Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Targeting bicarbonate transport as a “first-in-class” therapeutic strategy to promote CD8+ T cell fitness and enhance cancer immunotherapy (BasicFit)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Proof of concept grants
Action type: ERC actions
Countries involved: Belgium
Call: ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANTS1 (ERC-2022-POC1, 2022)
Start date: 2022-09-01
End date: 2024-02-29
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 150000.0
EU funding (EUR): 150000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive and lethal cancer types. It is virtually resistant to any sort of therapy, including the most recent immunotherapies. These tumors are characterized by a strong hypoxic, nutrient poor, and acidic tumor microenvironment (TME), in which cytotoxic CD8+ T cells are excluded or absent. In the context of tumor acidity, the role of bicarbonate transporters, key regulators of pH homeostasis, has mostly been neglected so far. Supported by the ERC consolidator grant ImmunoFit, we recently unveiled that the metabolic editing of the TME via inhibition of a specific bicarbonate transporter in cancer cells represent a novel robust therapeutic strategy to mitigate the acidity of the TME, increase the fitness of CD8+ T cells, and render more effective the current immunotherapeutic regimens in pancreatic cancer. To progress on the path from ground-breaking research towards innovation we now propose to de-risk the target by delivering early lead compounds (i.e., blockers) with proven therapeutic efficacy and synergism with immunotherapies in several preclinical tumor models, to be valorized for add-on cancer therapy through follow-up R&D collaborations and/or licensing agreements with Pharmaceutical & Biotech companies. This will lead to the commercialization of our sciences and broad societal impact with the deliverable of a brand-new therapeutic approach and combination regimens which are urgently required to tackle tumor resistance or refractoriness vis-à-vis immunotherapies.
R21/M-Malaria vaccine to extend the protection of Post-Discharge Malaria Chemoprevention in children recovering from severe anaemia: a randomised-controlled trial in Malawi, Kenya and Uganda (R21-PD)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Programme: Health
Theme: Public-private partnerships
Destination: Global Health EDCTP3
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Partnership: EDCTP3 (JU-JTI)
Countries involved: Kenya,United Kingdom,Malawi,Uganda,Norway
Call: Research on existing Malaria vaccines and development of new promising candidates (HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2024-01-two-stage, 2024)
Start date: 2025-11-01
End date: 2030-10-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 5325102.49
EU funding (EUR): 5325102.49
Participants: 7
Project status: SIGNED

The overall goal of this project is to provide scientific evidence for WHO policymaking on the longterm efficacy, safety, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of using R21/Matrix-Malaria vaccine to extend the duration of malaria chemoprevention from 4 to 12 months in children recovering from severe anaemia in highly malaria-endemic areas in sub-Saharan Africa. This project will generate long-term safety and efficacy data and also generate pharmacovigilance data on a currently registered vaccines of R21/M-malaria vaccine in a under-studied patient population group. Post-discharge Malaria Chemoprevention, a malaria control strategy recently recommended by WHO to reduce the risk of death or re-hospitalization in children recovering from severe anaemia. However this strategy only provides this protection during the first 3-4 months post-discharge, although their risk of mortality and morbidity extends over 12 months. This project will determine whether providing R21 malaria vaccine will provide this extended malaria protection. We shall conduct a randomised-controlled clinical trial in Malawi, Kenya and Uganda to determine whether providing a booster dose of R21 malaria vaccine will reduce death and re-hospitalizations over a 12-month follow-up period compared to providing PDMC over 3 months with a monthly treatment course of an antimalarial (DP) in children recovering from severe anaemia. We shall also conduct sub-studies in order to determine the immunogenicity, acceptability from the patient and providers’ perspective and the cost-effectiveness including a budget impact analysis of this intervention. Lastly, we shall engage local and international policymakers to facilitate uptake of our findings and possible policy adoption.

Keywords: severe anaemia
TEStis or OVAry: Identifying the molecular and cellular processes controlling sex determination. (TESorOVA)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and R egeneration
Panel description: For all organisms : Structure and function of the cell, cell -cell communication, embryogenesis, tissue differentiation, organogenesis, growth, development, evolution of development, organoids, stem cells, regeneration, therapeutic approaches
Countries involved: France
Call: ERC ADVANCED GRANTS (ERC-2024-ADG, 2024)
Start date: 2026-01-01
End date: 2030-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2495021.0
EU funding (EUR): 2495021.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Sex determination is the process that allows the bipotential gonad to develop into a testis or an ovary, thus initiating the sex fate of the individual. In mammals, the supporting cells are the first to adopt a sexual identity and then direct the differentiation of the other gonadal cell types. Despite their key role, we still do not know how these important cells acquire their identity. To address this question, we will use spatial transcriptomics and lineage tracing analysis in combination with mouse models deficient for the RSPO1/WNT/ß-catenin signaling pathway as a we found that absence of Rspo1 impairs supporting cell differentiation. Ovarian determinants are still unknown in most vertebrates, but we have recently identified that an isoform of WT1 is the ovarian determinant, in mice. We will use genetic engineering in chicken and zebrafish to test whether this conserved isoform has a similar function in other sex determination systems. Notably, WT1 also interacts with WTAP, a factor involved in m6A methylation of RNA, a mechanism that regulates sex determination in drosophila. Our preliminary results suggest that m6A methylation plays a key role in the sex differentiation of supporting cells. To address how this mechanism regulates sex determination, we will determine the kinetics of RNA methylation during gonadal development followed by a functional analysis using mouse models deficient in Wtap and Mettl3, the catalytic unit of m6A methylation. Using transcriptomic analysis of methylated RNA, we will determine how the male and female programs are affected by lack of m6A methylation. We will then use genetic engineering to prevent methylation of critical genes to demonstrate the role of this mechanism in regulating sex determination in mice. This work will reveal unexplored aspects of sexual differentiation and lay the foundations for new diagnoses and better medical management for the 50% of patients affected by idiopathic differences in sex development.

Keywords: sex determination,ovarian determinant,gonadal development
Gravity perception: molecular, cellular and adaptive behavior (SENS_GRAV)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: France
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01, 2021)
Start date: 2022-07-01
End date: 2024-06-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 195914.88
EU funding (EUR): 195914.88
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Although gravity sensation is not easy to sense, it is extrapolated by combining multisensory information. Due to this integrative nature of gravity perception, the knowledge regarding the molecular and neural basis of gravity sensing is highly reduced. The relevance of geotaxis behaviors in insect pest crop survival has been well documented. For instance, harvesting maize imposes a positive geotaxis behavior on the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis), where diapause larvae and pupae are found close to the ground (contrary to what is observed in wild conditions). This adaptive behavior increases its survival and, indeed, its agricultural damage. In addition, larvae show a stereotype orientation when diapausing, suggesting that gravity vector plays a critical role in maggot spatial perception and physiology. In Drosophila, a well-studied insect genetic model, the maggot has a positive geotaxis at early stages, which changes to negative geotaxis at the wandering time (prepupariation period). However, magot gravity perception has never been confirmed or studied. Interestingly, wandering larvae exit the food source searching for an appropriate pupation site, displaying body position and orientation changes. Herein, I propose to take advantage of wandering orientation changes to set up a novel geotaxis behavioral assay and disclose gravity sensory modality in the maggot by i) screening for sensory organs involved in gravity sensing, ii) disclosing the neurocircuitry involved in puparium orientation behavior, and iii) studying the consequences of puparium orientation alteration on adult fitness. I expect this exploratory proposal to establish a solid basis for working further in the physiological impact of insect spatial orientation and the practical use of this knowledge on pest management.

Keywords: gravity adaptation,drosophila melanogaster,insect crop pest,metamorphosis,ecdysis
Is there a PERENNIAL future of agriculture? (PERENNIAL)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Human Mobility, Environment, and Space
Panel description: Human geography, demography, health, susta inability science, territorial planning, spatial analysis
Countries involved: Sweden
Call: ERC ADVANCED GRANTS (ERC-2022-ADG, 2022)
Start date: 2023-06-01
End date: 2028-05-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2614373.0
EU funding (EUR): 2614373.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

PERENNIAL will investigate whether a shift from annual to perennial grain crops as the basis for food production is possible, and identify the major opportunities and obstacles for such a “perennial revolution”. Since the Neolithic Revolution the world food system has been dominated by annual crops (cereals, legumes, and oil seeds) covering 70% of global croplands. The use of annual plants disrupts agro-ecological processes every season, resulting in soil erosion, nutrient losses, and greenhouse gas emissions from machinery and soils. The costly practices of managing annuals, including a strong dependence on herbicides and mineral fertilisers, partly explain the high indebtedness and low returns in agriculture. A shift from annual to perennial grains that are planted once and harvested for many consecutive years, could revolutionise agriculture and revitalise rural society. It could solve problems associated with annuals and increase the potential for adaptation to climate change. Advances in plant breeding have shown that a shift to perennials is possible within a few decades, but it would challenge powerful vested interests. To investigate the prospects of a perennial revolution, we will: a) conduct a systematic critique of the current political economy of agriculture, b) suggest desirable, viable, and achievable perennial alternatives to annual monocultures, and c) develop a strategy for change. We complement social science expertise with that of plant breeding, agro-ecology, soil, and plant science. Social Fields Theory is applied to study the political economy of agriculture including the politics of seeds and agrochemicals and Soil Health theory to suggest alternatives. We then incorporate ecological feedbacks to develop an Agricultural Treadmill Theory and apply Transition Theory to study social change. Using mixed methods, we will conduct discourse analysis, network analysis, and modelling at multiple scales including farms, river basins, and jurisdictions.

Keywords: agricultural change domestication mitigation of climate change perennial grains political economy real utopias rural economies
Remembering (to-do) intentions in the bilingual brain (ToDo-Brain)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Social Sciences and Humanities
Countries involved: Spain,United States
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2023 (HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01, 2023)
Start date: 2024-04-01
End date: 2027-03-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 285140.64
EU funding (EUR): 285140.64
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

Over 65% of the global population regularly uses two or more languages. Therefore, investigating the impact of bilingualism on memory is essential for understanding the challenges in our multilingual society. This project aims to understand how bilingual individuals recall future intentions (i.e., prospective memory-PM) in diverse linguistic contexts. ToDo-Brain focuses on the influence of the linguistic experience and the linguistic environment on the monitoring and retrieval processes underlying PM. Previous research has revealed language-dependent memory effects in episodic memory, however, these effects have never been investigated in PM. ToDo-Brain addresses this important gap by investigating whether the language itself might serve as a cue to either facilitate or hinder the monitoring and retrieval when remembering intentions. This collaborative project employs a pioneering methodology to shed light on the interplay between language and memory. By combining eye-tracking with electroencephalography (EEG) recordings and source localization analyses, ToDo-Brain includes two large studies to achieve the following research objectives (ROs): RO1. To unveil monitoring strategies due to language experience and language context, this project will test monolinguals and bilinguals in various PM tasks varying in nature (i.e., linguistic or visual); RO2. To explore the role of language as a memory cue that influences PM monitoring and retrieval, ToDo-Brain will manipulate language congruency between the encoding and retrieval phase of a PM task. This work will provide valuable theoretical and methodological insights into how language interacts with memory. Their results will be crucial for stakeholders facing the challenges of bilingualism such as educators, families, international companies, and policymakers. The project’s training program will also significantly benefit the candidate's career development by equipping her with new scientific and transferable skills.

Keywords: bilingualism prospective memory language dependent memory language processing linguistic experience eeg eye movements source localization analyses
Holistic Energy management And Thermal Waste Integrated System for Energy optimization (HEATWISE)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Programme: Climate, Energy and Mobility
Theme: Energy
Destination: Efficient, sustainable and inclusive energy use
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Hungary,Sweden,Denmark,Romania,Poland,Switzerland,Israel,Türkiye
Call: Thermal management and energy optimisation of high energy demand IT systems equipment in tertiary buildings (HORIZON-CL5-2023-D4-01, 2023)
Start date: 2024-01-01
End date: 2026-12-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3820782.51
EU funding (EUR): 3165181.73
Participants: 12
Project status: SIGNED

The HEATWISE project aims to tackle various thermal management challenges in tertiary buildings with a significant IT load. The project has specific objectives to develop and validate (to TRL 4 and 5) its technological innovation in two interrelated aspects: for IT system equipment in facility rooms and for a complete building management level. The innovation toward achieving energy efficiency and thermal management optimization follows up on a detailed thermal need analysis framework and theoretical validation, and is fulfilled through four novel solutions: i) Hybrid future-proof cooling hardware solution for high-density data processing based on two-phase dielectric liquid cooling and air immersion ii) Digital twin-supported holistic high-density data processing management system with a smart workload orchestration system, iii) Integrated multi-objective building energy management system covering both IT equipment needs and human presence, and iv) Self-assessment tool for energy management needs in tertiary buildings with power-intensive IT systems. On top of that, the project will develop a knowledge-sharing platform to showcase potential improvement pathways in energy optimization of tertiary buildings and maximize the project's impact. The project consortium consists of 12 partners from 8 different countries across the EU and with a more global inclusion; including 3 universities, 3 research centers, 4 SMEs, 1 large company, and 1 national standardization body, making sure that all the required expertise for a successful accomplishment of the project and future exploitation exist, and the partners complement each other in the most optimal manner. The technologies will be demonstrated in different specific designs and integrations in a university, a supercomputing research centre, industrial and office buildings, in Denmark, Poland, Turkey, Sweden and Switzerland, with extended investigations for medical centres and hotels as impactful tertiary building categories.

Keywords: self assessment,self optimization,waste heat recovery,two phase liquid cooling,on chip liquid cooling,hybrid cooling,building energy management system,control system,knowledge sharing platform
Linking the scales towards non-conventional polymer composite structures (INELASTIC)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Products and Processes Engineering
Panel description: Product and process design, chemical, civil, environmental, mechanical, vehicle engineering, energy processes and relevant computational methods
Countries involved: Portugal
Call: ERC ADVANCED GRANTS (ERC-2023-ADG, 2023)
Start date: 2025-01-01
End date: 2029-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3493788.0
EU funding (EUR): 3493788.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The reduction of the environmental footprint of aviation relies on the development and fast deployment of lighter and more efficient polymer composite structures; however, the current configurations of composite aerospace structures result in a highly constrained design space. Additionally, the limitations of the state-of-the-art analysis methods result in overly conservative designs and in time-consuming certification methodologies. As a result, composite laminates have only contributed to modest weight savings in aircraft structures. Based on these observations, the main objective of the project is to unleash the full potential of composite systems to yield more efficient aerospace composite structures. The premise is that polymer composite laminates are far from being used to their full potential, and that significant performance improvements of composite aerospace structures can be obtained by developing a new systems-thinking methodology that will link the different scales of a composite system. The methodology relies on the combination of new experimental studies, conducted at the micro-scale of the composite material, that will guide the development of analysis methods at different spatial scales. The theoretical developments, guided by experiments and computations, will create the building blocks of a neural network that will unravel the currently hidden relations between manufacturing conditions, micro- and meso-structures of a composite material, and the performance of a composite structure. Overcoming this knowledge gap will enable the development of new, non-conventional micro-structures using different types of reinforcing fibres, and of new laminate configurations that will not be restrained by a limited set of fibre orientation angles. It is expected that, for the first time, the discontinuity between material design and structural design will be removed, opening new avenues for concurrent optimization of composite materials and structures.

Keywords: polymer composite laminates composite structures
Central Bohemia Mobility Programme for Excellence in Research, Innovation and Technology (MERIT)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Co-funding of regional, national and international programmes
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Countries involved: Czechia,Latvia,Italy,United States,Mexico,Austria,Germany,Poland,Sweden,United Kingdom,Slovakia,Ukraine,Canada,Japan
Call: MSCA COFUND 2021 (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-COFUND-01, 2021)
Start date: 2023-01-01
End date: 2027-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3582000.0
EU funding (EUR): 3582000.0
Participants: 43
Project status: SIGNED

MERIT will be a 5-year regional programme for 30 incoming postdoctoral researchers from all over the world. It is a joint initiative of the Central Bohemian Innovation Centre (SIC) as the Beneficiary, and 51 partners: 15 Implementing partners represented by regional research organisations, and 36 Associated partners that include national and international SMEs, regional branches of large enterprises, international universities and local high schools. MERIT will build on and will be synergistic with several already existing regional programmes led by SIC, such as the regional Welcome Office. The programme will be co-funded by the Central Bohemian Regional Government and the Implementing partners. MERIT has 3 strategic objectives which are in line with the Regional Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation (RIS3): 1) Strengthen the European and global human capital base in research and innovation, contribute to a stronger European Research Area and increase the international openness of the participating partners and the whole Region; 2) Establish new partnerships and collaborations between academic and non-academic sectors (especially regional research organisations with SMEs), leading to higher competitiveness and innovativeness of both; and 3) Promote science and its many practical applications in society among the youth and advocate for more representation of female scientists in technical and life sciences research disciplines with a focus on applied research. MERIT supports the research activities and training of selected researchers in the following application areas: Biotechnologies and Biomedicine, Laser technologies, Space technologies, Sustainable energy and materials and Digitalisation as a cross-cutting area, all areas respecting the Gender dimension in research. These areas are in line with RIS3 and other European or global strategic frameworks. The duration of the fellowships is planned from 24 to 30 months, including secondments.

Keywords: regional innovation ecosystem,diversity,promotion of science among the youth,women in science,applied research,technology trends