Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Bio-Inspired Approaches to Porous Inorganic Nanoparticles and Their Application as Targeted Drug Delivery Systems (PINSYS)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Incoming Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IIF, 2011)
Start date: 2012-09-03
End date: 2014-09-02
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 209033.4
EU funding (EUR): 209033.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This project will develop novel, bio-inspired routes to the synthesis of porous inorganic nanoparticles with sponge-like internal structures, using nanostructured polymer capsules as templates. The application of these structures in targeted drug delivery and controlled release will then be investigated. Biominerals provide a unique inspiration for the design and synthesis of new materials. While showing remarkable structures and properties, these amazing materials form in aqueous environments under ambient conditions and organic molecules – either as soluble additives or insoluble matrices – are used to control crystal growth. We will here employ a bio-inspired strategy to generate porous calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate nanoparticles with sponge-like structures. A novel class of polymer capsules with bicontinuous internal structures, which are formed by the self-assembly of comb-like block copolymers in water will be used as templates. This system will also provide a unique opportunity for studying the effect of confinement on crystal nucleation and growth. Crystallisation in confinement is widespread in Nature, the environment and technology, and the research will therefore impact on fundamental research and technology across many disciplines. The synthesised porous nanoparticles will then be used to build targeted drug delivery systems (DDSs) by encapsulating anti-cancer drugs for the treatment of bone cancer. While mesoporous silica nanoparticles have been investigated quite extensively, little work has to-date been performed on alternative nanoporous crystalline inorganic nanoparticles. As compared with mesoporous silica, the calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate nanoparticles will show superior biocompatibility and biodegradation, and will also offer acid-responsive solubility and therefore will give the pH-responsive release of the encapsulated drugs from the drug delivery system in the acidic environment of tumors.

Keywords: biomineralization,crystal growth,crystallization,drug delivery,inorganic chemistry,biomedical materials,nanotechnology
Quantum Hall states in ultracold atomic gases (FLUX LATTICES)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IEF, 2011)
Start date: 2012-04-01
End date: 2014-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 193594.8
EU funding (EUR): 193594.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The fractional quantum Hall effect is one of the most intriguing quantum effects and the topic of much study in condensed matter physics. In the field of ultracold atomic gases, it has been a long endeavor to reach an experimental regime in which the associated strong correlation phenomena can appear. In this project, we want to explore two separate roads towards this regime. In a bulk system, we want to reduce the atom number to mesoscopic values in order to reach to required small fraction of atoms to vortices. In a lattice system, we want to create the recently proposed "optical flux lattices", which exhibit bands with non-zero Chern number, and thereby for the first time realize lattices with artificial gauge fields. In both cases, we want to use a single-atom imaging technique to study the ensuing strongly correlated states.

Keywords: atomic physics,electronic,magnetic and superconductive properties,quantum hall effect,optical lattices,ultracold atoms
Integrated Computational Techniques for Non-Target Screening of Environmental Contaminants using High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (CONTAMINANTID)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IEF, 2011)
Start date: 2012-03-01
End date: 2014-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 192622.2
EU funding (EUR): 192622.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Water is essential for life and the protection of this vital resource is paramount to ensuring quality of life. Millions of chemicals are produced annually and these chemicals, the reactants, by-products and/or transformation products end up at some stage in the water cycle, in potentially toxicologically relevant concentrations. As many of these chemicals remain unidentified, the risk posed to the environment and human health cannot be fully assessed. Current strategies for water monitoring only include a very limited selection of “priority pollutants”, which is insufficient for public and environmental protection. This project aims to improve the identification of unknown chemicals in water samples, using cutting edge analysis techniques (LC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS(n)) and automated data-processing strategies for compounds detected in any given water sample. Current strategies involving database searching will be explored and optimised to create a user-friendly workflow to streamline identification efforts for routine monitoring applications, where time is the essence. As database searching does not deliver the right answer in many cases, the development of identification strategies based on structure generation will also be a major focus of this work. In this case, all possible molecules are considered, not just those in the database, resulting in a far more complicated workflow. The structure generation strategy will incorporate the latest identification procedures within the environmental and metabolomics fields and will benefit from collaborations with several leading partners in these fields. The outcomes of this study will be applicable not only to environmental and metabolomics approaches but also for pharmaceutical, forensic and medicinal applications.

Keywords: non-target screening,mass spectrometry,structure generation,identification of unknowns,lc-ms(n),orbitrap,contamination,automated data processing
Biomimetic model of the cell cytoskeleton: polymer networks cross-linked with DNA strands (BIOLINK)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IEF, 2011)
Start date: 2012-03-01
End date: 2014-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 183805.8
EU funding (EUR): 183805.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The mechanics of cellular processes are determined by the cytoskeleton, a biopolymer network which spans the cell and provides it with mechanical strength. Cells have the capability to autonomously adapt structure and mechanical properties of their cytoskeletal network to changes in physical properties of the surrounding tissue, for which mechanosensing processes play an important role, allowing cells to sense those changes through their focal adhesions. The active adaptability of cellular mechanics has in part its origin in cytoskeletal protein motors (myosin II). An important part of the effort to elucidate how motor activity controls cell mechanics has focused on the rheology of in vitro actin cross-linked networks. The key to understand the mechanical adaptability of the actin cytoskeleton appears to be the poorly understood interplay between the activity of molecular motors and the mechanical properties, dictated to a large extent by cross-linkers. This proposal aims to fill that gap by adopting a unique experimental approach: a model system based on actin filaments grafted with DNA strands that form cross-links by specific base-pairing. The use of DNA strands as cross-linkers will give me unprecedented control over both strength and compliance of cross-links between actin filaments. A bottom-up approach will allow me to study, combining microscopy and rheology techniques, how cytoskeletal self-organization and mechanical properties depend on cross-linker compliance and motor activity, and to explore the formation of cell-substrate adhesions using a biomimetic model of a mechanosensing cell. This approach will provide for the first time a molecular understanding of cytoskeletal network mechanics, and allow for the development of quantitative theoretical models. My proposal will lay the foundation for new cell-inspired biomaterials of mechanical properties tailored on the molecular scale, with potential applications in tissue engineering and materials science.

Keywords: biomechanics,biophysics,physical sciences,soft matter and polymer physics
“Development and human validation of new healthier food products using low-cost functional ingredients”. (FOFIND)

Framework: FP7 — Capacities
Programme: Research for the benefit of SMEs
Destination: Research for SMEs
Action type: Research for the benefit of specific groups
Countries involved: Spain,Spain,Germany,Poland,Germany,Sweden
Call:  (FP7-SME-2012, 2012)
Start date: 2012-11-01
End date: 2015-06-30
Duration (months): 32.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2083574.01
EU funding (EUR): 1642000.0
Participants: 9
Project status: CLOSED

FOFIND will develop new affordable daily consumed functional food (biscuits, breads and juices) and nutritional supplements, using innovative low cost functional ingredients derived from milk and potato fibre. This new products will be directed to population with specific nutritional needs that cause hypertension, hypercholesterol, osteoporosis, anemia and bowel problems. The main results of FOFIND will be (1) Functional ingredients derived from milk by-products with demonstrated activity (Lowpept plus phytosterols, CPPs plus calcium salts, CPPs plus iron salts); (2) Nutritional complement tablets with functional ingredients derived from milk by-products; (3) New biscuits with functional ingredients derived from milk by-products and potato fibre; (4) New bakery products with functional ingredients derived from milk by-products and potato fibre and (5) New juices with functional ingredients derived from milk by-products. Human testing will be carried out to demonstrate the functionality of the results: (i) Lowpept to prevent hypertension; (ii) Lowpept plus phytosterols to prevent cholesterol and hypertension; (iii) CPPs plus calcium salts to help the absorption of calcium and (iv) CPPs plus iron salts to prevent anemia. FOFIND project will support SMEs breaking through these barriers, by means of the development of new added-value functional food and nutritional supplements to be implemented in a short term, which will allow SMEs to increase their competitiveness and will lead them to achieve new market niches and new consumer profiles. FOFIND will develop new functional ingredients and food aimed to improve the most prevalent nutritional needs in EU, providing added value to the final products and, ultimately, increasing the return of investment of food producer SMEs. In order to ensure project objectives, FOFIND consortium is formed by four SMEs and five RTDs from four EU countries (Spain, Poland, Sweden and Germany).

Keywords: caseinephosphopeptides,lowpept,phytosterols,potato fibre,anemia,cholesterol,hypertension,osteoporosis,gut diseases.
Development of a wireless high capacity broadband product, based on Free Space Optics, providing a new opportunity for low cost connection of houses to the fibre-based digital highway. (CONNECTTOO)

Framework: FP7 — Capacities
Programme: Research for the benefit of SMEs
Destination: Research for SMEs
Action type: Research for the benefit of specific groups
Countries involved: Norway,Sweden,Sweden,Lithuania,Ireland
Call:  (FP7-SME-2012, 2012)
Start date: 2012-10-01
End date: 2014-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1482621.0
EU funding (EUR): 1150000.0
Participants: 7
Project status: CLOSED

This proposal outlines how the SME partners will develop a low cost Free Space Optics (FSO) product for distribution of fibre-quality broadband to homes. The requirements for high capacity broadband are on the public agenda, and the fibre network backbone is constantly developing. However, the number of subscribers is not increasing at similar rates to match the increase in actual fibre backbone availability. The main reason for this is identified to be that connecting fibres to houses is often cumbersome and expensive. The connection cost from access point to the household is often judged to be the critical factor in deciding whether to connect or not. The ConnectTOO project aims at providing a new cost- effective means of connecting to the fibre-based broadband infrastructure. A significant reduction in installation costs will increase the number of subscribers of fibre to homes. Wireless technology has the ability of reducing installation cost, thereby adding more subscribers. None of the wireless solutions offered today has the ability to be the fibre alternative for connection of broadband to homes. FSO technology is used for wireless broadband connections, but the products offered aim at other markets. They are too costly, too large, and not suited to be used in connection to homes. The project will make the SME’s more competitive through providing them with a new high capacity low cost product, opening new market possibilities to the partners, increasing their technological competence and by building new and valuable business network. This proposal shows the uniqueness of the FSO solution behind this project idea, the technological challenges which remain to be handled and how the SME partners plan to overcome them. The product arrived at will provide a totally new opportunity to broadband service providers, and significantly increase the number of houses that will actually gain access to the high capacity broadband fibre network.

Keywords: free space optics,fso,laser-communication,wireless,high speed internet,broadband
Detection of kissing bonds in friction stir welds in aero structures (STIRSCAN)

Framework: FP7 — Capacities
Programme: Research for the benefit of SMEs
Destination: Research for SMEs
Action type: Research for the benefit of specific groups
Countries involved: France,United Kingdom,Belgium,Czechia,United Kingdom,Greece,Poland,Norway
Call:  (FP7-SME-2012, 2012)
Start date: 2012-12-01
End date: 2014-11-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1483861.6
EU funding (EUR): 1129000.0
Participants: 8
Project status: CLOSED

The proposed StirScan project will develop a NDT system in order to address the challenging problem of detecting kissing bonds in Friction Stir Welds (FSW). FSW is a relatively new joining technique for aluminium alloys which offers good joint performance and excellent reproducibility – this is of significant interest to the aerospace sector, where fatigue performance is particular crucial. However, “Kissing bonds” are a concern with FSW as such features can reduce fatigue performance of joints and currently are very difficult to detect (or accurately size) using existing NDT methods. This concern limits the adoption of FSW joining in aerospace, particularly for critical components. The StirScan project will develop a new NDT method to enable the detection of kissing bond defects below 0.3mm in length in aerospace components. A novel non-linear ultrasonic technique and an oblique incidence high frequency ultrasonic technique will be used for the assessment. The technique will lead to a more sensitive measurement of interfacial defects and will detect small kissing bond flaws. A scanner with an incorporated probe holder will be designed and manufactured that will enable rapid inspection of FSW. The developed NDT inspection system will allow assessment of high performance aluminium FSW joint components for aero structures. This work will support the increased adoption of FSW in the aerospace industry.

Keywords: detection of kissing bonds,inspection of high performance aerospace structure
Natural whey-based disinfection formula: a solution for the sanitizing of whole and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables (WHEYSAN)

Framework: FP7 — Capacities
Programme: Research for the benefit of SMEs
Destination: Research for SMEs
Action type: Research for the benefit of specific groups
Countries involved: Ireland,Spain,Spain,United Kingdom,Portugal,Serbia,Spain
Call:  (FP7-SME-2012, 2012)
Start date: 2012-11-01
End date: 2014-10-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1113557.6
EU funding (EUR): 862000.0
Participants: 8
Project status: CLOSED

The purpose of the project WHEYSAN is to provide a solution for two major issues that currently affect to the competitiveness of the participant SMEs: the management of whey and postharvest disinfection of fruits and vegetables (F&V). The whey is the residual liquid fraction that is obtained during the production of cheese. Its raised content of lactose makes it a high contaminant waste which needs to be processed before disposal. Postharvest disinfection of F&V is crucial for extending the market time of the produce, and chlorine is the sanitizer most widely used. However, the likely formation of carcinogenic chlorinated compounds in water has called into question chlorine application, which is already banned in several EU countries. Whey and its derivatives have shown promising perspectives as natural preservatives for disinfection of F&V. The project WHEYSAN aims to develop new technologies for the decontamination of whole and fresh-cut F&V and for the processing of whey to achieve a profitable byproduct with sanitizing properties. For this purpose, the whey produced by the dairy SME will be treated under different processing conditions and the efficacy of the whey derivatives as sanitizing agents for F&V will be assessed. The most successful whey derivatives will be fully characterized. Also, a protocol for whey processing will be established to reduce the heterogeneity among the samples. In order to make real the industrial exploitation of the new disinfection strategy, a commercial formula containing the whey derivatives will be developed. Moreover, the laboratory results will be scaled-up and the most efficient conditions for disinfection of whole and fresh-cut F&V will be defined at pilot and industrial scales. Consequently, the project WHEYSAN will provide two major benefits for the participant SMEs: a new source of revenue from the whey-based sanitizing formula, and an increased turnover from the commercialization of chlorine-free F&V in the organic market

Keywords: physicochemical quality,firmness,microbiological count,visual appearance,maturity stage,proximate analysis,peptide profile,fat content,chemical oxygen demand,biological oxygen demand
Safe, Chemical-Free, Cleaning of Hospital Ward Surfaces (CLEANWARD)

Framework: FP7 — Capacities
Programme: Research for the benefit of SMEs
Destination: Research for SMEs
Action type: Research for the benefit of specific groups
Countries involved: Italy,United Kingdom,Portugal,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,Türkiye,Norway
Call:  (FP7-SME-2012, 2012)
Start date: 2012-12-01
End date: 2015-02-28
Duration (months): 27.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1449594.49
EU funding (EUR): 1097999.96
Participants: 10
Project status: CLOSED

Cleanward aims to develop a novel, safe, user-friendly anti-microbial cleaning system, using titanium dioxide coated ultra-microfibre fabric that will integrate easily into existing contract cleaning equipment: it will achieve log105 microbial removal and the coating will react with water and UV to produce a highly reactive environment: this will kill all harmful micro-organisms quickly and thoroughly without the need for chemical disinfectant – all in an isolated, low water volume unit. The cloths will then be available for re-use without running the risk of microbiological cross contamination.

Keywords: hospital,industrial cleaning,ultra-microfibre,micro-organisms,environment
Life cycle approach and human risk impact assessment, product stewardship and stakeholder risk/benefit communication of nanomaterials (LICARA)

Framework: FP7 — Capacities
Programme: Research for the benefit of SMEs
Destination: Research for SME associations
Action type: Research for the benefit of specific groups
Countries involved: Netherlands,Belgium,United Kingdom,Switzerland,Sweden,Germany,Greece,Germany,Spain
Call:  (FP7-SME-2012, 2012)
Start date: 2012-10-01
End date: 2014-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2514073.85
EU funding (EUR): 2011689.0
Participants: 11
Project status: CLOSED

Nanomaterials have a great market potential for SMEs due to the high added values and the reduced batch sizes compared to their corresponding conventional bulk materials. Unless the benefits the introduction of nanomaterials is hampered due to the unknown human and ecological risks. It may take many years to fill all knowledge gaps. However, the SMEs have to address the various different aspects and perceptions of risks, in communication with the various stakeholders. For this reason, SMEs need guidance to assess the risks and the benefits of their nanoproducts in comparison with the conventional (non-nano) products. The main goal of this project is to develop a structured life cycle approach for nanomaterials that (1) enables to balance health/environmental risks of nanomaterials in view of paucity of data against their benefits and (2) that further allows a comparison with the risks and the benefits of the conventional (non-nano) products. This structured approach will be the base for a completely new service available to SMEs working with nanomaterials. As proof of principle and concrete benefit for the SMEs, LICARA will deliver guidelines to the members of the SME Associations to support them in their communication with regulators, clients and investors and to improve the production processes and/or applications of their specific nanoproducts. The consortium consists of 1 European and 3 national SME Associations, 2 SMEs, 3 RTDs and 1 project services company. The consortium is built in a way that the needed different expertise is represented. The partners are active in a range of (inter)national initiatives such as FP7 projects on life cycle assessment and risk assessment, OECD, ISO and CEN.

Keywords: nanomaterials,life cycle assessment,human and ecological risks,guidelines,risk-benefit balance