Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet BAN-BOOT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), one of the most dangerous aerobic bacteria. The need for long-term treatments and the increase in drug resistance mechanisms make it necessary to urgently develop new strategies to combat this potentially lethal pathogen. beta-Lactam Antibiotics (BLA) are the most widely used and safest antibiotics in the clinic and include several classes such as penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems. However, historically these agents have not been used to treat TB. There are two mechanisms of resistance to BLA in Mtb: the cell envelope rich in lipoglycans which acts as a barrier for the penetration of many drugs, including BLA, and the expression of BlaC, a specific beta-lactamase enzyme capable of hydrolyze and inactivate the BLA. Recent studies have shown that the combination of meropenem (a beta-lactam carbapenem), amoxicillin (a beta-lactam penicillin) and clavulanate (a beta-Lactamase inhibitor) markedly reduced the Mtb load in the patient’s sputum after two weeks, therefore giving new hope to the use of BLA to tackle the tuberculosis epidemic. This proposal aims to develop new compounds that behave as BLA adjuvant for anti-Mtb treatment with a dual mechanism of action. We will design and synthesize novel Boronic Acid Transition State Inhibitors (BATSIs) as inhibitors of BlaC, the beta-lactamase expressed in Mtb, and investigate whether they can be derivatized to become disrupting agents of Mtb’s unique outer “capsule” made of lipoglycans, to promote better penetration of drugs into the cell. This project will also investigate the possibility of improving the penetration of molecules into the necrotic granuloma formed in vivo as part of the disease process, by developing a lipid-based prodrug strategy. To achieve these specific objectives, the project will be divided into three main work packages, involving a combination of biological, chemical, and analytical expertise.

Mots clés : mycbacteria, antimicrobial resistance, beta lactamase inhibitor, boronic acids, prodrugs

Participants :
- Université de Leyde (Pays-Bas) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (Italie) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de Modène et de Reggio Emilie (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 172750.08 €
Projet PANISPERNA (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

PANISPERNA focuses on the so-called “via Panisperna boys”, a group of young Italian scientists led by E. Fermi who, in 1934, discovered the slow neutrons, paving the way for the construction of the nuclear reactor and, eventually, the first atomic bomb. Over time, they reached legendary status in their country, to the point where their myth became an obstacle for historians. The goal of this project is to write a new, inclusive, and accurate history of the group from its birth in the late 1920s to the publication of L. Sciascia’s bestselling novel on the disappearance of the “boy” E. Majorana (1975) – the most influential book in shaping Italian collective memory of Fermi’s team. For this purpose, the ER will take into account a new set of sources, paying attention to transnational circulations and using an interdisciplinary approach to shed light on three major issues. 1) The relationship between science and power in different (and seemingly incompatible) political regimes such as American democracy and Italian fascism. 2) The transnational networks that allowed the “boys” not only to correspond with the top physicists of their time but also to find refuge abroad when political persecution, racism and war forced them to flee their country. 3) The presence of women in the group, the gender dynamics within it, and the gendered dimension of scientific work, communication and memory. Because of the topic and the innovative methodology, the project has the potential to have a considerable impact at both a scientific and a societal level, during the fellowship and beyond. On the one hand, it will produce new, high-quality knowledge on a relevant case study, making it available through open-access, free-of-charge publications as well as communication activities. On the other hand, it will raise awareness of the importance of both gender equality in science and innovative scientific practices under political and societal constraints.

Mots clés : modern and contemporary italy, science and politics, intellectual migration to the us

Participants :
- University of California System (Etats-Unis) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- University of California System (Etats-Unis) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de Modène et de Reggio Emilie (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 420751.08 €
Projet ATPsensor (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Epilepsy is the most common chronic brain disease, affecting ~70 million people worldwide. Accurately diagnosing epilepsy remains a major clinical challenge due to the lack of non-invasive molecular diagnostic tools. Purinergic signalling via extracellularly released adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and its downstream purine derivatives is increasingly recognised to contribute to increased hyperexcitability states in the brain, and thus seizures. Hence, these can be potentially identified as novel promising therapeutic targets for the treatment of epilepsy but also as a source of disease-specific biomarkers. However, the diagnostic potential of purinergic signalling for epilepsy remains unclear, and current methods of detection are either unsuitable for point-of-care application or lack disease specificity. Employing a multidisciplinary approach including sensor development, testing in preclinical models of epilepsy, and testing in patients, we will develop a new, user-friendly point-of-care sensor which allows the measurement of specific purines and evaluate the diagnostic potential of blood purine expression changes. Combining my research experience in the development of biosensors with the expertise of my primary (Dr Tobias Engel, RCSI) and secondment (Prof Nicholas Dale, University of Warwick; Prof Norman Delanty, Beaumont Hospital; Prof Felix Rosenow, Frankfurt University) supervisors on purinergic signalling and the development diagnostic devices, ATPsensor will increase our understanding of purinergic signalling and provide new tools to support the diagnosis of epilepsy. The skills acquired during the research project, the excellent training record of the supervisors and host institutions, and the outstanding resources for learning and development available at RCSI and collaborator institutions will give me the tools necessary to become a highly employable neuroscientist.

Mots clés : biosensors epilepsy biomaterials nanochemistry

Participants :
- University Hospital Frankfurt (Allemagne) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université nationale de Séoul (Corée du Sud) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 199694.4 €
- Beaumont hospital board (Irlande) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes publics (hors enseignement & recherche), subvention : 0.0 €
Projet COMPOL-3D (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The energy range between 0.1 MeV and 10 MeV is called as “MeV gap” in astronomy, primarily due to the low sensitivity of the instruments in this energy range. Compton imaging is the key technique proposed to overcome this challenge. The goal of this project is to design a cost-efficient Compton Imager. CZT detectors have the potential to be game changers when used in a Compton Imager, since they offer good energy resolution at room temperatures. Hence in this project, we plan to design, simulate and calibrate a Compton Camera based on the 3D-CZT Drift Strip Detectors, developed previously at DTU Space, Technical University of Denmark. An additional advantage is that the Compton Imager could be used as a hard X-ray polarimeter, as azhimuthal angle of the Compton scattering depends on the polarization of the incoming photon. Recent observations from the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) have attracted massive interest from the high-energy astrophysical community towards X-ray polarimetry. However, IXPE operates in the soft X-ray band of 2-8 keV, where the thermal processes interlap with non-thermal processes. Hence, a polarimeter in the MeV band where the non-thermal radiative process dominates is of large interest. We plan to design a laboratory model of the Compton telescope using a stacked configuration of 3D CZT detectors and evaluate its imaging and polarimetry performance through simulations followed by experimental validation. The recent development of this detector includes using Artificial Neural Networks for sensor Signal Processing and Real-time measurement of radiation interactions which would also be ideal for this project. The immense expertise of the host supervisor and group in semiconductor detectors would complement the candidate's experience in X-ray polarimetry to accomplish the project.

Mots clés : x ray detectors, space instrumentation, x ray polarimetry, high energy astrophysics

Participants :
- Université technique du Danemark (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 247553.28 €
Projet BioPHIX (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : SIGNED

BioPHIX aims to advance spinal cord injury (SCI) treatment, making the development of precise, biocompatible, and reliable temperature monitoring solutions a significant step forward in optimizing therapeutic hypothermia protocols. BioPHIX will design a novel polymer fibre temperature sensor capable for immediate implantation within the patient for prolonged observation of the patient’s physiological responses, during therapeutic hypothermia in SCIs, both during and post operation. This device will address one of the most vital shortcomings of the current temperature sensors; the ability to remain for an extended duration within the patient by minimizing the effect of a foreign body reaction response (FBR). The biocompatible polymer sensing device will achieve just that, while, at the same time augmenting the performance of the current state-of-the-art by combining the benefits of unique polymer materials with femtosecond lasers to facilitate the unique sensing structure.

Mots clés : polymer fibres fabrication, optical fibre sensors, femtosecond laser material modification

Participants :
- Institut de technologie de Chypre (Chypre) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université technique du Danemark (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 247553.28 €
Projet ENLIVEN (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction (ECR) reaction offers a powerful strategy to enable a circular economy that converts CO2 from a waste to a useful resource. Among the possible catalysts for the ECR, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer a tunable porous structure for rapid mass transport and easy access to a high density of catalytic sites, which can be tailored at the molecular level, leading to superior activity. Moreover, copper-based MOFs (Cu-MOFs) show relatively low cost and ability to form C2+ products. However, the low selectivity, poor stability and electrical conductivity set obstacles for ECR applications of these materials. The ENLIVEN project aims to surpass these limits, through the combination of Cu-MOFs with highly stable and conductive covalent organic frameworks (COFs) forming core@shell MOF@COF thin films on mesoporous conductive carbon nanofibers (CNFs). To this aim, CNFs prepared by electrospinning will be covered by a homogenous metal oxide layer and then pyrolysed to produce metal seeds for the solvothermal growth of homogeneous crystalline Cu-MOF-NH2 layers. Then, the NH2 functionalized surface will be modified with aldehyde groups necessary for the growth of a COF layer. To allow tuning the selectivity towards the ECR and decreasing the competing hydrogen evolution reaction, superaerophilic electrodes will be assembled using COF ligands with hydrophobic groups and designing a special morphology. Also, ENLIVEN will study the new confined chemistry that takes place inside the pores of MOF@COF architectures, rationally designed from the molecular- through nano- to meso-scale. This knowledge will provide the blueprints for the development of more durable and efficient electrocatalytic materials. The project will be conducted in UNIPD and DTU (secondment). The fellow (S.A.N.Najafabadi), with expertise in MOF/COF synthesis, will acquire new skills in the synthesis and characterisation of advanced structures for electrochemical applications.

Mots clés : electrocatalytic co2 reduction ecr , metal organic framework mof , covalent organic framework cof , carbon nanofiber, composite materials

Participants :
- Université de Padoue (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 172750.08 €
- Université technique du Danemark (Danemark) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet GSPTexp (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Mathematics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Important aspects of nonlinear complex systems like the Earth's climate, gene regulatory networks or the global telecommunication network can be modelled mathematically by systems of ordinary differential equations. However, the dynamics of such systems can rarely be understood by direct numerical simulation due to significant problems including high dimensionality, strong nonlinearity and processes occurring over a wide range of timescales. This leads to the necessity of model reduction, i.e. the identification of reliable methods for discarding unnecessary details to obtain a simpler 'reduced system', whilst preserving the salient dynamical features of the original system. Existing approaches to model reduction rely on a combination of methods which (i) exploit multi-scale structure in order to decompose the problem into lower dimensional subsystems, and (ii) reduce nonlinearity by replacing highly nonlinear terms by piecewise-smooth (PWS) approximations. Despite substantial progress in particular applications, a sound mathematical basis is often lacking and existing methodologies sometimes lead to qualitatively different results.  This project addresses a number of limitations to existing model reduction techniques, by developing a mathematical formalism which we call "GSPTexp". We begin by building upon recent developments in Geometric Singular Perturbation Theory, with the aim to formalise recently identified connections between PWS systems and multi-scale systems with exponential nonlinearities. Via multiple novel adaptations of a geometric method known as blow-up, the GSPTexp formalism will be developed and used as a mathematically sound method for model reduction of (i) classical model problems from combustion and (ii) gene regulatory networks. Finally, in an ambitious interdisciplinary collaboration with systems biologists, we aim to couple GSPTexp with emerging techniques based on tropical geometry to study and simplify (iii) biochemical networks.

Mots clés : geometric singular perturbation theory, multi scale systems, exponential nonlinearity, piecewise smooth systems, gene regulatory networks, systems biology, combustion theory

Participants :
- Université de Montpellier (France) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université technique de Vienne (Autriche) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 199440.96 €
- Université technique du Danemark (Danemark) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet BattleCap-CO2 (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The discovery of efficient technologies for mitigation of the rising CO2 level and the associated energy and environmental issues is the grand challenge of our time. Electrochemical CO2 reduction (eCO2R) is one promising approach to convert CO2 into valuable products, but the practical realization is still limited by material and system-level challenges. On top of this, the pathway to bring CO2 captured from a point source to an eCO2R site involves energy-intensive, practically difficult intermediate steps often overlooked by the research community. The BattleCapCO2 project introduces a new pathway to fully integrate CO2 capture and CO2 reduction (CO2CR) in a unit flow reactor. This will be achieved by a unique design of bipolar membrane-electrode assemblies obtained by coupled 3D printing and photolithography techniques. An attempt will be done to elucidate the impact of BPM interface morphologies and electrode surface properties on the efficiency of CO2CR. The conceptual flow reactor design allows for simultaneous CO2 capture, in situ regeneration, and subsequent electroreduction into useful chemicals, presenting an energy efficient and cost-effective technological solution.  The action will broaden the knowledge and expertise of the researcher through high-quality research training in the field of carbon capture and utilization, involving multidisciplinary investigation approaches and intersectoral secondments. This will allow him to expand his professional network with leading scientists in academia and industry from across Europe and the globe, and acquire key skill sets towards professional independence. The project will provide new technological solutions with a significant impact on the ambitious Europan green deal aiming to transform EU into a resource-efficient and competitive economy, ensuring a climate-neutral society.

Mots clés : co2 capture, renewable energy, bipolar membrane, membrane reactors, microfabrication, integrated system, techno economic assessment

Participants :
- Université de Calabre (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 303776.64 €
- Pccell gmbh (Allemagne) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de la Colombie-Britannique (Canada) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université technique du Danemark (Danemark) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet SDA-For (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Despite its importance, snow water equivalent (SWE) monitoring remains an unresolved issue in modern hydrology. This is a consequence of the limitations of orbital sensors, the large spatial variability of the snowpack and the combined errors of meteorological forcings and numerical models. Snow data assimilation (SDA) of remotely sensed data into numerical models is one way to advance the estimation of SWE distribution in remote regions. However, implement SDA initiatives in forested areas is challenging, limiting the development of SDA initiatives in more than 20% of the Northern Hemisphere. The aim of this project is to train the candidate in sophisticated radiative transfer modelling and AI, to implement snow-forest interactions in data assimilation pipelines for a better understanding of snow freshwater resources. This main objective will be developed through the creation of an international network of experts, to train the researcher in different related topics. This includes Dr Jessica Lundquis (Outgoing phase host) from the University of Washington, an authority on forest-snow interactions, and Dr Simon Gascoin (returning phase host) from CESBIO (Toulouse, France), with long experience in multidisciplinary snow remote sensing. The results will be used to enhance the current capabilities of the MuSA tool, an open source and highly scalable data assimilation system developed by the researcher. The project will be the first effort to infer SWE in forest through SDA of spacial imagery, and therefore is of great interest for many stakeholders and scientists. The project is designed with an obvious focus on training the researcher in new techniques but also in soft skills thanks to the mentoring programs of both the University of Washington and CESBIO. The ultimate goal of the project is to improve the career prospects of the researcher, making him an authority in snow science and providing the scientific community with a new and sophisticated SDA tool.

Mots clés : remote sensing, snow, forest, data assimilation, numerical modelling

Participants :
- Université de Washington (Etats-Unis) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de Valence (Espagne) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de Toulouse (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 203159.52 €