Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Virus discovery and epidemic tracing from high throughput metagenomic sequencing (VIROGENESIS)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Health, demographic change and wellbeing
Theme: Health care provision and integrated care
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: South Africa,Belgium,France,Netherlands,United States,Netherlands,United Kingdom
Call: Advancing bioinformatics to meet biomedical and clinical needs (H2020-PHC-2014-two-stage, 2014)
Start date: 2015-06-01
End date: 2018-05-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2995969.98
EU funding (EUR): 2995968.74
Participants: 8
Project status: CLOSED

NGS analysis pipelines are rapidly becoming part of the routine repertoire of research, clinical and public health laboratories in the public sector and private industry. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is only one example of the many recent virus discoveries made through analysis of next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. Yet, only a small part of the several millions of short-length sequence fragments generated by NGS machineries, many of which are expected to be of viral origin, can be analysed with current methods in bioinformatics. Even for well-known (pathogenic) viruses, proper epidemiological analyses are becoming more and more difficult due to the lack of bioinformatics tools that can handle the large and growing size of datasets. The VIROGENESIS consortium will overcome the most pressing bioinformatics obstacles to making full use of NGS by developing a software platform for end-users with tools underpinned by novel algorithms, models and bioinformatics methods. The speed and flexibility of the tools will make it possible to run analyses on a daily basis for a variety of subjects, including diagnostics, phylogeography, phylodynamics and transmission of drug resistance. The tools will be piloted and incorporated in the many available bioinformatics pipelines and software programmes used in the field. We will make our tools available in a modular, free and open source software platform that offers opportunities to SME’s to further exploit this market. The VIROGENESIS consortium brings together leading European academic and private small and medium enterprises (SME) bioinformatics developers and virology end-users who initiated this project in response to a clear interest from EMBL, NCBI and the Global Microbial Identifier (GMI) platform.

Keywords: next generation sequencing,metagenomics,viromics,virus molecular epidemiology,phylogeny,phylodynamics,virus discovery,open source software,infectious diseases
Colour and Kinematics of Quarks and Gluons inside Loops (InsideLoops)

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: Physics
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2016, 2016)
Start date: 2017-10-01
End date: 2019-09-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 175419.6
EU funding (EUR): 175419.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The LHC era of fundamental physics presents a formidable challenge for theorists - the precision of Standard Model predictions should be improved by a factor of two. One of the major bottlenecks is the availability of two-loop scattering amplitudes in quantum chromodynamics (QCD), which is largely limited to 2 -> 2 processes due to the daunting complexity of the perturbative series. The need for amplitudes of higher-multiplicity processes calls for new analytic insights into the intricate structure of gauge theories. This project centers around one such insight - colour-kinematics duality - and aims to convert it into a powerful ally for future QCD calculations. This will be possible because the duality, recently generalised from the purely gluonic sector to full QCD, contains valuable information about non-Abelian gauge theories. In particular, it relates aspects of QCD calculations that are simpler to aspects, which are thought to be much harder. This input non-trivially constrains the S-matrix and thus can be used to reduce the number of subcalculations needed. To achieve this, we plan to pursue the four following lines of research: - systematise the relations among generalised unitarity cuts, which follow from tree-level amplitude relations induced by the duality of colour and kinematics; - simplify the analytic structure of loop integrands via smart loop momentum parametrisation; - develop tools for tree-level amplitudes in six-dimensional gauge theories, which serve as input for dimensionally-regulated two-loop amplitudes in four dimensions; - calculate previously inaccessible two-loop amplitudes contributing to NNLO corrections to 2 -> 3 QCD processes at the LHC. This will improve our understanding of gauge theories and open the way to previously intractable calculations of higher-loop scattering amplitudes, such as the next-to-next-to-leading-order amplitude for 2 -> 3 parton scattering, thus making a major impact on the field of perturbative QCD.

Keywords: quantum chromodynamics,scattering amplitudes,nnlo calculations
Stakeholder-informed ethics for new technologies with high socio-economic and human rights impact (SIENNA)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Science with and for Society
Programme: Develop the governance for the advancement of responsible research and innovation by all stakeholders, which is sensitive to society needs and demands and promote an ethics framework for research and innovation
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Germany,Spain,South Africa,Ireland,Poland,Greece,Sweden,China,France,Netherlands,Netherlands,Brazil,United Kingdom
Call: The Ethics of technologies with high socio-economic impact and Human Rights relevance (H2020-SwafS-2016-1, 2016)
Start date: 2017-10-01
End date: 2021-03-31
Duration (months): 42.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3996787.5
EU funding (EUR): 3996787.5
Participants: 14
Project status: CLOSED

SIENNA is a three and a half year project with 11 core partners and 2 associate partners, focussing on ethical and human rights challenges posed by human genomics, human enhancement and human-machine interaction technologies such as robots and smart devices. While these technologies offer significant benefits to individuals and society, they also present significant ethical challenges, e.g., in relation to human autonomy, equality, personal liberty, privacy, and accountability. In collaboration with a variety of stakeholders, SIENNA will identify and assess the ethical and socio-economic issues, public opinions, legal regulation and human rights implications of each technology. It will produce a framework for each of the three technologies that will form the basis for the development of research ethics protocols, professional ethical codes, and better ethical and legal frameworks. Before developing their recommendations, the partners will gather ethical views of experts and citizens towards the three technologies in four ways: (1) a major survey of citizens in 11 countries within and outside the EU; (2) panels of citizens in five countries; (3) interviews with experts and stakeholders; (4) workshops with stakeholders including scientists, ethicists, research ethics committees, professional organisations, civil society organisations, industry and policy makers. SIENNA will boost the EU’s leadership in developing ethical standards and support its vision of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) as a means to foster the design of inclusive research and innovation. The project will improve knowledge of the ethical, human rights and socio-economic impacts of the three technologies, while supporting ethical and responsible decision making by research ethics committees, scientific researchers and policy makers in the three areas. SIENNA will also create added value by generalising its methods for use in other emerging technological domains.

Keywords: genomics,human enhancement,human machine interactions,responsible research,stakeholder engagement,research ethics,ethical codes,legal frameworks,ethical impact assessment,human rights
A safe and effective non-surgical and reversible procedure for weight loss (GDS)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Israel
Call: SME instrument (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1, 2018)
Start date: 2018-06-01
End date: 2018-09-30
Duration (months): 4.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

With nearly 15% of the current population over 18 years old obese, obesity is on the verge of becoming a global pandemic. Obesity can lead to serious health issues, like diabetes, coronary heart diseases and several types of cancers. Each year obesity related conditions cost globally over €1.7 trillion and cause almost 2.8 million deaths a year. It is estimated that the EU spends almost 7% of their GDP in obesity treatments. Current gold standard for weight loss is effective, but extremely expensive and has life-threating side-effects. The GDS is an innovative non-surgical procedure for weight loss, that is reversible, it is 7 times cheaper than the golden standard (RYGB) and almost 4 times cheaper than alternative procedures, and can be done in 30 minutes without hospitalization time or the need of big surgical team. The GDS is composed of a polymeric flexible sleeve inserted in the duodenum with a patented anchoring system to stop the sleeve from migrating to the small intestine. The sleeve prevents weight gain through malabsorption of calories and the anchor increases the satiety sensation in the user. Allevetix has already performed successful pre-clinical trials on animals. Within the overall innovation project Allevetix requires to miniaturize the GDS; conduct a First in Human safety clinical trial, and safety and efficacy Pivotal Clinical trial; setup a production line with an external CMO; obtain the CE mark; and prepare a sound commercialization and got-to-market strategy.

Keywords: obesity,diabetes,non surgical treatment,weight loss,healthcare,t2dm,duodenum,malabsorption
Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of cardiac regenerative capacity in the zebrafish (TransReg)

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: Spain,Switzerland
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2018-COG, 2018)
Start date: 2019-08-01
End date: 2025-01-31
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1999125.0
EU funding (EUR): 1672875.0
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

While myocardial infarction leads to adverse ventricular remodeling ultimately causing heart failure in humans, some animals, including zebrafish can regenerate the injured heart. We recently revealed a high degree of plasticity in cardiomyocyte subpopulations involved in the reconstruction of the injured heart. The gene regulatory network involved in heart regeneration is starting to be elucidated and epigenetic remodeling has been suggested to play a pivotal role during this process. Similarly it is known that the environment can influence the regenerative capacity but whether such an effect can be transmitted from one generation to the next has not been addressed. This mechanism is called transgenerational epigenetic inheritance (TEI) and describes the transfer of experiences from parents to their offspring through the gametes, independent on changes in DNA sequence. TEI has also been described in humans: starvation suffered by grandparents affects the metabolism of grandchildren. TEI is also relevant to organ injury: in rats, offspring from parents exposed to liver toxicants revealed reduced hepatic fibrosis in response to the same injury. Changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs have been associated to TEI. We aim to describe for the first time epigenetic inheritance of organ regeneration and unravel its underlying mechanism using the zebrafish model. We will assess whether cardiac injury elicits epigenetic modifications in sperm and determine if offspring from injured parental fish reveal altered heart regeneration. Genetic models will be developed for functional assessment of identified modifications. We will also further analyze cell plasticity during heart regeneration and address whether hearts regenerated from different progenitors respond equally well to further injuries. Our expected findings will constitute a paradigm shift on the origins of cardiovascular disease and define epigenetic priming as a basis for regeneration.

Keywords: zebrafish,transgenerational epigenetic inheritance,heart regeneration
Urban metabolism accounts for building Waste management Innovative Networks and Strategies (Urban_Wins)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Climate action, environment,  resource efficiency and raw materials
Theme: Enabling the transition towards a green economy and society through eco-innovation
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Italy,Italy,Austria,Italy,Spain,Italy,Germany,Austria,Italy,Romania,Romania,Sweden,Portugal,Portugal,Portugal,Portugal
Call: Eco-innovative strategies (H2020-WASTE-2015-two-stage, 2015)
Start date: 2016-06-01
End date: 2019-05-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 4966516.25
EU funding (EUR): 4966516.25
Participants: 29
Project status: CLOSED

The scope of the project is to develop and test methods for designing and implementing innovative and sustainable Strategic Plans for Waste Prevention and Management in various urban contexts that will enhance urban environmental resilience and guarantee progress towards more sustainable production and consumption patterns together with improvements waste recovery and recovered materials use. Urban_Wins will define a data set, based on material flow indicators, capable of supporting and orienting decision making processes for urban waste prevention and management. Knowledge of the factors that influence the metabolism of cities will be improved together with the understanding of how those factors can be transformed in positive drivers of technological, non-technological and governance changes. The information set produced by the consortium will also focus on how a more efficient use of resources and a better management of waste can improve urban quality and citizens’ welfare, key points for urban stakeholders involvement, both in the planning and implementation of actions. The proposal reunites diverse actors such as cities, research institutes and universities, environmental NGOs, IT&C, technological innovation and waste management companies, professional associations that represent EU regions, sectors and levels of governance. The complex partnership guarantees that advancement in EU research in the field of urban metabolism and waste management strategies is directly linked to stakeholder engagement and mutual learning and contributes to the achievement of resource efficiency and waste management objectives. Urban_Wins analytical tools will be built on the base of datasets and experiences of 24 EU cities from 6 European countries and the Strategic Plans will be tested by 8 EU cities and will encompass regulatory measures, educational initiatives and sector specific actions.

Keywords: urban metabolism,waste prevention and management,stakeholder engagement,urban planning,building materials,supply chains,education,participatory processes,eco innovation,governance
Interdisciplinary concepts for municipal wastewater treatment and resource recovery. Tackling future challenges (TreatRec)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Innovative Training Networks (ITN)-European Industrial Doctorates
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Environment and Geosciences
Countries involved: Germany,Spain,Belgium,Netherlands,United Kingdom,United Kingdom
Call: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN-EID) (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2014, 2014)
Start date: 2015-01-01
End date: 2018-12-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1267466.76
EU funding (EUR): 1267466.76
Participants: 8
Project status: CLOSED

Wastewater treatment and management in Europe has a large potential for growth; however needs to be supported by education of a new generation of interdisciplinarily trained wastewater professionals able to face future challenges and implement wastewater-related directives in practice. TreatRec, with the participationof two academic partners (ICRA-Catalan Institute for Water Research and University of Girona) and two non-academic (ATKINS and AQUAFIN) identifies several pertinent technological gaps and knowledge needs around which we have built a research programme. TreatRec involves equally academia and industry with a clear aim of producing a group of young researchers capable of conducting high quality research, but also able to address industrial and societal needs and implement wastewater-related directives in practice. The five researchers will conduct their scientific projects in an environment that combines industrial excellence in the development, design, construction and management of wastewater treatment systems, with complementary academic excellence in a) hypothesis-driven research involving the improvement/upgrading of state-of-the art technologies and the deepening the understanding of fate and removal of emerging contaminants in wastewater treatment systems and in b) applied research involving the development of decision support systems which allow for the encapsulation of knowledge for further use in decision-making processes. As a general goal, academic and non-academic partners of TreatRec, including WWTP operators, engineers responsible for the design and a water authority which has experience in water policy implementation, a set of recommendations will be generated to provide guidance for decision-makers on upgrading wastewater treatment plants for future challenges such as microcontaminants removal and nutrient recovery from a sustainable perspective.

Keywords: wastewater treatment,upgrading,microcontaminants removal,resource recovery,global change,stress conditions,decision support system
Control of contact interactions for robots acting in the world (CONT-ACT)

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: Germany
Call: ERC Starting Grant (ERC-2014-STG, 2014)
Start date: 2015-06-01
End date: 2020-11-30
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1495500.0
EU funding (EUR): 1495500.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

What are the algorithmic principles that would allow a robot to run through a rocky terrain, lift a couch while reaching for an object that rolled under it or manipulate a screwdriver while balancing on top of a ladder? Answering this seemingly naïve question resorts to understanding the fundamental principles for robot locomotion and manipulation, which is very challenging. However, it is a necessary step towards ubiquitous robots capable of helping humans in an uncountable number of tasks. The fundamental aspect of both locomotion and manipulation is that the dynamic interaction of the robot with its environment through the creation of physical contacts is at the heart of the tasks. The planning of such interactions in a general manner is an unsolved problem. Moreover, it is not clear how sensory information (e.g. tactile and force sensors) can be included to improve the robustness of robot behaviors. Most of the time, it is simply discarded. CONT-ACT has the ambition to develop a consistent theoretical framework for motion generation and control where contact interaction is at the core of the approach and an efficient use of sensory information drives the development of high performance, adaptive and robust planning and control methods. CONT-ACT develops an architecture based on real-time predictive controllers that fully exploit contact interactions. In addition, the structure of sensory information during contact interactions is experimentally analyzed to create sensor representations adapted for control. It is then possible to learn predictive models in sensor space that are used to create very reactive controllers. The robot constantly improves its performance as it learns better sensory models. It is a step towards a general theory for robot movement that can be used to control any robot with legs and arms for both manipulation and locomotion tasks and that allows robots to constantly improve their performances as they experience the world.

Keywords: legged locomotion,manipulation,force control,motion planning
Beyond Distance Estimates: A New Theory of Heuristics for State-Space Search (BDE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Computer science and informatics
Panel description: Informatics and information systems, computer science, scientific computing, intelligent systems
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2018-COG, 2018)
Start date: 2019-02-01
End date: 2024-01-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1997510.0
EU funding (EUR): 1997510.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Many problems in computer science can be cast as state-space search, where the objective is to find a path from an initial state to a goal state in a directed graph called a "state space". State-space search is challenging due to the state explosion problem a.k.a. "curse of dimensionality": interesting state spaces are often astronomically large, defying brute-force exploration. State-space search has been a core research problem in Artificial Intelligence since its early days and is alive as ever. Every year, a substantial fraction of research published at the ICAPS and SoCS conferences is concerned with state-space search, and the topic is very active at general AI conferences such as IJCAI and AAAI. Algorithms in the A* family, dating back to 1968, are still the go-to approach for state-space search. A* is a graph search algorithm whose only "intelligence" stems from a so-called "heuristic function", which estimates the distance from a state to the nearest goal state. The efficiency of A* depends on the accuracy of this estimate, and decades of research have pushed the envelope in devising increasingly accurate estimates. In this project, we question the "A* + distance estimator" paradigm and explore three new directions that go beyond the classical approach: 1. We propose a new paradigm of declarative heuristics, where heuristic information is not represented as distance estimates, but as properties of solutions amenable to introspection and general reasoning. 2. We suggest moving the burden of creativity away from the human expert by casting heuristic design as a meta-optimization problem that can be solved automatically. 3. We propose abandoning the idea of exploring sequential paths in state spaces, instead transforming state-space search into combinatorial optimization problems with no explicit sequencing aspect. We argue that the "curse of sequentiality" is as bad as the curse of dimensionality and must be addressed head-on.

Keywords: state space exploration,state space search,action planning,heuristic search,artificial intelligence