Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-actions-marie-curie-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet GRAINS (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Information Science and Engineering
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The study of asteroids addresses a number of questions relevant for space engineers, planetary scientists and physicists. Near Earth Asteroids are a great opportunity for technological, human exploration missions and for asteroids resources exploitation. Sadly, they can also represent a threat for the planet. The scientific and technological exploitation and the implementation of mitigation actions for hazardous asteroids rely upon our knowledge of their properties. Remote surveys play a fundamental role to estimate asteroid properties, but they can only provide limited information: there is no mean to reconstruct their internal structure. GRAINS addresses such problem through N-body numerical simulations of gravitational aggregation. This method is suitable to estimate the internal properties of rubble-pile asteroids: gravitational aggregates with very low tensile strength and high level of porosity. The study of aggregation phenomena currently relies on codes optimized for a large number of mutually interacting particles, regardless of their individual shape and rigid body motion. Although not relevant for many applications, this limitation could be relevant for the case of asteroids, as suggested by results of granular dynamics in terrestrial engineering applications. The latter are commonly studied using multi-body codes, able to simulate contact interactions between a large number of complex-shaped bodies, but not suitable for gravitational dynamics. The goal of the project is to joint the advantages of both classes of codes into a single implementation, able to reproduce N-body gravitational dynamics between a large number of complex-shaped rigid bodies. GRAINS plans to use the implemented code to study relevant aggregation scenarios and to assess the accuracy of obtained asteroid models. The outcome of the GRAINS project will be a new and powerful tool to study asteroids and their internal properties based on information available from remote observations.

Mots clés : asteroid, gravitational dynamics, multi body, n body dynamics, rubble pile, gravitational aggregation

Participants :
- Politecnico di Milano (Italie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 176203.8 €
- Government of the United States of America (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Recherche, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet LocalCom (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The study of local communication in the digital age is an important subject area, as a thriving public dialogue and deliberation online enhances local democracies and engagement in local matters. However, our understanding of local communication online and how practices of different local communities vary is limited, as most research in the field explores online communication at national or international level. The aim of this project is to conduct a comparative study on the democratic potentials and challenges of local communication online and on the key features of digital local public spheres in four European countries. The objectives of the project are to: 1) develop a framework for the study of digital local public sphere; 2) analyse and compare online communication of local communities in Italy, Norway, Poland and the UK; 3) analyse and compare key features of digital local public spheres of local communities in Italy, Norway, Poland and the UK; 4) develop policy recommendations to foster strong and inclusive digital local public spheres in local communities. With these objectives the study will not only provide a theoretical contribution but also inform policy debates and have the potential to influence communicative practices. A mixed method approach will be applied for the empirical research, which will involve case study analysis of local communities in the four countries. The methods will include content analysis, interviews and social media network analysis. The project will be carried out at the Centre for Research on Communities and Cultures, Canterbury Christ Church University, a specialist centre in the study of local communities in the digital age with fitting training profile. The fellowship will expand the theoretical and methodological competences of Professor Biernacka-Ligięza, and diversify her skills and knowledge through its interdisciplinary approach, impact on both academic and non academic beneficiaries and international mobility.

Mots clés : local communication, local communities in the digital age, digital social research, social and political communication, comparative study

Participants :
- Canterbury Christ Church University (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 195454.8 €
Projet Neurotoxic (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2015)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The study of protein aggregates and how they damage neuronal cells is important in order to understand the initiation and progression of several neurodegenerative diseases - including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD). The aggregation from the native monomeric proteins to beta sheet containing amyloid structures involves the formation of different species - misfolded proteins, small soluble oligomers and finally formation of fibrils. It is believed that small oligomers are the most cytotoxic species which play a major role in neuronal loss and cell death. Although, the exact mechanism and extent of amyloid oligomer’s cytotoxicity is still unknown, one of the most consistent pathologies in neurodegenerative disease is unregulated influx of Ca2+ into the cell. Individual oligomers directly disrupt cell membranes through non-specific binding at picomolar concentrations leading to the formation of ion channels, which allow Ca2+ influx and can lead to cell death. Based on this observation, we will develop a single liposome assay to quantify the oligomer induced toxicity from oligomers present in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from healthy controls and patients with AD and PD. Using a Ca2+ sensitive fluorogenic sensor, we will monitor the oligomer induced Ca2+ influx inside the liposome in real time. We will measure and compare the toxicity of synthetic oligomers of amyloid beta, alpha-synuclein, tau and PrP oligomers as a function of oligomer concentration and liposome membrane composition. We will then quantify the effect of various antibodies commonly used for treatment of AD and PD on the toxicity of synthetic oligomers and those in CSF. This novel ultra-sensitive state-of-the-art single molecule technique will provide new insights into the mechanism of oligomer induced toxicity, allowing us to identify the most toxic oligomers and the most suitable antibodies to prevent oligomer induced damage as well as having potential for early disease diagnosis.

Mots clés : alzheimer s disease and parkinson s disease, protein misfolding and aggregation, oligomer toxicity, single molecule fluorescence studies, cerebrospinal fluid

Participants :
- University of Cambridge (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 195454.8 €
Projet LocalGlobal0Cycles (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Mathematics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The study of rational solutions to Diophantine equations is an important research area in number theory, with many concrete applications in different disciplines, including cryptography. The candidate's proposed work aims at investigating, via "local-global" techniques, the arithmetic behaviour of certain generalisations of rational solutions to Diophantine problems, called "zero-cycles". The goal is to systematically develop the theory of these generalised solutions in order to open it up to a wider range of tools and research directions, including arithmetic statistical ones (in the spirit of the work developed by Field medallist Prof Bhargava). The proposed supervisor, Prof Tim Browning, is a world-renowned expert in the study of Diophantine equations. He has considerable experience in successfully supervising research, having mentored several PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. The choice of IST Austria as the host institution is a natural one, given the perfect affinity of the supervisor and his number theory group's expertise to the candidate's proposed work. The candidate, Dr Francesca Balestrieri, completed her undergraduate studies at University of Cambridge and her graduate studies under an EPSRC Studentship at University of Oxford, where she obtained her DPhil in 2017. She is now a postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in Bonn. The candidate's proposed work on zero-cycles will be of great interest to the arithmetic geometry community, laying the foundations for new research directions and fruitful international collaborations. he project will better integrate her into the continental European research network and allow her to progress towards her career goal of becoming an established independent researcher at a leading European institution.

Mots clés : rational points, zero cycles, local global principles, algebraic varieties

Participants :
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (Autriche) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 174167.04 €
Projet ExTRyG (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The study of transport phenomenon based on quantum processes, where energy and information are transported but neither charge nor mass, is a vivid and interdisciplinary field of research raising both fundamental and technological issues. During this fellowship, we propose to use laser-cooled ensembles of atoms in highly excited states (cold Rydberg gases) to study such transport phenomenon. The overall purpose of the action is to demonstrate that cold Rydberg gases can be used as an innovative, efficient research platform which would allow to further address fundamental challenges related to the transport of energy and information.\\ The principal objective of this project is to form a chain of Rydberg atoms, to locally place an additional electronic excitation (exciton) in the chain and to observe the subsequent transport dynamics. A second objective is to implement adiabatic excitation of collective Rydberg excitations in order to prepare deterministically a Rydberg chain. This project will be implemented in a world leading group in cold Rydberg gases where the applicant will use two complementary experimental setups to address the different aspect of the objectives in the best conditions. He will be supervised by their respective principal investigators which will provide a strong management structure to the project. Building around the applicant's experience in the field of cold Rydberg gases, this fellowship will provide him with new, cutting-edge experimental skills which would establish him as a leading researcher in this field. The innovative, high quality research which will be carried out during this fellowship will serve as a basis for the application to a permanent position.

Mots clés : cold gases, rydberg atoms, resonant energy transfer, quantum transport

Participants :
- Durham University (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet Nitro Systems (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2014)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
Panel : Life Sciences
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The survival of multicellular organisms requires inter-organ communication via long-distance signals. This is especially relevant in plants where post-embryonic development can be altered in response to sensing a heterogeneous nutrient environment in the soil. For example, a long-distance, inter-organ “root-shoot-root” relay system enables plant roots to specifically forage for nitrate-rich patches in a heterogeneous nutrient soil environment . In this proposal, I will use a unique “split-root” system to uncover the mechanisms of this systemic “root-shoot-root” relay system. Specifically, I will identify the targets of systemic N-signaling in plants as well as the potential RNA signals that traffic in phloem cells, the “information highway” to enable this inter-organ communication in plants. I will identify RNAs (mRNAs and smRNAs) associated with inter-organ signaling using a combination of time-based modeling and validate candidate genes using transgenics and shoot-root grafting. These studies will be the among the first to uncover systemic N-signals in a multicellular eukaryote.

Mots clés : model plant, arabidopsis thaliana, nutrient, root development, long distance signalling, mobile rnas, gene expression, nitrogen, gene regulatory network

Participants :
- Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (France) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 246668.4 €
- New York University (Etats-Unis) — Partner, organization partner, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 0.0 €
Projet INFPROBES (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2016)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Physics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The theory of cosmic inflation is the current paradigm for early universe cosmology. I propose a research and training programme centered around two themes in inflationary cosmology. First, I will determine new signatures of high-energy physics in inflation i) by finding new shapes of non-Gaussianity, in particular signatures from the tower of higher-spin states predicted in high-energy completions of gravity such as string theory, and also ii) by studying natural extensions of the tensor sector, in particular higher spin fields with partial gauge symmetries, and the imprints left by these fields in tensor non-Gaussianity and in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. To achieve i) and ii), I will use methods of field theory in curved backgrounds, as well as general symmetry properties of cosmological correlation functions. Second, I will study quantum instabilities in de Sitter space, as well as an analogue in flat space, a constant background electric field. The instabilities will be determined by studying response functions and vacuum polarization in strong fields. The signatures proposed in the first theme will provide tools to perform particle spectroscopy and determine the field content of inflation. The effects proposed in the second theme are a potential microscopic mechanism for the dynamics of inflation. This programme will be conducted at the University of Amsterdam, giving me access to a wide network of collaborators in the fields of high-energy physics and cosmology, and provide me extensive training in various aspects of inflationary cosmology, CMB physics, string theory and the dynamics of systems out of equilibrium. The skills acquired in this proposal will tie excellently with my previous formation in cosmological perturbation theory, single-field inflation, and the dS/CFT correspondence.

Mots clés : inflation, de sitter space, non gaussianities, string theory, out of equilibrium dynamics

Participants :
- University of Amsterdam (Pays-Bas) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 177598.8 €
Projet covtrans (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2017)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Mathematics
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The topic of this proposal is a structured extension of abstract harmonic analysis and covariant/contravariant transforms over homogeneous spaces of locally compact groups. We are going to develop a systematic framework to study the structure and properties of convolution-type operators associated to locally compact groups, both from a theoretical perspective and in application to geometric analysis, operator theory and mathematical physics. The first objective is to present the abstract notion of relative dual space for homogeneous spaces. Then we present the theory of relative Fourier analysis over these homogeneous spaces by applying the the abstract theory of relative dual space. Finally, we explore a general model of covariant/contravariant analysis over homogeneous spaces. The entire project will be an important contribution to the field of abstract harmonic analysis, harmonic analysis, geometric analysis and theoretical physics, presenting a unified perspective on the structure of these homogeneous spaces. Applications to symbolic calculus of operators and quantum information theory will be explored. The Fellow will gain new skills and experience in applications of his knowledge in mathematical physics and other areas. Progress in this ambitious project will reinforce Fellow's reputation and support him in obtaining a strong academic position. The host will gain from Fellow's expertise, on the representation theory/abstract harmonic analysis border, which Fellow has developed from his tree-year PostDoc in Vienna--the one of world's leading wavelets groups.

Mots clés : wavelets, coherent states, group representations, and signal processing

Participants :
- University of Leeds (Royaume-Uni) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 183454.8 €
Projet Thin-CATALYzER (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2018)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Chemistry
Statut du projet : SIGNED

The transformation of energy coming from renewable sources into gas with the purpose of storage and transportation (power-to-gas) is a powerful approach for the development of new-generation secure, clean, efficient energy systems. Key step in such a process is electrolysis, which utilizes electrical current for splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen. While the present electrolysis technology (anion exchange cells) is insufficient for covering the future demands, polymer-based cells (PEMECs) represent an emerging alternative for becoming the key-enabling technology in power-to-gas systems. Thin-CATALYzER aims at making an important step towards the implementation of PEMECs at large scale by introducing an innovative paradigm based on thin-film technology for the fabrication of an efficient, durable and sustainable PEMEC anode catalyst layer. This will serve both as an end-product possessing a high level of technological readiness and as a platform for achieving new information on the fundamental reaction mechanisms. Thin-CATALYzER tackles the current limitations of PEMEC anodes as it takes advantage of a single-step physical deposition process (PLD) for obtaining a nanostructured catalyst layer with high level of purity and of noble metal utilization, optimized meso- and microstructure, to be deposited on ceramic single crystals or on a commercial support according to the needs. Besides, the project comprises a program for the professional growth of the ER by training-through-research in catalysis and related techniques and for the development of complementary skills. This will be achieved thanks to the commitment of the host institution and of the action partners (academic and industrial), which possess a highly qualified and intersectorial knowledge. Lastly, the action promotes a two-way transfer of knowledge and the development of an extended network for all the actors involved.

Mots clés : oxygen evolution reaction, electrolyzer, thin film deposition, heterostructures, anode catalyst layer, electrochemistry, solid state chemistry

Participants :
- National Institute of Chemistry (Slovénie) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Recherche, subvention : 150040.32 €
Projet GenCorr (Horizon 2020, appel à projets 2019)
Action : Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
Panel : Social Sciences and Humanities
Statut du projet : CLOSED

The transition from the Old Regime to modern European states in the 18th and 19th centuries entailed a transformation in the meaning of “corruption”. While seen as a moral failure from Antiquity to the Early Modern period, with the separation of the public and private domains in the 18th and 19th centuries, corruption came to be strictly defined as the abuse of public office. Until now, this particular transition has been studied only in Western and Northern Europe and in North America, where the reduced level of administrative corruption came to be seen as part and parcel of successful state-building. Although corruption in Southeastern Europe has received ample attention, it has been mostly treated as a quasi-natural characteristic of the region, and completely ignored as a problem of governance. My project addresses this problem by scrutinizing the emergence of the problem of administrative malpractice in the long 18th century Wallachia. Based on archival and published sources (judicial decisions, regulations, chronicles, travelogues etc.), the project offers the first systematic study of the practices which can be called corrupt, of the discourses about corruption and of the reaction of contemporaries to this phenomenon. The importance of the project lies in throwing light on processes of modernization in Southeastern Europe prior to the adoption of the Western cultural and political model during the 19th century.

Mots clés : corruption, patronage, modernization, state, administration, wallachia

Participants :
- University of Regensburg (Allemagne) — Coordinator, beneficiary, Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire, subvention : 162806.4 €