Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet HAT-DES (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Anilines and their derivatives are integral organic molecules with application as medicines, agrochemicals and organic materials.  Over the last 30 years, the Buchwald-Hartwig and Ullmann cross-couplings have dominated the area of aromatic amination. These reactions involve palladium- or copper-catalyzed C-N bond formation between a halogenated aromatic and an amine. Only aromatics that have been halogenated will react with the metal catalysts and undergo cross-coupling. Therefore, although these processes are widely used, there are 2 significant challenges associated with them:  a. aromatic halogenation reactions are often problematic in terms of selectivity b. cross-coupling reactions are known to fail on complex and functionalized materials With this project we aim to provide a transformative advance in the field and demonstrate the direct conversion of functionalized N-cyclohexyl-amides, carbamates and sulfonamides into the corresponding N-aryl derivatives.  To achieve this, we will use an unprecedented triple catalysis manifold based on photoredox catalysis, cobalt catalysis and H-atom transfer catalysis. This innovative catalytic system will effectively trigger desaturation of the starting N-cyclohexyl derivatives and key reactive intermediates.  This research will create a novel approach for the one-step synthesis of many complex anilines from unusual precursors, which are largely commercially-available or easy to prepare. The proposal capitalizes on recent developments by the host group in aniline synthesis and dual photoredox–cobalt catalysis.  The development of this innovative project at RWTH Aachen University will create new tools in bio-organic chemistry and enable the rapid and efficient preparation of high-value materials. Implementation of the project will be facilitated by the generation, transfer, and dissemination of knowledge, which will greatly enhance my future career prospects, in accordance with the enviosioned training plan.

Mots clés : aniline synthesis, h atom transfer, photoredox catalysis, desaturation

Participants :
- Université technique de Rhénanie-Westphalie à Aix-la-Chapelle (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 189687.36 €
Projet ALKBIOTA (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2024)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Plants host diverse communities of microorganisms called plant microbiome that provide specific services by several mechanisms. Because of its capacity to enhance plant nutrient uptake, yield, and tolerance to challenging conditions, the rhizosphere microbiome stands as a valuable bioresource for fostering sustainable agriculture. However, there remains a lack in comprehending the process of interaction within the rhizosphere-microbiome ecosystem. Plants secrete a broad of secondary metabolites, which vary with species and may interact with the biota. Alkaloids, a class of secondary metabolites play a major role in plants' signaling and defense. Although significant progress has been made in elucidating the role of polyphenols in controlling Arabidopsis roots microbiome, little is known about the impact of the alkaloids on microbiome shaping. In this project, we intend to dissect the hidden role of alkaloids in controlling the root microbiome of tomato in response to biotic/abiotic stress and to determine the related microbial processes and services that will help the plant under stress using a multidisciplinary approach. We first seek to identify the effects of Phytophthora infestans attack and nitrogen deficiency on the composition of tomato root-microbiome. Then, we intend to unravel the biological role of alkaloids on microbiome control under stressful conditions. Afterward, the interrelation microbiome and alkaloids will be better defined using SynComs. Finally, we will employ bioinformatics pipelines to analyze data and to decode the correlation alkaloids-microbiome-plant performance. The outcomes of this project will provide new insights on the interaction tomato-alkaloids and microbiome, allowing for a better understanding of alkaloids, and how tomato use it to communicate with the microbiome under stresses. It will reveal promising avenues for leveraging alkaloids as signals to control and harness the rhizomicrobiome to enhance tomato fitness and production

Mots clés : alkaloids, rhizomicrobiome, tomato, plant secondary metabolites, stress, bioinformatics

Participants :
- Université de Fribourg (Suisse) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de Cologne (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 217965.12 €
Projet GamblingEmotion (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Psychological theories of emotion and cognition agree that emotional experiences play an important role in decision making and risk evaluation. For emotions to influence decision-making, individuals need to perceive these emotional signals (i.e. interoception), and appraise them appropriately (e.g. attribute as an internal state). These processing stages have been found to be abnormal in some forms of mental illness. In gambling behaviour, it is assumed that abnormal levels of arousal are a source of reinforcement and can lead to problematic gambling participation. Yet, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, and emotional signals alone (e.g. heart rate changes) do not reliably differentiate people with and without gambling problems. The current project will clarify the role of arousal in disordered gambling to close this knowledge gap by using a novel approach to separate the contributions of arousal perception, and the influence of risk and ambiguity on arousal and the appraisal of arousal. Work package (WP) 1 will record psychophysiological measures of arousal in people who gamble, and assess their relationships with the subjective perception of arousal. WP 2 will examine the influence of risk and ambiguity on the ability of arousal to predict decision making. WP 3, will investigate whether unrelated (‘incidental’) arousal is attributed to the gambling episode and influences decision making in gambling behaviour. Combining computational modeling and psychophysiological measurements is a new experimental approach which will give additional insights in identifying which of these emotional dimensions are perturbed in gambling. The proposed research will have implications for gambling policy, and targeting emotional components in prevention and treatment of gambling addiction.

Mots clés : emotion, gambling, decision making, computational modeling, arousal

Participants :
- Université de la Colombie-Britannique (Canada) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de Cologne (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 280751.52 €
Projet CHOPPE (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Sexual reproduction is a costly but seemingly necessary trait in animals. However, species in diverse branches of the animal kingdom have secondarily reverted to asexual reproduction. In the roundworms (phylum Nematoda), this reversal appears particularly frequent, as parthenogenetic species have emerged in numerous genera. Species in the genus Plectus are obligately parthenogenetic, and are distributed in non-extreme and extreme environments across the globe. Mechanisms leading to the loss of sex, for example hybridisation, have received some attention, but are still poorly understood, in particular on the genomic level. This is in part due to the lack of sequencing and analysis tools for complex genomes of minute organisms. CHOPPE will generate chromosome-level collapsed and phased genome assemblies using latest assembly strategies for several species of Plectus and its closest sexual relative Anaplectus from diverse habitats. CHOPPE will develop new computational methods for generating fully phased assemblies of diverse non-model species. Collapsed assemblies, and haplotype assemblies of several Plectus and Anaplectus species generated in the project, will allow to decipher the genomic basis of their adaption in the context of parthenogenesis and extreme environments. The project will further investigate the reversal to sexuality of Plectus through crossing with heat induced males, and establish this genus as a new model for the study of parthenogenesis.

Mots clés : genome assembly haplotypes parthenogenesis adaptation

Participants :
- Université de Cologne (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 173847.36 €
Projet SEGRALCS (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

Coastal erosion is one of the major global threats to people, the economy, cultural assets and ecosystems in many regions of the world and also in Europe. Valuable coastal ecosystems, such as seagrass meadows, are particularly threatened by these erosion problems and effective protection measures for their conservation are urgently needed. Low-crested structures (LCS) are the typical coastal defence in Europe, with a design mainly based on their hydrodynamic and morphodynamic behaviour and little attention is usually paid to the ecological consequences of their construction. The construction of breakwaters can affect seagrasses by altering the circulation and sediment transport to the adjacent habitat, but fragmented and scientific-based criteria are difficult to manage in present engineering design and therefore ecological impacts are often not taken into account. Within this research project, the creation of a new quantitative prediction tool will be investigated to allow civil engineers and decision-makers to optimize the design of breakwaters and reduce the uncertainty related to their environmental performance, contributing to the preservation and conservation of seagrasses during the lifetime of breakwaters. In particular, the project will focus on the Mediterranean Sea to ensure the persistence of two characteristics seagrass species, Cymodocea nodosa and the most important endemic and slow-recovery Posidonia oceanica. The fellowship will be carried out at the Universitat Politécnica de Valencia (UPV), in Spain, under the supervision of Professor Josep R. Medina, international expert in maritime and coastal engineering, in collaboration with Dr. Nuria Marbà, internationally renowned researcher on marine and seagrass ecology at the Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados (IMEDEA). A placement is planned at the engineering consultancy INGEOMAR to put into practice and refine the predictive model, boosting its integration in coastal protection proyects.

Mots clés : coastal erosion, seagrass meadows conservation, low crested structures, nature based coastal defences, hydro morphodynamics, mediterranean sea, quantitative predictive tool, breakwater design, 

Participants :
- Université polytechnique de Valence (Espagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 206641.2 €
- Conseil supérieur de la recherche scientifique (Espagne) — Partner, associated partner, Recherche, subvention : 0.0 €
- Ingeniería avanzada de obras marítimas, s.l.p. (Espagne) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
Projet X-MiND (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : TERMINATED

Modern radiation therapy treatment is driven by the everlasting demand for suitable detectors that can perform under different radiation beams (photon, proton, electron, ion, etc.) at small fields. The industrially developed dosimeter/detectors are still limited by the significant size requirement, volume averaging effect, lack of sensitivity, correction factors, and low signal-to-noise ratio, etc. Thus, quality treatment is still hampered and continues to risk the patients. In addition, scintillator-based X-ray cameras are still suffered from low compactness, modest response time, and crosstalk, which shows strong limitations in the existing technology. In this context, this research work is devoted to the design and fabrication of a novel extremely compact, real-time, dynamic, and highly sensitive X-ray/H+ Micro/Nano Scintillating Detector (X-MiND). The developed micro-detector will be tested for high-energy photon and particle beam characterizations along with simulation techniques. A multi-dosimeter system exploited from a bundle of single detectors will be realized and tested, targeting the next generation X-ray cameras. Subsequently, a nanometric scintillating detector will be demonstrated in surface physics application in synchrotron targeting high-resolution local 2D chemical mapping of a material by employing a novel dual-probe technique. Thus, the medical outcomes of this research will explore miniaturized dosimetry, exact dose verification in the small field that initiates early-stage tumor treatments and the first step of new generation X-ray cameras with improved performances. The physics outcomes are expected in the direct surface imaging of X-ray free-standing waves (XSW). The new fundamental knowledge developed in this project could be applied to other multiple domains. From the project, I aim to improve my expertise by training-through-research with leading experts worldwide and bring this knowledge back to Europe to share and integrate me.

Mots clés : x ray h micro dosimetry, dosimetry, radiation therapy, scintillating dosimetry, x ray detectors, x ray imaging, 

Participants :
- Institut Paul Scherrer (Suisse) — Partner, associated partner, Recherche, subvention : 0.0 €
- Aix-Marseille Université (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 300441.6 €
- Université de Chicago (Etats-Unis) — Partner, associated partner, Autres, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet BIZ-SRAMCS (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2023)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The "Interplay of Blending and Interfacial Zones in Sustainable Recycled Asphalt Materials: A Comprehensive Mechanical Characterization and Modeling Study" (BIZ-SRAMCS) aims to equip a promising young researcher, Dr. Yi Li, with advanced skills in interdisciplinary research. This project endeavors to advance the sustainability of Recycled Asphalt Materials (RAMs) by enabling precise durability predictions through comprehensive microstructural and mechanical characterization of the Blending Zone (BZ) and Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ). The main research objectives include 1) a profound understanding of RAMs' microstructure, 2) enhanced lab assessment and modeling approaches for the mechanical behavior of BZ and ITZ, and 3) the development of an accurate numerical tool for predicting the response and cracking behaviors of RAMs. This work, carried out in collaboration with TU Delft, RWTH, and TotalEnergies, is poised to strengthen the EU's scientific and industrial leadership in RAM innovation. Moreover, BIZ-SRAMCS will provide Dr. Yi Li with a broad spectrum of learning opportunities, including project management, intellectual property rights, and teaching and supervising. Under the mentorship of Dr. Liu, an experienced scientist at TU Delft, the Fellow will gain diverse knowledge and skills, setting the stage for a successful career as an independent researcher in sustainable infrastructure.

Mots clés : road infrastructure recycled asphalt materials blending zone interfacial transition zone advanced numerical tool

Participants :
- Université de technologie de Delft (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 203464.32 €
- Dura vermeer infrastructuur bv (Pays-Bas) — Partner, associated partner, Organismes privés (hors enseignement), subvention : 0.0 €
- Université technique de Rhénanie-Westphalie à Aix-la-Chapelle (Allemagne) — Partner, associated partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet ADEEPSLEEP (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2022)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The increased prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in our ageing society constitutes an urgent, far-reaching public health concern. In the worldwide effort to identify leverage points to prevent or delay the onset of AD, sleep has recently emerged as a potent modifiable factor to slow down the hallmark pathophysiological processes of the disease, namely amyloid-beta and tau protein accumulation together with neurodegeneration. Crucially, the brain regions that regulate sleep and wakefulness are the first to be affected by AD pathology in the preclinical stages of the disease, but their role in the link between sleep-wake disruption and AD pathogenesis has so far been critically overlooked, due to the inherent difficulty to image them in vivo in humans. In this project, I will take an innovative approach, by using state-of-the-art multimodal neuroimaging methods to investigate the contribution of these brain regions to sleep-wake quality in the earliest stages of the disease, and ultimately to AD-related trajectories. The underlying hypothesis is that worse structural and functional integrity of key sleep-wake nuclei will be associated with poorer sleep-wake phenotypes in the context of AD pathology, and will in turn hasten clinical symptomatology. The unmatched scientific expertise and resources provided by the team of Prof. Johnson at Massachusetts General Hospital will constitute an outstanding multidisciplinary environment to further develop my knowledge in advanced neuroimaging techniques and statistical modeling approaches, and to bolster my multifaceted international research network. The wide range of scientific and management skills acquired throughout this fellowship, combined with the international exposure and the resulting close collaborations between European and American research groups, will be key for my future career in Europe as an independent researcher contributing to the global endeavour to improve the earliest detection and prevention of AD.

Mots clés : ultra high field mri sleep wake regulation actigraphy locus coeruleus hypothalamus basal forebrain amyloid beta tau plasma biomarkers pet cognitive ageing

Participants :
- The general hospital corporation (Etats-Unis) — Partner, associated partner, Autres, subvention : 0.0 €
- Université de Maastricht (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 272536.32 €
Projet FABrIC (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : SIGNED

Chronic pain affects > 20% of people worldwide leading to enormous personal suffering and economic burden. A key factor contributing to chronic pain disability that thus far has been neglected is fear of painful touch - a core symptom in people with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). FABrIC (FeAr of painful touch in the BraIn in Chronic pain) is a functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) study using a novel tactile fear conditioning paradigm. I will examine the neural correlates of acquisition, generalization and extinction of fear of painful touch and interrelationships with somatosensory neuroplasticity, and sensory impairments in individuals with CRPS compared to healthy controls. Also, I will investigate how individual differences in vulnerability and resilience factors can modulate fear learning and how they affect pain-related outcomes. This MSCA project is groundbreaking and can yield novel insights in hypothesized intertwined underlying neural mechanisms of pain-related fear and relations with symptoms. I will uniquely and necessarily bridge the gap between different disciplines and pain researchers from physiotherapy, neuroscience, and psychology fields studying the same complex chronic pain disorder. Persons with CRPS endorsed the relevance of this project, which provides opportunities to alleviate the CRPS stigma and improve treatments based on newly gained insights. Maastricht University and the interdisciplinary outstanding research groups are ideal to perform this fellowship. The host developed and pioneered the tactile fear conditioning paradigm. This fellowship will provide the exceptional chance to synergistically combine my expertise of chronic pain and quantitative sensory testing with neuroscientific, neuroimaging, and threat-safety-learning expertise at the host, thereby crucially contributing to the establishment of my own independent chronic pain-brain research line, my career development and sustainable scientific collaborations.

Mots clés : chronic pain, complex regional pain syndrome, functional magnetic resonance imaging, pain related fear, fear conditioning, associative learning, quantitative sensory testing

Participants :
- Université de Maastricht (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 187624.32 €
Projet AIFocus (Horizon Europe, appel à projets 2021)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Economic Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The European Union (EU) attaches critical importance to AI. With its new strategy, called the “European approach to AI”, the EU aims to boost investment to foster the uptake of AI by EU firms. While the potential of AI is widely acknowledged, it is not evident that the focus on AI will translate into the targeted economic benefits. To date, we lack empirical evidence about the firm-level consequences of firms’ increasing focus on AI. The reason for this lack of knowledge is a paucity of firm-level data. In this project, I contribute to our understanding of the causes and consequences of firms’ increasing focus on AI by using a large firm-level dataset. First, I use automated textual analysis to create a unique measure that captures firms’ focus on AI. The measure is based on publicly available documents and allows separating between different AI capabilities. Second, I investigate what causes firms to focus on AI. The answer to this question will be of critical importance to policymakers. It helps them to use the most effective mechanisms to increase AI uptake. Third, I investigate the effect of firms’ AI focus on (a) efficiency, (b) innovation, and (c) employment. Understanding the consequences of firms’ increasing focus on AI is crucial for policymakers. The findings of this project guide them in making efficient investments and designing policies that benefit the workforce.

Mots clés : information management, firms ai focus, ai capabilities, firm level consequences, efficiency, innovation, employment, automated textual analysis

Participants :
- Université de Maastricht (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 203464.32 €