Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Chiral Morphogenesis - Physical Mechanisms of Actomyosin-Based Left/Right Symmetry Breaking in Biological Systems (CHIMO)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Condensed matter physics
Panel description: Structure, electronic properties, fluids, nanosciences, biological physics
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC Advanced Grant (ERC-2016-ADG, 2016)
Start date: 2018-01-01
End date: 2023-12-31
Duration (months): 72.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2500000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The aim of this grant is to understand how cellular, tissue-scale and organismal left-right asymmetry arises from the chirality of molecular constituents. In many instances the actomyosin cortex, a thin and mechanically active layer of dynamically cross-linked filaments and molecular motors at the surface of cells, drives the emergence of chiral morphogenetic events. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, mesoscale chiral active torques generated by this active layer establish the embryo’s left-right body axis. Here we want to understand how mesoscale actomyosin active torques are generated at the molecular level, and how active torque generation in the actomyosin surface drives chiral morphogenesis of cells, tissues and organisms. Cells and tissues represent a new class of active chiral materials where both the force and the torque balance need to be considered, and we will perform a systematic and cross-scale characterization of active chiral biological matter. We will pursue an interdisciplinary approach at the interface of physics and biology. At the molecular-scale, we will use optical tweezers to measure active torques generated by single molecules of the molecular myosin and the actin polymerizing protein formin. At the cell-scale, we will reconstitute chiral actomyosin flows in vitro and characterize chiral dynamics of single molecules in vivo. At the tissue-scale, we will investigate chiral cell movements in a multicellular environment and unravel the physical basis of chiral tissue flow in vertebrates. Theory is essential at all stages, and we will build a molecular-scale model of actomyosin torque generation that will be coarse-grained to a generalized hydrodynamic description of active chiral matter. This interdisciplinary and cross-scale approach will provide fundamentally new insights into active chiral materials and the mechanisms by which left-right asymmetries arise in development.

Keywords: actomyosin,torque generation,chiral patterning,left,right asymmetry,morphogenesis,biophysics,modelling,theory,cell biology,c elegans,chicken,quail
Integrating chemical and biological approaches to target NAD production and signaling in cancer (INTEGRATA)

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: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Germany,Germany,Spain,Italy,Italy,Germany,Italy,Italy,Italy,Switzerland,Switzerland,France,United Kingdom
Call: Innovative Training Networks (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2018, 2018)
Start date: 2018-11-01
End date: 2023-04-30
Duration (months): 54.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3738573.0
EU funding (EUR): 3738573.0
Participants: 16
Project status: SIGNED

Deregulated nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) biosynthesis and signaling underlies many aspects of carcinogenesis. NAD biosynthetic enzymes, such as nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) and nicotinic acid phosphoribosyltransferase (NAPRT), are commonly upregulated in cancer cells, where they fuel increased metabolic demands and downstream enzymes involved in DNA repair and in the promotion of cell growth, cell motility, de-differentiation and immune escape. In addition, NAD-producing enzymes, such as NAMPT, moonlight in the extracellular space, exerting strongly pro-oncogenic, autocrine and paracrine effects. Many of these roles of NAD-producing and NAD-utilizing enzymes appear to be shared between solid and haematological cancers. Thus, agents targeting NAD production or signaling are expected to have broad applicability. INTEGRATA will: 1. develop new NAD biosynthesis and NAD/nucleotide signaling inhibitors; 2. assess pharmacology and toxicity of the new therapeutics in preclinical models; 3. achieve the proof-of-concept of activity of the newly generated agents in relevant in vivo cancer models. INTEGRATA will train 14 PhD students in an overarching, interdisciplinary training programme that will include training-by-research, joint courses of technical, scientific, and transferrable skills, active participation to public scientific events, and an intense intersectoral networking exchange plan. The INTEGRATA Consortium encompasses academic institutions, research centres, and SMEs/biotech pharma, all with proven experience in higher education and training, and geared with state-of-the-art scientific and technical expertise and infrastructures.

Keywords: nad production,nad signaling,new targets,cancer
Sustainable production of lightweight thermal concretes and concrete blocks with use of recycled industrial waste for construction of energy-efficient and/or highly seismic-safe masonry buildings (ELG-blocks)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Climate action, environment,  resource efficiency and raw materials
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Serbia
Call: Boosting the potential of small businesses in the areas of climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials (H2020-SMEINST-1-2016-2017, 2016)
Start date: 2017-01-01
End date: 2017-06-30
Duration (months): 6.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

We made innovative and revolutionary: (a) ASET-concretes produced with the use of recycled industrial waste and (b) ELG-blocks in three special variations: thermal ELG-blocks, super strong ELG-blocks for walls and ELG-inlay-bricks for ceilings of energy-efficient and seismic-safe masonry buildings, all made with ASET-concretes. We made 500 different prototypes of ASET-concretes, hundreds of prototypes of ELG-blocks and obtained all relevant attests from an accredited laboratory. The construction of buildings with our innovative products will significantly reduce construction price, since our solution: (1) has excellent thermal insulation and high resistance to stress due to destructive earthquake and wind forces (walls do not break, crack, thereby significantly contributing to the overall stability and safety of buildings) and (2) is by 50% lighter, lowering the construction price in Serbia by more than 20%, or 40% by the EU. ASET-concretes and all variations ELG-blocks satisfy all EU ecological standards from production, through use, until and including disposal. Innovative design of ELG-blocks enables all walls in buildings to be reinforced with rebar, thereby enabling construction of multi-storey, low-energy and highly-seismic-safe buildings faster and cheaper by 40% than competitors. Since the ASET-concretes are resistant to the impacts of salt through their whole volume, they are excellent solution for construction of new and repair of old damaged bridges, 50% cheaper than at the competitors. Our innovation brings EU added value thanks to its superiority in comparison to our competitors. The replication potential is large, because we can easily organize production of our products in any EU country, thereby using recycled local industrial waste. Thus, our products will improve the competitiveness of the EU building industry, by cutting both social and real costs, while offering a high-quality product and significantly improving the environment at the same time.

Keywords: thermal lightweight concrete blocks,energy efficient buildings,seismic safe buildings,sustainable construction,recycling of industrial waste,green construction
Reconstructing gene family evolution in the ash genus (Fraxinus (FraxiFam)

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: United Kingdom
Call: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) (H2020-MSCA-IF-2014, 2014)
Start date: 2015-07-01
End date: 2017-06-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 195454.8
EU funding (EUR): 195454.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Comparisons among whole genome sequences allow us to survey differences in gene content among organisms, and hypothesise patterns of gene gain and loss through evolution. Rates of gene flux appear to be surprisingly high, and many genes are unexpectedly unique to species (“orphan” genes). In plants, increasing evidence suggests that genome evolution has been shaped by multiple rounds of whole genome duplication (WGD) after which many duplicated genes are lost, but some duplicates are retained and diverge. The extent to which novel genes arise due to WGD, tandem duplications, horizontal gene transfers, or de novo, remains an open question, especially in plants where WGD seems to be such a pervasive feature of evolution. Our knowledge is hampered by the fact that until now we have been limited to comparisons of whole genome sequences in plants that are highly diverged from one another. This means that the early consequences of gene duplication, and the early divergence of duplicated genes, have not been studied on a genomic scale. This project will use a new dataset, generated by the host lab, containing the whole genome sequence of every species within a plant genus (the genus Fraxinus – ash trees). As well as having inferred WGDs in its ancestry, this genus contains species that have undergone recent WGD. We propose to conduct a comprehensive analysis of gene and gene family evolution in this genus, compiling a major public database of Fraxinus gene families (FraxiFam). Using this data we will conduct the first genome-wide and genus-wide study of gene content evolution, allowing us to study the early stages of gene sequence and gene content divergence. We will test hypotheses about: (1) the primary drivers of gene content evolution, (2) the repeatability of patterns in gene loss and retention after WGD, and (3) the early evolution of orphan genes. This research will contribute to attempts to develop ash trees resistant to ash dieback, for EU ecological restoration.
Universal Pulses for Parallel Transmission and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (UniPAT)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — 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 Grant (ERC-2015-PoC, 2015)
Start date: 2016-09-01
End date: 2018-02-28
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 149634.0
EU funding (EUR): 149634.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The parallel transmission technology is a promising technique to counteract the radiofrequency (RF) field inhomogeneity problem in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) at ultra-high field. It consists of placing around the subject several RF transmitters that can be controlled independently in amplitude and phase. By using sophisticated algorithms, it is then possible to design the respective waveforms which lead to a uniform excitation. This powerful tool on the other hand has remained a research instrument mostly due to the calibration and calculation time necessary to exploit the technology in each exam (around 10 minutes), and the required expertise to calculate the waveforms. In this Proof-of-Concept project, we propose to establish the scientific validity, technical feasibility and market potential of universal RF pulses. The instigator of the project indeed has acquired supporting evidence during his ERC project that it is possible to generate a set of RF pulses predesigned to be robust with respect to patient variability. That way, the so-called “universal pulses” can be applied to a category of patients without any special calibration or particular expertise. The use of parallel transmission thereby could become accessible to any clinical MRI platform equipped appropriately. Universal pulses would represent a “plug and play” solution. This Proof-of-Concept project hence will be carried out by first accumulating the data necessary to create a database of RF field maps acquired on different human brains. Through the use of tools developed during the corresponding ERC project, the pulses will be designed to work robustly on the cohort. These pulses will then be blindly applied to a group of new healthy adult volunteers without any particular calibration or calculation. Experiments will be performed at 7T using a commercial RF coil to market the results better and offer a readily implementable product to companies.

Keywords: plug and play,parallel transmission
Vision Improvement through CATaracts by wavefront shaping (VICAT)

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: Spain
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2019, 2019)
Start date: 2021-03-01
End date: 2023-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 160932.48
EU funding (EUR): 160932.48
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Cataracts is a common ocular pathology involving an increase in the amount of intraocular light scattering. This causes vision impairment by blurring retinal images and reducing their contrast. The current treatment for this pathology is cataract surgery, which is an invasive procedure with possible side effects, such as corneal edema, infection or retinal detachment among others. In this work, we propose a non-invasive approach to improve vision through the cataractous lenses based on the manipulation of the light wavefront incident on the eye, that in the final end will be integrated into head mounted devices. The goal of this project is to develop a solid scientific frame for this technique to work, together with an initial working device. In our approach we propose the use of the natural fluorescence of the retina as feedback for the wavefront optimization algorithm, which allows the optimization of the Point Spread Function (PSF) of the eye. The optical memory effect of the cataracts will be characterized and used in the strategy to project images onto the retina with the maximal optimized PSF. A compact device capable of measuring and correcting vision will be developed in the final steps, preparing the ground for clinical tests, commercialization of the device and its integration with head mounted devices for practical vision correction through cataracts.

Keywords: scattering,wavefront shaping,cataracts
IRIS.AI: The Artificial Intelligence-powered R&D assistant (IRIS AI)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Norway
Call: SME instrument (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1, 2018)
Start date: 2018-11-01
End date: 2019-02-28
Duration (months): 4.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

More than 4000 research papers are published every day. Sadly, our human brains can only process a fraction of this knowledge. As a result, 50% of papers published are read by less than three people and as many as 90% of papers published are never cited. Currently, researchers rely on a lengthy manual process when reviewing scientific literature or trying to find a solution to a complex questions, generally only looking for papers within their expertise area, when the answer may be in an unrelated area. At Iris AI AS, we decided to overcome such challenges by giving birth to Iris.ai, the first Artificial Intelligence-powered researcher. Iris.ai uses a neural network algorithm to understand context and document similarity. It automates the process of finding relevant scientific literature and creating new hypothesis, saving up to 90% time of the research process and increasing accuracy with a 85% precision. As a result, it will accelerate the progression of knowledge and problems solving. Iris.ai is quickly becoming effective thanks to our team of data scientist experts and the invaluable help from our community of AI trainers, who aid Iris.ai make sense of science. Iris.ai is also becoming famous! We have been featured in the $5M IBM Watson AI XPRIZE or the prestigious Science journal and were selected by Fast Company in 2017 as one of the top 10 most innovative companies in AI (sharing ranking with Google, IBM and Baidu). Furthermore, we have big corporate clients such already on board. With Iris.ai, we will be first targeting the materials science R&D market, estimated to be worth €85 billion by 2024 and growing at a 10.4% CAGR (period 2015-2024) although our long-term goal is R&D at large globally valued at €1400 billions per year. By using a freemium business model approach, we expect to have a cumulative net profit of €55.8M and have hired 100 new professionals by the end of 2023.

Keywords: artificial intelligence,process knowledge,scientific knowledge,automation,research
Nautical Integrated Hybrid Energy System for Long-haul Cruise Ships (Nautilus)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Smart, green and integrated transport
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Germany,Germany,Germany,Germany,Italy,Germany,Switzerland,Sweden,Finland,France,Czechia,Netherlands,Netherlands,United Kingdom
Call: Retrofit Solutions and Next Generation Propulsion for Waterborne Transport (H2020-MG-2019-TwoStages, 2019)
Start date: 2020-07-01
End date: 2024-12-31
Duration (months): 54.0
Total project cost (EUR): 7892362.5
EU funding (EUR): 7892362.5
Participants: 15
Project status: SIGNED

Maritime transport is among the leading sources of greenhouse gases and pollutants which are estimated to cause 50,000 premature annual deaths and €58 billion annual cost to the society in the EU. With the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations coming in force, marine transport needs new energy solutions for emissions reduction. Passenger ships are the most affected as they have growing pressure from their customers and habitants near ports for a clean environment. To address these challenges, this project aims at developing, evaluating and validating a highly efficient and dynamic integrated marine energy system fuelled by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) for long-haul passenger ships. This energy system, responsible to cater for all heat & power needs of a vessel, consists of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC)-battery hybrid genset with coupling with the existing Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) based generators and gradually replacing these ICEs. The project will develop and deliver a complete process design and digital demonstrator of a fully integrated on-board energy system of a size between 5 and 60 MW for two types of cruise ships: 1000 and 5000+ passenger vessels. A physical proof-of-concept (PoC 30 kWe SOFC+battery) as well as a modularized functional demonstrator (60 kWe SOFC+battery) of the hybrid genset will be developed and operated to validate the design and operation strategies. The digital design and the physical demonstrator will be evaluated against the marine safety regulations. The project brings in a consortium of key actors in maritime passenger transport including ship operators, ship builders, marine engine builder, marine regulatory company, and technology developers supported by research organizations from across the Europe. Together they target to validate this integrated energy system to comply with the IMO targets of 2030 and beyond. Besides, regulatory framework, emission analysis, lifecycle assessment and feasibility of fuel flexibility are addressed.

Keywords: maritime transport,marine energy system,fuel cell,hybrid genset
Community Tailored Actions for Energy Poverty Mitigation (ComAct)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Secure, clean and efficient energy
Theme: Reducing energy consumption and carbon foorpint by smart and sustainable use
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Ukraine,Germany,North Macedonia,Lithuania,Bulgaria,Belgium,Bulgaria,Bosnia and Herzegovina,Hungary,Slovakia
Call: Mitigating household energy poverty (H2020-LC-SC3-EE-2019, 2019)
Start date: 2020-09-01
End date: 2024-02-29
Duration (months): 42.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1987223.75
EU funding (EUR): 1986223.75
Participants: 10
Project status: SIGNED

The countries in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region and in the former Soviet Union republics (CIS region) have the most energy-poor people in Europe. Main reasons contributing to energy poverty for people with low income are due to high energy prices and poor energy efficiency of the buildings, building heating systems and household appliances. The ComAct project is focusing on these regions and in particular on their specificity that the housing stock (characterised with large percentage of multi-family apartment blocks) is predominantly in private ownership and consequently energy-poor households live in their privately-owned apartments. To address the complex roots of energy poverty, there is a need to develop a new approach in order to influence the energy costs substantially and make the energy efficiency (EE) interventions affordable, and consequently reduce the high energy poverty level in the CEE and CIS region. The ComAct project aims to make high-impact/high-cost energy-efficient improvements in multi-family apartment buildings in the CEE and CIS regions affordable and manageable for energy-poor communities as well as to create the necessary assistance conditions for lifting them out of energy poverty. To achieve this main goal, firstly, an approach to identification and selection of energy-poor communities is developed, followed by interventions in three main dimensions: 1) empowering and activating the communities of homeowners’ associations; 2) developing/adapting financial tools that provide financing for low income families; and 3) optimising technical solutions that provide most favourable cost-benefit ratio for the energy efficient improvements at a multi-family apartment building level. In order to demonstrate applicability, benefits and potential for alleviating energy poverty, 5 pilot cases take place in Hungary, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Lithuania and Ukraine.

Keywords: reduce energy poverty,multi family apartment buildings,affordable energy efficient interventions,energy poor communities,financing,low income households,technical solutions,pilots