Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet PlasticOX (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Plastic debris, including micro and nano-sized particles, is considered a top environmental problem that might affect human ability to preserve biodiversity and the availability of safe water supplies in the future. Hence, there is a clear and urgent need for the development of targeted treatment processes for the effective removal of micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) from water. Although advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have been widely studied for the treatment of different emerging and recalcitrant water pollutants, their application for MNPs removal have been scarcely addressed. Among them, Fenton-based AOPs display significant implementation advantages, which will be explored and optimized in the present project. The main challenge consists in mineralizing pollutants that do not dissolve in water and were designed to be hardly degradable. To face this problem, PlasticOX pursues the development and intensification of advanced treatment strategies, such as homogeneous Fenton and photo-Fenton processes, to age and mineralize MNPs in water. This project seeks to tackle many of the knowledge gaps in the research field of this hot topic. The MNPs degradation will be assessed in terms of fragmentation, polymer deterioration, process efficiency, intermediates identity and kinetic models based on particles with decreasing diameters. Moreover, the effect of particle size, shape and composition will be explored in depth. My unique research background, which includes material science, catalysis, reactor engineering and a preliminary training in polymer science, will allow me to perform this ambitious project. Moreover, I will collaborate and learn from my Supervisors, who have a vast experience in the field. The Marie Curie fellowship will enhance the potential of my future career perspectives empowering me to take leading positions in the field of Wastewater Management worldwide. Moreover, I expect to develop a lasting scientific cooperation with the European host group.

Mots clés : microplastics, nanoplastics, advanced oxidation processes, homogeneous catalysis, fenton, photo fenton, water treatment

Participants :
- Université autonome de Madrid (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 82656.48 €
Projet DCsConCargo (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

As immune sentinels, dendritic cells (DCs) must be able to ingest material and migrate to lymph nodes to present the processed antigen to T cells, and initiate the adaptive immune response, essential against pathogens or cancer. This means that DCs must be able to navigate through complex environments with this ingested material of varying physical characteristics. Preliminary data revealed that DCs deform and/or rotate large, ingested material to overcome occlusion from entering constriction points (transmigration). Additionally, there are instances of nuclear deformation and even migratory frustration, which reflect reported phenomena of DCs in vivo in mice. I propose to use a suite of fabricated particles and in vitro complex environments to test the ability of mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells to overcome physical obstacles with large cargos. The fabricated particles will include oil droplets with tunable deformability, paramagnetic particles, and 3D printed microplastics. The in vitro complex environments are collagen gels and PDMS microchannels where I can observe DCs with ingest particles attempting to through points of constriction. With this experimental set-up, I can measure the efficiency of transmigration, deformation or rotation of particles, as well as the force exerted on particles as a function of particle properties. Furthermore, I can observe the effect of particle manipulation on DC behavior and function, even if they never successfully transmigrate. This work will aim to answer how dendritic cells can migrate successfully with a wide range of materials, but also provide insight into the role of frustrated or trapped DCs that are observed in tissues, and particularly near tumors.

Mots clés : dendritic cells transmigration cargo manipulation nuclear deformation cell fate

Participants :
- Institut Curie (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 242260.56 €
Projet EvoPlas (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Bacteria are extraordinarily adaptive organisms spread all over the globe and making up about half of the cells in our bodies. Their main source of novel functions is horizontal gene transfer, usually prompted by mobile genetic elements such as plasmids, that provide them with a wide range of traits. Plasmid conjugation is the main mechanism of dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), an increasingly important health problem. However, more than half of the plasmids found in bacterial genomes lack genes encoding conjugation functions and it is not known how they are transferred between cells. Since extensive data shows that many of these plasmids are transferred, it is important and urgent to study how this takes place to understand and predict their epidemiological patterns. EvoPlas has two main objectives. First, to unravel the mechanisms by which the putatively non-transmissible plasmids are transferred between cells, thereby showing the actual ability of plasmids to spread within populations. Second, to identify the evolutionary origins of non-transmissible plasmids and understand their stability in bacterial lineages. EvoPlas will use bioinformatics and experimental biology to leverage massive genomic data in order to unravel key aspects of bacterial evolution by horizontal gene transfer. It will additionally provide cutting-edge knowledge on the evolution of bacterial conjugation, novel insights into integrative mobile genetic elements and provide major advances on the understanding of how AMR spreads. At the later stages of EvoPlas, we will develop machine learning models of plasmid mobility to anticipate the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes. Hence, by combining my expertise in plasmid biology with the host lab’s expertise in big data and computational biology, EvoPlas has the potential to uncover new insights into bacterial and plasmid evolution and provide novel approaches to fight against the spread of AMR.

Mots clés : plasmid biology antimicrobial resistance

Participants :
- Institut Pasteur (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 195914.88 €
Projet ECoToL (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Sensing viral infections and mounting a response is crucial for all domains of life. Many immune mechanisms in higher eukaryotes were thought to be evolutionary innovations, but recent research reveals that some components of the innate immune system have evolved from bacterial genes. Eleos, a novel anti-viral system in prokaryotes, shares similarities with eukaryotic GIMAPs (GTPase immunity-associated proteins), yet their evolutionary history and anti-viral mechanisms remain unknown. ECoToL's objectives are threefold: 1. Identify Eleos systems, study their architecture, and determine their distribution in bacteria. 2. Explore the molecular mechanism by which bacterial Eleos confers resistance against phages. 3. Investigate when and how Eleos was acquired in eukaryotes, assess its distribution, and examine the conservation of the mechanism in eukaryotes. We will analyze large genome datasets to trace Eleos system evolution across different life domains. Additionally, we will identify phages Eleos defends against and the mechanisms by which phages evade this defense. Biochemical, biophysical, and structural biology methods will illuminate the molecular mechanisms in bacterial Eleos. Further genomic analysis and experimental methods will answer whether this mechanism is conserved in higher eukaryotes. ECoToL is a multidisciplinary project pioneering comparative immunology between prokaryotes and eukaryotes. This innovative concept aims to enhance our understanding of immune systems, which is critical for staying ahead of viral threats, improving viral infection treatments, reducing viral resistance, and enhancing global health security.

Mots clés : antiviral defense, anti phage systems, 

Participants :
- Institut Pasteur (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 211754.88 €
Projet TUNEMOF (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

One of the main challenges of the 21st century is the reduction of CO2 emissions to the atmosphere, for which replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources will help. Methanol is a sustainable key compound that can be directly used as a low-density fuel or as a feedstock for valuable platform chemicals. To date, efforts to perform CO2 hydrogenation to methanol under mild reaction conditions have not achieved high enough selectivity at reasonable conversion values. Heterogeneous catalysts are robust and easy to recover but usually yield low selectivity due to the difficult control of the active sites during synthesis. In contrast, homogeneous catalysts feature well-defined active sites amenable to logical optimization and selectivity design, but inefficient catalyst recovery and decomposition are huge shortcomings for industrial implementation. TUNEMOF proposes to overcome these drawbacks by developing metallolinker-functionalized MOFs bearing earth-abundant metals (Fe and Mn). The immobilization of the molecular-based catalyst center will promote the metal-ligand cooperation and the secondary linker assistance will prevent the deactivation of the catalyst. Meeting this strategy with low-cost metal-based catalysts is a significant added value. TUNEMOF integrates the experience of the researcher in organometallic chemistry, the excellence of Prof. Olsbye’s group (University of Oslo) in applied chemistry of porous materials, the experience in catalytic testing of homogeneous systems of Prof. Beller (LIKAT, secondment), and in spectroscopic analysis and techno-economic assessment of Haldor Topsøe (non-academic placement). This synergy provides a unique networking platform to diversify the researcher’s individual competences and to promote the interdisciplinary and inter-sectorial transfer of knowledge. The complete training gained from the development of TUNEMOF will promote the professional career of the applicant to become a leading independent researcher.

Mots clés : metal organic frameworks, co2 hydrogenation

Participants :
- Leibniz-Gemeinschaft (Allemagne) — Partner, associated partner, Recherche, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université d'Oslo (Norvège) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 263638.8 €
- Haldor Topsoe (Denmark) (Danemark) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
Projet MyoDuo (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The cytoskeleton is a complex protein web organised through the cell to provide structure and cell shape dynamics. One critical and often overlooked component is Myo18, which is part of the myosin superfamily of motor proteins. By interacting with actin, myosins canonically produce force through a series of conformational changes driven by the hydrolysis of ATP. However, Myo18 appears not to cycle through the set of conformations found for other myosins due to its divergent sequence. It is therefore hypothesised to act as an actin cross-linker rather than actively producing force. Another myosin family, Myo2, is the most prominent force producing component in the muscle sarcomere and in stress fibres which drive cell migration. Myo2 performs its role by forming filaments through a coiled coil domain creating a structure with multiple force producing heads ready to bind and move along actin. The coiled coil of Myo18 allows recruitment into Myo2 filaments within these niches but its role is obscure given its divergent behaviour. The sociology between these two myosin families, that is the specific interactions of different partners in space and time, is interesting given the complementary features of these two protein families. This study aims to structurally characterise Myo18 in different nucleotide states on and off actin to gain insights into the evolution and function of its cryptic cycle. Furthermore, this work will assess through structural characterisation how Myo18 and Myo2 directly interact through their coiled coil domains. This association will then be analysed through biophysical studies exploring how Myo18 alters force production and function by intercalating into Myo2 filaments.

Mots clés : cytoskeleton myosin myo18 myo2 stress fibres sarcomere motors allostery molecular sociology

Participants :
- Institut Curie (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 195914.88 €
Projet ToBeLi-for-GPR3-6-12 (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprises more than 800 human cell surface receptors that perceive and transmit extracellular stimuli into the cell interior. Due to their involvement in numerous biochemical processes, GPCRs represent prime targets for the treatment of various diseases and are modulated by more than 30% of approved drugs today. However, a large proportion of the druggable GPCRome remains pharmacologically untapped, including the so-called ‘orphan’ GPCRs (oGPCRs) - receptors for which the endogenous ligands remain unknown.  GPR3, 6 and 12 constitute a cluster of orphan GPCRs that is involved in numerous (patho-)physiological processes including neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s dementia. GPR3 and GPR12 further mediate meiotic arrest in oocytes and suppress the development of metabolic diseases. Other physiological processes and diseases associated with GPR3/6/12 are neuropathic pain perception, addiction and different forms of cancer. Although these receptors represent promising pharmacological targets and researchers have been trying to discover molecules targeting these receptors for more than two decades, only a limited set of five ligands is currently available. Modern GPR3/6/12-targeted drug discovery is still hampered by the lack of verified endogenous ligands, our poor understanding of their structural organization and signalling cascades promoted by these receptors, and a limited panel of assays revealing GPR3/6/12 activity in living cells. Here, I propose to implement an interdisciplinary research approach combining computational methodologies with advanced biosensor technology in order to discover advanced ligands for these attractive drug targets. These novel compounds will aid in developing advanced therapeutics tackling severe human diseases and our reseach will highlight the power of interdisciplinary drug discovery approaches, promoting their implementation in the GPCR field and beyond.

Mots clés : orphan gpcrs, ligand discovery, virtual screening, biosensors

Participants :
- Université de Marbourg (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 189687.36 €
Projet SCOML (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Spin crossover complexes are bistable transition-metal compounds in which light, or other external simuli, is used to induce a change in the magnetic state of the system, allowing them to be employed as molecular switches in future spintronics and photonics technologies. Despite the rapid development of experimental techniques to characterise these complexes, computational material science is not yet able to provide a quantitative description of the light-induced spin crossover mechanism. These limitations are mainly due to the need for enormous computational resources to perform accurate excited-state dynamics simulations in medium-sized transition-metal complexes. The aim of the SCOML project is to provide the proof of concept for a new machine learning-based strategy that will enable efficient and accurate simulations of the light-induced spin-crossover mechanism, thus paving the way for a systematic design of new materials. Achieving this goal has the potential to revolutionise the production of new technological solutions to guide Europe towards a digital and green transition.

Mots clés : light induced spin crossover mechanism, transition metal complexes, excited state dynamics, machine learning

Participants :
- Trinity College (Irlande) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 199694.4 €
- Université de Leipzig (Allemagne) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet TAILCHEM (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Our society is entering a new era of industrial process electrification, requiring to reduce the overuse of natural resources and to decrease the CO2 footprint. In this regard, plasma technology is considered a key technology in many industrial applications, especially in the chemical sector due to its unique properties. Among other benefits, the selectivity of plasma-initiated processes stands out as one of the primary advantages of plasma, especially at low pressure. However, the chemistry driven by plasma at atmospheric pressure conditions in molecular gases is diverse and significantly less selective due to different energy transfer processes. The TAILCHEM project intends to provide a paradigm shift for the control of plasma-induced chemistry and uncover the fundamental insights responsible for adjusting it toward higher selectivity of chemical processes at high pressures. The idea is based on tailoring the applied voltage waveform, resulting in a reduced electric field strength development, which drives the electron excitation mechanisms for a dedicated and selective plasma-driven gas conversion. The project will be conducted within the context of the highly demanding field of nitrogen fixation process electrification. Here, the selective generation of reactive nitrogen species, particularly vibrationally excited N2 in its ground state, plays a crucial role in achieving energy-efficient process performance. To achieve this goal, advanced plasma diagnostic techniques will be applied to reveal the plasma fundamentals and the electron-initiated gas-phase chemical kinetics. Simultaneously, a unique combination of advanced experimental techniques and chemical modeling will aim to define the effect of voltage waveform tailoring on EEDF, chemistry, and the selectivity of induced processes, thus providing a quantitative characterization of the suggested strategy for the first time.

Mots clés : plasma physics plasma chemistry electron kinetics plasma for the electrification of chemical technology

Participants :
- Leibniz-Gemeinschaft (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 189687.36 €
- Université de technologie d'Eindhoven (Pays-Bas) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet Lyoluminescence (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Environment and Geosciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Sufficient knowledge of the timing and dynamic of Quaternary (last 2.58 million years) climate phases through palaeoenvironmental studies is indispensable for accurate risk assessment and decision-making towards climate resilience of our modern societies. Geochronological frameworks are the backbones of such studies, and new and innovative chronological tools can further boost their impact and value towards a better adaption to climate change. Our project, Lyoluminescence, is about innovation in geochronology designed to contribute to the mission goals of Horizon Europe: “Adaption to Climate Change”. Lyoluminescence is the emission of light while dissolving a previously irradiated solid (such as sodium chloride) into a liquid solvent (water) due to the production of free radicals in the solution. The amount of light increases proportionally with the radiation dose absorbed by the material after crystallisation. Therefore, the process is a suitable candidate to be exploited as a dating method. The signal resetting through dissolution and recrystallisation renders lyoluminescence a potentially dating tool for the last 10 thousand to 5 million years. The aim of this project is the breakthrough development of lyoluminescence as a dating tool on salts (sodium chloride and potassium chloride) for application in geography & Earth sciences. We hypothesise that lyoluminescence naturally occurring in salt minerals such as halite and sylvite will allow dating the last recrystallisation event beyond the age limits of conventional luminescence-dating methods and that these features can be exploited for routine use in Quaternary geochronology. Our project will (1) design, develop and test a new portable lyoluminescence reader, (2) apply the newly developed device to natural salt sites to develop dating protocols and analysis routines, and (3), if successful, map out a commercialisation plan. The project will be hosted at the Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Germany.

Mots clés : luminescence dating, geochronology, method development

Participants :
- Université de Heidelberg (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 189687.36 €