Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Origin of Neurogenic Electrocytes (ONE): genomic and regulatory bases of the origin of a novel cell type in vertebrates (ONE)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Spain
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2022 (HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01, 2022)
Start date: 2024-09-01
End date: 2026-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 181152.96
EU funding (EUR): 181152.96
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

All animals have specialized cells that can generate small electric currents, such as neurons or muscle cells. However, the ability to generate external electric fields is restricted to only few teleost and elasmobranch species. This function evolved independently at least six times, generating different specialized electric organs composed of cells called electrocytes that generate these electric fields. In most species, electrocytes have convergently evolved from muscle cells. Nonetheless, in Apteronoidae, a small tropical clade that shares a common ancestor with other fish with a myogenic electric organ, electrocytes have evolved de novo from spinal cord motor neuron precursors. These neurogenic electrocytes create the electric organ by packing axons with unique morphological properties: no pre-synaptic terminal, U-shape with a 5-fold changing diameter and unique myelination pattern. However, nothing is known about the molecular changes that underlie these striking evolutionary novelties, to a large extent due to the difficulty to access the somas of electrocytes, which are intermingled within other spinal cord cells. The goal of ONE is to elucidate the genomic and regulatory bases of the origin of the neurogenic electrocytes in Apteronoidae. This will be possible thanks to the use of cutting-edge single-cell multi-omics technologies, which will allow us to investigate this cell type at the transcriptomic and regulatory levels for the first time (Aim 1). I will then use comparative approaches with close fish relatives and between neurogenic and myogenic electrocytes to identify unique and convergent evolutionary genomic patterns (Aim 2). Altogether, ONE will positively impact neuroscience and evolutionary research, revealing new mechanisms of novel cell-type evolution. Moreover, we will discover new genetic variants that might be applied to biotechnology and biomedicine and that will further help to raise awareness of the importance of conserving Biodiversity.

Keywords: whole genome sequencing,transcriptomics,non coding dna,chromatin accessibility,single cell sequencing,multiomics,nervous system,cell excitability,non model organism
The Role of cohEsin dynamicS at sTAlled ReplicaTion forks (RESTART)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Spain
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2022 (HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01, 2022)
Start date: 2023-11-01
End date: 2025-10-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 181152.96
EU funding (EUR): 181152.96
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Cohesin, an evolutionary conserved ring-shaped protein complex that topologically entraps DNA, has crucial roles in many structural and functional aspects of chromosomes including sister chromatid cohesion, genome organization, gene transcription and DNA repair. The importance of cohesin in the maintenance of genomic stability has been known for some time. Cohesin facilitates double strand breaks repair by homologous recombination and promotes the restart of stalled replication forks by template switching, an error-free DNA tolerance pathway. However, the precise role of cohesin in DNA damage and in the recovery after replication stress is still unknown. Whether cohesin acts exclusively providing close proximity of sister chromatids or its functions exceed simple embracing of DNA has yet to be discerned. Cohesin has been shown to be ubiquitylated upon replication fork arrest. This post-translational modification has been proposed to favour cohesin mobilization and subsequent association with nascent DNA behind the fork. However, the extent to what cohesin dynamics are important in the recovery after replication stress is still to be understood. By a range of multidisciplinary approaches, from biochemistry and enzymology, yeast genetics and molecular biology techniques to high throughput proteomics and bioinformatics analysis of mass spectrometry data, we will gain valuable insight about the interplay between sister chromatid cohesion and DNA damage tolerance and their contribution to successful replication. This basic knowledge about the mechanisms involved in DNA damage responses has demonstrated to be essential in the design of successful strategies against cancer. Remarkably, cohesin is one of the protein complexes most frequently mutated in cancer. This project aims to provide valuable insight about how cohesin mutations cause tumorigenesis.

Keywords: cohesin,dna replication,replication stress,dna damage tolerance,genome stability,ubiquitylation
Deciphering Glycosphingolipids as Drivers of a Novel Cell-Autonomous Immune Response (GlycoGuard)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Postdoctoral Fellowships
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Sweden,United States
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2025-10-01
End date: 2028-09-30
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 442099.44
EU funding (EUR): 442099.44
Participants: 3
Project status: SIGNED

Pathogens exploit glycosphingolipids (GSLs) on the surface of gut epithelial cells to initiate infection. A recent breakthrough has uncovered a novel, cell-autonomous immune response in which multivalent clustering of GSLs by bacterial toxins or viruses triggers the degradation of the cell polarity protein PARD6B, leading to reduced pathogen uptake. This novel GSL-PARD6B pathway highlights the critical role of GSLs in mucosal immunity. However, the precise molecular mechanisms by which GSL binding initiates this intracellular signaling cascade and the subsequent changes to the host membrane composition are not fully understood. By integrating novel biochemical techniques with my existing skills in GSL-pathogen research, I will: 1) Define the triggering mechanism of the GSL-PARD6B pathway and, 2) Determine the effects of the microbiota and the GSL-PARD6B pathway on plasma membrane composition. This work will reveal how extracellular signals are translated across the plasma membrane to modulate intracellular responses and uncover mechanisms that protect against infection. Overall, the GlycoGuard project intends to provide a comprehensive understanding of the GSL-PARD6B pathway, advancing our knowledge of host-pathogen interactions and paving the way for novel therapeutic strategies against infections. Additionally, this grant will enhance my skills as a researcher and provide the foundation to establish myself as an independent scientist.

Keywords: glycosphingolipids,host pathogen interactions,mucosal immunity,cellular signaling pathways,nanodomains,microbiota,bacterial toxins
Smart Transformer for Enhanced Efficiency and Sustainability in Maritime Transportation (STEESMAT)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Programme: Climate, Energy and Mobility
Theme: Mobility
Destination: Clean and competitive solutions for all transport modes
Action type: Innovation actions
Partnership: ZEWT (co-programmed)
Countries involved: Norway,Germany,Finland,Czechia,France
Call: Demonstrating efficient fully DC electric grids within waterborne transport for large ship applications (ZEWT Partnership) (HORIZON-CL5-2024-D5-01, 2024)
Start date: 2025-01-01
End date: 2028-06-30
Duration (months): 42.0
Total project cost (EUR): 9796743.75
EU funding (EUR): 7752035.0
Participants: 13
Project status: SIGNED

The STEESMAT project aims to develop a set of technologies and methodologies that will enable the deployment of onboard DC grids for large vessels. These solutions are urgently needed to transform the waterborne transport by reducing GHG emissions and allow Europe to reach the environmental targets established for 2030 and 2050. STEESMAT project proposes the design, development, demonstration, and approval of a highly efficient plug& play power electronic system based on solid state-transformer technology, a secondary low voltage DC grid architecture and components for integration of fuel cells and batteries as well as a new smart management and control system based on Artificial Intelligence to increase energy efficiency of large ships. New standards will be established for the DC grid. The system developed will be validated (DNV approved) for market deployment as well as fully tested in lab (individual elements) and then integrated for testing and validation in a relevant environment at the Energy House (a full-scale onshore test centre for testing future fuels for maritime applications) and demonstrated in a real environment through integration in the RV NorthStar Research ship that will operate in real conditions over 30 days. The STEESMAT consortium’s goal is to bring to the market the first power electronic system based on SST that completely meets the needs and expectations of large-scale (high powered) ships. The STEESMAT consortium is composed by companies with industrial/commercial interest in the project results: Wärtsilä (NO), Eaton (DE, CZ), Danfoss (FI), The Switch Engineering (FI) and DNV (DE), supported by research institutions (Fraunhofer (DE), Université de Technologie de Belfort-Montbéliard (FR), Lappeenranta – Lahti University of Technology (FI), Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet (NO)) and other non-profit organizations like Maritime Cleantech (NO), Sustainable Energy (NO) and Open Direct Current Alliance (DE).

Keywords: medium voltage,dc grid,sustainable waterborne transport,ghg emissions,power electronics,solid state transformer,large ships,power distribution systems
Two-dimensional magnon and spin gases in magnetic Van der Waals heterostructures (2DMAGSPIN)

Framework: Horizon Europe — 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: Netherlands
Call: ERC ADVANCED GRANTS (ERC-2021-ADG, 2021)
Start date: 2022-10-01
End date: 2028-02-29
Duration (months): 65.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2495000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2495000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Dimensionality plays a crucial role in the physical properties of condensed matter systems. In the last century, the optimization of FET technology led to the discovery of a new state of matter, in which quantum mechanics fully confines any electron motion to parallel to the interfaces, i.e. the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). Magnons, the elementary excitations of the ground state magnetic order (either ferro, ferri, or antiferromagnetic) also carry spin. In high-quality magnetic materials magnons enable long-distance electronic spin information transfer. Magnonics has been studied extensively in magnetic bulk materials, or in thin films where still several sub-bands are thermally populated. The challenging major next step is to realize and study magnon and electronic spin transport in the ultimate 2D magnetic regime. The aim of this ERC Advanced project is to combine and study strictly 2 dimensional spin transport in two types of vdW magnets: in a 2D magnon gas (2DMG) in electrically insulating Van der Waals ferro and antiferromagnets and in a 2D spin gas (2DSG) in proximity-induced magnetic graphene. To achieve this aim, I will (i) fabricate high quality 2D vdW materials, heterostructures and devices; (ii) realize and study spin transport in a two-dimensional magnon gas (2DMG); (iii) realize and study a two-dimensional spin gas (2DSG) in magnetic graphene; and (vi) develop new spintronics functionalities in hybrid 2DMG and 2DSG heterostructures. This project will open a regime that has not been explored before. Magnon-magnon, magnon-phonon, and magnon (electronic) spin interactions in 2D will lead to phenomena that are either difficult to realize in 3D, such as hydrodynamic spin current flow and self-oscillations, or have not yet been anticipated at all. 2DMG and 2DSG controlled by gates and, possibly, operating at room temperature will enrich the vdW spintronics and provide new strategies for information technology including heat management.

Keywords: van der waals materials,magnons
Smart Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Delivering One-Click and Comprehensive Assessment of Cardiovascular Diseases (SMHEART)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Prevention,  Diagnosis and T reatment 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: France
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2022-STG, 2022)
Start date: 2023-09-01
End date: 2028-08-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1498529.0
EU funding (EUR): 1498529.0
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) causes at least 1.8 million European deaths annually, exceeding fatalities from cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes. Consequently, the fight against CVD has become the main priority of the World Health Organization. In the pursuit of understanding and treating CVD, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has remained the only modality capable of providing a comprehensive assessment of the heart’s function and structure without harmful radiation. Unfortunately, current CMR systems remain too slow, too complex, require highly trained specialists and, as such, have presented a barrier to a wider adoption of CMR. The aim of my ERC project is to unleash the full potential of CMR to transform patient trajectories by introducing a fast, one-click, fully automated, and comprehensive imaging pipeline applicable to diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy selection in cardiology. This aim will be achieved by (i) creating a novel imaging technology that collects CMR data in a single continuous free-breathing scan, taking into account post-processing requirements at the very origin of CMR sequence design; (ii) exploiting the unique contrasts generated by this technology to automatically extract quantitative markers on cardiac anatomy, function, and tissue characteristics; and (iii) translating this transformative technology from a pre-clinical to a clinical setting. This will be the first-ever integrated cardiac imaging pipeline in which CMR images are acquired in a single click, jointly represented in a single volume, and automatically analysed. This will unlock obstacles for broader acceptance of CMR and unleash the full potential of CMR to maximize its impact on patient trajectories. The results of this project will pave the way towards robust image-based strategies for personalized patient care (diagnosis, risk stratification, therapy selection, monitoring, and image-guided interventions).

Keywords: cardiology,mri,artificial intelligence,imaging
Interface-mediated fast ionic conductivity in nanocomposite solid-state electrolytes (Interfacial Ionics)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Physical and Analytical Chemical Sciences
Panel description: Analytical chemistry, chemical theory, physical chemistry/chemical physics
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: ERC CONSOLIDATOR GRANTS (ERC-2024-COG, 2024)
Start date: 2025-04-01
End date: 2030-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2145000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2145000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Ion conduction in solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) is the bedrock of several electrochemical devices like batteries and fuel cells which are vital to our modern society. High conductivity is crucial for such applications, and increasing the intrinsically low conductivity of SSEs has been of enormous technological interest. The discovery that the conductivity of SSEs can increase or decrease by orders of magnitude at their interface with a non-conductor (e.g., oxides) has led to much interest in the use of interface engineering to rationally design SSEs with improved conductivity and overall performance in electrochemical devices. This has so far not been successful because the underlying mechanisms that lead to the profound changes in conductivity at interfaces are not yet well understood due to the complex composition of such interfaces, and the fact that several properties of the two components concomitantly influence this effect. Building on my preliminary results, I aim to unravel the fundamental mechanisms of interface ion conductivity by preparing model nanocomposite SSEs (SSE + oxides) that will allow me to disentangle the different parameters that contribute to this effect. The interface physics/chemistry responsible for interface ion transport will be precisely tuned via surface and compositional modification of the oxides. I will combine advanced surface-sensitive probe techniques, including XPS, X-ray Raman Scattering, HR-TEM/EDX, and NMR to study the interface compositions. This will enable me to establish for the first time how the properties of SSE-oxide mixtures influence their interface reactions, conductivity, and performance in applications. Such fundamental insights will enable the design of novel SSEs with tailor-made properties for a variety of electrochemical applications. My extensive expertise and track record in nanocomposite materials, SSEs, and advanced materials characterization, place me in the perfect position to lead this project.

Keywords: solid state electrolytes,ionic conductors,interfaces,nanocomposites,batteries,interface effects
Macro Market Power and Distribution (MACRO_POWR_DISTRBUTN)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Individuals, Markets and Organisations
Panel description: Economics, finance , management
Countries involved: Spain
Call: ERC ADVANCED GRANTS (ERC-2024-ADG, 2024)
Start date: 2025-12-01
End date: 2030-11-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2455000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2455000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Market power is about the distribution of economic surplus between firms, customers and workers. In this proposal, I use modern heterogeneous agents macro tools that incorporate heterogeneity in firm productivity, in preferences, and in market structure. I investigate the macroeconomic mechanisms that link market power and distributional characteristics and formulate welfare-improving policies that lead to efficiency gains and re-distribution. I propose a unifying framework of market power and distribution in general equilibrium, and use unique data to address the following 3 questions: 1. How does firm size determine monopsony power? Large firms have lower markups yet higher markdowns. This is a key determinant behind the lower labor share in superstar firms, but we have no mechanism that explains why. I propose to use the unifying framework and Belgian VAT transaction data combined with matched employer-employee data to quantify the economic mechanism by which markdowns vary in the firm size distribution. 2. How do financial frictions influence market power? Low productivity firms tend to face tighter financial constraints, leading to higher dispersion in the distribution of capital and technology. This in turn increases market power. I have access to data from a private bank (Caixabank) on a representative sample of firms' payroll, accounts, as well as credit. Within the unifying framework I aim to quantify the impact of financial frictions on the distribution of market power. 3. How does labor-saving technological change affect the distribution of the labor share and market power? Technology adoption is driven by the firm's attempt to increase profitability. Incorporating general equilibrium effects and market power, I propose to analyze the substitution patterns within and between firms with the introduction of new technologies. I will use US Census data to quantify the distributional effects of labor-saving technological change.

Keywords: macroeconomics market power distribution technology efficiency welfare
Integrated Niche Theory: linking environmental, compositional and functional change on coral reefs (coralINT)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Environmental B iology, Ecology  and E volution
Panel description: For all organisms : Ecology, biodiversity, environmental change , evolutionary biology, behavioural ecology, microbial ecology , marine biology, ecophysiology, theoretical developments and mod elling
Countries involved: Portugal
Call: ERC CONSOLIDATOR GRANTS (ERC-2021-COG, 2021)
Start date: 2022-11-01
End date: 2027-10-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1999995.0
EU funding (EUR): 1999995.0
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

Idea: CoralINT aims to deliver the ability to predict spatio-temporal change in biodiversity and the consequences of this change for ecosystem function. To achieve this aim, I will develop an Integrated Niche Theory linking three niche concepts: Grinnell’s niche (what a species needs), Elton’s niche (what a species does) and niche construction (how the species function changes the environment). The key to this integration lies in how species are sorted along each of the niche axes (environmental gradients, functional rates and niche construction rates). I will map the dynamic implications of different types of bivariate sorting to the development of positive and negative feedback loops. This new theory will allow predicting the indirect consequences of selection on one axis to change along the other two axes. I will test INT with environmental, compositional, and functional data extracted from 3D maps of coral reefs and its coral inhabitants. Ground breaking features: CoralINT sits at the interface between theory development and cutting-edge empirical data. I anticipate coralINT will produce 3D maps for a total area of >26,600 m2 with mm scale resolution, distributed among 100 sites along a 2,000 km latitudinal gradient. Within these maps we will follow >100,000 coral colonies through time, measuring and inferring structural and demographic rates across >200 species and environmental variation in space and time. Working at organismal and ecosystem scales will enable coralINT to develop mechanistic understanding of the processes connecting environmental, compositional and functional change. Objectives: develop a new Integrated Niche Theory; quantify the effects of the environment on corals’ distribution and functional rates; determine if function can be predicted from coral and reef structural traits; quantify the prevalence and evolutionary implications of coral niche construction. Feasibility:We have collected proof of concept data for each data type.

Keywords: theoretical macroecology,reef corals,community ecology,functional ecology