Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Harnessing natural killer cells to combat chemotherapy resistance (NatK)

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: United Kingdom
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2026-05-01
End date: 2028-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 276187.92
EU funding (EUR): 276187.92
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Chemotherapy resistance remains a major challenge in cancer treatment, often leading to poor patient outcomes. NatK aims to (1) identify predictive signature of chemoresistance and (2) develop innovative therapeutic strategies to overcome it, using triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) as a model. The focus is on natural killer (NK) cells, hypothesising that reactivating these cells could enhance their cytotoxicity against chemoresistant tumours. State-of-the-art 10X Visium spatial transcriptomics will be employed to analyse primary TNBC samples from chemotherapy responders and non-responders, mapping NK cell infiltration and activity within the tumour microenvironment (TME). Advanced bioinformatics will identify immune-related signatures of chemoresistance, validated in independent patient cohorts to develop a robust NK cell-related biomarker for patient stratification. To translate these findings into therapeutic strategies, specific genes upregulated in chemoresistant tumours will be targeted to enhance NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Co-culture systems with NK cells and patient-derived organoids will be used to evaluate the impact of gene modulation, followed by the development of small molecule inhibitors targeting promising candidates. The efficacy of combining NK cell activation with chemotherapy will then be assessed both in vitro and in vivo, aiming to establish a novel combination therapy to combat chemoresistance. NatK integrates state-of-the-art spatial transcriptomics, functional immune profiling and patient-derived organoid models to elucidate chemoresistance mechanisms. The insights gained may have broader implications, potentially extending to other cancer types and guiding targeted immunotherapy development. In line with the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship objectives, this interdisciplinary research will advance expertise in cutting-edge biomedical technologies, foster international collaboration, and contribute to advancing oncology in Europe.

Keywords: nk cells,tumour immunology,chemoresistance,dna damaging agents,cancer treatment,preclinical models,patient derived organoids,co culture systems
Standalone solar-to-X device for prosumer-oriented conversion of sunlight to Ethene and Ammonia (SOLEAS)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: The European Innovation Council (EIC)
Theme: EIC Pathfinder
Destination: Challenges
Action type: EIC actions
Countries involved: Austria,Italy,Germany,Poland
Call: Solar-to-X devices for the decentralized prosumption of renewable fuels, chemicals and materials as climate change mitigation pathway (HORIZON-EIC-2024-PATHFINDERCHALLENGES-01, 2024)
Start date: 2025-11-01
End date: 2029-10-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 4567529.04
EU funding (EUR): 3836135.51
Participants: 5
Project status: SIGNED

Solar photoreactors to produce fuels and chemicals via photo-induced processes are researched widely, but currently (i) lack harmonised interaction of material and reactor optimization , (ii) are not easily scalable and (ii) may exceed sensible land areas for reasonable productivities , due to their rather low efficiencies in technical scale. In parallel, the reuse of biogenic CO2 from the biogas industry is among the most promising solutions to mitigate global climate warming while capturing nitrogen (N2) from the air – a readily available and abundant resource including 78 % of N2 – is a viable feedstock for producing ammonia (NH3). SOLEAS develops a standalone solar-to-X device, converting sunlight and simple, low-energy molecules (H2O, CO2 and N2) in a multi-product approach into chemicals usable as either energy source or building blocks for materials, precisely ethene (C2H4) and ammonia (NH3) which have interesting crossing value chains, by means of: (a) breakthrough concentrator optics and quantum-dots deposition for solar wavelength adjustment; (b) optimized solar receiving side (parallel reactor internals for multi-reaction integration, unbiased anode-cathode development, zero gap design with optimized fluid dynamics and in-situ product outtake. With its multi-product approach SOLEAS enables the realisation of several photo-reactions in one device enabling simplified production chains where one directly goes from simple feedstock to complex products, beyond hydrogen or carbon monoxide. The device will be able to operate independently, allowing, in the long-term, communities and remote areas to have access to reliable and sustainable energy sources and a local production and utilization of chemicals and fuels. The developed device will reach TRL 5-6 within a 4-year project runtime and is backed by a solid exploitation strategy and plan.

Keywords: photoelectrocatalysis,solar photoreactors,ethene,ammonia,chemicals,renewable energy,biogas,clean transition,green deal
Nanotechnology-enabled deep profiling of the blood and brain proteome at the intersection of neurodegeneration and neurooncology (NanoNeuroOmics)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Prevention,  Diagnosis and T reatment of Human Diseases
Panel description: Medical technologies  and tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, therapeutic approaches and interventions , pharmacology, preventative  medicine, epidemiology and public health , digital medicine
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2024-STG, 2024)
Start date: 2025-01-01
End date: 2029-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1494954.0
EU funding (EUR): 1494954.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

NanoNeuroOmics ambition is to bring together nanotechnology, proteomics and blood biomarker discovery at the emerging intersection of neurodegeneration and neurooncology. NanoNeuroOmics proposes a nanotechnology-based innovative solution for the integrative profiling of the blood and brain tissue proteomes to address two interconnected challenges: i) The unmet clinical need for early diagnostic and disease-monitoring blood biomarkers for two of the most challenging Central Nervous System disorders, namely Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Glioblastoma (GBM); and ii) The AD-GBM ‘inverse comorbidity’ knowledge gap and intriguing molecular interrelation. NanoNeuroOmics presents a novel approach, in which nanoparticles are employed as scavenging agents to uncover brain disease-specific protein markers in blood, otherwise buried under the overwhelming signal of highly abundant molecules. NanoNeuroOmics aims to tackle the technological challenge of discovering highly specific blood biomarkers, by longitudinally tracking blood and brain proteomic signals at different stages of disease progression. To leverage its full potential, the proposed research programme combines longitudinal preclinical studies with human patient clinical validation studies. Such multi-dimensional proteomic approaches are expected to pioneer new blood biomarker discoveries and to provide mechanistic insight into the comorbidity of neurological diseases. NanoNeuroOmics attempts to discover a distinct set of dysregulated proteins for each of AD and GBM independently and to unveil overlapping molecular pathways to explain the AD-GBM inverse comorbidity. In a broader context, NanoNeuroOmics aspires to bridge the gap between brain pathophysiology and molecular alterations in the blood, across the biological continuum of disease progression. The project takes on a multidisciplinary approach and builds on breakthroughs in nanotechnology and omics sciences, to advance early detection and stratified medicine.

Keywords: liquid biospy,early detection,glioblastoma,alzheimer s,comorbidity,biomarkers,mass spectrometry
Discovering the developmental transition of cortical parenchyma cells into different cell fates (FATE)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Biotechnology and Biosystems E ngineering
Panel description: Biotechnology using all organisms , biotechnology for environment  and food applications, applied plant and animal sciences , bioengineering and synthetic biology , biomass and biofuels , biohazards
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2024-STG, 2024)
Start date: 2024-10-01
End date: 2029-09-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1499750.0
EU funding (EUR): 1499750.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The root cortex is a primary ground tissue of the root organ and plays an important and adaptive role in plant growth and function. Root cortical parenchyma, thin-walled cells in the cortex, have great potential to change both in structure and function during plant development, even after cell differentiation. Root cortical cells can have many different post-differentiation fates that form different cortical tissues (e.g. aerenchyma, exodermis) in succession, or even simultaneously through the deposition or degradation of lignin and suberin and programmed cell death. The formation of these different cortical tissues have the potential to influence stress adaptation and plant performance, for example by altering the radial movement of water and solutes, the metabolic efficiency required for nutrient exploitation, and the synthesis and deposition of exudates. I will investigate the developmental transition of cortical cells into different cell fates and the extent to which root cortical parenchyma have different cell fate trajectories to form simultaneous or successive cortical tissues. I will discover the potential of tissues for synergistic interactions to capture soil resources and modify of rhizosphere properties, and the genes that control these processes at a single-cell resolution to discover when and where signals occur in the cortex. I will use a combination of breakthrough technologies and interdisciplinary expertise including state-of-the-art imaging, analytical chemistry, microbial ecology, and cutting-edge molecular biology methods to tackle the fundamental questions of how and why root cortical parenchyma have different post-differentiation cell fates. FATE will enable us to engineer crop roots to optimize soil foraging and resource capture. The payoffs of this project will be significant for European agriculture, as nutrient limitation is a primary constraint on crop growth and will become an increasing challenge due to climate change.
Spatio-temporal coupling between transcription and translation dynamics during development (LightRNA2Prot)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Cell Biology, Development, Stem Cells and R egeneration
Panel description: For all organisms : Structure and function of the cell, cell -cell communication, embryogenesis, tissue differentiation, organogenesis, growth, development, evolution of development, organoids, stem cells, regeneration, therapeutic approaches
Countries involved: France
Call: ERC CONSOLIDATOR GRANTS (ERC-2021-COG, 2021)
Start date: 2023-01-01
End date: 2027-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2000000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2000000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

During development, precise control of gene expression allows the reproducible establishment of patterns, leading to the adoption of cellular identities at the right time and place. What are the mechanisms behind such precision? To date, this question has been primarily examined from the focal point of transcription. However, precision in mRNA production is functionally relevant only if it leads to precision in protein expression. While the linear correlation between the levels of a given mRNA and the amount of protein it encodes has been assumed for the last six decades within the central dogma of molecular biology, many examples challenge this view. The control of translation, particularly in distinct subcellular compartments where mRNA are targeted, may lie at the heart of this mRNA to protein disconnect. LightRNA2Prot aims to unravel the mechanisms underlying the lack of correlation between mRNA and proteins levels to elucidate the sources of reproducible cell fate decisions during development. Importantly, it considers both the layers of regulation constituted by transcription and translation respectively, as well as their potential coupling. We will use quantitative imaging methods that simultaneously monitor mRNA, nascent peptides, and protein in Drosophila living embryos, combined with genetic/optogenetic manipulations to dissect the mechanisms at play. LightRNA2Prot focuses on two key questions: 1-How do the translation dynamics of key localized developmental transcripts modulate precise patterning? 2-How are (co)-transcriptional nuclear events coordinated with translational control in space and time? Combined with mathematical modeling and phenotypic characterization, our quantitative approaches will provide a dynamic multiscale view of gene expression control in vivo. The novel integration of translational control has the potential to dramatically change our view of stereotypic pattern formation and reproducible cell fate decisions during development.

Keywords: transcription,translation,quantitative imaging,drosophila,mrna regulation
Photonic Lantern-Based LiDAR systems for future climate-neutral and smart-cities (PL-LiDAR)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Physics
Countries involved: Cyprus,United States,Greece
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2026-01-01
End date: 2027-12-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 190219.44
EU funding (EUR): 190219.44
Participants: 3
Project status: SIGNED

Presently, EU citizens who live in urban areas (approx. 70% of the EU population) are exposed to airborne pollutants at levels that are damaging to health. To tackle this, the EU Commission has set an ambitious goal to transform 100 European cities into climate- neutral and smart cities by 2030, with the rest to follow by 2050. LiDAR (light detection and ranging) systems have the potential to be used in heavily urbanized areas to monitor traffic congestion and provide measurements of atmospheric contaminants. Nevertheless, current LiDAR systems suffer from poor free-space-to-fiber collection due to the use of single-mode fibers and lack the necessary collection efficiency, working range, and performance to be deployed at large scales in the smart and neutral city network. Here, we propose the development of novel photonic lantern-based LiDAR systems for CO2 and atmospheric mapping. Photonic lanterns are novel optical fiber devices that efficiently couple a multimode beam to single-mode fibers to take advantage of the performance of single-mode components. Using photonic lanterns, we can significantly increase the collection efficiency of the LiDAR system (at least 19x) and ease the complexity and size of the collection telescope. This can result in the development of portable high-performance LiDAR systems that can be used in heavily urbanized cities to generate high-resolution 3D maps of CO2 emissions and correlate them with traffic congestion. The proposed research will have significant ramifications on the life quality of millions of people while becoming a crucial pillar in the successful deployment of future climate-neutral and smart cities.
Strengthening CoARA and Enabling Systemic Reform of Research Assessment - A Booster (CoARA Boost)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area
Programme: Reforming and enhancing the European R&I System
Theme: Reforming and enhancing the European R&I System
Destination: Reforming and enhancing the European R&I System
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: France,Belgium,Italy,Hungary,Netherlands,United Kingdom
Call: Support to reforms of research assessment in the European Research Area (HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ERA-01, 2023)
Start date: 2023-10-01
End date: 2026-09-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 5000000.13
EU funding (EUR): 5000000.0
Participants: 9
Project status: SIGNED

Research assessment plays a crucial role in research systems, but current practices prioritize quantitative metrics and publications without recognising the diversity of research outputs or open science practices. To address these issues, international initiatives have emerged, and the EU European Research Area Policy Agenda for 2022-2024 includes a specific action (Action 3) on Reform the Assessment System for research, researchers and institutions. In 2022, the EC, Science Europe, and the European University Association facilitated the development of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, which emphasises qualitative evaluation based on peer review and responsible use of quantitative indicators, and discourages the use of inappropriate metrics and rankings. 423 organisations signatories to agreement decided to constitute the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA) to make progress on ten commitments within a five-year timeframe. As an enabler deeply rooted in the CoARA structure, the CoARA Boost project will strengthen the ramp-up of CoARA, enhancing the operational capacity and providing means to investigate and implement new models for research assessment. By amplifying its spectrum of actions and providing the additional capacity to implement a Cascade funding programme, CoARA Boost will allow to develop a critical mass for reforming research assessment, generate gravitas for new members and facilitate the leveraging of additional sources of funding. The overarching objective of the CoARA Boost Project is to contribute to enabling systemic reform of research assessment following the principles and commitments of the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. CoARA Boost will i) strengthen CoARA’s operational capacity, ii) catalyse knowledge development, policy evolution and institutional change in research assessment, iii) facilitate collection and exchange of information and iv) widen the Coalition’s membership in Europe and beyond.

Keywords: coalition for advancing research assessment,qualitative evaluation,responsible research assessment,institutional change,modernisation of research systems,open science,internationalisation
Beyond-classical Machine learning and AI for Quantum Physics (BeMAIQuantum)

Framework: Horizon Europe — 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: Netherlands
Call: ERC CONSOLIDATOR GRANTS (ERC-2023-COG, 2023)
Start date: 2024-04-01
End date: 2029-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1995289.0
EU funding (EUR): 1995289.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

A primary challenge in quantum computing (QC) is finding its ideal application, i.e., an essential problem with the largest advantage of quantum over classical computing. To resolve it, I propose to focus on the notoriously complex area of quantum many-body systems. This project will characterise which quantum many-body problems, in various physics domains, allow for significant quantum advantages even over any future machine learning, data-driven methods. By exploiting my pioneering research in this area, I will also develop new quantum machine learning (QML) methods to solve them better than classically possible, using a two-stage approach. In the first stage, we will develop the project's theoretical foundations. My recent works on quantum-over-classical learning advantages provide the starting points for the development of new mathematical machinery which facilitates the proving of quantum advantages in selected many-body settings. In parallel, building on circuit-decomposition methods I recently developed, we will elucidate the role of quantum phenomena in QML in order to design new QML methods which can be better tuned to quantum many-body settings. In the second stage, we will identify suitable concrete quantum many-body problems with substantial real-world interest, apply the newly designed high-performing quantum learners, and formally prove learning advantages using the developed theoretical machinery. The positive results of the project will resolve some of the main open problems in QML and will have a major impact on both QC theory and aspects of foundations and applications of QML. In our search for the best application, we will consider many-body problems from diverse areas of physics: condensed matter, high-energy, and quantum control. The project will therefore also establish new bridges between quantum many-body physics, machine learning, and quantum computing.

Keywords: quantum machine learning,many body physics,quantum algorithms
TRANSNATIONAL NETWORK OF NATIONAL CONTACT POINTS (NCPS) FOR WIDENING PARTICIPATION AND STRENGTHENING THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA (NCP_WIDERA.NET)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area
Programme: Widening participation and spreading excellence
Theme: Other Widening
Destination: Other Widening
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Poland,Finland,Bulgaria,Croatia,Cyprus,Czechia,Portugal,Slovakia,Hungary,Greece,Albania,Spain,Armenia,Faroe Islands,Israel,North Macedonia,Moldova, Republic of,Tunisia,Türkiye,Italy,Germany,Lithuania,Iceland,Estonia,Latvia,Malta,Serbia,Slovenia
Call: NCP Network including proposal pre-check (HORIZON-WIDERA-2021-NCP-IBA, 2021)
Start date: 2022-04-01
End date: 2027-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 8000000.0
EU funding (EUR): 8000000.0
Participants: 42
Project status: SIGNED

NCP_WIDERA.NET aims at support the capacity and effectiveness of WIDERA National Contact Points with a special attention to less experienced entities in low performing Member States (MS) and Associated Countries (AC) to bridge the knowledge gaps to enhance access to funding possibilities under the Framework Programme. Through strengthening and enhancing the role of the NCPs, the project shall support international networking and coordination, as well as improve the quality of proposals from legal entities from low R&I performing MS and AC providing them with better access to services during the application process in particular with regard to Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area, as well as Pillar II actions. NCP_WIDERA.NET will focus on identifying and sharing good practices within NCP community and raising standards of support offered by NCPs to the applicants, taking into account the diversity of actors that constitutes both the Widening and ERA parts. Moreover, this project will equip the transnational network of NCPs to be in a better position to effectively address cross-cutting objectives such as gender equality and open science.

Keywords: national contact points,ncps,widening,era,transnational network,proposal pre check,matchmaking,newcomers,capacity building