Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Atmospheric surfactants Chemistry: imProving the predictions of cloUd Formation and Features (CHEMPUFF) (CHEMPUFF)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Environment and Geosciences
Countries involved: France
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2018-04-09
End date: 2020-04-08
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 185076.0
EU funding (EUR): 185076.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Predicting the formation and properties of clouds the atmosphere still represents a major challenge today and a main source of uncertainties in weather forecasting, hydrology, and climate prediction. Some fundamental aspects of these processes are still poorly understood, such as the role of the surface-active compounds (or surfactants) and their chemistry in the droplet nuclei, predicted by theory 80 years ago but elusive to observations until recently. The objective of CHEMPUFF is to complete the understanding of these compounds and their role on cloud formation and climate by - simultaneously investigating aerosol surfactants and cloud events in different regions (mid-latitude continental, Coastal, and Boreal), - using the results, together with satellite data, to make the first evaluation of the impact of surfactants on the radiative forcing of clouds on climate, at regional scale, then at global scale in collaboration with global modelers, - using the field results to characterize the links between aerosol surfactants and the biosphere (microorganisms, vegetation), and investigate the existence of a vegetation/biosurfactant/cloud/climate feedback in collaboration with global modelers. The Researcher is a recent PhD graduate from India, who has already demonstrated exceptional talents and scientific excellence. He will be integrated to the Host group at CNRS, France, which has led the main advances on the topic of surfactants and clouds in recent years. In addition to learning unique knowledge and techniques from this group, CHEMPUFF will open the Researcher’s professional network to Europe, thus increase his career prospects.
EXPERIENCE NATURAL FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT IN VR WITH THE OMNIDECK – THE ULTIMATE VR EXPERIENCE (OMNIDECK)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Sweden
Call: SME instrument (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1, 2018)
Start date: 2018-09-01
End date: 2019-02-28
Duration (months): 6.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

MSE Omnifinity AB is a company specialized in the development of hardware for Virtual Reality. The company developed a 360-degree VR locomotion device which allows users to physically move within a simulated world. The Omnideck can be used in various industries to improve analysis, enhance design processes, for exploration or training. In 2018, the company completed a beta-test with 40 external users (TRL=6). The key objective of this project is to assess the technical feasibility and the commercial potential of the Omnideck. The company intends commercialize the product in three targeted market segments, namely, innovation & research, entertainment and defense & security. In all three segments, the company collaborates with partners: R&D labs, architectural visualization studios, construction companies as well as safety and defense firms. In 2013, Omnifinity obtained an R&D grant obtained from Vinnova, Sweden’s innovation agency.

Keywords: locomotion,treadmill,training,simulation
Ongoing chromosomal instability in cancer: real-time imaging and single cell genetics of missegregating chromosomes. (OCIC)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Reintegration panel
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2019, 2019)
Start date: 2021-01-01
End date: 2022-12-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 187572.48
EU funding (EUR): 187572.48
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Genomes from tumor cells are often grossly derailed in DNA content, with chromosomes gained, lost, fused or otherwise rearranged. Presumably, many of these aberrations stem from mistakes during cell division, during which the DNA is normally divided equally to both daughter cells. Cell division is often studied microscopically in 2D cell culture, while DNA sequences from cancer genomes are often re-constructed from tumor patient material. As a consequence, there is still a poor understanding regarding the direct genetic consequences of mitotic errors and as such, genomic instability. Patient-derived tumor organoids, in combination with cutting-edge technology that combines direct microscopic observation of mitotic events, with single-cell whole genome sequencing (scWGS), provide a unique opportunity to tackle these fundamental questions. To understand the occurrence and maintenance of genomic instability, I will study organoids derived from esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) patients. While observed in many cancers, EAC genomes in particular show genomic catastrophes and are thought to drive tumorigenic transformation. Cells will be filmed in real-time to detect mitotic errors. Daughter cells from erroneous divisions will be photoconverted, allowing single cell tracking and isolation for prospective genetic analysis. scWGS will detect imbalances in chromosome number and/or structural rearrangements between the paired daughter cells. Genetic aberrations can be directly linked to the observed mitotic error and cell fate across multiple divisions to understand its role in tumorigenesis. To couple molecular mechanisms to genetic footprints, fluorescent markers will be implemented to interrogate the type of DNA damage missegregated chromosomes receive, how this affects the subsequent cell cycles, and how this missegregated DNA is re-incorporated into the genome. Finally, I will test these findings across a panel of human tumor organoids derived from different tissues.

Keywords: organoids,live cell microscopy,single cell sequencing,genomic instability,aneuploidy
Prudenta: Electronic Solution for Safer Drugs (prudenta)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Latvia
Call: SME instrument (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1, 2018)
Start date: 2018-08-01
End date: 2019-01-31
Duration (months): 6.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Prudenta is an innovative, artificial intelligence-supported cloud-based solution that will enable pharmaceutical companies to automate local medical literature monitoring for drug safety signals (possible adverse reactions) and thus drastically improve the safety of drugs, as well as reduce the costs of drugs in the market. Safety signal searching is mandatory by law to all pharmaceutical companies and must be performed in each country, where the drug is traded. Until now - such searching was manual, in many instances not even electronic. If successful, Prudenta would have a three-fold impact: 1) Safer drugs due to automation of the process and exclusion of the human error; 2) Cheaper drugs due to reduction of costs of inefficient use of experienced and educated personnel in pharmaceutical companies for manual searching; 3) Increase in employment in EU for support of all Prudenta activities (software development, operations, sales & marketing, etc.).

Keywords: pharmacovigilance,drug safety,adverse drug reactions
ToWards the Identification of Sesquiterpene TransportERs (TWISTER)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Belgium
Call: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) (H2020-MSCA-IF-2014, 2014)
Start date: 2015-08-01
End date: 2017-07-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 160800.0
EU funding (EUR): 160800.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Plants synthesize a wide range of secondary metabolites, among them, terpenes. These molecules are notably produced in trichomes which are specialized structures present on the surface of aerial organs. Although the terpene biosynthetic pathways have been well deciphered, their transport across membranes remains poorly understood. This is for instance the case for sesquiterpenes such as artemisinin, an extremely potent anti-malaria drug. Despite the immense benefits of these compounds for plant defenses as well as for human health, no sesquiterpene transporters have yet been identified. It was recently shown that Pleiotropic Drug Resistance (PDR) transporters, which belong to the large ATP-Binding Cassette family, are involved in diterpene transport in Nicotiana tabacum trichomes. Thus, other PDR transporters could transport other types of terpenes such as sesquiterpenes. Recently, two PDR transporters of Artemisia annua, namely AaPDR1 and AaPDR2, have been shown to be specifically expressed in glandular and T-shaped trichomes, respectively. Interestingly, glandular trichomes are known to produce artemisinin while T-shaped trichomes have been shown to produce ß-caryophyllene. Thus, we can hypothesize that AaPDR1 and AaPDR2 transport dihydroartemisinic acid, the artemisinin precursor, and ß-caryophyllene, respectively. In order to examine this hypothesis, this project aims to express these transporters in N. tabacum BY2 cells and characterize their activity using toxicity and transport assays in whole cells as well as direct transport in plasma membrane vesicles. In case our hypothesis concerning the substrates is incorrect, we will rely on a transportomics approach, which consists of running transport assays using metabolites extracted from isolated trichomes as putative substrates. In parallel, as a side project, isolated glandular and T-shaped trichomes will be submitted to quantitative proteomic comparison in order to identify their respective metabolisms.
Restoration of visual perception by artificial stimulation performed by 3D EAO microscopy (VISONby3DSTIM)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System
Panel description: Nervous system development, homeostasis and ageing, nervous system function and dysfunction, systems neuroscience and modelling, biological basis of cognitive processes and of behaviour, neurological and mental disorders
Countries involved: Hungary
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2015-CoG, 2015)
Start date: 2016-05-01
End date: 2021-04-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2000000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2000000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The long-term aim of the investigation is to assess the feasibility of creating an “artificial sense” and, thereby, a possible sensory (visual) prosthetic. While working towards this goal, we will have to address the question of how neural assembly activity relates to subjective perceptions. Finding and understanding these functional assemblies will make it possible to reactivate them in a precise, biologically relevant manner to elicit similar cortical activation as visual stimulation. Recent publications suggest that cortical connectivity can be mapped by two-photon microscopy. Here we want, therefore, to develop a novel 3D Electro-Acousto-Optical microscope for high-throughput assembly mapping. The microscope will be capable of scanning neuronal activity with one order of magnitude higher speed (300-500 kHz/ROI) and simultaneously photoactivate neurons with three order of magnitude higher efficiency (2,500 – 25,000 neurons/ms) than existing 3D microscopes while preserving the subcellular resolution required to simultaneously measure the somatic, the dendritic and axonal computation units in the entire V1 region of the cortex. The microscope will be based on our current 3D AO technology; on novel ultra-fast scanning technologies; new, 10-fold faster AO deflectors; and novel (multi-ROI) scanning strategies. Using our microscope in combination with novel caged neurotransmitters and optogenetic tools, we want to map cell assemblies and to understand how they form larger clusters and how they are associated with visual features. Furthermore, as a proof-of-concept of this grant, we want to restore visual perception by recreating previously mapped assembly patterns with 3D artificial photositmulation in behaving mice and see if the animal responds to the artificial stimulus in the same way as to the visual stimulus. Moreover, we want to restore visual information based spatial navigation in head restrained animals orienting and moving in a virtual labyrinth for reward.

Keywords: 3d acousto optic two photon microscopy,visual system,cortical processing,cell assemblies,uncaging,optogentics,3d imaging,visual restoration,virtual reality
Quantum control of levitated massive mechanical systems: a new approach for gravitational quantum physics (QLev4G)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Fundamental constituents of matter
Panel description: Particle, nuclear, plasma, atomic, molecular, gas, and optical physics
Countries involved: Austria
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2014-CoG, 2014)
Start date: 2015-06-01
End date: 2020-05-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2155285.0
EU funding (EUR): 2155285.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Quantum physics and general relativity are probably the most successful and well-tested theories of modern science. At the same time, their fundamental concepts are so dramatically different that there is disagreement on the most obvious questions such as “how does a mass in a quantum superposition state gravitate?“. Achieving progress on such foundational questions requires experiments at the interface between quantum physics and gravity, of which to date only a few of exist. The main objective of the proposed research is to establish quantum control of levitated massive objects as a new paradigm system for such experiments and to enter a hitherto inaccessible parameter regime of large mass and long quantum coherence. The proposal builds on the enormous recent success in quantum control of the motion of solid-state mechanical resonators, which has emerged over the last decade as a new branch of interdisciplinary research in quantum and solid-state physics. Applied to optically or magnetically levitated systems this methodology promises (i) exceptional sensitivity to weak gravitational forces, hence enabling measurements of gravity between sub-millimeter objects; (ii) unprecedented levels of decoupling from the environment, thereby opening up a new route for long-lived quantum coherence of genuinely massive systems. Quantum control is achieved by coupling the motion either of optically trapped particles to an optical cavity field or of magnetically trapped particles to superconducting circuits. We will explore both methods for systematically expanding the available parameter space of macroscopic quantum systems and for first proof-of-concept experiments aimed towards addressing fundamental questions of gravitational quantum physics. If successful, this research program will become a door-opener to the quantum regime of genuinely massive objects, where gravity of the quantum system itself may start to play a role for the correct description of a quantum experiment.

Keywords: quantum mechanics,quantum optomechanics,optical levitation,superconducting levitation,macroscopic quantum physics,gravitational quantum physics
Natural selection during the recurrent evolution of a major social trait (EvolvAnt)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2018, 2018)
Start date: 2019-05-23
End date: 2021-08-04
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 212933.76
EU funding (EUR): 212933.76
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

A major question in evolutionary biology is understanding how complex novel phenotypes evolve. The 20,000 species of ants provide a unique framework to understand which genes are involved in social evolution and which tradeoffs underpin changes in social organization. Ants are characterized by a remarkable division of labor whereby individuals from specialized castes reproduce (queens, males) while others (workers) build and defend the nest, rear brood and forage for food. The ancestral social organization which evolved ~140 million years ago included a single queen and her highly related offspring. However, there have been at least 24 convergent evolutionary transitions from this ancestral social form to a derived form of social organization with multiple reproductive queens per colony. Importantly, differences in queen number are associated with major life history differences including dispersal strategy, intracolony relatedness, pathogen load, territoriality, intra- and inter-species competitiveness and ecological niche. These cases offer comparisons which can be used to identify potential genetic switches between different social systems. Our proposal will build extensively on the massive natural replication these large numbers of convergent occurrences provide. Are any genes or pathways consistently under different selection pressure after a species has transitioned to exclusively multiple-queen colonies? Does the derived form of social organization have additional effects on genome evolution such as reducing the efficacy of selection? We will address such questions using a strong phylogenomic framework encompassing 40 species and 15 convergent transitions. Our results will have major implications on our understanding of the mechanisms and costs involved in the evolution of this complex social phenotype.

Keywords: social evolution,genome evolution,molecular evolution,sociality,natural selection,phylogenomics
Light-enabled transport phenomena in van der Waals heterostructures (OptoTransport)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Physics
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2018, 2018)
Start date: 2019-04-01
End date: 2021-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 191149.44
EU funding (EUR): 191149.44
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Van der Waals heterostructures consisting of atomically thin materials, such as graphene and Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD), have generated a tremendous amount of excitement in physics over the past decade. Embedding these systems in optical cavities leads to new hybrid excitations, known as exciton-polaritons, which govern the properties of the light-matter system. In this action, we aim to harness the unique properties of monolayer materials to explore exotic many-body phenomena that emerge due to the complex interplay of optical and electronic excitations. First, we plan to develop a new prototyping platform to rapidly and deterministically prepare high-quality van der Waals heterostructures, which will allow us to investigate a wider range of parameters than ever before. Our broad physics goal is to understand how electron transport is influenced by the presence of exciton-polaritons in different scenarios. In the first set of experiments, we will investigate polaron physics in a Bose-Fermi mixture formed by electrons and polaritons in a single TMD monolayer from a transport perspective. This will subsequently pave the way to exploring novel approaches to enhance interactions between electrons using exciton-polaritons as a mediator. A potentially ground-breaking consequence of our work will be the light-induced modification of transport properties of the system and in particular the enhancement of the critical temperature for superconductivity. The proposed research will therefore have a significant impact on our understanding of transport phenomena.

Keywords: exciton polaritons,2d materials,van der waals heterostructures,superconductivity,transition metal dichalcogenides
distRibutED, sElf-adaptable, and Scalable wIreless foG Networks (REDESIGN)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Information Science and Engineering
Countries involved: France
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2019-01-01
End date: 2021-01-09
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 173076.0
EU funding (EUR): 173076.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The long-term vision of this project is to kick-start wireless communications paradigm toward developing distributed, self-adaptable, and scalable fog networks and guaranteeing requirements of multitude of the Internet of Things applications including: high energy-efficiency, high data-rate, and high reliability. The goal is to develop wireless fog networks (WFNs) by using network slicing technology and deep learning techniques to integrate ground and drone fog nodes into cellular networks. The project will design WFNs integrated into cellular networks composed by smart cells which are able to continuously sense the network topology and to autonomously learn how to configure network parameters and to slice their own network resources to guarantee the required quality of services by fog nodes. Each cell could also add configuration parameters to enable device-to-device and multicast communications among wireless fog nodes themselves. This project enables a shift from centralised core-centric cellular networks toward distributed, software-based, and self-adaptable cell-centric ones to support new fog computing applications. These advancements will make the vision of smarter cities by applying ground and drone fog nodes, almost zeroing the operational expenses related to network configuration and hence revolutionizing the existing business models for fog computing by radically reducing energy and operational costs. This will also facilitate the rise of new fog networks markets and applications including healthcare, security, smarter power grids, and disaster management.

Keywords: wireless communications,wireless networks,system level modeling,stochastic geometry,optimization,energy efficiency,performance evaluation,fog computing and networking