Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : CellSex (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Cellular, Developmental and Regenerative Biology
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 : 1498365.0 €

The difference between males and females constitutes the largest phenotypic dimorphism in most species. In humans, this variation accounts for differences seen in the risk, incidence and response to treatment for a plethora of diseases; and much of these striking differences are not explained at this time. While sex organ-derived hormones play key roles in sculpting and maintaining sex differences, my recent work highlighted the importance of cell-intrinsic mechanisms involving the sex chromosomes. In fact, using fly models I demonstrated that the sex of intestinal stem cells plays a key role in the adult gut, both for the organ size and for the sex-specific pre-disposition to tumours. While these findings establish the proof-of-principle of the influence of sex chromosomes in adult cells, essential gaps remain to be filled. Indeed, the full range of phenotypic consequences of the presence of sex chromosomes in somatic cells, the genes, the mechanisms involved and their sites of action remain entirely elusive. My research proposal aims to understand how cellular sex impacts physiology across the body using Drosophila as an in vivo model. This question has been poorly investigated in part due to the difficulties of studying sex chromosome effects. Flies will offer the remarkable possibility of generating mosaic animals in which sex chromosomes will be genetically manipulated in defined organs. Here I will combine classical fly genetics, novel genetic methods and cutting-edge genomic techniques to: 1. characterise new cellular sex pathways driving sex differences in body size and in behaviours, 2. study the role of sex determinant coding changes in sex trait evolution, 3. achieve, for the first time, organ-specific Y chromosome deletion, and use this new method to study how the Y chromosome controls sex gap in longevity. Thus, results from this research should have major impact on our understanding of the importance of cellular sex in physiology and disease.

Mots-clés : sexual differentiation
Projet ERC : CCedit (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
Entité participante : National Institute of Chemistry — Pays : Slovénie — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : NIC;KI
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

The discovery and implementation of CRISPR technology represents a milestone for biotechnology and life sciences in general as the genomes of virtually all organisms can be modified by this technology and have already resulted in billions of euros of added value. With this technique, selected genes can be rather easily inactivated (knock out), which is one of the key applications of CRISPR for cell-based therapy and industrial biotechnology. Any improvement of the efficiency of CRISPR therefore has very high value and potential impact. Recently we designed Cas9 DNA targeting and cleavage complex to be tethered to the ExoIII exonuclease via an engineered coiled-coil (CC) dimer, developed in the ERC AdG project MaCChines. We found that it strongly improved inactivation of target genes, even better than direct genetic fusion of Cas9-ExoIII. Since this invention has a substantial translation potential we recently filed a patent application (priority number EP19192490). The strategic frontier of CCedit is to maximise the value of this enhancement of Cas9/CRISPR technology and establish the innovation potential arising from the ERC project MaCChines in the pre-demonstration phase. Specific objectives are to: • Refine the components of the CCedit technology and its implementation for specific applications; • Establish technological viability and its placement within the framework of Cas9/CRISPR technology; • Demonstrate and select most promising implementations of this technology for applications; • Investigate the IP, FTO and policy regulations landscape and further develop the IP portfolio; • Develop the business plan and commercialisation strategy for the technology; • Disseminate information on this technology and raise the interest of companies and other potential users of this technology and obtain links to early stage funding. • Train members of the project team and local community on entrepreneurial skills in biotech

Mots-clés : crispr,gene editing,designed proteins,synthetic biology,coile coil dimer
Projet ERC : SUSCAT (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Synthetic Chemistry and Materials
Entité participante : Weizmann Institute of Science — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2497975.0 €

The discovery of novel sustainable catalytic reactions is a major current goal. Based on recent discoveries in our group, we plan to develop unprecedented sustainable catalytic reactions with special emphasis on reactions catalyzed by complexes of earth-abundant metals. We have recently discovered an intriguing reaction, namely the oxidation of organic compounds using water, with no added oxidant, evolving H2. This simple, selective reaction, offers now a novel, conceptually new, environmentally benign approach in the field of oxidation of organic compounds, which we will explore. We recently discovered a new mode of activation of multiple bonds by metal-ligand cooperation, including activation of CO2 and nitrile triple bonds, in which reversible C-C bond formation with the ligand is involved. Based on that, activation of nitriles has resulted in unprecedented C-C bond formation involving addition of simple aliphatic nitriles to various α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. This mode of multiple bond activation may open a new approach to catalysis, “template catalysis”, which we plan to explore. In addition, the highly desirable, catalytic activation of the kinetically very stable, potent greenhouse gas N2O for the (so far elusive), efficient oxygen transfer to organic compounds, will be pursued. The use of CO2 in organic synthesis is an important timely topic. Based on its activation by metal ligand cooperation, new catalytic reactions of CO2 will be pursued, including unprecedented carbonylation of non-activated C-H bonds. Most reactions catalysed by metal complexes involve noble metals. Development of sustainable catalysis based on complexes of earth-abundant metals is of great interest. In all topics described above, catalysis by complexes of such metals will be emphasized. Moreover, based on recent results in our group, we plan to develop an unprecedented family of complexes of earth-abundant metals, and pursue novel sustainable catalysis, based on it.

Mots-clés : bond activation,metal ligand cooperation,iron complexes,manganese complexes,cobalt complexes,oxidation by water,carbon dioxide,nitrous oxide,sustainable synthesis
Projet ERC : emergenTopo (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Fundamental constituents of matter
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 : 1900738.0 €

The discovery of topological phases of matter has revolutionised the understanding of solid state physics in the past 40 years. Their main hallmark is the appearance of propagating edge states robust to backscattering at the interface between two solids of different topologies. This paradigm has been able to successfully ex-plain electronic phenomena such as the universal edge transport in the quantum Hall effect and the exist-ence of topological insulators. Recently, these concepts have been brought to photonic materials. The flexi-bility to implement engineered Hamiltonians along with the direct optical access to all relevant observables, has made of photonic systems an extraordinary platform for the study of topological phenomena, and prom-ises exceptional applications in integrated photonics. So far, the vast majority of topological phases observed in any system (solid state, cold atoms or photons) arise from single particle dynamics. The experimental observation of new topological phases emerging from particle-particle interactions remains one of the greatest challenges of topological physics. The first goal of this project is to experimentally unveil novel topological phases in photonic lattices emerging from photon-photon interactions. A second scenario of high potential interest is that of Floquet topological sys-tems, in which topological phases are induced when a trivial system is periodically driven in time. The sec-ond goal of this project is to implement novel topological phases in photonic lattices subject to periodic temporal modulations, and to explore their behaviour in the presence of interactions. To attain these goals, we will employ different photonic platforms with significant photon nonlinearities, and we will develop a new ultrafast detection technique capable of resolving the dynamics of topological excitations. This project will unlock the door to the new field of nonlinear topological photonics.

Mots-clés : topology,topological insulators,analogue quantum simulation
Projet ERC : EvoOnRepeat (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution
Entité participante : Lund University — Pays : Suède — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1498198.88 €

The diversity of life may seem endless. Yet, a closer look reveals that evolution often is on repeat. This is most striking when the same suite of characters evolves over and over again. One explanation for such parallel evolution is that development produces some phenotypes readily and frequently, while others are rare or impossible. Evolution must go where development leads. I have identified a rare opportunity to put the role of development in adaptive evolution to the test. At least six species of wall lizards have repeatedly evolved a complex syndrome, including striking coloration, stout bodies, large heads, and aggressive behaviour. All these traits develop from the same cell type, neural crest cells. I propose that this developmental coupling allows seemingly unrelated traits – colours, morphologies and behaviours – to vary together. As a result, variation is channelled down particular routes, resulting in parallel evolution. I will test this hypothesis by establishing ‘Evo-Devo 2.0’ – merging evolutionary and developmental biology in a comparative framework. Firstly, I will reveal if independent origins of the syndrome share the same transcriptional and epigenetic modifications of neural crest cells. Secondly, I will identify how parallelism at the phenotypic level is mirrored at the genomic level. Thirdly, I will use gene editing to functionally validate the results and reconstruct the evolutionary steps at the origin of the syndrome. If my hypothesis is correct, my insights will demonstrate that understanding development enables us to make evolution more predictable. Failure to attend to the arrival of the fittest has left us poorly equipped to predict how invasive species evolve, or if species will adapt to environmental challenges. My research will fill this explanatory gap by showing that it is possible to understand the rules by which individuals vary, and use this insight to explain why evolution proceeds some ways rather than others.

Mots-clés : evolutionary biology,evo devo,parallel evolution,comparative genomics,evolutionary genomics,crispr,cas9,transcriptomics,epigenetics,neural crest cells,lizards,cell sorting
Projet ERC : SNDUST (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Universe sciences
Entité participante : University of London — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : U. London
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2498535.0 €

The dust content of galaxies is dominated by silicate and carbon grains, whose origin is the subject of much debate - are the dust grains provided mainly by red giant stars, by supernovae from massive stars, or can they grow in the interstellar medium itself from stardust seeds? My team's recent observations with Herschel of three supernova remnants, Cas A, SN 1987A and the Crab Nebula, have provided direct evidence that supernovae from massive stars can form dust masses in the range of 0.1-0.8 solar masses per event, a level at which dust evolution models for high and low redshift galaxies predict that supernovae can become the dominant contributors of dust. With both O-rich and C-rich shells, core-collapse supernovae can make both silicate and carbon particles, as observed. Most of SN 1987A's current dust mass of 0.6-0.8 solar masses appears to have been grown between 3 and 25 years after outburst, a period that is currently poorly observed for other remnants. To build on and to extend these results beyond our initial sample of three core-collapse objects, dust masses will be measured for a much larger sample of late-epoch (3-50 yrs post-outburst) supernova remnants. This will be done by using a new Monte Carlo line transfer code to model red-blue line profile asymmetries observed in 8m telescope optical spectra to derive dust masses at a range of epochs, and via JWST mid-infrared observations of SN dust emission as the dust cools. We will extend our dust and gas emission modelling code to include dust heating not just by radiation but also by particle impacts, in order to determine accurate dust masses for collisionally ionized supernova remnants covered by Herschel surveys of the Magellanic Clouds and Milky Way. The theory programme will also determine grain lifetimes against destruction by supernova remnant reverse shocks, accounting for shielding in clumps, as well as destruction lifetimes for dust in circumstellar shells impacted by supernova blast waves.

Mots-clés : supernovae,cosmic dust,formation and destruction of dust
Projet ERC : Extreme (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Products and processes engineering
Entité participante : University of Cologne — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1495875.0 €

The dynamics of fluids and plasma is described by non-linear conservation laws. Transient behaviour on multiple scales involving turbulence and shocks is intrinsic to these problems. Due to their low dispersion and dissipation errors, adaptive high order numerical methods currently receive growing attention in academia and industry and form an emerging key technology. The potential benefits are massively improved computational efficiency and drastic reduction in memory consumption. Both benefits can be easily justified theoretically, in particular for a space-time adaptive high order method. However, due to high algorithmic complexity, the theoretical performance is difficult to sustain on massively parallel supercomputers. The first challenge that we will address in this project is to design novel, exascale aware, space-time adaptive algorithms and implement them in an open source solver that will scale on over 10^6 computing cores. Another indispensable property for the successful industrialisation of space-time adaptive high order methods is robustness. Robustness, i.e. an "un-crashable" solver, which still retains all the positive benefits of the high order scheme is the "holy grail" of the current research on these methods. This requires new mathematical concepts. The second challenge we will address here is to construct a provable un-crashable, space-time adaptive, high order solver without excessive artificial dissipation. Our mathematical key to achieve robustness is not intuitive at first sight: skew-symmetry. We will show that a specific skew-symmetric formulation guided by careful mathematics will allow us to design methods that are consistent with the second law of thermodynamics. This physical consistency is important as it will enable us to construct a new class of un-crashable space-time adaptive high order methods. We will demonstrate the supremacy of this efficient and robust solver in complex large scale science and engineering applications.
Projet ERC : HHQM (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Fundamental constituents of matter
Entité participante : École polytechnique — Pays : France — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : X
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1498028.42 €

The dynamics of weakly-coupled quantum matter can be solved by techniques deriving from perturbative quantum field theory. Conventional metals are described by long-lived quasiparticles (Fermi liquids). No such methods are available for strongly-coupled quantum matter where quasiparticles are short-lived, like the Quark-Gluon-Plasma, high Tc superconductors (HTCs) or graphene near the charge neutrality point. In HTCs, it has been argued the interaction timescale is the fastest scale in the system, which warrants a hydrodynamic description. In a recent series of remarkable theoretical and experimental developments, hyrodynamics signatures have been discovered in several strongly-coupled quantum systems such as graphene, delafossites and HTCs. Further theoretical progress is impeded by the lack of symmetry: momentum is only approximately conserved, which complicates the use of hydrodynamics as an effective low-energy theory; and the strange metallic phenomenology of HTCs, believed to originate from a quantum critical point, is not captured by conventional scaling arguments. New ideas are required to move beyond the current state of the art. Gauge/Gravity duality is a radically new approach which links a relativistic strongly-coupled quantum field theory to a classical theory of gravity. The hydrodynamic regime of the QGP has been very successfully described by these methods, which predict a shear viscosity very close to experimental values. Our focus in this proposal is to use holography to consistently model hydrodynamics with momentum relaxation and study its interplay with unconventional quantum criticality. This is crucial for a better understanding of the phenomenology in strongly-coupled quantum matter. As many systems are not relativistic, we will also consider hydrodynamics in non-relativistic holographic theories, thus enhancing our understanding of holographic dualities beyond the original Anti de Sitter/Conformal Field Theory correspondence.

Mots-clés : gauge,gravity duality,gravity,black holes,conformal field theory,quantum field theory,hydrodynamics,metals,superconductors
Projet ERC : COFLeaf (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Synthetic Chemistry and Materials
Entité participante : Max Planck Society — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : MPG
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1497125.0 €

The efficient conversion of solar energy into renewable chemical fuels has been identified as one of the grand challenges facing society today and one of the major driving forces of materials innovation. Nature’s photosynthesis producing chemical fuels through the revaluation of sunlight has inspired generations of chemists to develop platforms mimicking the natural photosynthetic process, albeit at lower levels of complexity. While artificial photosynthesis remains a considerable challenge due to the intricate interplay between materials design, photochemistry and catalysis, the spotlights – light-driven water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen and carbon dioxide reduction into methane or methanol – have emerged as viable pathways into both a clean and sustainable energy future. With this proposal, we aim at introducing a new class of polymeric photocatalysts based on covalent organic frameworks, COFs, to bridge the gap between semiconductor and molecular systems and explore rational ways to design single-site heterogeneous photocatalysts offering both chemical tunability and stability. The development of a photocatalytic model system is proposed, which will be tailored by molecular synthetic protocols and optimized by solid-state chemical procedures and crystal engineering so as to provide insights into the architectures, reactive intermediates and mechanistic steps involved in the photocatalytic process, with complementary insights from theory. We envision the integration of various molecular subsystems including photosensitizers, redox shuttles and molecular co-catalysts in a single semiconducting COF backbone. Taking advantage of the hallmarks of COFs – molecular definition and tunability, crystallinity, porosity and rigidity – we describe the design of COF systems capable of light-induced hydrogen evolution, oxygen evolution and overall water splitting, and delineate strategies to use COFs as integrated platforms for CO2 capture, activation and conversion.

Mots-clés : photocatalysis,structure property relationships,materials chemistry
Projet ERC : Chemtrip (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Universe sciences
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 : 78586.25 €

The emergence of Life relied on the presence of key molecules like water and prebiotic molecules. The primitive objects of our Solar System (comets, asteroids), which formed in the disk of dust and gas surrounding the young Sun, are thought to have delivered them to Earth during heavy bombardments. Observations show that the deeply embedded Class 0 protostars also harbour a very rich chemistry in their inner regions. What occurs to the chemical composition between this early stage of the star formation process and the formation of planets, comets, and asteroids is unknown. Do the molecules detected in these young protostars survive or are they destroyed and reformed at a later stage before being incorporated into planets, comets, and asteroids? This ERC project aims to reconstruct the physico-chemical evolution from the deeply embedded protostellar stage to the planet forming disk stage, through multi-source analyses of high angular resolution observations combined with chemical modeling studies. I will investigate the evolution of complex organic chemistry and isotopic fractionation during the star formation process using interferometric observations (ALMA, NOEMA) of solar-type protostars. In addition, I will carry out numerical simulations with a state-of-the-art gas-grain chemistry code in order to interpret the observations as well as to characterize the impact of the physical conditions and their evolution (environment, grain growth and dust settling, episodic accretion) on the chemistry. This ERC project will lead to a new understanding of the evolution of the chemical composition from the earliest protostellar stage to the formation of the disk that will give birth to the planets, comets, and asteroids, while identifying the processes affecting the final composition of the disk. The observational work will require the development of innovative tools of interest for the astrochemical community that I will release publicly.

Mots-clés : astrochemistry,solar type protostars,interferometric observations