Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : DUST-IN-THE-WIND (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Universe sciences
Entité participante : University of Southampton — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1475171.0 €

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) represent the active growing phases of supermassive black holes. For the first time, we are able to resolve the dusty gas on parsec scales and directly test our standard picture of these objects. While this “unification scheme” relates the parsec-scale IR emission with a geometrically-thick disk, I have recently found that the bulk of the dust emission comes from the polar region of the alleged disk where gas is blown out from the vicinity of the black hole. Along with these polar features, the compactness of the dust distribution seems to depend on the accretion state of the black hole. Neither of these findings have been predicted by current models and lack a physical explanation. To explain the new observations, I proposed a revision to the AGN unification scheme that involves a dusty wind driven by radiation pressure. Depending on their masses, velocities, and frequency, such dusty winds might play a major role in self regulating AGN activity and, thus, impact the interplay between host and black hole evolution. However, as of now we do not know if these winds are ubiquitous in AGN and how they would work physically. Upon completion of the research program, I want to • characterise the pc-scale mass distribution, its kinematics, and the connection to the accretion state of the AGN, • have a physical explanation of the dusty wind features and constrain its impacts on the AGN environment, and • have established dust parallax distances to several nearby AGN, as a multi-disciplinary application of the constraints on the dust distribution. For that, I will combine the highest angular resolution observations in the IR and sub-mm to create the first pc-scale intensity, velocity, and density maps of a sample of 11 AGN. I will develop a new model that combines hydrodynamic simulations with an efficient treatment of radiative transfer to simulate dusty winds. Finally, direct distances to 12 AGN with a combined 3% precision will be measured.

Mots-clés : active galactic nuclei,infrared interferometry,distance scales,dust radiative transfer
Projet ERC : InterActive (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Condensed matter physics
Entité participante : Aalto University — Pays : Finlande — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1499938.0 €

Active particles refer to out-of-equilibrium self-propulsive objects such as biological microswimmers and engineered colloidal particles that can form various fascinating collective states. Active particles are easy to observe experimentally but notoriously difficult to interact with due to their fast and stochastic dynamics at both single-particle and collective state levels. In this project, I aim at scientific breakthrough in both instrumentation that allows direct interaction with active particles and using the methodology to progress substantially our understanding of dynamics and phase transitions of active particles. The first part focuses on rendering active particles, including E. coli, C. reinhardtii and Quincke rollers, permanently magnetized and designing suitable hardware for controlling them in real time. These particles are rendered “intelligent” by programming their behavior based on real-time image analysis (long-range vision) and steering with external magnetic field. I will program these particles to reveal the limits of using local dissipative hydrodynamic near-fields to guiding active particles, and demonstrate unambiguously the extent to which a single active particle within a collective state can control the collective behaviour. The second part aims at realizing tuneable magnetic traps and other conservative potential energy landscapes for non-magnetic active particles by using magnetophoresis in superparamagnetic fluids. I will use the technique to establishing confinement-activity phase diagrams for both biological (C. reinhardtii) and synthetic (Quincke rollers) active particles in quadratic confinements. I will further reveal the role of dimensionality (1D vs 2D vs 3D) in the phase transitions of active particles and carry out the seminal investigation of active particles in periodic potentials. The results and methodologies will have a major impact, both immediately and in long-term, on experimental physics of active particles.

Mots-clés : active particles,self propelled particles,microalgae,bacteria,crowding,crowded environments,phase transitions,magnetic tweezers,magnetic confinement,magnetophoresis,magnetic traps
Projet ERC : SpAM (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Condensed matter physics
Entité participante : École normale supérieure de Lyon — Pays : France — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : ENS de Lyon
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2443276.0 €

Active-matter physics describes the mesmerizing dynamics of interacting motile bodies: from bird flocks and cell colonies, to collections of synthetic units independently driven far from equilibrium. Until now, however, all man-made realizations have been merely limited to 2D model systems. We will introduce a paradigm shift to upgrade the status of synthetic active matter from aesthetic 2D experiments to genuine 3D materials with unanticipated engineering applications. The essential goal is to construct the first generation three-dimensional active materials assembled from colloidal spinners, and to lay out the foundations of spinning active matter. I articulate my project around three complementary aims, all based on a unique experimental platform combining high-content microfluidics, smart colloidal design, optical tweezers, and high-speed confocal imaging: Aim 1. Spinner Interactions. We will introduce a versatile microfluidic platform to disentangle, tailor and elucidate the pair interactions which dictate the collective dynamics of colloidal spinners. Aim 2. Frustration-induced (dis)order. Building first on model experiments on spinning monolayers, we will explain how the intrinsic frustration of spinning motion at the microscopic scale shapes the macroscopic structure and flows of spinning matter. Aim 3. Spinner liquids, solids and liquid crystals. We will then be equipped to introduce the first generation of tree dimensionnal liquids, solids and liquid crystals assembled from synthetic active matter. Combining microfluidics and high-speed confocal imaging, we will establish their phase behavior and relate their inner microscopic dynamics to their macroscopic mechanical response.

Mots-clés : active matter physics,active colloids,nonequilibrium soft condensed matter
Projet ERC : ONCOMECHAML (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases
Entité participante : Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : LBG
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 985509.25 €

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is the most frequent cancer of the blood system, with >80% mortality within 5 years of diagnosis. Straightforward clinical decisions are complicated by the genetic complexity of AML. In particular, fusion proteins arising from chromosomal aberrations are recurrently found in AML and often act as strong driver oncogenes. In “Multi-Partner Translocation” (MPT) families, one specific gene is fused to many recipient loci. Due to this modular architecture, MPT families are of particular interest to comparative studies of oncogenic mechanisms. The three most common MPT families in AML represent translocations of the MLL, RUNX1 and NUP98 genes. Despite their clinical significance, the molecular mechanism of transformation remains unknown for the majority of fusion proteins and it is unclear if transforming mechanisms are conserved within and across different MPT families. We hypothesize that common oncogenic mechanisms of fusion proteins are encoded in physical and genetic cellular interaction networks that are specific to MPT families. We propose to delineate critical common effectors of oncogenic mechanisms in AML driven by MPT families through a comprehensive, comparative, functional analysis of 20 clinically representative MLL-, RUNX1- and NUP98-fusion proteins using a unique experimental pipeline. Characterization of protein interactomes and their effects on gene expression will identify common cellular denominators of MPT families, whose functional contribution will be assessed through pooled shRNA screens in clinically relevant model systems. High-confidence hits will be validated in mouse models and primary cells from AML patients. This project will generate large informative datasets and novel experimental systems that are of relevance for basic and clinical cancer research. It will contribute to improved understanding of oncogenic mechanisms, which may directly impact on diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the management of AML.

Mots-clés : acute myeloid leukemia,fusion proteins,molecular medicine,oncogenic mechanism,proteomics,transcriptomics,rnai,common molecular mechanisms,diagnosis,treatment
Projet ERC : TREAT-NPM1-AML (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases
Entité participante : Tes pharma srl — Pays : Italie — Rôle : Partner
Type d'entité : Organismes privés (hors enseignement)
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common acute leukemia in adults accounting for approximately 15,000 new cases/year in Europe and 20,000 new cases/year in US. Currently, 40-50% of AML patients (age 18-60 years) and only 5-10% of older patients (who are usually more frequently affected by the disease) can be cured using conventional chemotherapy +/- allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Thus, AML still remains an urgent medical need which calls for new forms of molecular targeted therapies (similarly to those available for acute promyelocytic leukemia). The P.I. previously discovered the nucleophosmin (NPM1) mutations, the most common genetic lesion in AML (about one-third of cases) and gave fundamental contributions in the translation of this seminal discovery into the clinic (improved classification of myeloid neoplasms according to WHO, genetic-based risk- stratification of AML patients, monitoring of minimal residual disease and first demonstration of the anti-leukemic activity of actinomycin D). The present research proposal is focused on improving therapy of NPM1-mutated AML. Specifically, it is aimed to: i) identify novel chemical tools interfering with NPM1 functions by interacting with the N-terminal portion of the protein (objective 1); ii) conduct a clinical trial (AML-PG02; Eudract 2014-003490-41) with actinomycin D in older untreated and/or unfit patients with NPM1-mutated AML and to better understand in vitro and in mice models the mechanisms of action of this drug, used alone or in combination with other agents (objective 2); iii) develop compound mouse models aimed to investigate how NPM1 mutations cooperate with FLT3-ITD or DNMT3A mutations in promoting AML with the goal to better understand the characteristics of relapsed cases and to design new therapeutic strategies (objectives 3 and 4): and iv) generate a murine model for testing the feasibility of “in situ” vaccination in AML, especially in NPM1-mutated AML (objective 5).

Mots-clés : acute myeloid leukemia,npm1,gene mutations,target therapy,immunotherapy,preclinical,models
Projet ERC : PNANOMED (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases
Entité participante : Hannover Medical School — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : MHH
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1499750.0 €

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a devastating disease, while progress in genetic characterization and nanomedical approaches promise a new era of individualized treatments. To prioritize genetic aberrations in AML for therapeutic targeting and to develop a pipeline for personalized nanomedicines I will i) establish a biobank of transplantable primary human AML xenotransplants, ii) fully characterize the genetic landscape of these leukemias, iii) establish the functional hierarchy of driver and passenger mutations in these human leukemia models, iv) develop highly efficient nanoparticle-siRNA formulations that allow in vivo delivery of siRNA to primary AML blasts, and v) design double specific siRNA-based nanomedicines for improved efficacy and tolerability. The expertise of my research team and my institutional settings and collaborations provide a unique platform to achieve these objectives. My access to freshly isolated leukemia blasts allows efficient establishment of a biobank for AML xenotransplant models. In fact, we can serially transplant and expand primary AML cells in immunodeficient mice. The biobank will be an invaluable resource for pharmaceutical product development. I have extensive experience in the genetic characterization and functional evaluation of leukemic cells, which I will apply to the newly generated human AML models. I will use inducible lentiviral approaches to genetically modify human leukemia cells and observe the functional effects in vivo, to identify the relevant targets for leukemogenicity of each primary AML model. Most importantly, I can formulate nanoparticle-siRNA systems that show unprecedented complete uptake into human leukemia cells in vivo and open the door for specific inhibition of any gene. These established tools provide me with the unique ability to develop a pipeline for individualized nanomedicines that will improve AML treatment and will also have broad applications beyond leukemia treatment.

Mots-clés : nanoparticle,nanomedicine,acute myeloid leukemia,xenotransplantation
Projet ERC : STRESNET (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Human Mind and Its Complexity
Entité participante : Radboud University Nijmegen — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : Partner
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 0.0 €

Acute stress has a profound impact on cognitive functioning: it raises alertness for threat, yet it impairs our ability to think clearly. Repeated exposure to stressors is furthermore a critical transdiagnostic factor in etiology, relapse, and chronification in almost all psychiatric disorders. We know from animal work at the cellular level how stressors trigger a neurochemical cascade that alters properties of widespread neuronal populations. A critical gap in our knowledge, however, is how such cellular effects translate to the level of large-scale neural systems which implement higher-order cognition. Here, I propose a novel framework for understanding such alterations as shifts in network balance: I hypothesize that acute stress causes dynamic shifts in resource allocation at the level of large-scale networks. First, I will leverage recent advances in network connectivity modeling to characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics of such shifts during acute stress and recovery. Using wearable biosensors and mobile applications, I aim to identify which neural markers predict resilience to stress in real life. Second, I will cross-validate these markers in a patient group characterized by high stress sensitivity. Third, to investigate how rapid network shifts are generated, I will examine the distinct roles of noradrenergic and dopaminergic neuromodulatory systems. Fourth, I will test the hypothesis that cognitive functions supported by one network can be disrupted by shifting balance towards another. Finally, I will develop a network-based implementation of functional MRI neurofeedback to train stress-sensitive participants to adaptively reallocate neural resources during acute stress. When successful, this project will yield 1) unprecedented insight into how our brain adapts to acute stress; 2) novel ecologically validated transdiagnostic biomarkers of stress resilience versus sensitivity; and 3) a potentially groundbreaking method for training stress resilience.

Mots-clés : stress,neuroendocrinology,large scale brain networks,neurofeedback,stress related disorders
Projet ERC : Ctrl-ImpAct (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Human Mind and Its Complexity
Entité participante : Ghent University — Pays : Belgique — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UGent
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1998438.0 €

Adaptive behaviour is typically attributed to an executive-control system that allows people to regulate impulsive actions and to fulfil long-term goals instead. Failures to regulate impulsive actions have been associated with a variety of clinical and behavioural disorders. Therefore, establishing a good understanding of impulse-control mechanisms and how to improve them could be hugely beneficial for both individuals and society at large. Yet many fundamental questions remain unanswered. This stems from a narrow focus on reactive inhibitory control and well-practiced actions. To make significant progress, we need to develop new models that integrate different aspects of impulsive action and executive control. The proposed research program aims to answer five fundamental questions. (1) Can novel impulsive actions arise during task-preparation stages?; (2) What is the role of negative emotions in the origin and control of impulsive actions?; (3) How does learning modulate impulsive behaviour?; (4) When are impulsive actions (dys)functional?; and (5) How is variation in state impulsivity associated with trait impulsivity? To answer these questions, we will use carefully designed behavioural paradigms, cognitive neuroscience techniques (TMS & EEG), physiological measures (e.g. facial EMG), and mathematical modelling of decision-making to specify the origin and control of impulsive actions. Our ultimate goal is to transform the impulsive action field by replacing the currently dominant ‘inhibitory control’ models of impulsive action with detailed multifaceted models that can explain impulsivity and control across time and space. Developing a new behavioural model of impulsive action will also contribute to a better understanding of the causes of individual differences in impulsivity and the many disorders associated with impulse-control deficits.

Mots-clés : impulsive action,executive control,learning,performance monitoring,emotion and motivation,individual differences
Projet ERC : ADAPTEM (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : University of Antwerp — Pays : Belgique — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UAntwerp
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 148500.0 €

Adaptive optics, the technology to dynamically program the phase of optical waves has sparked an avalanche of scientific discoveries and innovations in light optics applications. Nowadays, the phase of optical waves can be dynamically programmed providing research on exotic optical beams and unprecedented control over the performance of optical instruments. Although electron waves carry many similarities in comparison to their optical counterparts, a generic programmable phase plate for electrons is still missing. This project aims at developing a prototype of a programmable electrostatic phase plate that allows the user to freely change the phase of electron waves and demonstrate it to potential licensees for further upscaling and introduction to the market. The target of this POC project is the realization of a tunable easy-to-use 5x5-pixel prototype that will demonstrate the potential of adaptive optics in electron microscopy. Its realization will be based on lithographic technology to allow for future upscaling. It is expected that such a phase plate can dramatically increase the information obtained at a given electron dose, limiting the detrimental effects of beam damage that currently hinders the use of electron microscopy in e.g. life sciences. As such, it has the potential to disrupt the electron microscopy market with novel applications while at the same time reducing cost and complexity and increasing the potential for fully automated instruments.

Mots-clés : electron microscopy,phase plate,spatial light modulator,electron beams,electron optics
Projet ERC : NanoPrint (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Condensed matter physics
Entité participante : Centre national de la recherche scientifique — Pays : France — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : CNRS
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 146475.0 €

Additive Manufacturing (AM) offers the opportunity to quickly design and make prototypes that would otherwise require multiple step processing (lithography, nanoimprint…). So far, two-photon polymerization is the leading technology for manufacturing micron sized objects with nanometric resolution. However, thise technique requires photosensitive material, that polymerizes through two-photon absorption, limiting the versatility of the the technology NanoPrint is a direct AM technique, offering resolutions down to a few tens of nanometers in width and a few nanometers in height, bridging the manufacturing gap exposed by the historical industry trend of the past 40 years. It is not material specific, as any ink can be deposited, minding some adjustments in the printing parameters (colloidal metals, polymers, sensitive biological material). Another major advantage of this solution is the non-alteration of the ink by an external energy source (UV, laser…). Inspired by the long-established know-how in AFM at Micromégas Team, NanoPrint provides a nanometric manufacturing technology with unprecedented versatility and resolution. As opposed to conventional AFM techniques, our method uses a macroscopic resonator (tuning fork) allowing us to attach a larger capillary, without much excessively disturbing the oscillation properties, that are crucial for the deposition. We believe this technology will open new opportunities for the semiconductor (maskless lithography, interconnects...), molecular diagnosis (lab-on-chip, point of use), and microled (augmented and virtual reality) industries. This project emerged from the NANOSOFT ERC project, while working on the nanomanipulation of nanotubes and nanopipettes.

Mots-clés : 3d printing,nanodeposition,additive deposition