Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : q-shadows (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Computer Science and Informatics
Entité participante : Université de Linz — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : JKU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1500000.0 €

Large-scale quantum experiments do not work in isolation. Substantial classical computing power is required to control the experiment and process the results. This necessarily creates information-transmission bottlenecks at the interface between quantum and classical realms. These bottlenecks create scalability issues that prevent us from using existing architectures to the best of their capabilities and may even impair our ability to further scale up system sizes.  In this project, we adopt a unifying framework that takes into account all computing resources (quantum and classical). We develop quantum-to-classical converters to overcome information-transmission bottlenecks. Dubbed shadows, they leverage randomization, as well as quantum-enhanced readout strategies to obtain a succinct classical description of an underlying quantum system that can then be used to efficiently predict many features at once. The shadow paradigm is compatible with near-term quantum hardware and utilizes genuine quantum effects that do not have a classical counterpart. Building on these ideas, we also establish rigorous synergies between quantum experiments and classical machine learning. Shadow learning protocols use shadows to succinctly represent training data obtained from actual quantum experiments. A classical training stage then enables data-driven learning of genuine quantum phenomena. Finally, we develop new tools to ensure reliable execution on current quantum hardware, thus bridging the gap between theory and experiment.  My interdisciplinary skill set combines methods from modern computer science with quantum information and has already led to numerous high-impact contributions (e.g. 1 Nature Physics with more than 350 citations and 2 Science publications). These insights form the basis for this larger project, where we lay the foundation for scalable and practical quantum data processing and learning that can keep up and grow with future improvements in quantum technology.

Mots-clés : classical shadows,noisy quantum computation,quantum information,rigorous machine learning,quantum simulation,tensor network representations
Projet ERC : 2SStars (Horizon Europe, appel 2025, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Universe Sciences
Entité participante : Institute of Science and Technology Austria — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : ISTA
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1499948.0 €

A third of all massive stars are predicted to lose their hydrogen-rich envelopes through interaction with a binary companion star, leaving the helium core exposed. These stripped stars are thought to be the main progenitors of hydrogen-poor core collapse supernovae, to constitute two necessary steps in the formation of merging neutron stars, and to provide so copious amounts of hard ionizing radiation that they contributed to cosmic reionization. Despite their importance, it took over half a century until we last year confirmed their predicted existence with observations. This means that theoretical models that previously had few to no observational benchmarks now face reality. 2SStars is designed to challenge theory with observation, while adressing the questions (1) What is the role of stripped stars in binary star evolution? and (2) How can stripped stars be used to understand different parts of astrophysics? We will study the stripped star binaries in detail to obtain measures for example for stellar winds, mass transfer efficiency and X-ray emission. We will also venture beyond binary evolution and use stripped stars as laboratories to investigate both how magnetism and rotation operate in stellar interiors and what the source of the enigmatic He II emission observed in galaxies across redshifts is. To fully exploit the new discovery, 2SStars is constructed as a symbiosis of observations and theory, for which we will use and develop modern codes of binary stellar evolution, hot star atmospheres, nebular spectra, and stellar populations. With upcoming space missions in both the ultraviolet (UVEX) and milli-Hz gravitational wave regime (LISA), and new survey telescopes (VRO/LSST, WFIRST, 4MOST) and ongoing gravitational wave detections (LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA), a large fraction of the future science hinges on our understanding of binary evolution. 2SStars will provide the long-needed constraints and new theoretical models by making use of our newest type of star.

Mots-clés : binary stellar evolution,binary interaction products,helium stars,ionizing radiation,hot star atmospheres,stellar populations and spectra
Projet ERC : LysoLogs (Horizon Europe, appel 2025, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and R egeneration
Entité participante : Innsbruck Medical University — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : MUI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1497278.0 €

Lysosomes are the central degradative organelle of all cells and function as logistic centres of cellular metabolite flux. Their dysregulation underlies ~70 monogenetic lysosomal storage disorders, metabolic syndromes, neurodegenerative maladies, and aging, thus affecting an ever-growing portion of the human population. A frequent denominator in these pathophysiological conditions is the deposition of lipids and lipid metabolites in the lysosomal lumen which leads to the accumulation of dysfunctional lysosomes, inflammatory responses, and cell death. The molecular mechanisms governing lipid flux through lysosomes are poorly understood, despite their importance for human disease. My proposed project will provide fundamental insights into the regulation of lysosomal lipid metabolism and thus pave the way for new therapeutic strategies. To achieve this, I will address two key aspects of lysosomal lipid logistics with direct implications in lysosomal lipid-dependent diseases: First, I will systematically interrogate the poorly understood mechanisms that establish and maintain the specialized lipid composition of the lysosomal limiting membrane. Second, I will uncover mechanisms that regulate the export of lipids and their metabolites from the lysosomal lumen into the cytoplasm. Finally, I aim to harness the findings to boost lysosomal membrane biogenesis and upregulate lipid metabolite export pathways to counteract pathologic lysosomal phenotypes in neurodegeneration-driving microglia cells. The results will provide unprecedented insight into the regulation of lysosomal lipid metabolism and will inform novel strategies to alleviate pathological phenotypes in human diseases with utmost societal importance.

Mots-clés : microglia,lysosomal storage disorders,neuroinflammation,lysosomes,membrane biogenesis,phosphoinositides,lipid transfer
Projet ERC : EQUILIBRIUM (Horizon Europe, appel 2025, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems
Entité participante : Université d'Aarhus — Pays : Danemark — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1499495.0 €

The character of state-citizen interactions shapes social stability and economic growth, making it critical to social scientists. Sometimes these interactions appear in the form of vicious cycles, in which poor state performance reinforces negative population attitudes and vice versa. Specifically, citizens who have unfavourable views of the state due to low public service quality are more likely to elect parties that limit the state’s resources, which fortifies its poor performance. We may think of this situation as a “negative equilibrium”. Yet other regions have positive equilibria, in which effective states correspond to favourable citizen attitudes. This raises a critical question: Which factors allow regions to escape negative equilibria by shifting toward more positive population attitudes and more effective state institutions?  EQUILIBRIUM makes a ground-breaking contribution to our understanding of state-citizen equilibria by investigating the potential for change at the individual and regional levels. My goal is not only to examine equilibrium robustness, but also to assess if separate equilibria exist for different population groups. The project will further provide significant methodological innovation by developing new measures for equilibrium coherence and fragmentation—which I hypothesize shape the potential for change—and introducing a first-of-its-kind sequential multicomponent design that integrates observational data, public opinion surveys, and inquiries to bureaucracies.  Empirically, the project will break new ground through the collection of data across five European countries and the United States, allowing for cross- and within-case comparison. Furthermore, I intend to pool survey experiments with natural experiments.  This project will not only markedly improve our understanding of social equilibria, but its findings will be of direct relevance to policymakers. By rigorously assessing equilibrium durability, it will reveal paths for reform.

Mots-clés : state citizen interactions public administration views of the state public services social equilibria
Projet ERC : LiBriNa (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Systems and Communication Engineering
Entité participante : Université de Tromsø — Pays : Norvège — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UiT
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1807313.75 €

Better microscopes have always triggered scientific discovery. Lightsheet microscopy and nanoscopy are no exception and have initiated knowledge jumps in structural and dynamical imaging. However, they do not inform us on mechanical properties. The domain of mechano-sensitive microscopy is still in its infancy yet has already unveiled a stark dependence of cellular development on local stiffness and viscoelasticity. For instance, coordinated strain on the sub-millimetre scale is a key ingredient to grow induced pluripotent stem stells into a beating adult cardiac muscle; without such an environment, a twitching heap of cardiomyocytes develops instead. What are the processes within cells that cause this forked differentiation? How can we optimise the growth of artificial tissue in regenerative medicine? Given the dynamics and 3D nature of the problem, paired with the requirement of sub-cellular resolution, one must conclude that our current instrumentation is not up to the task. Thus, this project aims to develop a label-free microscopy technique that can image viscoelasticity at unprecedented sub-diffraction resolution inside living, differentiating cardiac tissues at order-of-magnitude faster acquisition speeds than previously possible. This will be made possible by a completely new type of optical element that allows snap-shot hyperspectral imaging at unparalleled speed and sensitivity. Transforming latest innovations within nanoscopy and lightsheet imaging and using Brillouin scattering as a proxy for viscoelastic tissue properties on the microscale, Lightsheet Brillouin Nanoscopy (LiBriNa), will be the fastest, most gentle, and highest resolution mechanosensitive microscope ever built. Besides being an enabler technology for cellular biology and regenerative medicine, the project will explore new principles in label-free nanoscopy methodology and initiate innovation jumps in optical instrumentation.

Mots-clés : brillouin scattering,oblique plane lightsheet,labelfree superresolution,instant structured illumination microscopy,3d imaging,multifocus microscopy,optical element development,induced pluripotent stem cells,organoids,tissue development,organells,visco elastic measurements,cardiology research
Projet ERC : SI3D (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Earth System Science
Entité participante : Université de Tromsø — Pays : Norvège — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UiT
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2062021.0 €

Arctic sea ice is diminishing with climate warming at a rate unmatched for 1000 years. As the receding ice pack changes rapidly and becomes increasingly mobile, the demand from academic and commercial stakeholders for accurate and timely sea ice forecasts is intensifying. Forecasting accuracy is enhanced with the assimilation of sea ice thickness observations from satellite altimetry. However, these data are currently unavailable during summer when they would be most valuable for stakeholders, owing to significant data processing challenges. This has been identified as a key observation gap for polar research by the IPCC.  SI/3D will address this gap, harnessing deep machine learning, modelling of the radar altimeter response, and dedicated field campaigns, to overcome the processing barriers. I will integrate satellite data from multiple ESA, EU-Copernicus, and NASA altimetry missions to produce the first 15+ year high-accuracy record of pan-Arctic sea ice thickness without interruptions in the summer. With this unique dataset, I can achieve the following goals. (1) To close the Arctic sea ice volume budget, pinpointing the mechanisms driving seasonal decay and breakup of the ice pack and the feedbacks of sea ice loss on Arctic temperatures. (2) To upgrade seasonal sea ice forecasts from state-of-the-art modelling systems by assimilating summer ice thickness observations.  SI/3D will create a new discipline of sea ice research by using altimetry to study the Arctic summer, which is risky. Having led the first published pilot research in this field, however, I am ideally placed to carry out the project and will leverage the expertise I have gained at three international Arctic research institutions to make it happen. On completion, this work will transform opportunities for Arctic system science, improving sea ice modelling, forecasting on timescales from weeks to years, mass budgeting, and biogeochemistry studies during the critical summer melting months.

Mots-clés : satellite altimetry,arctic,sea ice thickness,seasonal sea ice forecasting,coupled sea ice ocean modelling
Projet ERC : HELMet (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Products and Processes Engineering
Entité participante : Université de Burgos — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1499375.0 €

Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) of metallic materials is one of the main challenges for the adoption of green H2 as a clean fuel. Degradation of pipelines and vessels is nowadays avoided by conservative design and material selection, but novel mitigation strategies for hydrogen embrittlement will foster cost-effective technologies. I envisage an Additive Manufacturing strategy to tune hydrogen diffusion as an effective and novel method to mitigate or even supress HE. The success of this framework requires the reconsideration of modelling and experimental techniques to characterise hydrogen transport and embrittlement in metals. My background on computational mechanics, hydrogen diffusion simulation and Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) will guide the approach whereas the methodology will be enriched by innovative phase tailoring strategies and advanced computational and optimisation procedures. Tailoring hydrogen diffusion in steels will be accomplished by exploiting the enormous difference in diffusivity between fcc and bcc iron phases. Duplex Stainless Steels (DSS) that combine austenite (fcc) and ferrite (bcc) phases are thus considered as a first option to tune diffusion paths. Additionally, localized nitrogen evaporation to directly control fcc or bcc formation during micro-LPBF of High Nitrogen Steels (HNS) will be achieved by local variation of laser parameters. The main goal is to protect critical regions and therefore to supress hydrogen-assisted cracking. To produce shielding effects around stress concentrators, bcc/fcc “helmets” will be optimised by coupled modelling frameworks including hydrogen transport and fracture. Trapping and multiphase diffusion will be assessed by novel modelling procedures from thermal desorption and permeation experimental results. Finally, the effectiveness of the optimised tailored helmets will be evaluated by in-situ testing in gaseous H2, paving the way for resistant components to transport and store high-pressure hydrogen.

Mots-clés : hydrogen embrittlement hydrogen interstitial diffusion multiphysics modelling additive manufacturing duplex steels
Projet ERC : GIAPHAGE (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Environmental B iology, Ecology  and E volution
Entité participante : Université de Jyväskylä — Pays : Finlande — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1499808.0 €

Bacterial viruses, phages, are ubiquitous and most numerous entities in the biosphere. Development of sequencing techniques has increased our understanding on the diversity of phages that have not been isolated due to lack of cultivable hosts and/or suitable isolation methods. While sequence data enables a better view to the viral diversity, at the same time lack of functional data and biological connection increases. Recently, different studies have found megaphages (mainly phages with a genome over 600 kbp) by assembling metagenomes from various environmental samples. However, no such isolates have been obtained thus far meaning that their characteristics and host interactions are completely unknown. In this ERC project, I will enlighten the life of giant phages, the term I coined for both jumbo and megaphages. I will achieve this by using the first megaphage isolates that I have isolated from boreal freshwaters. During the project, evidence on the megaphage structure, the host interactions and symbiotic relationship with host will be provided. Using a unique set of different phage sizes infecting the same host I will determine the size correlation to different life history traits. I will provide insight to the mutualistic relationship between bacteria and their viruses and reveal new mechanisms behind phage competition. I will also determine the environmental preferences for the megaphage emergence and abundance in boreal freshwaters. In this proposal, I aim to understand How, Where and When megaphages are isolated. Consequently, results will aid in understanding the role of megaphages in other environments such as gut microbiome and potentially provide avenues for developing new genetic tools. This project will open new understanding for microbial ecology and especially phage ecology and the project will create a new field of study under phage biology.
Projet ERC : NON-ABELIAN (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Fundamental Constituents of Matter
Entité participante : Université technique de Vienne — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : TU Wien
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 406250.0 €

Non-abelian anyons are conjectured topological quasi-particles which shatter our understanding of quantum statistics. Exchanging two such quasi-particles can transform the quantum state in a way that cannot be undone without unwinding the exchange. The exotic properties of non-abelian anyons have puzzled researchers for decades, and the robustness associated with their statistics makes them an appealing platform for topological quantum computing. Despite broad research over the past decades, non-abelian anyons defy a conclusive experimental observation.  The goal of NON-ABELIAN is the realization and exploration of non-abelian anyonic quasi-particles. We will focus on two paradigmatic systems: quasi-hole excitations in Pfaffian-type fractional quantum Hall states, and Majorana edge states in the Kitaev chain. In each system, we will use control on the microscopic level to prepare the many-body ground state, as well as to isolate, braid, and fuse its quasi-particles. Using local correlations and interferometric observables, we will reveal the properties, including their fractional charge and their non-abelian statistics. The experiments are carried out on a novel type of neutral-atom platform. It makes use of ultraprecise holographic beam shaping, programmable optical tweezer arrays, and rapid ground state cooling techniques.  By studying the emergence of non-abelian quasi-particles in two complementary systems, this project will shed light on an elusive type of quasi-particle from new angles. This will lead to fundamental consequences on our understanding of quantum statistics and provide microscopic insights into strongly correlated topological systems. In addition, our experiments open avenues for topological quantum computing with cold atoms.

Mots-clés : ultracold fermions,lithium,symmetry protected topology,optical tweezers,bosonic pfaffian,floquet engineering
Projet ERC : SPDE (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Mathematics
Entité participante : Université technique de Vienne — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : TU Wien
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1498849.0 €

The field of stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs) has been revolutionised in the last decade by breakthrough works of Hairer, Gubinelli-Imkeller-Perkowski, and many others. A new understanding of renormalised solution theories emerged, solving long-standing singular equations arising in various areas of probability and mathematical physics. The purpose of this project is to study a number of important questions in the field, open new directions, and challenge central open problems:  (i) Launch the investigation of singular SPDEs that preserve Gibbs measures of distributional Hamiltonians such as the density of self-repellent polymers;  (ii) Tackle the question of a quasilinear renormalisation formula, the last remaining component of the quasilinear solution theory;  (iii) Develop an efficient quantitative approximation theory of singular SPDEs, removing the criticality barrier from the rate of convergence.