Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : 3DCuT (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Condensed Matter Physics
Entité participante : Leibniz-Gemeinschaft — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : WLG
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 821587.5 €

2D superconductors can be used to build ultra-clean interfaces for Josephson junctions, the superconducting analog of a transistor. A small twist in the relative crystal orientation of 2D superconductors could become a new platform for topological superconductivity, an exotic state of matter that holds great promise for quantum computing at high temperatures. Based on my methodological developments for the realization of twisted cuprate ultra-clean interfaces, the field is rapidly evolving, and these interfaces are now the leading candidate for the implementation of high-temperature topological superconductivity. However, the combination of well-controlled twisted cuprate heterostructures and complex circuits calls for new experimental methodologies.  3DCuT will develop micro/nanodevices and techniques to fabricate and control cuprate van der Waals twisted heterostructures in three-dimensional nanoarchitectures: 1) We will develop novel fabrication tools to integrate complex thermal and superconducting circuits in fragile twisted cuprate bilayers. We will explore if a topological gap opens near ´magic´ angles in twisted bilayers by studying the Josephson effect. 2) We will fabricate trilayers cuprate heterostructures with different twist angle symmetries, where the topological gap is amplified and time-reversal symmetry broken states appear across a wide range of angles. 3) We will create a heterostructure between a superconducting cuprate twisted heterostructure and a topological insulating crystal, allowing us to create a chiral Majorana edge mode. At the end of this project, we will have provided a brand-new solid-state tool for emerging quantum technologies in computation, metrology, secure communication, single-photon imaging, methodologies for the entire field of 2D materials, and a comprehensive understanding of the governing principles and ingredients for topological superconductivity at high temperatures.
Projet ERC : WomatWork (Horizon Europe, appel 2021, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Study of the Human Past
Entité participante : Centre national de la recherche scientifique — Pays : France — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : CNRS
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 617190.54 €

WomAtWork represents the first comparative investigation into the history of female urban popular professions in three African countries – Ghana/Gold Coast, Sudan, and Tanganyika/Tanzania – over the course of fifty years (1919-1970). Not only is this topic under-studied in African history, but these professions (i.e. midwives, beauticians, wedding singers, market vendors, craftswomen) are also characterised by fascinating and unsettling aspects. For example, notions such as a set price for a service and fixed working times or workplace did not apply to many of them. WomAtWork aims first to discover the peculiarities of these labour patterns and see their historical transformations as a result of political changes and the introduction of new technologies and commodities. Secondly, it examines professional subjectivities, the work ethos, norms and values of women at work. Finally, it questions the relationship between these professionals and their communities – including in the light of the social stigma sometimes attached to them – as well as the nexus between these labourers and protest, charting when and why they laid down their tools. Based on an innovative methodology, this project seeks to overcome the invisibility of women in official archives by weaving together different threads of sources. It begins inside those photographic archives connected with institutions that had conscious agendas of representation and routines of intense textual production (for example, missionary stations). In some cases, these visual and textual sources lead to networks or families of women professionals, whose oral history will be solicited. Third, the project aims to analyse the vernacular press combined with oral accounts.  Through these objectives and methodologies, WomAtWork will be a participant in the mission of writing a more democratic, more inclusive history, one that firmly establish the centrality of women’s labour in African his

Mots-clés : history of women in africa socio history of professional categories history of the popular classes ghana sudan tanzania gender studies photographic history oral history history of the vernacular press
Projet ERC : BacFilm (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Molecules of Life: B iological  Mechanisms , Structures  and Functions
Entité participante : Centre national de la recherche scientifique — Pays : France — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : CNRS
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1950000.0 €

Bacteria are commonly defined as unicellular organisms; however, they constantly exchange substances and information with their confrères and the environment, and can efficiently shelter themselves and achieve homeostasis by building multicellular collaborative macrocolonies called biofilms. Members of these sessile communities can undergo significant functional differentiation and are typically embedded in complex extracellular matrix that secures both mechanical protection and a medium for intercellular exchange. Importantly, the switch between sessile and motile life-styles in pathogenic bacteria can correlate directly with the development of chronic vs. acute infections, whereas extracted bacterial matrix components can find a variety of beneficial biotechnological applications. Exopolysaccharides (EPS) are a major biofilm matrix component and are typically produced by trans-envelope secretion nanomachines, many of which are controlled at multiple levels by the intracellular second messenger c-di-GMP. Here, we will consolidate our expertise in biofilm formation, cyclic dinucleotide signaling, bacterial secretion and integrative structural biology to decipher EPS secretion system assembly and function in several medically and industrially relevant species. We will use complementary recombinant and in situ structural biology approaches together with established genetic and imaging techniques to decipher the molecular events controlling EPS biogenesis from transcription initiation, interdependent protein folding and cooperative subunit interactions; through secretion system assembly, formation of supramolecular secretory nanoarrays and EPS modifications; to harnessing the biosynthetic processes for the engineering of novel anti-infectives or beneficial EPS superproducers. Over the last years we have spearheaded these studies by unprecedented mechanistic insights into several secretion systems and have demonstrated the feasibility of such an ambitious project.

Mots-clés : bacterial biofilms,bacterial secretion,c di gmp signaling,cryo em,x ray crystallography,membrane protein biology,exopolysaccharides,biopolymers
Projet ERC : PredictCOPD (Horizon Europe, appel 2021, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Prevention,  Diagnosis and T reatment of Human Diseases
Entité participante : Université de Barcelone — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 839123.75 €

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has been traditionally understood as a self-inflicted disease caused by tobacco smoking occurring in old individuals. Over the past few years, however, our group and others have proposed that the pathogenesis of COPD goes beyond smoking, and that there is a range of lung function trajectories through life (trajectome); some of them have roots in early life and can lead to COPD, cardiovascular and metabolic morbidity as well as premature death, while others are associated with healthy ageing. Here I propose that, detrimental gene (G) and environment (E) interactions occurring early in life (T) constitute a ‘first injury hit’ that alters the normal lung developmental program and modify the pace of normal lung aging by reducing the resilience of the lungs to future GxExT interactions. Accordingly, lifelong GxExT interactions determine the individual trajectome and, eventually, the occurrence of COPD and associated multimorbidity. PredictCOPD aims to identify the interactions and mechanisms that determine which individuals will develop COPD and multimorbidty at some point of their life. The specific aims are: 1) to identify the lifelong environmental and host risk factors associated with the trajectome, COPD and multimorbidity, 2) to use a novel liquid biopsy method to identify biological factors driving the trajectome, COPD and multimorbidity; 3) to identify clinically relevant preventive and/or early therapeutic targets integrating the results from aims 1 and 2 with novel analytical approaches and 4) to validate findings both in vitro and in other available cohorts. The project will leverage from several available population and COPD patient studies with available clinical data and biological samples. The results of PredictCOPD have the potential to: 1) promote healthy ageing by preventing and eventually eradicate COPD and associated multimorbidity; and, 2) change COPD treatment from palliative to causal.

Mots-clés : lung trajectories,copd,multiborbidity,aging
Projet ERC : AIMIX (Horizon Europe, appel 2021, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Prevention,  Diagnosis and T reatment of Human Diseases
Entité participante : Université de Barcelone — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1633718.0 €

Artificial intelligence (AI) is widely regarded as one of the most promising and disruptive technologies for future healthcare. As AI algorithms such as deep neural networks are suited for the processing of large and complex datasets, radiology is the medical speciality that has seen some of the most important applications of AI in the recent years. However, despite these advances, a major limitation of current AI developments in medical imaging is that they have overwhelmingly, and almost entirely, targeted applications in high-income countries. There is a concern, if the current trend continues, that AI will increase the already pronounced inequalities in global health, in particular for resource-limited settings such as rural Africa, where the majority of the African population lives.  AIMIX will develop the first scientific framework for inclusive imaging AI in resource-limited settings. The project will greatly advance the current state-of-the-art, from existing AI methods mostly developed for high-income settings, towards new imaging AI algorithms that are fundamentally inclusive, i.e. (1) affordable for resource-limited clinical centres, (2) scalable to under-represented population groups, and (3) accessible to minimally trained clinical workers. Furthermore, AIMIX will investigate the socio-ethical principles and requirements that govern inclusive AI, and examine how they compare, conflict or complement those of trustworthy AI developed thus far in high-income settings. These innovations will be demonstrated for affordable and accessible AI-powered obstetric ultrasound screening by minimally trained clinicians such as midwives in rural Africa.  Ultimately, AIMIX’s scientific breakthroughs will enhance the democratisation of imaging AI in resource-limited settings, which will result in an important social impact, by empowering local communities, promoting inclusion, and reducing disparities between populations from low- and high-income societies.

Mots-clés : inclusive artificial intelligence,affordable medical imaging,low and middle income countries,obstetric ultrasound screening
Projet ERC : SOS-GVC (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : Human Mobility, Environment, and Space
Entité participante : Université de Parme — Pays : Italie — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1248100.0 €

Recent geopolitical and economic shocks have led to a profound transformation in global production processes. In response, many companies are restructuring their operations by relocating business activities closer to or within their home countries. This shift is altering the dynamics of Global Value Chains (GVCs), intricate networks that are central to producing a variety of goods. While scholarly attention focuses on large multinational firms, the role of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in GVC reconfiguration remains an unexplored frontier. SOS-GVC aims to introduce a pioneering theoretical and empirical framework to assess the role of MSEs in reshaping GVCs structure, with a focus on the territorial implications of their strategies. The project will provide evidence of the various ways MSEs can influence global production processes. Firstly, MSEs directly involved in GVCs can repatriate offshored activities, generating impacts in the domestic regions where they are located. Secondly, MSEs indirectly participating in GVCs can safeguard local subcontracting networks by implementing risk prevention strategies to reduce the likelihood of disruptive events. The combined effect of these actions can empower the territories where MSEs operate, enhancing their ability to react to shocks. To construct the empirical framework, I will employ distinctive georeferenced firm-level data obtained from the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance Annual Survey covering the 2010-2022 period. This database, untapped by the academic community, provides a unique advantage. The project has significant societal implications. As deglobalization trends persist, the crucial role of MSEs in GVCs is expected to grow, along with the regional impact of their activities. The societal impact lies in fostering a nuanced understanding of the intricate interplay between MSEs, GVC, and regional resilience, informing policymakers and stakeholders in navigating the evolving global economic landscape.

Mots-clés : regional science,global value chains,micro and small enterprises,regional resilience
Projet ERC : UNMIX (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences
Entité participante : Centre national de la recherche scientifique — Pays : France — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : CNRS
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1995506.0 €

Chemical reactions are the universal path to new molecules, and are of central importance in science. The description of reactions is largely obtained once they are completed, with a key role of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), through the structural information found in the spectra of purified products. Structural information is, however, elusive for ongoing reactions. While time-resolved NMR provides kinetics for known compounds, compound identification from a reaction mixture is not generally feasible today. Such identification would be transformative for the discovery, understanding and optimisation of reactions. The UNMIX project aims at providing unprecedented levels of structural and quantitative information from ongoing reactions in experimentally relevant conditions. Its central, novel concept is the unmixing of compound-specific data by time-resolved diffusion NMR in continuous flow. Diffusion NMR is a method with the potential to separate the spectra of mixture components. Until recently, diffusion NMR was limited to reactions performed in an NMR tube, a setup that often fails to replicate experimental conditions of interest. In contrast, emerging continuous-flow approaches give real-time monitoring in relevant conditions. In 2022, the PI has shown the possibility to obtain high-quality diffusion NMR data for flowing samples. This opens the path to the UNMIX project, and its specific aims to: 1) develop novel accurate, fast, sensitive and flow-compatible diffusion NMR methods; 2) develop an original and broadly applicable data-analysis workflow to yield compound-specific 1D/2D spectra and concentration time curves from ongoing reactions; 3) address challenging applications such as the identification of intermediates in multi-step batch reactions, and reaction discovery with an autonomous flow reactor. We expect these general methods will unravel transformative information on reactions and have broad impact in (bio)chemical science and engineering.

Mots-clés : nmr spectroscopy reaction monitoring
Projet ERC : EPOCH-OF-TAURUS (Horizon Europe, appel 2021, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Universe Sciences
Entité participante : Leibniz-Gemeinschaft — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : WLG
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2437493.75 €

The aim of this ambitious research project is to produce the most realistic computer simulations of the assembly of gaseous protoplanetary accretion discs, and to understand which of their traits are inherited from and/or affected by their direct interstellar context. Owing to ground-breaking instruments such as VLT/Sphere or the ALMA telescope array, we now have a first extensive census of disk populations. Moving beyond the core characterisation of relatively isolated disks in the calm Class II stage, the time has come to shift the focus towards the wider context of these systems, that is, the actively star-forming stellar associations, such as the archetypal Taurus, Orion or Lupus regions. Stellar ages of disks with substructure of (likely) planetary origin point to the fact that planet formation is not merely an ubiquitous process, but figuratively speaking happens within the blink of an eye. This mandates to abandon the assumption of the disk as a quiescent entity detached from its surroundings, and instead place it in the context of a collapsing cloud core. Key aspects here are i) the external UV radiation field that can drive powerful photochemical reactions on the surface, ii) perturbations from stellar flybys, iii) gas self-gravity, and iv) magnetic field lines that are self-consistently anchored in the local interstellar medium (ISM); the latter aspect requiring adaptive-mesh technology, provided by the NIRVANA III code, co-developed by the applicant. At the same time, the early appearance of planets poses questions about the solid constituents potentially being inherited from the ISM and “primed” during the protostellar precursor phase. Finally, with the pivotal exchange of angular momentum during the collapse regulated by non-ideal MHD effects, the evolution of microphysical coefficients (i.e., through an ionisation chemistry with recombination on small grains) needs to be followed through the collapse phase, accounting for dust growth by coagulation.

Mots-clés : protoplanetary disks,numerical simulations,radiation magnetohydrodynamics,self gravity,ionisation chemistry,thermochemistry
Projet ERC : InSituImmuno (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Molecules of Life: B iological  Mechanisms , Structures  and Functions
Entité participante : Université de Bristol — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1976553.0 €

Structural biology provides insights into protein function but generally requires purified complexes, which necessitates removing the protein from its native context. We therefore lose in situ information. Cryo-electron tomography (cryoET) provides this information, but finding a specific protein in a cell is akin to searching for a needle in a haystack 50 m tall. We are at the forefront of developing a technique to solve this problem; by combining super-resolution (SR) light microscopy on samples prepared for cryoET we can locate specific proteins and events within whole mammalian cells. This information can be correlated with 3D cryoET volumes to perform in situ structural biology. We call this technique super-resolution cryo-correlative light and electron microscopy (SRcryoCLEM). Here, I describe how we will enhance SRcryoCLEM and use it to image antibody-activated aspects of human immunity, enabling the development of cutting-edge immunotherapeutics. The first aim of this proposal is to augment SRcryoCLEM with multicolour imaging and automated data analysis. Spectrally-distinct fluorescent proteins will be identified that are ideal for cryoSR imaging, and AI-based volume segmentation and automated particle picking will help to democratise in situ structural biology. The second aim is to deliver in situ structural data to explain discrepancies in antibody effector functions with an unknown structural cause, which will be used to perform structure guided antibody design to further enhance their effector functions for the benefit of human health.  The third aim is to discover the structural determinants orchestrating antibody-mediated phagocytosis by macrophages using SRcryoCLEM. This immunologically-pivotal mechanism is poorly understood, but is being exploited as a next-generation therapeutic. Our data will provide crucial insights into the fundamental biological processes underlying macrophage function, allowing therapeutic gain.

Mots-clés : cryoem,in situ structural biology,cryo microscopy,correlative microscopy,clem
Projet ERC : MINERVA (Horizon Europe, appel 2021, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Systems and Communication Engineering
Entité participante : Université de Chypre — Pays : Chypre — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1999686.0 €

Nowadays, attention is drawn towards a new generation of intelligent mobile cooperative autonomous systems (CASs), built with increasingly powerful sensors that allow them to cooperate with other autonomous systems and humans, in order to accelerate the industrial ecosystem and better exploit the potential of flexible automation. The cooperation of autonomous systems, which is an emerging technology in many areas (e.g., intelligent transportation systems and factory automation) is done over a wireless network. The use of a wireless network to connect spatially distributed systems enables flexible architectures with reduced installation and maintenance costs to existing applications, while supporting the development of new applications that would otherwise be impossible. The unprecedented tight coupling between control and communication, due to the use of a shared wireless network and distributed decision making to orchestrate such systems, introduces new challenges. Current modular design approaches and incremental improvements can only provide limited performance gains and may result in inefficient solutions, which may lead to failures during practical deployments. To effectively leverage the vast space of possibilities enabled by CASs, I argue that we need to fundamentally rethink how functionally-complex CASs are interconnected and operate cooperatively. Bridging the gap between the fields of control, estimation, and information/communication theories, MINERVA will follow a bottom-up approach to develop a fundamental, yet realistic, framework to establish the foundations for real-time control, estimation, and localization in environments where autonomous systems and humans interact. MINERVA goes beyond the state-of-the-art and targets the fundamental bottlenecks of demanding systems, using methodologies fundamentally different from the existing ones, aiming towards real-time control applications with communication constraints.

Mots-clés : cooperative autonomous systems,wireless networked control systems,real time control and communications,co design