Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Preparation of novel materials by filling carbon nanotubes (NANO-RC)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: European Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-ERG-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-04-01
End date: 2012-03-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 45000.0
EU funding (EUR): 45000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The remarkable physical properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), have led to much interest in the potential for their application in many diverse directions. There are many examples in which the cavity of CNTs has been filled with a variety of compounds, including organic molecules, fullerenes, inorganic salts, water and metals. The aim of this project is to prepare new nanomaterials by filling CNTs and explore their potential applications. The method used to fill steam purified and opened CNT will depend on the characteristics of the material to be encapsulated, being the most commonly used routes the solution filling, melting filling and vapour filling. We propose to optimise the process for the filling of carbon nanotubes and the removal of the external material (from the filling experiment); to prepare and characterize nanoscaled materials which properties can differ significantly from the bulk material, and to fill carbon nanotubes with materials of interest for medical applications.

Keywords: inorganic chemistry,nanotechnology
The role of genetic diversity of RNA viruses in virulence and pathogenesis (RNAVIRUSDIVNPATHO)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-IRG-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2010-01-01
End date: 2013-12-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

RNA viruses have the highest mutation frequencies in nature, which are in large part attributed to the low fidelity of their viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRp). Explosive replication kinetics coupled with high mutation rates quickly generate highly diverse populations (quasispecies) maintained by mutation-selection balance. RNA virus quasispecies have been observed for nearly all RNA viruses, but whether genetic heterogeneity is a function or consequence of a the virus’ interaction with its host environment has been difficult to answer, particularly in vivo. Recently, we have developed a model system to study these questions by altering the RdRp fidelity of poliovirus, thereby changing the amount of genetic diversity present in a population. We showed that viral infectivity, dissemination and pathogenicity were dependent on the level of genetic diversity present within a viral population. We also showed that restricting genetic diversity strongly attenuates virus and may constitute a novel strategy to engineer live virus vaccines. However, the poliovirus model of infection of transgenic mice presents significant differences and limitations with respects to a natural host infection. To further extend our preliminary results, we are shifting the expertise acquired in these recent studies to a more natural model of infection, using the Coxsackie B3 virus. This new model of study will permit a more detailed determination of the role of genetic diversity in pathogenesis and a more realistic evaluation of modulating genetic diversity as a vaccine approach.

Keywords: virology,rna viruses,quasispecies,pathogenesis,coxsackie virus,mutation,virus evolution,vaccines
Memory and information processing in assemblies of neurons (MIPAN)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: European Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Italy
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-ERG-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-08-20
End date: 2012-08-19
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 45000.0
EU funding (EUR): 45000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Electrically excitable cells are present in many multicellular organisms, especially in brains of animals, but they are also present in lower animals lacking central nervous system as sponges or in animals having excitable epithelia, which can conduct signals (neuroid conduction). Conducted electrical events serve for translation of environmental parameters and cues, obtained via sensory systems, into biological information and processes. Living organism uses electric signal to encode sensory information and prepare it for further processing what results with a specific actions (behaviour) or with memory storage in cellular network. Understanding of physical basis of information processing in living organism is an important aim of the modern neuroscience. The most common way for uncovering the response organization is observation of cell cultures under particular conditions. Such conditions can refer to different type of environmental stimuli, like chemicals, temperature, light intensity including gravity. The adaptation of organisms to a certain gravitational conditions make their functioning working properly in symbiosis with the particular strength of gravitational acceleration on Earth. The question which arises, especially during the spatial exploration era in which we are living now, is what are the effects of gravitational changes on living organisms? Can they survive or adapt? And the most important question for neuroscientists: can the microgravity conditions affect the information processing by the animal brain and commanding units in plants? The study of this problem is of great importance when thinking about the long exposure to microgravity conditions during long spatial flights as well as during spatial colonisations. The main aim of the proposal is the study of the ability of living organisms to adapt to a new environment in terms of a proper information processing of external stimuli and memory processes.

Keywords: microgravity studies,adaptation processes,information processing,cellular electric activity,physiological biophysics,plant physiology,environmental biology,computational biology,neural networks
Advanced optoelectronic materials through dynamic combinatorial assembly (OPTOELECTRONIC_DCA)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: European Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-ERG-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-05-01
End date: 2012-04-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 45000.0
EU funding (EUR): 45000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Electronically conducting organic materials could potentially revolutionize future opto-electronic technologies, because they are tunable at the molecular level, easily processable, cheap, mechanically flexible, and can form nanoscale structures through bottom-up supramolecular self-assembly. The combination of organic synthesis and supramolecular chemistry can play a crucial role in attaining all these goals, providing a gateway to structures of a high complexity at length scales where both classical organic synthesis and top-down engineering break down. Here, I propose a new approach to making semiconducting nanoscale structures with tunable properties through self-assembly of graphene subcomponents. Graphene, a flat, one-atom thick sheet of graphite, is likely to play a crucial role in nanotechnology, potentially replacing silicon in future electronic devices. Graphenoids have a tendency to form columnar superstructures leading to large conductivities and other interesting optoelectronic properties. The aim of this project is to synthesize graphenoids that are capable of forming reversible covalent bonds amongst each other, and study their hierarchal self-assembly into well-defined, large, multicomponent conducting organic structures through dynamic combinatorial assembly and subsequent directional aggregation. These graphene nanostructures will be studied using state-of-the-art techniques, and their device performance, in for instance solar cells or LEDs, will be investigated. It is expected that these nano-engineered materials will show improved performance stemming from their nano-scale order, functionalization and compartmentalization. By funding European nanoscience and knowledge-based multifunctional materials research, one of the priority themes of the Work Programme, this fellowship will contribute to enhance scientific excellence in the European Union and it will be a first and crucial step towards reintegration of a talented young European researcher.

Keywords: organic chemistry,supramolecular chemistry,functional materials,optoelectronics
Advanced Light Harvesting for Organic based Solar Energy Conversion (ALHSOLAR)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: European Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Italy
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-ERG-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-11-01
End date: 2012-10-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 45000.0
EU funding (EUR): 45000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

During last years, there has been a strong research effort in order to cut down photovoltaics costs. Several possible alternative technologies to silicon-based photovoltaics have been proposed and Organic PhotoVoltaics (OPV) could represent the cheapest way to convert solar energy into electricity. The Bulk Heterojunction (BHJ) solar cell represents a photovoltaic system that can be processed from solution leading to large area devices on transparent and flexible substrates, using cheap techniques like spin-coating, doctor blading, ink-jet printing and screen-printing, in conformity with the request of low cost photovoltaics. One major obstacle to be overcome is the low Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE) that has been demonstrated up to now, a maximum of about 5%. Various parameters influence the low efficiency: among the others, PCBM, a soluble fullerene derivative, is the almost exclusive n-type material (acceptor) in these devices, obliging to optimize the donor in a particular device configuration; only a little amount of the solar spectrum is involved in the energy conversion process; charge carrier mobility is lower than the one of inorganic counterparts, only partly balanced by a higher absorption coefficient and a higher charge mean lifetime. The major objectives to be achieved in the present proposal framework are: 1) to study the optical and the electronic properties of new low-bandgap materials, both polymers and inorganic nanoparticles, as donor phase to be used in BHJ solar cells; 2) to study the optical and electronic properties of inorganic nanoparticles to be used as acceptor phase in BHJ solar cells. 3) to optimize the device structure in order to increase the fraction of absorbed photons from the incoming solar photon flux studying the light harvesting by Resonant Surface Plasmon coupling; 4) to optimize the light harvesting by Resonant Energy Transfer and/or new conceptual spectral shaping.

Keywords: soft matter and polymer physics,pv materials,pv cells,pv systems,solid state physics,physics of semiconductors
In vitro culturing of lichen-forming fungi and changes in DNA methylation level of the mycobiont (INVITROLICHEN)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: European Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Poland
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-ERG-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-05-01
End date: 2013-09-01
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 45000.0
EU funding (EUR): 45000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Lichens are the symbiotic phenotype of nutritionally specialized fungi that derive fixed carbon from green algae and/or cyanobacteria. The impact of nutrient availability and climate conditions on the growth and production of secondary metabolites is often discussed, especially that lichens produce an amazing diversity of secondary metabolites. Unfortunately, lichens are slow growing in nature and industrial-scale harvesting is not ecologically sensible and for some species not feasible, but lichen symbionts can be grown in cultures. However, the growth of the lichen fungi is relatively slow, especially when started from fungal spores. The project combines genetical, physiological and chemical analyses of lichen-forming fungi. The analysis of the breeding system of a very common lichen Protoparmeliopsis muralis may help us to understand why this lichen is so common in urban areas. Is it due to the high genetical variation caused by outbreeding or by self-fertility that could be advantageous in a particular environment? Moreover, the impact of strigolactones on the germination of fungal spores will be analysed in order to find potential stimulants for in vitro growth of the mycobiont. Moreover, the impact of the UV-light stress on the production of the secondary metabolites will be analysed. Investigation of the gene expression of mycobiont cultures will be performed in order to analyse genes potentially involved in the biosynthesis of certain secondary metabolites of lichen-forming fungi. An array of modern techniques will be used, including in vitro cultures of lichen-forming fungi, AFLP analysis, microsatellite markers analysis, MSAP, cloning, sequencing of fungal genes, HPLC and TLC analysis of the secondary metabolites. The expected results would contribute both to an understanding of lichen survival strategies and providing answers for basic questions about in vitro culturing and secondary metabolites biosynthesis.

Keywords: lichens,in vitro cultures,mycobiont,secondary metabolites,hplc,dna methylation,regulation of gene expression,aflp,microsatellites,strigolactones,germination,breeding system,mat genes
On-line monitoring of microwave-assisted chemical reactions by small-volume NMR techniques (MICRO(WAVE)-NMR)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: European Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-ERG-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-04-01
End date: 2012-09-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 45000.0
EU funding (EUR): 45000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The Micro(wave)- NMR project involves the coupling of continuous flow microwave (MW) chemical reactions with small-volumes Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) techniques. The aim is the on-line monitoring of a chemical process under continuous-flow microwave irradiation by NMR with the main goal of optimizing a process within less time and lower cost. On one hand, the project combines the unique heating mechanism of microwave irradiation with the safety, reproducibility and facile automation of continuous flow techniques. On the other hand, microcoils NMR will be used as the detection method providing the detection of mass-limited samples as well as more complete structural information than any other analytical technique. It is the first time than NMR will be coupled to the microwave technology for an on-line analysis of the reaction product. For the achievement of the objectives, regarding the microwave set-up, a continuous-flow microwave cell has to be designed. The cell will contain capillary-sized reaction tubes defining a small heated coil that winds in and out of the microwave cavity. Reaction mixtures can be flowed through defining a low reaction volume, in the µL range in order to optimize a chemical process with lower cost. Regarding the NMR set-up, microfluidic chips containing a radiofrequency microcoil (NMR-chip) will be used as the detection method and hyphenated to the microwave reactor by means of capillaries. The use of microcoils for NMR provides a sensitivity enhancement, enabling the detection of samples in the picomole range. Microcoils provide higher signals when the detection volume matches the diameter coil, thus, the detection volume will be very small and in the same range than the reaction volume for a better analysis. The NMR-chip concept has been designed and optimized during my previous Marie Curie Fellowship. The proposed project allows me to share the knowledge acquired during my current Fellowship with my University of origin.

Keywords: technological sciences,health sciences
Low Emission Gas Turbine Technology for Hydrogen-rich Syngas (H2-IGCC)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Energy
Destination: Clean coal technologies
Action type: Collaborative project
Countries involved: Switzerland,Germany,Italy,Belgium,Netherlands,France,Germany,Italy,United Kingdom,Germany,Belgium,United Kingdom,Germany,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,Norway,United Kingdom,Ireland,Belgium,Hungary,Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-ENERGY-2008-TREN-1, 2008)
Start date: 2009-11-01
End date: 2014-04-30
Duration (months): 54.0
Total project cost (EUR): 17191878.0
EU funding (EUR): 11279696.8
Participants: 25
Project status: CLOSED

The overall objective of this project is to provide and demonstrate technical solutions which will allow the use of state-of-the-art highly efficient, reliable gas turbines in the next generation of IGCC plants, suitable for combusting undiluted hydrogen-rich syngas derived from a pre-combustion CO2 capture process, with high fuel flexibility. The recognised challenge is to operate a stable and controllable gas turbine on hydrogen-rich syngas with emissions and process parameters similar to current state-of-the-art natural gas turbine engines. This objective will have severe implications on the combustion technology, hot gas path materials, the aerodynamic performance of turbomachinery components, and the system as a whole. The project will address these issues in Subprojects: SP1: Combustion; SP2: Materials; SP3: Turbomachinery and SP4: System analysis. In addition, the project will also look into gas turbine fuel flexibility, which will be demonstrated in order to allow the burning of back-up fuels, such as natural gas, without adversely affecting the reliability and availability. This is an important operational requirement to ensure optimum use of the gas turbine. The H2-IGCC project – coordinated by the European Turbine Network - gathers the whole value chain of gas turbine power plant technology, including Original Equipment Manufacturers, GT users/operators and research institutes with diverse key expertise needed to fulfil the objectives. Successful dissemination and implementation of the results will open up the market for IGCC with Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), as it will improve the commercial competitiveness of IGCC technology. In particular, the integrated approach used in the project will enhance confidence and significantly reduce deployment times for the new technologies and concepts developed in this project. The vision is that this will allow for the deployment of high efficiency gas turbines in competitive IGCC plants with CCS technology by 2020.

Keywords: syngas,hydrogen combustion,gas turbine,igcc,pre-combustion carbon capture,materials,combustion,turbo-machinery,system analysis
Application of Silicon Photomultipliers to Imaging Detectors (ASPID)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: European Re-integration Grants
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-ERG-2008, 2008)
Start date: 2009-03-30
End date: 2012-03-29
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 45000.0
EU funding (EUR): 45000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Medical imaging is a multidisciplinary research field that has a direct application to the improvement of human health. Instrumentation development in this area is an essential step in the search for high performance imaging devices that can help to provide an early and accurate diagnosis of the diseases. The novel photodetectors known as silicon photomultipliers or multicell Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes are an alternative to the traditional photomultiplier tubes that can overcome some of the limitations of the existing instrumentation. In the last years they have reached a performance level that can make their application to medical imaging highly advantageous. The use of these photodetectors makes possible the construction of high resolution and efficiency detector blocks that can lead to a significant improvement in the performance of detectors for Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The proposed project aims to contribute to the development of this technology and to assess its benefits in medical imaging through their employ in the construction of detector heads for two different applications: a small animal PET scanner with expected submillimeter spatial resolution and a clinical high resolution intra-operative PET probe. The project will greatly help the applicant in her reintegration process in the host institution, to continue her training as a scientist and further improve her management and leadership abilities, and also to get established and consolidate her research career. Furthermore, it will serve to reinforce the collaboration with the host institution of her previous Marie Curie Intra-European fellowship, and will also contribute to introduce this novel and promising technology in the host institution.

Keywords: medical imaging,instrumentation development,positron emission tomography,silicon photomultipliers,multicell geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes