Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : THERA (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Products and processes engineering
Entité participante : Technical University of Denmark — Pays : Danemark — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : DTU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is an essential tool for measuring the circulating concentration of specific narrow therapeutic drugs at designated intervals, in order to maximise the efficacy of the drug and avoid toxicity and adverse drug reactions. TDM is currently available only in central laboratories or large hospitals, and several barriers prevent its wide implementation in routine clinical practice. First, current technologies used for TDM (e.g. high-performance liquid chromatography – HPLC, mass spectrometry – MS) are exclusively used in central laboratories due to their cost, system size and weight, complexity of use and maintenance requirements. Second, alternative technologies (e.g. ELISA immunoassays) are analyte-specific and do not allow adaptability to new analytes (increasing costs). We verified the feasibility and clinical utility of using Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) for TDM using real plasma samples taken from de-identified patients. Importantly, our measurements were consistent with state-of-the-art data generated by LC-MS/MS. We already have experimentally shown a 0.1 μM detection limit on pure, artificial samples. Within THERA, we aim to transform our research output into a commercially-relevant (in terms of size, throughput, user friendliness and cost) product by creating a minimum viable product that will enable TDM for a wide variety of molecules. Our goal within this project is to validate this device on clinical samples and build a strong business case for it that will enable commercial exploitation. THERA will advance our SERS-based device from a current technology readiness level of 3 to 5/6. Our value proposition is a tabletop, miniaturized (smartphone-sized) device that can perform TDM on a single droplet of blood, in a matter of minutes, without the need for specialized personnel, at a fraction of the cost currently associated with TDM.

Mots-clés : therapeutic drug monitoring,surface enhanced raman spectroscopy,whole blood analysis
Projet ERC : COGNIBRAINS (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System
Entité participante : Université de Toulouse — Pays : France — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : UT
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 0.0 €

There is a common perception that larger brains mediate higher cognitive capacity. Social insects, however, demonstrate that sophisticated cognition is possible with miniature brains. Honeybees display higher-order learning such as categorization, non-linear discriminations, concept learning and numerosity, which are unique among insects. These capacities are mediated by a miniature brain with only 950 000 neurons. Despite extensive behavioral analyses, no study has attempted to elucidate the neural mechanisms underpinning the higher-order learning of bees. Our current breakthrough establishing virtual-reality protocols for tethered honeybees offers a unique opportunity to uncover the minimal circuits that mediate higher-order forms of cognitive processing in the brain of a behaving bee. We have recently shown that bees learn to solve elemental and non-elemental problems in this experimental context, which allows integrating behavioral, neurobiological and computational approaches to unravel the neural mechanisms underlying non-elemental learning in the honeybee. I will combine behavioral recordings of bees learning non-linear discriminations and relational rules in a virtual reality environment, with access to their brain via multi-photon calcium imaging and multielectrode recordings of neural populations. I will determine the neural circuits of elemental and non-elemental visual learning along the visual circuits of the bee brain, and the necessity and sufficiency of these circuits for these capacities via selective knockdown and rescuing via wavelength-selective multi-photon uncaging of neurotransmitters. Data will be fed into computational models to test hypotheses about minimal neural architectures for visual cognition, working towards whole-brain modeling. This project will expand the information available on the neurobiology of insect learning, and will provide the first integral characterization of the mechanisms underlying cognition in a miniature brain.

Mots-clés : cognition,higher order learning,invertebrates,insects,honey bee
Projet ERC : CRIMGOV (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Social World and Its Diversity
Entité participante : University of Oxford — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : Partner
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1761311.0 €

There is a consensus that organized crime (OC) is harmful and its profits are immense. Yet the concept of OC itself lumps together people engaging in very different activities—from peasants in Colombia to professional enablers in London to mafias in Italy—, and the data used by scholars are generally of poor quality. We are in urgent need to establish this field of study on solid analytical grounds and to produce good data. CRIMGOV is designed to do precisely that. We first present a framework that distinguishes three key activities of OC groups: Production, Trade and Governance. We will ask: How do groups engaged in (criminal) Production, Trade or Governance differ from each other? Do they each have a different organizational structure, members with different ‘professional’ profile and skills? To what extent is there overlap between them? Finally, under which conditions would one group specializing in Production or Trade evolve into a Governance-type OC group? The project will study a broad range of organized crime in depth: local cybercrime production hubs in Europe, the international trade of drugs from Colombia to Europe, the emergence of criminal governance inside and outside prisons. The project will produce high-quality data sets that are hard to collect and time-consuming to code, a challenging and risky yet highly rewarding contribution to knowledge. Breaking traditional disciplinary boundaries between the social sciences and adopting a global outlook, CRIMGOV will overturn long-held theoretical approaches, produce substantial new findings and data, and speak to scholars across different disciplines.

Mots-clés : organized crime,governance,drugs trafficking,prisons
Projet ERC : ONEDEGGAM (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Fundamental constituents of matter
Entité participante : University of Oxford — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1499955.0 €

There is a strong conviction that the Standard Model of particle physics is only a low energy approximation to a higher energy theory containing new fundamental particles. For example, it is not possible to explain the large asymmetry between the properties of matter and anti-matter that must exist to create the universe within we live, with the Standard Model that can only accommodate asymmetries orders of magnitude smaller. The theoretical framework that describes these asymmetries is the Cabibbo-Maskawa-Kobayashi (CKM) matrix. Through study the of the differences between the decay of certain types of hadrons containing a beauty quark, and the corresponding anti-particle decays, this project will lead to a precision measurement of a phase commonly called “gamma” which is related to some of the elements of the CKM matrix. The beauty hadron decay chain involves subsequent decay of charm hadrons, which are not well understood. By understanding this part of the process, in a larger range of decay modes and with significantly enhanced sensitivity than previously possible, the overall understanding of the beauty hadron decay chain is improved. Using the distinctive data collected by the BESIII in China, it is possible to make a number of new measurements that relate to the decay of charm hadrons. With this knowledge it becomes possible to gain considerably more sensitivity from the copious amounts of beauty hadron decays that will be collected by the LHCb experiment at CERN and the Belle II experiment in Japan over the timescale of this project. This new strategy to exploit the synergy between the different experiments means that a global precision of 1° is within reach. This precision has excellent potential to uncover significant discrepancies within the CKM matrix that can only be explained by physics beyond the standard model. This would launch particle physics into the next era of discovery.
Projet ERC : EVOLPROOF (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution
Entité participante : Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier — Pays : France — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : CHU Montpellier
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 501761.25 €

There is a threat that evolutionary responses can render vaccines ineffective, as illustrated by the emergence of the increasingly virulent Marek Disease Virus strains in poultry following vaccination campaigns. Assessing the ‘evolution-proof’ nature of vaccines targeting human viruses is challenging because it requires an understanding of the epidemiology, the within-host ecology and the evolutionary potential of the virus. To date, most investigations into the spread of vaccine-resistant strains are theoretical and are rarely constrained by data. We propose a novel alliance between evolutionary ecology and clinical research to assess the risk of vaccines selecting for resistant or virulent strains. Human papillomaviruses (HPV) and their vaccines provide an ideal study system. However, the scope of the project is wider and encompasses other DNA viruses. The project is divided into three parts. In Part A, we will decipher HPV within-host dynamics in genital infections. By combining mathematical modelling and longitudinal patient data, we will be able to parameterise within-host models and compare them. In Part B, we will jointly analyse host, virus and genital microbiota diversity using a community ecology approach to understand the infectious process. These results will be integrated into evolutionary epidemiology models allowing for diverse infections. In Part C, we will estimate virus substitution rates and use the results from Parts 1 and 2 to develop a multilevel analysis of HPV evolution in response to vaccination. We will also tackle more general questions related to the evolution of the virulence of human oncoviruses. A major asset of the project is the collection of clinical data in order to address a major public health issue using ideas and methods from evolutionary ecology. This will set a new agenda for the study of human viral infections and establish a perennial leading research group in Europe.

Mots-clés : virulence,vaccination,human papillomavirus,cancer
Projet ERC : NanoPD_P (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Physical and analytical chemical sciences
Entité participante : Imperial College London — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

There is an enormous need for analytical methods that can achieve simultaneous detection of multiple soluble proteins in complex biological fluids. A technology that can achieve this holds the promise of far-reaching impact in multiple healthcare grand challenges ranging from neurodegenerative disease to several major cancers. This project aims to develop a multiplexed label-free detection of soluble proteins and miRNA in biofluids. The proposed method is universal and if successful this pilot work will build the basis for a general approach for the detection of proteins and small molecules such as miRNA and neurotransmitters in complex unmodified samples.

Mots-clés : sequencing,big data,dna barcoding,molecular and clinical diagnostics,nanopore
Projet ERC : TechChild (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Social World and Its Diversity
Entité participante : National University of Ireland — Pays : Irlande — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : NUI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 507185.69 €

There is an increasing number of children with complex healthcare needs who require continuous technological support to sustain their lives. This technology dependence is initiated in an environment of medical interventionism, with potential for discrete discrimination. A scarcity of empirical data on the influences and interactions at the point of the initiation of technology dependence means that clinical, legal and ethical deliberations are driven more by opinion than empirical evidence. An evidence-based theoretical construct is required to articulate and contextualise the levers and penalties of the initiation of this technology. TechChild asks just because we can, should we? and how are the influences on the initiation of technology dependence understood in contrasting health, legal, and socio-political systems? Serendipitous findings from my research indicates parental concern regarding an absence of transparency, and parents are questioning patterns of family characteristics, when technology dependence is initiated. TechChild will be a step change in how we understand the coexistence of humans with an increasing availability of technological augmentations. This is urgent in a society where this debate predominantly happens in the public domain with limited opportunity for healthcare professionals to offer their perspective. TechChild will revolutionise how we conceive access to care and offers a research horizon that questions cultural relativism in a cyborg era. This is a scholarly ambitious project involving Paediatric Intensive Care Units in four international sites using a Bayesian framework to elicit the probability of factors likely to influence the initiation of technology dependence, leading to the development of a theory of technology initiation. This ground-breaking exploration will inform technology initiation across the lifespan with implications for healthcare, bioethics, education, parenting, policy making, and legal.

Mots-clés : child health,critical care,mixed methods,multi disciplinary,technology dependence,access to care
Projet ERC : DecentLivingEnergy (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Social World and Its Diversity
Entité participante : International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis — Pays : Autriche — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : IIASA
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 869722.0 €

There is confusion surrounding how poverty eradication will contribute to climate change. This is due to knowledge gaps related to the material basis of poverty, and the relationship between energy and human development. Addressing this issue rigorously requires bridging gaps between global justice, economics, energy systems analysis, and industrial ecology, and applying this knowledge to projections of anthropogenic greenhouse gases. This project will develop a body of knowledge that quantifies the energy needs and related climate change impacts for providing decent living standards to all. The research will address three questions: which goods and services, and with what characteristics, constitute ‘decent living standards’? What energy resources are required to provide these goods and services in different countries, and what impact will this energy use have on climate change? How do the constituents of decent living and their energy needs evolve as countries develop? The first task will operationalize basic needs views of human development and advance their empirical validity by discerning characteristics of basic goods in household consumption patterns. The second will quantify the energy needs (and climate-related emissions) for decent living constituents and reveal their dependence on culture, climate, technology, and other contextual conditions in countries. This will be done using lifecycle analysis and input-output analysis, and mapping energy to climate change using state-of-the-art energy-economy integrated assessment modelling tools for 5 emerging economies that face the challenges of eradicating poverty and mitigating climate change. The third task will shed light on path dependencies and trends in the evolution of basic goods and their energy intensity using empirical analysis. This research will identify opportunities to shift developing societies towards low-carbon pathways, and help quantify burden-sharing arrangements for climate mitigation.
Projet ERC : BeadDiagnosis (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : University of Cambridge — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : U. Cambridge
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 149972.0 €

There is currently no early detection system for neurological protein misfolding disorders (such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases) that would satisfy the demands for rapid, quantitative, flexible, and reproducible assays to study amyloidogenesis in biological samples. We will explore the potential of aggregation assays in microdroplets that are formed in microfluidic devices. We have found that the readout of this assay reflects the disease progression, when samples of Drosophila fruit fly brains and mouse brain and serum are analysed. We will use this PoC project explore the utility of this technology to report on aggregation of amyloid precursors in human biological samples, to test whether the potential of this technology extends to patients diagnosis and prognosis. Such data would resolve the question whether our early diagnosis system is immediately useful in a medical context and strengthen the case for venture capital funding.

Mots-clés : microfluidics,analytical chemistry,microengineering,protein aggregation,droplet compartmentalisation,diagnostic assays,protein misfolding,alzheimer s,disease,neurodegenerative diseases
Projet ERC : CodeSphere (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Technical University of Denmark — Pays : Danemark — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : DTU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 149951.0 €

There is currently no high-throughput method to efficiently identify and optimize nanoparticle delivery of therapeutic relevant cargo such as drugs or mRNA before progression through costly clinical development. This is in stark contrast to the situation for small molecules and antibodies, where screening technologies such as high-throughput small molecule screening and phage display in the last decades have proven very successful to aid and drive drug discovery and development. Our project ‘CodeSphere’ seeks to develop a method for DNA-tagging of nanoparticles to efficiently optimize nanoparticles on several parameters in parallel from libraries which - in time - will be at least 1.000-10.000 larger than the capability of current state-of-the-art screening methods. The project will initially work towards the generation of a library of > 1.000 different T cell targeted liposomal nanoparticles containing mRNA encoding anti-cancer proteins. This library of DNA-tagged nanoparticles will be screened in “one-pot” in human blood to identify nanoparticles with optimal characteristics to efficiently deliver mRNA to specific cell populations. Through such a technology, one could gain knowledge on which particle design is most optimal including stability in blood, ‘stealth’ evasion of the immune system, optimal systemic circulation time, efficiency in reaching the target tissue (e.g. cancer lesion) and efficiency in delivering the drug or other cargo. The technology can be applied to whole blood preparations, primary cells, cell lines, and even as in vivo screening in whole organisms.

Mots-clés : drug delivery,nanoparticles,liposomes,high throughput screening,immune receptors,molecular encoding
Projet ERC : ROCKS-PARADOX (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution
Entité participante : University of Oslo — Pays : Norvège — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UiO
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1499930.0 €

There is something deeply disconcerting about the current state of knowledge on rates of morphological evolution across different timescales: Why do most species in the fossil record exhibit negligible morphological change when contemporary populations often respond rapidly to selection? The ROCKS-PARADOX project will address this fundamental question – known as the paradox of stasis – along mutually reinforcing lines of enquiry, by merging theory and data across paleontology and evolutionary biology. The prevalence of stasis and other patterns of change are hard to evaluate without knowledge of evolution on timescales unattainable by studies of contemporary populations (microevolution) and comparative species-data (macroevolution). The ROCKS-PARADOX project will address this by analyzing the world’s largest collection of data on within-lineage evolution – spanning decadal to million-year timescales – using a statistical framework (developed by the project) where new and already established mathematical models of evolution are implemented. The ROCKS-PARADOX project also will conduct an unprecedented assessment of the effects of genetic constraints and evolvability on evolution beyond microevolutionary timescales. To do this, we will break new ground by estimating quantitative genetic parameters from fossil samples using machine-learning algorithms on a collection of 150,000 fossil clonal organisms (bryozoans) from a rich and highly-resolved stratigraphic section spanning 2.3 million years. The ROCKS-PARADOX project will bridge our current understanding of phenotypic evolution across timescales into a single cohesive theoretical framework, and open up new avenues for how fossil data can be collected and analyzed to inform questions within evolutionary biology. The project will develop new methodology with broad applications, including long-awaited tools for high-throughput phenotyping.

Mots-clés : morphological evolution,micro macroevolution