Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Imaging of MUscle Shape Changes during eLEctrically-stimulated contractions (I-MUSCLE)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Belgium
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01, 2021)
Start date: 2022-09-01
End date: 2024-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 175920.0
EU funding (EUR): 175920.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

When we move, our muscles contract, and by doing so change shape. While such shape changes are obvious and are required for a muscle to increase its force, we know little about its functional role in force production. Muscle force is one of the most important parameters in the science of movement, yet it remains impossible to measure in humans. Understanding the precise link between muscle shape changes and muscle forces and advancing methodologies for measuring such muscle shape changes can thus have an important fundamental and ultimately also clinical scientific impact. In I-MUSCLE, I propose to first advance innovative techniques for measuring whole muscle shape changes during muscle contractions, and secondly, to use these advancements to answer key questions about 3D muscle shape changes and its role in force production. I will take an in situ approach to study the calf muscle of guinea fowl (Numida meleagrisis L.). I will stimulate the muscle to induce steady-state contractions at different muscle-tendon unit lengths, at different activation levels, and during concentric and eccentric dynamic contractions. I will measure the muscle shape changes by using state-of-the-art imaging modalities, i.e. ultrafast computed tomography (< 2s) and high-speed stereo (3D) X-ray videography (up to 750 Hz), while also recording muscle forces. The shape changes will be assessed (i) when the muscle is activated globally and (ii) when the muscle is activated locally in specific parts of the muscle. The latter is relevant given that we often activate only parts of our muscles, for example during walking or when using electrical muscle stimulation for rehabilitation purposes. Gaining a better understanding of how muscles change shape under realistic conditions and how it is linked to muscle force is critical for treatment of neurological disorders affecting muscle contraction, patient rehabilitation following injury or surgery, and development of bio-inspired robotics.

Keywords: muscle contraction comparative neuromechanics muscle biomechanics neuromechanics cineradiography statistical shape modelling muscle imaging muscle dynamics
Accelerated quantification of photolytic hydrogen using multi-fidelity Bayesian optimization and automation (SDL-MFHYD)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Chemistry
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2026-02-15
End date: 2028-02-14
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 260347.92
EU funding (EUR): 260347.92
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The fossil fuel sector is projected to emit 200 million tons of CO2 equivalent by 2050. Hydrogen is emerging as a crucial energy carrier, essential for achieving net-zero emissions (NZE) by 2050. The European Commission is actively funding initiatives for decarbonization and green hydrogen production. Green hydrogen can primarily be produced through photocatalytic water splitting, involving either proton reduction or overall water oxidation. While several photocatalysts, predominantly inorganic or noble materials have been reported, recent advances in environmentally friendly nano-covalent organic frameworks (Nano-COFs) catalysts offer tunability and significant synthetic diversity. However, photocatalysts alone are insufficient for substantial hydrogen production. Multiple components must be integrated, such as co-catalyst selection, catalyst-to-co-catalyst ratios, and physicochemical parameters like pH and viscosity, to optimize hydrogen yield. The complexity of optimizing these parameters is challenging for manual testing, especially as the search space expands exponentially. Self-driving laboratories (SDLs) are poised to revolutionize this field by leveraging advancements in robotics, computational power, and artificial intelligence (AI). SDLs can achieve scientific objectives hundreds of times faster than traditional automation, integrating hardware for experiment execution and software for data analysis and subsequent experiment design. Despite these advancements, the time-intensive steps of photolysis and gas analysis remain bottlenecks. This proposal addresses the challenge of accelerating the photolysis process beyond current SDL capabilities. By employing a multi-fidelity Bayesian optimization algorithm, I aim to reduce the frequency of crucial yet time-intensive steps in photocatalysis. This novel approach, untested in real photolysis experiments, has the potential to extend broadly to other areas of electrochemistry, including CO2/N2 electrolysis.

Keywords: self driving laboratories,automation,clean energy,multi fidelity algorithm
PERMAFROST – POLLUTION - HEALTH - Portugal (ILLUQ-PT)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area
Programme: Widening participation and spreading excellence
Theme: Improved access to Excellence
Destination: Improved access to Excellence
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Germany,Portugal
Call: Hop on Facility (HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-06, 2023)
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 312500.0
EU funding (EUR): 312500.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Permafrost underlies 22% of the Northern Hemisphere's exposed land surface and is thawing at an alarming rate as a direct consequence of global warming, releasing large quantities of organic matter and contaminants into the environment. These contaminants, which includes heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants and microbiological agents, pose a serious risk for both wildlife and human health. Many studies have estimated stocks of contaminants, particularly heavy metals, and attempted to assess the impact of their potential release on Arctic ecosystems and Indigenous populations. However, a broader and holistic approach to permafrost thaw was only recently proposed by the EU Project ILLUQ within a One Health framework and involved the release of contaminants and their impacts on Arctic flora and fauna, infrastructures, sanitation and human health. However, several environmental and biological factors (biogeochemical processes) could catalyze changes in speciation, partitioning, transport and fate of released contaminants. Such alteration could potentially alter the toxicity after their initial release and must also be considered in risk assessments. The ILLUQ-PT proposal adds this process component to ILLUQ aiming to investigate those post-release processes. Using arsenic and mercury as target contaminants, we will investigate how the speciation of these elements may change in permafrost thaw ecosystems and how these changes are controlled by key biogeochemical factors (e.g., organic matter content and quality, microbiome diversity and taxonomic composition or the role of vegetation). We propose to utilize stable isotope techniques (e.g., isotope fractionation) to investigate their potential to track contaminant pathways and to measure the rates of those changes. Finally, ILLUQ-PT aims to better link the release of trace-elements from thawing permafrost with the risk of exposure to Arctic wildlife and Indigenous Populations.

Keywords: permafrost,arctic,participatory research,pollution,one health,ecosystem services
RF Fingerprinting using Deep-Learning AI (OVERTAI)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Innovative Europe
Programme: The European Innovation Council (EIC)
Theme: EIC Accelerator
Destination: Other destinations
Action type: EIC actions
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: EIC Accelerator 2024 - Short application (HORIZON-EIC-2024-ACCELERATOR-01, 2024)
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1600000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1600000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Cyber Defence Service Ltd (CDS), headquartered in the UK, is an innovative pioneer at the intersection of cybersecurity and radio frequency (RF) technology. With a mission to elevate national and global security, CDS leverages advanced artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, and machine learning technologies to develop sophisticated situational awareness solutions. Our flagship product, Overt AI, represents a breakthrough in real-time detection, analysis, and classification of RF signals, especially in congested or supposed RF-silent environments, such as air-gapped secure facilities. Overt AI is powered by a robust technology stack, including edge-based real-time GPU signal processing, and an arsenal of pre-trained AI models for comprehensive passive RF communication analysis. This system distinguishes itself by enabling unparalleled insights into RF environments, fostering a new era of wireless situational intelligence for defence, intelligence, and security communities globally. Its deployment aims to tackle the increasingly complex and sophisticated wireless-based threats in the cyber and electromagnetic domains, thereby significantly contributing to the protection of critical national infrastructure and enhancing national security. With a dedicated and skilled team led by industry veterans, and an inclusive and forward-thinking business model, CDS is poised to deliver an impactful and sustainable solution to pressing cybersecurity challenges. As we seek support from the European Innovation Council (EIC), our goals are not only technical innovation but also societal impact, aligning with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our efforts are geared towards creating a safer digital and physical realm, fostering environmental sustainability through the judicious use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, and promoting social development by ensuring peace, justice, and strong institutions.

Keywords: deep learning,rf,sdr,wireless fingerprinting,radio,tscm,wireless,iot,ot,edge processing,air gapped,spectrum,ism,cots,cni
Digital Endocrinology Training Network to combat adrenal diseases (Endotrain)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Doctoral Networks
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Norway,United Kingdom,Sweden,Greece,Spain,Germany,Italy,France,Switzerland,Belgium
Call: MSCA Doctoral Networks 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-DN-01, 2024)
Start date: 2026-01-01
End date: 2029-12-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 4879230.58
EU funding (EUR): 4758292.8
Participants: 21
Project status: SIGNED

Digital endocrine medicine is revolutionizing healthcare by integrating technology, data, and personalized treatment, enabling more precise, efficient, and accessible care that disrupts traditional medical models. Advancing digital endocrine medicine to the next level of knowledge and translational value demands an ‘integrative’ approach that departs from the conventional ‘sum of monothematic experts’ towards the ‘merging of multiple themes in one expert’. In this fast developing field, interdisciplinary experts can better communicate across topics as dispersed as clinical medicine, data science (incl. machine learning and artificial intelligence), mathematics, engineering, biochemistry, biotechnology, ethics, law, while adapting academic findings to real word needs. ENDOTRAIN is poised to fill in the gap of interdisciplinary experts needed to advance digital endocrine medicine research and clinical application. This doctoral network joins leading researchers and entrepreneurs from 8 countries to train 15 Doctoral Candidates (DCs), along with 4 DCs funded by Switzerland (SDCs), across different disciplines and sectors. Exceptionally trained in digital endocrine medicine, these versatile DCs will be prepared to face broader challenges beyond endocrinology and become the next generation of clinicians, scientists, and innovators, equipped to enhance Europe’s capacity to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of digital medicine.
Trade Unions and Workers’ Health (UHealth)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: The Soci al World and Its Interactions
Panel description: Sociology, social psychology, education  sciences , communication  studies
Countries involved: Belgium
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2023-STG, 2023)
Start date: 2024-01-01
End date: 2028-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1498694.0
EU funding (EUR): 1498694.0
Participants: 1
Project status: TERMINATED

The core purpose of UHealth is to assess the relationship between trade unions and workers’ health taking a broad definition of what trade unions are and looking at several health indictors including physical and mental health and wellbeing. This innovative project will assess the specific dimensions the underlie such a relationship within three work packages (WP). WP1 will employ several longitudinal British Birth Cohorts to examine the extent to which trade union membership and trade union presence within the company as well as changes in the collective bargaining structure over the life course are associated with changes in health outcomes. WP2 will compare five countries (Germany, Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan) using specific panel homogenised datasets to better capture how the presence of a trade union within the workplace could impact health and wellbeing both directly and indirectly through job satisfaction, gender pay gap, precarious employment and flexible work arrangements. Specific attention will be given to national collective negotiation structures. For both packages, sensitivity analyses will test model assumptions and longitudinal analyses and negative outcomes and propensity score matching will be used to assess causation and intervention selection. Finally, using a qualitative comparative approach of the freight transport and cleaning sectors in the United Kingdom and Belgium, WP3 will pay attention to the way trade unions organisations are involved in health and safety committees and how workers’ health is an object of collective negotiation across different types of national and international structures that vary across countries and sectors. UHealth will result in a set-change in research on the work and employment determinants of health providing evidence for research and policy communities to reduce health inequalities.

Keywords: trade union labour union employment work quantitative methods longitudinal methods panel data international comparison health mental health physical health wellbeing transport
SCARAB: Studying Circumgalactic Absorbers Revealed Across ByCycle (SCARAB)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Physics
Countries involved: Germany
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2026-05-01
End date: 2028-04-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 202125.12
EU funding (EUR): 202125.12
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

My goal as a MSCA fellow is to obtain a clear picture of the extent, distribution, and enrichment of the circumgalactic medium (CGM) gas around galaxies, refine our understanding of how gas flows through it, and establish observational connections to the galaxies that host it in order to shed light on long-standing questions about the CGM's integral role in galaxy evolution. This research, based on an unprecedented new dataset from the 4MOST/ByCycle survey that increases available halo absorber sightlines by three orders of magnitude, has the potential to change our view of how galaxies work and will generate a legacy data set that astronomers will use long into the future. Working with Celine Peroux at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in Germany, I will contribute my expertise in quasar absorption-line spectroscopy and the Milky Way CGM, and benefit by extending my existing knowledge about the CGM to higher redshifts while developing data science skills through management and statistical analysis of large data sets.

Keywords: circumgalactic medium,baryon cycle,galaxy halos,quasar absorption line spectroscopy
A New Generation of Active Matter Models (NewGenActive)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Physics
Countries involved: Luxembourg
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01, 2021)
Start date: 2022-09-01
End date: 2024-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 175920.0
EU funding (EUR): 175920.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The development of non-equilibrium statistical physics has provided a powerful tool to understand and describe the collective dynamics of a wide range of chemical, biological and social systems. In this framework, active matter has raised as one of the most significant topics in this domain, mainly addressing the features of many-body dynamics with self-propelled units such as bacteria colonies, bird flocks and pedestrians walks. Based on the observation of collective motion like size synchronization and wave propagation in epithelial tissues, we will introduce a new class of active matter models to understand the microscopic physical mechanisms underlying these dynamics. Motivated by the physical complexity of biological units, we will extend the concept of activity to the ability of the individual particle to change an internal degree of freedom, related to its size or to an energetic landscape, and we will explore the non-equilibrium phase transitions and collective behavior originating from this property. Our research project consists of three main objectives: (i) we will first extensively investigate the phase diagram of actively deforming particles, and compare it to the experimental observations to capture the essential mechanisms of phase transitions and wave propagation; (ii) we will then explore the interplay between phase synchronization and microscopic energy landscapes to understand the minimal ingredients for liquid-liquid phase separation, where two fluids spontaneously separate from a mixed phase; (iii) we will finally study the energetics of these models, quantifying the energy gain/cost of each phase and studying how phase transitions can be optimized. The exploration of these models represents a potential breakthrough in the physics of soft matter, clarifying the microscopic ingredients at the basis of several chemical and biological dynamics and introducing a fertile ground for the emergence of new physics.

Keywords: non equilibrium statistical physics active matter soft matter living systems biophysics stochastic thermodynamics energetics lattice models dense systems
Exploring the Mechanobiology of the Secretory pathway across scales (MechanoSecret)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Spain
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2026-09-01
End date: 2028-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 194074.56
EU funding (EUR): 194074.56
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Membrane trafficking is fundamental to cellular homeostasis, controlling essential processes ranging from signalling to adaptation to the environment. By regulating secretion, eukaryotic cells modulate plasma membrane composition and the extracellular matrix. Human cells are typically embedded in tissues and constantly experience external forces. While the molecular details of the secretory pathway are well-established in 2D cultures, their response to mechanical cues remains largely unexplored. This project aims to fill this knowledge gap by investigating how the Golgi complex, the central hub of the secretory pathway, responds to external mechanical forces. Using cutting-edge microscopy, biomaterials, and advanced cell biology, our study will adopt a bottom-up approach. First, we will explore the fundamental biology of the secretory pathway mechanotransduction in 2D polarized and non-polarized cells. Employing super-resolution microscopy and single-particle tracking, we will analyse how external mechanical forces influence Golgi dynamics with unprecedented spatiotemporal resolution. Our second aim extends this research to 3D systems, hypothesizing that inherent forces in these environments affect the secretory pathway. By leveraging colorectal cancer patient-derived organoids, we aim to uncover changes in secretion under mechanostimulation. This project will pioneer single-particle tracking in 3D imaging, integrating expertise from cell biology, optics, and photonics—a synergy uniquely supported by the host institution. Colorectal cancer, a prevalent and deadly malignancy, suffers from limited therapeutic options due to cellular heterogeneity. By bridging cell biology and biophysics with cancer research, this project holds the potential to identify novel vulnerabilities in colorectal cancer. This study will not only provide fundamental insights into the secretory pathway but also lay the groundwork for future therapeutic strategies against colorectal cancer.

Keywords: golgi apparatus,protein secretion,super resolution microscopy,membrane trafficking
High-Throughput Production of Extracellular Vesicles from Organoids under Rotating Motion (EVoid)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Proof of concept grants
Action type: ERC actions
Countries involved: France
Call: ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANTS (ERC-2023-POC, 2023)
Start date: 2024-10-01
End date: 2026-03-31
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 150000.0
EU funding (EUR): 150000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as pivotal regulators of both physiological homeostasis and pathological conditions, including cancer and regenerative diseases, and have recently been pinpointed as central effectors in the therapeutic capabilities of their parent cells. Nevertheless, the therapeutic market of EVs still has significant potential for further development. Specifically, EV production methods that deliver robust, scalable and high-yield productions, if possible with the minimum cell material, are still unattainable. Besides, existing technologies are not adequately versatile to accommodate different types of producer cells, which is of particular relevance, given that the biological makeup of the EVs, and in turn their therapeutic potential, strongly depend on the state of the parental cells when stimulated. Here, we aim to integrate tight control of produced cells configuration with high-throughput production of EVs in a streamlined system.