Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : ViEWS (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Institut de recherche pour la paix — Pays : Norvège — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : PRIO
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

This application presents a plan to explore the societal potential and financial viability of ViEWS – a political Violence Early Warning System, which has been developed as part of the ERC-AdG project no. 694640 at the Department of Peace and Conflict Research, Uppsala University, and Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). It is a rigorous and transparent prediction system of unprecedented scope and performance that is positioned at the forefront of research on theoretical and methodological foundations for high-quality forecasts of political violence.  The proposal describes how the research from the AdG project, as well as research conducted as extensions to the AdG project in collaboration with the UNHCR, UN ESCWA, and UK FCDO, can be applied to maximise the usefulness of the forecasting system for individuals and organisations that are dedicated to conflict prevention and mitigation, while simultaneously strengthening the system’s focus on transparency and open-access publication strategies.  Planned activities include measures to solidify ViEWS’ reputation as a high-quality open-source early-warning system, and strategies to transform ViEWS into a financially viable and self-sustaining entity. The proposal also details concerted efforts to clarify our IPR position and strategy, incorporate recent user-specified developments into the early-warning system built under the AdG project, apply a user-centric approach to evaluate the predictive performance of the forecasting system (as a complement to current evaluation metrics), and a number of activities aimed at assessing, validating, and maximising the usefulness of the project's outcomes to the full target audience.
Projet ERC : Loss-less Monochroma (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Technion - Institut de technologie d'Israël — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Lossless Electron Beam Monochromator for Enhanced Resolution in Electron Microscopy  The performance of advanced high-resolution electron-microscopes (EM) is severely limited by the energy spread of the electron beam, which limits both spatial and spectral resolutions by causing chromatic aberrations. To mitigate this limitation, monochromators are used. Common monochromators have mechanical slits as a narrow band-pass filter, inherently introducing high loss to the electron beam. They are very complex and thus highly expensive. Here we propose to develop a novel electron monochromator technology that is lossless, relatively simple (and thus, cost-effective), and modular, so it can potentially be installed as an upgrade in a wide range of existing EM systems. The proposed monochromator compresses the electron energy rather than filtering it, and thus the resulting electron beam suffers no losses. We use a single crystal, located inside the microscope column, close to the incoming electron beam. Infrared laser pulses are used to generate THz radiation in the crystal which interacts with the electron beam such that the energy of the electron beam is compressed without introducing electron losses. We aim to achieve this through three main goals: (1) Demonstrate the ability to get strong energy compression in pulsed electron mode with the advantage of low losses. (2) Demonstrate that our idea can also upgrade the performance of traditional low-cost CW operating EM such as low-voltage scanning EM (LV-SEM). (3) Commercialize our IP and penetrate the market. We developed new IP, aiming to commercialize the technology at the end of the project. We are in contact with microscope manufacturers expressing interest in our innovation. Our lossless electron beam monochromator is expected to be a game-changer in all EM applications, in particular the semiconductor inspection and medicine development markets, where high-resolution SEMs are becoming increasingly popular.
Projet ERC : BioFlow (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Technion - Institut de technologie d'Israël — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Immunotherapy has revolutionised clinical oncology, with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). These agents are in clinical use for almost a decade, treating over 20 types of cancers. They have shown a remarkable therapeutic benefit even in patients with advanced disease. Yet, only a small proportion of patients benefit from this therapy, leaving the rest resistant, for reasons that are still not clear. While there are certain clinical biomarkers to predict ICI therapy outcome, their prevalence and prediction power is rather limited. Therefore, there is a clinical unmet need to develop more powerful biomarkers to predict response to immunotherapy. In our ongoing ERC consolidator grant we discovered a unique sub-population of neutrophils, present in peripheral blood, that predicts response to immunotherapy in a very high probability. We designated these cells as immunotherapy-responsiveness cells (IRCs). Using various mouse models, we demonstrate that the levels of circulating IRCs measured at baseline are significantly higher in responding tumours to ICI therapy. These results were confirmed in a limited number of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and melanoma patients. Hence, our aim is to further test IRC levels in clinical samples, to evaluate their predictive power for ICI therapy, and to develop a clinical liquid biopsy-based predictive biomarker using flow cytometry test. The development of clinical IRC detection based on flow cytometry (BioFlow®) can serve two markets: (1) Clinicians – enabling oncologists to easily predict response to ICI therapy, thus improving personalised immunotherapy treatment; and (2) Pharmaceutical companies - developing immunotherapies - that can use IRC detection in development stages and through clinical studies, enabling tight regulative assessment of R&D success rates. The BioFlow goal is to technically validate and develop a predictive biomarker platform for both markets that will lead to its commercialisation.
Projet ERC : Act.AI (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Basque Center for Applied Mathematics — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : BCAM
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

The vision behind Act.AI is to utilize statistical matching for mitigating and auditing bias in Artificial Intelligence (AI) models. AI has been rapidly growing in various industries, from financial services to healthcare, education, and job recruitment. However, as AI algorithms have become increasingly sophisticated and pervasive in decision-making processes, concerns have arisen about their fairness and compliance with regulations. In particular, the EU AI Act requires that AI providers in high-risk applications -- such as employment, credit, or healthcare -- to identify (and thereby address) discrimination by their algorithms against certain demographics of people. However, ensuring compliance with the Act can be challenging, particularly for AI startups that may not have the resources or expertise to fully understand and implement the Act's requirements. Addressing existing disconnects between AI fairness toolkits' capabilities and current practitioner needs, the Act.AI tool can be easily integrated into any AI workflow, in a plug and play fashion, to continuously monitor and improve its fairness. A key aspect of Act.AI is the ability to operate with different types of data (tabular, images, and text) in a variety of contexts (binary and multiclass classification and regression). It is also able to match datasets in different domains including out-of-distribution data even if these datasets have different numbers of variables or features. To ensure usability of Act.AI, it will integrate feedback from relevant stakeholders from two immediate target markets: financial service and healthcare.
Projet ERC : PRISM (Horizon Europe, appel 2023, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Upsurgeon srl — Pays : Italie — Rôle : Partner
Type d'entité : Organismes privés (hors enseignement)
Financement ERC de l'entité : 60000.0 €

The PRISM project addresses critical challenges in neurosurgical training involving non-human primates (NHPs) within the framework of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) endorsed by the EU. NHPs are indispensable models in biomedical research, particularly in neurosciences, due to their close phylogenetic relationship with humans. However, invasive procedures on NHPs, including cranial surgeries and targeted ablations, pose ethical dilemmas and require highly skilled personnel. This project introduces a groundbreaking solution by developing the first hyper-realistic model for hands-on surgical training in NHPs. Collaborating with UpSurgeOn, experts in 3D simulation for human neurosurgery, PRISM aims to create a safe and ethical training environment for young researchers working with NHP. The project's objectives include the design of a hyper-realistic NHP model, the organization of pilot courses, and devising strategies for commercialization. PRISM promises enhanced visualization, tactile learning experiences, customizability, and ethical training, ultimately fostering career development, animal welfare, and research quality. Successful implementation will set a new standard in NHP neurosurgical education with global potential.

Mots-clés : 3r,non human primates,cranial surgery,training
Projet ERC : hmqPro (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Institut Karolinska — Pays : Suède — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 30000.0 €

The project will develop a multipurpose, highly multiplexed, quantitative protein profiling (hmqPro) platform that can be adapted to a wide range of applications, particularly biomarker discovery. Biomarkers are a 43 Billion USD market spanning applications in diagnostics, drug discovery & development, personalized medicine, disease risk assessment. The method comprises an antibody-based profiling of a large number of proteins or protein posttranslational modifications against a large number of samples irrespective of source. Unlike competitor methods, hmqPro does not require platform-specific assay or detection equipment. Dual multiplexing implemented in a variant method, hmqPro-2D, will make the platform competitive against existing protein profiling methods in per-assay cost, flexibility and scalability. The hmqPro platform uniquely complements the technology portfolio of Epigenica AB and we will chart out two commercialization routes: first, hmqPro will be integrated into a service laboratory offering high-throughput sample-to-result epigenome and protein profiling services to academia, pharma and biotech industries. Second, we will package the method in a kit format distributed to R&D and clinical end users. In summary, the proposed project will deliver a new quantitative protein profiling platform that will have the capacity to impact the biomarker discovery market by combining unique flexibility with high-throughput.
Projet ERC : OPTIGO (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Imperial College London — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : ICL
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

The textile industry is a major global contributor to environmental pollution, primarily due to the harsh conditions and hazardous chemicals used in fabric pre-treatment, dyeing, and finishing processes1. Notably, the chemical synthesis of dyes such as indigo, best known for its use in jeans manufacturing, contributes to this burden. With growing demands for clothing and fabrics, there is a desperate need for more sustainable alternatives. One potential solution is the use of microbial alternatives to indigo, with a similar colour spectrum and dying capacity. Our lab recently engineered a microbial factory for production of blue dyes using the industrially relevant yeast Yarrowia lipolytica and we have registered a patent due to promising yields during small-scale fermentation. In our latest research to improve production yields, we noticed a remarkable difference biosynthesis at the single-cell level, with some cells containing tenfold amounts of the pigment. Building on our recent research funded by the ERC starting grant DEUSBIO to understand metabolic single-cell heterogeneity, this proposal aims to characterise drivers of production heterogeneity during Y. lipolytica fermentation. Furthermore, we intend to harness production heterogeneity by engineering stable high producer populations, to optimise bioproduction and increase overall yields. This research will be pivotal for improving the economic viability of sustainable dye production and for developing an optimized microbial host with broader applications in biomanufacturing processes. By establishing a proof of concept (PoC) through this research, we anticipate potential collaborations with industrial partners, paving the way for the commercialisation of sustainable blue pigment production.
Projet ERC : Neubond (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Imperial College London — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : ICL
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Stroke is a leading cause of disability globally, with millions affected each year. A critical challenge in stroke recovery is the limited availability and intensity of rehabilitation therapies, which often fail to meet recommended guidelines. The neubond device, aims to address this by delivering autonomous, wearable therapy to stroke survivors during their daily activities. The device detects muscle activity through muscle signals and provides real-time stimulation to enhance motor recovery. By leveraging our novel volition induced paired associative stimulation (VIPAS) approach, the system stimulates neuroplasticity and facilitates muscle contractions, accelerating functional improvements without the need for complex setups or screen-based exercises. Initial trials have demonstrated significant improvements in motor function and usability, with a reduction in spasticity and increased range of motion. Our concept aligns with the unmet need for continuous, accessible rehabilitation, bridging the gap between clinical and home-based care. The device non-invasive, autonomous design enhances patient compliance, ensuring consistent therapy outside of scheduled sessions. The project leverages findings from the ERC Synergy grant Natural BionicS, focusing on bi-directional brain-muscle interfaces. The project aims to advance the prototype towards regulatory compliance, safety, and usability testing, ultimately driving commercialisation and spinout formation. Our device presents a high-gain potential, with significant cost savings for healthcare providers and enhanced quality of life for stroke survivors.
Projet ERC : CREATIVE (Horizon Europe, appel 2024, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : SAYENS — Pays : France — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : SAYENS
Type d'entité : Organismes privés (hors enseignement)
Financement ERC de l'entité : 70000.0 €

Aiming to contribute to a substantial increase in the sustainability of thermal power plants, heat pumps, and climatization systems, the ERC-StG-REACHER is introducing new working fluids for the thermodynamic cycle underlying these systems. These new fluids are mixtures of dimers “A2” and monomers “A” undergoing a reversible dimerization reaction, A2 ⇄ 2 A, evolving instantaneously and spontaneously in the unit operations of the machine. REACHER has introduced about 200 of these reactive fluids. Among them, the family of carboxylic acids (e.g., formic, acetic, propionic acid) seems very promising as working fluids for residential heat pumps: other than owing excellent environmental properties, their use promises an outstanding 17-43% relative efficiency improvement compared to state-of-the-art heat pumps. In this context, the main objective of the ERC-PoC-CREATIVE is to perform the first step towards the realisation of a residential heat pump prototype operating with formic acid, enabling the validation of the -theoretically observed- positive chemical reaction effects. This step consists of preliminary verifying the feasible compression of formic acid with a finely controlled series of available compression technologies, using air as working fluid in the sub-atmospheric pressure conditions characterising operation with formic acid. Within CREATIVE, these results will further allow the design of a pilot operating with formic acid to test, in a future PoC, the compressors preliminarily selected and pre-tested with air, in CREATIVE. The realisation and design of the experimental setups for the formic acid compression feasibility assessment are supported by thermodynamic calculations carried out in CREATIVE, using tools developed in REACHER. This PoC is supported by the expertise of two industrial partners, and involves the Host Institution’s Technology Transfer Office which will handle IP management and explore valorisation pathways for the key exploitable results.

Mots-clés : reactive working fluid carboxylic acids heat pump high efficiency compressor test
Projet ERC : NANOFLD (Horizon Europe, appel 2022, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Université hébraïque de Jérusalem — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : HUJI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Obesity is a catalyst for numerous conditions; the most notable is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), for which currently no drug therapy has been approved by the FDA and EMA for its treatment. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system triggers the development of obesity and its related comorbidities, specifically NAFLD. eCBs, via activating the cannabinoid-1 receptors (CB1Rs) in the liver, increase hepatic glucose production, insulin resistance, and de novo lipogenesis, and decrease fatty acid oxidation. Accordingly, globally-acting CB1R blockers improve these parameters both in rodents and humans. However, owing to their neuropsychiatric side effects, they were withdrawn from the market and are no longer available for clinical use. NANOFLD aims to revive their clinical development and testing by utilizing an innovative nanometric drug delivery system for the hepatic targeting of globally-acting CB1R blockers for treating NAFLD. In the framework of my ERC-StG grant, CaNanoBinoids, my team successfully encapsulated the first-in-class CB1R blocker, rimonabant, in nanoparticles (NPs), tested their stability, efficacy, and potency, and demonstrated their therapeutic potential in ameliorating NAFLD, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia in mice. To further translate our findings into clinical practice, the present PoC application builds on and expands this avenue of research by achieving several necessary steps including biodistribution, hepatic cellular fate, and PK studies of our novel nanometric drug delivery system. Importantly, we have secured the IP, conducted a specific market assessment, targeted regulatory constraints, implemented a business development plan, consulted with professionals in the field, and developed contacts with industry. When this project is completed, we expect to have introduced a unique innovation to treat NAFLD and its metabolic abnormalities, further promoting the idea to clinically test CB1R blockers encapsulated in NPs against NAFLD.
Projet ERC : SelectLithium (Horizon Europe, appel 2025, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Imperial College London — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : ICL
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

The increasing global demand for lithium-ion batteries, driven by the rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and grid-scale energy storage systems, necessitates the development of more efficient, scalable, and sustainable lithium extraction technologies. Traditional lithium extraction from hard rock mining and evaporation ponds is energy-intensive, slow, and environmentally taxing, often leading to significant water consumption and land degradation. Direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies have emerged as a promising solution, enabling higher lithium recovery rates with reduced environmental impact. Among various DLE approaches, electrodialysis using ion-selective membranes shows great promise but existing membranes have low ion selectivity. With the support of ERC-funded curiosity-driven fundamental research, we have developed a new generation of ion-selective membranes with great potential for lithium extraction. This proof-of-concept proposal focuses on advancing the commercialization of ion-selective membranes for DLE. The core objectives include: (1) optimizing membrane chemistries and compositions to improve selectivity of lithium towards other monovalent and divalent ions, as well as mechanical stability and chemical resistance; (2) Optimizing the selectivity of anion exchange membranes used in the electrodialysis system, (3) scaling up the single electrodialysis cell to electrodialysis stack prototype demonstrations to validate performance in complex brine environments; and (4) performing techno-economic assessments to evaluate cost-effectiveness and commercial viability. This project aims to accelerate technology transfer from laboratory research to industrial-scale applications and involves collaboration with industrial partners including large energy and small start-up companies. The outcomes of this work will support the development of a more sustainable and resilient lithium supply chain for the EU.
Projet ERC : MeTLAND (Horizon Europe, appel 2025, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Institut Karolinska — Pays : Suède — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 45000.0 €

Epigenetic dysregulation is a key contributor to numerous major diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, and autoimmune conditions, underscoring the critical need for scalable and cost-effective profiling technologies. A central challenge in precision medicine is the heterogeneity in patient responses to treatment, which is influenced by inter-individual epigenetic variability. DNA methylation, a fundamental epigenetic modification, plays a central role in disease pathogenesis and therapeutic outcomes. However, existing methylation profiling methods, such as whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and affinity-based enrichment approaches, are hindered by high costs, technical complexity, and DNA degradation associated with harsh chemical treatments. To overcome these limitations, we developed MeTLAND, an innovative enzyme-based DNA methylation profiling method that enables efficient and selective detection of methylated regions in a single-step reaction. This streamlined, single-step workflow significantly reduces sample processing time, degradation, and cost. Designed to be broadly compatible with established genomics platforms, MeTLAND also supports integration with other epigenomic assays, facilitating multimodal data generation. Its compatibility with bulk, single-cell, and spatial epigenomic applications further enhances its versatility. With the global epigenomics market valued at $17 billion, MeTLAND addresses the growing need for accessible, high-sensitivity methylation profiling, positioning it as a transformative tool for both research and clinical applications.