Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : CHIRAL-PRO (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Synergy grants)
Entité participante : Centre for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : CO-PI
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2027350.0 €

Chirality, or the absence of mirror symmetry, is omnipresent in both biological and abiological forms of matter. Rapid progress has recently been achieved in the synthesis of chiral inorganic nanoparticles (NPs), of great interest because of the giant optical activity observed in individual NPs and their assemblies. Such nanostructures yield chiral features at multiple length scales, resulting in a huge diversity of chiral morphologies. The field is expanding toward connecting chirality across the worlds of nano and bio, linking optical and biological chiral functionalities. However, what is currently hampering real-world applications is the step from intuitive synthesis of chiral nanostructures to a purposeful design for specific interactions with biological components. The main objective of CHIRAL-PRO is to develop a widely applicable methodology to design chiral NPs with exceptional optical activity, for strong and predictable enantioselective interactions with nanoscale biological entities, such as proteins and amyloid fibrils. The fundamental understanding of the role of chirality in the recognition between inorganic and biological chiral structures will be used for the programmed assembly into optically active nanofibers and for case studies in sensing and metamaterials. To reach this ambitious goal, the complementary expertise of all three partners involved will be essential: synthesis and assembly of chiral plasmonic NPs (Liz-Marzán); three-dimensional electron microscopy of NPs, and the visualization of their interactions with biomolecules in liquid (Bals); and self-assembly methods and computational predictions for chiral multiscale interactions (Kotov).  In addition to groundbreaking advancements in fundamental research, the high gain of this work can be found in the generation of a toolbox enabling the scientific community to shift from guessing to precise design of chiral nanostructures with predefined properties.

Mots-clés : nanoparticle synthesis,chirality,metal nanoparticles,nanoplasmonics,nanoparticle assemblies,transmission electron microscopy,electron tomography,predictive machine learning,nanoparticle protein interactions,protein detection
Projet ERC : NeuroSonoGene (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Synergy grants)
Entité participante : Université de Milan — Pays : Italie — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2057346.25 €

Brain-machine interfaces are classically based on multi-electrode arrays. Optogenetics has revolutionized this ability to control neuronal activity through ectopic opsin expression but its application to large brains remains limited because of tissue light absorption and scattering. Ultrasound waves have been proposed for remote neuromodulation, but this approach has remained restricted to low-frequency excitation, to prevent brain tissue overheating, at the expense of spatial resolution. The expression of mechanosensitive proteins in neurons has recently made it possible to achieve the ultrasound (US) activation of neurons at high US frequencies, an approach named “sonogenetic”. Using the MscL mechanosensitive ionic channel, we recently provided a first proof of concept in rodents that cortical neurons can be activated in vivo by ultrasounds at a high spatiotemporal resolution and low intensity. Here, we propose to develop an integrated sonogenetic strategy for distant activation/inhibition of neuronal networks by ultrasound waves in large primate brains. The project includes: 1) optimizing and diversifying the sonogenetics actuators for safe neuronal control 2) designing technologies for patterned ultrasound stimulations, 3) demonstrating efficacy and high spatiotemporal resolution of the sonogenetic approach in controlling the primate visual cortex. This project is based on a unique synergistic combination of expertise, with a synthetic biologist in ion channel engineering, a neurobiologist with expertise in vision, and a physicist with expertise in ultrasound technologies. These 3 PIs will be supported by an expert in AAV vector mediated delivery. The project outcomes will be a novel brain-machine interface for investigating neural circuit function even deep within large brains through contactless sonogenetics. This sonogenetic technology will open new avenues for treating neurological dysfunction such as restoring vision in blind patients.

Mots-clés : neuroscience,neuromodulation,sonogenetics,ultrasound,brain machine interface,functional ultrasound imaging,vision,visual restoration,visual cortex
Projet ERC : MaScAmp (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Synergy grants)
Entité participante : Trinity College — Pays : Irlande — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2472815.0 €

MaScAmp proposes a new paradigm for fundamental interactions in physics in the form of a unified mathematical approach to scattering amplitudes. The project brings together a multidisciplinary team with expertise in pure mathematics and theoretical physics who will develop a set of novel and efficient algorithmic methods with applications in mathematics, particle physics and gravity.  Discoveries in many areas of fundamental physics depend upon a detailed understanding of the scattering of particles. Modern experiments, such as particle colliders and gravitational-wave detectors, demand high-precision theoretical computations to make new discoveries. These are deduced from physical models by a highly labour-intensive process relying on the calculation of scattering amplitudes, which assign probabilities to particle interactions. Despite a tremendous worldwide effort over many decades, the methods used to compute increasingly complex scattering amplitudes remain disparate and fragmented. The work of the PIs in distinct domains suggests unexpected symmetries and universal rules obeyed by scattering amplitudes in different-looking areas of physics. This calls for a radically new way of studying scattering amplitudes.  MaScAmp will create a unified framework for the calculation of general scattering amplitudes by building upon the latest research in mathematics, notably in algebraic geometry and number theory. As a result, MaScAmp will overcome longstanding computational bottlenecks, push the boundaries of numerous areas of theoretical physics, such as quantum field theory, gravity and string theory, and inspire new mathematical research. A widely applicable computer software implementation will enable physicists to make previously inaccessible predictions for present and future experiments. A project of MaScAmp’s scope and ambition is only achievable by combining the unique expertise of the PIs in complementary areas of mathematics and physics.

Mots-clés : scattering amplitudes,feynman integrals,iterated integrals,periods,motivic galois theory,string theory,symbolic integration,moduli spaces,modular forms,polylogarithms
Projet ERC : MaScAmp (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Synergy grants)
Entité participante : Université d'Uppsala — Pays : Suède — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2263950.0 €

MaScAmp proposes a new paradigm for fundamental interactions in physics in the form of a unified mathematical approach to scattering amplitudes. The project brings together a multidisciplinary team with expertise in pure mathematics and theoretical physics who will develop a set of novel and efficient algorithmic methods with applications in mathematics, particle physics and gravity.  Discoveries in many areas of fundamental physics depend upon a detailed understanding of the scattering of particles. Modern experiments, such as particle colliders and gravitational-wave detectors, demand high-precision theoretical computations to make new discoveries. These are deduced from physical models by a highly labour-intensive process relying on the calculation of scattering amplitudes, which assign probabilities to particle interactions. Despite a tremendous worldwide effort over many decades, the methods used to compute increasingly complex scattering amplitudes remain disparate and fragmented. The work of the PIs in distinct domains suggests unexpected symmetries and universal rules obeyed by scattering amplitudes in different-looking areas of physics. This calls for a radically new way of studying scattering amplitudes.  MaScAmp will create a unified framework for the calculation of general scattering amplitudes by building upon the latest research in mathematics, notably in algebraic geometry and number theory. As a result, MaScAmp will overcome longstanding computational bottlenecks, push the boundaries of numerous areas of theoretical physics, such as quantum field theory, gravity and string theory, and inspire new mathematical research. A widely applicable computer software implementation will enable physicists to make previously inaccessible predictions for present and future experiments. A project of MaScAmp’s scope and ambition is only achievable by combining the unique expertise of the PIs in complementary areas of mathematics and physics.

Mots-clés : scattering amplitudes,feynman integrals,iterated integrals,periods,motivic galois theory,string theory,symbolic integration,moduli spaces,modular forms,polylogarithms
Projet ERC : POCOCOP (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Synergy grants)
Entité participante : Université technique de Vienne — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : TU Wien
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2899310.0 €

The class P of polynomial-time computable computational problems is the most important and robust complexity class for the study of efficient computation. Answering what problems belong to P will lead to groundbreaking applications in science and society. Moreover, P is a relatively recent mathematical object and radically different from classical notions studied for centuries; thus, capturing it promises the discovery of new fundamental theorems in mathematics.  Our current understanding of P is limited; for instance, the P=NP millenium problem is wide open. There neither exists a uniform reduction technique, nor a single algorithmic scheme capturing the power of P, nor a description of P in purely logical terms. We intend to provide these in a context which is so rich and vast that it requires the unification of some of the most important techniques, and will enhance our general understanding of P.  Within the microcosm of finite-domain constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs), the recent resolution of the Feder-Vardi conjecture by Bulatov and by Zhuk provides a satisfactory picture of P. Our goal is a vast and uniform generalisation of this result in three directions: towards approximation via Promise CSPs, towards optimisation via Valued CSPs, and towards infinite domains via countably categorical CSPs and CSPs over numeric domains. In particular, our setting includes the linear programming problem as a numeric Valued CSP, the approximate graph coloring problem as a Promise CSP, and many problems from qualitative reasoning as infinite-domain CSPs. Our methods range from universal algebra, model theory, Ramsey theory, to complexity theory. Building on cross-connections between these extensions, we will provide a uniform description of P within this diverse and applicable universe, thus making a revolutionary leap in the resolution of the general problem.

Mots-clés : algorithms,computational complexity,finite model theory,universal algebra,model theory,ramsey theory,approximation,optimisation,constraint satisfaction problem
Projet ERC : DarkQuantum (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Synergy grants)
Entité participante : Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : HGF
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2081451.25 €

The unresolved nature of the Dark Matter permeating our Universe is one of the most pressing questions of modern science. It is connected to our very understanding of reality at the most fundamental level. The axion DM paradigm has recently emerged as one of the most compelling hypothesis to solve this question: Dark Matter would be composed by very light and very feebly interacting axions. This paradigm is strongly motivated by theory, and predicts a clear signal in terrestrial experiments called axion haloscopes. Pioneering experiments have reached enough sensitivity to test some realistic axion models in limited mass ranges, so far without a positive signal. However, there is still a large viable axion parameter space to be explored. The methods used to date will be inefficient to perform such a challenging task. Here our DarkQuantum consortium proposes a new way of addressing this gap using quantum sensing technologies and hybrid quantum systems. Specifically, we will combine quantum technologies and well established particle physics environments at CERN or DESY devoted to the detection of axions in the galactic halo. Building quantum-enhanced setups in particle physics environments is extremely challenging and needs expertise from very different fields of physics. Our consortium brings together experts from quantum circuits, very-low temperature cryogenics, quantum measurements and particle physics, to build two quantum-enhanced haloscopes with unprecedented sensitivity and mass scanning range. The novel sensing strategies of the DarkQuantum project could lead to the experimental detection of axions for the first time. Such a fundamental discovery in connection with the long-standing DM problem would lead to a breakthrough in Physics

Mots-clés : axions dark matter axion haloscope axion like particle photon counter qubit transmon high temperature superconductor low background techniques underground physics machine learning
Projet ERC : FATRESCON (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Synergy grants)
Entité participante : Université technique de Rhénanie-Westphalie à Aix-la-Chapelle — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 5063511.25 €

The necessity to meet the rising global demand for mobility and energy supply and, at the same time, the urgency to minimize the carbon footprint, leads to the challenging scientific question of the fatigue resistance of emerging eco-efficient concretes. Since existing knowledge of the traditional Portland-clinker-based binders is largely empirical, it cannot be directly transferred to new binder systems, exhibiting complex chemical and mechanical interactions within the heterogeneous material structure. In contrast to the well-established insight into the high-cycle fatigue of metals, a complete understanding of the fatigue degradation processes in concretes is still lacking. In this research, we are committed to pioneering an innovative approach that establishes a universally applicable link between the chemical/microstructural composition of novel concrete materials and their fatigue resistance. To create an interdisciplinary methodology for the scientific analysis of fatigue-resistant eco-efficient concretes, complementary competences of a multidisciplinary research team will be combined in a concerted application of physico-chemical modeling approaches of hydration processes and advanced methods of multiscale and multifield computational mechanics supported by machine learning and accompanied by a rigorous experimental validation program. The developed coherent methodical framework will include innovative theoretical and numerical as well as tailored experimental approaches covering all relevant spatial and temporal scales to enable realistic predictions of the fatigue behavior of existing and future eco-efficient concrete formulations. This is necessary to give design engineers confidence in the new materials, and to enable design concepts, optimally satisfying requirements for sustainable, economical, and reliable future transportation and energy infrastructure.

Mots-clés : high cycle fatigue,eco efficient concrete,thermodynamics,physical chemistry,multiscale modeling,probabilistic computational mechanics,structural engineering science,material characterization
Projet ERC : TREATLIVMETS (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Synergy grants)
Entité participante : Université de Wurtzbourg — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : CO-PI
Acronyme de l'entité : Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2499154.25 €

Liver metastases commonly develop in up to 50% of patients with various cancer types. The most common cancer that metastasizes to the liver is colorectal cancer (CRC). At least 25% of CRC patients develop colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) during their illness. CRLM represent the major unmet clinical need for this malignancy, as the 5-year survival rate of patients with unresectable disease does not exceed 2%. New therapies that promote antitumor immunity have been recently developed, mostly focusing on enhancing T cell responses. Although these therapies have led to unprecedented successes, only a minority of patients benefit from these treatments, highlighting the need to identify new cells and molecules that could be exploited in next generation immunotherapies. Given the crucial role of innate immune responses in immunity, targeting these responses opens up new possibilities for tumour control. We hypothesize that the immunotherapy of liver metastases can be significantly improved through harnessing the biology of innate lymphoid cells (ILC), such as Natural Killer (NK) cells and ILC1s, and myeloid cells such as macrophages and DCs. Our team brings together experts in the biology of tissue-resident myeloid (Ginhoux, PI4) and lymphoid (Gasteiger, cPI) cells, in liver immunology (Fumagalli, PI3), and in the development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies that modulate immune cells in the fight against cancer (Vivier, PI2). By combining cutting-edge single cell and spatial transcriptomics of human patient samples with cross-species analyses in advanced genetic mouse models, we aim (1) to identify cellular interactions defining the metastatic tumor microenvironment across murine and human tissue-specimens, (2) to investigate immune cell functions regulating metastatic disease using a unique combination of advanced genetic mouse and human tissue models, and (3) to harness the anti-tumoral functions of innate immune cells via next generation cell engagers.

Mots-clés : liver immunology,liver metastasis
Projet ERC : FATRESCON (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Synergy grants)
Entité participante : Université technique de Vienne — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : TU Wien
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2434028.0 €

The necessity to meet the rising global demand for mobility and energy supply and, at the same time, the urgency to minimize the carbon footprint, leads to the challenging scientific question of the fatigue resistance of emerging eco-efficient concretes. Since existing knowledge of the traditional Portland-clinker-based binders is largely empirical, it cannot be directly transferred to new binder systems, exhibiting complex chemical and mechanical interactions within the heterogeneous material structure. In contrast to the well-established insight into the high-cycle fatigue of metals, a complete understanding of the fatigue degradation processes in concretes is still lacking. In this research, we are committed to pioneering an innovative approach that establishes a universally applicable link between the chemical/microstructural composition of novel concrete materials and their fatigue resistance. To create an interdisciplinary methodology for the scientific analysis of fatigue-resistant eco-efficient concretes, complementary competences of a multidisciplinary research team will be combined in a concerted application of physico-chemical modeling approaches of hydration processes and advanced methods of multiscale and multifield computational mechanics supported by machine learning and accompanied by a rigorous experimental validation program. The developed coherent methodical framework will include innovative theoretical and numerical as well as tailored experimental approaches covering all relevant spatial and temporal scales to enable realistic predictions of the fatigue behavior of existing and future eco-efficient concrete formulations. This is necessary to give design engineers confidence in the new materials, and to enable design concepts, optimally satisfying requirements for sustainable, economical, and reliable future transportation and energy infrastructure.

Mots-clés : high cycle fatigue,eco efficient concrete,thermodynamics,physical chemistry,multiscale modeling,probabilistic computational mechanics,structural engineering science,material characterization
Projet ERC : MIDRASH (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Synergy grants)
Entité participante : National Library of Israel — Pays : Israël — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : NLI
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 880859.0 €

MIDRASH aims to construct a groundbreaking interdisciplinary methodology for a global approach to the study of the treasure trove of medieval literary manuscripts in Hebrew script. Jews produced and consumed a prodigious cornucopia of texts in Hebrew, Aramaic, Judeo-Arabic and other vernacular languages, intertextually closely related like a mille feuille. The manuscripts constitute the unique remains of medieval Jewish literary culture, having survived - and witnessing to - centuries of migrations, persecutions and censorship. With the recent digitization of the extant manuscripts and with contemporary advances in computer vision, natural language processing and machine learning, the time is ripe for broad new studies into this manuscript culture. We can now study questions regarding their materiality, textuality, transmission and historical contexts on an unprecedented scale or heretofore beyond reach.  MIDRASH proposes a pioneering study of the extensive corpora of: (1) biblical manuscripts; (2) Midrash (late antique exegetical and homiletical commentary on the Bible); (3) medieval commentaries of the Bible and Mishnah; and (4) liturgical manuscripts. Only a small fraction have been transcribed, let alone studied. State-of-the-art and bespoke algorithms will be applied to resolve issues of reading order, code switching, and transcription errors. Once mechanically transcribed, known and unknown works will be identified and reconstructed and multilingual intertextualities discerned. The latest fine-grained paleographical techniques and trained neural networks will be brought to bear on questions of provenance and transmission. Philological methods and computational linguistics will be applied to questions of textual fluidity and evolution to further our knowledge of the production and transmission of Hebrew manuscripts and texts, their authors, scribes and readers, and enhance their role as the pivotal aspect of European and Mediterranean intellectual history.

Mots-clés : hebrew manuscripts,document analysis,nlp,computer vision,midrash