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

Colorectal cancer is among the most lethal and prevalent malignancies in the world. Current treatment has limitations, such as adverse effects, drug resistance, metastasis, and recidivism. Flavonoids such as Apigenin, Epigallocatechin-3-gallate, and Quercetin have demonstrated anticancer effects and alternatives for new treatments. Flavonoids can suppress tumor growth, induce apoptosis, inhibit angiogenesis, and modulate cellular signaling pathways in development and progression. Multiple flavonoids administrated simultaneously potentially enhance their biological activities, improving the local effect and instigating a synergistic inhibitory effect on cancer cell viability, increasing apoptosis, decreasing proliferation, and causing the arrest of the chemoresistant cells. Flavonoids are challenging to use orally for therapeutic purposes due to their molecular instability and insufficient delivery to the distal portions of the intestine. This project uses a microfluidic platform to identify a potent flavonoid combinatory nanoformulation-based polysaccharide (cellulose derivates) for oral administration. Flav-NPs can enhance chemical stability, accurately control the release of flavonoids, and potentially overcome digestion factors. Flav-NPs can impact multidimensional mechanisms of anticancer action to more effective therapeutic, reduced cellular proliferation, and invasiveness at different cancer stages. Pre-clinical methodologies will be applied to characterize, and stability in vitro digestion will be evaluated. Spheroid and organoid models will determine cell viability and anticancer efficacy. A gut-on-a-chip model will also be developed to observe the effects of Flav-NPs in a simulated intestinal microenvironment tumor. The simplicity of manufacturing and the feasibility of large-scale production of the supplement and nutraceuticals indicate that the proposal can be applied clinically, promoting European scientific excellence and improving my research career.

Mots clés : colorectal cancer drug delivery nanomedicine nanotechnology polyphenolic compounds

Participants :
- University Medical Center Groningen (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 232916.16 €
Projet MIRACLE (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Cancer remains a critical global health challenge, with millions of new cases and deaths reported annually. Traditional treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy often fall short, causing systemic toxicity, severe side effects, and cancer recurrence, significantly impacting patients' quality of life. The MIRACLE project aims to revolutionize cancer treatment by developing an innovative microneedle (MN) patch for localized, multimodal cancer therapy. Herein, the multimodal therapy integrates plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPTT), where nanoparticles (NPs) are selectively heated by near-infrared (NIR) radiation to destroy cancer cells, with photodynamic therapy (PDT), which generates reactive oxygen species and chemotherapy involving NIR radiation-triggered drug release to enhance treatment efficacy. However, challenges like limited accumulation of agents at tumor sites, unwanted distribution in healthy organs, and leakage during delivery limit clinical translation. The MIRACLE project will address these challenges by developing a NIR-responsive MN patch integrated with PPTT-assisted multimodal cancer therapy specifically designed for treating superficial cancers like melanoma. These MN patches, with micron-sized needles, painlessly penetrate the skin’s outer layer to deliver therapeutic agents directly to the tumor, ensuring localized delivery and release. Upon skin insertion and NIR irradiation, the MN patch will deliver NPs (for PPTT), a photosensitizer (for PDT), and a chemotherapeutic drug, concentrating treatment at the tumor, reducing systemic exposure and minimizing side effects. The project will validate the MN patch through in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies. MIRACLE project aligns with the EU Mission: Cancer’s goals of advancing cancer treatment by developing innovative MN patch for localized multimodal cancer therapy and improving patients’ quality of life via a minimally invasive, patient-compliant approach with fewer side effects.

Mots clés : microneedles, plasmonic photothermal therapy, multimodal cancer therapy, photodynamic therapy, phototherapies, laser based therapies, controlled drug delivery, melanoma, cancer therapeutics

Participants :
- University Medical Center Groningen (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 232916.16 €
Projet GeoCascade (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Turbulent fluid motions are responsible for closing the energy budget in Earth’s atmosphere and on many astrophysical bodies, dictating their long-term evolution and climate. However, geophysical turbulence, even in the simplest contexts, remains an open problem. Past work has shown that the theory for homogeneous and isotropic turbulence (HIT) breaks down in a fluid subject to rotation, stratification, or large aspect ratios. Particularly affected is the central insight from the study of HIT, stating that energy moves to smaller scales through an ‘energy cascade’. In geophysical flows, energy can flow both to larger and smaller scales through a ‘bidirectional’ cascade. The fraction of energy going to large scales depends on the value of the relevant geophysical parameter, becoming nonzero at an apparent critical point. The goal of this project is to identify the spatial and spectral signatures of the bidirectional cascade, understand their role in the cascade’s sudden onset, and develop a quantitative theory for its subsequent development. We plan to use a combination of numerical and statistical methods to explore the bidirectional cascade in space, time, and scale. This analysis will be done through two complementary perspectives, investigating turbulent structures in physical space and in spectral space. In the former, the turbulent cascade manifests itself as individual structures which break up, merge, or clump together, depending on the regime. A statistical view of these interactions will provide insight on how the nature of the flow changes. On the other hand, in spectral space, the phases of the complex velocity amplitudes are known to be responsible for the exchange of energy among different length scales. We will look into a possible partial synchronization between these phases in our simulations, and attempt to model the transition to a bidirectional cascade using tools from the rich field of synchronization in complex networks.

Mots clés : turbulence, geophysical fluid dynamics

Participants :
- University College Dublin (Irlande) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université polytechnique de Madrid (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 181152.96 €
Projet CMAF (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Economic Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

This is a proposal for a comprehensive methodology for medium-term analysis and forecasting (CMAF) of monthly global prices of agricultural commodities. The project will create a tool based on this methodology, which provides a detailed explanation of the forecasts and enables their complete interpretation. Integrating eight econometric and machine learning (ML) methods, CMAF will combine the joint effects of over 100 possible variables. In addition, it will consider the inclusion of additional potential explanators for specific needs or purposes. It will use different cross-validation techniques to avoid a priori research assumptions and realistically captures these complex relations. First, the learning process begins with comprehensive stationary and causality tests, which detect the nature of each possible variable and its suitability to serve as an explanatory factor in the changed agricultural commodities prices. Secondly, it performs a retrospective analysis while considering many variables from three different groups: market fundamentals, financial and climatic. Thirdly, it uses relative importance analysis to reduce the number of features and include only those most essential for an accurate agricultural commodities price forecasting performance. Lastly, it provides a detailed and intelligible visual interpretation of the results and the learning process in a straightforward manner to serve even those with no academic or financial background. CMAF will be easily trained using publicly available data and will be made available open source. It will also be adaptable and could be applied to forecast the prices of various agricultural commodities, irrespective of budget, language or other skills constraints. The outcome will be a powerful and broadly applicable tool that will promote understanding in the global food trade and thus enhance food security and social equity.

Mots clés : food security, agricultural commodity trade, price forecasting, price analysis, interpretable machine learning

Participants :
- Université des sciences économiques de Vienne (Autriche) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 91800.48 €
Projet BIOSUSMAT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Phase change materials (PCMs) present a promising solution to address the challenges of intermittent and fluctuating solar thermal energy. However, the widespread use of organic solid-liquid PCMs is hindered by leakage, low thermal conductivity, ineffective solar thermal storage, and flammability. This project aims to overcome these limitations by utilizing the unique growth properties of mycelium, combined with 3D printing technology, to develop high-performance PCMs that present a promising solution to address the challenges of intermittent and fluctuating solar thermal energy. The main objectives include: (1) to develop and optimize 3D-printed mycelium aerogels for effective PCM encapsulation; (2) to improve the thermal conductivity and flame retardancy of the PCM composites through carbonization; (3) to achieve a sustainable and scalable PCM manufacturing process; and (4) to demonstrate the high performance of these PCM systems in practical applications such as solar energy capture and thermal management. This approach offers a sustainable and scalable solution for PCM systems, ensuring high thermal stability, long-term durability, and reduced energy consumption in the manufacturing process. The project has the potential to transform PCM-based thermal storage systems for solar energy harvesting, temperature regulation, and energy efficiency in buildings and industrial applications, providing an innovative, interdisciplinary framework for the development of versatile and sustainable PCMs.

Mots clés : mycelium, 3d printing, biochar, solar energy harvesting, thermal energy storage, fire safety

Participants :
- Francisco de Vitoria University (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 209914.56 €
Projet BPEC-DW (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Currently, nuclear installations release approximately 4.4E+16 Bq/year of tritium, the radioactive isotope of hydrogen, to the environment worldwide as no technologies seem to be technically and/or economically feasible for water detritiation. Aiming at the development of a novel and effective technology, a hybrid of bio-photo-electrochemical system for detritiation of light-water (BPEC-DW) is presented for water reuse and simultaneously H2 generation as one of the most effective alternative energy sources. In this multidisciplinary project, solar activated nanomaterials based on modified TiO2 and BiVO4 and graphene oxide and/or reduced graphene oxide will be synthesized and coupled with different bacteria to enhance the feasibility of hydrogen isotope (H and T) separation and catalyses H2 generation. The BPEC-DW will be optimized by study of influence of key parameters on BPEC-DW performance to be accepted for the designing of the facility in the future. The societal challenges in energy and water research are among the focus areas and recent priorities. The economic impact of BPEC-DW relies on the utilities of solar irradiation and non-expensive materials, decreasing emissions of greenhouse gases, eco-friendly and cost-effective techniques. There is a strong and clear two-way transfer of knowledge objective linked in BPEC-DW project with the transfer of a wide array of materials synthesis, photo-electro-catalytic, and PEC water splitting expertise from applicant to the host institution, while she will receive world-class training in different research fields such as biotechnology, microbiology, and radiochemistry and develop her communication skills in an international environment which are excellent conditions for the development of her future career.

Mots clés : isotope separation, tritium enrichment, water treatment, biotechnology, nanomaterials, photoelectrochemical activity, h2 generation

Participants :
- Institut Jožef Stefan (Slovénie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 171399.36 €
Projet LIGHT (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The LIGHT project (“LIfestyle-Genotype Holistic inTeractions on mortality”) investigates the interactions between polygenic risk scores (PRSs) and key lifestyle factors—physical activity, smoking, alcohol use, and diet quality—on all-cause mortality in a Southern European population, aiming to improve personalized health recommendations. The project will leverage data from the CORDELIA meta-cohort, encompassing 196,632 participants with up to 30 years of follow-up, to calculate PRSs based on the latest genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and harmonize lifestyle variables across cohorts. The main objectives are: 1) Calculate all PRSs available for diseases and risk factors using the most updated GWAS studies and CORDELIA genotype data; and 2) Identify and validate interactions between PRSs and lifestyle factors on mortality risk in both a Discovery phase and a Replication phase. The project employs an interdisciplinary approach, integrating genetic epidemiology, public health, personalized medicine, and advanced statistical methods, with a focus on the gender dimension. The LIGHT project will allow a Career Development Plan that focuses on advancing my skills in project management, leadership, and funding acquisition through formal training, mentorship, and hands-on experience, positioning me for a tenure-track position and leadership within the CORDELIA network. By the project's end, LIGHT will establish new protocols for gene-lifestyle interaction studies, contribute to public health strategies, and generate open-access educational materials, while also addressing European health priorities and contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The results are expected to enhance personalized health interventions, reduce healthcare costs, and improve population health and life expectancy.

Mots clés : lifestyle genotype interactions all cause mortality physical activity smoking alcohol diet quality

Participants :
- CERCA Institution (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 194074.56 €
Projet NIPROFEED (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The project ‘NIPROFEED’ delves into the vital interplay between primary producers, nitrogen fixation, and particle dynamics in aquatic ecosystems. Primary producers play a crucial role in capturing roughly one third of excess carbon dioxide and converting it into organic particles, central to the ocean's biological pump. This process, however, contributes to oxygen depletion as sinking particles lead to organic matter respiration and subsequent deoxygenation of bottom waters. Diazotrophs, specialised microbes capable of nitrogen fixation, provide a significant portion of nitrogen input into oceans, supporting primary production. NIPROFEED introduces the hypothesis that diazotrophs supplying nitrogen to primary producers can amplify particle formation, initiating a positive feedback loop that impacts carbon export and oxygen levels. To explore this feedback loop, NIPROFEED will employ cutting-edge techniques, including high-throughput sequencing, single-cell rate measurements and biogeochemical modelling. This will unravel the composition and functional role of free-living and particle-bound diazotrophs, shedding light on their contribution to nitrogen/carbon fixation. By implementing these parameters into an integrated model the intricate relationship between nitrogen fixation and primary productivity will be investigated. Addressing this hypothesis, NIPROFEED aspires not only contribute significantly to scientific advancements in the field of marine science but also aligns with EU sustainability goals by shedding light on climate change impacts on our ocean.

Mots clés : nitrogen fixation, diazotrophs

Participants :
- Linnaeus University (Suède) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 222727.68 €
Projet POSTCOLD (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Repeated glacial-interglacial cycles during the Quaternary have significantly impacted the topography of many mountain ranges around the world. Yet, the response of landscape evolution to repeated climate oscillations has not been well quantified. In recently deglaciated landscapes, the transition from glacial to fluvial/hillslope processes have induced progressive topographic adjustments, and the large amounts of sediments inherited from glacial periods and generated through landsliding of oversteepened glaciated topography may act as a fundamental control on the incision of postglacial rivers. These sediments can enhance fluvial incision rate by providing more tools for erosion, or inhibit incision by armoring the river bed. Characterizing when and where sediment enhances or inhibits fluvial incision in postglacial landscapes is critical for understanding the changes in postglacial landscape evolution rates over time and quantifying the response times of mountain ranges to deglaciation. In this project, I propose to develop a landscape evolution model to account for the complex impact of sediment dynamics on fluvial incision in postglacial landscapes. I will utilize this model to investigate the response of fluvial incision to changes in sediment supply and assess the effects of sediment on postglacial landscape evolution. I will apply the model to quantify response times of the deglaciated European Alp, leveraging the rich observational datasets in this region. The proposed work will provide a quantitative understanding of postglacial fluvial incision histories, which is critical for ecosystem management and natural hazard assessment in recently deglaciated mid-latitude mountain ranges and perhaps in high-latitude mountain ranges where continued climate change may eventually lead to deglaciation.

Mots clés : geomorphology, landscape evolution modeling, postglacial, fluvial incision, alps

Participants :
- GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 130385.52 €
Projet FlowerPower (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

There is an urgent necessity to develop new nutritional products with enhanced functionality to meet the global need for healthy and sustainable foods. Although edible flowers are sustainable rich sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant compounds, they have been underutilized in human nutrition and remain underexplored by the food industry. FlowerPower will go beyond the state-of-the-art by unlocking the nutritional and techno-functional potential of edible flowers naturally found in Ireland and other European countries. To this end, this project aims to develop hybrid dairy products fortified with carotenoid-rich flowers. Plant proteins will be used as delivery systems to improve carotenoid stability and enhance the technological and digestive functionality of the product. Additionally, combining animal and plant ingredients in hybrid foods contributes to bridge the gap between nutritional needs and sustainability, supporting plant-based dietary choices while addressing new rising market demands, e.g. flexitarian consumers. The multidisciplinary research programme is comprised of four parts. (1) Characterization of the composition of petals from 2 flowers and structural and technological properties of 4 plant proteins (WP1). (2) Characterization of carotenoid-protein interactions in 2 flower/plant-protein combinations and assessment of their impact on carotenoid stability (WP2). (3) In vitro digestion of hybrid dairy foods in 2 model food structures with selected flower/plant protein combinations to assess carotenoid bioaccessibility (WP3). (4) Selection of hybrid dairy foods with enhanced technological and/or digestive features to develop prototypes for instrumental analysis and sensory evaluation (WP5).  This project addresses Pathway 4 - EU's FOOD 2030 aimed at encouraging a dietary shift towards plant-based diets. Knowledge and concepts from this work are expected to increase competitiveness of the dairy sector by creating opportunities for new markets.

Mots clés : alternative proteins in vitro digestion carotenoids

Participants :
- Teagasc (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 252728.64 €
Projet MONET (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Aphids are among the major global pests, causing significant economic damage to food and commodity crops. Barley/Cereal yellow dwarf virus (B/CYDV) is vectored by aphids and is one of the most important viral diseases in cereals and grass species in the family Poaceae, with yield losses ranging from 5% to 80%. Potato Virus Y (PVY) a is transmitted by more than 40 aphid species, and is fifth in the world’s top ten most important plant viruses. In potato, it causes substantial yield reduction and loss of tuber quality.The EU has indicated through the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 the need to reduce use of pesticides by 50% by 2030. Better diagnostic capabilities for B/CYDV and PVY allows targeted pest control, reducing unnecessary pesticide application, which will contribute to achieving this reduction. MONET will improve understanding and control of these viruses by; 1) Advancing detection of B/CYDV and PVY. 2) Identifying the vector responsible for infection through surveying B/CYDV and PVY species in crops and aphid vectors. Knowing the principle vector and viral strain is crucial for improving DSS for farmers. 3) Investigating virus-vector manipulation using viral transmission assay with primary aphid vectors and most common strains of virus found in Ireland.

Mots clés : entomology, aphid, bydv, pvy, integrated pest management, diagnostics, 

Participants :
- Teagasc (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 215534.4 €