Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Combining induced pluripotent stem cells, tissue engineering, optogenetic and chemogenetic concepts for the study and treatment of atrial fibrillation (iPS-ChOp-AF)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing
Panel description: Organ and tissue physiology, comparative physiology, physiology of ageing, pathophysiology, interorgan and tissue communication, endocrinology, nutrition, metabolism, interaction with the microbiome, non-communicable diseases including cancer (and except disorders of the nervous system and immunity-related diseases)
Countries involved: Israel
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2017-COG, 2017)
Start date: 2018-03-01
End date: 2023-08-31
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1988750.0
EU funding (EUR): 1988750.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Cardiac arrhythmias are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. However, the study and treatment of these rhythm disorders have been hampered by the lack of relevant human cardiac tissue models, specifically those reflecting patient/disease-specific abnormalities, by paucity of methods for long-term electrophysiological analysis of the tissue, and by the inability to perform targeted, high-resolution, reversible, and functional perturbations of the system. To address these challenges, we propose to combine human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) and genome-editing (CRISPR) technologies, developmental biology-inspired differentiating systems that yield chamber-specific heart cells, novel tissue engineering strategies, and emerging concepts from the fields of optogenetics and chemogenetics. The resulting experimental models should represent a paradigm shift in the way we study and treat cardiac arrhythmias. To demonstrate the unique potential of this approach, we plan to focus on atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common arrhythmia. Our specific aims are to: 1. Develop patient/disease-specific hiPSC models of genetic AF and to establish hiPSC differentiation protocols to yield purified atrial cells 2. Utilize the hiPSC-atrial cells and advanced tissue-engineering strategies (hydrogels, 3D printing, decellularization) to establish 2D cell-sheet and 3D tissue models of acquired and inherited AF, in which functional re-entry ("rotors") can be studied 3. Utilize tools from optogenetics (light-sensitive ion channels and pumps) or chemogenetics (ligand-specific engineered receptors) for targeted manipulation of the system, to gain insights into AF pathogenesis and to develop novel therapies 4. Evaluate the developed optogenetic and chemogenetic treatments in animal models of AF The results of this project should provide novel mechanistic insights into AF (and other arrhythmias) and open the road for the development of novel therapeutic paradigms.

Keywords: cardiac arrhythmias,atrial fibrillation,optogenetics,chemogenetics,induced pluripotent stem cells,tissue engineering
Internal structure of red-giant stars through the sound of dipole oscillation modes (DipolarSound)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Universe sciences
Panel description: Astro-physics/-chemistry/-biology; solar system; planetary systems; stellar, galactic and extragalactic astronomy; cosmology; space sciences; astronomical instrumentation and data
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC CONSOLIDATOR GRANTS (ERC-2020-COG, 2020)
Start date: 2021-10-01
End date: 2026-09-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2000000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2000000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

What would a star look like below its opaque surface? What are the physical conditions in a star? What physical processes play an important role in stars? How do these physical conditions and processes interact? How do they change with time, when a star evolves? Answering these kinds of questions is of fundamental importance for astronomy and beyond. Stars are a dominant source of light in the universe as well as main building blocks of planetary systems and galaxies. Thus, understanding of stars has a major impact in these fields. Closer to home, understanding the past and future of the Sun has a potentially wide-ranging impact on other scientific fields. To pierce inside stars, we need observable features that are sensitive to the hidden layers in stars. Intrinsic global oscillations are observable, and are sensitive to the internal structures of stars. The application of these global modes to study internal stellar structures is the field of asteroseismology. Particularly interesting and opportune stars to apply asteroseismology to are red-giant stars. These evolved stars are abundant, relatively bright, exhibit different stellar structures, allow to trace back a long history, and possess probes that are sensitive to both their deep and their more shallow layers; the so-called mixed dipole oscillation modes. The observed characteristics of mixed dipole modes differ significantly between different red-giant stars, leading to the following questions: • ‘What are the physical differences in the structures of / conditions in red-giant stars which lead to different mixed dipole mode oscillation spectra?’ • ‘What is the cause of the different structures / conditions in these stars?’ The aim of the DipolarSound proposal is to unravel the physical conditions and physical processes at play in red-giant stars using mixed dipole oscillation modes and to understand the underlying physical origin of the different oscillation spectra observed in red-giant stars.

Keywords: stellar structure,asteroseismology
Lithium-ion battery with silicon anode, nickel-rich cathode and in-cell sensor for electric vehicles (SeNSE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Smart, green and integrated transport
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Germany,Italy,Austria,Germany,Germany,Switzerland,Switzerland,Sweden,Switzerland,France,France,United Kingdom,United Kingdom
Call: Research and innovation for advanced Li-ion cells (generation 3b) (H2020-LC-BAT-2019, 2019)
Start date: 2020-02-01
End date: 2024-01-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 10251678.75
EU funding (EUR): 10251678.75
Participants: 14
Project status: SIGNED

The SeNSE proposal aims at enabling next generation lithium-ion batteries with a silicon-graphite composite anode and a nickel-rich NMC cathode to reach 750 Wh/L. Cycling stability is the key challenge for the adoption of this cell chemistry. The objective is to reach 2000 deep cycles by (i) reducing the surface reactivity of the active materials by a combination of novel film-forming electrolyte additives and active materials coatings, (ii) compensating irreversible lithium losses during the first cycles employing pre-lithiated silicon and providing an on-demand reservoir of excess lithium in the cathode, (iii) identifying and controlling critical cycling parameters with data provided from in-cell sensors. Adaptive fast charging protocols will be integrated into the battery management system based on dynamic in-cell sensor data and by implementing thermal management concepts on materials and electrode level. To improve the sustainability of the battery and to lower production cost, the content of the critical raw materials cobalt and natural graphite will be reduced. Enabled by protective coatings, aqueous slurry processing will be developed for the cathode. Costs will be further lowered and energy density improved by the development of thinner textured current collector foils offering enhanced adhesion. The feasibility and scalability of the SeNSE battery technology with respect to the call targets will be demonstrated through 25 Ah pouch cell prototypes and a 1 kWh module. Scalability to the gigawatt scale and cost-effectiveness of the proposed solutions, including aspects of recycling and second-life use, will be continuously monitored via regular briefings led by Northvolt, which currently undertakes one of the most ambitious efforts to establish a European cell manufacturing plant at scale. To strengthen the European IP portfolio in the battery field, patent applications are the preferred way of dissemination of technology developed within SeNSE.

Keywords: silicon anode,nmc cathode
The first Acoustic Chemometer for intelligent fluids analysis (ACOSPECTOR)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Sweden
Call: SME instrument (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1, 2018)
Start date: 2018-11-01
End date: 2019-02-28
Duration (months): 4.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The pressing need of EU process industry to remain competitive requires reducing production cost whilst increasing product quality and regulatory compliance. This is driving control of procedures and automation. For process industry, reliable and immediately available information of fluid properties is of utmost importance. Additionally, the need for reducing operation downtime and increasing safety is demanding non-invasive solutions. At present, no solutions exist that are able to address all these needs. We, Acosense, have developed the first acoustic chemometer, to analyse fluid properties in pipes or tanks that were previously considered difficult or impossible. It is based on the fact that sound is altered on its way through the fluid by complex acoustic damping. Its USP are non-invasive, real-time and continuous analysis and access to previously missing information, enabling savings in the range of €k or €M. The technology is patented and its development supported by several investors, public sector and research partners. ACOspector customers are process industries, including pulp and paper mills, chemical industry, food factories or waste water plants. We have already deployed +25 pilot installations in the pulp and paper industry in Sweden and Norway mostly. We have received interest from further clients in the chemical industry within Europe and overseas. Our main goal is to develop a solution that addresses all relevant properties for all processing industries. Standardization is key, since modelization is currently a very lengthy process that is limiting our scalability. Our vision is to make the inherent information in processes available. ACOspector business model includes a direct sale plus O&M service, and leasing. We expect profits in the margin of 40%. We estimate that by year 3 after Phase 2, a total sale of 1060 units resulting in €35M of accumulated revenues, generates more than 20 new full-time positions and accumulate profits of €14M.

Keywords: acoustics,fluids,measurement,automation
Label-free quantitative nanoscopy for molecular specific identification at depth in pristine living biological tissues (SPECIPHIC)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Systems and communication engineering
Panel description: Electrical, electronic, communication, optical and systems engineering
Countries involved: France
Call: ERC Starting Grant (ERC-2019-STG, 2019)
Start date: 2020-02-01
End date: 2025-01-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1499016.0
EU funding (EUR): 1499016.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Optical microscopy has undergone a revolution that now allows us to access molecular resolution (“nanoscopy”) with the identification of specific biomolecules within biological samples. Nanoscopy has become a key approach to decipher the function of living matter since biomolecules are the elementary building blocks. While being a major tool, high-resolution and specificity can only be achieved by tagging the molecules of interest with fluorescent probes, which inevitably alters the samples, making them improper for medical applications including regenerative medicine. The leading dogmas being that (i) nanoscopy cannot be achieved without labelling and (ii) no specific signature from molecules can be retrieved without energy exchange with the sample (e.g. absorption by probes, molecular vibrational interaction). I propose a complete change of paradigm by introducing label-free nanoscopic imaging using the optical refractive index as a molecular sensor. My ground-breaking approach will be based on our pioneering work which demonstrates that phase, intensity and polarisation information can be quantitatively retrieved with unprecedented sensitivity and with an imaging resolution equivalent to regular imaging with fluorescent probes. I will re-forge this into a single-shot imaging technique capable of beating the optical resolution limit to access nanoscale resolutions, even deep inside living unmodified biological samples. Specific molecular information will be untangled through machine learning algorithms. SPECIPHIC will give birth to the first label-free molecular specific imaging with nanoscale resolution in pristine living biological tissues. The applicability of my concept will be demonstrated in this ERC starting project with applications in regenerative medicine and oncology, impacting thus directly important societal questions. My new approach will impact many other fields, in the biomedical world first but also in physics and for nanomaterial engineering.

Keywords: quantitative phase imaging,interferometry,label free imaging,optical microscopy,biological tissue imaging
Cognitive Ageing in Dogs (EVOLOR)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
Panel description: Biotechnology using all organisms, biotechnology for environment and food applications, applied plant and animal sciences, bioengineering and synthetic biology, biomass and biofuels, biohazards
Countries involved: Hungary
Call: ERC Starting Grant (ERC-2015-STG, 2015)
Start date: 2016-06-01
End date: 2021-05-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1202500.0
EU funding (EUR): 1202500.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The aim of this project is to understand the causal factors contributing to the cognitive decline during senescence and to develop sensitive and standardized behaviour tests for early detection in order to increase the welfare of affected species. With the rapidly ageing population of Europe, related research is a priority in the European Union. We will focus both on characterising the ageing phenotype and the underlying biological processes in dogs as a well-established natural animal model. We develop a reliable and valid test battery applying innovative multidisciplinary methods (e.g. eye-tracking, motion path analysis, identification of behaviour using inertial sensors, EEG, fMRI, candidate gene, and epigenetics) in both longitudinal and cross-sectional studies. We expect to reveal specific environmental risk factors which hasten ageing and also protective factors which may postpone it. We aim to provide objective criteria (behavioural, physiological and genetic biomarkers) to assess and predict the ageing trajectory for specific individual dogs. This would help veterinarians to recognise the symptoms early, and initiate necessary counter actions. This approach establishes the framework for answering the broad question that how we can extend the healthy life of ageing dogs which indirectly also contributes to the welfare of the owner and decreases veterinary expenses. The detailed description of the ageing phenotype may also facilitate the use of dogs as a natural model for human senescence, including the development and application of pharmaceutical interventions. We expect that our approach offers the scientific foundation to delay the onset of cognitive ageing in dog populations by 1-2 years, and also increase the proportion of dogs that enjoy healthy ageing.

Keywords: fmri,epigenetics,candidate gene
Engineering for life sciences doctoral programme (ENROL)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Co-funding of regional, national and international programmes (COFUND)-Doctoral programmes
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Countries involved: Austria
Call: Co-funding of regional, national and international programmes (H2020-MSCA-COFUND-2020, 2020)
Start date: 2021-10-01
End date: 2026-09-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3254400.0
EU funding (EUR): 1627200.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

ENROL – the Engineering for Life Sciences Doctoral Programme” is set up to educate and train a new generation of high achieving early stage researchers (ESRs) to study and develop novel technologies and engineering solutions for the life sciences. The education philosophy of ENROL is based on creativity, curiosity, ability, and passion. Within the programme, we want to create a strong community of ESRs and mentor, guide, and stimulate them in their creativity to develop, based on their ideas, new materials and technologies as well as enhance their problem-solving skills and critical thinking. ENROL will recruit 20 academically exceptional ESRs who are committed to science and are strongly interested in pursuing a doctorate degree and carrying out research work in an interdisciplinary framework on the interface between engineering, technology and biology. The scientific goal of ENROL is to engineer functional interfaces between inorganic and bio-organic systems in order to push them towards new levels of understanding and technological applications. We thus propose a combined and synergistic effort based on the following three research areas (RA) within which 25 research projects will be offered for the candidates to choose from during recruitment and selection: RA1: Theoretical Prediction, Model Systems, and Analysis; RA2: Synthesis, Structuring & Instrumentation; RA3: Biological Applications. Each ESR will complete a research project within the frame of ENROL with specific objectives, a personalized time schedule and a career development plan (CDP) including transferrable skills training. The research project will be complemented by secondments at institutions of different scientific disciplines (within and outside ENROL) and industrial partner organizations. The secondments will strengthen the interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaborations, and the training of the ESRs will benefit from the multidisciplinary nature of the programme.

Keywords: bionanotechnology,bioengineering,biointerfaces,mechanobiology,tissue engineering,organ on chips,biophysics,biochemistry
Robust and Efficient Approaches to Evaluating Side Channel and Fault Attack Resilience (REASSURE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Information and Communication Technologies
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Austria,Germany,Belgium,France,France,Netherlands,United Kingdom
Call: Assurance and Certification for Trustworthy and Secure ICT systems, services and components (H2020-DS-LEIT-2016, 2016)
Start date: 2017-01-01
End date: 2020-03-31
Duration (months): 39.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3528635.0
EU funding (EUR): 3478747.5
Participants: 8
Project status: CLOSED

Implementing cryptography on embedded devices is an ongoing challenge: every year new implementation flaws are discovered and new attack paths are being used by real life adversaries. Whilst cryptography can guarantee many security properties, it crucially depends on the ability to keep the used keys secret even in face of determined adversaries. Over the last two decades a new type of adversary has emerged, able to obtain, from the cryptographic implementation, side channel leakage such as recording of response times, power or EM signals, etc. To account for such adversaries, sophisticated security certification and evaluation methods (Common Criteria, EMVCo, FIPS…) have been established to give users assurance that security claims have withstood independent evaluation and testing. Recently the reliability of these evaluations has come into the spotlight: the Taiwanese citizen card proved to be insecure, and Snowden’s revelations about NSA's tampering with FIPS standards eroded public confidence. REASSURE will (1) improve the efficiency and quality of all aspects of certification using a novel, structured detect-map-exploit approach that will also improve the comparability of independently conducted evaluations, (2) cater for emerging areas such as the IoT by automating leakage assessment practices in order to allow resistance assessment without immediate access to a testing lab, (3) deliver tools to stakeholders, such as reference data sets and an open-source leakage simulator based on instruction-level profiles for a processor relevant for the IoT, (4) improve existing standards by actively pushing the novel results to standardization bodies. REASSURE's consortium is ideal to tackle such ambitious tasks. It features two major circuits manufacturers (NXP, IDEMIA), a highly respected side channel testing lab (Riscure), an engaged governmental representative (ANSSI), and two of the most prominent research institutions in this field (UCL, University of Bristol).

Keywords: certification,physical security,side channel