Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : NuclearTheory (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Fundamental constituents of matter
Entité participante : Ruhr University Bochum — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : RUB
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2499206.0 €

Nuclear physics aims at understanding the emergence and properties of complex structures like atomic nuclei from QCD, the underlying theory of the strong interaction, and addresses some of the Big Science Questions including the origin of the elements, the limits of nuclear stability, searches for physics beyond the Standard Model and physics of neutron stars. Answering these questions requires a reliable theoretical approach to nuclear structure and reactions. Chiral effective field theory (EFT) combined with ab initio many-body methods provides an efficient and well-founded framework, and a major effort is needed to push the precision of nuclear forces and develop an efficient matching with the emerging lattice QCD results. Recently, the PI and his group made significant breakthroughs in the two-nucleon (2N) sector by developing chiral EFT interactions which are more precise than any other potentials and, for the first time, qualify to be regarded as partial wave analysis (PWA). This shows that chiral EFT can, without any compromises on rigor and consistency, be advanced to a precision tool. While the 2N sector can be considered as solved, three-nucleon (3N) scattering data could so far not be described showing that the simplest nuclear system beyond the 2N one is not understood. Given this success in the 2N sector, I propose to perform for the first time a PWA of 3N scattering and to determine the Hamiltonian complete up through fifth order. The project aims at solving the long-standing 3N force challenge and development of accurate, state-of-the-art nuclear forces determined solely by the chiral symmetry of QCD and few-nucleon data. The resulting Hamiltonian will be used in large-scale ab initio calculations of nuclear structure and reactions. We will also develop an efficient interface between lattice QCD and chiral EFT. If successful, these studies will establish a rigorous, fully microscopic approach to nuclear physics firmly rooted in QCD.

Mots-clés : chiral perturbation theory,nuclear forces,three body force,few body physics,effective field theory
Projet ERC : NUCLEAR (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems
Entité participante : Fondation nationale des sciences politiques — Pays : France — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : FNSP
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1480145.0 €

Nuclear weapons choices commit populations and societies for decades and can wipe them out in matters of minutes. How is the scope of available nuclear weapons choices decided? Direct experience cannot be the answer as no one can rely on personal experience of nuclear war. Most decision-makers no longer even have the experience of the effects of such weapons either given that North Korea has been the only country testing nuclear weapons since 1998. The populations’ wishes do not qualify either, since they are very rarely consulted and only few studies on those attitudes exist. Therefore this project offers the first in depth global investigation of the grounds on which the scope of publicly acceptable nuclear weapons choices have been based since the end of nuclear testing. To do so, this project constructs an interdisciplinary research program about responsibility in an age of nuclear vulnerabilities. It investigates four ways in which nuclear weapons choices are bounded: 1) the intellectual categories we depend on to think about those issues; 2) the governance of nuclear knowledge by nuclear-weapons related institutions; 3) specific readings of the past identifying events or trends from which lessons are expected to be learned about the scope of the possible, and 4) the imaginary of possible futures as opposed to the ones deemed utopian. Combining archival research and interviews worldwide, with large-scale polling and discourse analysis of policy officials and strategists over several decades, it assesses the blinding power of categories created several decades ago and sometimes still deemed as irreplaceable lexicon of the nuclear age as well as the way in which nuclear weapons programs modify the governance of knowledge. Based on those findings, it offers a renewed notion of responsibility in the nuclear age built on full awareness of nuclear vulnerabilities in their epistemic and political dimensions, and not only the material ones.

Mots-clés : nuclear weapons,vulnerability,responsibility,future
Projet ERC : FuelVesicles (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions
Entité participante : University of Groningen — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : RUG
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Numerous biotechnological processes require Adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) as a form of free energy to drive endergonic reactions. The bottleneck is that after some time the reaction stops due to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) build up and the depletion of energy reserves. In living cells, functional and sustainable out-of-equilibrium networks exist. Scientists have tried to mimic such autonomous systems without the need for external interaction, or fuel supply. Real success hasn’t been reported. We managed to construct a fuel system in synthetic vesicles that is kept away from equilibrium by controlling the energy dissipation. These vesicles are power houses for sustainable production of ATP (and removal of ADP) much like mitochondria power the ATP-demanding reactions in the cytosol of a cell. In further tests, we were able to reach an order of magnitude longer autonomous operation of a real-life application making our approach truly unique. All the comparable approaches focus on feeding the reaction with ATP without draining of the ADP. Our system creates the fuel from an amino acid while the ATP/ADP ratio is kept constant. The gain for applications is evident; the reactions, and therefore systems, can operate autonomously for long periods of time. This is particularly important for mobile systems with limited supply of reaction materials and where user intervention has to be minimal. Therefore, we expect to enable a completely new generation of autonomous biotech and chemistry applications, such as targeted drug delivery, analytics of nucleic acids or proteins, and cascade reactions for (bio)chemical syntheses of antibiotics, vitamins and other complex molecules. In this PoC, we will advance the commercialization of our approach by carrying out a technical feasibility for sustainable production of ATP for long-lasting sequencing of DNA application. In addition, we will prepare a commercialization plan, carry out partnering actions and strengthen the IP further.

Mots-clés : synthetic vesicles,out of equilibrium network,sustainable production of atp,synthetic biochemistry,nanopore sequencing,membrane transport,biosensing,autonomous operation,next generation sequencing of dna
Projet ERC : EnteroBariatric (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing
Entité participante : Imperial College London — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1499091.0 €

Obesity and related co-morbidities give rise to severe health and socioeconomic problems. Surgical treatment for obesity (bariatric surgery) is remarkably effective in the control of morbid obesity and rapid resolution of Type 2 Diabetes, and the number of such procedures is increasing rapidly in many obesity-prevalent countries. We, and others, have demonstrated that surgical interventions such as Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) modulates gut hormone levels, induces systemic metabolic changes and results in the shift of the microbiome from Firmicutes to the Proteobacteria phylum. Although the gut microbiota have been implicated in the reduction of adiposity post-surgery, the long-term effect of altered gut microbiota on patients who have undergone RYGB, remains to be studied. Our recent data suggested that microbial activities are highly associated with inflammation and cancer. My research programme aims to investigate the RYGB-specific gut microbiota impacts on host physiology and colon cancer risk. To achieve this goal, I will employ a multidisciplinary approach that combines systems biology techniques with a bottom-up approach. This work will deliver phenotypic and mechanistic characterisation of the interplay between the host and the gut microbiota. The research findings will significantly contribute towards the understanding of fundamental molecular and cellular processes that are key in host and gut microbiota interactions. This will provide knowledge-based evidence of the gut microbial impact on human physiology, and has the potential to unravel novel prevention targets and promote a more thorough healthcare strategy for bariatric patients.
Projet ERC : MusEC (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing
Entité participante : Board of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology — Pays : Suisse — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : ETH Zurich
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1498823.0 €

Obesity has become a leading medical disorder, which is associated with life threatening conditions such as glucose intolerance, insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In the maintenance of glucose homeostasis, muscle is a critical organ and current health recommendations include regular physical activity as a cornerstone in the prevention and treatment of IR/T2D. The development of exercise mimetics has been proposed as a novel therapeutic strategy, but this has failed so far. This is because we still do not completely understand the etiology of glucose intolerance and how exercise improves glucose tolerance. In particular, angiogenesis – the growth of new blood vessels from existing ones – is an early adaptive event following exercise training, but the role of the muscle vasculature in the regulation of muscle metabolism and glucose tolerance has been largely overlooked. In this project, I will investigate the metabolic crosstalk between the vasculature and the muscle to increase our understanding on how the endothelium contributes to muscle metabolism and glucose homeostasis. First, I will evaluate whether and how vessels need to reprogram their metabolism to promote angiogenesis following exercise training. Second, I will explore whether this metabolic reprogramming that results into enhanced angiogenesis is required for the muscle to allow training adaptations. I pose the novel and unexplored hypothesis that endothelial cells and the muscle intensely communicate to ensure optimal muscle function and to orchestrate muscle adaptations to exercise training via metabolic signaling. I will combine in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo techniques using targeted and untargeted approaches to answer these exciting questions. Ultimately, I will investigate whether this communication is affected during the development of T2D. And if so, whether this interaction can be exploited to prevent IR/T2D.

Mots-clés : endothelium,muscle,exercise,metabolism
Projet ERC : EpiFAT (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing
Entité participante : Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale — Pays : France — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : Inserm
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2000000.0 €

Obesity is associated with adipose tissue dysfunction leading to the onset of several pathologies including type 2 diabetes (T2D). The mechanisms underlying the development of obesity and T2D include the hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia of adipocytes and adipose tissue inflammation together with an altered secretion of adipokines. However, the explanation of why individual obese (and some non-obese) humans differ in their susceptibility to develop T2D is still an issue that is currently not sufficiently addressed. This susceptibility to T2D is mainly associated with environmental factors. One link between environment and disease is epigenetics influencing gene expression and subsequently organ dysfunction. Epigenetic modifications in adipose tissue have been proposed to influence the susceptibility to T2D. However, the epigenomic mechanisms underpinning adipose tissue dysfunction are poorly known. In search for epigenomic modifiers that control adipose tissue function and also impact on T2D pathogenesis, we have recently identified the transcriptional coregulators GPS2 (G-Protein Pathway Suppressor 2) and KDM6B (Histone Lysine Demethylase 6B, also called JMJD3) as strong candidates.. Our hypothesis is that the clinically documented dysregulation of GPS2 (down) and KDM6B (up) expression and function during obesity leads to the closely linked epigenetic and transcriptional reprogramming of adipocytes and adipose tissue-macrophages, thereby enhancing the susceptibility to metabolic and inflammatory disturbances and the progression towards T2D. We propose here to test this hypothesis using the combination of unique mouse models, genome-wide molecular and epigenomic analyses and human studies to dissect the epigenomic functions of GPS2 and KDM6B in adipose tissue, aiming at identifying mechanism involved in the development T2D. Thereby, we anticipate the discovery of novel epigenomic targets for future prevention and treatment strategies in metabolic dysfunction.

Mots-clés : type 2 diabetes,adipose tissue,transcription,coregulators,inflammation and metabolism
Projet ERC : LITHIUM (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Universe 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 : 1851881.0 €

Observing the process of planetary accretion is crucial to inform models of planet formation. Most of the key action is expected to happen in the gaps of protostellar disks – a spatial realm over which aperture masking interferometry has demonstrated a unique ability to deliver incisive imaging. Masking offers twin advantages of higher dynamic range at the diffraction limit (lambda/D) than differential imaging, while at the same time giving nearly complete Fourier coverage compared to long baseline interferometry. The founding objective of this proposal is to create expertise and technology to understand the astrophysical phenomena so far only glimpsed in faint detections in stellar gaps such as those published in T Cha (Huelamo et al. 2011), HD142527 (Biller et al. 2012) and FL Cha (Cieza et al. 2013). But the central goal of this project is to further advance the experimental technique. Reaching even higher dynamic range for fainter detections is essential for probing planetary birth. The way to improve the dynamic range is clear: increase the accuracy of the primary closure phase observable. To do so, we will follow two paths. The first will use laboratory experimentations to analyse and understand the sources of bias to the closure phase. The resulting end-product will be better software offered to the community, and better techniques for a next generation of aperture masking devices. The second path is to amplify the closure phase signal by combining nulling with closure phase (Lacour et al. 2014). This second path is the most challenging, but will be an important breakthrough to the field. Nulling is to aperture masking what coronagraphy is to classical imaging. Without a first level of nulling, the aperture masking technique will always be limited by the photon noise due to the stellar light. We propose to build on our experience of Lithium Niobate integrated optics devices to bring aperture masking to a new level of performance in high dynamic range imaging.

Mots-clés : young stellar objects,high contrast imaging,optical interferometry
Projet ERC : BOOGIE (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Earth system science
Entité participante : Heriot-Watt University — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1960748.0 €

Oceans are a global reservoir of greenhouse gases, estimated to account for 20–40% of the post-industrial sink for anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2). However, quantifying the exchange of gases such as CO2, methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) between the ocean and atmosphere is a major challenge. Understanding how the ocean’s organic skin layer modulates this exchange is critical to estimate the intrinsic oceanic sinks and sources of these key greenhouse gases both now and in the future. Organic substances in the skin layer, known as surfactants, span across traditional operational definitions and are derived from multiple sources undergoing biotic and abiotic transformations along the land-ocean continuum. This proposal will investigate a land-ocean transect from South America toward the African Continent to investigate organic matter control of air-water gas exchange. Central to this work is the application of new technologies, using novel in-situ sensor platforms and advanced geochemical characterisation techniques. This new and unique data will be incorporated into hydrological and gas flux models to examine spatial and temporal effects of surfactant suppression of gas exchange – both now and in the future.

Mots-clés : gas exchange,organic matter,dissolved,particulate,surfactant,land ocean continuum
Projet ERC : OLI.VAS (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing
Entité participante : University Hospital Bonn — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1609152.54 €

Oligodendrocytes (OLs) are the glia cells that produce myelin in the central nervous system (CNS). Despite the severe outcome of demyelinating diseases, like multiple sclerosis (MS), little is known about the mechanisms by which myelin is disrupted or why remyelination fails in disease. Thus, a substantial advance in the understanding of oligodendrocyte biology and myelin pathology is required in order to develop successful treatments for demyelinating diseases. Recent research indicates that apart from delivering oxygen and nutrients, blood vessels are active regulators of organ function. Our recent work supports the existence of an oligo-vascular interface where vessels directly control oligodendrogenesis. However, mechanistic insights of the interaction between OLs and the vasculature are lacking. Based on the innovative hypothesis that proper generation and OL functionality depends on active crosstalk with the vasculature, the OLI.VAS project will now tackle the challenge to characterize in depth the interaction between OLs and the vasculature during development and demyelinating diseases. To achieve this goal, two complementary multidisciplinary research tracks are pursued: Research track 1: Deconstructing and reconstructing the oligo-vascular interface to unravel the relationship of oligodendrocyte lineage cells with the vasculature Research track 2: Studying the oligo-vascular interface in white matter lesions. Modulating the vasculature to prevent de-myelination or promote of re-myelination Both tracks combine cutting edge technology in single cell and spatial transcriptomics, bioinformatics, 3D imaging, in vitro and ex vivo tissue culture, mouse genetics and MS patient samples. OLI.VAS will deliver new insights into the role of the vasculature as a regulator of oligodendrogenesis and myelination and thus generate major scientific breakthroughs in an area that is highly relevant for diseases such as MS, which affects more than 600000 patients in Europe.

Mots-clés : vascular control of organ function,central nervous system vasculature,oligodendrocyte,myelination,oligo vascular crosstalk,demylination,demyelinating diseases,multiple sclerosis
Projet ERC : GlycoSpec (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Physical and analytical chemical sciences
Entité participante : Max Planck Society — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : MPG
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 937500.0 €

Oligosaccharides or glycans are essential in nature and central participants in virtually every biological process. The extensive structural diversity enables glycans to encode rich information in biological functions; however, it also creates major challenges in almost all aspects of the glycosciences. The synthetic formation of glycosidic bonds during glycan assembly for example, is mechanistically still not fully understood. This is largely a result of highly-reactive, but short-lived oxocarbenium ion intermediates, which are difficult to study using established techniques. However, the structure of these intermediates dictates the stereochemistry of the resulting glycosidic bond, the control of which is absolutely crucial for a successful synthesis. An equally important aspect is the sequencing of glycans, which is generally complicated by the frequent occurrence of isomers. This is further complicated by poorly understood rearrangement reactions during mass spectrometric analysis, which often lead to erroneous structural assignments. Here as well, cationic intermediates are the key species that determine the outcome of the rearrangement. The aim of GlycoSpec is to unravel fundamental aspects of oligosaccharide reaction and fragmentation mechanisms by probing cationic glycan intermediates. To do so, a unique combination of instrument and method development (ion mobility-mass spectrometry and cold-ion spectroscopy), chemical synthesis and theory will be used. The gain in mechanistic understanding will provide the basis to tailor building blocks and reaction conditions and is expected to lead to a major advancement in glycosynthesis. The mechanistic understanding of fragmentation reactions will furthermore lead to general rules for the prediction of tandem mass spectra. Just like in the early years of proteomics, this will make the technology automatable and accessible for broader applications. Therefore, GlycoSpec will help to initiate the pursuit of glycomics.

Mots-clés : mass spectrometry,ion mobility spectrometry,gas phase spectroscopy,infrared,glycosyl cations,glycomics