Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-erc-participations-et-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Projet ERC : CRACK (Horizon 2020, appel 2018, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Social Sciences and Humanities
Panel : The Human Mind and Its Complexity
Entité participante : Freie Universität Berlin — Pays : Allemagne — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : FU
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1480576.0 €

At each blink of our eyes, our brain rapidly transforms the stream of photons hitting the retina into a conscious percept of the world as consisting of meaningful objects that guide our actions to ensure survival. Yet, in spite of intense research three interrelated, fundamental, long-standing and open questions about how neural dynamics mediate object recognition remain unanswered: How exactly do the core cortical regions active during vision represent objects? How and what do those regions communicate? How does the observed activity mediate adaptive behavior? The overall goal of the program CRACK is to crack the neural code of object vision by addressing those three fundamental questions. For this, CRACK will integrate in an unprecedented manner cutting-edge, non-invasive brain imaging methods, advanced multivariate analysis techniques and state-of-the-art computational modelling in an ambitious three-step interdisciplinary work program. Each step is marked by innovation that breaks new ground and opens new horizons at the next step. First, CRACK will unravel the unique representational format of each core cortical region using an unprecedented brain mapping approach that combines brain imaging with artificial deep neural networks (DNNs). Second, it will clarify the flow of information between visual regions that creates these representations with unseen spatiotemporal precision by resolving neural activity in both cortical layers and frequency channels using a combination of functional MRI (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG). Third, it will use advanced multivariate methods linking brain activity and behavior to reveal which aspects of the newly described neural dynamics drive human choice behavior. By breaking down current knowledge boundaries, CRACK will provide the empirical evidence for a new theory of the neural dynamics underlying human visual object recognition, and transform the way we think about and investigate sensory processing.

Mots-clés : vision,perception,object recognition,fmri,deep neural network
Projet ERC : CAPRI (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases
Entité participante : Karolinska Institutet — Pays : Suède — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : KI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 383375.0 €

At least 10% of mothers and 5% of fathers have a mental illness. Family, educational and social lives of children and adolescents with parental mental illness (CAPRI) are disrupted by deprivation and repeated hospitalisation. This is an urgent political and public health concern. The Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Europe (CAMHEE) report urges us ‘to acknowledge and attend to the needs of children and families with parental mental health.. ’ recommending better information on CAPRI risks and resilience so interventions can target those at highest risk. This groundbreaking interdisciplinary programme exploits my unique combination of expertise in epidemiology and neuroscience to deliver on CAMHEE objectives for CAPRI. Previous work focuses on these ‘high risk’ children primarily to examine mental illness heritability. In a crucial departure from this, Work Packages (WP) 1 and 2 exploit my collaborations in Sweden and Australia to create unique linkage across 3 population datasets. This will detail CAPRI numbers and a broad range of life outcomes disentangling effects of social adversity over time. But population epidemiology alone cannot reveal how risk creates effects in individuals. To understand ‘how’ to identify ‘who’ we target for costly interventions, WP 3 links the epidemiology with powerful neuroimaging (near infrared spectroscopy NIRS) to discover which at-risk infants of mothers with severe mental illness show abnormal cognitive development at the level of individual brain. This work capitalises on my role at the University of Manchester, one of the leading academic psychiatry and imaging centres in the UK, to create a new Centre in Bioepidemiology. My future aim is that epidemiological profiling combined with NIRS biomarkers of cognition in individuals will identify which high risk children need what intervention. Future work can then evaluate different interventions and fits seamlessly with my research goal to improve the life outcomes of CAPRI.

Mots-clés : children,parents,family,mental health,high risk,resilience,vulnerability,national population database,epidemiology,near infrared spectroscopy
Projet ERC : NewSpindleForce (Horizon 2020, appel 2014, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Cellular, Developmental and Regenerative Biology
Entité participante : Rudjer Boskovic Institute — Pays : Croatie — Rôle : PI
Acronyme de l'entité : RBI;IRB
Type d'entité : Recherche
Financement ERC de l'entité : 2150000.0 €

At the onset of division the cell forms a spindle, a micro-machine made of microtubules, which divide the chromosomes by pulling on kinetochores, protein complexes on the chromosome. The central question in the field is how accurate chromosome segregation results from the interactions between kinetochores, microtubules and the associated proteins. According to the current paradigm, the forces on kinetochores are produced by k-fibers, bundles of microtubules extending between the spindle pole and the kinetochore. The proposed project is built upon a groundbreaking hypothesis that a new class of microtubules, which we term bridging microtubules, bridge sister kinetochores. Our preliminary results show that bridging microtubules are responsible for the positioning of kinetochores in HeLa and PtK1 cells. Bridging microtubules have not been studied before because this requires cutting-edge microscopy and laser microsurgery techniques. By applying these methods, with which I have extensive expertise, we will determine the organization of these microtubules, identify the proteins that link them with k-fibers, and uncover where and how the forces for kinetochore positioning and movement are generated. My strength is in taking an interdisciplinary approach, which I will use in this project by combining laser microsurgery with genetic perturbations, quantitative measurements of the responses and comparison with theoretical models. Understanding the role of bridging microtubules in force generation and chromosome movements will not only shed light on the mechanism of chromosome segregation, but may also increase the potential of mitotic anticancer strategies, as the spindle is a major target for chemotherapy. The proposed ERC funding is essential for the success of these timely and ambitious experiments, allowing me to strengthen my position as an international leader in research on cell division, thereby increasing Europe's foremost position in this field.

Mots-clés : mitotic spindle,microtubules,kinetochores,motor proteins,forces,live cell imaging,laser microsurgery,modeling
Projet ERC : TRACER (Horizon 2020, appel 2019, Proof of concept grants)
Domaine scientifique : Life Science
Panel : Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing
Entité participante : Amsterdam University Medical Centers — Pays : Pays-Bas — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Atherosclerosis, the underlying cause of the majority of cardiovascular diseases, is a lipid driven, inflammatory disease of the large arteries. Despite a 25% relative risk reduction achieved by lipid-lowering treatment, the vast majority of atherosclerosis induced cardiovascular disease risk remains unaddressed. Therefore, characterizing mediators of the inflammatory aspect of atherosclerosis is a widely recognized scientific goal with great therapeutic implications. Blocking the co-stimulatory CD40L-CD40 dyad reduces atherosclerosis. However, long-term inhibition of CD40L or its receptor CD40 results in suppression of the immune system and poses a risk for thromboembolic events. Therefore, we focused on the downstream signaling pathways of CD40, and found that the interaction between CD40 and TNF-receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is the driving force for atherosclerosis. Using virtual ligand screening, we identified several small molecule inhibitors termed TRAF-STOPs that were modeled to bind to the CD40-binding domain of TRAF6. TRAF-STOPs significantly reduce (existing) atherosclerosis and treatment was well tolerated. The first toxicology results in mice show that there are no side effects. Here we pursue the hypothesis that TRAF-STOPs are excellent candidates to pass the translational pipeline towards a clinical application to treat atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Prof. Lutgens is one of the founders of the recently established start-up company Cartesio Therapeutics to be able to valorise our novel TRAF-STOPs. By the end of the PoC grant, we expect to have an oral drug available and to have completed toxicology and bio-distribution analysis in a large animal model (mini-pig) and have tested TRAF-STOPs in a pig model of atherosclerosis. This way, we hold a solid business case in our hands. The resulting business- and (pre-)clinical development plan and patent portfolio will then be ready for seed investment and venture capital funding.

Mots-clés : cardiovascular disease,atherosclerosis,inflammation,small molecule inhibitors
Projet ERC : OXYFLUX (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Consolidator grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Earth system science
Entité participante : University of East Anglia — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : Partner
Acronyme de l'entité : UEA
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 172091.25 €

Atmospheric oxygen (O2) measurements have proven to be one of the most powerful tools to study the carbon cycle at global scale, quantifying the carbon dioxide (CO2) sink of terrestrial ecosystems and oceans. At ecosystem level, O2 is closely related to CO2 through photosynthesis and respiration, and is influenced by sources of nitrogen during plant uptake. O2 thus carries valuable information about ecosystem processes that cannot be learned from CO2 alone. However, the potential of O2 measurements at ecosystem level has not been exploited. The major hindrance has been the technical challenges faced to measure atmospheric O2 at ppm level against a background concentration of 21%. Motivated by the enormous insights gained from O2 measurements at global level, and with the assistance of proven experts in O2 measurement, OXYFLUX will provide pioneering breakthroughs in both measurement techniques and scientific knowledge of terrestrial ecosystems. Specifically, OXYFLUX will perform the methodological, experimental and modelling work needed to develop O2 as a new tracer for carbon and nitrogen cycle processes at ecosystem level. We will establish the first research group worldwide to perform continuous O2 flux measurements at forest and agricultural field sites, using gas exchange chambers and micrometeorological approaches. These measurements will be utilised further in modelling work where we will integrate O2 into two complementary terrestrial ecosystem models. This will provide the mechanistic understanding for a unique approach to (a) partition CO2 fluxes in e.g. forest ecosystems, (b) improve understanding of the carbon and nitrogen cycle in arable land, and (c) identify the sensitivity of O2 fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems to environmental change. OXYFLUX will firmly establish O2 as a new research tool that can be applied to promote further breakthroughs in a large range of scientific disciplines including environmental, forest and agricultural sciences.

Mots-clés : carbon cycle,eddy covariance,atmospheric oxygen,micrometeorology,land surface modelling,terrestrial ecosystems
Projet ERC : OXYGEN (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Earth system science
Entité participante : University of St Andrews — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1767455.0 €

Atmospheric oxygen is fundamental to life as we know it, but its concentration has changed dramatically over Earth’s 4.5 billion year history. An amazing qualitative story has emerged, in which Earth’s atmosphere was devoid of free oxygen for the first 2 billion years of planetary history, with two significant increases in concentration at ~2.4 and ~0.55 billion years ago. Both oxygenation events were accompanied by extreme climatic effects – the “snowball earth” episodes – and paved the way for massive reorganization of biogeochemical cycles such as the Cambrian radiation of macroscopic life. Despite these profound influences on the Earth system, we currently lack fundamental quantitative constraints on Earth’s atmospheric evolution. I am poised to add substantial quantitative rigor to Earth’s atmospheric history, by constraining the concentrations of important gases (e.g., O2, O3, CO2, CH4, organic haze) in ancient atmospheres to unprecedented accuracy. I will accomplish this via an innovative interdisciplinary program focused on the unusual mass-independent isotope fractionations observed in sedimentary rocks containing sulfur and oxygen. These signals are direct remnants of ancient atmospheric chemistry, and contain far more information than can currently be interpreted. This project combines novel experimental and methodological approaches with state-of-the-art numerical modelling to significantly advance our ability to decipher the isotope records. A unique “early Earth” UV lamp coupled to a custom-built photocell will enable direct production of isotope signals under Earth-like conditions, with time-dependent sampling. Groundbreaking analytical methodologies will vastly increase the global geochemical database. The experimental results and data will provide ground-truth for next-generation atmospheric models that will constrain atmospheric composition and its feedbacks with the Earth-biosphere-climate system during key points in our planetary history.
Projet ERC : MODULAR (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Fundamental constituents of matter
Entité participante : University of Basel — Pays : Suisse — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1498961.0 €

Atomic ensembles are routinely prepared and manipulated in the quantum regime using the powerful techniques of laser cooling and trapping. To achieve similar control over the vibrations of nanofabricated mechanical oscillators is a goal that is vigorously pursued, which recently led to the first observations of ground-state cooling and quantum behavior in such systems. In this project, we will explore the new conceptual and experimental possibilities offered by hybrid systems in which the vibrations of a mechanical oscillator are coupled to an ensemble of ultracold atoms. An optomechanics setup and an ultracold atom experiment will be connected by laser light to generate long-distance Hamiltonian interactions between the two systems. This modular approach avoids the technical complications of combining a cryogenic optomechanics experiment and a cold atom experiment into a highly integrated setup. At the same time, it allows to investigate intriguing conceptual questions associated with the remote control of quantum systems. The coupled mechanical-atomic system will be used for a range of experiments on quantum control and quantum metrology of mechanical vibrations. We will implement new schemes for ground-state cooling of mechanical vibrations that overcome some of the limitations of existing techniques, explore coherent mechanical-atomic interactions and Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen entanglement, and use such entanglement for measurements of mechanical vibrations beyond the standard quantum limit. The extensive experience of the PI in atomic quantum metrology and hybrid optomechanics will be a valuable asset in this endeavor. Besides the interesting perspective of observing quantum phenomena in engineered mechanical devices that are visible to the bare eye, the project will open up new avenues for quantum measurement of mechanical vibrations with potential impact on the development of mechanical quantum sensors and transducers for accelerations, forces and fields.

Mots-clés : optomechanics
Projet ERC : MoViS (Horizon 2020, appel 2017, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : Needius srl — Pays : Italie — Rôle : Partner
Type d'entité : Organismes privés (hors enseignement)
Financement ERC de l'entité : 5750.0 €

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) comprise an early-onset neurodevelopmental syndrome primarily characterized by impairments in social perception, cognition and communication, and a restricted pattern of interests and behavior. Without any doubt, infants and children with ASD greatly benefit from early behavioral intervention, therefore an early detection and treatment of ASD has been placed as a major health care priority. Unfortunately, nowadays, ASD diagnosis occurs at 2.5-4 years of age. In my previous ERC AdG Project, I proved that inborn predispositions to visual social stimuli (i.e., face-like patterns, eye-gaze and biological motion) is different between newborns at high-risk for ASD (HR, younger siblings of affected children) and newborns at low-risk (LR). Significant predictors for HR newborns were obtained and an accurate biomarker was identified. Starting from this, the goal of MoViS Project (Mobile Visual Stimulation) will be to develop, for the very first time, a simple and innovative tool for early screening and monitoring of neonates social behaviour by means of visual stimulation. This is an innovative and a promising project because, behind providing an important contribution in expanding our current knowledge about the ontogenesis of the ASD, the possibility of targeting high-risk infants during the first days of their life, via a behavioral marker for social orienting, could allow for a new generation of early therapeutic interventions for rehabilitation, starting in a time when brain plasticity allows reorganization of cortical circuits.

Mots-clés : autism spectrum disorders,human newborn,screening protocol,social,predispositions impairments,visual preference,behavioral biomarker
Projet ERC : IMPEDE (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Proof of concept grants)
Entité participante : University of Verona — Pays : Italie — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 150000.0 €

Auto-immune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammation-associated brain diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD) globally make up a €45B market and cost society close to €648B. The huge number of patients with these diseases causes an enormous socioeconomic burden. Currently, MS, AD and RA affect 120M people worldwide. There is no cure for AD and treatments for autoimmune diseases are not fully effective and reducing the inflammatory component in these diseases is a key strategy. As a result of our ERC StG NEUROTRAFFICKING we found that a natural molecule, which is Coenzyme A precursor (CoAP), modulates leukocyte trafficking and has anti-inflammatory properties that are, however, limited in effectiveness due to fast breakdown in the gut. Our preliminary data demonstrate that derivatives of CoAP hydrolysis are devoid of antiinflammatory effects and that intact CoAP is required for its therapeutic effect in mouse models of MS and AD. The goal of IMPEDE is to develop a proprietary formulation of CoAP that protects it from hydrolysis and its disulphide bonds from degradation. This provides a novel and highly promising therapeutic approach for the inflammatory diseases, either for combination or stand-alone treatment. A patent application for this novel CoAP formulation has been filed. Subsequent steps will be taken in IMPEDE to generate and validate a more effective product through improved formulation and to prepare further regulatory and IP strategies, design a business strategy and perform market research. Overall, IMPEDE offers a rapid valorisation of the ERC StG grant on one hand and of the novel CoAP formulation on the other hand. It will generate a novel CoAP formulation with high therapeutic potential in autoimmune diseases and other inflammatory diseases.

Mots-clés : immune modulation,pantethine,immunometabolism,leukocyte trafficking,inflammatory diseases,multiple sclerosis
Projet ERC : MultiMT (Horizon 2020, appel 2015, Starting grants)
Domaine scientifique : Physical Sciences and Engineering
Panel : Computer science and informatics
Entité participante : Imperial College London — Pays : Royaume-Uni — Rôle : PI
Type d'entité : Enseignement supérieur ou secondaire
Financement ERC de l'entité : 1010513.67 €

Automatically translating human language has been a long sought-after goal in the field of Natural Language Processing (NLP). Machine Translation (MT) can significantly lower communication barriers, with enormous potential for positive social and economic impact. The dominant paradigm is Statistical Machine Translation (SMT), which learns to translate from human-translated examples. Human translators have access to a number of contextual cues beyond the actual segment to translate when performing translation, for example images associated with the text and related documents. SMT systems, however, completely disregard any form of non-textual context and make little or no reference to wider surrounding textual content. This results in translations that miss relevant information or convey incorrect meaning. Such issues drastically affect reading comprehension and may make translations useless. This is especially critical for user-generated content such as social media posts -- which are often short and contain non-standard language -- but applies to a wide range of text types. The novel and ambitious idea in this proposal is to devise methods and algorithms to exploit global multi-modal information for context modelling in SMT. This will require a significantly disruptive approach with new ways to acquire multilingual multi-modal representations, and new machine learning and inference algorithms that can process rich context models. The focus will be on three context types: global textual content from the document and related texts, visual cues from images and metadata including topic, date, author, source. As test beds, two challenging user-generated datasets will be used: Twitter posts and product reviews. This highly interdisciplinary research proposal draws expertise from NLP, Computer Vision and Machine Learning and claims that appropriate modelling of multi-modal context is key to achieve a new breakthrough in SMT, regardless of language pair and text type.

Mots-clés : statistical machine translation,multi modal natural language processing,context models,vision and language