Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Understanding Carbon-neutral Hydrogen Production by Nature’s Hydrogen Evolution Catalyst (Nat-HEC)

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: Sweden
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2019, 2019)
Start date: 2020-04-01
End date: 2022-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 191852.16
EU funding (EUR): 191852.16
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The European Union targets a climate-neutral economy by 2050. In the context of this initiative, hydrogen gas (H2) is regarded as a promising energy carrier; however, about 95% of the H2 industrially consumed originates from steam reformation of fossil resources and is associated with significant CO2 release. High-efficiency H2 catalysts based on rare elements like platinum are not affordable on a larger scale. To address the global need for green energy, catalysts composed of earth abundant elements are desirable. Natures’ Hydrogen Evolution Catalyst is the enzyme [FeFe]-hydrogenase. It catalyses H2 production with high rates (10 kHz), in aqueous solution (pH 7), and at low over potentials (-420 mV vs. SHE). [FeFe]-hydrogenase inspired the design of numerous synthetic catalysts, none of which could rival the efficiency of the native system. Basic research is necessary to understand hydrogenase catalysis, in particular regarding the metal hydride chemistry prior H2 release. The objective of this action is to investigate the fundamental hydride chemistry of [FeFe]-hydrogenases under turnover conditions. Catalysis will be initiated via a laser pulse and monitored by transient absorption spectroscopy. Such pump/probe experiments allow following reaction intermediates with sub-turnover time resolution. The results of this action will inspire a targeted design of synthetic catalyst based on earth abundant elements. Moreover, the developed methodology will facilitate a detailed investigation of related enzymes, catalysing global key processes in nature like N2 or CO2 fixation.

Keywords: metalloenzymes,biological hydrogen catalysis,transient absorption spectroscopy,hydrogenases,photochemistry,redox chemistry
Are species distributions constrained by biological timing mechanisms and the photic environment? (PhoticEdge)

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: Sweden
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2020, 2020)
Start date: 2022-02-01
End date: 2024-01-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 191852.16
EU funding (EUR): 191852.16
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Biotic and abiotic factors determine species distributions, and organisms use abiotic cues, such as the diel and annual changes in available light, to synchronize their biology to the environment. Temperature is a dominant factor determining species distributions, and under global climate change, global temperature gradients are shifting polewards, away from the equator. In contrast, the photic environment is fixed by latitude and date, and is a dominant factor in determining ecological interactions and physiology. We, however, know little about whether these static photic cues determine species distributions. I aim to elucidate the relationship between species distributions and the photic environment by studying four species of migratory flycatchers (songbirds) breeding along a latitudinal gradient spanning from 56 degrees North latitude to above the northern polar circle (66.6 °N) in Sweden. Migratory flycatchers are excellent models to test hypotheses regarding the interaction between species distributions and the photic environment, because they use photic cues for determining breeding, migration, and compass bearings. The selected species also have different breeding and migratory ranges that span the polar circle and cross the equator, thus providing an excellent comparative system for understanding constraints on the northern and southern edges of their distributions. I will bring individuals into captivity to investigate experimentally how the photic environment associated with their breeding and wintering ranges affect their ability to track the diel and annual cycles. This project will provide novel insight into the interaction among species distributions and photic environment, insight required to predict properly whether species could successfully track their optimal thermal environment to new latitudes and photic environments. This new insight allows us to understand better the changes to biodiversity under global climate change.

Keywords: chronobiology,annual rhythm,diel rhythm,migration,species distribution,avian
Plant adaptations to unpredictable attack by dynamic insect communities (MULTIATTACK)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Environmental Biology, Ecology and Evolution
Panel description: Ecology, biodiversity, environmental change, evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology, microbial ecology, marine biology, ecophysiology, theoretical developments and modelling
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: ERC Starting Grant (ERC-2015-STG, 2015)
Start date: 2016-02-01
End date: 2021-01-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Individual plants are exposed to many stresses with insect herbivores being a prominent one. The occurrence of insect herbivores may be unpredictable in terms of when, by which species, and in which order the attack will take place. To deal with unpredictability of attack, plants are phenotypically plastic in their defence. They respond to attackers with the induction of specific defences and saving costs of defence in their absence. However, the induced plant phenotype may attract additional herbivores, alter the entire community composition of attackers and limit physiological capabilities of plant responses to subsequent attackers. An optimal response to one attacker should thus anticipate these consequences of induced responses. To understand the adaptive nature of plant plasticity to herbivore attack, it is essential to assess fitness consequences of an induced response when plants are exposed to multi-herbivory by their entire insect community. This requires a novel approach of comparing plant species adaptations in defence plasticity to the level of predictability in the dynamics of their insect community, such as order of herbivore arrival. To do so, this research proposal has three objectives: 1) Identifying the predictability of dynamic attacker communities of Brassicaceae species, 2) Understanding physiological adaptations to (un)predictable multi-herbivore attack, and 3) Identifying consistency in responses of insect herbivores to induced phenotypes of different Brassicaceae. By integrating community ecology with network inference modelling of insect communities, the nature of predictability of insect communities of nine annual Brassicaceae plant species will be identified and linked to species-specific physiological adaptations to multi-herbivory. This multidisciplinary community approach will provide novel insights into the evolution of plant phenotypic plasticity in defence, which is a central paradigm in the field of plant-insect interactions.

Keywords: induced plant defence,sequential herbivory,plant mediated interactions
Redesigning biocatalysis: Thermal-tuning of one-pot multienzymatic cascades by nanoactuation (HOTZYMES)

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: Austria,Spain,Italy,Germany,Spain,Spain
Call: FET-Open Challenging Current Thinking (H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2019-2020-01, 2018)
Start date: 2019-04-01
End date: 2022-09-30
Duration (months): 42.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2992388.75
EU funding (EUR): 2992388.75
Participants: 8
Project status: SIGNED

Enzymatic cascades open a path to the efficient implementation of complex biotransformations for producing from high-cost pharmaceuticals to low-cost biocommodities. However, for multi-step synthetic schemes catalyzed by incompatible or unpaired enzymatic cascades, efficient cell-free one-pot systems, where enzymes are perfectly orchestrated and regulated, have yet to be developed. In HOTZYMES, we propose to develop a new ground-breaking concept to exert functional control over different enzymes using magnetic heating. We expect to control enzyme activity by conjugating enzymes and magnetic nanoparticles and tuning temperature gradients at the nanoscale to precisely and locally reach the optimal temperature of each immobilized enzyme. This will allow an unprecedented spatio-temporal control over the kinetics of multi-enzymatic cascades by remotely applying alternating magnetic fields. To ensure an easy separation, re-utilization and integration into bioreactors, these conjugates will be integrated within porous microparticles. To meet this technological break-through we will need to design and fabricate a new generation of magnetic bioreactors specific to the field of Biocatalysis. We will need to answer fundamental questions about the physical mechanisms that govern heat transfer/diffusion between magnetic materials and biomolecules at different spatial scales by bringing together different scientific and technological disciplines and expertise. HOTZYMES will thus contribute to change current industrial biotransformations from an unsatisfactory current paradigm (uncoordinated enzyme function, sequential reactions, disposable bioprocesses) into a game-changing breakthrough (coordinated enzyme function, concurrent reactions, recyclable bioprocesses).

Keywords: magnetic heating,magnetic nanoparticles,hybrid composites,amf bioreactors,multi enzymatic cascades,one pot biomanufacturing,industrial biocatalysis
ENRICH in Africa - A Multi-sided Platform Business Model for supporting the EU-African Innovation Community. (EiA)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Europe in a changing world - inclusive, innovative and reflective societies
Theme: Innovative societies
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: South Africa,Austria,Germany,Tanzania, United Republic of,Zambia,Belgium,France,France,France,Ghana,Kenya,Sudan,Senegal,Zimbabwe,Portugal,Nigeria
Call: Centres/Networks of European research and innovation (H2020-SC6-GOVERNANCE-2020, 2020)
Start date: 2021-01-01
End date: 2024-06-30
Duration (months): 42.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3586505.0
EU funding (EUR): 3586505.0
Participants: 20
Project status: SIGNED

The European Commission is aiming to extend the network of the ENRICH centres in USA, Brazil and China to cover other regions, in order to connect European researchers and entrepreneurs globally. The ENRICH in Africa (EiA) project is addressing this challenge by establishing the EiA Centre, targeting the sub-Saharan African region. Focus of the activities will be the set-up of a network of incubators and accelerators to deliver services to European and African innovators. To best deliver this model, the EiA consortium brings together active innovation ecosystem actors from across the EU and Africa, who, together, have co-created a business model that offers them, as customers, what they need; a strong value proposition and beneficial services. This foundation offers a strong revenue model that can ensure a legacy for the commitment provided by the European Commission through this grant. Utilising this co-creation ethos EiA brings together incubators and accelerators across the EU and Africa to act as Champions for EiA. The network, in the beginning comprising of EiA consortium members, will be expanded to other entrepreneurial support organisations that meet the EiA standards. Key element of the concept is the focus on capacity building and learning for incubators and accelerators in order for them be able to offer high quality services to innovators. The EiA multi-sided platform, with a clever digital backbone, will be the central point for all EiA activities, offering different services for a wide range of stakeholders in the EU-Africa innovation ecosystem. This project offers a testable framework, which will be piloted in the initial stage of the project timeframe, leading into an evaluation and subsequent centre implementation phase, which will see the roll out of the piloted project to its full commercial capacity, ensuring that the EiA Centre will be carried forward beyond the lifetime of the project.

Keywords: eu africa innovation cooperation,accelerator,incubator,innovator,soft landing,business creation,market development,networking,capacity building,sub saharan africa
Cold plasma cures chronic wounds: a sparkling solution (PLASOMA)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: SME instrument (H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020-3, 2020)
Start date: 2020-09-01
End date: 2023-12-31
Duration (months): 40.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3596387.5
EU funding (EUR): 2498877.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Plasmacure has been established in 2014 and currently employs 12 people. We have our own test facilities and technical staff. In 2018, we have received an A-round Investment of €2.2 million. Our mission statement is: We envision a world where people no longer suffer from chronic wounds. In Europe, > 3 million people suffer from this condition. Chronic wounds cause pain, lead to amputations and loss of independence. Average costs are € 12,000 per wound. Currently, 25% of these wounds persist for months or even years. We have developed a medical device (PLASOMA) based on atmospheric cold plasma, which is air that contains highly reactive particles that kill bacteria and stimulate wound healing. It consists of disposable plasma pads and a pulser that emits high voltage pulses to induce the plasma. PLASOMA is the first cold plasma device with demonstrated clinical efficacy: In a first clinical study we showed that PLASOMA can cure at least half of the wounds that currently cannot be cured. PLASOMA increases quality of life, relieves the healthcare workforce and reduces antibiotics use. Should all hard-to-heal wounds be treated with PLASOMA, EU health care costs will decrease with > € 6 billion/yr. We expect to get CE in Q1 2020, after which sales will start. With the grant we will conduct a multinational clinical study to generate clinical efficacy data with which we can extend our first CE claim (reduce microbial load) to the claim that PLASOMA can cure chronic wounds, apply for reimbursement and get PLASOMA incorporated in the treatment guidelines. We will also develop pads with different sizes and shapes and make the pulser suitable for home use such that we can cover almost the entire wound market. With the equity, we can launch PLASOMA in 4 EU countries. We expect break even in 2024, and, in 2025, a turnover of € 30 million and 55 fte. Around 2026, we expect to enter a strategic partnership with a medical device company or bring Plasmacure to the stock exchange.

Keywords: chronic wounds,cold plasma,cure,clinical trial,market development,eu and middle east countries
BRInGing nano-pHoTonics into the brain (NanoBRIGHT)

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: Spain,Italy,France
Call: FET-Open Challenging Current Thinking (H2020-FETOPEN-2018-2019-2020-01, 2018)
Start date: 2019-05-01
End date: 2024-04-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3496197.5
EU funding (EUR): 3496197.5
Participants: 5
Project status: SIGNED

NanoBRIGHT will develop a new approach to optically interface with the brain, referred to as “photonic-physiology”: a new technique with high-translational appeal that exploits light-metals interactions to interface with the brain, targeting specific diseases including brain tumors, epilepsy and traumatic brain injuries. This will allow to reach the long-term vision of developing novel cutting-edge optical approaches to study and treat pathological conditions of the brain without using genetically-encoded proteins, which represent the main limitation for optogenetic techniques currently employed to interface with the neural tissue. The approach will be based on a unique science-enabled technology exploiting the spatial selectivity properties of multimodal tapered optical fibers to activate a subset of high-density plasmonic hotspots along the taper. The resulting implantable devices will establish a new approach to interface with brain, striving at: 1- Demonstrate the capability of photonics for detecting and treating pathological conditions of the brain without the use of genetically-encoded proteins. We plan to exploit SERS to differentiate between primary and secondary brain tumors and to outline new methods to study oxidative stress in epileptogenic tissue. 2- Upscaling the range of physiological phenomena that can be controlled by light in vivo beyond those achieved so far by genetically encoded proteins, including vasodilation to locally increase permeability of the blood-brain-barrier thus enhancing pharmacological delivery in well-targeted regions of brain tumors. 3-Proving that unconventional combination between light-matter interactions and photonic-physiology can be used to analyze comorbidities between different diseases, testing the influence of brain tumors on epilepsy or tumor influence on the electrical activity of nearby and distal neural cells.

Keywords: neuroscience,brain tumors,optical neuro interfaces
Close Up: Your ID is Your Face (DATAFACE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Career Restart panel
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Social Sciences and Humanities
Countries involved: Belgium
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2019, 2019)
Start date: 2020-09-01
End date: 2023-08-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 267480.0
EU funding (EUR): 267480.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

In the age of artificial intelligence, identifying anyone in public space through facial recognition is becoming faster and easier. However, the technologies are not without flaws. Recent studies have shown that the technologies are prone to gender and skin-colour biases, and not highly accurate. Despite their imperfections, governments around the world deploy the technologies at a breakneck pace. Strong criticisms have been heard over the lack of appropriate legal frameworks to regulate technologies that can negatively impact civil liberties and personal freedoms. Since a few years, concerns have further grown concerning their use in China where they are deployed to support a social credit system to rate citizens’ behaviour. Facial recognition technologies can potentially be very pervasive surveillance tools. The proposed research will identify the threats and risks that the use of facial recognition for surveillance purposes poses to the rights to privacy and data protection as defined at EU level. The objective is to define the legitimate and proportionate uses of the technologies based on country trends (France, UK, USA, and China), their technical characteristics, and the legal frameworks applicable to the rights to privacy and data protection.

Keywords: privacy,data protection,surveillance,biometrics,facial recognition,predictive analysis,artificial intelligence
Innovative industrial transformation of the steel and chemical industries of Europe (INITIATE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing and Processing, and Biotechnology
Theme: Sustainable, resource-efficient and low-carbon technologies in energy-intensive process industries
Action type: Innovation actions
Countries involved: Italy,Italy,Belgium,Sweden,Sweden,Netherlands,Netherlands,Netherlands,Netherlands,United Kingdom
Call: Tapping into the potential of Industrial Symbiosis (H2020-LCCI-2020-EASME-singlestage, 2020)
Start date: 2020-11-01
End date: 2025-10-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 23148255.86
EU funding (EUR): 21296571.0
Participants: 12
Project status: SIGNED

INITIATE proposes a novel symbiotic process to produce urea from steel residual gases. The project will demonstrate a reduction in; primary energy intensity of 30%; carbon footprint of 95%; the raw material intensity of 40%; and waste production of 90%. Additional to this level of reduction, the concept represents a positive business case. INITIATE will demonstrate operating reliability and technology-based innovations in a real industrial setting at TRL7 by producing urea NH3 from steel residual gases as part of three test campaigns spanning six weeks each. The reduction in primary energy intensity, carbon footprint, raw material intensity and waste production will be assessed and verified on a regional and European level by advanced dynamic modelling and Life Cycle Assessment commiserated with ISO 14404 guidelines. The project will develop a commercial implementation roadmap for immediate deployment of INITIATE after project conclusion and for ensuring roll-out of INITIATE and similar symbiotic systems. Designing a robust and bankable first-of-a-kind commercial plant to produce urea from residual steel gases will allow implementation after project conclusion. Long term roll-out will be enabled by defining collaborative strategy for stakeholders alignment to implement INITIATE and similar symbiotic systems. Finally, effective and inclusive communication and dissemination of project results are maximized by organizing summer schools and creation of Massive Open Online Course. INITIATE will take advantage of a consortium spanning the full value chain, including major steel and urea industrial players (Arcelor Mittal, SSAB, Stamicarbon, NextChem), functional material suppliers (Johnson Matthey, Kisuma Chemicals), multi-disciplinary researchers (TNO, POLIMI, Radboud University) and experienced promoters of CCUS, circularity and symbiosis topics to public (CO2 Value Europe).

Keywords: industrial symbiosis,trl7 demonstration,5 tpd tons per day urea,ai driven control