Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Random matrices, universality and disordered quantum systems (RANMAT)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Mathematical foundations
Countries involved: Austria
Call:  (ERC-2013-ADG, 2013)
Start date: 2014-03-01
End date: 2019-08-31
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1754717.0
EU funding (EUR): 1754717.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Large complex systems tend to develop universal patterns that often represent their essential characteristics. A pioneering vision of E. Wigner was that the distribution of the gaps between energy levels of complicated quantum systems depends only on the basic symmetry of the model and is otherwise independent of the physical details. This thesis has never been rigorously proved for any realistic physical system but experimental data and extensive numerics leave no doubt as to its correctness. Wigner also discovered that the statistics of gaps can be modelled by eigenvalues of large random matrices. Thus the natural questions, “How do energy levels behave?” and “What do eigenvalues of a typical large matrix look like?”, have surprisingly the same answer! This project will develop new tools to respond to the two main challenges that Wigner’s vision poses for mathematics. First, prove that a large class of natural systems exhibits universality. The simplest model is the random matrix itself, for which the original conjecture, posed almost fifty years ago, has recently been solved by the PI and coworkers. This breakthrough opens up the route to the universality for more realistic physical systems such as random band matrices, matrices with correlated entries and random Schrödinger operators. Second, eigenvalue statistics will be used to detect the basic dichotomy of disordered quantum systems, the Anderson metal-insulator transition. Third, describe the properties of the strongly correlated eigenvalues viewed as a point process. Although this process appears as ubiquitous in Nature as the Poisson process or the Brownian motion, we still know only very little about it. Due to the very strong correlations, the standard toolboxes of probability theory and statistical mechanics are not applicable. The main impact of the project is a conceptual understanding of spectral universality and the development of robust analytical tools to study strongly correlated systems.

Keywords: anderson metal-insulator transition,random schrodinger operator,disordered quantum systems,quantum chaos
Early Cortical Sensory Plasticity and Adaptability in Human Adults (ECSPLAIN)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: The Human Mind and its complexity
Countries involved: Italy
Call:  (ERC-2013-ADG, 2013)
Start date: 2014-05-01
End date: 2019-04-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2493000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2493000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Neuronal plasticity is an important mechanism for memory and cognition, and also fundamental to fine-tune perception to the environment. It has long been thought that sensory neural systems are plastic only in very young animals, during the so-called “critical period”. However, recent evidence – including work from our laboratory – suggests that the adult brain may retain far more capacity for plastic change than previously assumed, even for basic visual properties like ocular dominance. This project probes the underlying neural mechanisms of adult human plasticity, and investigates its functional role in important processes such as response optimization, auto-calibration and recovery of function. We propose a range of experiments employing many experimental techniques, organized within four principle research lines. The first (and major) research line studies the effects of brief periods of monocular deprivation on functional cortical reorganization of adults, measured by psychophysics (binocular rivalry), ERP, functional imaging and MR spectroscopy. We will also investigate the clinical implications of monocular patching of children with amblyopia. Another research line looks at the effects of longer-term deprivation, such as those induced by hereditary cone dystrophy. Another examines the interplay between plasticity and visual adaptation in early visual cortex, with techniques aimed to modulate retinotopic organization of primary visual cortex. Finally we will use fMRI to study development and plasticity in newborns, providing benchmark data to assess residual plasticity of older humans. Pilot studies have been conducted on most of the proposed lines of research (including fMRI recording from alert newborns), attesting to their feasibility and the likelihood of them being completed within the timeframe of this grant. The PI has considerable experience in all these research areas.

Keywords: perception,vision,plasticity,adaptation,monocular deprivation,ambliopia,infant,retinotopy,attention,multisensory plasticity,automatic response gain
Connecting RNA and protein degradation machineries (PHAGORISC)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Cellular and Developmental Biology
Countries involved: France
Call:  (ERC-2013-ADG, 2013)
Start date: 2014-03-01
End date: 2020-02-29
Duration (months): 72.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2492623.0
EU funding (EUR): 2492623.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

RNA silencing has become a major focus of molecular research around the world with important implications in biotechnology and medicine. RNA silencing involves processing of dsRNA by the enzyme Dicer, into small RNAs, 21-to-25 nucleotides in length. One of the two RNA strands is then incorporated into a protein complex called RISC (RNA induced silencing complex) that invariably contains a member of the highly conserved ARGONAUTE protein family. The incorporated small RNA then guides the complex to silence partly or fully complementary RNA. RNA silencing is important for the regulation of development in animals and plants, but plays also an antiviral role in plants and invertebrates (including worms and flies). In light of the apparent importance of RNA silencing in most eukaryotes, it is surprising that molecular mechanisms regulating ARGONAUTE proteins (and RISC) turnover have received so little attention. For instance, it is unknown whether ARGONAUTE proteins remain very stable when incorporated in RISC and how many times they can operate on different mRNA targets while loaded with the same siRNA/miRNA. More importantly, intriguing questions concern ARGONAUTE protein turnover under stress conditions. For instance, it is unknown whether ARGONAUTE proteins (and RISC) are degraded during stress, a situation where siRNA/miRNA populations quickly change and RISC re-programming is expected. My research project aims to answer to these questions. The content of this program is multidisciplinary combining molecular and cell biology, genetics, biochemistry and structural biology. Based on its approaches and already pioneering data recently obtained in my lab, I believe that this ERC research project has the potential to go substantially beyond the current state of the art in this field by providing deep insights into the regulatory mechanisms that control and mediate ARGONAUTE proteins turnover, in particular during stress responses.
Innovative drugs targeting IDO molecular dynamics in autoimmunity and neoplasia (DIDO)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Diagnostic tools, therapies and public health
Countries involved: Italy
Call:  (ERC-2013-ADG, 2013)
Start date: 2014-02-01
End date: 2019-01-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2442078.0
EU funding (EUR): 2442078.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Catabolism of amino acids is an ancient survival strategy that also controls immune responses in mammals. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), a tryptophan catabolizing enzyme, is recognized as an authentic regulator of immunity in several physiopathologic conditions, including autoimmune diseases, in which it is often defective, and neoplasia, in which it promotes immune unresponsiveness. The PI’s group recently revealed that IDO does not merely degrade tryptophan and produce immunoregulatory kynurenines but also acts as a signal-transducing molecule independently of its enzyme activity. IDO’s signaling function relies on the presence of phosphorylable motifs in a region (small IDO domain) distant from the catalytic site (large IDO domain). Preliminary data indicate that IDO, depending on microenvironmental conditions, can move among distinct cellular compartments. Thus IDO may be considered a ‘moonligthing’ protein, i.e., an ancestral metabolic molecule that, during evolution, has acquired the DYNAMIC feature of moving intracellularly and switching among distinct functions by changing its conformational state. By means of computational studies, Macchiarulo’s group (team member) has identified distinct conformations of IDO, some of which are associated with optimal catalytic activity of the enzyme whereas others may favor tyrosine phosphorylation of IDO’s small domain. A switch between distinct conformations can be induced by the use of ligands that bind either the catalytic site or an accessory pocket outside the IDO catalytic site. The first aim of DIDO is to decipher the relationships between IDO conformations and multiple functions of the enzyme. A second aim is to identify small molecules with drug-like properties capable of modulating distinct IDO’s molecular conformations in order to either potentiate (a new therapeutic approach in autoimmune diseases) or inhibit (more efficient anti-tumor therapeutic strategy) immunoregulatory signaling ability of IDO.

Keywords: indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase,multifunctional protein,drug-like small molecules,tumor immunotherapy,therapy of autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases
Direct Township Elections in China: Political dynamics and governance outcomes (DIRECTELECTIONSCHINA)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Incoming Fellowships (Return Phase)
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: China
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF, 2013)
Duration (months): 12.0
Total project cost (EUR): 15000.0
EU funding (EUR): 15000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

China's direct local elections have received a great deal of international attention, and have been a particular concern of the European Union. But there has been much more focus on understanding village elections than elections at the township level of government. Direct township elections are significant, however, because – unlike village elections – they involve the lowest tier of the Chinese governmental system. And they were suspended in 2006 after only eight years of experimentation. In this project we aim to understand first why township elections were permitted and then suspended, and second, their governance outcomes. The project will contribute to understanding the obstacles to bottom-up democratization in China, as well as the impacts of elections on local governance. We will conduct intensive interviews with 30 officials in central party-state institutions as well as Chinese and foreign officials responsible for establishing and implementing cooperative programmes or projects on direct local elections. We will also adopt an empirical case study approach to understanding the governance effects of direct elections, comparing five townships that have introduced elections with five townships that have not. This method will deliver new cross sectional data for analysis. The researcher, Professor Dong Lisheng (Chinese Academy of Social Sciences), has been closely involved in monitoring local elections in China and has unparalleled access to decision makers and local governments there. Together with a team of political scientists at the University of Glasgow with expertise in Chinese politics and in elections and electoral politics, he will be able to produce the definitive analysis of China's township level reform experience, assess the way forward for Chinese local elections and advise European policy makers and researchers on ways of fostering good governance and democratization in China.
Graphene Heterostructures by Self-Assembly:Top-down meets Bottom-up (2D-HETEROSTRUCTURES)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Incoming Fellowships (Return Phase)
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: India
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF, 2013)
Start date: 2016-10-30
End date: 2018-10-30
Duration (months): 12.0
Total project cost (EUR): 15000.0
EU funding (EUR): 15000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

One-atom thin two-dimensional nanomaterials possess unique properties different from their bulk counterparts. Initiated by the discovery of graphene, many stable one atom-thick layers such as boron nitride, molybdenum disulphide, tungsten disulphide etc., have been isolated and characterized. However, the individual properties of such 2D-atomic crystals (except graphene) were modest. The combination of isolated single atomic layers into designer structures, named as 2D-heterostrcutures, is predicted to give synergetic properties. In order to harness the interesting properties the combination of various 2D-atomic crystals have to offer, a method to assemble them in a simple and scalable way is required. Currently, the only method known is manual placing of the 2D-atomic crystal layers sequentially which limits the scope of the study of such structures. The objective of the proposal is to assemble layered (each layer is one atom thick) stacks of graphene superlattices and heterostructures with other 2D-atomic crystals such as BN, MoS2, WS2 etc., by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-mediated assembly. DNA mediated assembly is highly programmable by chemically specific interaction between nucleotides, length of the DNA, strength of the interactions in addition to the symmetry control of the assembled structures. Top-down lithography will be combined with bottom-up DNA assembly to fabricate seed layers of DNA for the guided assembly which lead to patterned heterostructures. This approach is targeted toward combinatorial screening of exotic properties of varied architectures of heterostructures with control over the composition of 2D-atomic crystals and spacing between the layers (controlled by DNA). The anticipated structures would be vertical atomic scale Legos of 2D-atomic crystal layers with DNA spacers.
Using antisense inhibition to understand Wolbachia symbiosis and antiviral protection (WolAntiS)

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: United Kingdom
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2019-03-01
End date: 2021-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 183454.8
EU funding (EUR): 183454.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Wolbachia is a widespread, intracellular symbiont of arthropods and filarial nematodes, inducing reproductive distortions and antiviral protection in insects. Wolbachia is currently being deployed in disease vector control programs and is also a target in the treatment of lymphatic filariasis. Despite its prevalence, fascinating phenotypes, and applied importance, Wolbachia biology remains poorly explored, as it cannot be cultured or genetically manipulated. To date, antisense RNA and a transfection reagent that knock down Wolbachia gene expression have been deployed in cell culture, but the effect was modest and likely very transient. In order to achieve a robust and lasting antisense inhibition in Wolbachia, applicable in an in vivo system, I will utilize developments from drug delivery and gene manipulation in other members of the Rickettsiales. This will involve the use of nuclease resistant nucleic acid analogs, which can strongly inhibit transcripts for many days. This technology will be combined with attachment to different transporter molecules, known to deliver nucleic acids to other intracellular bacteria and parasites within host cells and organisms. I will then use this system to interrogate the genes putatively involved in host-microbe interactions in cell culture. I will focus on genes underlying symbiosis and those directly conferring the trait of antiviral resistance. The technology created will be widely applicable in studies of host-symbiont interactions, and in determining the mechanisms underlying the diverse phenotypes and symbioses observed. This project will thus both enable discovery science and allow better human disease prevention and treatment.
Generalizing human-demonstrated robot skills (ROBOTGENSKILL)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Systems and communication engineering
Panel description: Electrical, electronic, communication, optical and systems engineering
Countries involved: Belgium
Call: ERC Advanced Grant (ERC-2017-ADG, 2017)
Start date: 2018-10-01
End date: 2024-03-31
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2494971.0
EU funding (EUR): 2494971.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Future robots are expected to perform a multitude of complex tasks with high variability, in close collaboration or even physical contact with humans, and in industrial as well as in non-industrial settings. Both human-robot interaction and task variability are major challenges. A lot of progress is needed so that: (1) robots recognize the intention of the human and react with human-like motions; (2) robot end-users, such as operators on the factory floor or people at home, are able to deploy robots for new tasks or new situations in an intuitive way, for example by just demonstrating the task to the robot. The fundamental challenge addressed in this proposal is: how can a robot generalize a skill that has been demonstrated in a particular situation and apply it to new situations? This project focuses on skills involving rigid objects manipulated by a robot or a human and follows a model-based approach consisting of: (1) conversion of the demonstrated data to an innovative invariant representation of motion and interaction forces; (2) generalization of this representation to a new situation by solving an optimal control problem in which similarity with the invariant representation is maintained while complying with the constraints imposed by the new context. Additional knowledge about the task can be added in the constraints. Major breakthroughs are that the required number of demonstrations and hence the training effort decrease drastically, similarity with the demonstration is maintained in view of preserving the human-like nature, and task knowledge is easily included. The methodology is applied to program robot skills involving motion in free space (e.g. human-robot hand over tasks) as well as advanced manipulation skills involving contact (e.g. assembly, cleaning), aiming at impact in industrial and non-industrial settings. Application of the invariant motion representation in the neighbouring field of biomechanics will further leverage impact.

Keywords: programming by human demonstration,skill learning,human robot collaboration
Exploiting the multifunctional potential of belowground biodiversity in horticultural farming (EXCALIBUR)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy
Theme: Sustainable agriculture and forestry
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Germany,Austria,Spain,Italy,Germany,Spain,Italy,Italy,Belgium,Poland,Poland,Slovenia,France,Netherlands,Denmark,United Kingdom,United Kingdom
Call: Biodiversity in action: across farmland and the value chain (H2020-SFS-2018-2, 2018)
Start date: 2019-06-01
End date: 2024-11-30
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 6995107.5
EU funding (EUR): 6995107.5
Participants: 18
Project status: SIGNED

Excalibur plans to deepen the knowledge on soil biodiversity dynamics and its synergistic effects with prebiotic and probiotic approaches in horticulture, using a multi-actor approach. To pursue this aim, new multifunctional soil microbial inoculants (bio-inocula) and bio-effectors will be tested on three model crops of economic importance (es. tomato, apple, strawberry) under different experimental and open-field conditions across Europe, and the feed-feedback effect of/on native biodiversity monitored. In order to go beyond the multitude of studies on the links between soil biodiversity and plant health, Excalibur will develop a comprehensive strategy of soil management improving the effectiveness of biocontrol and biofertilization practices in agriculture. For this purpose Excalibur plans to: 1) focus on multiscale interactions between plants and belowground organisms to exploit the potential of multifunctional bio-inocula and bio-effectors; 2) optimize the formulation and the application methods of these products based on native soil biodiversity dynamics; 3) develop a strategy to improve the exploitation of soil biodiversity interactions with bio-effectors and bio-inocula by assessing their impacts on crops and biodiversity under contrasting agricultural management practices (conventional, organic) and biotic/abiotic stress conditions; 4) to build a multi-criteria model to assess soil biodiversity status of cropping systems for a more efficient use of bio-effectors and bio-inocula; 5) develop technical tools to monitor the persistence and dispersion of bio-inocula under field conditions for eco-toxicological and agronomical purposes; 6) evaluate the effects of the new strategy on economy, environment quality and ecosystem functions; 7) disseminate results to all stakeholders with a dynamic and comprehensive methodology and encourage the adoption of best practices derived from the new strategy at local, regional and global level.

Keywords: bio inocula,bio effectors,multi actor approach,plant health,awareness raising