Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Deciphering the melanoma-niche cell interplay to identify novel treatments for metastatic melanoma (MetaMelNiche)

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 Kingdom
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01, 2021)
Start date: 2023-09-01
End date: 2025-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 206364.88
EU funding (EUR): 206364.88
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Metastasis is the leading cause of death among patients with solid tumours including melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer. Despite tremendous progress in the development of effective targeted and immunotherapies, patient survival is still low. Understanding the mechanisms regulating the dissemination of cancer cells is critical to uncover new vulnerabilities of aggressive tumours. Whilst previous research has mostly focused on cell-intrinsic properties of cancer cells, the aim of this project is to define the impact of signals from the cancer cell niche on melanoma dissemination in vivo, with the long-term goal of discovering drug targets and developing new pharmacologic strategies against metastatic melanoma. Building upon previous results from the Ablain laboratory, I will elucidate and target the mechanism by which melanoma cells change their adhesion properties in response to local IGF1 signalling. Additionally, new interactions between melanoma cells and niche cells will be identified by scRNA-seq in human metastatic melanoma tissue obtained from the HCL Hospital, and recapitulated in reconstructed human skin systems and in zebrafish models. I will investigate the role of these interactions in the regulation of melanoma cell behaviour by combining genetic and pharmacologic manipulation with cutting-edge live-imaging in vitro and in vivo. This fellowship, through advanced interdisciplinary and intersectoral training and collaborations, will serve as a launchpad for reaching a position of academic independence, whilst facilitating a transfer of knowledge between myself, the CRCL and several collaborators, and addressing an unmet need for a better understanding of the behaviour of aggressive tumours. I will use this award to expand my skillset, build an international professional network, and establish myself as an expert in the field of cancer cell behaviour, producing high quality, cutting-edge research with strong translational potential.

Keywords: metastasis,melanoma,cancer cell niche,cell cell interactions,zebrafish,high resolution imaging,3d culture
Novel Ophthalmological Drug Product for Revolutionary Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema and Other Sight Threatening Disorders (AMX-300)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: The European Innovation Council (EIC)
Theme: EIC Accelerator
Destination: Other destinations
Action type: EIC actions
Countries involved: Israel
Call: EIC Accelerator 2024 - Short application (HORIZON-EIC-2024-ACCELERATOR-01, 2024)
Duration (months): 30.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Globally, at least 2.2B people have a vision impairment. In 1B of these cases, vision impairment could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed. Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) is a prominent sight-risking Posterior Segment Eye Disease (PSED), caused by diabetes complications. DME prevalence varies, with 11% in Europe, affecting > 27M globally, or 1:14 diabetics. Current treatments, like anti-VEGF injections are costly, highly invasive with limited efficiency, with risks including cataract formation & increased intraocular pressure. No non-invasive treatments are approved for DME or other PSEDs. ABLE is developing a novel ophthalmic technology using a soft matrix to deliver drugs effectively to the eye's posterior. This method, easier than placing a contact lens, increases drug bioavailability without frequent eye drops or invasive injections. AMX-300 combines this matrix with a corticosteroid drug, offering a new treatment avenue. ABLE has proven the unique matrix (patent pending) ability to host various drugs with varying target functions, dosage, drug release profile etc. ABLE has already proven several POCs and is advancing in the preclinical & clinical stages in chosen indications. ABLE's EIC project objectives include advancing clinical trials for AMX-300 in DME in Europe. We aim to open a Berlin office, secure regulatory approvals, finalize CMC, establish a manufacturing line, and establish marketing agreements & partnerships. We plan to start FIH trials for additional Posterior-Eye conditions in 2 years. Our diverse team, comprising of 60% women, is highly experienced in developing and marketing medical therapies. The EIC’s support at this stage will enable finalizing clinical stages and paving the way towards commercialization. This will be pivotal in order to actualize our mission of safeguarding people's sight via innovative non-invasive treatments.

Keywords: drug formulation refinement,diabetic macular edema,non invasive treatment of posterior segment eye diseases,soft polymeric matrix,api slow release to retina,prolonged bioavailability,self admin
COordination MEchanism for Cohorts and Trials (COMECT)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Programme: Health
Theme: Health
Destination: Tackling diseases and reducing disease burden
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Norway,Netherlands,France,Italy
Call: Pandemic preparedness and response: Sustaining established coordination mechanisms for European adaptive platform trials and/or for cohort networks (HORIZON-HLTH-2023-DISEASE-03, 2023)
Start date: 2023-12-01
End date: 2026-11-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3000000.0
EU funding (EUR): 3000000.0
Participants: 7
Project status: SIGNED

The overall goal of COMECT is to coordinate activities across Europe’s strategic adaptive platform trials (APTs) and cohort studies (CS) on infectious diseases (IDs) with epidemic or pandemic potential, by overseeing and facilitating dialogue, sharing of good practices, promoting collaboration and coordination across studies and providing updated information on initiatives and innovation in ID clinical research. COMECT will build on and strengthen existing networks and infrastructure. These include EU-funded coordination mechanisms and networks, namely the Trial Coordination Board (TCB), Joint Access Advisory Mechanism (JAAM), the Cohort Coordination Board (CCB), and the ECRAID Coordinating Comittee. COMECT will develop a visible, well-defined coordination mechanism to highlight Europe's capacity and competence as an attractive base for clinical research. COMECT will deliver: 1) an expanded, combined European coordination mechanism that will work on harmonizing research initiatives, exchange of good practices, and stakeholder engagement across ID clinical studies in outbreaks and during inter-epidemic phases; 2) a strengthened JAAM to support coordination through independent scientific assessment of compounds/vaccines and recommendations for APTs to evaluate the new compound in new or adapted platform trials; 3) the mapping of stakeholders and their respective activities relevant to APTs and CS; 4) a harmonised approach cross-study identification, assessment, and reuse of participant-level data from European APTs and CS; 5) coherent communications and stakeholder engagement across all activities; 6) a sustainability plan for the continuation of activities beyond the funding period. COMECT will quickly adapt coordination efforts to a changing research landscape and to new ID threats. COMECT will operate in close collaboration with other emergency preparedness mechanisms, such as HERA, EMA, GLOPiD-R and the European Pandemic Preparedness Partnership.

Keywords: emerging epidemics,cohort studies,
Dynamics of nitrous oxide release to the atmosphere under coastal hypoxia (DYNOX)

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: Environment and Geosciences
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01, 2021)
Start date: 2022-10-01
End date: 2024-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 203464.32
EU funding (EUR): 203464.32
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

The DYNOX project will elucidate the role of seasonal hypoxia as a driving mechanism for the exchange of the potent greenhouse gas (GHG) nitrous oxide (N2O) across the sediment-water-air interfaces in anthropogenically impacted coastal regions. To this end, the applicants propose to employ a comprehensive and innovative observational approach in Lake Grevelingen (Netherlands), which is a saline coastal reservoir that experiences seasonal hypoxia as a result of limited water exchange after two dams were built in the 60s-70s. The measurement strategy will consist of novel shipboard measurements, laboratory-based incubation experiments and analysis of archived samples. This comprehensive approach will allow an unprecedented analysis of the fluxes of N2O from a shallow coastal ecosystem, their natural variability in response to the onset of seasonal hypoxia as well as potential changes with further ocean warming and deoxygenation, and the underlying microbial responses. DYNOX will not only close gaps in data and fundamental understanding in the field of Earth and Environmental Sciences, but will also provide valuable data to the Essential Ocean Variables Framework of the Global Ocean Observing System, and serve as a scientific basis for issuing recommendations to local authorities on priority locations for cost-effective environmental monitoring. Hence, the project will contribute to the research and innovation framework programme “Horizon Europe”, within the mission area “Healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters”, as well as to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by addressing SDG 13 “Climate Action” and SDG 14 “Life Below Water”. The project will be carried out during a fellowship at the Department of Earth Sciences at Utrecht University under the supervision of Professor Caroline Slomp, and is expected to promote substantial progress in the scientific career of Dr. Arévalo-Martínez, who aims to establish himself as an independent research group leader.

Keywords: nitrous oxide,coastal hypoxia,ocean deoxygenation,greenhouse gases
Linker molecules convert commercial fluorophores into tailored functional probes during biolabeling (BIO-LINKER)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Proof of concept grants
Action type: ERC actions
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANTS1 (ERC-2022-POC1, 2022)
Start date: 2024-01-01
End date: 2025-06-30
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 150000.0
EU funding (EUR): 150000.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Fluorescence techniques are indispensable tools at the heart of basic research, medical diagnostics, cancer research, personalized medicine and drug screening. Their merits are not limited by physical instrumentation, but by the performance and properties of the employed fluorescent probes. All commercially available fluorophores – with a market potential of 2 billion € per year and an annual growth rate of ~8% – suffer from three fundamental problems: (i) Phototoxicity and poor signal quality, (ii) requirement for functional properties such as blinking emission, sensor capabilities or high photostability, and (iii) their limitations to be used in more than one specific application, e.g., for lipid-staining, organelle marking, DNA sequencing or single-molecule detection. Consequences of these problems can be loss of information in biomedical assays (e.g., via a too rapidly vanishing signal) resulting for example in an incorrect medical diagnosis or false positive hits in drug screening. My lab has developed a solution to these fundamental problems within the context of my ERC starting grant “SM-IMPORT”. We established a versatile class of ‘linker’ compounds that allow selective labelling of biological targets in vitro and in vivo with a (commercial) fluorophore, which becomes tuneable in all of its properties via the linker. With such a simple strategy, users in all branches of academic and industry research, but also in biomedicine will be able to modify properties of commercially available fluorophores preserving their standard labelling protocols – reducing assay costs and improving reliability. In this proof-of-concept grant, I want to explore the potential of our established linker library for commercial use.
A Multi-stage Malaria Vaccine for Control and Elimination (PfVIMT)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Programme: Health
Theme: Public-private partnerships
Destination: Global Health EDCTP3
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Partnership: EDCTP3 (JU-JTI)
Countries involved: France,Mali,Tanzania, United Republic of,United Kingdom,Benin,Burkina Faso,Kenya,India,United States,Ghana
Call: Research on existing Malaria vaccines and development of new promising candidates (HORIZON-JU-GH-EDCTP3-2024-01-two-stage, 2024)
Start date: 2025-03-01
End date: 2030-02-28
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 15028272.5
EU funding (EUR): 14996172.5
Participants: 12
Project status: SIGNED

This proposal responds to the HORIZON 2024 call “EDCTP3 Joint Undertaking: Research on existing Malaria vaccines and development of new promising candidates.”The malaria epidemic will not stop without a safe, efficacious, and affordable vaccine that can interrupt transmission. The first licensed malaria vaccines, RTS,S and R21, will substantially reduce childhood deaths in Africa. We propose to pursue accelerated approval of Pfs230D1+R21, the first multi-stage malaria vaccine to reduce transmission, which will reduce clinical malaria rates and support control and elimination. While R21 kills sporozoites in skin/liver, Pfs230D1 lyses gametes in mosquitoes. In field trials with adults and children, Pfs230D1 reduced mosquito infection rates >75%. Pfs230D1+R21 development relies on in-vivo direct-skin-feeding (DSF) bioassay, that feeds mosquitoes on skin to recapitulate natural parasite transmission, to measure reasonably likely surrogate efficacy endpoints for accelerated licensure. Modelling R21 and Pfs230D1 field efficacy data suggests Pfs230D1+R21 will substantially reduce malaria burden in high-transmission zones, while other simulations predict accelerated elimination in low-transmission zones. Through innovative trial designs and capacity-building, we will pursue EDCTP3 aims: 1) establish safety and efficacy of a multi-stage vaccine to reduce transmission; 2) pursue accelerated approval of Pfs230D1+R21; 3) expand population-wide long-term safety and efficacy data on R21; and 4) generate expertise and data to inform recommendations that expand cGMP and supply chain for vaccines in Africa. The program will expand clinical trial capacity for transmission-blocking interventions, build expertise and evidence to support future vaccine manufacture in Africa, and improve understanding of malaria immunity including correlates of protection. At project end, an approved multi-stage malaria vaccine to reduce transmission will be poised for Phase 4 cluster-randomized trials.

Keywords: multi stage vaccine,r21 anti infection vaccine,pfs230d1 transmission blocking vaccine,combination
Mechanistic Systems modelling of plant environmental adaptation and CAM photosynthesis engineering (MECHSYS)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced 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 ADVANCED GRANTS (ERC-2021-ADG, 2021)
Start date: 2022-11-01
End date: 2027-10-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1711101.0
EU funding (EUR): 1711101.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

A major goal of evolutionary biology is to reconstruct evolutionary trajectories and outcomes from mechanistic descriptions of the interactions between organisms and their environment. This goal is rarely reached due to the complexity of these interactions and their effects on fitness. Recent advances in computer technology that facilitate the solution and optimization of large mathematical systems have now brought such models into reach. In MECHSYS, I propose to develop a computational framework that builds on biochemical and physical principles to reconstruct how the interaction of the environment with plant anatomy, water transport, photosynthesis, and metabolism shapes plant physiology and fitness. Mathematically, the model comprises thermal balances as well as the balances of metabolites and water in different plant organs and in the compartments of leaf cells, using net CO2 fixation per root area over multiple days as a proxy for fitness. For a given climate and soil, the model will estimate fitness based on anatomical parameters and on systems-level protein concentrations and enzyme regulation. These estimates will allow us to rationalize the evolution and/or predominance of different types of plants in specific habitats. We will validate the model against proteomics and metabolomics data from representatives of C3 plants and the much more water use efficient CAM plants, covering desert plants as well as epiphytes. Moreover, we will simulate evolutionary trajectories towards CAM photosynthesis and succulence, two traits whose evolution appears to be interlinked. Finally, we will utilize the model to propose optimal strategies for engineering crops to become more drought-resistant in increasingly hotter and drier climates. Overall, MECHSYS will establish, test, and apply a ground-breaking, mechanistic systems modelling framework for evolutionary plant biology, which will allow deep insights into the selective forces that shape plant physiology and evolution.

Keywords: plant evolution cam photosynthesis c3 photosynthesis succulence water transport evolutionary systems biology integrated modelling ode systems
A paradigm shift for the future's thermal management devices through radical innovation in new materials and additive manufacturing (ThermoDust)

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: Ireland,Italy,Spain,Netherlands,Slovenia
Call: EIC Pathfinder Open 2021 (HORIZON-EIC-2021-PATHFINDEROPEN-01, 2021)
Start date: 2022-11-01
End date: 2026-10-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3275986.0
EU funding (EUR): 3275985.75
Participants: 5
Project status: SIGNED

Thermal management is in the strong need for new material’s innovation. Stunningly, large data centres spend up to 40% of the total energy consumption to run the cooling system. Other examples are in the cooling of electronics and in the thermal control of electric vehicles batteries. Here, the development of innovative solutions is hindered by heat removal and transport unsolved problems; the design aspect of thermal control devices has achieved so much but is already under pressure. New flexible materials, that can be processed with Additive Manufacturing (AM) and with thermal performances not yet seen, are now strongly required. In ThermoDust we will achieve a real breakthrough in this direction; we are set to join nanotechnology, process engineering with scalable industrial AM for the specific purpose of solving the thermal control problem; this is not an incremental step as it has not been done before. Our starting ground is micron-sized metallic powder, typically used in Powder Bed Fusion or Cold Spray processes. We will explore the addition of a performing 2D-material phase to the feedstock powder by using innovative techniques, with the final aim of engineering a radically new material (ThermoDust) with outstanding heat-transport performance. We will also prove it will be possible to use AM to process ThermoDust in order to form demonstrator devices that will outperform the current means of heat dissipation. And we intend to prove this in 3 key sectors: electronics, EV vehicles and aerospace with the development of specific proofs of concept. We are confident to be able to achieve the overall objectives through a sophisticated multi-disciplinary methodology that will rely upon scientific investigations, and the exploitation of discoveries to establish Europe as a leader in heat management, paving the way for innumerable new innovative products and markets in ICT, aerospace, electric vehicles and related areas.

Keywords: powder bed fusion,cold spray,selective laser melting,thermal management design,powders engineering
Ancient CH4 Utilization in Tipping point Ecosystems: The impact of methane seeps and subsea permafrost on methane-oxidizing microbial communities in the Arctic Ocean (ACUTE) (ACUTE)

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: Environment and Geosciences
Countries involved: Sweden
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2026-04-01
End date: 2027-09-30
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 189135.0
EU funding (EUR): 189135.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The Arctic Ocean is a hotspot of methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas stored in the form of gas hydrates, subsea permafrost, and underlying thermogenic gas. The sizes of these methane deposits are poorly constrained, but even the release of a small fraction could have significant effects on the global climate. The uncertainty is in part linked to microbial processes and especially little is known about aerobic methane oxidation of methane-oxidizing bacteria. The research project’s overarching objective is to investigate the relevance of aerobic methane oxidation for the Arctic by combining biogeochemical parameters with genomic data. The project has three scientific work packages. The first work package will characterize the benthic microbial community, specifically methane-oxidizing bacteria, and link it to methane cycling in the porewater and biomarkers of Siberian Arctic sediments. The second work package investigates the carbon cycling and methane oxidation of methane-oxidizing bacteria in the water column of the Siberian Arctic Ocean. The third work package has an experimental approach to simulate methane release from subsea permafrost and seeps as future tipping point ecosystems. ACUTE is an interdisciplinary project that will significantly advance our understanding of aerobic methane oxidation. This work relies on unique and valuable archived data, which minimizes the environmental impact of my research activities, conforming with the MSCA Green Charter, and significantly contributes to the few studies linking biogeochemistry and microbial communities across the Arctic Ocean. The excellent research facilities and work environment at Stockholm University promote a two-way transfer of knowledge. The generated results will be available through open science practices and of interest beyond the scientific community to policymakers and citizens, especially with rising awareness during the ongoing UN Ocean Decade.

Keywords: climate change,arctic,permafrost,methane,bacteria