Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
How has the rapid scale up of malaria control in Africa impacted vector competence? (ReMVeC)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Prevention,  Diagnosis and T reatment of Human Diseases
Panel description: Medical technologies  and tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, therapeutic approaches and interventions , pharmacology, preventative  medicine, epidemiology and public health , digital medicine
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2022-STG, 2022)
Start date: 2023-05-01
End date: 2028-04-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1499581.0
EU funding (EUR): 1499581.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for more than 200 million cases and 400.000 deaths each year, with over 90% of cases occurring in Africa. The parasite is reliant upon Anopheline mosquitoes for transmission and insecticide treated bed nets targeting these mosquitoes represent the single most efficacious way to reduce case numbers and hence deaths. However, due to the use of pyrethroid insecticides on all distributed insecticide treated bed nets, insecticide resistance now threatens the impact of these interventions. Analogously, deaths from active malaria cases have been decreasing through the successful use of drug therapy; however, resistance to every class of front-line drug has now been described. Incredibly, we simply do not know the impact of current vector control tools on parasite development nor the impact of drug resistance on development within the mosquito vector, despite fine scale characterisation in the erythrocytic stages. With the stalling of progress in malaria elimination and the addition of new chemistries to insecticide treated bed nets, it is time that we invested in understanding precisely how our current vector control tools affect the parasite in order to avoid catastrophic failure of malaria control. To this end, I propose to: (i) Determine the impact of insecticide use on parasite development in the contexts of species replacement, insecticide resistance and insecticide exposure; (ii) Elucidate the changes due to parasite drug resistance on mosquito-stage development; (iii) Ascertain genetic interplay between mosquito immunity and response to insecticides to identify new targets that negatively affect insecticide resistance and parasite development. The results generated from this multidisciplinary proposal will redefine our understanding of factors determining vector competence under contemporary transmission settings and will identify alternative options for intervention.

Keywords: insecticide resistance,anopheles,plasmodium,drug resistance
Heterochromatin repair: mechanisms and roles across scales (HETREPAIR)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Integrative B iology : from Genes and Genomes to S ystems
Panel description: For all organis ms: Genetics, epigenetics, genomics  and other ‘omics studies , bioinformatics, systems biology , genetic diseases , gene editing, innovative methods and modelling,  ‘omics for personalised  medicine
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: ERC CONSOLIDATOR GRANTS (ERC-2024-COG, 2024)
Start date: 2025-06-01
End date: 2030-05-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1999825.0
EU funding (EUR): 1999825.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Cells face continuous challenges from insults that damage their DNA. To safeguard DNA integrity, a range of repair mechanisms have evolved, which are crucial for organismal survival. However, the eukaryotic nucleus contains different chromatin domains, each requiring specific repair mechanisms to ensure genome stability. In particular, the compact and transcriptionally silenced heterochromatin domains, which are riddled with repetitive DNA and developmental genes, are a challenging environment to repair DNA damage. Despite covering a substantial amount of our genome and being essential for organismal viability and development, heterochromatin remains poorly understood in its response to DNA damage. Heterochromatin domains possess specific molecular and biophysical properties, which I hypothesize necessitate unique chromatin responses at the damaged site to ensure effective repair and maintain genome stability. The aim of this proposal is to identify the dynamic responses to DNA damage in heterochromatin domains and determine their role in maintaining genome stability and tissue health. I will study this across scales, utilizing our recently developed in vitro reconstitution systems that mimic DNA damage in heterochromatin, as well as our unique in vivo systems to study and manipulate heterochromatin repair in fruit fly tissue. These approaches will be integrated with state-of-the-art proteomics, single-cell chromatin analyses and live imaging to identify the mechanisms of DNA repair in heterochromatin, and ultimately determine their impact on genome maintenance and tissue homeostasis. Unravelling chromatin dynamics during DNA repair in heterochromatin has the potential to yield broader insights into their role in other essential nuclear processes such as DNA -replication and -transcription. Importantly, HETREPAIR could in the long-term shed light on how heterochromatin repair processes are disrupted in disease and how these can be exploited during treatment.

Keywords: heterochromatin,dna damage repair,genome instability
MECHanical QUBIT With Enhanced Coherence (MECH-QUBIT)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: The European Innovation Council (EIC)
Theme: EIC Pathfinder
Destination: Open to supporting projects in all areas of science, technology,...
Action type: EIC actions
Countries involved: Spain,France,Switzerland,Germany
Call: EIC Pathfinder Open (HORIZON-EIC-2025-PATHFINDEROPEN, 2025)
Start date: 2026-02-01
End date: 2030-01-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3072590.0
EU funding (EUR): 3072590.0
Participants: 4
Project status: SIGNED

Condensed-matter qubits, such as transmons and spin qubits, benefit from compatibility with silicon-based fabrication, offering a path toward scalable quantum processors that could eventually host millions of qubits. However, despite their scalability, these platforms remain fundamentally limited in coherence, with typical quantum coherence times in the range of 0.01 to 1ms. Here we propose a radically new qubit architecture that encodes quantum information in mechanical vibrations, targeting quantum coherence times in the 1–100ms range. This mechanical qubit is realized by coupling a high-frequency mechanical oscillator to an electron double quantum dot (DQD) qubit. The key to surpassing the coherence of conventional electronic qubits lies in operating within the ultrastrong coupling regime, where the interaction strength between the mechanical and electronic degrees of freedom becomes comparable to the mechanical frequency. In this regime, mechanical nonlinearities at the quantum level emerge, enabling the definition of robust two-level systems with enhanced coherence. The project will demonstrate the mechanical qubit concept using suspended graphene drums integrated with bilayer graphene DQDs and superconducting resonators for readout. These components will be fabricated using all-2D-material van der Waals heterostructures to suppress charge noise and maximize coherence. A tight feedback loop between theory, fabrication, and experiment will guide optimization, enabling systematic identification and mitigation of decoherence sources. As proof-of-concept, we aim to realize coherent control of the mechanical qubit, a two-qubit gate, and force quantum sensing protocols with unprecedented sensitivity. This novel qubit platform opens the path to scalable quantum computing with improved quantum coherence and integrated sensing functionality.
Reshaping women's health through the understanding of gynecological fluids. WomEC: Antibody-based IVD test based on 5 novel protein biomarkers quantified in liquid biopsy (WomEC)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: The European Innovation Council (EIC)
Theme: EIC Accelerator
Destination: Open to supporting projects in all areas of science, technology,...
Action type: EIC actions
Countries involved: Spain
Call: EIC Accelerator Open 2023 (HORIZON-EIC-2023-ACCELERATOR-01, 2023)
Start date: 2023-10-01
End date: 2026-06-30
Duration (months): 33.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3853212.5
EU funding (EUR): 2499999.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

WomEC is the future of endometrial cancer (EC) diagnosis. It is an in vitro diagnostic test for EC based on 5 novel protein biomarkers that are analyzed in the fluid of a pipelle biopsy, providing a 97% Negative Predictive Value. WomEC has been verified in 4 clinical retrospective studies in 530 patients that resulted in two patents. A verified immunoassay prototype incorporating a proprietary algorithm and antibodies will be completed by January 2023 with clinical validation and commercialization expected for 2024. WomEC is targeted at public and private hospital systems (clinical laboratories) and will benefits woman undergoing the diagnostic process by providing: a faster, more accurate diagnosis, with fewer complications by eliminating the need for invasive tests; and by providing tumor histologic information to improve clinical decision making and optimize surgical treatment leading to a better quality of life, increased life expectancy and reduced cost of care.

Keywords: biomarker,patient care,open innovation,machine learning,statistical data processing,algorithm,protection,immunoassay
Demography and social structure of Polynesian outliers: genomic investigations of over 100 individuals buried in Namu, Taumako island (NAMU)

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: Germany
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01, 2021)
Start date: 2022-08-15
End date: 2024-12-14
Duration (months): 28.0
Total project cost (EUR): 189687.36
EU funding (EUR): 189687.36
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Oceanians are descendants of two main migration waves: the early migration of modern humans out-of-Africa more than 50,000 years ago (ya), which ended in the Solomon Islands (Near Oceania); and the Austronesian expansion, that started around 5,000 ya in Taiwan and peopled the remaining unexplored territories of Oceania (Remote Oceania) up to Polynesia from 3,000 ya. Subsequent migrations within the region created a complex genetic landscape. Near Oceanian populations moved into Remote Oceania at least 2,500 ya. Afterwards, Polynesian-speaking groups expanded westward, outside the Polynesian triangle, to other Oceanian islands, giving rise to the so-called Polynesian Outlier communities. This complex population history created a highly differentiated sociocultural background among Oceanians, whose interactions remain poorly understood. We will leverage genetic data for 114 ancient individuals from the ancient Polynesian Outlier site of Namu, a burial in the Taumako island, occupied from the 13th to the 18th centuries AD, which represents, to our knowledge, the largest ancient DNA dataset ever studied from a single site. We will use cutting-edge paleogenomic methods to study: the settlement processes and the demographic history of Taumako, and the social organization and socioeconomic stratification of the Namu site, according to genetic ancestry, sex, kin relations and age. The ultimate objective is to understand the structure of Oceanian societies and its relation with their migratory history. To achieve the project’s goals, I will integrate in the Archaeo- and Palaeogenetics group at the University of Tübingen, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Cosimo Posth, who is a worldwide known expert in paleogenomics. This innovative and multidisciplinary project is a unique opportunity for me to learn the full range of paleogenomic techniques from a leading group in the field and to establish myself as an interdisciplinary leader in this expanding research area.

Keywords: polynesia,oceania,pacific islands,population genetics,admixture,social structure,kinship,ancient dna,paleogenomics
Decoding the role of mitochondrial dynamics in the mesenchymal-to-amoeboid transition and melanoma metastasis (MitoMat)

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,United States
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): 226420.56
EU funding (EUR): 226420.56
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

Tumor cell migration and invasion represent the foundation of cancer metastasis. It is therefore critical to better understand the mechanisms driving a specific subset of tumor cells to invade nearby tissues. Invasive cells are known to have an undifferentiated, mesenchymal-like state. However, under specific microenvironment conditions, mesenchymal cells become amoeboid, through a process known as the mesenchymal-to-amoeboid transition (MAT). Paradoxically, it is not the mesenchymal cells that are more metastatic-prone, but the amoeboid cells. What is not yet fully understood is the precise cellular mechanisms driving MAT. Emerging evidence show that mitochondria are closely linked with cellular motility, especially in cancer. Mitochondrial dynamics, consisting mainly in mitochondrial fusion, fission, intracellular trafficking and turnover, was proven to be involved in the migration of mesenchymal-like tumor cells. However, very little is known about the characteristics of lamellipodia-localized mitochondria in these cancer cells on one hand, and how it might influence MAT and the amoeboid phenotype on the other. Therefore, I first aim to evaluate the role of mitochondrial dynamics in tumor microenvironment-triggered MAT during the 3D invasion of melanoma cells by combining microfluidic and optogenetic approaches. Secondly, I will characterize the lamellipodia-localized mitochondria in terms of proteome, age, energetic and oxidative status, in mesenchymal-like melanoma cells using biochemical, microfluidic and proteomic approaches. By the end of the project, MitoMat would significantly improve the mechanistic understanding of how mitochondria are hijacked to fuel cancer cell motility, specifically within melanoma cells with different MAT phenotypes. If mitochondrial dynamics would prove to be a driver for both cell invasion modalities (mesenchymal and amoeboid), our results could represent the premises for a future migrastatic therapy, targeting cancer metastasis.

Keywords: mitochondrial dynamics,cell migration and invasion,mesenchymal to amoeboid transition,microfluidics,optogenetics,proteomics,melanoma metastasis
EIC Communities: Building Synergies and Communities around EIC Portfolios to raise the impact of the EIC deep tech research (EIC Communities)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: The European Innovation Council (EIC)
Theme: other EIC
Destination: Other destinations
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Italy,Belgium,Portugal
Call: Creating communities, stakeholder engagement and impact from EIC portfolios (HORIZON-EIC-2022-COMMUNITIES-01, 2022)
Start date: 2023-09-01
End date: 2026-02-28
Duration (months): 30.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1000000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1000000.0
Participants: 4
Project status: SIGNED

The project’s main objective is to increase the visibility and impact of EIC portfolios of projects through the co-creation of diverse online and physical activities, materials and tools that will be implemented in three thematic Communities of Practice - CoP (green, digital/industry/space and health). Those formats will prompt the creation of multidisciplinary communities around selected portfolios, and will stimulate interactions and synergies among projects inside and across thematic and EIC challenge-driven portfolios, while providing the EIC Programme Managers ( EIC PMs) with sustainable measures and community model structures to build networks around portfolios and develop new visions for future technologies and innovation breakthroughs. EIC Communities will work closely with the EIC representatives and EIC PMs through, inter alia, co-creation of new engagement practices and co-developing policy recommendations for R&I in future deep-tech. Community and synergy building activities will be co-developed with CoP stakeholders and implemented inside and across the three CoPs to ensure cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary interactions between EIC open and challenge-driven portfolios and projects. Those activities will include: (i) pitching sessions, (ii) matchmaking between projects, (iii) organisation of Portfolio Days and online interactive academies, (iv) thematic workshops and (v) re-launch of the Future Tech Week. As a result, a wider community, which goes beyond the selected portfolios, will be established in each CoP. The outcomes of the activities carried out in CoPs will be translated in a set of high-impact communication materials that will aim at showcasing the added value of the portfolio ecosystem and benefits stemming from portfolio interactions. Sustainability and replication plans will be produced with a view to ensure effective pathways for exploitation of project results and to stimulate synergies with other portfolios, not covered by the project.

Keywords: expanding eic portfolios into eic deep tech communities,stakeholder engagement,communities of practice,co creation,synergy and community building,cross sectoral and multidisciplinary exchanges
Development of Bismuth Chalcogenide Sustainable Thin Film PV Technology (BOOSTPV)

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: Estonia
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2022 (HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01, 2022)
Start date: 2023-06-01
End date: 2026-12-31
Duration (months): 43.0
Total project cost (EUR): 151901.76
EU funding (EUR): 151901.76
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The EU set an ambitious goal towards decarbonising the energy system and to reach climate objectives in 2030/2050. PV is recognized as one of the key renewable energy solution to fulfil the climate-neutrality, defined by strategical SET-plan target of 30% (10TW) world’s energy demand by 2050. To meet these goals in an economically and environmentally meaningful way, energy demand and CO2 emissions for the production of PV cells must be well below those of mainstream crystalline silicon. Today’s available highly efficient thin film (tf) PV technologies relies on scarce elements (indium in CIGS; tellurium in CdTe) or contains elements like lead or cadmium that fall under the EU RoHS-directive. BOOSTPV proposes development of novel absorbers and proof of concept tf solar cells entirely based on emerging, low-cost, earth abundant and green bismuth chalcogenide PV materials. The approach is based on a rapid technological development of low temperature processes, using robust, resource saving, high yield and easily scalable close spaced sublimation technique. BOOSTPV will promote the research excellence of the fellow and research group via two-way transfer of knowledge, strengthening their expertise and innovation at international level. Cost-efficient, stable and lightweight tf solar cells will be fabricated, using processes with reduced environmental impact and carbon footprint, paving a solid base for further development and deployment of ground-breaking technologies that will feed the innovation cycle, progress in BIPV/PIPV application variability and support the value chain of the next generation PV in EU.

Keywords: bismuth chalcogenides,thin film pv,sustainable technology,earth abundant green elements,low cost,bipv,pipv
Fostering Excellence in Advanced Genomics and Proteomics Research at Comenius University in Bratislava (FORGENOM II)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area
Programme: Widening participation and spreading excellence
Theme: Improved access to Excellence
Destination: Improved access to Excellence
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Slovakia,Germany,Italy
Call: Twinning Bottom-Up (HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-02, 2023)
Start date: 2024-05-01
End date: 2027-04-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1498425.0
EU funding (EUR): 1498425.0
Participants: 3
Project status: SIGNED

Genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics play an increasingly important role in the current societal challenges. These scientific fields bring tools and technologies that can significantly improve the health of citizens. In personalized medicine it contributes to the development of more targeted personalized drugs, therapies and interventions for serious diseases (cancer, rare diseases). Genomics has also a significant role in the data-driven COVID-19 pandemic response. Genomics and bioinformatics in Slovakia has rapidly developed also thanks to the Comenius University in Bratislava (CU). Nevertheless, the CU’s capacity and expertise still lags behind the leading research institutions. The main aim of the TWINNING project FORGENOM is to improve access to excellence at the Comenius University Science Park (CUSP) and raising the research profile of the institution and its staff in the field of biomedical genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics via targeted networking and mentoring and training activities with internationally leading research institutions in the area of genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics – European Molecular Biology Laboratory and Milano-Bicocca University. By networking activities with global leaders will be developed the potential of the Comenius University to become European-wide known centre with increasing R&I contributions and achievements. These will increase the participation of the teams from CU in European and international projects. FORGENOM project will help to increase the scientific level, research quality, international visibility, and competitiveness of the Comenius University through targeted twinning activities aimed at career development, transfer of knowledge, institutional development, exchange of best practices and networking. Enhancing the scientific excellence of CU and transfering of know-how from experienced countries will have a systemic impact on the entire Slovak R&I system.

Keywords: twinning genomics bioinformatics proteomics networking