Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
In vivo drug discovery for cellular reprogramming to β-cells – towards a future regenerative therapy for diabetes (Reprogram-Diabetes)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases
Panel description: Medical technologies and tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, therapeutic approaches and interventions, pharmacology, preventative medicine, epidemiology and public health, digital medicine
Countries involved: Sweden
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2017-COG, 2017)
Start date: 2018-07-01
End date: 2024-09-30
Duration (months): 75.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1999968.0
EU funding (EUR): 1999968.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

For almost a century we have been able to control diabetes with insulin injections, yet we still have no cure for this prevalent disease. One possible way to cure diabetes is by increasing the number of insulin-producing β-cells in the pancreas. Here, I propose to uncover factors and mechanisms that can increase β-cell numbers through cellular reprogramming. To do so, we will use two complementary discovery approaches—and transition between zebrafish, mouse and human analyses—to perform functional studies with high translational value. First, we will use a novel drug discovery approach in transgenic zebrafish to identify and characterize small molecules that can promote the reprogramming of various pancreatic cell types to β-cells. Second, we will use single-cell RNA-sequencing to identify genetic signatures of cellular reprogramming to β-cells in humans, and then dissect the function of the identified genes by overexpressing or mutating them in transgenic zebrafish. We will also use lineage-tracing to determine the number and origin of the β-cells the small molecules and genes induce. Once we identify promising hits in zebrafish, we will treat diabetic mice with small molecules or secreted proteins (targeting the signalling pathways regulated by the hits) and evaluate their effects on glucose control and β-cell mass. We will also test their effects on cellular reprogramming in mice, as indicated by changes in the relative proportion of each hormonal cell type, in the generation of bihormonal cells (insulin+ glucagon+ or insulin+ somatostatin+), and in the number of lineage-traced β-cells. Further, we will determine whether these small molecules or secreted proteins induce reprogramming to β-cells in human islets. By coupling whole-organism screens with mechanistic and translational studies, we will identify factors and pathways that can enhance cellular reprogramming to β-cells and could thus form the basis of a cure for diabetes.
Self-Healing Hydrogels for Material-Assisted Cell therapy in Osteoarthritis (BABHY-CART)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Reintegration panel
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: France,France
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2018, 2018)
Start date: 2020-12-31
End date: 2022-12-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 196707.85
EU funding (EUR): 196707.84
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an incurable and painful disease. Over 70 million Europeans are currently affected by OA – a number that is set to increase with aging population and prevalence of obesity. To date, no clinically-efficient therapy exists to treat this socioeconomically debilitating disease. In this context, innovative regenerative therapies for joints are a pressing medical challenge. Intraarticular mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) injections hold the great promise of stopping and reversing age-associated inflammation and degeneration of joints by providing the necessary trophic factors to mitigate immune responses. However, translational progress using conventional cell delivery (saline) has been seriously hampered by the limited control over cell survival, location and fate in damaged joints. It is now common knowledge that cell microenvironment plays a crucial role in the success of cell transplantation; and appropriate synthetic matrix design is key to success. To address challenges in intraarticular MSC-based immunomodulation strategies, we have envisioned an original hydrogel-assisted cell therapy. In this strategy, an injectable hyaluronic acid (HA)-based hydrogel with long-lasting viscoelastic properties will allow MSC encapsulation and cytoprotection, ensuring the production of anti-OA soluble factors in vivo. To best mimic synovial environment and support MSCs in vivo, we will synthesize a novel boronic acid-based, self-healing HA hydrogel with unique properties of injectability, stability and fast relaxation under mechanical load. After carefully characterizing the physicochemical properties of this new class of biomaterials, we will investigate the effects of cell encapsulation on adipose stromal cell (ASC) survival, morphology and factor secretion. Then, the preclinical efficacy of intraarticular injections of cell-loaded, self-healing hydrogels will be confirmed in two complementary OA mice models.

Keywords: cartilage,hydrogels,self healing,osteoarthritis
Enhancing car safety through accurate and real time side-slip angle assessment (SKIDLESS)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Italy
Call: SME instrument (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1, 2018)
Start date: 2019-02-01
End date: 2019-07-31
Duration (months): 6.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

When we drive, our safety is protected by a set of technologies that silently watch over the car’s behaviour, intervening to minimise the risk of accidents. The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) is by far the most impactful safety technology in cars, having reduced by around 40% the number of fatal accidents caused by the vehicle’s loss of control. Although effective, any ESC on the market suffer from one significant flaw: it cannot directly measure the sideslip angle, which is the key indicator of skidding, namely the situation when the car deviates from the driver’s intended direction. The result is that present ESC can detect up to 80% of skidding events, thus still leaving room for improvements that can save lives. To address this issue and catch a huge market opportunity, Modelway has developed a machine learning technology able to accurately estimate the vehicle’s sideslip angle in real time. And without adding any new sensor to the car. The key to obtain this result is the proprietary and patented Direct Virtual Sensor technology, which can be embedded in standard ESC units to further improve the vehicle’s capacity to detect a skidding event. The DVS technology has been prototyped and extensive tests have been carried out with car manufacturers and their Tier-1 suppliers, showing that the performances are already in line with the expectations of a highly regulated industry as automotive. Now the development roadmap focuses on understanding the feasibility of the integration of the DVS technology in commercial ESC units (Phase 1), to enable a co-development effort with global ESC manufacturers (e.g. Bosch, Magneti Marelli) leading to a pre-commercial validation test-bed (Phase 2). In terms of business potential, with around 100 million cars sold each year globally and around 50 in Europe and the US where the use of ESC is mandatory since 2014, we target more than 4 million DSV installed in cars by 2025, leading to more than 28 M€ of revenues.

Keywords: virtual sensors,side slip angle
Safe home-based portable peritoneal dialysis system that offers simpler dialysis and improved quality of life for patients (Warrick X1)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Israel
Call: SME instrument (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-2, 2019)
Start date: 2019-09-01
End date: 2022-08-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3086750.0
EU funding (EUR): 2160725.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD) or End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), the fifth and last stage of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), is recognised as a major public health problem. It occurs where kidneys are no longer capable of sufficiently filtering waste products from the blood. With kidney function at less than 10 %, a kidney transplant or an external means of filtering is needed. The latter consists of either Haemodialysis (HD) or Peritoneal Dialysis (PD). Globally, we are seeing an increasing prevalence in ESRD. This is caused by an aging population in the west, socio-economic factors, increasing hypertension, and growing diabetes and obesity epidemics. The technical complexity of market offerings can inhibit many patients from choosing PD. HD takes an average of 4 hours per treatment session and occurs 3 times a week while PD occurs 4 times a day with each exchange requiring 40 minutes on average. Most dialysis occurs in specific dialysis centres and hospitals, adding further time for travel. Non-compliance with treatment schedules are a particular issue with PD. This makes it difficult for doctors to calculate correct treatment plans as patients may not share this information with their doctor. Non-compliance can be as high as 53%, decreasing efficacy of the treatment leading to poorer health overall and speeds up rate of decline. liberDi revolutionises traditional PD making it the first logical choice for dialysis patients. They developed Warrick X1, a smart, real-time and portable device acting as Virtual Dialysis Center. It’s lightweight, easy to set up and allows patients carry out their dialysis at home, at work or while travelling. Warrick X1 has the user at the very core of its design to ensure ease of use: smart automation, catheters and sterile connectors. The system utilises a disposable that holds a smart peristaltic pump designed to improve adherence to protocol, and reduce human errors, while saving time via fluid flow rate and management.

Keywords: peritoneal dialysis,home dialysis,infection detection system,remote monitoring
Development of Ultra-Sensitive Nanotherapeutic Anticancer Agents for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (NANOTER)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Chemistry
Countries involved: Spain
Call: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) (H2020-MSCA-IF-2015, 2015)
Start date: 2016-10-01
End date: 2018-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 170121.6
EU funding (EUR): 170121.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

One of the major challenges in modern society is the early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Cancer is one of the most relevant diseases worldwide because of its incidence, prevalence and mortality. Current cancer treatments do not only kill cancer cells but also healthy tissue. In order to overcome this situation, more effective and selective treatments are necessary. Neutron capture therapy (NCT) is a biologically targeted form of radiotherapy which exploits the potential of some specific isotopes to capture thermal neutrons producing charged particles suitable for the treatment of cancer. The range of the particles produced in NCT can be limited to the size of one cell. Therefore, provided that neutron capture species are selectively delivered to tumour cells, no damage will occur to the surrounding healthy tissue. Novel delivery agents suitable for NCT must be investigated that will allow a localised cancer treatment. NANOTER presents an innovative and previously unexplored approach to develop ultra-sensitive nanotherapeutic agents for NCT. Neutron capture species will be sealed in the interior of carbon nanocapsules (biocompatible closed-ended carbon nanotubes) and their behaviour against neutron irradiation experiments will be investigated and compared against other current materials for NCT. The interdisciplinary approach taken to develop the proposed research programme is expected to contribute to the development of alternative and previously unexplored nanoplatforms for NCT, enhancing the performance of current delivery agents for NCT.

Keywords: carbon nanotubes,neutron capture therapy,encapsulation,boron compounds,functionalization
Advanced integrative solutions to Corrosion problems beyond micro–scale: towards long-term durability of miniaturized Biomedical, Electronic and Energy systems (mCBEEs)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Innovative Training Networks (ITN)-European Training Networks
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Information Science and Engineering
Countries involved: Spain,Italy,Italy,Spain,Switzerland,Türkiye,Belgium,Poland,Romania,Sweden,Slovenia,Sweden,Belgium,Netherlands,Portugal
Call: Innovative Training Networks (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2017-10-01
End date: 2021-09-30
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3726379.44
EU funding (EUR): 3726379.44
Participants: 18
Project status: CLOSED

mCBEEs Innovative Training Network is a joint venture between academy and industry with a primary goal to train young researchers in the field of corrosion and corrosion protection of micro- and nanodevices. The network focuses on the study of corrosion mechanisms beyond microscale of components in miniaturized systems in different environments using localized techniques, and the development of multifunctional protective coatings to increase the long-term durability of such components. Corrosion phenomena occurring in micro- and nanodimensional components can develop in a completely different path than in their bulk counterparts and corrosion might influence the functional properties of small components in a much more severe manner. Three main strategic fields where corrosion could seriously compromise the performance of micro- or nanodevices have been identified: biotechnology (micro/nano-robotic implants, micro/nano-electrodes for recording and stimulating neuronal activity, or micro-featured prosthesis implants); electronics (micro/nano-components in electronic boards, magnetooptical thin films, multiferroic micro/nano-devices); and energy technology (metallic foam-based micro- and nanostructured electrodes, self-standing nanoarchitectures). Several disciplines (physics, electrochemistry, engineering, biology and robotics) converge to provide a multidisciplinary approach to accomplish mCBEEs goals. The ITN brings together 15 beneficiaries and 3 partners including 4 research institutes and 4 private companies belonging to 9 EU Member states, and to 2 associated states (Switzerland, Turkey). The Consortium complementarity will enable a high-level, multifaceted educational programme, where specials efforts will be done to bridge fundamental research with industrial applications. The educational programme is integrated with training in soft skills and aims at providing a network of highly qualified researchers able to tackle challenges both in Academia and Industry.

Keywords: micro,nano devices,corrosion,protection,biomedical,electronics,energy
Selective ribosome profiling and biochemistry studies on the co-translational protein folding and assembly in eukaryotic protein synthesis (srpabsotcpfaaieps)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Standard European Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Germany
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2016, 2016)
Start date: 2018-05-01
End date: 2023-09-01
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 171460.8
EU funding (EUR): 171460.8
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Biological activity of cells depends on timely production of natively folded proteins by powerful translation and folding machineries. At a critical regulatory intersection of translation and folding, ribosomes act as integration hubs coordinating chaperone, enzyme and membrane targeting factor activity, influencing folding. Final assembly of proteins into oligomeric complexes however, has long been considered post-translational and dependent on random collision of fully synthesized diffusing subunits. In a shift of paradigm, recent evidence from the Bukau laboratory now suggests that in bacteria, assembly initiates co-translationally assisted by chaperones, and gene organization into operons drives co-localized translation of complex subunits that impacts efficiency of assembly. Fundamental differences in eukaryotes such as rarity of operons and differing chaperone constellations imply a widely different folding and assembly biology, which remains largely unexplored. The selective ribosome profiling (SeRP) method, developed by the Bukau lab, now allows ground breaking identification and definition of dynamic interactions of nascent chains, at near-residue resolution. Using SeRP with supporting biochemistry, I will unravel the nascent chain molecular biology underpinning protein folding and assembly in yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a powerful model for studying the fundamental aspects of this biology. Specifically, I will establish (1) basic features and prevalence of co-translational protein assembly, (2) how chaperones guide co-translational protein folding to affect assembly. Subunit interaction profiles complemented by chaperone interaction profiles, will expose the timing and interplay of protein folding and assembly steps linked to protein synthesis, establishing a detailed conceptually new biology of complex assembly in eukaryotes.

Keywords: yeast,ribosomes,protein folding,chaperones,co translation protein complex assembly
Tracking information flow in the brain: A unified and general framework for dynamic communication in brain networks (BrainDyn)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Neuroscience and Disorders of the Nervous System
Panel description: Nervous system development, homeostasis and ageing, nervous system function and dysfunction, systems neuroscience and modelling, biological basis of cognitive processes and of behaviour, neurological and mental disorders
Countries involved: France
Call: ERC Starting Grant (ERC-2016-STG, 2016)
Start date: 2017-02-01
End date: 2023-02-28
Duration (months): 73.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1333718.0
EU funding (EUR): 1333718.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The brain is composed of a set of areas specialized in specific computations whose outputs need to be transferred to other specialized areas for cognition to emerge. To account for context-dependent behaviors, the information has to be flexibly routed through the fixed anatomy of the brain. The aim of my proposal is to test a general framework for flexible communication between brain areas based on nested oscillations which I recently developed. The general idea is that internally-driven slow oscillations (<20Hz) either set-up or prevent the communication between brain areas. Stimulus-driven gamma oscillations (>30Hz), nested in the slow oscillations, can then be directed to task-relevant areas of the network. I plan to use a multimodal, multi-scale and transversal (human and monkey) approach in experiments manipulating visual processing, attention and memory to test core predictions of my framework. The theoretical approach and the methodological development used in my project will provide the basis for future fundamental and clinical research.

Keywords: oscillations
Capsule based machines for the automated synthesis of organic molecules for drug discovery and medicinal chemistry (AutoCapSyn)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call: SME instrument (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1, 2019)
Start date: 2019-10-01
End date: 2020-03-31
Duration (months): 6.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Drug discovery continues to rely on the synthesis of tiny amounts of candidate molecules using unpredictable protocols that require highly trained specialists. As such, it remains expensive, time-consuming, unsafe, and environmentally unfriendly. Declining productivity, high costs, and safety issues, have driven a large amount of chemical synthesis to lower cost countries, which introduces delays and uncertainty in the drug discovery process, where the flexibility to rapidly prepare new molecules in response to biological data is critical to success. In order to address these problems, Synple has developed an innovative, benchtop, capsule-based machine that synthesises new molecules at the touch of a button. This fully automated technology offers significant timesaving and productivity benefits. With all necessary components for the safe execution of the reaction and purification of the resulting products enclosed within the capsule, the user’s exposure to toxic agents will be minimised. Use of the automated machines with the innovative capsules will aid chemical research organisations as they can greatly simplify the way in which key chemical scaffolds are produced while providing a safer and more efficient work environment. The first goal of this feasibility study is to determine if the technology is technically feasible in its current form (robustness and compatibility with customer’s current work flow). The second goal – exploration of the commercially feasibility − will be achieved by gaining a deeper insight in the market size and dynamics, as well as determining frequency of use. Upon successful completion of these goals, we aim to then establish the steps required for commercial launch. Key parameters include: defining the supply chain and pricing structure and identifying the most appropriate sales, marketing and distribution channels. Ultimately, Synple aims to use this feasibility study to identify the optimal route to becoming the market leader.

Keywords: automation,capsule,synthesis,chemistry,market analysis,technical feasibility