Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Research framework for the design and optimisation of a modular Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator for Lunar exploration and exploitation (Modular lunar RTG)

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: Information Science and Engineering
Countries involved: Germany
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): 202125.12
EU funding (EUR): 202125.12
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Lunar colonization and exploitation, being the aim of project Artemis, requires reliable energy production, which is possible by the radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG). RTG units contain a radioisotope heat source coupled with thermoelectric modules (TEM) which convert the produced heat into electricity. The power output of the RTG is fixed by design and it cannot dynamically change. However, the dynamic and interconnected environment of a human colony, which involves life support, scientific research, resource mining, manufacturing, and exploration activities, would benefit from a flexible and integrable RTG, which can employ active and passive cooling functionalities, participate in the systems’ heat exchange, and incorporate different radioisotopes. Beyond system flexibility, the developed RTG must be able to withstand the extreme environmental challenges imposed by the extended diurnal day-night circle of the lunar surface. The excessive solar exposure during the lunar day can overheat an exposed RTG and cause irreversible damage. To address these challenges, this project defines three distinct objectives. The first aims to establish a research framework which combines 3D multi-physics (thermal, thermoelectric and mechanical analyses) simulations to evaluate the RTG behaviour with 1D multi-parametric investigations for rapid optimisation. In the second objective, the developed tools will be used to conceptually design a flexible RTG which can be safely and reliably employed on the lunar surface. To further establish it as a key component of the lunar infrastructure, its components should be manufactured locally through an in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) scheme. Thus, in the third objective, a metric system will be produced to identify ISRU-suitable RTG and TEM components. The produced results will be key to advance the RTG technology, inspire innovation in RTG and TEM manufacturing, and advance DLR, ESA and Europe in the field of space exploration.

Keywords: radioisotope thermoelectric generator rtg,thermoelectric materials,3d finite element analysis fea,energy production,lunar,space applications
Correspondences in enumerative geometry: Hilbert schemes, K3 surfaces and modular forms (K3Mod)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Mathematics
Panel description: All areas of mathematics, pure and applied, plus mathematical foundations of computer science, mathematical physics and statistics
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2021-STG, 2021)
Start date: 2023-02-01
End date: 2028-01-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1429135.5
EU funding (EUR): 1429135.0
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

Enumerative geometry is concerned with counting geometric objects on spaces defined by polynomial equations. The subject, which has roots going back to the ancient Greeks, was revolutionized by string theory in the 90s and has since become a fundamental link between algebraic geometry, representation theory, number theory and physics. With K3Mod I propose to establish a wide range of new correspondences in enumerative geometry. These link together different enumerative theories and open new perspectives to attack long-standing problems concerning the quantum cohomology of the Hilbert scheme of points on surfaces, modular properties of invariants of K3 surfaces, string partition functions of Calabi-Yau threefolds with links to Conway Moonshine, and a major case of the Crepant Resolution Conjecture. The geometry of the Hilbert scheme of points on a surface will play a central role. I aim to prove a correspondence between its Gromov-Witten theory, and the Donaldson-Thomas theory of certain threefold families. Correspondences for moduli spaces of Higgs bundles and the orbifold theory of the symmetric product of surfaces will be considered as well. This provides methods to prove that Gromov-Witten invariants of Hilbert schemes of points on K3 surfaces are Fourier coefficients of quasi-Jacobi forms, possibly leading to a complete solution of their enumerative geometry. After elliptic curves, K3 surfaces form the simplest Calabi-Yau geometry for which a complete understanding of the Gromov-Witten theory is in reach. For elliptic threefolds, I will study the relationship of their Donaldson-Thomas invariants with quasi-Jacobi forms, using both degeneration techniques and wallcrossing formulae. The research goals of this proposal will lead to exciting new connections between geometry, modular forms, and representation theory. The results will provide a clear understanding of the interplay between Hilbert schemes, K3 surfaces, and modularity in enumerative geometry.
MODIFIED CELLULOSE MICROBEADS TO REPLACE INDUSTRIAL MICROPLASTICS (CELLULACTIVA)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: The European Innovation Council (EIC)
Theme: EIC Accelerator
Destination: Other destinations
Action type: EIC actions
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: EIC Accelerator 2024 - Short application (HORIZON-EIC-2024-ACCELERATOR-01, 2024)
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2100000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2100000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Naturbeads has developed a multi-patented process to inexpensively produce biodegradable micrometre diameter spherical particles, or ‘microspheres’, from widely available and sustainably sourced cellulose pulp. This is now being scaled from 1 to 20-ton annual production. Currently, industrial microsphere applications such as biocatalysis in the life sciences heavily rely on microplastics. Increasing evidence suggests that microplastics are accumulating to alarming levels throughout global ecosystems. This may be having potentially serious harmful effects on the environment and living organisms, including humans. Mounting EU and global regulatory pressure seeks to phase out purposefully produced microplastics as part of wider efforts to curb global plastic pollution. The project aims to unleash Naturbeads potential to address this problem by optimising sophisticated downstream processing of our microspheres. This includes 1. functionalising the microspheres with specialised chemical groups enabling their use in high-value biocatalytic applications and priming future microplastic-free growth of the budding lab-cultured meat sector, and 2. high-yield production of our smallest ever submicron microspheres for bio-separation. These will be integrated into our demo-scale production plant and validated at real-world scale with leading industry across Europe. The proposed action supports several elements of the Horizon Europe work programme, including no fewer than five 2023-24 collaborative actions targeting the removal of microplastics in electronic goods, furniture, fertilizer products, textiles, and the vulnerable arctic environment. Analysing and developing cultured meat and sea food is also included in calls from both the 2021-2 and 2023-4 programmes as a key element supporting the EU’s farm to fork strategy.

Keywords: cellulose,microplastics,microbeads,microspheres,membrane emulsification,phase inversion,surface functionalisation,biocatalysis,bio separation,cell microcarrier,cultured meat
A First-in-Class MCL-1 degrader to promote apoptosis in therapy-resistant liquid and solid tumours (CT-03)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: The European Innovation Council (EIC)
Theme: EIC Accelerator
Destination: Other destinations
Action type: EIC actions
Countries involved: Poland
Call: EIC Accelerator 2024 - Short application (HORIZON-EIC-2024-ACCELERATOR-01, 2024)
Duration (months): 40.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Captor Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company pioneering the development of therapeutics for high unmet medical needs using Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD). We focus on high-value drug targets that are “undruggable” using conventional approaches. One such target is MCL-1, a protein implicated in resistance to anticancer treatments in many malignancies by preventing programmed cell-death. Due to its broad range of applications in both liquid and solid tumours, developing a safe therapy that could hamper its effect in cancer cells, would be a gamechanger for oncology. Unfortunately, MCL-1 inhibitors give rise to cardiotoxicity, which has led to the termination of several clinical trials. Thanks to our unique TPD technology platform, we can apply a radically different approach. We have developed a small molecule able to direct MCL-1 to the cell’s own waste disposal system. CT-03, positioned to become a First-in-Class MCL-1 degrader, has shown efficacy and lack of cardiotoxicity in Cynomolgus monkeys — the closest translational bridge to humans. Our first indication — AML (Acute Myelogenous Leukaemia) — has a market size of €3.6bn. Currently, Venclexta (projected to make ~€2.5bn in net sales revenues in 2024) is commonly used in AML patients unable to undergo ablative chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Unfortunately, nearly all patients eventually acquire resistance to Venclexta, which leaves them with no further treatment options. By degrading MCL-1, CT-03 will make resistant cells susceptible to conventional therapies again. The project’s goal is to demonstrate safety and lack of cardiotoxicity in humans. Successful results from a Phase 1a/1b trial on Venclexta-resistant AML patients will constitute a crucial inflection point for securing a lucrative out-licensing deal with a large pharmaceutical company. Revenues will be used to advance our clinical pipeline of protein degraders in oncology and neurodegeneration.

Keywords: oncoprotein,mcl 1,apoptosis,oncogenesis,therapy resistance,degrader,targeted protein degradation,acute myeloid leukaemia,haematological cancers,solid tumours,resistant refractory disease
Optimized Soil Revitalization for Resilient Agriculture: Customizing Mycorrhizal Diversity with Predictive Modeling (Mycophyto)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: The European Innovation Council (EIC)
Theme: EIC Accelerator
Destination: Other destinations
Action type: EIC actions
Countries involved: France
Call: EIC Accelerator 2025 - Short application (HORIZON-EIC-2025-ACCELERATOR-01, 2025)
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Agricultural systems are becoming more vulnerable due to soil degradation, which affects 60% of European lands because of intensive soil work. This leads to a loss of biodiversity and a disconnection between soil microorganisms and plants, resulting in less productive crops that are more susceptible to climate change. Consequently, the ability to meet food demands by 2050 is threatened. Conventional farming practices worsen the problem with excessive fertilizer use, causing soil toxicity, quality deterioration, loss of beneficial microflora, and water pollution, posing risks to human health and ecosystem sustainability. Biostimulants are designed to reduce fertilizer usage and improve crop conditions but face challenges such as application control, potential pollutants, and inconsistent performance. Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) offer a sustainable solution by enhancing nutrient and water uptake and regenerating soil biodiversity. However, their application is hindered by complex soil conditions, heavy tillage, specificity to plant hosts, and difficulties in identification and isolation. Consequently, fewer than 10 strains are available on the market, and most products fail to achieve effective root colonization, despite the existence of over 350 species in nature. Mycophyto uses adapted mycorrhizae, enhanced by our data prediction model, to boost crop yields, regenerate soil, and reduce the use of chemicals, fertilizers, and water. Our innovative approach will revitalize soil to preserve agriculture by enhancing soil biodiversity with tailored mycorrhizal fungi suited to specific soils and crops. We aim to lead the global biostimulant and soil treatment market, restore soil biodiversity and build a climate-resilient agriculture, contributing to the goals of SDG, Green deal and the EU’s Soil Strategy.

Keywords: resilient agriculture,soil biodiversity,soil health,climate resilience,biostimulant,mycorrhization,food productivity
The impact of early life adversity: assessing infancy and early childhood cognition with eye-tracking at home. (EYE-to-ELA)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area
Programme: Widening participation and spreading excellence
Theme: Attracting and mobilising the best talents
Destination: Attracting and mobilising the best talents
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Social Sciences and Humanities
Countries involved: Portugal,Ireland
Call: ERA Fellowships (HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-TALENTS-02, 2024)
Start date: 2025-11-01
End date: 2028-04-30
Duration (months): 30.0
Total project cost (EUR): 258978.9
EU funding (EUR): 258978.9
Participants: 3
Project status: SIGNED

Early life adversity encompasses a range of experiences, from maltreatment and neglect to parental mental health issues and neighborhood poverty, with long-term effects on mental and physical health. More research is needed to identify sociocognitive risk and protective factors that contribute to adaptive trajectories in at-risk children, especially within diverse socioeconomic and psychosocial contexts. Asynchronous remote testing (participant-administered data collection outside the lab) can enhance sampling and increase access to typically understudied groups. However, its application for assessing neurocognitive development in at-risk populations has not been studied yet. This proposal aims to use innovative remote data collection methods to examine sociocognitive attention biases in infants and children (6-36 months) from families who have experienced early life adversity. The study will be co-designed with families, and practitioners working with them, to enhance engagement and relevance. I will validate the protocol by comparing data collected remotely with data collected at the Psychology Research Center (CIPsi) of the University of Minho, in collaboration with Prof. Adriana Sampaio. I will also collaborate with Prof. Rhodri Cusack (Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience in Dublin), a leader in pioneering initiatives for at-home infant testing, to implement web-based eye-tracking and automated tools for estimating looking times. This fellowship will establish protocols, techniques, and infrastructure for large-scale screening and monitoring of infants and children across Portugal and globally. The outcomes could influence policy, community support, and targeted interventions for disadvantaged families. A non-academic placement at the ProChild CoLAB, a private non-profit association dedicated to fighting childhood poverty and social exclusion through research-action projects, will maximize the impact and uptake of the results.

Keywords: attention,cognition,social attention,alertness,individual differences,infancy,early childhood,adverse childhood experiences,early life adversity,online testing,looking measures,eye tracking
CELLulose lyocell FILaments as a scalable solution for circular textile production (CELLFIL)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Programme: Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Theme: Bio-Environment
Destination: Other Bio-environnement destinations
Action type: Innovation actions
Countries involved: Austria,Poland,Finland,Italy,Türkiye,Latvia,Germany,Switzerland
Call: Novel, sustainable and circular bio-based textiles (HORIZON-CL6-2023-CIRCBIO-02, 2023)
Start date: 2024-06-01
End date: 2028-05-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 8838209.17
EU funding (EUR): 6999973.52
Participants: 16
Project status: SIGNED

Sustainable innovation in the textile value chain is difficult and time consuming, as the industry is highly fragmented and specialized. The intention is to form an umbrella across the value chain, which allows to jointly define and push the boundaries of the most sustainable cellulosic filament currently available on a “pre-industrial” scale – Lyocell filament. As the starting point is at a TRL5 (pilot) with key drivers and innovators being within the industry (not in basic research), the actual amount of relevant scientific (as in basic research) publications is rare. Lyocell filament has been introduced to the market in small volumes in 2017, but the development of the value chain and the overall market acceptance is still at an early stage. Lyocell filament has the potential to achieve this: continuous-filament yarns (or filament yarns) are smooth to touch, lacking the bulk of staple fiber yarns and can be used to produce a wide range of woven and knitted fabrics for various textiles and clothing. The global filament market exceeds the global staple fiber market, but is still vastly dominated by fossil-based, non-recyclable materials (foremost PET and Polyamide). No significant innovations have been introduced on an industrial scale in decades, however the environmentally friendly, closed-loop lyocell process has been established already in the early 2000s. A European-based global innovator has developed a Lyocell filament (LF) process to a state to improve both commercialization and sustainability with a consortium of key partners along the value chain. The proposed innovation project aims to catalyze further development and validation of key production processes along the value chain; to define business models and plans to enable market uptake within 1–2 years post-project i.e. by 2030.
Development of Biocatalytic Strategies for the Synthesis of Chiral Thiols and Thioethers (ThioBioCat)

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: Netherlands
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01, 2021)
Start date: 2023-02-01
End date: 2025-01-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 187624.32
EU funding (EUR): 187624.32
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are crucial for public health. However, their synthesis is often challenging due to the high complexity of modern drug molecules. In particular, APIs need to have well-defined chirality as opposite enantiomers can have dramatically different biological effects. Yet, the synthesis of chiral centres is often challenging and toxic metals as well as harsh reaction conditions are often required. Enzymes on the other hand can often achieve unmatched enantioselectivities while also avoiding such environmentally unfavourable conditions. While several biocatalytic strategies for the synthesis of chiral alcohols and amines, have been developed few such strategies exist for the synthesis of chiral thiols and thioethers, despite 20% of all APIs containing sulfur. In the project described herein, I will be developing biocatalytic approaches for the synthesis of thiols and thioethers by exploring promiscuous activities of classes of enzymes widely used in industry. This will expand the tools available for their synthesis and open up new routes and new chemical space for the synthesis of APIs, and improve the sustainability. While working with Dr Caroline Paul in the Biocatalysis group at TU Delft, I will receive training in handling nicotinamide- and flavin-dependent oxidoreductase enzymes as well as specialist computational tools for enzyme engineering, while providing my experience in high-throughput screening and chemical synthesis. I will have the opportunity to co-supervise Bachelor, Master, and PhD students, and attend several key conferences. This will allow me to further develop the necessary scientific and teaching skills that are required for leading my own research group.

Keywords: biocatalysis,asymmetric synthesis,chiral thiol,enzyme catalysis
Development of unique nanoparticle drug delivery platform for the treatment of hard-to-treat cancers (NANO-TREAT)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: The European Innovation Council (EIC)
Theme: EIC Accelerator
Destination: Other destinations
Action type: EIC actions
Countries involved: Norway
Call: EIC Accelerator 2024 - Short application (HORIZON-EIC-2024-ACCELERATOR-01, 2024)
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The delivery of hydrophobic small molecule drugs poses a significant challenge in oncology, as poor water solubility limits their therapeutic potential and increases systemic toxicity. This problem leads to both drug development failures and suboptimal efficacy of many marketed drugs, impacting patient outcomes and healthcare costs. NaDeNo Nanoscience, a Norwegian biotech startup and spin-off from SINTEF, is addressing this critical issue with its innovative drug delivery platform, PACA. Utilizing biodegradable nanoparticles, the PACA platform encapsulates hydrophobic drugs, enhancing their solubility and enabling targeted delivery directly to the disease site. This approach significantly increases therapeutic efficacy, minimizes systemic toxicity, and improves patient outcomes, all while preserving the original chemistry of the drug and stimulating the immune system. NaDeNo’s lead candidate, PACAB-002, encapsulates cabazitaxel (CBZ) with PACA for treating PSM. Preclinical studies have shown a 97% reduction in tumor weight compared to unencapsulated CBZ, with PACAB-002 gaining entry into the prestigious NCI preclinical program and receiving positive feedback from the FDA on its development plans. The market potential for PACAB-002 is significant, targeting a serviceable addressable market of 81,520 patients by 2033, with a projected market value of €1.14 billion. The technology is expected to transform the treatment landscape for PSM and other cancers, offering a new approach for existing hard-to-deliver drugs and supporting the development of new therapies. NaDeNo seeks €2.5 million in grant funding and €7-10 million in equity from the EIC to support GMP manufacturing, clinical trials, and further development of the PACA platform. Success in clinical trials will validate the PACA technology, paving the way for broader applications in oncology and beyond.

Keywords: nanoparticles,delivery platform,drug delivery,hydrophobic drugs,small molecule drugs,water solubility,rare cancer,peritoneal cancer