Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Dihydrogen Activation at Non-Metallic Centers (DANMC)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-04-01
End date: 2011-07-31
Duration (months): 16.0
Total project cost (EUR): 161821.6
EU funding (EUR): 161821.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Molecular hydrogen is widely used today in chemical reactions, such as the addition of H2 to organic molecules, a process referred to as hydrogenation. These transformations are among the largest-volume industrial processes: for example, crude oil is treated with H2, and 108 tons of ammonia-based fertilizers are produced each year via catalytic hydrogenation. Also, hydrogen is arguably one of the most promising and valuable future fuels. Thus, any improvement in catalyst efficiency, cost efficiency, or availability would help to cut the cost of these important processes, and advances made in the field have a deep impact on both industrial and academic scenarios. Hydrogenations generally require a first step in which the strong H-H bond is cleaved. This splitting usually requires the action of a metal center, and both the mechanism and applications of transition metal catalyzed hydrogenations have been the subject of numerous studies. However, currently there is a growing interest to part from expensive and toxic transition metal catalysts, and redirect research towards more environmentally benign organic compounds. Recent studies have demonstrated the viability of this proposal. In 2006, a groundbreaking contribution described the metal-free activation of hydrogen. This new system, based on phosphinoboranes, can add H2 reversibly under mild conditions and functions as a catalyst for the hydrogenation of imines. Although the catalytic efficiency and scope are still very limited, these results indicate that it might be possible to develop practically useful systems for H2 activation based on organic compounds. The goal of our studies is to develop an efficient new system for heterolytic dihydrogen activation which contains boron as a hydride acceptor and oxygen as proton acceptor. Ideally, this process will be catalytic, and will be coupled with the reduction of an organic compound. Moreover, non-metallic catalysts could open ways to unusual reactivity and selectivity.

Keywords: physical sciences,chemistry,organic chemistry,hydrogen,hydrogen storage,hydride,catalysis,green chemistry
Catalytic Enantioselective Dearomatisation : A New Strategy for the Synthesis of Complex Bioactive Natural Products (CED)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-03-01
End date: 2010-06-30
Duration (months): 4.0
Total project cost (EUR): 171740.8
EU funding (EUR): 171740.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

This proposal outlines a blueprint towards the development of a new catalytic strategy for chemical synthesis, wherein catalytic cascade processes are designed around the transformation of a common functional motif to a diversity of enantiopure natural product architectures, in a single step. The hypothesis behind the chemo-catalytic synthesis strategy involves the development of a catalytic enantioselective dearomatization (CED) process that directly converts flat aromatic molecules into complex asymmetric structures. The transformation involves a tandem process, comprising oxidative dearomatization and organocatalytic desymmetrization, generating highly functionalized, non-racemic architectures. The natural product targets structures of alkaloids, polyketide, steroid and terpene biosynthetic origin, and complex non-natural frameworks that may have interesting properties, as the basis for novel small-molecule libraries with untapped biological properties. The programme of research will focus on the exploitation and the development of the cascade ‘zipper-reaction’ concept, CED, wherein simple, linear molecules can be directly converted to complex enantiopure architectures that closely resemble the structures of bioactive natural products. The proposal will have four parts over the two-year period of the proposed Fellowship : the method development for the CED cascade process, the total synthesis of morphine and the development of novel scaffolds for drug discovery. The research outlined in this proposal is a representative part of a &apos;grand challenge&apos; programme to provide a chemo-catalysis blueprint for synthesis that is inspired by the efficacy of biosynthesis.

Keywords: organic chemistry,organocatalysis,catalytic enantioselective dearomatisation,cascade zipper-type reaction,total synthesis,alkaloids,morphine
Novel vinca alkaloids analogs as anticancer agents: a multidisciplinary quest (VVINCANCER)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-04-01
End date: 2012-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 172565.2
EU funding (EUR): 172565.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Small natural molecules represent an irreplaceable tool in the search for new agents and new directions in medicinal chemistry. In the cancer treatment area, the 79.8% of the new chemical entities approved for drug use from 1981 to 2006 were registered as naturally derived or inspired. The organic synthesis of natural product analogs of varying degrees of structural complexity is a powerful way of providing new drugs, improving ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion) properties, fighting drug resistance and performing SAR (Structure-Activity Relationship) studies. The current project concerns the joint use of a synthetic methodology recently developed at the host group and of in silico modeling, for the synthesis of vinca alkaloids analogs. The vinca alkaloids and their analogs are mainstays of cancer chemotherapy, as they are able to bind tubulin and interfere with microtubule formation in mitosis, however the structural diversity of this group of drugs is very poor, with scarce divergence from the original natural products. The potential of the planned approach consists in the possibility of generating natural products analogs with key differences in the core structure, that are unprecedented in respect to “state-of-the-art” analogs syntheses and are not accessible through derivatization of the natural products or modification of their biosynthetic pathway. The newly synthesized chemical entities will then be examined both for their bioactivity (as anticancer agents) and for their pharmacological profile in collaborations with leading experts. The project presented herein merges Organic Chemistry, Biology and Pharmacology in a multidisciplinary quest that will certainly represent a high-quality contribution to cancer research in Europe and may be the basis for the discovery of a new generation of antitumor drugs.

Keywords: organic chemistry,medicinal chemistry,natural products analogs,chemical diversity,anticancer therapy,total synthesis,biological screening,pharmacological profile,in silico design
Cascaded Optical Pulse Compressor (COPULCO)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Incoming Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Denmark
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IIF, 2009)
Start date: 2011-05-16
End date: 2013-05-15
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 288598.0
EU funding (EUR): 288598.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Ultra-short ultra-intense laser pulses are crucial for exploring state-of-the-art research and applications in new territories of extreme nonlinear optics in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine and for industrial purposes. Most of the research is currently only carried out in specialized laser laboratories and it is a challenge to generate energetic few-cycle pulses (less than 20 fs) through a compact and reliable approach, not just in the infrared, where most pulsed lasers operate, but certainly also in the visible. In this project we focus on improving the accessibility of such short and intense femtosecond pulses in a simple, reliable way and on moving them out of the research lab and into the real-life available setups. The goal is to generate ultra-short visible and near-infrared pulses through cascaded quadratic soliton compression of longer near-infrared pulses from fiber laser amplifiers. The soliton compressor is based on cascaded second-order nonlinear processes and will employ engineered quasi-phase-matching techniques. This will reduce the detrimental pedestal of the compressed pulses, opening up for more sensitive applications such as pump-probe spectroscopy. Temporal few-cycle solitons in visible and near-infrared regions will be demonstrated both in bulk and in waveguide devices. Using this novel and simple generation of ultra-short pulses as pump for THz applications will also be explored for the first time. The motivation of the proposed project is also to make ultra-short pulses available to real-life applications. This is ensured by applying the compression technique on the promising fiber laser technology that provides a compact, efficient, stable and cheap source of laser pulses. The research results will consolidate Europe as a leader in ultra-fast femtosecond processes and at the same time boost the competitiveness of European research because of an increased accessibility of ultra-short pulses.

Keywords: optics,ultra-fast femtosecond effects,few-cycle femtosecond pulses,cascaded quadratic nonlinearity,frequency conversion processes,quasi-phase-matching,temporal solitons,nonlinear optics
Polarisation Impairments Mitigations in Fibre Raman Effect Assisted Systems (POLIFIRE)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-09-01
End date: 2012-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 238789.6
EU funding (EUR): 238789.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The polarisation impairments are among major factors limiting increase of transmission rates and overall capacity of next generation of optical networks. Strong demand in extended bandwidth and ultra-high bit-rates of the future communication systems for the broadcasting media and telecommunications has put into the focus of intensive research mitigation of the polarisation impairments and wideband communication solutions based on fibre Raman amplification. Broadband quasi-lossless fibre span with simultaneous spatial and spectral transparency has recently been demonstrated by the group from Aston University. Implementation of this technology in ultra-high bit-rate communication systems requires mitigation of polarisation impairments, e.g. polarisation dependent gain. All existing polarisation dependent gain mitigation schemes are rather expensive (polarisation multiplexing of pump laser diodes, application of a depolariser) or not very effective (backward pumping) in the case of low polarisation mode dispersion fibres. This project offers novel approaches based on fibre spinning to suppress polarisation impairments in high-speed long-haul communication systems with a particular focus on the transmission schemes using quasi-lossless fibre spans. The proposed numerical modelling techniques can be applied in a range of applications of Raman technologies, for instance, in Raman lasers and frequency converters, long-cavity mode-locked fibre lasers, Raman-effect based distributed sensors and others. The applicant’s skills in advanced modelling of polarisation effects and impairments and the host institution’s expertise in high-speed communications and Raman technologies are complimentary to each other. The proposed research programme will result in the development of novel vector dynamic model of fibre Raman amplifiers and lasers and experimental techniques for the design and characterisation of the new generation of high-speed high-capacity communication systems.

Keywords: fiber optics amplifiers and oscillators,nonlinear optics,fibers,raman effect
Identification of genes underlying a colour polymorphism in Anolis lizards using next generation transcriptome sequencing and SNP genotyping. (ANOLIS GENOMICS)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Outgoing Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IOF, 2009)
Start date: 2011-01-01
End date: 2014-03-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 189474.4
EU funding (EUR): 189474.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Understanding the evolution and maintenance of variation in observable characteristics (phenotypic variation) is a major goal in evolutionary biology. Addressing this goal requires identifying the genes responsible for important traits. Until recently, this was only possible in a handful of model species because of a lack of genomic resources in non-model organisms. But recent advances in DNA sequencing technology has revolutionized the development of genomic resources in non-model species and paved the way for major advances in gene mapping studies. Pigmentation systems are fascinating and beneficial phenotypes to consider for gene mapping, they underlie an enormous diversity of phenotypic variation, with varied functional roles. Pigmentation biology continues to play a pivotal role in developing the conceptual foundations for several areas in evolutionary biology, for example: genetics, development biology and speciation. In this project I will exploit a colour polymorphism in Anolis limifrons to identify the genes underlying variation in dewlap colour. The dewlap is an extendable flap of skin that is used for within and between species communication in anole lizards. I will sequence the transcriptome (the part of the genome that encodes proteins) to identify molecular markers and then genotype individuals of a mapping cross to map genes underlying dewlap colour variation. Anole lizards are model species in adaptive radiations, and mapping the genes responsible for dewlap colour will provide much insight into our understanding of diversification, adaptation and speciation. The study will also produce the first genetic linkage map for a lizard, thus providing much insight into the evolution of reptilian genomes. The study, which is ambitious but tractable, will provide me with valuable training and experience in gene mapping, tropical biology and speciation, and will provide me with the means to establish my independence as a research professional.

Keywords: evolutionary biology,ecological genetics,genomics,molecular genetics,population genetics,genetics,biology
Advanced Underwater Image Mosaicing through Imaging Polarimetry (POLMOSAIC)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Spain
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-08-01
End date: 2012-07-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 160793.0
EU funding (EUR): 160793.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The goal of the proposed research project is the development of a robust image enhancing tool, which will significantly improve underwater imagery for construction of high-resolution ocean-floor photo-mosaics. Image degradation issues due to strong light scattering present a great challenge for underwater imaging and existing image processing methods cannot provide a real solution for these problems. However, recent studies in the research field of applied polarization optics have shown that measuring the complete polarization state of light coming from a scene can be useful for the recovery of images heavily affected by light scattering. This measurement technique that was originally inspired from biology is called imaging polarimetry, which is an efficient way of acquiring spatially detailed polarization information about a scene. The primary objective of this research project is to apply precision imaging polarimetry for image recovery in underwater photography as a methodological framework integrated into the underwater image mosaicing process. It is aimed to (1) develop and properly adapt the technique of polarimetric image acquisition for the underwater environment, (2) incorporate this technique into the visual system of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) built by the Computer Vision and Robotics Group (VICOROB) at the University of Girona and (3) integrate polarization data assessment algorithms into the image enhancement and image mosaicing process. The proposed research will significantly improve the efficiency of environmental monitoring on marine habitats and will stimulate technological advancement of underwater vehicles used in industrial applications.

Keywords: image processing,underwater vision,robotics,applied optics,imaging polarimetry,environmental monitoring,coastal zone management
Weil-étale cohomology and Deninger's dynamical system (WEC&DS)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Intra-European Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: Germany
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IEF, 2009)
Start date: 2010-10-15
End date: 2011-11-14
Duration (months): 13.0
Total project cost (EUR): 161769.0
EU funding (EUR): 161769.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The aim of our research proposal is to study the connections between Lichtenbaum&apos;s Weil-étale cohomology and Deninger&apos;s dynamical system. Weil-étale cohomology (respectively Deninger&apos;s program) is meant to provide an arithmetic cohomology (respectively a geometric cohomology) relevant for the study of motivic L-functions. These are two very ambitious and promising directions in arithmetic geometry, which are certainly strongly related even if these connections are not well understood. According to Deninger&apos;s program, a foliated dynamical system should be attached to an arithmetic scheme. This dynamical system would produce Deninger&apos;s conjectural cohomological formalism. On the other hand, Lichtenbaum predicts the existence of a Weil-étale cohomology theory for arithmetic schemes allowing a cohomological interpretation for the special values of the corresponding zeta functions. This conjectural Weil-étale cohomology should be the cohomology of a deeper topological structure, namely the conjectural Weil-étale topos. The Weil-étale topos is naturally defined in characteristic p while an unsatisfactory definition has been given for number rings and more generally for arithmetic schemes. This Weil-étale topos, i.e. this generalized space, turns out to be closely related to Deninger&apos;s dynamical system. We propose to use topos theory in order to study simultaneously the Weil-étale topos and Deninger&apos;s dynamical system. The insight provided by Deninger&apos;s work will be applied to obtain new results in Weil-étale cohomology. Respectively, Lichtenbaum&apos;s explicit computations will be used to obtain information on Deninger&apos;s dynamical system. The ultimate goal of this research project is to define and study the conjectural Weil-étale topos in characteristic zero. One interesting aspect of this project is the interaction of general topos theory and dynamical systems with more classical and well etablished number theory, such as the analytic class number formula.
NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF DEFORMABLE SOLIDS IN TURBULENT FLOW (NSDSTF)

Framework: FP7 — People
Programme: Marie-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: International Incoming Fellowships
Action type: Support for training and career development of researchers (Marie Curie)
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IIF, 2009)
Start date: 2011-01-04
End date: 2013-01-03
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 173903.2
EU funding (EUR): 173903.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The numerical simulation of deformable solids has many applications in fluid-solid interaction such as hydroelasticity and aeroelasticity. The greatest application is in medical engineering in which it will be possible to simulate the movement of tube like structures such as the oesophagus, intestines, bile duct, fallopian tube, uterus, ureter and blood vessels etc. However, the numerical simulation of the movement of individual blood cells in either a laminar or turbulent fluid flow is particularly difficult because it not only involves the correct modelling of the fluid flow but also the movement of the cells themselves which, in turn, requires the correct modelling of their dynamics, surface stresses and their surface deformations in response to these stresses. This project is aimed at investigating the deformation, movement and collision of deformable solids in laminar and turbulent flow. In order to do this it will be necessary to couple existing in-house discrete element and computational fluid dynamics codes. The boundaries of the solids will be allowed to deform under the pressures and stresses imposed on them by the surrounding fluid. Such a numerical scheme would also involve taking into account the possible collision of the cells and their ‘shielding’ and imbrication by other cells. The potential benefits of a code that could do this are enormous as it would be possible to investigate the exact cell movement mechanism, and lead to the design of better stents. A further project objective is to carry out simulations of peristaltic pumping by wavelike contractions which are fundamental biomechanical mechanisms for fluid and material transport and are used in the oesophagus, intestine, oviduct and ureter.

Keywords: computational fluid dynamics,deformable solids,turbulence modeling,numerical simulation