Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Selective aptamer probe for detecting and targeting multimolecular G-quadriplexes aggregates in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease (SPOTTER)

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: Chemistry
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2025-09-15
End date: 2027-09-14
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 260347.92
EU funding (EUR): 260347.92
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

G-quadruplex structures (G4s) are gaining attention due to their widespread presence in the human genome, featuring over 700,000 identified sequences. These stable G4s are often found in critical areas of our DNA, such as telomeres, gene promoters, and regions linked to repeat expansions in diseases. However, when investigating their biological function, multimolecular G-quadruplexes (mG4s) have been often overlooked and deemed unlikely to be physiologically relevant, with the bulk of recent advances on G4-biology almost exclusively focused on unimolecular G-quadriplexes (uG4s). SPOTTER aims to fill this critical gap in the biology of mG4, by generating a selective probe that is currently missing to study these structures. Specifically, in this proposal, an aptamer-based probe that can be tuned to interact exclusively with mG4s will be developed.This tool will facilitate live-cell imaging and genome-wide mapping of mG4s for the very first time. This will further allow me to explore the role of mG4 formed in guanine-rich RNA repeat expansions, which could trigger formation of insoluble aggregates that are relevant to neurodegenerative diseases, such as in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Keywords: aptamers,g quadruplexes,als,chemical biology,nucleic acids,peg
Leveraging artificial Intelligence to Balance tRade-offs in the digital economy (LIBRA)

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: Economic Sciences
Countries involved: Sweden,Switzerland
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2023 (HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01, 2023)
Start date: 2024-05-01
End date: 2026-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 222727.68
EU funding (EUR): 222727.68
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

LIBRA (Leveraging artificial Intelligence to Balance tRade-offs in the digital economy) will assess and compute positive and negative impacts on AI systems on society and the environment and it will optimize them to support policy-makers in Europe and beyond. Artificial Intelligence (AI) contributes to the development of the digital economy and expands the opportunities for sustainable development. However, as computing needs grow, AI systems and applications raise concerns about their environmental implications. Acknowledging this trade-off and achieving an optimal combination between the carbon footprint of AI systems and the benefits they contribute spurring is becoming a key policy concern, but remains an unresolved issue. By combining finance, AI and decision theory, LIBRA aims at filling this gap developing, testing and proposing policy-oriented innovative approaches and tools to: (i) map how investments in AI systems and applications contribute to generating carbon emissions worldwide; (ii) discover how the digital economy enables the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); (iii) compute the optimal balance between carbon emissions and sustainability objectives to inform national policies. LIBRA will contribute to the ongoing debate about AI and sustainability by combining approaches from computer science (i.e., Natural Language Processing and Deep Reinforcement Learning), complex systems (i.e., network science) and economics (i.e., decision theory) in a holistic framework. The project outcomes will support the discussion around the EU AI Act and the development of a solid sustainability roadmap which accounts for the growing opportunities spurred by the digital economy. LIBRA will last 24 months and it will be mainly conducted at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm (Sweden) with a secondment period at the University of Zurich (UZH) in Zurich (Switzerland).

Keywords: digital economy sustainable development goals
Adaptive Separation using Dynamic Nanofibril Networks (DynanoNet)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Materials Engineering
Panel description: Advanced materials development: performance enhancement, modelling, large -scale preparation, modification, tailoring, optimisation, novel  and combined use of materials, etc.
Countries involved: Sweden
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2024-STG, 2024)
Start date: 2025-04-01
End date: 2030-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1488854.0
EU funding (EUR): 1488854.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

This research program will develop materials, methods, and technologies that enable adaptive separation of molecules and particles using dynamic nanofibril networks. The ground-breaking nature is the development of dynamically tunable membranes/gels for next-generation separation technology. Current separation technologies are based primarily on polymeric membranes or gels for membrane filtration or chromatography. Membrane filtration is versatile but lacks selectivity, while chromatography is selective but with limited throughput. As pharmaceutical companies move toward protein or nanoparticle-based therapies, the size limitation of chromatography is a concern. The future separation technology should be adaptive and selective, with high resolution and throughput. It is time to develop next-generation separation technology that enables dynamic adaptability and integration with our electronic infrastructure and AI technology. Hydrated nanofibril networks with unique nanomechanical behavior, a vast dynamic density range, and large pore sizes enable tunability that polymer networks cannot achieve. It is an unexplored class of materials for separation purposes, now available at scale due to recent cellulose and amyloid nanofibrils developments. Nanofibrils assemble in anisotropic hydrogel networks with a uniaxial swelling, ranging from 0 to 1000 g/g water content with pore sizes from a few to 1000 nm. I will study how different pretreatments or stimuli, such as electrochemistry, enable direct control of this 1000-fold change in pore size, which is unachievable for polymers. I will explore different modes of separation: centrifugation, filtration, electro-filtration, and ion-selectivity, using nanofibril networks as an adaptive mesh to sieve/repel molecules and particles of different sizes and charges. The outcome is a scientific foundation exploring how low-density nanofibril networks can lead to disruptive separation technology in a multi-billion-dollar industry.

Keywords: adaptive separation,adaptive fractionation,nanofibril,tunable membranes,electrotunable membranes
STochastic Algorithm for Robust Guidance Analysis and Trajectory Estimation (STARGATE)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator 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: Italy
Call: ERC CONSOLIDATOR GRANTS (ERC-2024-COG, 2024)
Start date: 2025-12-01
End date: 2030-11-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1999009.0
EU funding (EUR): 1999009.0
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

We are approaching a new space age, where safety and cost reductions are key factors to achieve a more democratic space access. A crucial component of this new era will be represented by autonomous systems able to safely complete their mission despite a harsh and vastly uncertain environment, (for instance the atmosphere of Mars or the gravitational field of an asteroid). A disruptive example of autonomous systems is given by SpaceX’s rockets, which are safely reused, thus drastically easing human access to space. The current optimal trajectory generation process uses deterministic models. However, this approach is valid as long as the real system does not excessively deviate from its abstract model. When this happens, a (sometimes critical) loss of performance occurs, due to the uncertainties’ effects playing a major role in real-world scenarios. STARGATE has the groundbreaking goal to change how trajectories for autonomous systems are computed by including uncertainties in the design through their stochastic properties rather than simply assess their effect with a-posteriori validation. The proposed methodology will overcome the so-called curse of dimensionality, a so far insurmountable technological limit for these applications, by using a novel, scalable approach coming from the interplay of two new theories, Unified Unscented Transform and Kalman-Pontryagin Sequential Consensus Optimization. I will forge the theoretical formulation and a numerical framework accompanied by realistic applications (e.g., Six-DoF rocket landing, asteroid descent, and spacecraft rendezvous) to demonstrate the versatility of this brand-new methodology. Finally, I will move to a real-testing stage by using world-class testbenches available at DLR. With my team made of 2 PhDs and a Postdoc I plan to pursue in the next 5 years the vision behind STARGATE: make a new, scalable and certifiable methodology to design robust optimal trajectories for autonomous systems a technological reality.

Keywords: stochastic optimal control,robust autonomous systems,convex optimization,statistics,pseudospectral methods,stochastic processes,processor in the loop,rocket landing,spacecraft rendezvous and docking,top notch test benches
The Evolution of Wing Coloration in Lepidoptera (EWINCOL)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Environmental B iology, Ecology  and E volution
Panel description: For all organisms : Ecology, biodiversity, environmental change , evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology, microbial ecology , marine biology, ecophysiology, theoretical developments and mod elling
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2025-STG, 2025)
Start date: 2026-07-01
End date: 2031-06-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1491415.0
EU funding (EUR): 1491415.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The seemingly endless diversity of color patterns in the wings of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) is both a marvel and an enigma. On the one hand, it has been long known that the function of color patterns is visual communication, such as sexual signaling and predator deterrence. On the other hand, the fairly recent discovery that color patterns are determined by only a handful of genetic loci and associated regulatory elements, apparent constraints to diversification. The EWINCOL project will reconcile ecological function and variation of the developmental template to provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between the immense phenotypic and taxonomic diversity within the Lepidoptera that we see today. I posit that wing coloration has facilitated evolutionary diversification in Lepidoptera by being both genetically and developmentally conserved but evolutionarily labile, repeatedly generating variation that fuels selection. With the help of an ERC starting grant I will test this hypothesis by implementing a research program that will make innovative use of natural history museum collections and online citizen science platforms. First, I will leverage phenotypic information from large public image databases by using cutting edge artificial intelligence (AI) methods to create a comprehensive database of coloration and shape traits of all major Lineages within Lepidoptera. This database will then allow me to i) map out the evolutionary history of coloration in Lepidoptera and test how variation in coloration relates to diversification in a phylogenetic context, ii) investigate to which degree the evolution of coloration and wing morphology are independent from one another, and iii) ascertain the role of environmental factors like habitat, light and temperature in shaping the distribution of coloration in butterflies across the globe. Overall, EWINCOL will deepen our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics in one of the most diverse groups on earth.

Keywords: lepidoptera,phenomics,image analysis,color pattern evolution,
An environmental-friendly alternative to recovery Rare Earth Elements from spent NdFeB permanent magnets by electrochemical recycling process (REEcycle)

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: Information Science and Engineering
Countries involved: Netherlands,Belgium
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2022 (HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01, 2022)
Start date: 2023-05-01
End date: 2025-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 187624.32
EU funding (EUR): 187624.32
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

The European Union (EU) has the ambitious target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The current energy transition is playing a crucial role in achieving a greener future by electrification of industries and the use of renewable resources for energy. Many greener applications rely on electric motors or generators that contain NdFeB permanent magnets (PM) in large quantities. The composition of these magnets is about 30 % of rare-earth elements (REEs), mainly neodymium (Nd). The worldwide supply of REEs is controlled by China (85 %). As the demand of REEs is increasing, due to energy transition, it is important for the EU to ensure a continuous supply of REEs. Recycling end-of-life magnets is a feasible alternative to obtain REEs from secondary resources. With REEcycle research project, my objective is to determine, for the first time, the leaching mechanism of REEs in NdFeB magnet scrap, aiming at selective recovery of REEs by means of electrochemical leaching in organic acids. I will combine different electrochemical approaches at different scales to evaluate the electroleaching efficiency in organic acids aiming at the selection of the most suitable acid and process conditions for a high dissolution rate of REEs. Then, to determine the leaching mechanism under electrochemical effect, I will use a recently developed local electrochemical technique, scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM), which will indicate the dissolution parameters for each element present in the NdFeB matrix. Finally, with the findings from SECCM, I will be able to promote a controlled electroleaching in organic acid followed by oxidation of Fe2+, to selectively recover the REEs from the magnet scrap. With my project, the use of organic acids and an electrochemical approach will bring the realisation of a sustainable recycling of permanent magnets a step forward, thereby contributing to the EU’s knowledge in REE supply from secondary sources.

Keywords: electroleaching local electrochemistry ndfeb permanent magent recycle scanning electrochemical cell microscopy seccm
TRaining In cutting-eDge battERy technologieS: high-performance materials and researchers for future electrochemical storage (RIDERS)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Doctoral Networks
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Chemistry
Countries involved: France,Sweden,Germany,Luxembourg,Slovenia,Italy,Spain,Austria
Call: MSCA Doctoral Networks 2022 (HORIZON-MSCA-2022-DN-01, 2022)
Start date: 2024-03-01
End date: 2028-02-29
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2712247.2
EU funding (EUR): 2712247.2
Participants: 21
Project status: SIGNED

Secondary batteries are critical technologies to ensure the forthcoming energy transition, a main aspect of the European Green Deal, in order to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050. There is thus a strong need to rapidly develop the future high energy density, low cost, and safe batteries to support the massive and rapidly developing EV market and to secure the EU industrial and economic growths. RIDERS aims to establish a high-quality research and training program with ground-breaking objectives spanning over the full value chain of battery production: from the design, processing and multiscale characterization of original advanced materials (i.e. electrodes, separators, polymer electrolytes, binders) to their implementation into EU Gen. 4a and Gen. 5 batteries, as well as their properties and performance assessment (i.e. advanced electrochemistry and interfacial science, operando analyses and theoretical modelling). RIDERS research and training program rely on the multidisciplinary expertise of 10 internationally renowned academic beneficiaries and 8 industrial partners (including 3 SMEs) originating from 7 European countries. RIDERS will provide to 10 early-stage researchers / doctoral candidates (DCs) a unique combination of advanced and transferable skills within an innovative, multidisciplinary and inter-sectoral scientific environment. The research program will address the development of cutting-edge battery technologies to contribute to the EU strategic energy independence. RIDERS will offer DCs a unique combination of local and network-wide trainings in the fields of advanced materials and electrochemical storage: future strongholds of the EU industries and key provider of new jobs in the forthcoming decades. This, together with their training in transferrable skills, will improve their career prospects as high-quality researchers, and will prepare them as highly attractive candidates for industry, academia or future entrepreneurs.

Keywords: polymer electrolytes separators active materials electrochemical storage modelling operando
High-order harmonic generation triggered by elliptically polarized laser pulses (EPHHG)

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: Physics
Countries involved: France
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2023 (HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01, 2023)
Start date: 2024-06-01
End date: 2026-05-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 195914.88
EU funding (EUR): 195914.88
Participants: 1
Project status: TERMINATED

High-order harmonic generation (HHG) is a highly nonlinear phenomenon arising from the propagation of a laser pulse throughout a medium. HHG is used to generate tabletop sources of attosecond light pulses, essential for probing ultrafast phenomena in matter at the natural scales of the electrons. The shape of the generated light pulses can be changed by changing the intensity or the frequency of the incident light. However, these parameters cannot be continuously changed in experiments, in contrast to the ellipticity which is moreover simple to adjust and acts as a control knob. While polarization of the incident light is very promising for controlling the shape of the generated attosecond light pulses, up to date, HHG is limited to a narrow range of ellipticities only. The project EPHHG aims to control continuously the shape of generated attosecond light pulses from incident elliptically polarized lights in the full range of laser ellipticities. I propose a theoretical and numerical investigation adapted for this purpose. It includes the development of both theoretical models and sophisticated numerical methods in order to simulate and understand the self-consistent light-matter interactions occurring during light propagation.

Keywords: high order harmonic generation,light matter interactions,macroscopic laser propagation,recollisions,nonlinear dynamics,multiscale dynamics
VIrtual center with Triangle Architecture and CYber-resilience (VITACY)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Programme: Climate, Energy and Mobility
Theme: Public-private partnerships
Destination: Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research
Action type: Innovation actions
Partnership: SESAR (JU-JTI)
Countries involved: Spain,United Kingdom,France,Belgium,Lithuania,Italy,Switzerland
Call: Fast Track Innovation and Uptake Virtualisation and Cybersecure Data-Sharing (HORIZON-SESAR-2022-DES-IR-01, 2022)
Start date: 2023-06-01
End date: 2026-05-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 5791731.26
EU funding (EUR): 3771505.51
Participants: 12
Project status: SIGNED

The main topics of the VITACY Project (VIrtual center with Triangle Architecture and CYber-resilience) will be: • Continue researching in the ATM virtual center technology field. A virtual center is a single ATSU or a grouping of joint Air Traffic Service Units (ATSU) using data services provided by an ATM Data Service Provider (ADSP). This concept encompasses geographical decoupling between ADSP(s) and some ATSU(s) through standardised service interfaces defined in Service Level Agreements. The project will progress in the virtual center concept by developing the “triangle architecture”, a powerful type of architecture based on disaggregating services currently offered by a main ADSP into new specific functionality-oriented ADSPs. The project will focus on developing the following new ADSPs: AMAN (Arrival Management), TBS (Time Based Separation) and CD&R (Conflict Detection and Resolution). • Develop cyber-resilience tools focused in virtual center environment to monitor attacks and display alerts if detected. As the World is becoming more digitalized, cyber-attacks against all countries and all types of organizations are constantly increasing. It is becoming more and more important to have cyber-resilience tools to minimize and stop the impact of this kind of attacks in the ATM environment, as it is a safety-critical service. The project will focus on the following topics: applying digital trust in virtual center communications, developing mediation modules to protect ADSP and starting the development of a cybersecurity supervision console.

Keywords: virtual center triangle architecture cyber resilience