Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : conVIRgens (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
Entité participante : University of Cologne — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1922000.0 €

Fungal pathogens are enormous threats to plants, causing tremendous losses in worldwide crop production. Mechanistic understanding of fungal virulence is crucial to developing novel plant protection strategies in sustainable agriculture. Biotrophic pathogens colonize living plant tissue and reprogram their hosts to stimulate proliferation and development of infection structures. To promote infection, fungal pathogens secrete sets of virulence proteins termed “effectors” in a spatiotemporal program. Many economically relevant biotrophs like rusts and powdery mildew fungi are obligate pathogens. These organisms cannot be grown in culture and are not amenable to reverse genetics, which is a severe constraint for current research. In contrast, the biotrophic smut fungi have a haploid yeast stage, which allows simple cultivation and genetic modification. The causal agent of corn smut disease, Ustilago maydis, is one of the best-established model organisms for fungal genetics. This project aims to utilize the excellent genetic accessibility of U. maydis to approach a previously impossible, pioneering enterprise: the synthetic reconstruction of eukaryotic plant pathogens. In a first step, fungal virulence will be deconstructed by consecutive deletion of the U. maydis effector repertoire to generate disarmed mutants. These strains will serve as chassis for subsequent reconstruction of fungal pathogenicity from different sources. A combination of transcriptomics and comparative genomics will help to define synthetic effector modules to reconstruct virulence in the chassis strains. Deconstruction of U. maydis virulence will identify a complete arsenal of fungal virulence factors. Reconstruction of virulence will show how effector modules determine fungal virulence, including those of the previously not accessible obligate biotrophs. conVIRgens will thereby provide fundamentally new insights and novel functional tools towards the understanding of microbial virulence.

Mots-clés : fungal plant pathogens,effector biology,biotrophy,ustilago maydis
Projet ERC : MEMBRANEFUSION (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, 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 : 180000.0 €

Fusion of two biological membranes is essential to life. It is required during organism development, for trafficking of material between cellular compartments, for transfer of information across synapses, and for entry of viruses into cells. Fusion must be carefully controlled and the core fusion components are typically found within a complex regulatory machine. There have been decades of research on the structure and function of individual components, on the dynamics and biophysics of fusion, and on phenotypes resulting from mutating or inhibiting component proteins. These have led to a model for fusion in which regulated refolding or assembly of proteins draws two membranes closer together until they fuse. Despite this breadth of study, we know very little about how the components of the fusion machinery function in context: How are they arranged on the membrane around the site of fusion? How do they respond structurally to regulation? How does the fully assembled machinery rearrange to reshape the membrane and drive fusion? These gaps in knowledge can be attributed to a shortage of structural biology methods able to derive structural data on proteins assembled within complex, heterogeneous or dynamic environments such as a fusion site. Here I propose to apply a combination of state-of-the-art cryo-electron tomography, image processing and correlative fluorescence and electron microscopy methods to obtain detailed structural information on assembled fusion machineries and of fusion intermediates both in vitro and in vivo. I will study how influenza virus fuses with a target membrane, complemented by studies on fusion of HIV-1 and of synaptic vesicles. By determining how viral and synaptic fusion complexes reposition and restructure prior to fusion, how they arrange around the fusion site, how they reshape the membrane to induce fusion, and how these processes can be regulated and inhibited, I will derive a mechanistic model of membrane fusion in situ.

Mots-clés : cryo electron microscopy,membrane fusion,virus entry,influenza
Projet ERC : PerfectSTORM (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems
Entité participante : Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : VU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1489442.0 €

Future climate projections show a strengthening of the hydrological cycle with more droughts and floods expected. This means a higher likelihood of cascading drought-to-flood disasters such as the Millennium Drought – Brisbane flooding in Australia or the California drought – Oroville spillway collapse in the US. Current research and management treat floods and droughts as independent, which leads to large underestimations of their future risk. Droughts allow ample time for impacts and adaptation, which influence hazard, exposure, and vulnerability of a subsequent flood. There are anecdotal examples of these events, but research is needed on the underlying interactions between hydrology and society. In the PerfectSTORM project (‘STOrylines of futuRe extreMes’), I propose to study drought-to-flood events to provide the understanding needed to prevent major disasters in the future. The innovative approach that I will develop is based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative storylines of past and future drought-to-flood risk in case studies and extrapolation of this rich case study information to the global scale. Qualitative storylines will be collected with narrative interviews and mental simulation workshops and will be edited and analysed. Quantitative storylines will be developed from timeseries of hydrological and social data that will be analysed and modelled. These storylines will then be combined in an iterative way using innovative data visualisation. A range of global datasets will be analysed to find global types and hotspots of drought-to-flood events and a global future 3D possibility space will be developed using socio-hydrological modelling. Positive pathways for future management of drought-to-flood events in different parts of the world will then be explored. The PerfectSTORM project will provide in-depth understanding of the hydrosocial feedbacks and dynamic vulnerability of cascading hazards.

Mots-clés : drought and flood,future pathways,socio hydrology,vulnerability,adaptation,narratives,data analysis and visualisation
Projet ERC : ROBOTGENSKILL (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Systems and communication engineering
Entité participante : KU Leuven — Pays : Belgique — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : KUL
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2494971.0 €

Future robots are expected to perform a multitude of complex tasks with high variability, in close collaboration or even physical contact with humans, and in industrial as well as in non-industrial settings. Both human-robot interaction and task variability are major challenges. A lot of progress is needed so that: (1) robots recognize the intention of the human and react with human-like motions; (2) robot end-users, such as operators on the factory floor or people at home, are able to deploy robots for new tasks or new situations in an intuitive way, for example by just demonstrating the task to the robot. The fundamental challenge addressed in this proposal is: how can a robot generalize a skill that has been demonstrated in a particular situation and apply it to new situations? This project focuses on skills involving rigid objects manipulated by a robot or a human and follows a model-based approach consisting of: (1) conversion of the demonstrated data to an innovative invariant representation of motion and interaction forces; (2) generalization of this representation to a new situation by solving an optimal control problem in which similarity with the invariant representation is maintained while complying with the constraints imposed by the new context. Additional knowledge about the task can be added in the constraints. Major breakthroughs are that the required number of demonstrations and hence the training effort decrease drastically, similarity with the demonstration is maintained in view of preserving the human-like nature, and task knowledge is easily included. The methodology is applied to program robot skills involving motion in free space (e.g. human-robot hand over tasks) as well as advanced manipulation skills involving contact (e.g. assembly, cleaning), aiming at impact in industrial and non-industrial settings. Application of the invariant motion representation in the neighbouring field of biomechanics will further leverage impact.

Mots-clés : programming by human demonstration,skill learning,human robot collaboration
Projet ERC : GRAPHEME (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Products and processes engineering
Entité participante : Université de Strasbourg — Pays : France — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : UNISTRA
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 120000.0 €

GRAPHEME will combine chemically tailored graphene and related materials (GRMs) with capillary membranes (CMs) technology to engineer a radically new generation of CMs, exploiting simultaneously the outstanding adsorption properties of GRMs with the physical sieving potential of CMs, to ultimately improve the quality of potable water. GRMs’ hybrids hold a disruptive potential as sieving materials to boost the CMs performance as they possess an ideal tailor-made structure and tunable physicochemical properties. In a recent breakthrough, foams based on GRMs functionalized with polymers were used to sequester heavy metal ions from water with an unprecedented efficiency. Their high surface area with sp2 hybridization favors the adsorption of organic molecules. The functional groups on the GRM surface enable to tune both the water permeability and the binding of ions, thereby favoring the removal of inorganic contaminants. Significantly, no other material currently used for water treatment combines all these key properties. GRAPHEME’s CMs will combine the removal of toxic pollutants with rejection of particles, microorganisms and dissolved solids thanks to the synergy between micro/ultrafiltration by CM scaffolds and GRM multitarget adsorption. Towards the GRAPHEME technology commercialization, we will define the exploitation strategy, including IP positioning, market survey, business model and fundraising. This will also include partnering with key enablers – business-related and technological – for commercial success. A technical and commercial proof-of-concept will be established by developing a prototype to ultimately bring our CMs technology closer to the market. GRAPHEME will set new standards for the best exploitation of water for the mankind and will give the means to governing authorities to strengthen regulation. By developing new protocols for water purification, a major technological revolution will take place, positively affecting a number of industries.

Mots-clés : membranes,water purification,recyclability,graphene and related materials,heavy metal ion removal
Projet ERC : GRAPHICS (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Systems and communication engineering
Entité participante : Institut national des sciences appliquées de Lyon — Pays : France — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : INSA de Lyon
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 8212.5 €

GRAPHICS aims at developing novel chip-based photonic devices for all-optical signal processing in graphene/ semiconductor hybrid platforms. The resulting architectures will be the cornerstone of a disruptive optical routing and processing technology on silicon chips for communications as well as Datacom and interconnect applications. These will also pave the way towards the photonic-microelectronic convergence, through the realization of CMOS compatible platforms. Our research program will focus on two main classes of nonlinear optical devices: (1) integrated pulsed III-V/ Si microlasers, and (2) all-optical signal processing devices, relying on two distinct nonlinear features of graphene, i.e. its saturable absorption and its nonlinear Kerr response, respectively. In addition, the capability of tuning graphene properties electrically will allow us to create fundamentally flexible and reconfigurable intelligent optical devices. The two classes of nonlinear devices targeted in the project represent significant achievements in their own right. However, they share some scientific and technological challenges. For instance, relevant strategies must be found for enhancing the typically low interaction of light with the monolayer of carbon atoms, as needed for the device miniaturization. Here, we will combine graphene with the nanophotonic toolbox -microcavities, or slow light photonic crystals- to enhance the light-graphene interaction and realize compact chip-scale devices. More fundamentally, these two classes of nonlinear devices will jointly contribute to shape the long-term vision of a fully integrated photonic platform, in which the pulsed microlaser delivers directly on-chip the optical peak power necessary to trigger all other "intelligent" devices onto the same circuit. GRAPHICS will therefore help to "draw" a novel generation of photonic integrated circuits and architectures, with graphene playing a key role, to be used for managing high-speed optical data.

Mots-clés : integrated microphotonic devices,nonlinear optical processes,light matter interaction,graphene,slow light,silicon photonics
Projet ERC : GRAPHICS (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Systems and communication engineering
Entité participante : Centre national de la recherche scientifique — Pays : France — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : CNRS
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 73507.5 €

GRAPHICS aims at developing novel chip-based photonic devices for all-optical signal processing in graphene/ semiconductor hybrid platforms. The resulting architectures will be the cornerstone of a disruptive optical routing and processing technology on silicon chips for communications as well as Datacom and interconnect applications. These will also pave the way towards the photonic-microelectronic convergence, through the realization of CMOS compatible platforms. Our research program will focus on two main classes of nonlinear optical devices: (1) integrated pulsed III-V/ Si microlasers, and (2) all-optical signal processing devices, relying on two distinct nonlinear features of graphene, i.e. its saturable absorption and its nonlinear Kerr response, respectively. In addition, the capability of tuning graphene properties electrically will allow us to create fundamentally flexible and reconfigurable intelligent optical devices. The two classes of nonlinear devices targeted in the project represent significant achievements in their own right. However, they share some scientific and technological challenges. For instance, relevant strategies must be found for enhancing the typically low interaction of light with the monolayer of carbon atoms, as needed for the device miniaturization. Here, we will combine graphene with the nanophotonic toolbox -microcavities, or slow light photonic crystals- to enhance the light-graphene interaction and realize compact chip-scale devices. More fundamentally, these two classes of nonlinear devices will jointly contribute to shape the long-term vision of a fully integrated photonic platform, in which the pulsed microlaser delivers directly on-chip the optical peak power necessary to trigger all other "intelligent" devices onto the same circuit. GRAPHICS will therefore help to "draw" a novel generation of photonic integrated circuits and architectures, with graphene playing a key role, to be used for managing high-speed optical data.

Mots-clés : integrated microphotonic devices,nonlinear optical processes,light matter interaction,graphene,slow light,silicon photonics
Projet ERC : GEMINI (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Computer science and informatics
Entité participante : Lancaster University — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2490391.0 €

Gaze is a compelling modality for human-computer interaction (HCI). Where we look implicitly reflects our goals and information needs, and we are able to direct our gaze at will and speed across our environment, to efficiently communicate interest and express intent. However, in decades of research on gaze interfaces, the approach has been to consider eye movement in isolation and ignore concurrent movement of head and body. GEMINI will develop a fundamentally different approach, from the ground up recognising that visual attention and gaze control are performed in natural and necessary coordination of eyes, head and body. The project goal is to establish a new conceptual, computational and scientific foundation for gaze and eye movement in interaction, grounded in understanding of eye-head-body coordination and eye movements that stabilise and adapt vision. GEMINI will pioneer motion-based principles for determining gaze attention in 3D, methods for inferring interaction context from synergetic eye, head, and body movement, and a multimodal framework for "gaze in concert with the body" in which eye-head gaze is extended with gestural and proxemic interaction for a breakthrough in usable touchless interaction with ubiquitous computing. GEMINI will radically change how eye movement is approached for interaction, not as isolated and niche, but as central to interaction and dynamically coupled with other movement of the body. The project vision is that users will be able to interact fluidly in 3D with the physical-digital world around them, close-up and at-a-distance, using only their body for input, with eye, head, hand and body movements dynamically combined based on their natural coordination, context and complementarity. This has huge potential for impact on interactive systems where touch is not possible, practical, desirable or safe. If successful, "gaze in concert with the body" may well define the next major HCI paradigm.

Mots-clés : eye gaze,3d user interfaces,eye head coordination,body based interfaces,touchless interaction
Projet ERC : DNA-DOCK (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
Entité participante : University of Bristol — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2498578.0 €

Gene editing has developed at breath-taking speed. In particular CRISPR/Cas9 provides a tool-set thousands of researchers worldwide now utilize with unprecedented ease to edit genes, catalysing a broad range of biomedical and industrial applications. Gene synthesis technologies producing thousands of base pairs of synthetic DNA have become affordable. Current gene editing technology is highly effective for local, small genomic DNA edits and insertions. To unlock the full potential of this revolution, however, our capacities to disrupt or rewrite small local elements of code must be complemented by equal capacities to efficiently insert very large synthetic DNA cargos with a wide range of functions into genomic sites. Large designer cargos would carry multicomponent DNA circuitry including programmable and fine-tuneable functionalities, representing the vital interface between gene editing which is the state-of-the-art at present, and genome engineering, which is the future. This challenge remained largely unaddressed to date. We aspire to resolve this bottleneck by creating ground-breaking, generally applicable, easy-to-use technology to enable docking of large DNA cargos with base pair precision and unparalleled efficiency into mammalian genomes. To achieve our ambitious goals, we will apply a whole array of sophisticated tools. We will unlock a small non-human virus to rational design, creating safe, flexible and easy-to-produce, large capacity DNA delivery nanodevices with unmatched transduction capability. We will exploit a range of techniques including Darwinian in vitro selection/evolution to accomplish unprecedented precision DNA integration efficiency into genomic sites. We will use parallelized DNA assembly methods to generate multifunctional circuits, to accelerate T cell engineering, resolving unmet needs. Once we accomplish our tasks, our technology has the potential to be exceptionally rewarding to the scientific, industrial and medical communities.

Mots-clés : genome engineering,gene editing,dna delivery,minimal genome,synthetic dna circuits,transduction,epitoping,dsdna break repair,nhej,t cell engineering,nanobody,ribosome display