Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Propagative and Internal Coherence in Semiconductor Nanostructures (PICSEN)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Condensed matter physics
Countries involved: France
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2012-12-01
End date: 2017-11-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1499708.0
EU funding (EUR): 1499708.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

This project concerns the field of coherent, nonlinear, ultrafast light-matter interaction on a quantum level in solids. It proposes to experimentally explore limits of: i) internal coherence of an individual emitter; ii) radiative coupling between pairs of emitters. A potential long term application of this work could be envisaged, as one can expect that individual emitters could serve as qubits for implementations of optically controlled quantum information processing in solids. As individual emitters we will employ excitons in semiconductors: either bound to impurities or confined in quantum dots. Firstly, by embedding the latter into upright photonic nanowires, that are now available in the team, we will amplify the collection of their coherent optical response by nearly four orders of magnitude as compared to the current state-of-art. This will provide an unprecedented access to their coherent as well as dephasing interaction with phonons. It will also enable retrieval of their n-wave mixing responses to scrutinize coherent couplings within an individual emitter. The second objective is the demonstration of an efficient, controllable and non-local coherent coupling mechanism between distant emitters, which is a prerequisite for the construction of quantum logic gates and networks. Here, such a radiative coupling will be demonstrated and manipulated using resonant emitters embedded into in-plane one-dimensional waveguides, which permit virtually unattenuated propagation of coherence. The internal and propagative coherence of individuals and radiatively coupled pairs will be explored using beyond-the-state-of-the-art methods of coherent nonlinear spectroscopy. Specifically, we will develop a spatially-resolved heterodyne spectral interferometry combined with ultrafast pulse-shaping. The proposed advanced methodology of this ERC project can be associated with techniques developed in other domains, like nuclear magnetic resonance and astrophysics instrumentation.

Keywords: coherent light matter-interaction,coherent nonlinear ultrafast spectroscopy,radiative coupling,wave guiding,quantum dots,nanowires,excitons,pulseshaping
European Trans-disciplinary Assessment of Climate Engineering (EUTRACE)

Framework: FP7 — Cooperation
Programme: Environment (including Climate Change)
Destination: Coping with climate change
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Germany,Germany,Germany,Germany,Germany,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,Norway,France,Austria
Call:  (FP7-ENV-2012-one-stage, 2012)
Start date: 2012-06-01
End date: 2014-09-30
Duration (months): 28.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1360323.76
EU funding (EUR): 999960.05
Participants: 14
Project status: CLOSED

Growing concern over the difficulty of efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions has recently led to an intense discussion of “Climate Engineering” (CE) - techniques for global-scale intervention to offset global warming. These have great potentials, but also entail serious risks and uncertainties. CE is rapidly gaining scientific, political, commercial, and public attention, and the first national and international assessments of CE schemes have already been published. However, a distinct European perspective, particularly with regard to the EU and how CE relates to its ambitious climate targets, is still missing. The project “European Trans-disciplinary Assessment of Climate Engineering” (EuTRACE) has been formed to fill this gap. It will (1) pool top independent experts engaged in CE and general climate research across Europe to develop a next-generation assessment of the potentials, uncertainties, risks, implications, and the criteria to assess whether or not to implement various CE options; (2) actively engage in dialogue with the public and policy makers and other civil society stakeholders to disseminate information about CE and to adequately address concerns and perspectives across Europe and globally and incorporate them in the assessment; (3) outline policy options and pathways for the EU and its partners in Europe and abroad to address the challenges CE poses; and (4) identify the most important gaps in current understanding of climate engineering. 14 partner organizations from five countries ranging from the natural sciences & engineering, social sciences and the humanities have joined forces to address these questions. The assessment approach of EuTRACE is supported by European-level policy makers, and the consortium has already established partnerships with a large international network of top researchers from Europe, North America and Asia.

Keywords: geoengineering,climate engineering,climate change,carbon dioxide removal (cdr),solar radiation management (srm)
Isoperimetric Inequalities and Integral Geometry (ISOINEQINTGEO)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Mathematical foundations
Countries involved: Austria
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2012-11-01
End date: 2017-10-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 982461.0
EU funding (EUR): 982461.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Among several trends in convex geometric analysis, two have undergone an explosive development in recent years: the theory of affine isoperimetric and analytic inequalities, and the enhanced understanding of fundamental concepts of the subject as a whole lent by the theory of valuations. The proposal concerns both of these trends. The connections between convex body valued valuations and isoperimetric inequalities (like, the Petty projection inequality or affine Sobolev inequalities and their Lp extensions) have attracted the interest of first-rate research groups in the world. However, the underlying bigger picture behind these strong relations has yet to be discovered. A goal of the proposed research program is to systematically exploit the "valuations point of view" to reshape not only the way (affine) isoperimetric inequalities are thought of and applied but also the way these powerful inequalities are established. Through the introduction of new algebraic structures on the space of translation invariant scalar valued valuations substantial inroads have been made towards a fuller understanding of the integral geometry of groups acting transitively on the sphere. An aim of the proposed program is to introduce a corresponding algebraic machinery in the theory of convex body valued valuations which would provide the means to attack long standing major open problems in the area of affine isoperimetric inequalities. It is the PI's strong belief that over the next years it will become clear that many classical inequalities from affine geometry hold in a much more general setting than is currently understood. This will not only lead to the discovery of new inequalities but also should reveal the full strength of affine inequalities compared to their counterparts from Euclidean geometry. The proposed research goals of this ERC grant proposal would therefore represent a huge step towards advancing these developments that will alter two main subjects at the same time.

Keywords: msc2010: 52a40 inequalities and extremum problems,msc2010: 52b45 dissections and valuations,msc2010: 53c65 integral geometry
Probing the angular dynamics of biological systems with the optical torque wrench (BIOTORQUE)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Condensed matter physics
Countries involved: France
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2013-01-01
End date: 2017-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The ability to apply forces to single molecules and bio-polymers has fundamentally changed the way we can interact with and understand biological systems. Yet, for many cellular mechanisms, it is rather the torque that is the relevant physical parameter. Excitingly, novel single-molecule techniques that utilize this parameter are now poised to contribute to novel discoveries. Here, I will study the angular dynamical behavior and response to external torque of biological systems at the molecular and cellular levels using the new optical torque wrench that I recently developed. In a first research line, I will unravel the angular dynamics of the e.coli flagellar motor, a complex and powerful rotary nano-motor that rotates the flagellum in order to propel the bacterium forwards. I will quantitatively study different aspects of torque generation of the motor, aiming to connect evolutionary, dynamical, and structural principles. In a second research line, I will develop an in-vivo manipulation technique based on the transfer of optical torque and force onto novel nano-fabricated particles. This new scanning method will allow me to map physical properties such as the local viscosity inside living cells and the spatial organization and topography of internal membranes, thereby expanding the capabilities of existing techniques towards in-vivo and ultra-low force scanning imaging. This project is founded on a multidisciplinary approach in which fundamental optics, novel nanoparticle fabrication, and molecular and cellular biology are integrated. It has the potential to answer biophysical questions that have challenged the field for over two decades and to impact fields ranging from single-molecule biophysics to scanning-probe microscopy and nanorheology, provided ERC funding is granted.

Keywords: optical angular manipulation,nano-fabricated birefringent particles,single molecule biophysics,bacterial flagellar motor,in-vivo manipulation,in-vivo scanning microscopy,in-vivo rheology
Topological insulators: computational exploration of emerging electronic materials (TOPOMAT)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Materials and Synthesis
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2012-09-01
End date: 2017-08-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1643997.6
EU funding (EUR): 1643997.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Topological insulators are the recently discovered class of materials that have a bulk electronic band gap, but also exhibit conducting surface states as a result of non-trivial band structure topology induced by strong spin-orbit interactions. These peculiar surface states are characterized by a number of novel properties such as graphene-like band dispersion and helical spin textures with no spin degeneracy which makes them immune to scattering. Due to these extraordinary properties, topological insulators are expected to find numerous technological applications, in particular in electronics and its next-day extensions - spintronics and quantum information processing. The project aims at exploring these novel electronic materials in silico; that is, by performing computer simulations using numerical methods of various levels of complexity. The global objective of the proposed research plan is to provide the theoretical support required to build a link between the fundamental physical properties of topological insulators and their prospective technological application by investigating materials science, chemistry and device-related aspects of these materials. In particular, the following three research directions will be explored: (i) understanding the structure-property relations and rational design of new materials with topologically non-trivial electronic structures, (ii) modeling realistic "second generation" topological insulators (bismuth chalcogenides Bi2Se3, Bi2Te3, and related materials), and (iii) investigating magnetic and transport properties of topological insulators and their interfaces related to the device applications. The proposed interdisciplinary program intends to make a strong impact in basic research and future technologies, and will eventually promote the rapidly expanding field of topological insulators in European science.

Keywords: topological insulators,spin-orbit interactions,rational materials design,surfaces,defects,polycrystalline materials,quantum computing,first-principles calculations,model hamiltonians
Large-Scale Computational Screening and Design of Highly-ordered pi-conjugated Molecular Precursors to Organic Electronic (COMPOREL)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Physical and Analytical Chemical sciences
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111012, 2012)
Start date: 2012-12-01
End date: 2017-11-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1482240.0
EU funding (EUR): 1482240.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The field of electronics has been a veritable powerhouse of the economy, driving technological breakthroughs that affect all aspects of everyday life. Aside from silicon, there has been growing interest in developing a novel generation of electronic devices based on pi-conjugated polymers and oligomers. While their goal is not to exceed the performance of silicon technologies, they could enable far reduced fabrication costs as well as completely new functionalities (e.g. mechanical flexibility, transparency, impact resistance). The performance of these organic devices is greatly dependent on the organization and electronic structures of π-conjugated polymer chains at the molecular level. To achieve full potential, technological developments require fine-tuning of the relative orientation/position of the pi-conjugated moieties, which provide a practical means to enhance electronic properties. The discovery pace of novel materials can be accelerated considerably by the development of efficient computational schemes. This requires an integrated approach, based on which the structural, electronic, and charge transport properties of novel molecular candidates are evaluated computationally and predictions benchmarked by proof of principle experiments. This research program aims at developing a threefold computational screening strategy enabling the design of an emerging class of molecular precursors based on the insertion of π-conjugated molecules into self-assembled hydrogen bond aggregator segments (e.g. oligopeptide, nucleotide and carbohydrate motifs). These bioinspired functionalized pi-conjugated systems offer the highly desirable prospect of achieving ordered suprastructures abundant in nature with the enhanced functionalities only observed in synthetic polymers. A more holistic objective is to definitively establish the relationship between highly ordered architectures and the nature of the electronic interactions and charge transfer properties in the assemblies.

Keywords: organic electronic,computational screening
Priming of plant immunity: from its onset to trans-generational maintenance. (PRIME-A-PLANT)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Applied life sciences and biotechnology
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111109, 2012)
Start date: 2013-01-01
End date: 2017-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1307407.2
EU funding (EUR): 1307407.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Plant defence depends on speed: the sooner a plant recognises its attacker, the more effective its defence response will be. Over the course of evolution, plants have acquired the ability to prime their immune system after perception of specific environmental signals. This heightened state of defence enables a faster and/or stronger activation of inducible defence mechanisms after pathogen attack, providing resistance against a wide range of diseases. Based on a phenotypically similar response in human immune cells, this plant resistance response is called “defence priming”. The primed defence state is not accompanied with an increased expression of costly defence mechanisms. Consequently, broad-spectrum disease resistance by defence priming is not associated with major reductions in plant growth and reproduction. Furthermore, defence priming can be maintained over a relatively long period of time, which is why it is often regarded as a form of immunological plant memory. Despite these attractive properties for application in sustainable agriculture, there are still many unanswered questions about the mechanistic basis of defence priming. The main objective of this ERC proposal is to elucidate the mechanisms underpinning two poorly understood aspects of the phenomenon: 1. the onset of primed defence. 2. the long-term maintenance of primed defence, including the intriguing phenomenon that the primed defence state can be transmitted from pathogen-exposed plants to their progeny. Using state-of-the-art techniques in the field of molecular biology, biochemistry, and (epi)genetics, this project will address the overarching question of how plants adapt their immune system to the conditions in their environment. This project will allow me to generate new insights in the regulation of plant defence and provide tools that can be used to develop novel strategies for sustainable crop protection.

Keywords: priming of plant defence,plant immunity,defence signalling,epigenetic regulation,sustainable agriculture.
Regulation of Chromatin by Combinatorial DNA and Histone Modifications (ROCCOMO)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Molecular and Structural Biology and Biochemistry
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111109, 2012)
Start date: 2013-05-01
End date: 2019-04-30
Duration (months): 72.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1629630.0
EU funding (EUR): 1629630.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

The normal expression of genes is tightly regulated. Modifications on histones or on DNA play a central role in the control of gene expression and errors in their regulation often result in diseases such as cancer. These modifications can recruit proteins that regulate chromatin function. Since chromatin is a large macromolecular assembly, modifications most likely act in a concerted manner. However, it is still unclear how the information encoded in combinatorial modification patterns on the DNA and histones is translated into biological signals. My aim is to understand how combinations of DNA and histone modifications regulate the activity of chromatin. I will employ the tools of chemical biology, biochemistry and proteomics in conjunction with tissue culture models in order to identify proteins that can recognise DNA and histone modification patterns in the context of chromatin. I propose to use native chemical ligations to generate a library of histone proteins that carry combinations of modifications that are known to mark specific genomic loci. These histones will be assembled into chromatin together with methylated DNA in order to mimic functional genetic elements such as heterochromatin, promoters or enhancers. I will use the recombinantly defined chromatin in chromatin modification, chromatin remodelling and SILAC affinity purification assays in order to identify novel factors that recognise combinatorial modifications. The SILAC affinity purifications will be linked to a primary cell cancer model in order to identify factors that regulate central tumour suppressor genes. The identified factors will be further characterised in vivo, in vitro and in structural studies in order to understand their molecular function. These experiments will identify factors that can read epigenetic signatures contained in chromatin modification patterns. These constitute the primary targets for “epigenetic drugs” that intervene at key stages in the development of cancer.

Keywords: chromatin,dna methylation,histone modification,genome regulation,silac,chemical biology,native chemical ligation,epigenetic therapy
The quantitative Bcl-2 interactome in apoptosis: decoding how cancer cells escape death (APOQUANT)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Cellular and Developmental Biology
Countries involved: Germany,Germany
Call:  (ERC-2012-StG_20111109, 2012)
Start date: 2013-04-01
End date: 2019-03-31
Duration (months): 72.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1462900.0
EU funding (EUR): 1462900.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

The proteins of the Bcl-2 family function as key regulators of apoptosis by controlling the permeabilization of the mitochondrial outer membrane. They form an intricate, fine-tuned interaction network which is altered in cancer cells to avoid cell death. Currently, we do not understand how signaling within this network, which combines events in cytosol and membranes, is orchestrated to decide the cell fate. The main goal of this proposal is to unravel how apoptosis signaling is integrated by the Bcl-2 network by determining the quantitative Bcl-2 interactome and building with it a mathematical model that identifies which interactions determine the overall outcome. To this aim, we have established a reconstituted system for the quantification of the interactions between Bcl-2 proteins not only in solution but also in membranes at the single molecule level by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). (1) This project aims to quantify the relative affinities between an reconstituted Bcl-2 network by FCS. (2) This will be combined with quantitative studies in living cells, which include the signaling pathway in its entirety. To this aim, we will develop new FCS methods for mitochondria. (3) The structural and dynamic aspects of the Bcl-2 network will be studied by super resolution and live cell microscopy. (4) The acquired knowledge will be used to build a mathematical model that uncovers how the multiple interactions within the Bcl-2 network are integrated and identifies critical steps in apoptosis regulation. These studies are expected to broaden the general knowledge about the design principles of cellular signaling as well as how cancer cells alter the Bcl-2 network to escape cell death. This systems analysis will allow us to predict which perturbations in the Bcl-2 network of cancer cells can switch signaling towards cell death. Ultimately it could be translated into clinical applications for anticancer therapy.

Keywords: fluorescence correlation spectroscopy,bcl-2 proteins,giant unilamellar vesicles,sted nanoscopy,mathematical modeling