Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : MAGMA (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Earth system science
Entité participante : Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1994250.0 €

The production and migration of magma through the lithosphere results in spectacular geological processes such as volcanic eruptions, giant ore deposits, large magmatic intrusions, and is responsible for the formation of continents on Earth. Since magmatic systems develop on timescales of millions of years and are not directly accessible, we have to reconstruct them indirectly, such as by studying exhumed magmatic intrusions, or by using geophysical methods. Interpreting these data is complicated, as geophysical techniques only give a present-day snapshot, whereas the geological record yields an incomplete picture of the underlying processes. As a result, most existing ideas on how magmatic systems work remain conceptual and are not necessarily consistent with the mechanics of the lithosphere, which hampers our understanding of such processes. Here, we will develop and employ a new generation of 3D computer models to simulate the full magmatic system in arcs in a self-consistent manner, while taking both realistic rock rheologies and evolving melt chemistry into account. We will: 1. Derive mechanically-consistent interpretations of active magmatic plumbing systems by combining geophysical and petrological data with geodynamic inverse models. 2. Obtain insights into the physics of magma migration through arcs on geological timescales, by combining numerical simulations with geological constraints from exhumed arc roots, and by targeting several well-studied magmatic intrusions. 3. Unravel how arcs are built on geological timescales, what the role and the rates of magmatic differentiation processes are in this, and how this may have formed continental crust on Earth. We can thus, for the first time, interpret the available data in a physically consistent manner. This will give deep insights in how magmatic systems develop over geological timescales and why only some evolve into large super-volcanoes.

Mots-clés : computational tectonics,dynamics of the lithosphere,physics of magma migration
Projet ERC : Glowsome (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions
Entité participante : Heidelberg University — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2000000.0 €

The production of fully functional ribosomes is vital for every cell, with failure causing human diseases called ribosomopathies. Eukaryotic ribosome assembly is catalyzed by ~200 assembly factors that guarantee efficient and accurate production of ribosomal subunits along a temporally and spatially ordered pathway. About one third of these factors are utilized in the formation of the earliest biogenesis intermediate, termed 90S pre-ribosome or small subunit processome. Recent insight into the 90S structure from a eukaryotic thermophile, Chaetomium thermophilum, has provided a first spatial impression on this most sophisticated process, which includes co-transcriptional RNA folding and processing, and incorporation of ribosomal proteins. Our key discovery was that the nascent ribosomal RNA, which if linear would form a long thread, is co-transcriptionally mounted into a mold formed by a highly interconnected RNA-protein scaffold on the 90S pre-ribosome. This finding raises a novel concept in RNA biology that nascent RNA folds and matures in a protected environment, which is reminiscent of protein folding that can also occur in folding chambers. I plan to challenge the idea that the 90S particle indeed encapsulates the RNA transiently, in order to protect it from unproductive interactions, allowing stepwise folding and maturation in a cascade of interdependent reactions and the involvement of energy-consuming enzymes. The groundbreaking aim of this proposal is to decipher how these processes occur in an encapsulated environment, using C. thermophilum as a model organism. This high-risk project will depend on the successful establishment of novel assays that recapitulate eukaryotic ribosome assembly in vitro, exploiting the thermostable nature of the 90S pre-ribosome. Mechanistic insight into ribosome biogenesis will lead to a better understanding of how this multifaceted process is linked to other key cellular pathways and development of diseases including cancer.

Mots-clés : ribosome biogenesis,thermophilic eukaryote,90s pre ribosome,rrna folding,rrna processing
Projet ERC : EXACTYMER (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Products and processes engineering
Entité participante : Imperial College London — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : Partner
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 857569.65 €

The production of synthetic polymers with precisely defined monomer sequences – exact polymers, which I call “exactymers” – is highly challenging. Iterative synthesis, in which specific monomers are added one-at-a-time to the end of a growing polymer chain, affords exquisite control over the final sequence, but requires accurate purification of the growing polymer with each and every cycle. EXACTYMER will create new super-stable, ultra-selective nanomembranes, with high permeances, enabling rapid, repeated purifications, which will transform exactymer fabrication. Multiple growing polymer chains will be attached to a central hub molecule to create a macromolecular homostar with enhanced molecular size, promoting accurate separation of the growing exactymer from reaction debris via nanomembrane processing. Automation and engineering will enable rapid, accurate and precise cycles of exactymer chain growth. EXACTYMER objectives will be achieved through curiosity-driven research into (1) the creation of nanomembranes with exquisite molecular selectivity between growing homostars and monomer plus reaction debris; (2) advancing the chemistry of iterative synthesis by creating strategies for step-wise growth of polyethers, polysiloxanes, and polyesters, and side chain functionalised monomers of these species; (3) combining iterative chemistry and nanomembranes together in an automated homostar nanofiltration platform, and; (4) exploring the use of exactymers in healthcare, nanotechnology and information storage. EXACTYMER will undertake pioneering research at the boundaries of membrane technology, polymer synthesis, process engineering and nanotechnology. The most profound anticipated outcome is a new capability to produce synthetic polymers, over 20 monomers in length, with exactly defined monomer sequences to an unprecedented accuracy, at multi-gram scale. New scientific insights will derive from the properties and performances of these newly accessible molecules.

Mots-clés : nanomembranes for molecular separations,iterative synthesis,automated lab plant for reaction and homostar nanofiltration
Projet ERC : Ocean artUp (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
Entité participante : GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : IFM-GEOMAR
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2499991.26 €

The productivity of the ocean is limited by the transport of nutrient-rich deep waters to the sun-lit surface layer. In large parts of the global ocean this transport is blocked by a temperature-induced density gradient, with warm light waters residing on top of heavier cold waters. These regions, which are referred to by scientists as ocean deserts, are presently expanding due to surface-ocean warming. Enhancing the upward transport of nutrient-rich deep waters through artificial upwelling can break this blockade and make these waters more productive. Forced upwelling of deep-ocean water has been proposed as a means to serve three distinctly different purposes: (1) to fuel marine primary production for ecosystem-based fish farming; (2) to enhance the ocean’s biological carbon pump to sequester CO2 in the deep ocean; (3) to utilize the surface to deep-ocean temperature gradient to generate renewable energy via Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC). Whereas theoretical and technical aspects of applying artificial upwelling for these purposes have been studied to some extent, the ecological responses and biogeochemical consequences are poorly understood. Ocean artUp therefore aims to study the feasibility, effectiveness, associated risks and potential side effects of artificial upwelling in increasing ocean productivity, raising fish production, and enhancing oceanic CO2 sequestration. This will be addressed through a combination of experiments at different scales and trophic complexities, field observations of eddy-induced upwelling in oligotrophic waters, and ecosystem-biogeochemical modelling of pelagic systems fertilized by nutrient-rich deep waters. If technically feasible, ecologically acceptable, and economically viable, the use of artificial upwelling for ecosystem-based fish farming could make an important contribution to an ecologically sustainable marine aquaculture.

Mots-clés : marine ecology and biogeochemistry,marine food production,fish farming
Projet ERC : Sol-Pro (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Products and processes engineering
Entité participante : Cyprus University of Technology — Pays : Chypre — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : CUT
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1840940.0 €

The profound advantages of printed photovoltaics (PVs), such as their light weight, mechanical flexibility in addition to the small energy demand, and low cost equipment requirements for roll-to-roll mass production, characterise them as a dominant candidate source for future electrical power. Over the last few years, the discovery of novel solution processed electronic materials and device structures boosted PV power conversion efficiency values. Despite that, power conversion efficiency is not a 'stand-alone' product development target for next generation PVs. Lifetime, cost, flexibility and non-toxicity have to be equally considered, regarding the technological progress of solution processed PVs. The ambit of the Sol-Pro research programme is to re-design solution processed PV components relevant to the above product development targets. Based on this, processing specifications as a function of the electronic material properties will be established and provide valuable input for flexible PV applications. Adjusting the material characteristics and device design is crucial to achieve the proposed high performance PV targets. As a consequence, a number of high-level objectives concerning processing/materials/electrodes/interfaces, relevant to product development targets of next generation solution processed PVs, are aimed for within the proposed ERC programme.

Mots-clés : printed electronics,flexible photovoltaics,solution processed opto electronic materials,research and product development,organic solar cells,electrodes,processing,devices
Projet ERC : AVATAR (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases
Entité participante : Comunidad de Madrid — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Organismes publics (hors enseignement & recherche)
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1997228.14 €

The prognosis of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer (PDAC) is very poor. Recent studies have started to elucidate the genetic landscape of this disease to show that PDAC is a genetically complex, unstable, and heterogeneous cancer. However, in-depth analysis of individual patient genomes couple with personalize Avatar mouse models is providing highly effective therapeutic opportunities for the individual patient. Thus, metastatic PDAC appears a candidate disease to implement a genomics-base, personalized treatment approach. In this project, we will conduct an open label, multicenter, randomized phase III study in patients with standard of care resistant metastatic pancreatic cancer aiming to test the hypothesis that an integrated personalized treatment approach improves survival compare to a conventional treatment. Patients randomized to the personalize treatment arm will undergo a biopsy of a metastatic lesion to perform a targeted genome analysis using next generation sequencing. In addition, we will generate a personalize Avatar mouse model from the same patient. We will employ sophisticated bioinformatic analysis as well as mining of drug response-genetic databases to select, for each individual patient, candidate therapeutic targets that will be experimentally tested in the patient´s Avatar model to select the most effective regimen that will ultimately applied to the patient. In addition, based on the genomic data, we will design an individualized monitoring plan for each patient using BEAMing technology to monitor circulating levels of mutated genes. Furthermore, with a discovery goal, we will perform in depth genomic analysis of metastatic PDAC lesions in this cohort of clinically well-annotated patients with Avatar mouse models for therapeutic validation. Overall we expect this work will contribute to our understanding of PDAC and will favourably impact the treatment of this dismal cancer.

Mots-clés : pancreatic cancer,avatar mouse model,personalized treatment
Projet ERC : PhaseControl (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing
Entité participante : Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : HHU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1825340.0 €

The progression from a healthy liver towards non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) serves as a model for chronic diseases in a solid organ, demonstrating how an initially stable stage undergoes critical transitions along several defined phases. Defining the molecular drivers of these phase transitions will open the road for the definition of warning signs, risk prediction approaches and prevention of disease decompensation in human liver disease. We recently made several ground-breaking findings indicating that the molecules RIPK3 and MLKL – which regulate a novel form of programmed cell death called necroptosis – are crucial mediators of these phase transitions, but they might have unexpected and cell-death-independent functions. Therefore, PhaseControl aims at exploring the specific functions of these molecules at the critical phase transitions towards NASH/HCC. Specifically, I propose to apply a systematic approach and innovative methods to 1) explore cell-type specific RIPK3- and MLKL-dependent regulatory networks in white adipose tissue (WAT), hepatocytes and myeloid cells in murine NASH development and define cell-death independent functions of MLKL in metabolic regulation; 2) explore how inflammatory pathways in hepatocytes modulate the reactivity and specific responses towards necroptosis at the transition towards hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); 3) examine apoptosis- and necroptosis-specific genetic alterations and driver mutations that mediate the transition from chronic inflammation to HCC; 4) evaluate in a cohort of human patients if these newly discovered pathways can be used for risk-prediction approaches and might be chemoprevention targets against HCC. The expected results will establish a novel concept how programmed cell death, inflammation and metabolic pathways functionally interact in hepatocarcinogenesis with fundamental relevance for risk prediction and chemoprevention of human liver cancer.

Mots-clés : non alcoholic fatty liver disease,nafld,non alcoholic steatohepatitis,nash,hepatocellular carcinoma,liver,liver cancer,cell death,alarmins,necroptosis,apoptosis,ripk3,mlkl
Projet ERC : ARTHUS (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Universe sciences
Entité participante : Université Claude Bernard - Lyon 1 — Pays : France — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : Lyon I
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2091000.0 €

The project ARTHUS aims at determining the physical origin of Dark Energy: in addition to the energy sources of the standard model of cosmology, effective terms arise through spatially averaging inhomogeneous cosmological models in General Relativity. It has been demonstrated that these additional terms can play the role of Dark Energy on large scales (but they can also mimic Dark Matter on scales of mass accumulations). The underlying rationale is that fluctuations in the Universe generically couple to spatially averaged intrinsic properties of space, such as its averaged scalar curvature, thus changing the global evolution of the effective (spatially averaged) cosmological model. At present, we understand these so- called backreaction effects only qualitatively. The project ARTHUS is directed towards a conclusive quantitative evaluation of these effects by developing generic and non-perturbative relativistic models of structure formation, by statistically measuring the key-variables of the models in observations and in simulation data, and by reinterpreting observational results in light of the new models. It is to be emphasized that there is no doubt about the existence of backreaction effects; the question is whether they are even capable of getting rid of the dark sources (as some models discussed in the literature suggest), or whether their impact is substantially smaller. The project thus addresses an essential issue of current cosmological research: to find pertinent answers concerning the quantitative impact of inhomogeneity effects, a necessary, worldwide recognized step toward high-precision cosmology. If the project objectives are attained, the results will have a far-reaching impact on theoretical and observational cosmology, on the interpretation of astronomical experiments such as Planck and Euclid, as well as on a wide spectrum of particle physics theories and experiments.

Mots-clés : general relativity,averaging problem,cosmological perturbation theory,gravitational entropies,morphological statistics,galaxy catalogues,extragalactic observations,cosmic microwave background
Projet ERC : IDEAL SENSOR (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Societa per la gestione dell' incubatore d' impresa del politecnico scpa — Pays : Italie — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : I3p
Type d'entité : Autres
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2500.0 €

The project IDEAL SENSOR is developing a wearable wrist band device and a customized structural health monitoring (SHM) system for managing emergencies. The proposed system provides a comprehensive solution for indoor localization, healthcare monitoring, and other general purpose services (fitness, entertainment, health, etc.). Moreover, an infrastructure based on the structural health monitoring will be developed which include all the functionality of standard Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems (environmental monitoring, health assessment, etc.), but it performs also indoor localization. In detail, the system is composed of different environmental monitoring sensors (humidity and temperature), body signal monitoring (heart rate, body temperature, humidity, location and images), communication modules (radio frequency (RF) transceiver, GPRS/GSM, GPS and Bluetooth low energy), OLED display. Currently , the prototype has been developed and tested in a STM Nucleo-F401 board which is a developing board provided by STMicroelectronics commonly used for rapid prototyping. In order to commercialize the prototype and make it a feasible product, the current developed system should be redesigned and customized based on our needs and requirements. The electrical parts will be redesigned completely and the best available solutions (price and quality) for each sub-module and components will be used. Moreover, by miniaturizing the prototype and designing a user friendly package and software, it will get the shape of a real smart watch with more features with respect to the current ones.

Mots-clés : pe8 3 civil engineering,maritime,hydraulic engineering,geotechnics,waste treatment
Projet ERC : MODES (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Systems and communication engineering
Entité participante : University of Southampton — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1450455.0 €

The project MODES arises in the framework of the emerging interest for nonlinear multimode processes in optical fibers, and wants to extend it to on-chip waveguides and nanoparticles, where the study of the nonlinear multimode dynamics is still on its infancy. This project is based on a central key-idea: by properly engineering a multimode system, we can shape and master the nonlinear interaction between the modes into play, and finally exploit it for novel applications in several strategic areas. This project has therefore a dual nature: one key-idea but multidisciplinary, heterogeneous applications. It focuses on 4 main strategic areas (SA) and identifies an objective (OBJ) for each one, which is related to the exploitation of a specific nonlinear multimode process: SA1: Support technology for Spatial Division Multiplexing (SDM) >>> OBJ1: the project investigates the development of wideband multimode wavelength converters and amplifiers SA2: High-capacity SDM data-transmission >>>OBJ2: the project investigates the existence of multimode solitons leading to an undistorted, high-quality propagation in multicore and multimode optical fibers SA3: On-chip infrared optical sources >>>OBJ3: the project targets the development of on-chip, widely tunable optical sources that may be used to selectively detect important environmental gases in the whole infrared spectrum SA4: Shaping the nonlinear radiation at nanoscale >>>OBJ4: the project aim at developing a new theoretical insight into the way higher-harmonic radiation is emitted in complex nanostructures. Finally, it wants to and to exploit this new knowledge in view of an ultrafast conversion from invisible to visible light. To conclude, by addressing new theoretical problems and unveiling a new multimode technology, MODES aim at opening new frontiers in nonlinear optics and being pioneer in the field of nonlinear multimode nanophotonics.

Mots-clés : multimode systems,four wave mixing,polarization domain wall propagation,higher harmonic generation