Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : ORGUP (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université de Hasselt — Pays : Belgique — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UHasselt
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Short-wave infrared (SWIR) imaging is a powerful tool to access and visualize the composition of (bio-)materials contact-free and in real time. It can be used for example for in-vivo deep-tissue bio-imaging as well as for the inspection and quality assurance of manufacturing processes, including agriculture, pharmaceutics, chemicals, photovoltaics, wafers, metals and glasses. The global SWIR market is estimated to 213 million USD for 2022 and predicted to increase by 72% until 2028. However, the complex and costly manufacturing of commercial SWIR imaging prohibits consumers and low-end applications from benefiting from its vast application potential. Within ORGUP, we propose organic upconversion devices as an attractive low-cost alternative. They convert the invisible, infrared image into a visible image, being then captured by a low-cost commercial camera or sensor. However, so far, such devices have failed to provide the relevant SWIR sensitivity above 1100nm, i.e. the silicon cut-off. The goal of ORGUP is to develop and showcase for the first time high-quality, organic SWIR imaging with a sensitivity up to 1500nm and an upconversion yield of 30% - at a low cost, while avoiding the use of toxic elements. Two industrially relevant demonstrators will prove reliable and durable mono- and multispectral vision at high resolution and contrast. We will combine in-house, recently developed ultra-low gap organic semiconductors with unique know-how in organic near-infrared opto-electronics and stacked, state-of-the-art organic light emitting diodes. Selectivity for specific SWIR wavelengths will be achieved by embedding the organic stack into optically amplifying and spectrally selective microcavity structures. As research and development of the proposed type of organic upconversion devices is relatively new, yet with confirmed interest of market leaders for optical solutions, we expect to create strategic IP and develop a path to marketing and commercialisation.
Projet ERC : PicoAD_LiDAR (Horizon Europe, appel 2025, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université de Genève — Pays : Suisse — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UniGe
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is a remote sensing technology that measures object distances by analyzing the time-of-flight of photons. LiDARs emit short laser pulses, detect their reflections, and precisely measure travel time. Using a pixel matrix sensor, they can generate detailed 3D images, used for e.g. autonomous vehicles, industrial automation, robotics, and augmented reality. Despite being a rapidly growing emerging market, current LiDAR technology is still far from being fully developed. In particular, next-generation LiDAR sensors must achieve greater background light rejection to operate in complex conditions as well as reduced latency to enable real-time detection capabilities. This project will build upon the patented Picosecond Avalanche Detector (PicoAD), developed within the MONOLITH ERC_AdG project. It will design and validate a proof-of-concept PicoAD version specifically tailored for LiDAR applications. This version will enable fast analog signal filtering at the pixel level and precise time gating to detect only photons from the laser pulse. Thereby it will suppress background light noise far more effectively than current methods and improve reliability in adverse ambient conditions. Unlike conventional LiDAR sensors that rely on multi-shot measurements, our PicoAD will enable single-shot photon detection, dramatically enhancing acquisition speed. This will provide significant advantages for applications requiring real-time decision making such as collision avoidance in autonomous vehicles. Robust circuits will be designed to function across a wide temperature range from -40°C to 125°C. In addition, the high-speed electronics will incorporate multiple-return processing, enabling the detection of multiple reflections from a single laser pulse. This capability will enhance depth perception in complex environments, including scenarios with partially overlapping objects, highly reflective materials, or fog.

Mots-clés : photon detection,time of flight,background light rejection,real time detection,single shot measurement,multiple return processing,autonomous vehicles,depth perception
Projet ERC : TIMELAPSE (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université de Milan — Pays : Italie — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 80000.0 €

Chemotherapy can involve lengthy treatment sessions, lasting up to several hours. Such a duration, spent in an overly medicalized setting, can induce in the patients a monopolizing focus on their pathology, which leads to a substantial decrease in their mental well-being. One way to alleviate the impact of long chemotherapy sessions would be accelerating subjective time passage as perceived by the patients, therefore making the treatment seemingly end more quickly. Stemming from the ERC Advanced Grant AN-ICON, the TIMELAPSE project proposes to prototype, test, and launch on the market a virtual reality (VR) application that will accelerate subjective time passage during chemotherapy. The idea, whose singular aspects were the object of previous scientific evidence, was so far not implemented comprehensively. TIMELAPSE will fill this R&D gap with unprecedented methods and targets, adopting a patient-centred approach to innovatively incorporate in the conception of the VR application the irreplaceable perspective of its end-users: the oncologic patients. TIMELAPSE will take this idea to proof of concept by means of five subsequent phases: 1. Theoretical elaboration, to shape a theoretical hypothesis concerning what types of VR content might accelerate subjective time passage during chemotherapy; 2. Participatory design, to refine this hypothesis by incorporating the users’ perspective; 3. Production, to develop the content for the VR application, to obtain a prototype ready to be tested. 4. Assessment, to demonstrate the tolerability and effectiveness of the VR application; and 5. Pre-commercialization, to prepare the launch of the VR application on the market. To ensure appropriate methodological tools for each phase, TIMELAPSE will rely on a collaboration between three actors: a core research group (part of the AN-ICON team); an industrial partner expert in VR applications (Khora); and a clinical partner with substantial expertise in cancer treatment (Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori).

Mots-clés : virtual reality time perception time passage judgement chemotherapy participatory design
Projet ERC : BeyondHySpec (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université de Cambridge — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

In this ERC Proof-of-Concept project we will create a high-performance and scalable platform for spectrally resolved imaging in a highly compact on-chip device structure. This new concept for a hyperspectral imaging system will exploit three key outcomes of my ERC Starting Grant: (i) photoconductivity phenomena in semiconductor nanowires, (ii) high-throughput characterisation techniques for individual nanostructures and (iii) automated adaptive manufacturing processes for building functional nanostructure-based devices and systems. This hyperspectral imaging array will be a powerful demonstrator of the scalability and throughput of our adaptive manufacturing platform. It will unlock a new low-cost, portable, scalable and on-chip hyperspectral imaging technology that propels the diverse applications of hyperspectral imaging spanning point-of-care medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, industrial process monitoring, materials inspection and beyond
Projet ERC : NewCooler (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Proof of concept grants)
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 : 150000.0 €

The proposed ERC PoC project is to construct the first continuous nuclear demagnetization refrigerator (CNDR). Reaching temperatures near 10 mK has become relatively easy in the last decade. This cryogenic advance has driven an explosion in industrial efforts to build quantum computers based on superconducting qubits as well as rapid progress in fundamental physics experiments around 10 mK. However, cooling condensed matter below 1 mK remains challenging. Furthermore, there is no continuous cooling technology at this temperature. The CNDR will solve this problem by maintaining the sample temperature below 1 mK indefinitely while providing a large experimental space and eliminating the need for a liquid helium supply. We expect the CNDR to allow rapid investigation of qubits whose coherence is enhanced at temperatures << 10 mK and to propel work in fields ranging from nanomechanics to topological superconductivity.
Projet ERC : 3P-EL (Horizon Europe, appel 2025, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université technologique de Dresde — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : TU Dresden
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

The 3P-EL project focuses on developing a three-phase electrolyser which represents a groundbreaking innovation in hydrogen production technology. By overcoming the fundamental limitations of traditional methods, it provides a more sustainable, cost-effective, and energy-efficient solution. The invention’s scalability and compatibility with renewable energy sources position it as a transformative tool in advancing the global transition to a hydrogen-based green energy economy, enhancing its competitiveness with other energy sources.  We aim to develop a novel reactor concept with the potential to achieve significantly higher energy efficiency compared to existing designs. At its core, the three-phase electrolyser features a new electrode configuration. Furthermore, by stabilizing the electrochemical environment and minimizing overpotential stress, the catalyst’s lifespan is significantly extended, reducing maintenance costs. The improved efficiency and durability of the system make it highly suitable for large-scale applications, promoting hydrogen as a future green chemical resource and energy carrier.  Preliminary lab-scale tests have revealed highly promising prospects, demonstrating the system’s ability to achieve approximately 20% lower energy consumption in hydrogen production. These early results indicate strong potential for scaling up the technology, reinforcing its viability for industrial applications. If successfully developed, this advancement could significantly propel green hydrogen production, reduce energy consumption and operational costs, and accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies.
Projet ERC : ReSERS (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université de Cambridge — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

We have invented an optical enhancement technique based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) using self-assembled gold nanostructures that can fingerprint a wide range of bioanalytes (neurotransmitters, hormones) at clinical concentrations in biofluids. Current SERS substrates suffer from poor repeatability, fouling from organics, and non-reusability, which is why they have not made it into biomedical use. We have developed a new capability to create precision nano-gap materials that trap light to generate ultra-reliable billion-fold detection enhancements, while also allowing repeated recleaning. This makes low-cost SERS sensing a viable technology capable of translation, potentially with deployment below €1k and sub-1¢ per test.
Projet ERC : AssesSkin (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
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 : 150000.0 €

Skin pathologies including wounds, scars and tumors represent important public health issues. (e.g. melanoma is the first cancer in terms of increasing frequency). Moreover, skin firmness is an essential property aimed by cosmetic products. However, skin assessment methods remain based on empirical considerations and it is still difficult to determine the skin biomechanical properties, which prevents developing a personalized medicine approach. Such medical device is needed by the physicians to adapt the therapeutic strategy and by the cosmetic manufacturers to develop and validate their product, and to propose the optimal product in a customer-specific manner. AssesSkin is based on results obtained in the ERC CoG project BoneImplant and aims at developing and validating a medical device consisting in a decision support-system allowing to assess the skin biomechanical properties. The objectives of AssesSkin are i) to achieve a minimum viable product that will be validated in vitro and in vivo, and ii) to investigate its commercial potential and design an exploitation strategy via spin-off creation or licensing. We will explore the possibility to license the technology to ImpacTell, an already existing spin-off of the same laboratory. The originality is to use an impact-based measurement method, which allows to obtain a non-invasive, cheap and easy to use medical device. Regulatory issues will be at the heart of the development and we will work in order to clear the regulatory pathway of the future medical device. The team is constituted by members with complementary skills (engineers, a business developer, a dermatologist and a plastic surgeon). AssesSkin will allow the promotion of innovative solution and services in dermatology, plastic surgery and in the cosmetic industry. The long-term vision is for the technology to become a reference in these fields. Strong impacts are associated to AssesSkin, in particular for patients, physicians and cosmetic manufacturers.

Mots-clés : cosmetic,dermatology,characterization method
Projet ERC : TUPHO (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
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 : 150000.0 €

Silicon photonics has progressed enormously over the last 15 years: large microelectronics manufacturers and small companies are now working on the subject, with identified products. The reproducibility of micro and nanophotonic devices remains a central technological barrier, to be broken. The dimension errors of cleanroom devices are 1 to 10 nanometers (1%), limiting applications. We have discovered a technique that makes it possible to absorb these errors at the end of manufacturing, permanently. We can tune photonic resonators with an accuracy of 10^(-4), and make them strictly identical when necessary. In this POC project, the patented technique will be transposed on silicon devices of interest, in a simple configuration for manufacturers.
Projet ERC : RedressHub (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université de Gand — Pays : Belgique — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UGent
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Colonialism is often seen as a chapter in history, yet its consequences – interwoven with structural racism and discrimination – continue to affect societies both inside and outside of Europe today. A growing number of institutional and civil society actors recognize the urgency of addressing these enduring legacies. Their efforts encompass policy, legal, and political reforms, historical truth-seeking processes, formal apologies, reparations, restitution of looted artifacts, memorialization, and the dismantling of colonial symbols. These measures and mechanisms, and the broader processes surrounding them are commonly referred to as ‘redress’. However, these initiatives remain highly fragmented, with limited knowledge-sharing and lesson-learning across different contexts.  RedressHub will bridge this gap. As an innovative online database platform, RedressHub will leverage advanced data technologies, interactive visualization tools, and participatory design to map and connect redress initiatives for colonial harms and their legacies across Europe. This platform will serve as a dynamic space for a broad user community to engage in groundbreaking cross-sector collaborative justice efforts. It will become an essential resource for grassroots and community actors, policymakers, educators, human rights practitioners, and many other stakeholders to learn about, support, design and implement more meaningful and scalable redress initiatives across Europe—and beyond.  RedressHub will thus transform the theoretical insights and methodological innovations from ERC-StG-804151 (Justice Visions) into practical, actionable tools that empower diverse stakeholders to acknowledge and address historical injustices and their lasting impact on contemporary societies.
Projet ERC : CRISPART (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université de Gand — Pays : Belgique — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UGent
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

During the ERC consolidator grant POLYADAPT, an efficient gene editing system was discovered which allows to genetically transform the spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, a main crop pest. This species belongs to the chelicerates, the second largest group of arthropods including mites, ticks and spiders, that are notoriously difficult to transform. Our invention not only accomplished for the first time gene knock-out in mites, but also allows precise gene editing via knock-in with high efficiency. The method results in a 20-fold increase of transformation efficiency. In the PoC CRISPART, we will demonstrate the efficacy of the invention on a wide range of difficult to transform arthropods and aim to better understand the mode of action of the observed synergy. We will further investigate the optimal validation trajectory of the invention, considering a gene editing service and investigate commercial and financial feasibility of the optimal path.
Projet ERC : MILLIAMP (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
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 : 150000.0 €

Decreasing both power consumption and footprint of optoelectronic devices has been a long term goal for nanophotonics. MILLIAMP aims at the demonstration of the proof of concept of a novel type of integrated semiconductor optical amplifiers presenting performance in terms of compactness, power consumption and nonlinearity, fulfilling the needs for on chip communications and all-optical neural networks. Our invention stems directly from the work achieved on nanolaser diodes integrated on Si photonic circuit during the ERC consolidator project HYPNOTIC. During the project, technical activities will be focused on the development of the device for two user cases: optical regeneration of high bit rate signals and the demonstration of a sigmoid activation function for neuromorphic computing. The device will complete the portfolio of optoelectronic nanocomponents developed in the PI's team. We aim at exploiting this technology by creating a spin-off company which will offer solutions for systems in package communications. MILLIAMP has for objectives to achieve a market study and determine a business model for the future startup. Our goal will alos be to strengthen the intellectual property and to establish partnerships with microelectronics companies.
Projet ERC : LINCURE (Horizon Europe, appel 2025, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Day one societa a responsabilita limitata — Pays : Italie — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : DAY ONE
Type d'entité : Organismes privés (hors enseignement)
Financement ERC de l'entité : 40000.0 €

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death globally. Despite the therapeutic advances, innate and acquired resistance is still an adversity that needs to be overcome. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify more targeted and specific therapeutic approaches in order to increase success of the treatment and reduce the medical and economic burden of therapeutic failures. Numerous studies have been conducted to target the replication stress response, a hallmark of cancer and drug resistance, in cancer therapy. However, hitting this essential pathway can trigger deleterious and non-specific cellular responses. Our research introduces a novel perspective to this problem by focusing on the RNA components of the replication stress pathway. lncRNAs are untranslated RNAs whose emerging role in regulating gene expression has changed the way we look at genes and their functions. lncRNAs play a regulatory role in mechanisms of acquired tumour drug resistance. Moreover, their rapid turnover, tissue and pathology specificity make them ideal targets for effective therapeutic avenues that don’t bare the same toxicity as conventional approaches. Our dedicated ERC research has unveiled a lncRNA with remarkable biological properties. CRC cells subjected to replicative stress are addicted to its expression, representing a highly promising therapeutic target. Building on these novel findings, we propose LINCURE, a new therapy based on the inhibition of this lncRNA. lncRNA inhibitors will be used alone or in combination with the conventional 5-FU therapy to reach therapeutic efficacy for drug resistant CRC. We will integrate our unique knowledge with recent advancements in the successful development of delivery methods for RNA-based therapies, which have generated a surge of optimism in the realm of RNA therapeutics. The objective is to start a promising pathway toward translating our findings into effective clinical therapies.