Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Vulnerability of soil organic carbon to climate change in permafrost and dryland ecosystems (VULCAN)

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: Environment and Geosciences
Countries involved: Spain,United States
Call: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-GF) (H2020-MSCA-IF-2014, 2014)
Start date: 2015-07-01
End date: 2018-06-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 201726.0
EU funding (EUR): 174495.6
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Soil organic matter provides essential ecosystem services and is one of the largest C reservoirs on Earth, holding more than three-fold as much C as does the atmosphere. Over 75% of the global soil organic C pool is stored in permafrost and dryland regions, both under high pressure due to climate change. In particular, global warming may accelerate soil organic matter decomposition in these ecosystems, which may dramatically endanger their functioning and worsen climate change by releasing significant amounts of CO2 to the atmosphere. However, the rate of this effect and to what extent it may be offset by warming-induced increases of plant-derived organic inputs remain highly uncertain. The main objective of this project is to gain a deeper insight into the vulnerability of soil organic matter to climate change in permafrost and drylands, and to explore potential implications in terms of ecosystem functioning and feedback to global warming. We will use globally unique ecosystem warming experiments in Alaska (permafrost) and central Spain (dryland), with a well-established monitoring of plant productivity, phenology, and nutrient status, soil physical, chemical, biochemical, and microbiological properties, and CO2 fluxes. We will focus on the destabilization, stabilization, and transformation processes of soil organic matter at the molecular level by using an unparalleled combination of state-of-the-art methods for soil organic matter fractionation into pools directly related to conceptual preservation mechanisms, powerful stable and radioactive isotope techniques, and advanced nuclear magnetic resonance tools. VULCAN will fill major gaps in our knowledge, will make this information widely available to scientists, policy makers, and the general public, and will provide the Fellow with the necessary knowledge, skills, networking, and experience to lead future research projects related to the feedbacks between climate change and terrestrial ecosystems in Europe.

Keywords: soil organic matter,permafrost,drylands,semi arid soils,isotopes,nuclear magnetic resonance
Evolution of cockPIt operations Levering on cOgnitive compuTing Services (E-PILOTS)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Smart, green and integrated transport
Theme: Public-private partnerships
Destination: Clean Sky 2
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Partnership: CS2 (Art-187)
Countries involved: Spain,United Kingdom
Call: Cognitive Computing potential for cockpit operations (H2020-CS2-CFP08-2018-01, 2018)
Start date: 2019-01-01
End date: 2021-12-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 796056.25
EU funding (EUR): 796056.25
Participants: 4
Project status: CLOSED

New technologies have allowed pilots to assume more responsibilities reducing the number of some mechanic and repetitive tasks through automation. The flight deck transition to digital computer-based flight management system has shown a reduction of the workload across a variety of tasks. However, there are still several open issues that requires further research and a deeper understanding of pilot cognitive decision making process to guide next steps on aircraft control task sharing between human pilots and machines. Present project proposal will analyse the benefits of cognitive computing assistant and the challenges in key areas such as the relationship between pilot with the surrounding traffic and the aircraft state evolution considering the pressure of the operational context factors such as task responsibilities, situational awareness, and the performance objectives of the mission among others. The dynamics of these interdependencies will be analysed by means of ML techniques identifying the different thresholds that actives a cognitive tasks which will be the baseline to elaborate new symbiosis dynamic structures to improve human-machine information sharing mechanisms. Human-in-the-mesh modelling paradigm relying on cognitive computing technologies will drive the research and innovation efforts to identify the potential changes in pilot roles and task responsibilities that will improve aircraft system reliability and performance, the pathway to automation in the flight deck to simplify the crew interaction with the systems and make tacit knowledge explicit to be accessible and usable for automated, intelligent systems. This proposal consider cockpit operations for “man-computer symbiosis” as a metaphor for designing decision support systems that enhance human cognitive performance. Furthermore, it will be explored the Strong Cognitive Symbiosis approach which analyses true interdependence rather than simply cooperation between human and machines

Keywords: socio technological system,cognitive sensor net,machine learning,simulation,cockpit,causal model,agent based modeling
Next generation eco-friendly, microbiome preserving and reduced resistance therapeutics (NEXTER)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Proof of concept grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Molecules of Life: Biological Mechanisms, Structures and Functions
Panel description: Molecular biology, biochemistry, structural biology, molecular biophysics, synthetic and chemical biology, drug design, innovative methods and modelling
Countries involved: Israel
Call: ERC Proof of Concept Grant (ERC-2019-PoC, 2019)
Start date: 2019-07-01
End date: 2020-12-31
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 150000.0
EU funding (EUR): 150000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The rapid emergence and spread of Multi-drug Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), alongside the negligible efforts of the major pharmaceuticals companies in the development of new antibiotics, result in a major global concern of modern medicine. Moreover, the currently clinically used antibiotics contaminate the environment and may harm the human microbiome, causing unpredictable health concerns. We discovered that by targeting species-specific ribosome unique structural motifs, identified by us, using our designed degradable novel synthetic lead compounds, it is possible to inhibit protein biosynthesis in bacteria. Our approach should enable distinction between pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria and between bacterial and human ribosome. This drug selectivity should decrease resistance, preserve the beneficial microbiome and allow usage of lower antibiotics dozes. Furthermore, the designed degradable lead compounds should prevent additional environmental contamination. Hence, our approach allows designing innovative powerful selective antibiotics that escape the existing resistance mechanisms. Several of the primary designed compounds shown to stop the growth of the multi-resistant S. aureus human pathogen were delivered into the bacterial cells by attaching specific chemical moieties to them. In this PoC we plan to design similar compounds for other human pathogens, such as Enterococcus and Pseudomonas species, where revolutionary effective antibiotic drugs against their resistant strains is desperately needed. In addition to the technological PoC in this project, we will attempt pre-commercialization studies aiming at perfecting the commercialization strategy, protecting the IP and strengthen the network for best possible commercialization outcome. The general objective is to establish at least one strategic partnership with a pharma company which has the capacity to further test, develop and commercialize antibiotics that exploit ribosomal novel unique targets.

Keywords: multi drug resistance,eco friendly,microbiome,antibiotics,ribosome,protein synthesis,staphylococcus aureus
A new cryoprotectant formulation for the next generation of high throughput screening toxicology tests (CryoProtect)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Proof of concept grants
Action type: ERC actions
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: ERC Proof of Concept Grant (ERC-2015-PoC, 2015)
Start date: 2016-06-01
End date: 2017-11-30
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 149926.0
EU funding (EUR): 149926.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

All pharmaceutical, chemical and cosmetic products have to undergo rigorous toxicity testing before going to market. In the past, this was often done through testing with animals, but this approach has been in rapid decline. The alternative is testing of products for toxicity against mammalian cells in multi-well plates. This technique is very important in the pharmaceutical industry where early detection of drug toxicity can reduce the cost of bringing drugs to market. Testing against hepatocytes (liver cells) is critically important, but these cells are difficult to cryopreserve in multi-well plates. At present they have to be shipped globally in a fresh format, presenting major logistical challenges, and then used within days, often with less than ideal results in terms of cell uniformity and test reproducibility. In CryoProtect, I will develop a means of cryopreserving cells within multi-well plates allowing them be shipped to laboratories around the world and thawed only when they are needed. In the absence of ice nucleants, aqueous cell suspensions can supercool well below the ice melting point which often results in cell death. I have already pioneered the use of feldspar as an ice nucleant in cryopreservation. However, feldspar alone is not enough to cryopreserve cells in multi-well plates. In this PoC application I propose to build on a discovery related to our work on ice nucleation by sea spray aerosol, published in Nature. We can substantially improve the ice nucleating ability of feldspar by adding ammonium ions to the solution in which cells are suspended prior to freezing (this solution is called the cryoprotectant solution) leading to enhanced survival rates of hepatocytes. This PoC grant is needed in order to optimise the composition of the new cryoprotectant formulation for specific applications, trials and testing, producing technical marketing materials, assessment of significant markets and the development of an evidence based business plan.

Keywords: ice nucleation,ice nucleant,cryopreservation,cloud,toxicology testing,cryoprotectant,feldspar
A new hope for early gonarthrosis treatment using a biotechnological therapeutic drug to regenerate cartilage by intra-articular knee injection (RHYP)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing and Processing, and Biotechnology
Theme: Biotechnology
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: France
Call: Dedicated support to biotechnology SMEs closing the gap from lab to market (H2020-SMEINST-2-2016-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2017-06-01
End date: 2020-11-30
Duration (months): 42.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3008500.0
EU funding (EUR): 2105950.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The aim of RHYP is to sustain the commercialization of a new promising therapeutic product (REG-O3) to restore the joint function for the treatment of early and moderate gonarthrosis (GA). GA is a degenerative knee joint disease that represents a huge social and economic burden worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, more than 5% of people over 40 and 50% of people over 75 years suffer specifically from GA in developed countries. It affects also a growing number of younger people as athletes and obese people, among others. There are currently no therapeutic molecules on the market for the treatment of early GA to slow down or stop disease progression and avoid surgery joint replacement. Available treatments for this disease stage are mainly symptomatic, such as the widely use injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) in articulation (viscosupplementation – Global market €1.5 Mrd in 2014). RHYP’s ambition is to tackle this current drawback by pushing forward its drug candidate REG-O3 into clinics to propose a disruptive and long-term treatment (curative and symptomatic action) using a painless local administration mode at a competitive price (€450 for total treatment is estimated). The selected lead REG-O3 activity proof of concept on chondrocytes proliferation activation to slow down cartilage degradation was previously established in vitro and in vivo. Following successful feasibility studies conducted thanks to the European commission (EC) through the Phase 1 of the SME Instrument, RHYP is now responding to the topic “SMEInst-03-2016-2017” in phase 2. RHYP is now aiming, during this 24 months’ project with a EC requested contribution of €2,1 M, to plug the gap from TRL 6 to TRL 9 by launching REG-O3 GMP batch manufacturing and syringes conditioning to conduct First-in-Human clinical trial. The project objective is also to prepare future partnership with identified potential licensees to conduct Clinical trials in Phase III and drug commercialization.

Keywords: early gonarthrosis,cartilage repair,peptidic drug candidate,first in humans trial,curative treatment,phase iii licensing out,business and commercialisation plan
Slow sliding of volcanic flanks as PREcursor to catastrophic COLLAPSE (PRE-COLLAPSE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Earth system science
Panel description: Physical geography, geology, geophysics, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, climatology, cryology, ecology, global environmental change, biogeochemical cycles, natural resources management
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2020-STG, 2020)
Start date: 2021-02-01
End date: 2026-01-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The geological record shows that volcanic flank collapses and their associated tsunamis are among the largest and most disastrous natural processes on Earth, because of the huge energies involved. The potential impact of such rare but devastating natural disasters is largely ignored by society, leaving us totally unprepared even to detect the precursors of impending catastrophe. Geodetic monitoring documents gradual (cm/yr) down-sliding of individual flanks at many volcanoes worldwide. Such movements express structural instability, and the majority of volcanoes exhibiting slow flank sliding today have experienced flank collapses in the geological past. There is mounting evidence that such collapses were preceded by slow sliding, leading to the hypothesis that gradual flank movement at some point transitions into collapse. This link, however, lacks a physical explanation, and so identifying which slow-sliding precursors might indicate imminent collapse (and therefore what indicators might be used for hazard mitigation measures) is presently impossible. There appear to be two testable mechanisms by which slow sliding could turn into collapse: (i) it results from decrease in the flank’s shearing resistance, or (ii) enhanced activity in the magma system leads to a run-away feedback situation between sliding and depressurization. PRE-COLLAPSE will test these mechanisms on four volcanoes (Anak-Krakatau, Ritter, Etna, Kilauea) by employing advanced computer models capable of simulating both flank sliding and its interaction with the magma system, incorporating rock mechanical behaviours at shear velocities matching those of slowly sliding flanks, and detailed shoreline-crossing interior structures of the volcanoes based on observational data. The outcome will revolutionize how we assess volcanic flank collapse risk, a Gaussian improbability but a societal catastrophe. It will enable us to develop monitoring strategies to detect precursory signals to catastrophic collapse.

Keywords: volcano flank collapse,shoreline crossing processes,seafloor geodesy,marine geophysics,numerical modelling
HPC/Exascale Centre of Excellence in Personalised Medicine - PerMedCoE (PerMedCoE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Research Infrastructures
Theme: Research infrastructures
Destination: European Data Infrastructure
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Germany,Spain,Germany,Spain,Finland,Slovenia,Sweden,Switzerland,France,Luxembourg
Call: Centres of Excellence in exascale computing (H2020-INFRAEDI-2019-1, 2019)
Start date: 2020-10-01
End date: 2023-12-31
Duration (months): 39.0
Total project cost (EUR): 4999567.5
EU funding (EUR): 4999567.5
Participants: 15
Project status: SIGNED

Personalised Medicine (PerMed) opens unexplored frontiers to treat diseases at the individual level combining clinical and omics information. However, the performances of the current simulation software are still insufficient to tackle medical problems such as tumour evolution or patient-specific treatments. The challenge is to develop a sustainable roadmap to scale-up the essential software for the cell-level simulation to the new European HPC/Exascale systems. Simulation of cellular mechanistic models are essential for the translation of omic data to medical relevant actions and these should be accessible to the end-users in the appropriate environment of the PerMed-specific big confidential data. The goal of the HPC/Exascale Centre of Excellence in Personalised Medicine (PerMedCoE) is to provide an efficient and sustainable entry point to the HPC/Exascale-upgraded methodology to translate omics analyses into actionable models of cellular functions of medical relevance. It will accomplish so by 1) optimising four core applications for cell-level simulations to the new pre-exascale platforms; 2) integrating PerMed into the new European HPC/Exascale ecosystem, by offering access to HPC/Exascale-adapted and optimised software; 3) running a comprehensive set of PerMed use cases; & 4) building the basis for the sustainability of the PerMedCoE by coordinating PerMed and HPC communities, and reaching out to industrial and academic end-users, with use cases, training, expertise, and best practices. The PerMedCoE cell-level simulations will fill the gap between the molecular- and organ-level simulations from the CompBioMed and BioExcel CoEs with which this proposal is aligned at different levels. It will connect methods’ developers with HPC, HTC and HPDA experts (at POP and HiDALGO CoEs). Finally, the PerMedCoE will work with biomedical consortia (i.e. ELIXIR, LifeTime initiative) and pre-exascale infrastructures (BSC and CSC), including a substantial co-design effort.

Keywords: exascale,hpda,computational biology,personalised medicine,code optimisation,co design,simulations,big omics data,single cell technologies,community building
TEXtiles in Etruscan DANCE (8th-5th centuries BC) (TEXDANCE)

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: Social Sciences and Humanities
Countries involved: Denmark
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2018, 2018)
Start date: 2019-09-01
End date: 2021-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 207312.0
EU funding (EUR): 207312.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

TEXDANCE will explore Etruscan dance through textiles from 8th to 5th centuries BC. It will use the visual sources to analyse Etruscan society and its élite’s ritual practices in a multidisciplinary approach. This study will make us understand the movements of dance, their ritual functions, their diversity, their performativity and the social relations which intertwine. This is important to understand as textiles in Etruscan dance in particular reflect a different community organisation from the Mediterranean and contribute to question our contemporary European community organisations. Also, for the first time, the two-way transfer of knowledge between dance studies and costume studies will be connected via an innovative approach. The project combines three types of sources: primarily the iconographic representations as they constitute the most important documentation for Etruria, literary sources and archaeological evidence. TEXDANCE has seven objectives: 1. the types of dress and textiles used in dance; 2. dress motion; 3. the acoustics of textiles; 4. Etruscan fashion and dress identity; 5. Etruscan community organisation; 6. ritual textiles making; and, 7. the visuality of textiles. The comparative and interdisciplinary approach includes the history of dance, rituals and religion, performance studies, ethnoarchaeology, archaeoacoustics, sensory studies, motor praxeology, and visual studies. The application of new digital technologies is a crucial aspect with the opportunity to 3D model how cloths move in dance. Digital humanities will also play a fundamental role in the presentation and diffusion of the results that will be made available thanks to a fully open-access philosophy to the scientific community and the general public. Conceived as such, the project is fundamental for both the proposer and the hosting institution, and it will contribute to European excellence and competitiveness in the creation of a common and widespread European culture and history.

Keywords: textiles,ancient dance,etruria,iconography,digital humanities