Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Proteasome as a target to combat trichomoniasis (ProTeCT)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Global Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Czechia,United States
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2018, 2018)
Start date: 2019-11-01
End date: 2022-11-14
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 237756.24
EU funding (EUR): 237756.24
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Trichomoniasis, caused by the protozoan parasite Trichomonas spp., is the most common, non-viral, sexually transmitted infection in the world. Only two closely related antibiotic drugs are approved for its treatment. The accelerating emergence of resistance to current antibiotics and no alternative treatment options pose an increasing threat to public health, resulting in an urgent need for novel effective anti-parasitic compounds. This project focuses on Trichomonas proteasome that is an underexploited enzyme critical for parasite survival. In this proposal, the proteasome will be functionally and structurally characterized. The substrate specificity of each subunit will be determined and fluorescent substrates that can monitor activity of each subunit will be designed. Libraries of proteasome inhibitors will be screened and hit compounds will be analyzed in co-crystallization studies with Tv proteasome. Ultimately, biochemical and structural data will be used to rationally design inhibitors for treatment of trichomoniasis.

Keywords: trichomoniasis,proteasome,inhibitor
Hijacking cell signalling pathways with magnetic nanoactuators for remote-controlled stem cell therapies of neurodegenerative disorders (MAGNEURON)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Future and Emerging Technologies (FET)
Theme: EIC Pathfinder
Destination: Novel ideas for radically new technologies
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Germany,Germany,France,France,United Kingdom,United Kingdom
Call: FET-Open research projects (H2020-FETOPEN-2014-2015-RIA, 2015)
Start date: 2016-01-01
End date: 2019-12-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3473026.0
EU funding (EUR): 3473026.0
Participants: 8
Project status: CLOSED

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, are a major public health issue given the aging population in Europe and beyond. While curative pharmacological treatment of these diseases is not in sight, cell replacement therapies (CTs) are considered very promising, in particular with the advent of stem-cell reprogramming technologies. However, a fundamental challenge in the medical application of CTs in the brain of patients lies in the lack of control of cell behaviour at the site of transplantation, and particularly their differentiation and oriented growth. The aim of this project is to introduce a fundamentally new concept for remote control of cellular functions by means of magnetic manipulation. The technology is based on magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with proteins involved in cellular signalling cascades. These biofunctionalized MNPs (bMNPs) will be delivered into target cells, where they act as intracellular signalling platforms activatable in a spatially and temporally controlled manner by external magnetic fields. The project will focus on engineering these tools for the control of neuronal cell programming and fibre outgrowth by hijacking Wnt and neurotrophin signalling, respectively, with the ulti-mate objective of advancing cell replacement therapies for PD using dopaminergic precursor neurons. To achieve this ambitious goal, we have gathered an interdisciplinary consortium interfacing scientists having cutting-edge know-how in bMNP engineering, surface functionalization and cellular nanobiophysics with renowned experts in neuronal cell differentiation, stem-cell reprogramming and regenerative (nano-)medicine. By exploiting this complementary expertise, a novel, versatile technology for magnetic control of intracellular signalling is envis-aged, which will be a breakthrough for remote actuation of cellular functions and its successful implementation in CTs for neurodegenerative diseases and injuries within the following decade.

Keywords: nanomedicine,nanoparticle engineering and biofunctionalization,magnetic actuaction,parkinson s disease,cell therapy,induced pluripotent stem cells ips,differentiation of ips cells
Drivers of Root Dynamics in Diverse Plant Communities (DiverseRoots)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Environment and Geosciences
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) (H2020-MSCA-IF-2014, 2014)
Start date: 2016-01-01
End date: 2017-12-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 177598.8
EU funding (EUR): 177598.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

There is increasing evidence for the positive effect of greater plant species diversity on primary production, nutrient retention, erosion resistance and stability in response to changes. Many of these benefits can be directly related to the rooting system, however, biodiversity research to date has mainly focussed on aboveground responses. Recent methodological advances, including molecular methods to analyse the belowground distribution of different plant species to identify soil biota, and advances in tracer methodology now offer new opportunities to increase our insight in these belowground properties and their drivers. The objective of this project is to apply state-of-the-art methodology to 1) assess to what extent biodiverse vegetation improves rooting structure and b) elucidate the main drivers behind these rooting dynamics. The increased understanding of the belowground functioning of biodiverse systems has direct importance for many fields, including the sustainable intensification of agricultural systems and prevention of soil erosion. In a desk study, I will analyse existing root data in order to assess the differences in horizontal root distribution in monocultures compared to mixtures. This will feed into the design of an experimental root study carried out in the unique Phytotron facility of Radboud University, in which I will combine state-of-the-art molecular techniques with my own expertise in tracer techniques, to investigate root development in species’ mixtures and its drivers. This fellowship will be a perfect stepping stone in achieving my career goal to become a researcher at the top of the interdisciplinary field of plant-soil interactions in biodiverse systems. My quality as a researcher will be hugely improved by the new skills and deepened knowledge that I will acquire in this fellowship. My secondment at a Water Board will facilitate stakeholder interaction and dissemination in a field in which my research is directly applicable.

Keywords: plant ecology,biodiversity,roots,soil,nutrients,molecular methods
Smart MAnagement of spent mushRoom subsTrate to lead the MUSHROOM sector towards a circular economy (Smartmushroom)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Action type: Innovation actions
Countries involved: Germany,Spain,Spain,Serbia
Call: Fast Track to Innovation (FTI) (H2020-EIC-FTI-2018-2020, 2018)
Start date: 2018-08-01
End date: 2021-01-31
Duration (months): 30.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2977936.61
EU funding (EUR): 2264143.13
Participants: 4
Project status: CLOSED

Waste from animal breeding and agriculture, specifically horse and chicken manure and wheat straw, are the raw materials of the growing substrate of mushroom. To grow 1 tonne of mushroom, 3 to 4 tonnes of substrate are needed. However, when mushroom production is completed the substrate cannot be used for another growing cycle due to the depletion of nutrients needed for mushroom growing and it is called Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS) and becomes a waste that should be managed according to regulations. In Europe, c.a. 3.65 million tons of SMS are generated each year. SMS is a high-moisture content bulk material rich in organic matter and nutrients and it could be reused in agriculture by adding it to the soils as amendment or mulch or weathered to be reused as casing soil. However, nitrates directive set a disposal limit that makes that large quantities of SMS cannot be simply spread in soils next to growers’ facilities, as there is a high risk of leachates and water pollution. Due to its low bulk density and high water content, transportation costs are high and therefore storage is becoming a sound problem. SmartMUSHROOM aims to increase mushroom growers’ waste management efficiency by using a new technology which allow them to obtain enough biogas from fresh SMS to dry a mixture of digestate and additional fresh SMS and pelletize it targeting to obtain a marketable high-quality organic fertilizer rich in organic matter and in nutrients, easy to handle, store and transport to any farming region in Europe. A perfect example of biobased circular economy. The aim of the project is to build a pilot plant to demonstrate the technology and find the best commercial formulation for the pellets to enter organic farming market. After the end of project we aim to build at least 18 treatment plants that will place in market 153,000 tonnes of SMS-pellets, generating a total Turnover of 54M€ in the period 2021-2025 and up to 105 related new jobs.

Keywords: mushroom,spent mushroom substrate,organic fertilizers,anaerobic digestion,biogas,drying,circular economy,agricultural waste,organic farming
Revealing the Transient Structures of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins by Microfluidics-Enabled Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange (fastHDX for IDPs)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Chemistry
Countries involved: Denmark
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2018-04-01
End date: 2020-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 200194.8
EU funding (EUR): 200194.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This Fellowship proposal will design, fabricate and test novel microfluidic chips for the study of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) by Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange coupled with Mass Spectrometry (HDX-MS). The research program will use thiol-ene polymerisation to form all components of the microchip allowing fast, reproducible and cheap fabrication. The microchips will incorporate multiple microfluidics channels of varying length and spatially restricted monolith plugs to allow sub-second HDX reactions to occur on-chip. The microchips will circumvent the extensive and error-prone sample pre-treatment steps of current commercial HDX-MS methodology. I will be trained in state-of-the-art HDX-MS technology and will learn how to perform site-specific, light-activated thiol-ene click-chemistry reactions. The microfluidic chips will be used to probe the transient conformational changes of three challenging IDPs of biological and pharmaceutical relevance: a-synuclein, proNerve Growth Factor (proNGF) and Epsin1. α-synuclein is an extensively characterised model IDP, shown by numerous biophysical techniques including HDX-MS to possess some regions of transient structure. α-synuclein will be used during microchip development, providing valuable proof-of-concept and a framework for which to further optimize microchip design if needed. I will then characterise the conformational states and interactions of proNGF; the cleavable pro-element is reported to be disordered, but there is little knowledge of its cellular roles. Previously unreported structural elements of Epsin1, an IDP shown to mediate lipid membrane curvature, will also be probed. HDX-MS will be complemented by electron transfer dissociation (ETD) and ion mobility separation (IM-MS).To be added

Keywords: hydrogen deuterium exchange,microfluidics,intrinsically disordered proteins,protein structure
Searching for Dark Matter in the Higgs boson sector with the ATLAS detector (DarkMatterAndHiggs)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Physics
Countries involved: Norway
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2018-08-06
End date: 2020-08-05
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 208400.4
EU funding (EUR): 208400.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

According to modern cosmological models only 16% of all matter in our universe corresponds to the known, visible matter. The other 84% is called dark matter (DM) and could so far only be observed indirectly, which is why its particle nature is poorly understood. Yet, DM played a crucial role during the evolution of our universe and thus the formation of life itself. Therefore, the understanding of DM is an important aim of contemporary physics and is pursued in this fellowship. With this research proposal, I will endeavour to uncover the particle nature of DM by analysing the proton collisions of the Large Hadron Collider recorded with the ATLAS detector at a centre of mass energy of 13 TeV. I will study whether DM is produced in the collisions by analysing events containing a Higgs boson decaying to two tau leptons and missing transverse energy, the iconic signature of weakly interacting particles. This search channel has not been exploited before and complements the current searches for DM performed by the ATLAS collaboration. I will develop a strategy to identify these Higgs decays by using novel physics quantities and machine learning methods. The results will be interpreted in different models that describe DM. Furthermore, I will combine the results of different Higgs plus DM searches of the ATLAS Collaboration to maximise their discovery reach. Their sensitivity will be increased through the exploitation of the uncertainty correlation between the different measurements and results from other DM searches will be incorporated. This way, my proposal connects the fields of high energy physics, astroparticle physics, cosmology and computer science with the aim to uncover the true nature of DM in our universe.

Keywords: atlas,dark matter,higgs
Institutions for Knowledge Intensive Development: Economic and Regulatory Aspects in South-East Asian Transition Economies (IKID)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Research and innovation staff exchange
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Economic Sciences
Countries involved: Estonia,Switzerland,Cambodia,Lao People's Democratic Republic,Viet Nam
Call: Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (H2020-MSCA-RISE-2016, 2016)
Start date: 2017-01-01
End date: 2021-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1318500.0
EU funding (EUR): 1318500.0
Participants: 5
Project status: CLOSED

The prioritisation and deployment of knowledge within an economy remains a key success factor for long-term economic development, increased productivity and socio-economic sustainability. The achievement of knowledge-driven growth is particularly challenging for emerging market economies that are still seeking to catch up to the frontier knowledge economies. The project seeks to understand the causes and consequences of the differences in the evolution of knowledge intensity of economies, with particular focus on transition countries in South-East Asia. We aim to identify some key micro and macro level institutional incentives for development towards a knowledge economy, and stimuli for capital allocation into knowledge-based investments. Moreover, we seek to study and outline some key channels for efficient regulation that might contribute to knowledge intensification in a transition economy. The project makes use of frontier empirical research methods, including advanced stochastic frontier analysis and dynamic panel data estimation techniques. The conceptual underpinnings of the project are at the intersection of industrial organisation theories, new institutional economics, development economics, and modern concepts in regulatory efficiency and justice. The project will develop lasting excellence oriented cooperation with South-East Asian universities, and contribute to R&D capacity building based on European academic values. Promoting of the project results through intersectoral knowledge transfer will be an important task. We aim to contribute to social innovation through policy suggestions, and to a paradigm shift regarding the role of institutions in transition processes. The project is a joint effort of Swiss and Estonian universities’ economics and law researchers with transition studies experience from Eastern Europe, and their fellow researchers from Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia with thorough insight into the institutional context in their societies.

Keywords: knowledge intensity,knowledge transfer,research,development,institutions,regulation,transition economies,south east asia,emerging markets,incentives,randd investments
DEcision Support system for Smart Agriculture (DESSA)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Italy
Call: SME instrument (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1, 2018)
Start date: 2019-03-01
End date: 2019-06-30
Duration (months): 4.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Fertilizers and conventional pesticides have been used in agriculture to improve crop yield and control plant pests. However, the excessive and uncontrolled application of agrochemicals has had a negative side effect on both environment and human health. Contamination of water and soil as well as death of non-target species are a few of the environmental effects whilst these pesticides have carcinogenic effects on humans. The EU implemented Directive 128/2009 on Sustainable Use of Pesticides, which incorporates a crop protection practice called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Rather than solely relying on agrochemicals, in IPM all plant protection measures are considered jointly with the necessary actions that prevent pest population growth. IPM is complex and farmers require decision support systems to assist them in making the best choice about plant protection measures to be taken. Our consortium – agricultural expert Agri2000 Net and ICT/IT specialist 3CiME Technology – has created DESSA, a service which provides accurate, farm-specific information to farmers on the plant protection actions to be performed based on farm conditions. Our system is IoT based and consists of sensors placed on the farm which measure key parameters (e.g. pest/spore presence, humidity, moisture). These parameters are input into cloud-based software that incorporates plant models that have been constructed using Agri2000 Net’s years of agricultural research on plant. The software consists of algorithms that process the data and output to the farmer, in a user-friendly manner on smart devices, the exact measures that must be performed. The decision support is given to the farmer in real-time, based on the conditions on each farm. DESSA results in 15-20% increased plant productivity, 10-30% reduced agrochemical use and 10-30% financial savings for farmers. With this project, our consortium will generate cumulative profit of €8.56 million and ROI of 5.96 by the 5th year of launch.

Keywords: crop yield improvement,agrochemicals reduction,integrated pest management,farmers support system,cloud system
Evolutionary Dissection of the Neck Musculoskeletal System in Dinosaurs (EDDI)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Environment and Geosciences
Countries involved: Germany
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2019, 2019)
Start date: 2020-12-01
End date: 2022-11-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 162806.4
EU funding (EUR): 162806.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In contrast to the clawed forelimbs of their dinosaurian ancestors, the highly specialized forelimbs of birds are exclusively adapted for flight which constrains their functional versatility. It is assumed that consequently the avian neck became the functional equivalent to an arm and great divergence is evident in number, form and function of the cervical vertebrae. Owing to methodological advances such as imaging techniques and computer technology, we only recently started deciphering the complex biomechanical adaptations of the neck in birds and the results serve as basis for bioinspired design including an arm for robots. The classic avian body plan was pieced together gradually over tens of millions of years of evolution rather than in one burst of innovation. Traits such as feathers, the furcula, and wings first evolved in the dinosaurian ancestors of birds, whereas other traits such as the pygostyle and a keeled sternum evolved in more derived birds during the Cretaceous. This raises the question of when and how has the highly versatile avian neck evolved? The EDDI team will address this issue by investigating the evolutionary mechanisms responsible for the diversification of the neck in archosaurs, the group of fossil and extinct vertebrates that includes dinosaurs, birds, and crocodilians. To do so, homologies of the skeletal and muscular system of the neck will be established using developmental and morphological data. This will serve as basis for the investigation of changes in the musculoskeletal system of the neck across phylogenetically diverse living and fossil taxa. Reconstructing these patterns among dinosaurs will provide new insights into how evolution drove major morphofunctional changes that underpinned their spectacular evolutionary success, in particular that of their avian descendants. This research will define a new paradigm for inferring patterns of the interconnected evolution of bone and muscle from the fossil record.

Keywords: evodevo,fossils,archosauria,homologies,axial skeleton,muscles,dinosauria,mesozoic,morphometrics,modularity,evolution,phylogeny