Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : TouchingSpace360 (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université Reichmann — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : IDC
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Digital interfaces & virtual reality (VR) are expected to penetrate more and more aspects of our everyday lives, from the domain of education, to entertainment, to wellness and even medicine. While impressive advancements have been made in visual display for smartphones and visual technology for representing 3D space in VR, the ability to do so via audio (particularly in the back and the vertical dimensions) remains very limited. Following an initial implementation developed under the NovelExperisense ERC grant (PI: Amedi), we present a novel (and patent pending) auditory-tactile method for simulating spatial localization of auditory content (such as speech, environmental sounds, movement in 3D, and more) through touch. This unique method can enhance accessibility for the hearing impaired and improve the overall VR experience for any individual in a wide range of applications. Here we suggest a line of experiments, further R&D and commercialization path for this intriguing and promising technology.
Projet ERC : NanoDeliveryEnhance (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Institut Weizmann — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : WIS
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Delivery to diseased cells or tissues of therapeutic agents attached or encapsulated in nanoparticles – nanomedicine - presents many benefits, and comprises a rapidly-growing multi-billion-euro market. Lipid-based drug-delivery nano-vehicles, where drugs (not least the recent, very-widely-used, mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines) are encapsulated in lipid vesicles (liposomes) or lipid nanoparticles, form a substantial part of that market. Nearly all FDA-approved liposomic vehicles are functionalized with poly(ethylene glycol), PEG, moieties, the current gold-standard. These act both to sterically-stabilize the vesicles, and, importantly, increase their blood-retention time and thus their therapeutic efficiency. At the same time, such PEGylation has several drawbacks, including reduced cellular uptake, accumulation of PEG in tissues, and accelerated blood clearance on repeated intravenous dosage due to heightened immune response. We use novel functionalization approaches to overcome these drawbacks. The present project explores the innovation dimension of our new approach. In particular, is it effective? is it efficient? How widely applicable is it? What is the IPR position for future exploitation of this new strategy? These questions illustrate the high-risk/high-gain nature of this proposal, and are addressed here through several inter-related work packages. Success of our project in demonstrating that our novel approach is significantly superior to the current universally-used PEGylation would not only have a therapeutic advantage for many diseases, but also tap into a large and growing market.
Projet ERC : AMA (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Asociacion de Investigacion de Materiales Plasticos y Conexas — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : AIMPLAS
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 8000.0 €

i-TED is a gamma-ray imaging system that was fully developed and successfully applied for nuclear astrophysics experiments at CERN n_TOF in the previous HYMNS ERC CoG. i-TED was designed for highest possible detection sensitivity, and it is also characterized by its modularity, portability and low sensitivity to neutron-induced backgrounds. These characteristics make the developed system potentially very attractive for several emerging applications in health and life science. Indeed, Compton imagers are expected to provide a breakthough innovation potential in the fields of i) ion-range monitoring in hadron therapy, ii) intraoperative Radio-Guided Surgery (RGS), iii) dose-monitoring in boron-neutron capture therapy (BNCT), and iv) theranostics (radioisotopes that serve for both therapy and diagnostics). Thus, the aim of this POC proposal is to perform first proof-of-concept measurements with readily available i-TED Compton cameras for demonstrating their applicability and advantages in two of these fields: (ii) intraoperative RGS and (iii) neutron dose assessment in BNCT. We also aim at addressing the corresponding technical-readiness levels (TRLs) for each application, which seems the most convenient approach for an efficient transfer of the developed technology towards society.
Projet ERC : MOFFET (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Institut de micro-électronique et composants — Pays : Belgique — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : IMEC
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 30000.0 €

Detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at low concentrations is an important but challenging task with a range of applications, including checking food freshness, monitoring indoor air quality, and diagnosing lung conditions through breath analysis. In all of these areas, high-performance yet compact VOC sensors are needed. While compact VOC sensors exist, they suffer from limited lifetimes and low selectivities, and often produce questionable data. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with pores of molecular dimensions are excellent materials to adsorb VOC analytes from air, even at very low concentrations. The MOFFET project targets the integration of MOFs with transistor technology to realize a novel type of VOC sensor. In addition, the modular nature of MOFs and microfabrication will be combined to realize an ‘electronic nose’ demonstrator for the selective detection in mixtures of VOCs. If successful, the project will contribute to novel, non-invasive medical diagnostics, checking food freshness, and monitoring air quality.
Projet ERC : GRAPHEC (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : CERCA Institution — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : CERCA;I-CERCA
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been used since the 1940s and are known as “forever chemicals” due to their extreme persistency to advanced (waste)water treatment strategies. Due to the strength of the C-F bond, each released molecule of PFAS remains in the environment. Today there are more than 9,000 known PFAS, majority of them being extremely resistant to any kind of degradation, and with high bioaccumulation potentials and toxicities. Electrochemical processes can address the challenge of PFAS presence in water, provided that the anode material is low cost and can break the C-F bond without forming toxic byproducts. Graphene sponge anode developed by our team is the first material to fulfill both requirements. In this project, we will aim at upscaling the electrochemical treatment based on graphene sponge electrodes and testing its long-term performance in degrading PFAS from complex residual streams. This will enable us to answer key scientific and technical questions required for further technology adoption by the water industry, many of them related to the fundamental mechanisms of electrochemical C-F bond breakage and features of anodically polarized graphene. Based on the results achieved to date at lab-scale, GRAPHEC technology has a strong potential to evolve into a sustainable, chemical-free destruction technology for PFAS-laden wastewaters and achieve their complete destruction at ambient temperature and pressure, in modular units, with low capital and operational cost. Finally, this project also aims at keeping the existing intellectual property and engaging early technology adopters in Europe and beyond to form a mature network of future clients and reach a technology readiness level (TRL) 6 at the end of the project. The project will deliver a new platform technology for the removal of toxic and persistent chemicals from water and is likely to play a key role in the EU´s Green Deal Agenda for securing a toxic-free environment.
Projet ERC : OptiPlex (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université Radboud de Nimègue — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

This project will explore the commercial feasibility of the first continuous stirred tank reactor solution for the synthetic replication and optimisation of complex enzymatic pathways. Our technology provides an urgently needed alternative for bioengineered organisms. Where normally raw materials of varying quality, competition between intermediates, toxicity, complex networks of feedback loops and other poorly understood factors limit production rates, our approach can be used to converge effectively to optimised biochemistry .  As part of the project, we will establish two industrially relevant pathways, advance the software solution of our platform and develop a commercialisation strategy.
Projet ERC : ImnovAth (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Ministry of Health — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : MISAN
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Atherosclerosis (AT) is one of the main causes of death worldwide. Current treatments (e.g. lipid-lowering therapies) are still insufficient to tackle future CV events and we urgently need new complementary treatments to improve therapeutic efficacy. ImnovAth aims to develop the new idea of targeting a metabolite/metabolite receptor axis to complete our preclinical results with an existing pharmacological agent that blocks this pathway, with the long-term goal of moving towards clinical trials and to a marketable product. In the context of our ERC-funded project, we found a microbiota-derived metabolite that affects the development of innate and adaptive immunity. We have subsequently found that this metabolite is both associated with and causal for AT and that blockade of the sensing of this metabolite prevents AT progression. We propose: 1) Validation to demonstrate that blockade of the metabolite/metabolite receptor axis is effective in AT treatment. We will study toxicity/tolerability of the existing pharmacological agent and the effect/efficacy of the blockade of this axis with the pharmacological agent alone or in combination with other current gold-standard treatments for AT in a preclinical therapeutic setting. 2) We will reinforce our IPR position and strategy proceeding towards a marketable product based on our currently filed patent application, market analysis and industry sector contacts. 3) Dissemination and communication activities. In sum, we propose an alternative therapy for AT focused on the inhibition of a novel target that can generate an independent or a complementary therapy to existing gold-standard treatments for AT, thus increasing their effectiveness.
Projet ERC : MiTE (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Institut Weizmann — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : WIS
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Immunotherapy holds great promise for the curative treatment of millions of cancer patients, with a market size of over 100 billion USD today, which is expected to at least double in the next decade. Cancer immunotherapies are designed either to promote anti-tumor immune activity in the tumor microenvironment (TME), via molecules such as cytokines and antibodies, or to inhibit negative T cell signals induced by cancer and antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in the TME, an approach known as immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Yet current immunotherapies have shown significant clinical success only against a limited number of cancers, for two major reasons: insufficient anti-tumor immune activation or severe side effects and toxicity as a result of nonspecific immune activation. We propose to overcome these two challenges through the development of a novel class of molecules capable of simultaneously modulating the myeloid and lymphoid immune cell compartments in the TME and generating a highly specific and extremely potent antitumor immune response. In this PoC grant, we seek to validate the ability to construct such dual-modulatory agents, which will provide us with the proof-of-concept for these technologies.
Projet ERC : FastMicrobes (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Institut Weizmann — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : WIS
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Accelerating Microbial Cultivation through Lag Phase Shortening using Methylated Compounds  Industries reliant on microbial cultivation face high production costs, with the cultivation process accounting for 20-40% of the total. However, conventional strategies often overlook the lag phase, an early growth phase in which bacteria do not grow that significantly elongates the cultivation process and impacts production costs.  Recent findings arising from our ERC-funded research, reveal a ground-breaking mechanism for modulating bacterial lag phase duration. Through the addition of naturally abundant methylated compounds during the lag phase, we demonstrate a strategy to expedite bacterial growth by up to 10 hours. This approach, previously unexplored due to technical challenges, could revolutionize industrial cultivation, reducing costs and enhancing product yield.  Our ERC-funded research uncovered a novel regulatory circuit influencing the bacterial lag phase. In our research of algal-bacterial routes of metabolic exchange, we discovered that abundant methylated compounds that are produced by algae and plants can significantly expedite the lag phase of various bacteria. Detailed insights into this mechanism enabled tailored treatments that shorten lag phases by utilizing methylated compounds. This approach presents a safe, affordable, and unique solution for industry challenges.  In this proposal, we outline a comprehensive plan to address current industrial cultivation challenges and exploit our innovative approach. By leveraging methylated compounds to expedite lag phases, both in bacteria and yeast, we aim to optimize yield, revolutionize microbial cultivation, and potentially transform an industry with an expected value of $130-180 billion by 2030.
Projet ERC : SPARE HEART (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université de Tel Aviv — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : TAU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world. Because the human heart has effectively no regenerative capabilities, the damage caused by cardiovascular diseases and heart attacks is both cumulative and progressive. The aim of this project is the development of regenerative tissue-engineered cardiac patches, which will revolutionize healthcare by providing patients with a treatment that seeks not to manage their symptoms, but to correct and reverse the underlying damage to the cardiac muscle. While the theory underpinning regenerative cardiac patches is not novel, reaching TRL5/6 by demonstrating proof-of-concept with 3D-printed, thick, fully vascularized, clinically relevant patches would constitute an extraordinary step forward for the field. In this project, we propose to 3D-print thick, vascularized cardiac tissues comprised of functional cardiomyocytes and blood vessel–forming endothelial cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The tissues will be between ½ -1 cm thick and will require significant levels of vascularization. Following fabrication, tissues will be matured in custom-designed bioreactors and reinforced, rendering them strong enough to be easily handled by surgeons. We then propose to perform cardiac-regenerative surgery in a large mammal model (pigs). This study will serve as a proof-of-concept that will advance the technology from an academic setting to the biotech industry and ultimately into the clinic.
Projet ERC : SweetCancerTest (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université de Tel Aviv — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : TAU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches are much needed. All living cells are covered with a dense layer of ‘sugar-coat’ that is altered in cancer. One of the hallmarks of cancer is the expression of aberrant cell surface glycosylation patterns compared to normal cells. Current antibody-based assays against cancer glycans are commonly utilized to monitor clinical response to therapy, however none is useful for early detection or diagnosis due to low sensitivity and specificity. We aim to develop cancer diagnostics based on signatures of carbohydrate-neoantigens. We developed a unique system to generate potent antibodies of high specificity and affinity against various cancer glycans. Such potent antibodies that recognize tumor-associated carbohydrate-neoantigens can potentially be used as novel cancer diagnostics. Such validated tools could be used to identify cancer at an early stage and also for optimizing therapy to patients of unique sugar-code signatures.
Projet ERC : U-BiomarCAPTURE (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : University Medical Center Utrecht — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UMC
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

The holy grail in cardiology is to identify high-risk atherosclerotic plaques that may cause a myocardial infarction. This is especially relevant for women, who often experience misdiagnosis or delays in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Current diagnostic methods are invasive, expensive, and fail to provide precise and timely insights into the state of the plaque. The U-BiomarCAPTURE approach builds on insights from the ERC CoG UCARE and ERC PoC U-BiomarCARE projects, where we identified sex-specific differences in plaque gene regulation and detected plaque-specific DNA methylation signals in cfDNA. U-BiomarCAPTURE project aims to create a more sensitive and scalable method for detecting high-risk plaques in cardiovascular patients, significantly reducing the likelihood of missing cases. U-BiomarCAPTURE is a blood-based biomarker assay designed to predict the presence of high-risk plaques (erosion or rupture) in both female and male patients presenting with signs and symptoms of ischemia. The key advantage of our blood-based marker over imaging techniques is that it does not require patients to be sent to the hospital, offering significant benefits in an overloaded healthcare system. Our development of the first biomarker assay for predicting high-risk plaques will represent a breakthrough in cardiovascular care. This innovation is a potential game changer for the healthcare sector, enabling the specific and timely detection of dangerous atherosclerotic plaques.
Projet ERC : ImmuNovation (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université de Tel Aviv — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : TAU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Cancer is a major cause of disability and mortality worldwide. The striking rise of immunotherapies has transformed the way we prevent and treat cancer. Nevertheless, despite the promising clinical results of immunotherapies, they suffer from multiple limitations, including manufacturing challenges, limited efficacy, toxicity, and high costs. Recent data highlight the promising role of personalized cancer vaccines in inducing effective antitumor immunity in patients suffering from aggressive forms of cancer. However, systems suitable for targeted delivery of multiple agents required for long-lasting patient immunity are required. ImmuNovation is focused on TNM (Targeted Nano-immunoModulator), a multifunctional dendritic cell-targeted nanovaccine designed to regulate the function and phenotype of immune cells with a pivotal role in the induction of an effective, specific, and long-lasting antitumor immunity. Here, we will evaluate the technical and commercial viability of our novel nanoplatform (developed during my ERC Advanced Grant, 3DBrainStrom) for the targeted therapy of various cancer types. As proof of concept, we will focus on immunotherapy for CEACAM5+ gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, which affect more than 4.8 million new cases per year and cause 3.4 million related deaths worldwide. The nanovaccine will introduce CEACAM5 antigens and various immune modulators with synergistic mechanisms of action to dendritic cells, thus boosting the immune system’s ability to recognize and destroy GI cancer cells. The proposed nanoplatform represents an affordable alternative to current immunotherapies, with enhanced tumour selectivity, efficacy, and safety profile. My vision is that our nanovaccines will change the landscape of the standard of care for many cancer types. Our platform offers a highly attractive business case, as biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies heavily invest in cancer vaccines due to the need for cancer prevention and therapeutic strategies.
Projet ERC : DEEP-EOG (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université de Trente — Pays : Italie — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

In the rapidly evolving landscape of cognitive neuroscience, a significant surge in research has highlighted eye movements as a critical yet previously underestimated window into neuro-cognitive processes. Our project is at the forefront of this paradigm shift, proposing an innovative machine learning-based approach to decode eye movements with high precision using electrooculography (EOG) channels alone. This method is set to revolutionize eye-tracking technologies, particularly in non-visual contexts such as closed eyes or during sleep, where traditional methods are ineffective.  The initial phase of our research involves the extensive collection of simultaneous eye-tracking and EOG data under various conditions, including simulated sleep patterns. Using state-of-the-art deep neural networks to map high-precision eye-tracking data onto the simultaneously collected EOG signal, we aim to achieve a level of EOG electrode precision that has previously been unattainable. A key focus of our deep-learning model is its ability to generalize, thereby minimizing the need for extensive individual calibration.  In practical terms, our project holds transformative potential across multiple domains. In the scientific field, it enables the exploration of eye movements with closed eyes, which is necessary for mind-reading research and mental states like meditation, providing new insights into the human mind. In medical monitoring, it opens avenues for non-invasive sleep analysis and the diagnosis of sleep-related disorders, previously hindered by the low precision of current gaze-tracking technology. The most groundbreaking application lies in developing a wearable device that enables widespread, effortless tracking and analysis of eye movements during sleep, thus democratizing the use of advanced cognitive monitoring tools to offer insights into sleep patterns and build a healthy sleep routine.