Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Asteroid Retrieval Missions Enabled by Invariant Manifold Dynamics (ASTEROIDRETRIEVAL)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-06-01
End date: 2015-06-13
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 166336.2
EU funding (EUR): 166336.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Exploiting the resources of near-Earth space has long been suggested as a means of lowering the costs of future space endeavours. Asteroids and comets, in particular, are generally agreed to be ideal resources, both in terms of their accessibility and their potential wealth. The intense survey efforts of the past decades have led to a growing catalogue of accessible near-Earth objects, but also to the realisation of the potential for exploitation and science of the myriad of objects that the Earth encounters along its orbit. This project aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of alternatives and opportunities for the future design of asteroid retrieval missions. This type of mission seeks to find the most accessible objects in the near Earth space, intercept with them and bring them back to Earth’s vicinity. Moving an entire object into an orbit in the vicinity of Earth entails an obvious engineering challenge, but may also allow a much more flexible mining phase in the Earth’s neighbourhood. Not to mention other advantages such as scientific return or possible future space tourism opportunities. Exploiting the dynamics of invariant manifolds, associated with periodic orbits near the Sun-Earth Lagrange points, may provide an excellent opportunity for low energy transport of asteroids. Thus, asteroid retrieval transfers will be sought from the continuum of low energy transfers enabled by invariant manifold dynamics, computed within the framework of the Circular Restricted Three Body Problem. The final outcome will be a series of robust methodologies and tools for the design of this particular type of mission, but also for other space applications that benefit from very low energy transfers. A catalogue of asteroid retrieval opportunities for known Near Earth Objects in the 2025+ time frame will be presented with defined energy transportation costs and preliminary design of the retriever spacecraft.

Keywords: g301 aerospace engineering,p301 astronomy - astrophysics and cosmology,m118 control theory and optimization,astrodynamics,asteroids and comets,visionary space concepts,asteroid mining
The next step in molecular electronics: Creation and investigation of a single-molecule circuit with atomic precision. (ATOMICSCALECIRCUIT)

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: Netherlands
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-09-01
End date: 2014-08-31
Duration (months): 12.0
Total project cost (EUR): 91734.9
EU funding (EUR): 91734.9
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

My name is Christian Wagner; I am a physicist with six years of postgraduate research experience. With this proposal I apply for a one year Marie Curie fellowship in the group of Prof. Dr. Jan van Ruitenbeek at Leiden University (Netherlands).The primary aspect of the proposed project is the fabrication and investigation of a nanoscopic electronic circuit that is defined down to the atomic scale. Our project aims to create a new landmark in the field of molecular electronics. Different from state-of-the-art model systems where molecules are connected to macroscopic electrodes, we will connect a single functional molecule to monoatomic gold chains; the thinnest wires possible. The primary experimental techniques which will be employed in the realization of this project are scanning tunnelling microscopy and manipulation for the fabrication, and dI/dV transport spectroscopy, inelastic electron tunnelling spectroscopy and shot noise measurements for the investigation of the circuit. Our project is intended to create a new paradigm for the field of molecular electronics: The atom-by-atom assembly of a wire-like nanostructure on a flat surface, and the subsequent lifting of this structure into a free-standing configuration where its charge transport characteristics can be studied. The well-defined molecule-wire contacts will allow a conclusive comparison to ab-initio calculations. Apart from being an advanced model systems, the proposed structure could be the next step towards a real molecular-electronics device, e.g., if placed in a cross-bar architecture.

Keywords: p205 electronic properties of materials and transport,p214 molecular electronics,p321 surface physics,p212 nanophysics,atomic scale circuit
Improving the eXperience of musicians and spectators with digital Musical Instruments using 3D interfaces and mixed-reality technologies (IXMI)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-09-01
End date: 2015-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Art and science intersect often and in many ways. In particular, new technologies are hacked for the purpose of building musical instruments. As a result, more and more novel digital musical instruments come out of laboratories and companies and are used in public performances. However, the variety and quality of chosen interfaces, sound synthesis methods and mappings between gestures and sounds often prevent people from understanding and enjoying those instruments as much as familiar acoustic or electric instruments based on physic principles. The purpose of this project is to improve the experience of both novices musicians and spectators with digital musical instruments, by combining work on 3D graphical musical interfaces and advanced musical techniques by the Fellow with research on mixed-reality displays and audience experience by the Host Institute. A first phase will focus on highlighting the impact of musicians gestures and the behaviour of instruments using 3D representations spatially merged with the instruments. The effects on the experience of spectators during public performances will then be evaluated. A second phase will explore the concept of adaptive mappings by means of graphical and musical level-of-detail and differentiated views using multi-user displays in order to ensure an enjoyable playing experience for all musicians regardless of their expertise level. A long-term user study will be conducted in order to evaluate the impact of the proposed solutions on musicians experience during the learning process. Both phases will involve dissemination parts including workshop with artists, academic publications and workshops, demonstrations and concerts for the general public, release of software components under accessible licenses, and online guides for building the hardware components.

Keywords: g105 human computer interaction and interface,g112 multimedia,g104 graphics and image processing,spectators,musicians,musical instruments,experience,displays,learning,mixed-reality
Inference of RBR network and dynamic RBR complexes during leaf development (RBNET)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-03-01
End date: 2015-04-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 309235.2
EU funding (EUR): 309235.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

To enable “precision agriculture” and to determine the yield gap between present and potential crop production, we need to better understand the underlying biological processes of plant growth and crop yield. The RBnet project brings together a multidisciplinary research team in computer science and molecular genetics with an aim to map the topologies, its dynamic functioning and evolution of a central growth regulatory network connected to the plant Retinoblastoma Related Protein (RBR). RBR is a broadly utilized adaptor protein to dynamically regulate the assembly or disassembly of protein complexes on distinct batteries of genes and it provides a convergence point for signaling pathways for the regulation of cell proliferation, cell differentiation and metabolism. The major aims of the RBnet project are (i) to build an RBR protein-protein interaction network (ii) to computationally identify distinct RB complexes, (iii) perform experiments to verify some of these RBR complexes, (iv) identify RBR target genes and (v) study the dynamic behavior and functions of RBR complexes during leaf development. The research program and the associated structured training in computational biology will provide a strong basis for the fellow to become a leader in this filed and answer important questions, such as the systematic comparison of RB networks among organisms in plant and animal kingdoms, to enrich our knowledge on plant RB regulatory components in less studied organisms, such as crop plants, how the RB network has evolved and became modified for species specific outputs, compare growth-regulatory networks among crop plants, and identify ways to modify the network for optimum growth performance, how environmental factors, such as drought, limiting nutrients, pathogens impinge on growth through modulating network properties e.g. through RBR phosphorylation.

Keywords: l101 molecular biology and interactions,l303 cell cycle and division,l213 systems biology,l310 developmental genetics - embryology in plants,plant growth and development
Interference Aligned Wireless Communications (IAWICOM)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2014-01-13
End date: 2016-01-12
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Interference alignment is a new radical idea that would enable a much higher data throughput than previously thought possible in multiuser wireless communications. Basically, Interference Alignment works as if each user can own half of the spectrum, regardless of the number of users. There is a great variety of applications, where Interference Alignment may be implemented including multiple-input multiple output (MIMO) networks, X networks, two-way communication networks, multihop multiflow networks, cooperative communication networks, and cellular networks,. In this project, we aim to develop new practical Interference Alignment schemes based on these applications. This project will deal with code design, performance analysis, decoding algorithms, and implementation of Interference Alignment based on multilevel coding. The outcomes of this project would vastly improve the quality and efficiency of existing communication systems, and contribute to the affirmation of Europe as the foremost leader in information and communication technologies. The resulting schemes may also reduce energy consumption and radiation, making future telecommunications more environmentally friendly.

Keywords: interference alignment,wireless communications,coding theory,mimo networks,cellular networks.
Re-designing zinc finger proteins by swapping alpha-helical domains with foldamer helices. (LXWAP)

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: France
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-03-11
End date: 2015-03-10
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 194046.6
EU funding (EUR): 194046.6
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Alpha-helices (aHs) are recurrent structures in proteins, whose folding properties, stability and function have been widely investigated. They often play the key role of recognition elements between proteins, or proteins and nucleic acids. These interactions are generally regulated by the strategic presentation of a few key residues on their surface. The efforts of many groups have been devoted to the synthesis of artificial molecules (foldamers), to mimic the structural complexity of natural helices, with the aim to reproduce their functions. A number of foldamer backbones has been synthesized to date, and their predictability and tunability constitute a great potential for their future applications. However, attaining more complex tertiary/quaternary structures through foldamers is still partially unaccomplished, and constitutes one of the ultimate goals in the field. This project will move a step forward towards the realization of this mission, by creating new composite proteins, swapping aHs with oligourea helices. The first target will be zinc fingers, a well described class of metalloproteins specialized in nucleic acid binding. Their peculiar folding, extensive structural characterization and biological relevance will be an ideal starting point to study the influence of the replacement of aHs with foldamers in this complex machinery. The new composite proteins will be tested to obtain insights into folding, metal complexation, DNA binding ability and cellular behavior of these new entities. This project will form a bridge between the expertise of the applicant in the chemistry of DNA targeting, and the host in oligourea foldamers. A further collaboration with a specialist in metallopeptides will provide the appropriate combination of knowledge required for this multidisciplinary study. This technology will be a milestone in the design of composite proteins and their use in the modulation of protein characteristics, with possible biomedical applications.

Keywords: foldamers,helix,composite proteins,zinc fingers,interaction with nucleic acids,folding,metal interaction,structural studies,cancer
Magnetically Geared Induction Machines (MAGIM)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2013-11-01
End date: 2015-04-30
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 231926.4
EU funding (EUR): 231926.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Magnetic gears offer substantial advantages compared to mechanical gears such as reduced maintenance, improved reliability, minimum acoustic noise and inherent overload protection. Furthermore, magnetic gears can have comparable or better performances than their mechanical counterpart. Physical and hermetic isolation between input and output shafts are also specific to such contactless torque transmission devices. Then, the idea of having a magnetic gear and an electrical machine as a single electromechanical device naturally came. The 'pseudo' direct drive (PDD) term has then been employed to describe this device where high-torque, low-speed applications have been considered. At our best knowledge, there is curiously no papers that deal with the PDD concept in which other electrical machines are used instead of PM ones. The research proposed here will focus on some areas where induction machines are usually associated to mechanical gearboxes to transmit the torque from a prime mover to the load. Thus, when a magnetic gear is integrated on the bore of a conventional induction machine, the resulting PDD device could offer significant advantages in high-speed applications (blowers, fans, compressors, pumps, turbines and spindle machines), wind-powered generation,etc. A magnetic gear may be combined with an induction machine in several ways to achieve the PDD. Two topologies of Magnetically Geared Induction Machines (MaGIM) will be studied and one structure devoted to high-speed applications will be constructed and tested.

Keywords: g202 electrical and electronic engineering,g111 modelling tools,electromagnetic field,induction machines,magnetic gears,high speed motors,electric power generation
Evolutionary origin of multicellularity and the oxygenation of Earth (EVOXY)

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-2012-IEF, 2012)
Start date: 2014-02-01
End date: 2016-01-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 221606.4
EU funding (EUR): 221606.4
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The origin of multicellularity is considered a major transition in the evolution of life. It has independently evolved over 20 times in different pro- and eukaryote lineages. Underlying genetic mechanisms are still far from being understood. Moreover, it seems that the transition to multicellularity in cyanobacteria might have be correlated to the “Great Oxidation Event” (GOE), over 2.4 billion years ago. Here, I propose an ambitious multidisciplinary project, (i) to study the genetic mechanism that enabled the transition to multicellularity and (ii) to test the hypothesis that the accumulation of atmospheric oxygen is a consequence of the origin of multicellularity in cyanobacteria. Multicellularity might have been a key innovation during cyanobacterial history triggering adaptive radiation and abundance, consequently changing the biogeochemical cycles of Earth. To test this hypothesis I propose to resolve the timing and nature of cyanobacterial evolution, combining phylogenomic studies with palaeontological data. 30 cyanobacterial species have been chosen for next generation sequencing adding to the full genetic and morphological diversity of this phylum. The resultant data will be used for phylogenomic studies. Distinct gene sets associated with different multicellular lineages will be identified and their history reconstructed using Bayesian and maximum likelihood methods. Furthermore, cyanobacterial fossils from various ages will be analyzed applying different “state-of-the-art” analytical tools, such as Synchrotron X-ray tomography, and will be incorporated in an elaborate phylogenetic dating analyses using a Bayesian approach with different clock models. Results will be critically evaluated and compared to palaeoclimatic data, to reconstruct the origin and diversification of cyanobacteria and their significance to the GOE. This approach depicts the most sophisticated study of the coevolution of Earth and life over two billion years ago.

Keywords: great oxidation event,major transition,multicellularity,cyanobacteria,phylogenomics,fossil prokaryotes
Identification of light signaling components in the regulation of alternative splicing in plants (ASRNABIDOPHYS)

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: Austria
Call:  (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IIF, 2012)
Start date: 2014-04-04
End date: 2016-04-03
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 186783.6
EU funding (EUR): 186783.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

By analyzing the structure of eukaryotic genes it is possible to identify two different sequence types: those that are present in the mature transcript or mRNA, called exons, and those that are not present, called introns. RNA sequences which define exon/intron boundaries, spliceosome components, and splicing factors are represented among all eukaryotes. Besides these similarities there are some differences as intron/exon size, and the number of genes coding serine/arginine -rich (SR) proteins (splicing factors). These make plants ideal systems to study evolutionary conserved strategies for alternative splicing regulation, and to find novel mechanisms. During my PhD and postdoctoral research, we have shown that a retrograde signal generated in the chloroplast by light modulates alternative splicing. Interestingly, alternative splicing of the SR protein coding gene RS31 is severely affected. This project main goal is to identify the implicated genes, and gene products, in the light retrograde signaling pathway that affect RS31 alternative splicing. To achieve this aim I will generate a reporter construct with the coding sequence for the hygromycin phosphotransferase (Hpt), as selection marker, combined with the alternatively spliced region of RS31. Because of this reporter design, the synthesis of HPT protein would depend on the alternative splicing outcomes of RS31. Only those transgenic lines with higher amounts of alternative splicing isoforms which possess start codons (known as mRNA3 and mRNA2 for RS31) will be hygromycin-resistant. Since the abundance of these isoforms is very low in wild type plants exposed to light, these will be hygromycin sensitive in this condition, while mutants for RS31 alternative splicing would survive. By mutagenizing the transgenic lines genomes and by a further selection using hygromycin, I will be able to isolate alternative splicing regulatory factor mutants, and some of them will be involved in the retrograde signaling pathway.

Keywords: l104 rna synthesis - processing - modification and degradation,l308 signal transduction,l811 genetic engineering - transgenic organisms,l208 epigenetics and gene regulation,l210 bioinformatics