Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Design of artificial organelles to modulate the astrocyte-neuron communication (ANCOM)

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: Chemistry
Countries involved: Denmark
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2023 (HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01, 2023)
Start date: 2024-05-01
End date: 2026-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 214934.4
EU funding (EUR): 214934.4
Participants: 1
Project status: TERMINATED

The brain is supplied by a complex and vast vascular network whose interactions are difficult to grasp in their entirety. The neurovascular unit (NVU) was thus introduced and represents the minimal functional unit linking the brain and its vessels. NVU cells interact closely to maintain the integrity of the blood-brain barrier and supply the brain with nutrients. Among these, astrocytes play the key role of mediator between the endothelial cells, supporting the blood flow, and the neurons. The astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle is an essential communication pathway, and its control is crucial for brain homeostasis and thus brain health. The research hypothesis of ANCOM is that the engineering of astrocytes will allow to modulate their communication with neurons in close proximity, cultured in a paper-based NVU model. Engineered astrocytes can thereby be used to influence neurons’ behaviour and thus contribute to tune the brain’s activity. Specifically, artificial organelles will be designed to boost the lactate production in the astrocytes. These will be made of silica nanoparticles with lactate dehydrogenase enzyme immobilised on their surface and placed in the cytosol of the astrocytes. Upon a boosted lactate release, a beneficial effect on neurons is predicted either in simple cell cocultures but also in more complex systems. For that purpose, a dynamic in vitro paper-based model of the NVU containing endothelial cells, pericytes, astrocytes and neurons will be established. Moreover, by employing a new approach developed by the Städler lab, it will even be possible to add active locomotion to these artificial organelles with the aim of targeting the astrocytes through the blood circulation. ANCOM aims thus at offering an easily accessible NVU model, able to address many questions in neuroscience, contributing to the development of brain therapies. This interdisciplinary project will allow me to broaden my skills and start my career as an independent researcher.

Keywords: artificial organelle,silica nanoparticles,neurovascular unit,nvu on a chip,paper chips,microfluidics,astrocytes,neurons
Pathways to Sustainable Wellbeing: A Bayesian Approach to Decent Living Within Planetary Boundaries (PostGroWellBeing)

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: Social Sciences and Humanities
Countries involved: Spain
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2025-04-15
End date: 2027-04-14
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 194074.56
EU funding (EUR): 194074.56
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

As the world faces escalating environmental crises driven by human economic activity, research on planetary boundaries highlights critical ecological limits necessary to sustain human life. High-income countries primarily drive the overshoot of these boundaries, yet conventional economic models continue to promote perpetual growth, hindering key ecological goals like reducing resource use and achieving rapid decarbonization. Ecological economics suggests shifting from growth-centric approaches to post-growth strategies that prioritize reducing unnecessary production and consumption. While concerns exist about potential social consequences to post-growth pathways, evidence in post-growth literature indicates that both social and ecological objectives can be met simultaneously. This project aims to advance this research by modeling the relationship between resource use and human wellbeing, identify optimal conditions for decent living within planetary boundaries across diverse contexts, quantify the probability of achieving wellbeing under different policy scenarios, and influence policy debates around degrowth. The model will utilize Bayesian probabilistic methods due to their ability to integrate both qualitative and quantitative data, to capture complex interdependencies among the social and biophysical indicators of wellbeing, make causal inferences, and ultimately provide insights for decisionmakers. Meeting the project objectives will involve developing a comprehensive Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) model as a framework to quantify the likelihood of achieving decent living standards under various scenarios while accounting for uncertainties and diverse regional contexts. This research will take an interdisciplinary approach to gain new insights that will inform policy decisions that prioritize human wellbeing, supporting post-growth economies that align environmental and social objectives globally.

Keywords: degrowth,indicators,ecological economics,bayesian probabilistic methods
Evolutionary Responses of Caudates to Climatic Changes in Pliocene Spain: Insights from the Camp dels Ninots Lagerstätte (PlioCaudates)

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: Spain,Australia
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2025-06-01
End date: 2027-05-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 209914.56
EU funding (EUR): 209914.56
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

Caudates, one of three extant lineages of amphibians, are a rich and diverse clade that rely heavily on water for reproduction and development and are known to be important palaeoecological indicators. Records indicate that less than 10% of Neogene caudates are known to be preserved as articulated skeletons, and in Lagerstätte type of preservation is even rarer still. This study will investigate caudates from the Camp del Ninots Lagerstätte using micro-computed tomography scans (μCT) to build a taxonomic framework and use three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to analyse shape differences for phylogenetic/taxonomic value. This study will also compare morphological shape differences using μCT of caudates from different sexes and determine whether there are sexual dimorphic morphological characters within Spanish caudates. Morphological characters and genomic data will be combined to identify Pliocene aged caudates recovered from the Camp del Ninots Lagerstätte using Bayesian phylogenetics, which will provide time-calibrations of when the Spanish fossil caudates originated in comparison to extant congeners. Caudates identified by Bayesian phylogenetic methods will then act as fossil calibration points to phylogeographically determine how caudates dispersed spatio-temporally into Spain from Africa or the rest of Europe. It is hoped that this research can improve our understanding of caudate evolution in the Neogene, but also how we can project caudate responses to climatic change in the future and mitigate biodiversity loss.

Keywords: caudata phylogeography phylogenetics geometric morphometric analysis palaeobiogeography micro computed tomography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology spain lagerst tte
Multiferroic Oxide 2DEgs for Reconfigurable nonvolatile memory Nanodevices (MODERN) (MODERN)

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: Italy
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2022 (HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01, 2022)
Start date: 2023-10-01
End date: 2025-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 172750.08
EU funding (EUR): 172750.08
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The main idea of MODERN project is the realization of novel Ferroelectric (FE) and multiferroic oxide two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) characterized by a metal-insulating transition as function of the FE-polarization direction. By locally switching-on and off the 2DEG using a scanning probe, devices with arbitrary nanoscale geometry will be demonstrated and sketched in a non-volatile manner, to realize prototype FE field effect transistors (FET), spin-FET and spin-charge conversion circuits for the generation and detection of spin-currents, all operating at ultra-low power energy density. To achieve the objective, two heterostructures platforms will be studied and realized: 1. K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (KNN)/KTaO3 2DEG, where KNN is a well-known lead-free FE layer and KTaO3 is an oxide characterized by a large SOC (up to 0.4 eV), that develops an interfacial 2DEG. Here KNN can both act as FE-layer with large polarization (up to 30 µC/cm2) and as interfacial donor of carriers by Nb-doping of the interface. 2. Delta-doped LAO/SrVO3 (down to 2 unit cells (UCs))/SrTiO3. Here, two UCs of VO2-terminated SrVO3 have been theoretically predicted to become a 2D multiferroic, with in plane FE order and an antiferromagnetic magnetic order

Keywords: multiferroic,2 dimensional electron gases 2degs,scanning probe microscopy,spin orbit interaction,ferroelectrics,magnetism,magnetotransport,plused laser deposition pld,
MOBILIZING ADVANCED PARTNERSHIPS FOR DIGITAL INNOVATION AND TRANSFORMATION (MAPIT)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area
Programme: Widening participation and spreading excellence
Theme: Improved access to Excellence
Destination: Improved access to Excellence
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Panel: Economic Sciences
Countries involved: Türkiye,Netherlands,Hungary,Estonia
Call: Pathways to Synergies (HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-04, 2023)
Start date: 2024-09-01
End date: 2026-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1159062.5
EU funding (EUR): 1159062.5
Participants: 9
Project status: SIGNED

In Europe's digitally transforming business landscape, innovative SMEs and start-ups in widening countries are pioneering change in their region yet face challenges like limited resources and complex R&I ecosystems for internationalization. Concurrently, EU R&I networks seek to expand and include these widening entities for a more inclusive, cost-effective development. MAPIT aims to bridge this gap by linking innovative SMEs, research entities, and European R&I networks. This project comes in the wake of structural funds granted to establish four digital innovation centers in Turkish research entities and one in Estonian, where innovative SMEs will be hosted and can access the R&I capacities via the research entity. MAPIT aims to increase the participation of these entities in Horizon Europe, strengthening university-industry partnerships. The project has two core objectives: The "Roadmapping Strand" employs action research methodologies and a Conversational AI Tool, fine-tuned with information from sources like CORDIS, for discovering and planning complementary R&I partnerships. This will let the research entities build clusters and collaborate with NCPs towards sustainable international R&I portfolios. The "Future Studies Strand" delivers a comprehensive International R&I Managers and Administrators upskilling program, enriched by transformative visits and short-term secondments. These interconnected strands work synergistically to facilitate sustainable internationalization and human resource development within R&I clusters. By focusing on best practices, joint initiatives, and collaboration, MAPIT aims to empower the five participating research entities with the organizational structure and R&I capacities needed for joining the ERA, fulfilling the WIDERA objectives. MAPIT not only offers a participatory methodology that can be replicated by other widening entities but also promotes synergy with European institutions and foster innovation across borders.

Keywords: widera,digital transition,conversational ai,instructible language models,innovation centres,randi ecosystems,rma training
Discrete topological and conformal quantum field theory through combinatorial factorisation algebras (DisQ FA)

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: Mathematics
Countries involved: Finland,United States
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2025-09-01
End date: 2027-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 226276.8
EU funding (EUR): 226276.8
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

This project will contribute to our understanding of mathematical Quantum Field Theory (QFT) by formulating a discrete version of Factorisation Algebras (FAs). This will be used to solve an open conjecture about Topological QFT (TQFT), describe and establish dualities between QFTs, and form a bridge between discrete and category-theoretic techniques for Conformal Field Theory (CFT). FAs are among the most flexible approaches to mathematical QFT, but no description as FAs of discretised QFT is known. This project's combinatorial FAs (cFAs) fill this gap. They have many applications, three of which will be covered in this project. The first is to prove that the discrete state-sum models for Topological QFT (TQFT) give rise to Functorial Field Theories by fitting state-sum models into the sFA formalism and establishing a continuum limit result for topological sFA. Functorial Field Theory (cf. Atiyah, Lurie and many others) is a formalism for QFT that is particularly popular for TQFT. While this conjecture has been around for over 20 years and is believed to be true no proof exists. Secondly, I will use techniques from duality for sheaves and cosheaves on simplicial complexes to prove a duality result for sFA analogous to Poincaré-Koszul-Verdier duality. Lattice models are a source of interesting dualities between QFTs, such as the Kramers-Wanier self-duality of the Ising model. These dualities will be shown to be an instance of sFA duality, and this description will be used to find new dualities for physically relevant QFTs. Associated to these dualities are defects which are intensively studied in theoretical physics. Thirdly, cFAs will be used to give a FA description of the discrete QFT known as the Ising model. This will be linked with Discrete Holomorphicity techniques for CFT to find an FA description of the CFT in the continuum limit.

Keywords: mathematical quantum field theory,factorisation algebras,conformal field theory,simplicial complexes
Space-IoT Solution Box for Climate-Smart Agriculture in Africa (KijaniSpace)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Programme: Digital, Industry and Space
Theme: EU Space
Destination: EU Space
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Germany,Czechia,Finland,Uganda,Kenya,Switzerland,Tanzania, United Republic of
Call: Designing space-based downstream applications with international partners (HORIZON-EUSPA-2023-SPACE, 2023)
Start date: 2024-10-01
End date: 2027-09-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1198205.0
EU funding (EUR): 993581.0
Participants: 13
Project status: SIGNED

KijaniSpace (GreenSpace in Swahili) is a highly innovative initiative built on the foundation of previous successful AU-EU collaborations and partnerships in the fields of space, IoT, climate and agriculture. The vision of the project is to extend the use of Copernicus Earth observation data for the application of climate-smart agriculture in Africa to regional research and innovation development. To enhance the use of Copernicus data by local African stakeholders, we have proposed several practical but innovative approaches. First of all, Copernicus data should be integrated into the local IoT dataset to enhance the local context, users and market needs of the application. Therefore, the project proposed to develop a Space-IoT Solution Box (called KijaniBox, GreenBox in Swahili ) that integrates the existing platform, tools and dataset for simplified local availability and accessibility. Using the KijaniBox EO and IoT resources, the project will launch two programs, one called Training Program for skills development and creation of minimum viable products and another Innovation Program for SMS innovation experiments. In addition, the project will conduct the pilot demonstration of two agricultural applications (crop farming and fish farming). Finally, the project will engage the various local and international stakeholders and actors with a multi-stakeholder approach to co-create innovation and collaboration environments. KijaniBox is a highly innovation-oriented consortium composed of thirteen (13) companies, six European and seven African partners from seven (7) different countries. The concept of the KijaniSpace project is being piloted in the Great Lake Victoria basin region. The ultimate aim of KijaniSpace is to pave the way for long-term sustainable economic growth and green job creation in Africa and Europe through Copernius and IoT.

Keywords: integration with iot,great lake victoria basin,climate smart agriculture crop farming and fish farming,regional development,training program and innovation program,smallholders,farmers and sme
Flexible, Safe and efficient REcycling of Li-ion batterieS for a comPetitive, circular, and sustainable European battery manufaCTuring industry (RESPECT)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Programme: Climate, Energy and Mobility
Theme: Energy
Destination: Cross-sectoral solutions for the climate transition
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Partnership: Batteries (co-programmed)
Countries involved: France,Finland,Spain,Germany,Belgium,Switzerland,United Kingdom,Sweden,Norway
Call: Sustainable, safe and efficient recycling processes (Batteries Partnership) (HORIZON-CL5-2021-D2-01, 2021)
Start date: 2022-07-01
End date: 2026-06-30
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 8906936.0
EU funding (EUR): 8906936.0
Participants: 20
Project status: SIGNED

In the context of increasing global battery use, developing sustainable, safe and efficient processes is a tangible issue to further enhance circular economy and strategic autonomy of the European Li-ion batteries value chain, in line with the battery partnership’s objectives launched under Horizon Europe. RESPECT main objective is to develop a global process encompassing a process-chain flexible enough to treat all kind of batteries in closed loop, considering the variability of Li-ion batteries chemistries (NMC, LFP, NCA, LMO) , applications (EV and ESS) and states (aged, damaged, EoL, production scraps) up to date not covered by any process on the State of the Art. RESPECT addresses two recycling routes: full hydrometallurgy and direct recycling and an improved Life Cycle Assessment of each recycling segment to lower emissions and reduce secondary pollution, safety and health risks. RESPECT will aim to design and validate the recycling processes up to pilot scale to recovering the highest amount of resources, including CRMs and active materials present in the batteries to closing the loop by their reuse in cathode and anode materials for new batteries. Socio-economic, as well as sustainability aspects will be covered throughout the project. To ensure a successful project implementation, knowledge sharing on Li-ion battery green recycling processes will be fostered, based on the engagement with relevant international stakeholders and experts through the advisory board. Based on a solid and interdisciplinary consortium of partners covering the whole value chain, RESPECT seeks high recovery rates (for Li, Mn, Co, Ni or graphite) with low environmental impact and strong energy savings, in accordance with the European Green Deal and the proposed Battery Regulation.

Keywords: critical raw materials,closed loop recycling process,li batteries,ev batteries,scraps,hydrometallurgy,direct recycling,lca,li ion value chain,solvent extraction,logistic
Liver Titanium Dioxide Toxicology: Investigating the Mechanisms of Liver Toxicity Induced by the Food Additive E171 (Titanium Dioxide, TiO2) Using In Vitro, In Vivo, and In Silico Approaches (LiTiTox)

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: Belgium,Spain
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2025-10-01
End date: 2027-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 200400.0
EU funding (EUR): 200400.0
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

The oral intake of the food additive E171 (titanium dioxide, TiO2 nanoparticles) has raised significant public health concerns due to its potential adverse health effects. It was recently banned in the European Union after a reassessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) due to genotoxicity risks. However, it is still widely used in many countries, and the mechanisms underlying E171's toxicity, particularly its effects on the liver, remain poorly understood. The LiTiTox project aims to address this by investigating the molecular mechanisms of E171-induced liver toxicity, focusing on inflammation, cell death, and the role of pannexin1 (Panx1) channels, which are crucial for inflammasome activation but remain unexplored in this context. LiTiTox will employ a multidisciplinary approach, combining advanced in vitro liver spheroid co-culture models, in vivo mouse studies, and in silico molecular simulations. Liver spheroid models will simulate human liver responses to TiO2 exposure, while in vivo mouse studies will explore the effects of oral E171 exposure on liver toxicity. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations, conducted during the secondment, will predict interactions between E171 TiO2 and liver toxicity-related molecular events (MIEs). The project will also equip the researcher with advanced skills in in vitro toxicology, experimental hepatology, molecular biology, and computational modelling, enhancing career development and leadership in scientific research. The secondment will provide specialised training in chemoinformatics, machine learning, and predictive toxicology. Ultimately, LiTiTox’s findings will offer a deeper understanding of how E171 TiO2 nanoparticles affect liver health, contributing to the development of global regulatory policies. LiTiTox will play a crucial role in promoting food safety, sustainable nutrition, and safeguarding public health.

Keywords: inflammation cell death pannexin 1 channels e171 titanium dioxide food additive liver toxicology in vitro toxicology experimental hepatology mouse model in silico food safety