Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Lipase immobilization for microscopic investigation of enzyme activity (lipaseTEM)

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: 2024-10-01
End date: 2026-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 230774.4
EU funding (EUR): 230774.4
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Water contamination caused by human and industrial activities is a significant global concern. One of the most prominent pollutants is oily wastewater, severely impacting groundwater and drinking water quality. Biocatalysts, such as Thermomyces lanuginosus lipase (TLL), are used in many household detergents to remove lipids effectively. However, their limited solubility and reusability can increase running costs and hinder large-scale applications. To address this issue, we plan to immobilize TLL on solid supports and determine the appropriate surface density of enzymes, conformational changes during immobilization, and the effect of support on its kinetic properties. Our goal is to develop innovative methods for nanoscale imaging of enzymes using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to gain insights into the structural aspects of immobilization. By investigating the interaction of the immobilized enzyme with the support nanostructure and the lipid substrate, we expect to identify the attributes that maximize the biocatalytic reaction rate. We will explore different immobilization methods on various nanostructures and investigate how TLL interacts with the immobilization matrices at the nanoscale level. Additionally, we will apply water vapor atmosphere in the TEM to explore in situ the dynamic switching between the active and idle state of the single enzyme molecules in real-time by their conformational changes. We are aiming to obtain groundbreaking results and a paradigm shift, based on the in situ kinetic studies of lipase-catalyzed chemical reactions which can become a gateway into the quantum mechanical world of molecular science.

Keywords: enzyme immobilization,transmission electron microscopy,fluorescence microscopy
PROgramming Gauge-invariant Rydberg AtoM arrays (PROGRAM)

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: Spain,United States
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2023 (HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01, 2023)
Start date: 2024-11-01
End date: 2027-04-30
Duration (months): 30.0
Total project cost (EUR): 216699.6
EU funding (EUR): 216699.6
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Many strongly-correlated phenomena in condensed-matter and high-energy physics, from high-Tc superconductivity to quark confinement, can be described by lattice gauge theories (LGT), field theories invariant under local transformations. The immense computational complexity associated with solving LGT using classical computers hinders progress in these fields, where many questions remain open. Although quantum computers can address these questions more efficiently than classical devices, current quantum hardware is limited in the absence of error correction, complicating the reach of a practical quantum advantage in the near term. Co-designing both quantum hardware and software tailored to simulate LGT, addressing non-trivial regimes while minimizing experimental resources, is therefore a challenging but timely task. Rydberg atoms in tweezer arrays, which have recently emerged as a powerful quantum simulation platform, offer unique capabilities that can be harnessed in this direction. On the one hand, the strong Rydberg interaction and the associated blockade mechanism naturally leads to emergent local symmetries. On the other hand, the possibility of controlling many internal atomic states as well as using fermionic atoms allows to locally encode and simulate non-abelian gauge fields and fermionic matter fields, respectively, minimizing resource overheads. PROGRAM will investigate this hardware-efficient approach and develop quantum simulation protocols for LGT using Rydberg atom arrays, focusing on three main challenges: (i) simulating non-equilibrium LGT dynamics in 2D, and (ii) implementing non-abelian gauge symmetries, as well as (iii) fermionic matter fields, in a scalable manner. The Researcher will design these protocols using both analog, digital and variational near-term resources, benchmark them in the presence of experimental errors, and run some of them using existing quantum hardware.

Keywords: quantum simulation lattice gauge theories quantum computing rydberg atoms
Molecular Life of Plants ERA Chair (MOLIPEC)

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: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Czechia
Call: ERA Chairs (HORIZON-WIDERA-2022-TALENTS-01, 2022)
Start date: 2023-01-01
End date: 2027-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2575000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2575000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences (BC) together with Prof. Jiří Friml (Institute of Science and Technology Austria, ISTA) are proposing the project “MOLIPEC: Molecular Life of Plants ERA Chair” to create a research centre of excellence in plant molecular biology to increase research quality and capacity at BC, in the Czech Republic and within ERA. Plant research has repeatedly provided key breakthroughs such as discovery of cells, genes or transposons. Modern plant biology has pioneered many major discoveries in all areas of biology. Further molecular insights are essential for developing sustainable agriculture and plant-based industry, all critical to human survival. Plant research has a long-standing tradition in Czechia, however, modern molecular biology remains underdeveloped because of an anti-genetics past legacy in Eastern Europe. Plant research at BC currently undergoes major structural changes providing an excellent and timely opportunity to restructure BC to achieve efficiency and excellence. The ERA Chair will be instrumental in this endeavour. The project comprehensively addresses five most important areas for improvement: (1) The International Advisory Board under ERA Chair direction will strengthen research and leadership at BC from an international perspective. (2) Centralised facilities will provide professional research and administrative support, improving efficiency and economical savings. (3) Outstanding talents will be recruited to establish two new independent research groups complementing current plant research topics. (4) Mentorship program and career development plan will improve R&I knowledge and skills, free circulation of knowledge, and cooperation with business. (5) Targeted communication and dissemination of research results with societal relevance will ensure international attractiveness and visibility of BC. Thus, the MOLIPEC project will establish BC as a leading centre for excellent plant research in Central Europe.

Keywords: plant molecular biology,molecular life of plants,plant based industry,agriculture,research excellence,research leadership,core facilities,mentorship
Closing the loop in dynamic vision – from single photons to behaviour in extreme light environments (DynamicVision)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System
Panel description: Nervous system development, homeostasis and ageing , nervous system  function and dysfunction , systems neuroscience  and modelling , biological basis of cognitive processes and of behaviour, neurological and mental disorders – In humans and all other organisms
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2023-STG, 2023)
Start date: 2024-09-01
End date: 2029-08-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Driving along a tree-lined avenue, we have all experienced how the rapid succession of light and shade disrupts our vision. Such conditions push even synthetic sensors to their limits, but many animals master these challenges on a daily—and nightly—basis. Indeed, a high dynamic range of sensory information is a hallmark of natural environments. Explaining how sensory information is processed with the limited bandwidth in neural circuits is key to a central goal of neuroscience: understanding the neural control of behaviour in natural contexts. This question extends beyond the processing of dynamic input by nervous systems to the closed-loop nature of animal behaviour itself: as senses guide an animal’s movements, the movements in turn shape the sensory input. It necessitates a paradigm-shift to a holistic approach considering dynamic inputs, neural processing and behavioural strategies in concert. I propose visually-guided flight in nocturnal moths as uniquely suited for approaching this challenge. Probing the system in dim light, when vision operates at its limits, offers straightforward performance readouts for all stages of the control loop. To do so, we will design a novel imaging system to quantify the dynamics of natural visual environments from a flying insect’s perspective. We will then measure how dynamic tuning adjusts peripheral neurons to compensate for these spatiotemporal light variations, and how they are integrated with movement predictions in motion neurons, to guide flight behaviour. Using a one-of-a-kind facility for large-scale animal tracking, we will record the moths’ flight behaviour at unprecedented precision to reveal the strategies that optimise sensory acquisition in these challenging light conditions. Combining all stages, this project will provide a coherent framework for studying the neural basis of natural behaviour in dynamic light environments—using a unique, ecologically impactful model to close the loop from sensing to acting.

Keywords: vision,neural control,behaviour,dynamic range,active sensing,light pollution
HUNTING GHOST NEURONS IN THE NEUROENDOCRINE HYPOTHALAMUS (Ghostbuster)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing
Panel description: Organ and tissue physiology, comparative physiology, physiology  of ageing , pathophysiology, inter - organ and tissue communication, endocrinology, nutrition,  metabolism, interaction with the microbiome, non -communicable diseases including cancer (and except disorders of the nervous system  and immunity -related diseases)
Countries involved: France
Call: ERC CONSOLIDATOR GRANTS (ERC-2023-COG, 2023)
Start date: 2024-09-01
End date: 2029-08-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2000000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2000000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The hypothalamus contains heterogeneous neurons that dictate behaviours and physiological functions through cross-talk mechanisms with peripheral hormones. Neuronal diversity is the key to enabling hypothalamic functions and, according to the neuroscience dogma, is mainly preset during embryonic life. But what if this model is incorrect? Can neuronal heterogeneity be plastically modulated throughout adult life as well? Here, based on my published work and solid preliminary results, I propose that special 'Ghost' neurons in the hypothalamus display plastic mechanisms of cell-identity reprogramming to accommodate neuroendocrine functions in adult life under physiological conditions. Such identity plasticity can become maladaptive and contribute to neuroendocrine disorders such as obesity. My central hypothesis is that atypical 'Ghost' neurons are hidden within mature populations of neuroendocrine brain neurons. The Ghostbuster project will hunt down these brain cells and uncover their role in physiology and metabolic disease. A multidisciplinary approach will be used toward this goal, uniting lineage tracing strategies, nutritional interventions, single-cell profiling of hypothalamic neurons, bioinformatic analyses, and viral-based tools for targeting Ghost cell-related genes. These strategies will be combined with behavioural, metabolic and hormonal assessments of mice models of Ghost neuron loss or gain of function. The project will overturn the dogma that post-mitotic neurons have negligible cell-reprogramming capacity and revolutionise our understanding of how brain functions are plastically regulated throughout life. We will shed light on key molecular targets that allow the reprogramming of neuronal functional identity for therapeutic use and provide a novel framework for understanding the fundamental biological mechanisms that cause neuroendocrine disorders such as obesity, infertility, and beyond.

Keywords: hypothalamus,heterogeneity,cell identity,energy balance,reproduction,hormones
Reassessing phosphorus removal by employing classical and fermentative metabolism of polyphosphate accumulating organisms in complex carbon environments (REMaP-Carbon)

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: Netherlands,Denmark
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01, 2021)
Start date: 2023-04-15
End date: 2026-04-14
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 254330.4
EU funding (EUR): 254330.4
Participants: 3
Project status: SIGNED

The Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive adopted by the EU acknowledges enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) as a sustainable process that prevents eutrophication, saves marine assets estimated at €500 billion and counters depletion of phosphorus ore. EBPR is mediated microbially by polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs), but our understanding is limited to identifying Ca. Accumulibacter as a globally dominant PAO that utilises volatile fatty acids as carbon substrate. However, a variety of PAOs exists in full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) that display metabolic versatility in the assimilation or fermentation of complex carbon substrates such as amino acids and sugars. The REMaP-Carbon action will explore the metabolic versatility of PAOs using complex carbon substrates. An interdisciplinary approach involving engineering principles, multi-omics analyses, and advanced modelling techniques will be implemented. Under the supervision of Prof. Mark van Loosdrecht, TU Delft, I will study the metabolism of PAOs using isotope labelling techniques, kinetic and stoichiometric characterisation, and metabolic models. During the secondment at Aalborg University with Prof. Per Nielsen, I will gain complementary skills in bioinformatics and microspectroscopy techniques. To extend EBPR application to complex carbon substrates in WWTPs, an industrial placement is planned at the end of the fellowship to exploit research outputs with Royal HaskoningDHV. In leading international and intersectoral collaborations, I aim to develop research skills, project management and communication abilities to improve overall effectiveness as a researcher. Independently leading this action will provide me experience and confidence to undertake ambitious projects and collaborations in my academic career. Overall, this action will contribute to Europe’s knowledge-based economy by defining how PAOs turn the wheels of the biogeochemical phosphorus cycle in natural environments.

Keywords: enhanced biological phosphorus removal,aerobic granular sludge,biofilm processes,environmental biotechnology,microbial ecology
Efficient and functional optical frequency conversion in 3D Nonlinear Optical Artificial Materials (3D NOAM)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Systems and Communication Engineering
Panel description: Electrical, electronic, communication, optical and systems engineering
Countries involved: Israel
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): 3000000.0
EU funding (EUR): 3000000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Optical frequency conversion in bulk nonlinear crystals is used for generation of coherent light over the entire optical regime from extreme ultra-violet up to THz waves. This remarkable ability is at the core of a plethora of important technological and scientific applications. However, bulk nonlinear crystals pose strong limitations on integration, miniaturization, and control over the nonlinear interactions, holding back the further progress of optical frequency conversion technologies. I propose to lead a great breakthrough in the field by developing a new kind of 3D nano-engineered nonlinear optical artificial materials with superior nonlinear optical properties, and free of the limitations of bulk nonlinear crystals. These materials will be inspired by recently developed nonlinear metasurfaces. It was demonstrated that nonlinear metasurfaces exhibit unprecedented nonlinear functionalities, and effective nonlinearities exceeding by far those of bulk nonlinear crystals, promising to replace bulk crystals in future nonlinear optical technologies. However, their two-dimensional designs and nanoscale thickness strongly limit their frequency conversion efficiency, with no existing practical nanofabrication approach nor theoretical proposition to overcome this limitation. Our research aims to close this gap. We will develop a new nanofabrication methodology that will allow to stack hundreds of nonlinear metasurfaces into a 3D nonlinear material in a technologically viable way. We will study new fundamental nonlinear interactions in these novel nonlinear materials, and demonstrate experimentally their superiority over bulk nonlinear crystals in conversion efficiency and functionalities. These achievements will potentially pave the way to the next era of nonlinear optical frequency conversion technologies. They will also immediately impact applications of 3D nanostructured optical materials in general, as well as may change the way we think about 3D nanofabrication.

Keywords: nonlinear metasurfaces,nonlinear optics,frequency conversion,metasurfaces,metamaterials
Intramer-mediated multi-parallel mapping of signalling pathways (IntraMAP)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced 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 ADVANCED GRANTS (ERC-2023-ADG, 2023)
Start date: 2024-10-01
End date: 2029-09-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2499241.0
EU funding (EUR): 2499241.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Cellular behaviour is methodically studied using systems biology approaches that analyse the presence, absence, or oscillation of biomolecules. To this end, exogenous perturbations, among others, are used to alter protein expression and study their effects on cellular homeostasis. However, proteomes are inherently versatile and diversified by alternative splicing, protein cleavage, and post-translational modifications (PTM). Similarly, the spatiotemporal formation of multicomponent complexes plays an important but less well understood role in cellular homoeostasis and disorders. Specific recognition of these complexes by ligands is a difficult task to solve. Therefore, deciphering signalling cascades at the proteome and complex levels requires technologies that enable the identification of protein-binding and -inhibiting compounds that are sensitive or tolerant to PTMs and can recognize protein complexes. Intracellularly expressed aptamers, known as intramers, offer a solution to this challenge. The IntraMAP project will develop generally applicable paradigms for the automated evolution of intramers and combine them with cellular screening methods. In this way, intramers will be identified that are optimally adapted to cellular environments and effectively disrupt signalling cascades. These intramers will be used to identify signalling components and protein complexes associated with these cascades. They will be applied to various cells, organoids and in vivo to uncover fundamental principles of complex signalling events. The project has a strong interdisciplinary focus and will open novel avenues for the analysis of biomolecules. It has implications ranging from life sciences to systems biology, and will not only establish intramers as a broadly applicable discovery technology to study signalling cascades on an ‘omics’-like scale, but also holds enormous innovative potential for the development of novel gene therapies and future RNA-based drugs.

Keywords: aptamer,intramer,nucleic acids,synthetic biology,systems biology,cancer,signal transduction,fluorogenic rna,light up sensors,target identification