Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : Learning4Kids (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Social World and Its Diversity
Entité participante : Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : LMU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1499969.0 €

Children’s literacy and mathematical competencies are a critical platform for their successful functioning as individuals in society. However, many children, in particular those with low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds who may not receive the home support needed to develop to their full potential, are at risk of not reaching sufficient competence levels. The overall aim of this project is to develop innovative computer tablet applications (‘apps’) and test whether the apps support parents in the provision of high-quality home learning environments (HLEs) and consequently, impact positively on the short- and long-term development of children’s competencies. Specifically, the project objectives are to 1) identify, engage and retain families with low SES; 2) use tablet-based, easy-to-apply interventions to improve the quality of the HLE, encourage participation, remind families to use the apps, control the app usage, and provide feedback to parents; 3) unravel the specific approaches within the intervention that influence either the development of children’s literacy or mathematical competencies. I will use a multi-method intervention approach and draw on expertise from psychology, education, and didactics to evaluate the effectiveness of the apps. This project exploits new technological possibilities afforded by smart phones and tablet computers that are very common nowadays in European families. The results will lead to empirically tested, inexpensive software that will be accessible to the general public due to low download fees. Whilst offering substantive advances for the scientific fields of psychology and education, this project also has broad societal implications. Improving young children’s learning trajectories is both a social and economic imperative as it equips them to achieve greater individual success and also to contribute to the economy. The projected improvement in the HLE for young children will thus positively influence European society.

Mots-clés : educational and developmental psychology,home learning environment,family studies,intervention study,development of child competencies,mathematical and literacy competencies,educational apps
Projet ERC : ChinaUrban (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems
Entité participante : University of London — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : U. London
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2492786.0 €

China’s phenomenal urbanisation is of world-historical significance and imposes profound theoretical and policy challenges. This ground-breaking project will rethink China’s model of urban governance through grounded and multi-scalar investigations ranging from neighbourhoods and cities to regions. For neighbourhoods, it unravels the interface between state and society in everyday living space, migrant social agencies and the self-governance of homeowners’ associations under urbanisation and housing marketization. For cities, it interrogates the development strategies and governance of migrant and ecological urbanism as well as the implementation of projects through financial instruments and the land market. For regions, it uncovers entangled state–market relations which redistribute population and economic activities across cities and produce the city-region. The research will be conducted through six cases: Shanghai, Wuhan, Dali, Xiongan, Jing-Jin-Ji (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei), and the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Greater Bay Area, based upon grounded ethnographic observations, in-depth interviews and close engagement with Chinese researchers and policy makers across different types of neighbourhoods and cities of varying sizes in coastal, central and western regions, and recent national strategic projects. The project is timely for China to implement a UN-endorsed new urban agenda and rethink its model in the face of trade tensions. It will change how we think of China and its governance and be the first of its kind to explicitly consider indigenous perspectives on Chinese urban transformation. This innovative and contextually sensitive research will contribute to entrepreneurial urban governance theories and will offer a theoretically nuanced and grounded explanation of state entrepreneurialism in China, with six workshops organised within China as integral parts of knowledge production as well as a series of publication outputs.

Mots-clés : chinese cities,urban china,urban governance,neighbourhood,city region,rural migrants
Projet ERC : CHIRALSENSE (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas — Pays : Grèce — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : FORTH;ΙΤΕ
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Chiral sensing is crucial to many fields, constituting a multibillion Euro industry. The polarimetric techniques of optical rotation (OR) and circular dichroism (CD) are the most widely-used techniques for the analysis of chiral samples, ranging from the measurement of protein structure, to quality control in the pharmaceutical, chemical, cosmetic, and food industries. In general, the OR and CD signals are very small, which place severe constraints on detection sensitivity and time-resolution. Through the ERC grant TRICEPS, we have developed a groundbreaking cavity-based polarimeter [Sofikitis et al. Nature 514, 76 (2014)] with 3 main advantages: (a) The OR and CD signals are enhanced by the number of cavity passes (typically 1000); (b) birefringent backgrounds are suppressed; (c) signal reversals give absolute polarimetry measurements, not requiring the sample to be removed to measure a null sample. These advantages represent orders-of-magnitude improvements in sensitivity, acquisition time, and sample size, with respect to commercially available polarimeters, and will reduce measurement time, sample sizes, and costs in the chiral sensing industry. We propose, through CHIRALSENSE, to: (1) file a non-provisional US patent application, to follow our filing of a US provisional patent application for our polarimeter, which will provide IPR protection for the first stages of the product development; (2) demonstrate our existing CHIRALSENSE polarimeter to leading polarimetry companies, by performing measurements on commercial-standard samples; and (3) adapt our polarimeter to measure complex samples separated using HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography) for analytical chemistry applications, to be demonstrated to leading HPLC companies.

Mots-clés : chiral sensing,circular dichroism,optical rotation,optical rotary dispersion,polarimetry,cavity ringdown,cavity enhancement
Projet ERC : SynBioGABA (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : University of Groningen — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : RUG
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Chiral γ-aminobutyric acids (GABAs) represent abundantly prescribed drugs, which are broadly applied as anticonvulsants, antidepressants and for the treatment of neuropathic pain. With the incorporation of more population to western-based style in the coming decades, there is a need of developing and producing pharmaceutically active GABAs and similar (or generic) drugs for higher number of consumers. Supported by an ERC starting grant, Prof. Poelarends has developed an efficient, enzyme-based procedure for the enantioselective synthesis of a wide variety of GABAs. The PoC grant will allow Prof. Poelarends to identify those opportunities in the huge pharmaceutical/generics market where his novel synthesis procedure for pharmaceutically active GABAs provides unique advantages over existing industrial synthesis strategies, in terms of performance, sustainability and economics. To enable the next step towards commercialization, a strong and commercially attractive IP position will be built and a portfolio will be assembled in which the performance of the new technology is compared to current industrial production strategies using extensive market research and demonstration studies. Ultimately, the hope is to license our technology to existing pharmaceutical/generics companies.

Mots-clés : biocatalysis,biosynthesis,enzymatic cascade,artificial metabolism,pharmaceuticals,drugs,gaba,gamma aminobutyric acid
Projet ERC : New Chol (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases
Entité participante : University of Cambridge — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : U. Cambridge
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1642361.54 €

Cholangiopathies represent a diverse group of diseases affecting cholangiocytes which are the main cell type of the biliary tract. These disorders range from inherited (Cystic Fibrosis) and developmental (Alagille Syndrome, Biliary Atresia) to autoimmune (Primary Biliary Cirrhosis), idiopathic (Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis) and drug or toxin induced diseases. Cholangiopathies result in toxic bile accumulation in the liver inducing cell death and ultimately cirrhosis. They carry high morbidity and mortality, accounting for up to a third of chronic liver disorders. Whole liver transplantation remains the main treatment. However, organ transplant requires immunosuppression with significant side effects and an increasing number of patients die while on the transplant list due to the shortage of suitable donors. Finally, the absence of physiologically relevant in vitro systems to model and to study cholangiopathies prevents the development of new therapeutics while cell based therapy approach have been unexplored. Here, we propose to systematically address these challenges by developing a novel and innovative program of translational research focusing on cholangiopathies. We will first investigate the cellular and functional diversity of the biliary tract and its impact on disease by taking advantage of recent developments in single cell transcriptomic analyses. We will then use this basic knowledge to generate and to characterize for the first time a renewable source of cholangiocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells and from biliary tissue. The resulting cells will be used to model cholangiopathies in vitro and to create a new platform for drug target identification. Finally, we will explore the potential for in vitro generated cholangiocytes to be used in regenerative medicine applications including cell based therapy. Overall this comprehensive program will uniquely path the way for the development of a whole range of new therapies for cholangiopathies.

Mots-clés : human pluripotent stem cells,organoid,liver disease,cholangiocytes,cholangiopathies,biliary tract
Projet ERC : CholeraIndex (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy
Entité participante : Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology — Pays : Suisse — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : ETH Zurich
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1999988.0 €

Cholera is one of the oldest infectious diseases known and remains a major burden in many developing countries. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 4 million cases of cholera occur annually. The transmission of cholera by contaminated water, particularly under epidemic conditions, was first reported in the 19th century. However, early volunteer studies suggested that an incredibly high infectious dose (ID) is required to produce disease symptoms, in contrast to most other intestinal pathogens. Therefore, the mechanism of infection of index cases at the onset of an outbreak is unclear. This proposal aims to fill this knowledge gap by studying how the environmental lifestyle of the causative agent of the disease, the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, may prime the pathogen for intestinal colonization. We hypothesize that one of the natural niches of the bacterium (chitinous surfaces) fosters biofilm formation and provides a competitive advantage over co-colonizing bacteria. As an adaptive trait, passage of chitin-attached sessile V. cholerae through the acidic environment of the human stomach might be vastly facilitated compared to planktonic bacteria. Moreover, interbacterial warfare exerted by V. cholerae on these biotic surfaces may help the pathogen overcome the colonization barrier imposed by the human microbiota upon ingestion. The mechanism by which V. cholerae leaves the sessile lifestyle and the regulatory circuits involved in this process will also be investigated in this project. In summary, our goal is to elucidate the environmental community structures of V. cholerae that may enhance transmissibility from the ecosystem to humans in endemic areas resulting in the infection of index cases.

Mots-clés : vibrio cholerae,opportunistic pathogens,ecology,biofilm formation,regulatory networks,type vi secretion
Projet ERC : CondStruct (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions
Entité participante : European Molecular Biology Laboratory — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : EMBL
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1857479.0 €

Chromosomes undergo dramatic changes in their three-dimensional organisation during all aspects of genome function, ranging from the regulation of gene expression during cellular differentiation to chromosome duplication and partitioning over the course of a cell division cycle. The multi-subunit condensin protein complex plays major roles for these changes in DNA topology. Despite its fundamental importance, the mechanisms of condensin’s action are not understood. Here, I propose a comprehensive research program that aims to reveal the elusive mechanisms behind the functions of the condensin complex. We intend to unravel how the condensin complex engages DNA, how this interaction activates large-scale ATPase-dependent conformational rearrangements within the complex, and how condensin eventually encircles chromatin fibres within its ring-shaped architecture. Insights from these mechanistic studies will be invaluable for understanding how networks of condensin-mediated linkages can shape linear DNA helices into higher-order chromosome structures. To achieve this ambitious and timely goal, we will combine an integrative structural biology approach with biochemical and cell biological methods. By applying complementary technologies, including X-ray protein crystallography, electron microscopy, cross-linking mass spectrometry, single molecule fluorescence microscopy and reconstitution experiments, we anticipate to build the first model of the entire condensin complex at near-atomic resolution and explain how dynamic conformational changes confer function. The insights gained from this research program will provide an in-depth mechanistic comprehension of the core molecular machinery that determines the architecture of our genomes and will have major implications for understanding how genomic integrity is affected in various disease conditions.

Mots-clés : chromosome biology
Projet ERC : HydroLieve (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases
Entité participante : National University of Ireland — Pays : Irlande — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : NUI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 149953.75 €

Chronic Neuropathic Pain (NeP) is an enormous problem globally. Estimates predicate that 20% of adults suffer from pain world-wide and 10% are newly diagnosed with chronic pain annually1. According to the EuroPain Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)2, one in five adults in Europe suffers from chronic pain. One type of Neuropathic Pain that is particularly detrimental to patients quality of life is Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN). The trigeminal nerve is responsible for facial sensory function, and trauma to this nerve can result in sudden, severe, stabbing and recurrent episodes of pain. Patients with TN experience a prolonged debilitating condition, where the pain is often described as one of the most painful conditions in medicine. TN is infamously called the “suicide disease” as there have been numerous suicide reports associated with the condition. Epidemiologists estimated the prevalence of chronic TN pain is also large at 7%3, which amounts to 36 million Europeans. Similarly, in the US, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons report that 150,000 people are diagnosed with TN every year with a prevalence of chronic TN impacting 1.7 % of population 4. Therefore in this proposal, we describe the development of a long-lasting and drug-free treatment for chronic Trigeminal Neuralgia.

Mots-clés : hydrogel,medical devices,pain management
Projet ERC : CSI-Fun (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing
Entité participante : Spanish National Cancer Research Centre — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : CNIO
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 0.0 €

Chronic Systemic Inflammation (CSI) resulting from systemic release of inflammatory cytokines and activation of the immune system is responsible for the progression of several debilitating diseases, such as Psoriasis, Arthritis and Cancer. Initially localised diseases can result in CSI with subsequent systemic spread to distant organs, a key patho-physiological phase responsible for major morbidity and even mortality. Despite the importance of CSI, a complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms, signalling pathways and cell types involved, as well as the chronological evolution of the systemic inflammatory response is still elusive. The classical approach to study inflammation has focused on investigating individual cell types or organs in the pathogenesis of a single disease, thereby neglecting important organ cross-talk and systemic interactions. Furthermore, understanding the temporal and spatial kinetics modulating the inflammatory response requires a detailed study of interactions between different immune and non-immune organs at various time points during disease progression in the context of the whole organism. The aim of this research proposal is to substantially advance our understanding of whole organ physiology in relation to systemic inflammation as a cause or/and consequence of disease with the focus on Psoriasis/Joint Diseases and Cancer Cachexia. The goal is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms at the cellular and systemic level, and to decipher endocrine interactions and cross-talks between distant organs. Various model systems ranging from cell cultures to genetically engineered mouse models to human clinical samples will be employed. Genomic, proteomic and metabolomic data will be combined with functional in vivo assessment using mouse models to understand the multi-faceted role of systemic inflammation in chronic human diseases, such as Inflammatory Skin/Joint disease and Cachexia, a deadly systemic manifestation of Cancer.

Mots-clés : mouse models for common human diseases,cancer,inflammation
Projet ERC : HBV1 (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Immunity, Infection and Immunotherapy
Entité participante : Imperial College London — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1498312.0 €

Chronic hepatotropic infections including hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) are a major public health concern. Even though both viruses belong to completely distinct families the pathogenesis they elicit is strikingly similar, leading to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Treatment for HBV and HCV consists of either direct-acting antivirals or pegylated interferon (IFN)α. In contrast to HCV, these treatment regimen are noncurative for HBV. Little is known to date about the host/pathogen interactions determining viral persistence. Both viruses are sensitive to IFN, activating the JAK/STAT signalling pathway to activate interferonstimulated gene expression (ISG), which are ultimately acting as antiviral immune effectors. Nevertheless, neither type I or III IFN are very effective in their treatment. Here, we suggest investigating the mechanistic details of type I and type III IFN action on HCV and HBV in vitro and vivo with the goal of uncovering not only the differential ISG induction but furthermore characterise viral immune evasion strategies. Building on our previous success in dissecting the host response to HCV and creating the first immunocompetent mouse model for HCV we aim at using both, novel microfluidic culture systems based on 3D hepatocyte cultures susceptible to both HCV and HBV as well as human liver-chimeric mice in combination with single-cell analysis of the antiviral response against HBV and HCV elicited by type I and III IFN. Additionally, we will utilize lentiviral high throughput screening used previously for HCV to identify interferon effector molecules active against HBV. This project will not only provide new insights into the innate immune response to chronic hepatotropic virus infections but furthermore holds the potential of uncovering novel drug targets, aiding in the curative therapy for both, HCV and HBV and offer novel insights into vaccine design. This project has the aim of identifying novel host factors and drug targets enabling the development of immunomodulatory antiviral drugs. This ranks the scope of the proposal between LS6 Immunity and Infection and LS9 Applied Life Sciences and Non-Medical Biotechnology. Evaluating novel bioengineered human liver culture systems and building on human liver-chimeric mice clearly places this proposal at the forefront of identifying novel drug targets and assisting in the development of novel biotechnology and preclinical projects.

Mots-clés : hepatitis c virus,hepatitis b virus,innate immunity,human liver chimeric mouse,interferon,interferon stimulated genes