Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : srEDM (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Fundamental constituents of matter
Entité participante : RWTH Aachen University — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : RWTH
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 678908.75 €

One of the great mysteries in the natural sciences is the dominance of matter over antimatter in the universe. According to our present understanding, the early universe contained the same amount of matter and antimatter. If the universe had behaved symmetrically as it developed, every particle would have been annihilated by one of its antiparticles. We therefore owe our very existence to mechanisms that have led to a world where something that we call matter remains. We propose to study such mechanisms by searching for electric dipole moments (EDMs) of charged hadrons in a new class of precision storage rings. Our project will lay the foundations for a new European flagship research infrastructure. The breaking of the combined charge conjugation and parity symmetries (CP-violation) in the Standard Model is not strong enough to explain the observed excess of matter and further sources of CP-violation must be sought. These sources could manifest themselves in Electric Dipole Moments of elementary particles, which occur when the centroids of positive and negative charges are mutually and permanently displaced. The observation of an electric dipole moment will elucidate the mechanisms which led to the matter that dominates the universe. Although the measurement principle, the time development of the polarization vector subject to a perpendicular electric field, is simple, the smallness of the effect makes this an enormously challenging project. This can only be mastered through the common effort of an international team of accelerator and particle physicists, working closely with engineers. The proponents of this design study and the research environment at the Forschungszentrum Jülich (Germany), including the conventional storage ring COSY, provide the optimal basis for one of the most spectacular possibilities in modern science: finding an EDM as a signal for new physics beyond the Standard Model and perhaps explaining the puzzle of our existence.
Projet ERC : FORMAT (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Weizmann Institute of Science — Pays : Israël — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

One of the greatest challenges facing society is treating patients afflicted with degenerative and age-related disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease and diabetes. For all of these, stem cell therapy represents a novel treatment approach and a great hope for the millions of patients worldwide. In my ERC-funded research project, we successfully managed to generate Extracellular-signal-Regulated Kinases (ERK) signalling independent human naïve Pluripotent Stem Cells (PSCs), a new category of human stem cells that retrain features that are characteristic of earlier developmental stages, i.e. they are more “primitive” than typical/conventional human PSCs. We managed to do so by employing a novel medium that allows the acquisition of many apparent naïve features that were previously observed only in rodent pluripotent stem cells. Importantly, this new pluripotent configuration, not only comes in different molecular flavours, but also has different functional properties. In turn, the first goal of our PoC project is to establish the technical feasibility of our novel medium by carrying out a series of molecular and functional tests. Such tests would enable us to further improve the existing medium conditions and create a commercial-like platform for enhanced expansion and derivation of human naïve induced PSCs. The second goal of FORMAT project is to establish the commercialization potential of our novel medium as a means to maintain standardized cells that can in turn be used to replenish, regenerate and repair damaged human tissues.

Mots-clés : stem cells,pluripotency,induced pluriptoent stem cells  ipscs,cell therapy,tissue culture production
Projet ERC : FamilyComplexity (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Social World and Its Diversity
Entité participante : Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : Partner
Type d'entité : Organismes publics (hors enseignement & recherche)
Financement ERC de l'entité : 833970.0 €

One of the important consequences of the Second Demographic Transition has been the increasing complexity of families. The aim of this project is to study how rising family complexity has affected two fundamental aspects of intergenerational relationships: reproduction and solidarity. Theoretically, family complexity is distinguished into four dimensions: (a) the length, timing and nature of exposure to the child, (c) biological relatedness to the child, and (c) characteristics of parent-parent ties (triadic effects), (d) characteristics of the wider family network. Using insights from several disciplines, I develop a common theoretical framework for understanding intergenerational reproduction and solidarity. To test the theory, an innovative multiactor survey is developed with an oversampling strategy in which for each adult child, information is collected on all parent figures, and for each parent, information on all adult children. In addition, register data are used to analyze one aspect of reproduction in a dynamic fashion (educational reproduction) and vignette data are used to analyze one aspect of solidarity in more depth (norms prescribing solidarity). By studying reproduction and solidarity as outcomes, I shift the traditional focus from examining how the SDT has affected individual well-being, to the question of how the SDT has affected relationships. In doing so, I analyze a new problem in demography and sociology and contribute to classic debates about population ageing and social inequality. Theoretically, the study of family complexity yields unique opportunities to test ideas about the nature of intergenerational relationships and will shed new light on the traditional dichotomy of social vis-à-vis biological bases of intergenerational relationships. Methodological innovation is made by developing solutions for well-known problems of multiactor data, thereby strengthening the theoretical relevance of survey data for the social sciences.

Mots-clés : intergenerational solidarity,social stratification,educational inequality,divorce,intergenerational relationships,life course,multipartner fertility
Projet ERC : PRECRIME (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Advanced grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Computer science and informatics
Entité participante : Università della Svizzera italiana — Pays : Suisse — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : USI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2313250.0 €

One of the long-lasting dreams in science fiction is the ability to arrest criminals before they even commit crimes. Software testing researchers have a similar dream: when the context for a bug manifestation occurs in the field, the goal is to discover and fix the bug before it causes any in-field failure. In fact, current practice of pre-release testing is severely limited when dealing with autonomous AI (Artificial Intelligence) systems (such as self-driving cars, robots, automated traders, virtual doctors and customer service chatbots), running in complex, rapidly changing environments, which cause their run-time adaptation, learning and knowledge acquisition, because pre-release testing cannot exhaustively explore all different contexts and states in which the software will be running. The PRECRIME project introduces a new, disruptive view on testing, called anticipatory testing and aimed at fixing bugs before they even manifest themselves in the field. Anticipatory testing is activated at run-time by a new type of oracles, called self-assessment oracles, which observe and report unexpected execution contexts. A self-assessment oracle is an estimator of the system’s confidence in being able to handle a new execution context correctly. The goal of anticipatory testing is to anticipate any failure that might occur in the field due to unexpected execution contexts. Whenever an execution context monitored at runtime by self-assessment oracles is estimated as a low confidence context for the system, anticipatory testing exercises the software automatically and extensively in similar contexts. Timely activation of anticipatory testing by runtime observations results in early, anticipatory fault detection. Combined with automated patch synthesis, anticipatory testing leads to the release of a patch for the fault before any software failure occurs in the field.
Projet ERC : iPhotoreceptors (Horizon 2020, appel 2020, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
Entité participante : TuTech Innovation (Germany) — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : Partner
Type d'entité : Organismes privés (hors enseignement)
Financement ERC de l'entité : 19355.35 €

One of the major causes of adult visual impairment and blindness in industrialized countries is the progressive dysfunction and death of photoreceptor cells (PR) as a result of retinal degenerative diseases. Current treatment options are still insufficient to counteract these forms of blindness. The development of many drugs and therapies fail in preclinical stages because the used animal models are suboptimal for translating results from the bench to the bedside. Especially, for testing the transplantation of human PRs, which is currently extensively explored as a treatment option for late stages of retinal degeneration, the biggest bottleneck is the lack of PR material in sufficient quantity and quality. Within the ERC Starting Grant ProNeurons, my team and I have developed a disruptive technology to differentiate human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) to PR precursor cells by overexpressing three transcription factors yielding in up to 60% in only 10 days. Our technology allows fast, efficient and unlimited production of PRs essential as testbeds for drug screenings, for further disease research and for photoreceptor replacement therapies. Within the PoC actions, we strive for bringing the induced PRs closer to the market. We will finalize the last product development steps and FTO reviews to define the final products such as PR differentiation kits and/or cryopreserved PRs for research, development and therapy. We will identify and approach industrial exploitation partners for out-licensing or further funding. The final goal of commercializing the induced PRs is to aid the development of new drugs to treat retinal degenerative diseases.

Mots-clés : retinal degenerative disease,hipsc technology,human photoreceptors,drug screening,cell therapy,research and development,biomedicine,vision restoration
Projet ERC : QUTE (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Fundamental constituents of matter
Entité participante : Ghent University — Pays : Belgique — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : UGent
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1927500.0 €

One of the major challenges in theoretical physics is the development of systematic methods for describing and simulating quantum many body systems with strong interactions. Given the huge experimental progress and technological potential in manipulating strongly correlated atoms and electrons, there is a pressing need for such a better theory. The study of quantum entanglement holds the promise of being a game changer for this question. By mapping out the entanglement structure of the low-energy wavefunctions of quantum spin systems on the lattice, the prototypical example of strongly correlated systems, we have found that the associated wavefunctions can be very well modeled by a novel class of variational wavefunctions, called tensor network states. Tensor networks are changing the ways in which strongly correlated systems can be simulated, classified and understood: as opposed to the usual many body methods, these tensor networks are generic and describe non-perturbative effects in a very natural way. The goal of this proposal is to advance the scope and use of tensor networks in several directions, both from the numerical and theoretical point of view. We plan to study the differential geometric character of the manifold of tensor network states and the associated nonlinear differential equations of motion on it, develop post tensor network methods in the form of effective theories on top of the tensor network vacuum, study tensor networks in the context of lattice gauge theories and topologically ordered systems, and investigate the novel insights that tensor networks are providing to the renormalization group and the holographic principle. Colloquially, we believe that tensor networks and the theory of entanglement provide a basic new vocabulary for describing strongly correlated quantum systems, and the main goal of this proposal is to develop the syntax and semantics of that new language.

Mots-clés : entanglement,real space renormalization group methods,mathematical physics,computational physics
Projet ERC : SeeSuper (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Condensed matter physics
Entité participante : Institute of Photonic Sciences — Pays : Espagne — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : ICFO;ICFO-CERCA
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 699344.05 €

One of the major outstanding challenges in condensed matter physics is the origin of high temperature superconductivity. Low temperature BCS superconductivity is mediated by the electron-phonon interaction, but this interaction is believed to be too weak to explain high temperature superconductivity. Instead electron interactions are considered responsible, but experimental proof has been difficult to obtain. Despite over thirty years of research, the mechanism responsible for generating the superconducting state still remains unknown. SeeSuper aims to break this deadlock by applying new experimental techniques to study the superconducting state. Our strategy is to probe high temperature superconductors through their nanoscale and femtosecond fluctuations. We will focus on three key parameters in superconductors: phonons, spins and nanoscale phase separation, with the aim of revealing the coupling mechanism. Our approach combines transient optical spectroscopy and time-resolved diffuse X-ray scattering to measure the lattice response to large amplitude coherent vibrations, time-resolved non-linear optical spectroscopy to directly probe spin dynamics, and resonant soft X-ray holography to image dynamics on the nanoscale. We will use these cutting edge techniques to prove our hypothesis, that lattice anharmonicity is the key missing ingredient to explain the origins of high temperature superconductivity. If demonstrated, the impact of such a result will lead to a step-change in our understanding of how superconductivity at high temperature occurs, help guide the search for materials with higher transition temperatures, and influence how we view and understand a much broader class of materials. Furthermore, the experimental techniques that we will develop can be applied to understand a range of materials and will, therefore, have an impact also on the broader field of condensed matter physics.

Mots-clés : superconductivity,anharmonicity,coherent phonons,x ray holography,optical spectroscopy,phase separation,spin dynamics
Projet ERC : PUMA (Horizon 2020, appel 2016, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Fundamental constituents of matter
Entité participante : European Organization for Nuclear Research — Pays : Suisse — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : CERN
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 330000.0 €

One of the most fascinating quantum phenomena in nuclear physics is the occurrence of neutron halos and neutron skins in very neutron rich atomic nuclei. Thick neutron skins and halos, not yet evidenced in medium mass nuclei, would be unique low-density neutron matter accessible in the laboratory. Nuclear shell structure is also known to change with the number of protons and neutrons. The nuclear structure of very heavy nuclei at and above Z=100 is barely known, and the existence of new long-lived heavy isotopes is still an open question. The above fundamental phenomena related to the unbalance of neutron and protons in unstable nuclei are essential to understand the complex nature of nuclei and related astrophysical processes. We propose a new physics program to determine the neutron over proton densities at the nuclear surface for the most exotic nuclei that can be produced today, to evidence and to characterize neutron halos and skins in medium and heavy mass regions. PUMA will also allow the spectroscopy of single-particle states in heavy-nuclei above Z=100 will offer a new insight into the unknown shell structure at the top of the nuclear landscape. To address these questions, PUMA explores a new way to study radioactive nuclei produced at very low kinetic energy: the interaction of antiprotons with unstable nuclei. PUMA is based on a new apparatus: a transportable magnetic trap to store antiprotons and maximize their interaction with slow rare isotopes in order to trigger annihilations and measure the following radiations. The PUMA methodology is based on two steps. (i) The storage of antiprotons will be performed at the new AD/ELENA facility of CERN in collaboration with the GBAR collaboration. (ii) The PUMA physics program is to take place at CERN/ISOLDE and, on a later stage beyond the ERC grant period, at the new SPIRAL2 facility in Europe. PUMA will open new horizons for nuclear structure research.
Projet ERC : TURNSTONE (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Condensed matter physics
Entité participante : University of Copenhagen — Pays : Danemark — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : UCPH
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 125000.0 €

One of the most important outstanding questions in physics is arguably the understanding of correlated electrons in condensed matter. The theoretical framework is given by the Hubbard model, however, no analytical solutions have been found and numerical treatments are challenging and controversial. Although great progress has been made in experimental implementations of the Hubbard model in cold atom lattices and ion traps, the most interesting regime of low temperature and strong interactions, presumably accounting for the physics of High-Tc superconductors, is yet to be realized. In this project a new experimental platform is proposed for realizing tunable lattices of coupled quantum dots (QDs) by combining Molecular Beam Epitaxy crystal growth of semiconductor nanostructures, state-of-the-art semiconductor processing, and low-temperatures quantum transport. Macroscopic networks of ultra-high quality InAs nanowires will be combined with epitaxial integration of dielectric layers and gate metals. The gates thereby retain the ultimate limit of uniformity; overcoming previous problems with QD arrays. Conservative estimates of the on-site Coulomb interaction ~100-200Kelvin and with fully gate-tunable tunnel couplings, the strongly interacting, low-T regime is easily reachable. Both square and honeycomb lattices will be realized and the macroscopic properties will studied by transport and quantum capacitance spectroscopy at mK temperatures, and in addition, the currents will be locally probed by scanning SQUID microscopy. Furthermore, by a new concept for gating, we achieve tunable spatial modulation of tunnel couplings, and thereby enable in situ tunable gauge fields, tunable disorder, and controlled symmetry breaking. A proof-of-concept experiment is discussed. If successful, the results will have major impact on physics, technology and material science by providing a tunable model of the foundation of solid state physics.

Mots-clés : mbe growth of semiconductor nanostructures,low temperature transport,quantum dot lattices
Projet ERC : EllipticPDE (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Mathematics
Entité participante : University of Zurich — Pays : Suisse — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : UZH
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 384943.75 €

One of the oldest and most important questions in PDE theory is that of regularity. A classical example is Hilbert's XIXth problem (1900), solved by De Giorgi and Nash in 1956. During the second half of the XXth century, the regularity theory for elliptic and parabolic PDE's experienced a huge development, and many fundamental questions were answered by Caffarelli, Nirenberg, Krylov, Evans, Nadirashvili, Friedman, and many others. Still, there are problems of crucial importance that remain open. The aim of this project is to go significantly beyond the state of the art in some of the most important open questions in this context. In particular, three key objectives of the project are the following. First, to introduce new techniques to obtain fine description of singularities in nonlinear elliptic PDE's. Aside from its intrinsic interest, a good regularity theory for singular points is likely to provide insightful applications in other contexts. A second aim of the project is to establish generic regularity results for free boundaries and other PDE problems. The development of methods which would allow one to prove generic regularity results may be viewed as one of the greatest challenges not only for free boundary problems, but for PDE problems in general. Finally, the third main objective is to achieve a complete regularity theory for nonlinear elliptic PDE's that does not rely on monotonicity formulas. These three objectives, while seemingly different, are in fact deeply interrelated.

Mots-clés : elliptic pde,free boundaries