Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Controlling and Exploring Molecular Systems at the Atomic Scale with Atomic Force Microscopy (CEMAS)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Condensed matter physics
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call:  (ERC-2011-ADG_20110209, 2011)
Start date: 2011-12-01
End date: 2016-11-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2496720.0
EU funding (EUR): 2496720.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The objective of this project is to advance and use Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to explore the physical and chemical properties of single molecules and molecular systems with unprecedented spatial resolution. We will use AFM to develop atomically resolved molecular imaging with structural and chemical identification and investigate charge distribution and transfer in molecular systems. The AFM will allow the extension of seminal Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) work on atoms/molecules on ultra-thin insulating films to thick insulating films, to control and explore single molecule chemistry processes in utmost detail. The whole work will be significantly based on the development and exploitation of novel atomic and molecular manipulation processes to control matter at the atomic scale, both for fabricating novel complex molecular nanostructures with atomic scale precision and understanding these systems, as well as for probe-tip functionalization to tailor tip-substrate interaction. Instrumental enhancements will focus on fabricating novel AFM sensors for simultaneous lateral and vertical force measurement and on developing a new original approach to increase the time resolution in AFM measurements. Due to the fundamental nature of this work we expect the long term impact of this work to be in surface science, chemistry, molecular electronics and life sciences. In the short term we expect to develop the AFM into a practical tool for chemical structure determination of unknown molecules and we will employ atomic manipulation and high resolution AFM imaging to image, modify and functionalize graphene edge structures with atomic scale precision with the prospect of exploring and developing novel molecular devices.

Keywords: scanning probe microsocpy
Structure and dynamics of biomolecules by two-dimensional ultraviolet spectroscopy (STRATUS)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Physical and Analytical Chemical sciences
Countries involved: Italy
Call:  (ERC-2011-ADG_20110209, 2011)
Start date: 2012-04-01
End date: 2017-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2493000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2493000.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Two-dimensional (2D) nuclear magnetic resonance is a diagnostic technique that has revolutionized structural biology. A wealth of spectroscopic information can be obtained by extrapolating 2D techniques to the optical frequency domain, using ultrashort light pulses. 2D electronic spectroscopy (2DES) allows fundamentally new insights into the structure and dynamics of multi-chromophore systems, by measuring how the electronic states of chromophores interact with one another and transfer electronic excitations. Due to technical difficulties, 2DES has been limited so far to the visible range, while most biomolecules absorb in the ultraviolet (UV). This project aims at extending 2DES to the challenging and still uncharted UV-domain and applying it to the study of the photophysics of genomic systems and of the secondary structure of proteins. Nature has engineered DNA molecules to be photostable, so that harmful photochemical processes are minimized. 2DES will unravel the molecular mechanisms of the photoinduced electronic intra/inter-chromophore events in DNA, exposing the energy dissipation pathways which are responsible for its photoprotection. 2DES will be also established as a new diagnostic tool for structural studies of polypeptides and proteins, relying on the UV absorbing peptide bonds and aromatic residues, the latter acting as native local structural probes. 2DES will provide sensitive information on the misfolding/aggregation processes responsible for a wide class of diseases, with the speed of standard optical techniques but with a much greater information content. This will bridge the experimental gap between crude estimates of protein unfolding and full structure determination, enabling rapid assessment of which variants are worth of deeper structural studies. To realize the full power of 2DES, experiments will be combined with simulations and electronic calculations that are necessary to correlate the data with molecular states and structures.

Keywords: ultrafast laser spectroscopy photobiology non-adiabatic molecular dynamics
Star Formation and the Galactic Ecology (ECOGAL)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Universe sciences
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (ERC-2011-ADG_20110209, 2011)
Start date: 2012-05-01
End date: 2018-04-30
Duration (months): 72.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2210523.0
EU funding (EUR): 2210523.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

We will construct the first self-consistent models of star formation that follow the galactic scale flows where molecular clouds form yet still resolve the star formation and feedback events down to sub-parsec scales. By following the full galactic ecology, the life cycle of gas from the interstellar medium into stars and their radiative and kinematic output back into the galaxy, we will develop a comprehensive theory of star formation. The link between the large-scale dynamics of the galaxy and the small-scale star formation provides the ground-breaking nature of this proposal. Star formation produces a wide range of outcomes in nearby molecular clouds yet on large scales yields star formation rates that are strongly correlated to galactic-scale gas densities. These observed properties of star forming galaxies have inspired a plethora of theoretical ideas, but until now there has been no means of testing these analytical theories. We will use galactic-disc simulations to determine how molecular clouds form through self-gravity, spiral shocks and/or cloud-cloud collisions. We will use these self-consistent models of molecular clouds to follow the local gravitational collapse to form individual stars and stellar clusters. We will include ionisation, stellar winds and supernovae into the ISM to study how feedback can support or destroy molecular clouds, as well as triggering successive generations of young stars. We will also conduct Galactic bulge scale simulations to model how gas flows into, and star formation occurs in, the Galactic centre. The primary goals of this proposal are to understand what determines the local and global rates, efficiencies and products of star formation in galaxies, and to develop a complete theory of star formation that can be applied to galaxy formation and cosmology.
Microflow in Complex Environments (MICE)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Condensed matter physics
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call:  (ERC-2011-ADG_20110209, 2011)
Start date: 2012-04-01
End date: 2017-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1583887.0
EU funding (EUR): 1583887.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

We will study the way in which the hydrodynamics of simple, complex and active fluids is affected by their environment, in particular by patterned surfaces and by confinement. We shall concentrate on micron and nanometric length scales where surfaces are often key in controlling fluid behaviour. The work is driven by current rapid and exciting advances in fabricating micropatterned substrates and by new experimental techniques probing the flow properties of fluids at these scales. Our work will be primarily computational and theoretical, but with an experimental component within Oxford, and with close experimental links to several groups internationally. The systems we will concentrate on are: 1. simple fluids at micropatterned substrates: We aim to understand interface pinning, particularly on anisotropic surfaces, and superhydrophobic hydrodynamics. The knowledge will be used to help design devices, such as displays and condensers that exploit fluid-surface interactions at the mesoscale. 2. complex fluids in confinement and at patterned substrates: We shall concentrate on the f-d virus as a highly monodisperse system of colloidal rods which shows lyotropic liquid crystalline ordering. A close collaboration between experiment and simulation will investigate the interplay between elasticity, surface anchoring, flow, topological defects and interface instabilities. 3. active fluids at surfaces: Our aim is to understand low Reynolds number swimming in the vicinity of rough surfaces and in confined systems such as microchannels and fluid drops. Microswimmers provide an experimentally and theoretically accessible example of non-equilibrium statistical physics and have a range of striking behaviours, including clustering, low Reynolds number turbulence and anomalous flow field statistics, that remain exciting challenges.

Keywords: microfluidics,liquid crystals,microswimming,wetting,superhydrophobic
Mastering the Computational Challenges in Numerical Modeling and Optimum Design of CNT Reinforced Composites (MASTER)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Products and process engineering
Countries involved: Greece
Call:  (ERC-2011-ADG_20110209, 2011)
Start date: 2012-03-01
End date: 2018-02-28
Duration (months): 72.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2496000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2496000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The innovative and challenging objective of the MASTER project is the numerical modeling and optimum design of complex carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced composite morphologies, via a novel and computationally efficient molecular mechanics-based, multiscale stochastic numerical simulation approach, in conjunction with a robust optimization methodology. The rationale of the project is to propose a generic approach for an accurate numerical modeling, efficient analysis and robust design considering uncertainties, of high performance CNT-reinforced composites, in terms of mechanical and damping properties, which could have far reaching implications in the design of current as well as future nano-scale reinforced composites. The above undertaking is confronted with the excessive computational effort required to achieve the proposed objective. This computational effort will be mastered with highly efficient multiscale simulation approaches, innovative numerical solution methods, metaheuristic optimization algorithms, soft computing tools and the exploitation of the recent advances in high performance computing technology. The project has a multidisciplinary dimension by combining various scientific fields such as: molecular mechanics; continuum mechanics; stochastic mechanics; optimization; numerical analysis; soft computing; nanotechnology; material science and computer technology. The achievements of this project are expected to significantly enhance our knowledge on the analysis and design of nanocomposites beyond the current state of the art.

Keywords: numerical simulation,neural networks,stochastic optimization,carbon nanotubes,reinforced composites,domain decomposition,distributed computing
4D-EEG: A new tool to investigate the spatial and temporal activity patterns in the brain. (4D-EEG)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: ERC Advanced Grant Interdisciplinary Panel
Countries involved: Netherlands,Netherlands
Call:  (ERC-2011-ADG_20110209, 2011)
Start date: 2012-06-01
End date: 2017-05-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3477201.96
EU funding (EUR): 3477201.96
Participants: 4
Project status: CLOSED

Our first goal is to develop a new tool to determine brain activity with a high temporal (< 1 msec) and spatial (about 2 mm) resolution with the focus on motor control. High density EEG (up to 256 electrodes) will be used for EEG source localization. Advanced force-controlled robot manipulators will be used to impose continuous force perturbations to the joints. Advanced closed-loop system identification algorithms will identify the dynamic EEG response of multiple brain areas to the perturbation, leading to a functional interpretation of EEG. The propagation of the signal in time and 3D space through the cortex can be monitored: 4D-EEG. Preliminary experiments with EEG localization have shown that the continuous force perturbations resulted in a better signal-to-noise ratio and coherence than the current method using transient perturbations.. 4D-EEG will be a direct measure of the neural activity in the brain with an excellent temporal response and easy to use in combination with motor control tasks. The new 4D-EEG method is expected to provide a breakthrough in comparison to functional MRI (fMRI) when elucidating the meaning of cortical map plasticity in motor learning. Our second goal is to generate and validate new hypotheses about the longitudinal relationship between motor learning and cortical map plasticity by clinically using 4D-EEG in an intensive, repeated measurement design in patients suffering from a stroke. The application of 4D-EEG combined with haptic robots will allow us to discover how dynamics in cortical map plasticity are related with upper limb recovery after stroke in terms of neural repair and using behavioral compensation strategies while performing a meaningful motor tasks.. The non-invasive 4D-EEG technique combined with haptic robots will open the window about what and how patients (re)learn when showing motor recovery after stroke in order to allow us to develop more effective patient-tailored therapies in neuro-rehabilitation.

Keywords: eeg source localisation,brain imaging,motor control,neurological disorders,diagnosis
Inverse Design on an Atomic scale: Multifunctional Heusler compounds! (IDEA HEUSLER!)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Materials and Synthesis
Countries involved: Germany,Germany
Call:  (ERC-2011-ADG_20110209, 2011)
Start date: 2012-04-01
End date: 2017-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2360240.0
EU funding (EUR): 2360240.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

Heusler compounds are a remarkable material, a vast collection of more than 1000 members with a large number of functionalities. The prototype Cu2MnAl is a ferromagnetic compound, even though none of its elemental constituents are magnetic. This is typical for this material class; the properties of many of the Heuslers can be forecast simply by counting the number of their valence electrons. Most of the Heusler compounds with 8, 18 or 24 valence electrons are semiconductors. The band gap can be tuned from more than 4 eV to zero by changing systematically the composition and simultaneously the lattice constant. Co2-Heusler compounds with more than 24 valence electrons are half-metallic ferromagnetic. Such compounds display nearly full spin polarized conduction electrons making them very useful for spintronics. Mn2-Heusler compounds show excellent performance for spin torque transfer applications. Another class of Heusler compounds has been predicted to be topological insulators, a new quantum state of matter. The precondition for my ambitious proposal was our systematic investigation of the Heusler family, which has led to detailed insight into the structure- electronic structure to property relation. The short term vision of this proposal is the design, synthesis and investigation of building blocks based on the Heusler structure with combined functionalities; such as superconducting topological insulators. With a virtual lab approach the materials with a desired property will be designed. The large number, the tuneability and controllability of the properties makes this material class the ideal system for the design of artificial multifunctional material on an atomic scale which allows contactless switchable functionalities via external control by fields, current, temperature, or other physical quantities. The long term vision is the synthesis of such an artificial material made by thin film or chemical methods for future electronics and energy technologies.
Heavy Element Laser Ionization Spectroscopy (HELIOS)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Fundamental constituents of matter
Countries involved: Belgium
Call:  (ERC-2011-ADG_20110209, 2011)
Start date: 2012-03-01
End date: 2017-02-28
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2458397.2
EU funding (EUR): 2458397.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The aim of this proposal is to develop a novel laser-spectroscopy method and to study nuclear and atomic properties of heaviests elements in order to address the following key questions: - Is the existence of the heaviest isotopes determined by the interplay between single-particle and collective nucleon degrees of freedom in the atomic nucleus? - How do relativistic effects and isotopic composition influence the valence atomic structure of the heaviest elements? The new approach is based on in-gas jet, high-repetition, high-resolution laser resonance ionization spectroscopy of short-lived nuclear-reaction products stopped in a buffer gas cell. The final goal is to couple the new system to the strongest production facility under construction at the ESFRI-listed SPIRAL-2 facility at GANIL (France) and to study isotopes from actinium to nobelium and heavier elements. An increase of the primary intensity, efficiency, selectivity and spectral resolution by one order of magnitude compared to present-day techniques is envisaged, which is essential to obtain the required data . The challenges are: - decoupling the high-intensity heavy ion production beam (> 10^14 particles per second) from the low-intensity reaction products (few atoms per second) - cooling of the reaction products from MeV/u to meV/u within less then hundred milliseconds - separating the wanted from the, by orders of magnitude overwhelming, unwanted isotopes - performing high-resolution laser spectroscopy on a minute amount of atoms in an efficient way. Nuclear properties (charge radii, nuclear moments and spins) as well as atomic properties (transition energies and ionization potentials) will be deduced in regions of the nuclear chart where they are not known: the neutron-deficient isotopes of the actinide elements, up to nobelium (Z = 102) and beyond. The data will validate state-of-the-art calculations, identify critical weaknesses and guide further theoretical developments.

Keywords: radioactive ion beam research laser spectroscopy
FLUOROCODE: a super-resolution optical map of DNA (FLUOROCODE)

Framework: FP7 — Ideas
Programme: European Research Council
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: Support for frontier research (ERC)
Panel: Physical and Analytical Chemical sciences
Countries involved: Belgium
Call:  (ERC-2011-ADG_20110209, 2011)
Start date: 2012-09-01
End date: 2017-08-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2423160.0
EU funding (EUR): 2423160.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

There has been an immense investment of time, effort and resources in the development of the technologies that enable DNA sequencing in the past 10 years. Despite the significant advances made, all of the current genomic sequencing technologies suffer from two important shortcomings. Firstly, sample preparation is time-consuming and expensive, and requiring a full day for sample preparation for next-generation sequencing experiments. Secondly, sequence information is delivered in short fragments, which are then assembled into a complete genome. Assembly is time-consuming and often results in a highly fragmented genomic sequence and the loss of important information on large-scale structural variation within the genome. We recently developed a super-resolution DNA mapping technology, which allows us to uniquely study genetic-scale features in genomic length DNA molecules. Labelling the DNA with fluorescent molecules at specific sequences and using high-resolution fluorescence microscopy enabled us to produce a map of a genomic DNA sequence with unparalleled resolution, the so called FLUOROCODE. In this project we aim to extend our methodology to map longer DNA molecules and to include a multi-colour version of the FLUOROCODE that will allow us to read genomic DNA molecules like a barcode and probe DNA methylation status. The sample preparation, DNA labelling and deposition for imaging will be integrated to allow rapid mapping of DNA molecules. At the same time nanopores will be explored as a route to high-throughput DNA mapping. FLUOROCODE will develop technology that aims to complement the information derived from current DNA sequencing platforms. The technology developed by FLUOROCODE will enable DNA mapping at unprecedented speed and for a fraction of the cost of a typical DNA sequencing project. We aniticipate that our method will find applications in the rapid identification of pathogens and in producing genomic scaffolds to improve genome sequence assembly.

Keywords: superresolution fluorescence microscopy,dna sequencing and mapping