Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet CHORPATH (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Plants produce arrays of specialized metabolites that are crucial for plant development, defense and interactions with the ever-changing environment. Discovery of metabolites and metabolic pathways by dissecting the underlying genetic basis is an important challenge, not only to increase our understanding of life, but also to provide indispensable applications for humans such as pharmaceuticals. In this project we will investigate the occurrence and biosynthesis of the 2,5-dihydrochorismates, a novel metabolic class that was recently discovered by the host group in the plant model Arabidopsis (unpublished). Notably, chemically synthesized 2,5-dihydrochorismate and analogues have been shown to be potent in vitro inhibitors of chorismate-utilizing enzymes. This inhibitory activity hints to a potential biological role for 2,5-dihydrochorismates in regulating the flux through these pathways, opening perspectives for applications. The direct objective of my project is to unravel the biosynthetic pathway of 2,5-dihydrochorismates. We therefore aim i) to structurally identify additional pathway intermediates and sinks via LC-MS based metabolite profiling and purification followed by NMR, ii) to test whether chorismate is a precursor of the pathway by feeding plants with Stable Isotope Labeled chorismate, followed by analyzing the MS fragmentation spectra of the labeled molecules, iii) to investigate the role of an operon-like gene cluster involved in the biosynthesis of 2,5-dihydrochorismates via reversed genetics, and iv) to obtain insight in the in planta role of 2,5-dihydrochorismate by feeding experiment followed by metabolic profiling. My experience in reversed genetics and enzyme kinetics in specialized metabolism in rice make me well suited to bring this project to success. My prime objective is to strengthen my skills in metabolite profiling, pathway discovery and structural elucidation, to become an independent plant scientist in plant specialized metabolism.

Mots clés : reverse genetics, chorismate, specialized metabolism, gene cluster, metabolic pathway

Participants :
- Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (Belgique) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 166320.0 €
Projet NotToKill-NotToDie (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for over 200 million yearly malaria cases and the major burden is upon African children. Public health strategies to control and ultimately eradicate malaria are very much needed. In Africa, seasonal transmission of this mosquito-borne parasite is very common. Infections in adults are clinically silent whilst in children it generally leads to clinical disease with nearly half a million deaths each year. The dry season represents a major challenge for the parasite’s survival due to the absence of the transmission vector; yet, P. falciparum seems to be capable of maintaining low parasitemias just enough not to kill but not to die. During the dry season, an important fraction of these children remains clinically silent for months despite the decrease in P. falciparum-specific antibody levels. This low parasitemia reservoir is indispensable to spread transmission in the following rainy season. How do parasites not increase to the point of causing clinical malaria in these children during the dry season? We hypothesize that during the dry season with no mosquitoes available to transmit, continuous rounds of P. falciparum blood stage replication lead to a differential gene expression related to cell cycle progression allowing the maintenance of low levels of parasitemia. The Center for Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg has an interdisciplinary and translational orientation and is embedded in partnerships with groups in malaria endemic countries, representing a unique environment to execute the objectives of this project. I offer translational expertise in the malaria from my previous experience in malaria endemic areas of Brazil as well as in state-of-the-art laboratories in the US. This ambitious yet feasible project also offers the opportunity for me to broaden my expertise in malaria by acquiring knowledge in new area, which will allow me to build a solid background from which to become an independent researcher.

Mots clés : malaria, plasmodium falciparum, seasonal transmission, parasite replication

Participants :
- University Hospital Heidelberg (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 174806.4 €
Projet TRES-CHIC-ESt (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Plasmons are collective modes of the solid-state electrons representing a characteristic elementary excitation in solids. In theory plasmons are simplified as quasi particles with a well-defined energy and momentum from the instant of their creation to their decay. The dynamics of plasmons and the concomitant liberation of solid-state electrons is not yet fully understood. It is the aim of the present project to unveil the dynamics of this complex many-body process with unprecedented temporal resolution. The fundamentals of plasmonics are at the core of this project, as well as technologies involving secondary and hot electrons. Albeit challenging, the above scientific vision of the applicant is not only innovative, but it is timely and relevant to various scientific and technological fields ranging from space technology, to photovoltaics and semiconductor industry, as well as life sciences and biology. With the advent of modern time-resolved experiments, the objective of the experienced researcher (ER) outlined above has realistically come within reach. The TRES-CHIC-ESt project will be carried out at a host institution which is a pioneer in the field of attophysics under a supervision offering optimal conditions for young researchers to widen their scientific horizon and to boost their careers, thus offering to the applicant the ideal environment to pursue her innermost desire: to become a world-class successful researcher. In exchange, the solid-state Physics background of the ER will enrich the perspectives of the hosting group, who among others will benefit from her prior experiences and collaborations. During her PhD-studies, as a MSCA ITN fellow, the ER has already studied the causal relationship between plasmons and secondary electrons using spectroscopy with correlated electron pairs. Finally, by following the example of successful female researchers with whom the ER collaborates, she is determined to improve the gender balance in her scientific environment

Mots clés : time resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, collective excitations of the solid state, plasmons, quasi particles, many body phenomena, secondary electron emission, fundamental electronic excitations

Participants :
- TU Wien (Autriche) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 174167.04 €
Projet NATURE (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Doctoral Networks - Industrial Doctorates
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Plastics are the material of choice in packaging applications because of their low cost, high performance and ready processability. Such is their success that it is expected that by 2050 the production of plastic packaging will exceed 250 million metric tons. Considering most plastics that are employed in the packaging industry are used for less than a week, the lack of environmental degradability has led to a tremendous growth of disposed plastics. This growth, together with the fact that the vast majority of synthetic plastics are designed for performance and durability and not for degradability and recyclability, has brought tons of plastic accumulation in the oceans and landfills - ~56 million tons per year. The problem has been highlighted by the acclaimed prediction that by 2050, the ocean is expected to contain more plastics than fish (by weight). Although it was envisioned that biodegradable polymers based on ester linkages such as poly(lactide) (PLA) or poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) could be part of the solution because they are mainly derived from biorenewable sources (e.g. starch and cellulose) and can be enzymatically or hydrolytically degraded leading to an environmentally closed circular ecosystem, the low permeability in the case of PLLA and the poor mechanical properties in the case of PHB has limited their potential. NATURE-EID proposes an innovative research training program at the forefront of circular economy of biobased polyesters. In particular, the project will develop fundamental knowledge in the synthesis of new biobased polymeric materials where the polymers are not only design based on their performance but also on their recyclability.

Mots clés : biobased polyesters, polymeric materials, recyclability, sustainable polymerization processes

Participants :
- University of the Basque Country (Espagne) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Polykey polymers sl (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 495222.12 €
- Corbion (Netherlands) (Pays-Bas) — Partner, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
- University of Birmingham (Royaume-Uni) — Partner, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 598384.32 €
Projet CATALEPTIC (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2020)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Plastics-waste issues such as climate change, energy depletion, and environmental pollution are long-term challenges. To meet the target 60 % plastics recycling by 2050, a disruption of the current plastics economy seems unavoidable. Mechanical recycling, as the most popular approach worldwide, is currently limited to a restricted number of high-purity Polyolefins. As a green chemistry method, plastic depolymerization exploits the unique hydrothermal properties of near-critical water for circular chemical recycling. However, in its current state, economic and technical bottlenecks stall the technology maturation. Catalytic depolymerization of plastics in hydrothermal media, CATALEPTIC, is planned to ease the depolymerization of common plastics, including addition and condensation polymers, into monomeric/Naphtha production. Professor Lasse Rosendahl and Assoc. Professor Thomas Helmer Pedersen, will supervise and guide me to achieve beyond state-of-the-art results to radically change the way plastics will be handle in the future. In close collaboration with Haldor Topsoe and Technical University of Munich, as the project secondmentw, this research plan will combine my expertise in catalysis, Reaction Engineering, and Process Chemistry with the host’s expertise in the hydrothermal valorization of wastes to equip the infrastructure existing in AAU, host organization, for continuous HTL of waste materials with both active and highly selective catalyst and a state-of-the-art purification system. This program will not only allow me to diversify my competence by acquiring new skills and competencies, particularly in terms of demonstration engineering, catalyst application, and purification systems, which will also enormously benefit my inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary expertise and strengthen my international network. CATALEPTIC will contribute to Europe’s circular economy by providing invaluable knowledge on the thermochemical recycling of plastics.

Mots clés : thermochemical conversion, circular recycling, process optimization, sustainable development, end of life plastics

Participants :
- Aalborg University (Danemark) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 219312.0 €
Projet PleisTechnoVar (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

PleisTechnoVar aims to better understand the increase in technological variability observed in Africa during the Late Pleistocene, between 70000 and 15000 years ago. While many research projects have focused on the origins of Homo sapiens and its spread Out of Africa into Eurasia, fewer research has concerned the material cultures of the populations who « stayed » in Africa and how they interacted with eachother. The first objective is to study this variability on the regional scale of Eastern Africa, between Kenya and Ethiopia. The second objective is to develop a methodological approach to understand the factors driving this variability. A larger scale of analysis will be used and Eastern Africa as well as the Nile Valley and the Levant will be considered in order to propose hypotheses concerning links between technological variability, environments and population dynamics. This project is an in-depth study of the candidate's previous research axes in these regions. In order to meet these objectives, lithic assemblages will be studied using the concept of chaîne opératoire and attribute analyses. Data collection will take place during short mobilities in museums in Eastern Africa, Israel and Europe. Spatial analyses will complete the study. These data will then be discussed in view of the known palaeoenvironmental data, as well as the results from the study of other types of material (zooarchaeology, geomorphology, etc.). The research will be conducted at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research in the University of Cambridge where the candidate will receive high level training to improve her skills in the study of material culture (quantitative and qualitative data, theoretical background), as well as to develop new competences in spatial analysis (through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS)). The candidate will greatly benefit from the host organisation's experience in interdisciplinary research on the diversity of material cultures.

Mots clés : lithic technology, eastern africa, middle stone age, later stone age, migrations, technical transitions

Participants :
- University of Cambridge (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet pPHEV (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) offer an ample alternative for low-carbon road mobility, which however impose a significantly challenge on maximising energy efficiency and driving autonomy. This pPHEV project aims at addressing this challenge by developing a predictive energy management system for PHEVs as well as realise an advanced career development for the experienced researcher using a clearly defined training-through-research approach. This proposed predictive control management will benefit from and integrate driver driving style information, and dynamic traffic and speed information within this project, along with a few on-going vehicle electrification and intelligence research activities at Cranfield University. This fellowship provides an excellent opportunity for the experienced researcher to advance the career training to secure a leading independent position at the end of the fellowship. The research outcomes will offer a step change in PHEV energy management, and promote knowledge sharing among different EV/HEV-related communities. The pPHEV project will not only advance the research, innovation and development of future PHEVs, but will also improve public awareness of smart green transport.

Mots clés : predictive energy management, driving style recognition, dynamic traffic and speed prediction, plug in hybrid electric vehicles

Participants :
- Cranfield University (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 146591.1 €
Projet TOPLASMON (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Polaritons are joint excitations of light and matter and constitute an important field of study in optics. Historically, many new types of polaritons have been discovered by inspecting novel and interesting material systems, with graphene plasmons being a prominent example. Project TOPLASMON aims to study and harness the polaritons in an even newer material category - topological materials - which have recently been discovered and are intensively studied in condensed matter physics. These materials include topological insulators, which have conducting edges but insulating bulks, and Weyl Semimetals, which support unique Fermi-arc states. At the heart of project TOPLASMON is a novel measurement system, which combines a recently invented cryogenic scanning near field microscope with a THz laser and detector. This setup will allow, for the first time, the observation of topological polaritons of several varieties: (1) Chiral polaritons in topological insulators which exhibit reduced backscattering from defects. Specifically, I will working with the recently realized 2D topological insulators. (2) Fermi-arc Polaritons in Weyl Semimetals, whose dispersion is tied in with the properties of the underyling crystal, thereby probing the properties of these new materials. These polaritons are expected to have an in-plane hyperbolic dispersion and may even lead to realization of miniaturized optical isolators, leading to an important technological breakthrough. (3) Strong plasmonic resonances. I will study plasmon-polariton excitations in topological material, at frequencies near the plasmonic resonance. Empowered by the exceedingly long electron scattering times measured in several recent experiments, highly confined plasmons with unprecedentedly long propagation distances are exoected, a dramatic result for both science and technology. This proposal is therefore set to open a new study area at the forefront of research both in condensed matter and nanophotonics.

Mots clés : polaritons, topological materials, wey semi metal, topological insulators, 2d materials

Participants :
- Institute of Photonic Sciences (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 172932.48 €
Projet EUSOCDIV (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Political leaders of the European Union increasingly believe that a ‘Social Europe’ is indispensable for the continuation of the European project. Even though the course towards a more Social Europe is set, it remains unclear what the notion of Social Europe actually means, as it can refer to very different policy objectives and instruments. This is a problem since citizens’ support is crucial to democratic decision-making but is also unclear amidst opinions about specific interpretations of Social Europe. That problem is compounded by the lack of scholarly attention to how different citizen interpretations of Social Europe interact and vary across EU member states. This project aims to redress this major scholarly silence, by theoretically and empirically exploring citizens’ attitudes towards various interpretations of Social Europe. Specifically, it aims to unveil (1) to what extent European citizens are concerned about the protection of existing social rights and their further development, (2) to what extent Europeans support the development of EU-level policies to protect and enhance social rights (rather than only relying on domestic social policies in the member states to do so), (3) which combinations of policy measures, reflecting different underlying notions of ‘Social Europe’, are most supported by European publics, and (4) what dividing lines exist regarding these supportive attitudes within and across EU member states. To this end, the project relies on a unique combination of four different large-scale opinion surveys. The empirical results will deepen understanding of the stumbling blocks to consolidating and improving the welfare state and the European Union and identify pathways to strengthen the EU’s social dimension in a way that is supported by European publics. As such, the project clarifies the viability of Social Europe as a political project.

Mots clés : social europe, public opinion, eu social policy, european integration, welfare states

Participants :
- University of Amsterdam (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187572.48 €
Projet nanoPhotoMat (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Pollutants released directly to the air are particularly harmful compared to soil and water pollutants. These pollutants severely affect people’s life quality and life expectancy. Indoor air purification at highly populated urban areas is technically challenging, because indoor air contaminants arise from both outside and indoor sources. The most hazardous indoor pollutants are volatile organic components, toxic inorganics, dust, bacteria, pollen and mold spores. Conventional ventilation brings outdoor air pollution inside the buildings and thus increases energy consumed for cleaning per room. Adapting new technological advances will help meeting requirements of a compact, reliable, and eco-friendly design. The main objective of this proposal is therefore to develop the next generation air purifiers where photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) technologies will allow elimination of a variety of hazardous indoor air pollutants, and bad odour caused by such pollutants, when illuminated by low-power light sources on-the-fly. The proposed project composes of four different phases: the state-of-the-art design of photocatalysts, selection of proper illuminating source, configuration of PCO system, and preparation of the first prototype. In this study, we will address the limited work performed within the field hitherto, such as the mechanism of catalyst deactivation, efficiencies of odour removal, generation of by-products, electron-hole recombination phenomenon, and the ways of providing anti-bacterial/good hygiene properties. We will carry out an in-depth investigation on optimization of PCO air purification system within an interdisciplinary work at Arçelik Central R&D. After designing a viable configuration, we will focus on the production of a PCO air purifier prototype. In accordance with Arçelik Group’s policy and vision, our final goal is to ready the highly energy-efficient, low-noise, and reliable PCO air purifier prototype for the product launch in the global market.

Mots clés : photocatalysis, uv and visible light, air purification, nanomaterials, vocs, odour

Participants :
- Arçelik (Turkey) (Turquie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 145845.6 €