gain and loss in the system, making photonics the ideal platform for studying the physics of PT-symmetric systems. Indeed, various effects of PT-symmetry such as non-orthogonal eigenmodes, non-reciprocal evolution of light, and diffusive coherent transport have been demonstrated on a photonic platform, and inspired applications in lasers and optical diodes. So far, these photonic experiments have been purely classical and the full impact of PT-symmetry on the evolution of light is still unclear. Quantum evolution of light in PT-symmetric systems is completely unexplored territory with lots of new physics to be unravelled. Therefore, the objective of this proposal is to for the first time experimentally investigate the evolution of quantum states in non-Hermitian systems. In particular, the project will study the quantum evolution of multiple correlated photons injected in PT-symmetric integrated photonic structures fabricated using direct laser-writing technology. The aim is to investigate how modifying the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian of the system influences photon correlations, expecting to demonstrate novel behaviour and unravel new physics. It is expected to find that quantum correlations fundamentally change: for example, correlated photons that should naturally bunch might anti-bunch, show a mixed bunching-antibunching, or even uncorrelated behaviour.

Mots clés : pt symmetry, non hermitian physics

Participants :
- University of Rostock (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 162806.4 €
Projet SQoL (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In 2007, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the OECD and the WWF hosted a conference titled "Beyond GDP" . The conference was attended by over 650 policy makers, experts and social activists and aimed to criticize the use of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) as an economic indicator of the wealth of nations, and to advocate for a society better able to foster and measure wellbeing and quality of life (QoL). The “QoL Initiatives” are a heterogenic and informal movement of scholars and transnational institutions who aim at developing new theories, policies and indicators about quality of life.The most influential ones include: the EU’s Quality of Life in Europe, the Stiglitz-Sen-Fitoussi Commission, the OECD’s Better Life Initiative, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the World Happiness Report, and the OCSE PISA Students' Well-being. So far, little has been done within educational research to critically study the educational relevance, impact and potentials of the ongoing “QoL Initiatives”, in particular how this movement will shape education systems. Moreover, a terminological confusion related to concepts such as happiness, wellbeing and quality of life must be clarified and operationalized in order to support educational theories and policies. The main research question of my project is: what is the role of QoL policies, theories and practices in education system and how can a School for Quality of Life (SQoL) model be? The hypothesis is that QoL policies, which are still fairly new, will increasingly influence European educational systems in the near future. My overall objective is to map and critically analyse the impact of such policies on the educational systems, with a particular focus on primary and lower secondary schooling (pupils age 6-16), and to provide a School for Quality of Life (SQoL) model. My study will be the first to provide a solid analysis of the impact of the QoL initiatives and policies on European education systems.

Mots clés : school system, quality of life, wellbeing, policy analysis, mix methods

Participants :
- Aarhus University (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 200194.8 €
Projet SPFPs (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

In 2009, Lindane was included in the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) to achieve the global elimination of these substances. This international treaty mandates an irreversible destruction of POPs into non-POPs. Consequently, development of cost-effective, safe and environmentally technologies for the destruction of POPs is necessary. Although the Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) are efficient in the treatment of this pollutants, many have the disadvantage of their high cost. A very useful alternative from the economic and environmental point of view is the use of solar energy integrated to these processes. This is Solar photo-Fenton Process (SPFPs). A detailed study associated with the photo-Fenton degradation of POPs (Lindane) present in real contaminated waters using a pilot plant Solar Reactor (SR) is proposed. This development includes an experimental work and rigorous mathematical modelling of photochemical reactors (laboratory and pilot plant scale), considering the fundamentals of chemical reactions (reaction mechanisms) and transport phenomena (mass and energy). The contaminated waters will be obtained at the Bailin landfill Sabiñánigo (Spain). The propose project addresses an environmental issue, highly relevant for current EU policies, included in UN Sustainable Development Goals, point 6 “Clean Water and Sanitation”. The innovative non-concentrate SR proposed aims to provide an economical/efficient alternative solution to this problem. This technology development would be used for many industries or communes that require an efficient treatment of their effluents. Based on the SR proposed, and considering the results obtained, the patent of these unit will be evaluated. The proposed realistic/highly ambitious work plan will be consistent with the extension of the call (24 mons.) The results obtained will be widely disseminated, not only in the scientific, but also in the academic and in the social.

Mots clés : advanced oxidation process, persistent organic pollutants, photo fenton reaction, solar reactors, technical hexachlorocyclohexane, lindane

Participants :
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 172932.48 €