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

Boron-containing small organic molecules are fundamental building-blocks in synthetic chemistry due to their use in the Nobel Prize-winning Suzuki cross-coupling. The invention of novel chemical reactions that form carbon–boron bonds in unprecedented ways is of strategic importance to facilitate the discovery, evolution and manufacture of molecules that impact our society.  The overarching aim of this project is to explore a conceptually novel approach where sp3 carbon–boron bonds are assembled through the reactivity of B-centred radicals (boryl radicals).  Here we propose to develop unprecedented multicomponent reactions based on the photocatalytic generation of boryl radicals from homo-allylic amine-boranes, followed by their cyclization and then diversification through a final reaction with a broad range of trapping agents. This novel synthetic approach will provide a novel class of borylated building blocks that have not been prepared before and we will study their application in metal-catalysed cross-couplings. This methodology will be applied to streamline the preparation of difficult-to-make drug analogues.  The proposal capitalizes on recent developments of the host group that pioneered the use of amine-boranes in photoredox catalysis for boryl radical generation and utilization.  The development of this innovative project at RWTH Aachen will create new tools in bio-organic chemistry and facilitate the preparation of high-value materials. Its implementation will be facilitated by generating, transferring, sharing and disseminating knowledge, and will enhance my future career following the training plan envisioned.

Mots clés : boryl radicals photocatalysis borylation cross coupling amine boranes radical cascade

Participants :
- Université technique de Rhénanie-Westphalie à Aix-la-Chapelle (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 173847.36 €
Projet BlastChip (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Early human embryonic development is a complex process characterized by precise cellular interactions and environmental cues. The blastocyst stage, marked by the formation of the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE), is pivotal for subsequent embryonic development and implantation. While mechanical factors are increasingly recognized as influencing cell fate determination, their role in early embryogenesis remains largely unexplored.  Human embryo research is fraught with ethical and practical challenges due to stringent regulations and limited availability. To circumvent these limitations, this project leverages the potential of blastoids, derived from pluripotent stem cells, as ethical and controllable models of early human development. These blastoids recapitulate key aspects of the blastocyst, including the formation of ICM- and TE-like structures.  By integrating advanced microfluidic technologies, computational modeling, and biomaterials, this research aims to elucidate the impact and role of mechanical cues on blastocyst development. Through the development of microfluidic platforms capable of generating and culturing blastoids under controlled conditions, I will investigate the effects of mechanical forces on their growth, cell fate and maturation. Additionally, by encapsulating blastoids in zona pellucida mimicking hydrogels, we will explore the role of this unique mechanical environment on early embryonic development.  This research has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of early human embryogenesis, with implications for improving in-vitro fertilization techniques and developing novel therapeutic strategies for infertility and other reproductive disorders.

Mots clés : microfluidics, mechanical stimulation, blastoid, in vitro fertilization, hydrogels, embryogenesis, synthetic zona pellucida, mechanical stimulation, cell fate, artificial embryo models

Participants :
- Université de Maastricht (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 217076.16 €
Projet GRASPING NERVE (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) signal is a widespread functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) technique to non-invasively study brain activity, and it relies on the mechanism of Neurovascular Coupling (NC), i.e. changes in cerebral blood flow driven by neuronal activity. However, there are various confounding factors for NC, such as homoeostatic physiological changes, or NC uncoupling driven by certain pathologies. Currently, there is no method to disentangle the information associated with neuronal activity from the vascular response. This is an important issue in both physiological imaging and brain activity investigation, as the two signal sources act as competing confounding factors. Furthermore, although vessels are the main blood distribution system, they are mostly ignored when taking into account BOLD analyses. In this project, I will first create a graph model of cerebral vessels to assess “cerebrovascular connectivity”. I will then use graph signal processing, a novel signal processing technique based on graphs, to embed BOLD signal fluctuations into the vascular and the more traditional tractography-based graphs to disentangle the propagation of neuronal activity and blood flow in these two pathways. This technique will allow disentangling the components of NC non-invasively, offering new insight on brain activity and neurovascular coupling, and allowing further studies on pathological NC uncoupling, such as pre-surgical imaging for tumour. I will apply this model at the macro- (whole-brain) and meso- (grey-matter- layers) scale, connecting the properties of NC in functional imaging between them. The application will be validated in high (3 Tesla) and ultra-high (7 Tesla) MRI fields to address its feasibility for both research and clinical application. Finally, BOLD will be compared with non-BOLD functional techniques, such as Arterial Spin Labelling and Vascular Space Occupancy, to shed light into the imaging of NC and brain activity.


Participants :
- Université de Maastricht (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 212295.04 €
Projet MacTalk (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by hepatic steatosis and damage. This drives liver inflammation, promoting the progression to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver fibrosis. There are currently no approved therapies for NASH and fibrosis, which is in part due to a lack of knowledge of the immunological events underpinning NASH and fibrosis. The pathogenesis of NASH is strongly influenced by crosstalk with other tissues. There is increasing evidence that specifically obese adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) are directly linked to liver pathology. In this respect, the host lab has shown that obese ATMs increase hepatic macrophage number. However, the exact changes in macrophage subsets and phenotypes were not investigated. I recently demonstrated that in NASH liver macrophages display large heterogeneity in phenotype and tissue localization and this plays a key role in NASH-associated liver fibrosis. Based on this combined preliminary data generated by the host lab and me, I hypothesize that ATMs alter hepatic macrophage composition and consequently affect the progression of NASH to liver fibrosis. By combining the mouse models and expertise available in the host lab and advanced technology present at the host institute, with my expertise in detailed immunophenotyping of the liver in NASH and fibrosis, I will address this innovative hypothesis in great detail. To bridge the translational gap from animal studies, I will investigate the potential contribution of ATMs to hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in humans by using unique fresh paired adipose tissue and liver biopsies available through the clinical network of the host lab. MacTalk integrates the scientific and technical expertise of both me and the host lab, creating a unique framework to identify novel mediators of hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Furthermore, MacTalk will lay a strong foundation for my future career as independent researcher in the field of liver fibrosis.

Mots clés : fatty liver disease, nash, liver fibrosis, macrophage, organ crosstalk, flow cytometry

Participants :
- Université de Maastricht (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 204937.05 €
Projet AIITL (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Economic Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Millions of employees around the globe work for an AI manager that structures their tasks and monitors their performance. While companies hope that such AI managers will lead to substantial performance benefits, it is critical that AI transits from a bureaucratic manager to an inspiring, transformational leader if companies want employee performance and satisfaction to peak. To date, however, research on the consequences of AI leadership cannot give relevant insights because scholars have studied employees in hypothetical scenarios or simplistic environments that do not mirror the complex realities of contemporary workplaces. My goal within the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship is to tackle these problems by investigating interactions between employees and AI leaders from an interdependence theory view. Across two empirical studies with more than 1,400 employees, I will examine how AI leaders (programmed via a novel natural language processing tool) affect employees’ task performance and satisfaction when they really interact with AI leaders across interdependent tasks, different leadership styles, and work constellations. Given the rise of AI managers within Europe, this research will provide relevant scientific, practice, and policy insights aimed at sustaining a high-performing and satisfied European workforce of the future. I will accomplish these ambitious goals by combining my expertise with the profound knowledge of interdependence theory and longitudinal methods from Maastricht University’s scholars. In sum, this action and the foreseen two top-tier publications will substantially advance my research (both theory and methods) skills and extend my professional and practice network. Maastricht University is an ideal fit for this fellowship that will be a significant boost for my academic career and will provide a cornerstone for becoming a mature and renowned scientist in the field of AI leadership, in particular, and organizational behavior, in particular.

Mots clés : organizational behavior, management, artificial intelligence

Participants :
- Université de Maastricht (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 203464.32 €
Projet SpinPhononHyb2D (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Single Molecule Magnets (SMMs) that retain magnetisation in the absence of a magnetic field represent the smallest conceivable information storage devices. However, the interaction between spin and phonons, i.e. spin-phonon coupling, strongly limits their working temperature, hindering the realization in fully-functioning devices. Recent studies have shown that spin-phonon coupling can be mitigated by employing high symmetry and strong exchange coupling, but a clear rationale of how spin relaxation is affected by this chemical strategy is not yet fully understod. In this project we will employ state-of-the-art computational methods to unravel the physics of spin-phonon relaxation of one mononuclear pseudo D4h and one exchange coupled mixed valence Dy(III) complexes and show the way forward towards a rational design of high-temperature SMMs. We will develop a fully ab initio strategy to predict the role of vibrational modes on magnetisation relaxation with the ultimate goal of providing new design principles for potential SMMs with quenched spin-phonon coupling interaction. However, for the potential application of SMMs in the nearest future one need to study surfaces and their interactions with SMMs. Indeed, the pathway of SMM-based devices is made of numerous steps among which the adsorption on the surface is the first and crucial one. Previous studies indicated that the several high performances SMMs lose their magnetic characterictics upon adsorbtion to the surface. In this project, we will deposit the SMMs on the surfaces on the 2D materials such as graphene, FePS3 and CrSBr and will analyze the structure, magnetic properties and spin-phonon coupling of the adsorbed complexes. The excellent deformation capacity of the 2D materials results in potential application in low cost electronics. Finally the interplay of spin-phonon coupling between molecule and 2D materials will be unveiled as this will offer as route to the 'heaven' of molecular spintronics.

Mots clés : smm, qtm, quantum computing, dft ab initio, spin phonon coupling, magnetic anisotropy, 2d materials

Participants :
- Université de Valence (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 174574.96 €
Projet BASE (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Nowadays, uncrewed spacecraft missions not only push the boundaries of our scientific understanding of the Universe, but are an indispensable tool for monitoring and increasing our understanding of Earth. However, deploying and operating spacecraft comes with many challenges usually not encountered in ground-based systems. Two major challenges are the construction, repair and modification of structures in space (e.g. telescopes like JWST) and their operation under harsh constraints like limited power and transmission bandwidths, restricting especially the computing power available onboard spacecraft.  BASE (Biologically-inspired Autonomous Systems for Space Exploration) envisions a future of independent and autonomous spacecraft that can adapt to unexpected situations and reconfigure their structure accordingly without human guidance. To achieve this bold goal, this action will lay the conceptual foundation for such innovative technologies by developing novel concepts combining techniques from AI, neuromorphic computing and mathematics. More specifically, I will (i) for the first time thoroughly analyze the potential benefits (i.e. energy demands, performance) of spiking neural networks to enable onboard AI and (ii) develop methods for the autonomous self-assembly and self-modification of space structures from individual components, focussing on scenarios that are compatible with currently envisioned designs.  The ambitious applications considered in BASE will drive highly innovative progress in the considered disciplines, e.g., by deriving the first mathematical theory for characterising computational properties of spiking neural networks. By tightly binding theory and algorithms to concrete applications, the transferability of the outcome of this action to impactful technologies is guaranteed. Finally, the objectives of BASE are complementary, providing both the computing platform and methodology for spacecraft autonomy, yielding a highly unique research program.

Mots clés : spiking neural networks, neuromorphic computing

Participants :
- Université de Vienne (Autriche) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 199440.96 €
Projet ReLMI (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

My project aims to produce the first social and economic history of cast-offs management and conversion and reuse in late medieval Italy through the analysis of three case-studies, Fabriano, Florence and Bergamo and their hinterland. By examining the circulation of cast-offs in medieval crafts, identifying practices of reuse, repair, recycling and upcycling, as well as by discovering networks of ‘waste’ management, this project seeks to suggest that certain crafts eventually become embedded practices in the urban economy of late medieval Italy. My aim is to demonstrate that in medieval urban society, where raw materials were expensive and profit margins tight, the re-employment of scraps and by-products was an essential part of craft strategy. The goal is to verify that general economic growth and rise of consumption at the end of the Middle Ages stimulated the use of waste and recycling, and therefore, alternative forms of production to those traditionally employing raw materials. Academic research in the fields of archaeology, material culture, and, more recently consumption has rarely used historical data and material findings together, and generally have considered each element of reuse, repair, and recycling in isolation. My project on Italy in the Middle Ages instead examines all three elements of reuse, repair, and recycling by looking at previously unexplored and unpublished documentary evidence combined with data coming from archaeological surveys and GIS web resources. This will assist in the reconstruction of the technological, economic and social processes that turned cast-offs into complex and tradeable commodities. The cycle of waste, the key role of artisans and producers, their guilds, and on the foreground, institutional policies in cast-offs management will be all pieced together.

Mots clés : recycle, reuse, conversion, circular economy, paper, metalware, second hand clothing, rags, medieval italy, fabriano, florence, bergamo

Participants :
- Université de Valence (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 165312.96 €
Projet EPPIMAL (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Plant colonization of land was a critical evolutionary step for terraformation and the emergence of rich terrestrial ecosystems. Land plant ancestors emerged from freshwater algae and subsequently radiated to yield the astonishing diversity observed nowadays. Extant land plants comprise two major groups, tracheophytes and bryophytes, which represent the vascular and non-vascular stage of their evolution. Recent advances in phylogenomics indicate that the water-to-land transition was accompanied by the emergence and/or expansion of protein families that founded novel plant metabolic pathways. This has been for instance the case for the pathways generating phenylpropanoids, specialized molecules serving as anti-UV and precursors to structural polymers, and the hormones abscisic acid (ABA) and strigolactones (SL) that help plant coordinate stress responses and interaction with microorganisms. While these three plant metabolic pathways are almost fully elucidated, little is known about (i) the organization of involved proteins in interacting networks and (ii) the evolutionary relevance of protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks for the emergence and function of metabolic pathways. EPPIMAL project proposes to answer these questions by exploring the evolution of PPI networks associated with the phenylpropanoid, ABA and SL metabolisms. The project will implement a cutting-edge proximity-dependent labeling (PDL) approach centered on key enzymes to characterize PPI networks in bryophyte and tracheophyte species. The project shall disclose the conservation or expansion of PPI networks in the course of land plant evolution and potentially identify overlooked protein involved in investigated metabolic pathways. PPI data will be complemented with molecular genetics and metabolomics investigations. Altogether, EPPIMAL will bring original information on the evolution of protein networks shaping three iconic land plant metabolic pathways that supported plant adaptation to land.

Mots clés : protein protein interaction, plant evolution, bryophytes, plant metabolism, plant hormones

Participants :
- Institut de biologie moléculaire des plantes (France) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes publics (hors enseignement & recherche), subvention : 0.0 €
- Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 211754.88 €
Projet RULIERD (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The RULIERD project aims to reconceptualise the hierarchy of norms of the European legal order to lessen the clash between European Union (EU) law and international investment law. To achieve this aim, the project examines reverse discrimination (RD) as an understudied, and yet representative issue of this larger phenomenon. Following the Achmea case of 2018, the Court of Justice of the EU has progressively developed a far-reaching interpretation of the principle of autonomy of the European legal order that renders difficult the coordination of EU law with international investment law. At a theoretical level, RULIERD will be the first research project to explain the connection between the dualistic attitude of the Court of Justice of the EU and RD. At a practical level, it is unclear whether RD is admissible under article 18 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU or under general international law. RD may in fact endanger the principles of equality and fair competition: if foreign firms are treated more favourably than domestic firms, this disadvantages small domestic companies, thus adversely affecting economic development. RULIERD examines the practical and theoretical aspects of RD using an innovative combined methodology that involves the use of law and economics. Market power theory allows defining RD and testing whether RD jeopardises the fair functioning of the common market. The hypothesis is that a neo-monist approach could avoid RD. RULIERD makes both a theoretical and practical contribution: it mitigates the clash between EU law and international investment law and, identifies a fairer legal framework for companies operating in the EU market.

Mots clés : international investment law eu law legal philosophy law and economics

Participants :
- Université de Vienne (Autriche) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183600.96 €