Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Shapeshifting Metasurfaces for Chemically Selective Augmented Reality (METAmorphoses)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Products and processes engineering
Panel description: Product and process design, chemical, civil, environmental, mechanical, vehicle engineering, energy processes and relevant computational methods
Countries involved: Italy,Portugal
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2018-COG, 2018)
Start date: 2019-10-01
End date: 2025-03-31
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2745000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2745000.0
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

I propose to realize the first shapeshifting optical metasurface that changes its functionality on-demand and adapts to changing external conditions. The metasurface may work as a chemically selective lens that allows transmission only of the spectral fingerprint of a specific molecule in the mid-IR wavelength range. The same metasurface can later be turned into an adaptive lens for focusing and detection under the skin. For such ambitious goal, a radically new approach is needed. I will realize shapeshifting metasurfaces made of a polymer containing photo-switchable molecules. The surface of such polymers undergoes a morphology re-organization (surface structuring) when illuminated by an external visible light pattern. The polymer will be structured with visible light and the resulting metasurfaces will work in the mid-IR. I will use state-of-the-art optical nano-imaging techniques to investigate the surface structuring phenomenon at the nanoscale in order to achieve full control of the mechanism. Since the polymer surface can continuously be adjusted with the illuminating visible light, it will be possible to shift from one encoded optical functionality to a completely different one. Once optimized, this completely out-of-the-box approach will be completed by developing a feedback mechanism that allows for self- adjustment of the polymeric metasurface to changing external conditions. This will open endless possibilities in many fields, from medical imaging to security and quality control. The proposed approach is unprecedented but it is perfectly in line with my research activities, resulting in fact from merging different techniques that I master into a new research field. My approach is also inexpensive relative to the usual nano-fabrication techniques and immediately compatible with high-volume production, providing a viable technology platform for lightweight, eyewear technology, that reflects the views of key industrial players in the field.

Keywords: planar photonics,light activated elastomers
Personalized Interventions to Improve Intergroup Relations and Promote Peace (PerInterv)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: The Social World and Its Diversity
Panel description: Sociology, social psychology, social anthropology, education sciences, communication studies
Countries involved: Israel
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2019-COG, 2019)
Start date: 2020-06-01
End date: 2025-05-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1990000.0
EU funding (EUR): 1990000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The recent increase in intergroup hostilities and the intertwining of local and global crises emphasizes the importance of finding ways to attenuate the destructive effects of intergroup conflicts. In recent decades, social psychologists have shown an increasing interest in offering interventions to reduce intergroup prejudice and promote intergroup reconciliation. Yet, in contrast to other scientific fields that strive towards more personalized approaches, most research on intergroup interventions applies the same interventions to all target populations. The proposed project aims to address this gap by introducing an innovative framework for personalized intergroup interventions. The proposed framework is composed of three main layers: a. personalization parameters, b. mechanisms connecting personalization parameters to concrete interventions, and c. the relevant interventions to be tested. The project includes four sequential parts. In part one (WP1) I will conduct six (one for each intervention) meta-analyses in which all available data of studies using these interventions will be gathered and moderations by personalization parameters will be tested. In WP2, online versions of all interventions will be created and tested in two large-scale online studies in two different contexts (Israeli-Palestinian and immigration in Europe) against relevant personalization parameters. Then, in WP3, I will attempt to pinpoint optimal compositions of different interventions, to maximize effects for distinct individuals. Finally, in WP4, I will conduct field interventions in two domains: education and social media, in which screening based on the parameters for personalization is plausible. The project will identify novel mechanisms by which different intergroup interventions differently influence different individuals. It will make important conceptual discoveries and apply them in order to shift intergroup relations using more accurate, theory-driven, personalized methods.

Keywords: psychological interventions,intergroup relations,emotion regulation
A flexible hybrid forklift that utilizes advanced power technology and electronics to offer high performance and efficiency in both indoor and outdoor applications for the logistics industry. (FlexiHyLift)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Smart, green and integrated transport
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: United Kingdom
Call: Small business innovation research for Transport (H2020-SMEINST-1-2014, 2014)
Start date: 2015-03-01
End date: 2015-08-31
Duration (months): 6.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

FForklifts are crucial to running efficient and effective manufacturing and warehousing plants. Initially, counterbalance forklifts were fitted with internal combustion (IC) engines using diesel or LPG. However these emit polluting and hazardous gases and are unsuitable for indoor use. Electric forklifts produce zero emissions during use and are noiseless, permitting indoor application but also have shortcomings as they are not ideal for outside use and so operators require different forklifts for indoor and outdoor use, with forklifts costing from €25,000 to €90,000. Nexen Transport have developed a novel hybrid counterbalance forklift truck using both an IC engine and electric power to deliver excellent performance in both indoor and outdoor use for large logistic entities with both indoor and outdoor operations such as freight, logistics, retail and wholesale companies. FlexiHyLift will deliver a new range of intelligent, environmentally friendly, highly efficient, versatile and cost effective counterbalance forklift trucks with benefits including: • Light, modular power pack with a lithium ion battery with super capacitor capability and is re-chargeable through the hydraulic system of the forklift. • Can be switched from IC power to battery power during indoor and outdoor use respectively. • High-energy efficiency and cost effectiveness owing to the novel modular, hybrid power pack. The power pack recovers energy during the IC engine operation through a small, highly efficient IC range extender engine. During Phase 1 we will conduct a market usage analysis with companies that have both indoor and outdoor operations to determine the specific industry requirements so as to produce an optimal solution. In Phase 2 we intend to fully integrate the IC engine and electric power system together resulting in a fully operational hybrid forklift.

Keywords: forklift,hybrid
INternational training at the Science-Policy Interface for Researchers in Europe, for Nature (Inspire4Nature)

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: Environment and Geosciences
Countries involved: Italy,Germany,Greece,Switzerland,Greece,France,United Kingdom,Denmark,United Kingdom,Portugal,Portugal
Call: Innovative Training Networks (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2018-03-01
End date: 2022-08-31
Duration (months): 54.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3950859.24
EU funding (EUR): 3950859.24
Participants: 14
Project status: CLOSED

The growing recognition that biological diversity is a global asset of tremendous value to present and future generations has underpinned a number of multilateral environmental policy agreements, including the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020. Implementing these agreements requires a global-scale cooperation among conservation scientists to collect, mobilise and synthesise biodiversity data and ecological knowledge, and translating them directly into recommendations for conservation action and indicators of progress towards meeting internationally agreed goals and targets. Inspire4Nature’s purpose is to contribute to the formation of a new generation of creative, entrepreneurial and innovative early-stage researchers by providing them with both research-related and transferable skills which will enable them to work at this science-policy interface, converting their knowledge and ideas into tools for tackling complex global environmental problems. To do so, we propose an ambitious training programme combining individual research projects (leading to PhD degrees) of a high scientific standard strategically positioned at the science-policy interface in biodiversity conservation with a rich network-wide training programme including training events and joint projects that will provide the ESRs with a wide diversity of scientific, communication and project management skills. The Consortium’s strength comes from an unprecedented collaboration between academic and non-academic conservation organisations that will generate in the European research area a unique focus of professional training at the interface between conservation science and policy.

Keywords: biodiversity,indicators,multilateral policy agreements,global change,threatened species,protected areas
Optochemical control of cell fate by activation of mRNA translation (RNActivate)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Consolidator grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Biotechnology and Biosystems Engineering
Panel description: Biotechnology using all organisms, biotechnology for environment and food applications, applied plant and animal sciences, bioengineering and synthetic biology, biomass and biofuels, biohazards
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC Consolidator Grant (ERC-2017-COG, 2017)
Start date: 2018-06-01
End date: 2023-11-30
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1990225.0
EU funding (EUR): 1990225.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Light is an excellent external regulatory element that can be applied to cells and organisms with high spatio-temporal precision and without interfering with cellular processes. Optochemical biology exploits small photo-responsive chemical groups to cage and activate or to switch biomolecular functions in response to light of a defined wavelength. Caged antisense agents have enabled down-regulation of gene expression with spatio-temporal control at the messenger-RNA (mRNA) level in vivo, however approaches for triggering translation of exogenous mRNA lack efficient turn-on effects. To explore the effects of conditional and transient ectopic gene expression in a developing organism it is vital to fully abrogate and restore translational efficiency. The goal of this project is to bring eukaryotic mRNA under the control of light to trigger efficient ectopic translation with spatio-temporal resolution in cells and in vivo. To achieve this, eukaryotic mRNA will be photo-caged at its 5′ cap using a highly promiscuous methyltransferase capable of transferring very bulky moieties from synthetic analogs of the cosubstrate S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet). A single 5′ cap modification will block translation of the respective mRNA. Its light-triggered removal will release unmodified capped RNA, which in cells will be efficiently remethylated to form the canonical 5′ cap resulting in uncompromised translation. In addition to labeling and tracking subpopulations of cells, we will use our technology to control and to manipulate cell fate by locally producing proteins responsible for cell death, genome engineering, and cell migration. We will use cultured cells and one-cell stage zebrafish embryos that can be easily injected with mRNA to study the function of ectopic gene expression in early development. Our approach will overcome current limitations of photo-inducible mRNA translation and enable us to manipulate a developing organism at the molecular level.
Exploring dry storage as an alternative biobanking strategy inspired by Nature (DRYSTORE)

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: Environment and Geosciences
Countries involved: Italy
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2016, 2016)
Start date: 2017-09-01
End date: 2019-08-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 180277.2
EU funding (EUR): 180277.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Biobanking under liquid nitrogen (LN) has satisfactory efficiency but it comes with many drawbacks (e.g. expensive, high carbon footprint, need dedicated facilities, trained personnel, and continuous monitoring and LN supply). Searching Nature for alternatives, long-term preservation there is done by drying rather than freezing. To date, however, mammalian cells do not survive the drying process. Even so, if somatic cells genetic and epigenetic load is maintained, drying can find an important role in biobanking, a fast growing global industry. We aim to elucidate the effects of drying on DNA structure and function, crucial aspects of long-term biobanking not investigated yet, using fibroblast as a model cell, and combining advanced freezing and drying techniques with state-of-the-art Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) and latest genomic technologies. The expected outcomes are definitive data on effects of drying on genomic stability/function, and possible discovery of a protocol to protect the epi/genetic load during cell drying. The crossing between the Researcher’s scientific interest and experience in sperm biology, andrology, cryobiology and drying and the Supervisor’s expertise in embryology and SCNT creates an attractive and very solid background for this proposal, with mutual benefit to both Host and Researcher. While strengthening the Supervisor’s laboratory with his expertise, the Researcher will enhance his creative potential and further develop his interdisciplinary and communication skills by learning SCNT and whole genome analysis as well as mentoring students, participating in conferences, and communicating research results to targeted audiences (scientists, general public, students, stakeholders, policymakers), thus enhancing his scientific profile. This proposal is the perfect stepping stone for the Researcher to become an independent scientist and an expert in desiccation for biobanking, while contributing a competitive advantage to the Host.

Keywords: biobanking,conservation,desiccation,dna repair
Attosecond Dynamics in Advanced Materials (AuDACE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Fundamental constituents of matter
Panel description: Particle, nuclear, plasma, atomic, molecular, gas, and optical physics
Countries involved: Italy
Call: ERC Starting Grant (ERC-2019-STG, 2019)
Start date: 2020-02-01
End date: 2025-01-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1466250.0
EU funding (EUR): 1466250.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Speed and performances of contemporary digital electronics are limited by the available device architectures and heat dissipation. Two-dimensional (2D) materials are emerging as one of the main candidates for designing new structures capable to overcome the current device limitations and foster the establishment of the electronics of the future. Due to the electron confinement in two directions, they are characterised by exotic physical, electronic and chemical properties, which are neither fully investigated nor understood. In particular, the lack of suitable tools hinders the possibility to study the ultrafast processes unfolding during light-matter interaction. Nevertheless, a clear understanding is required in order to leverage the unique properties of 2D materials. AuDACE aims to enter this unexplored region and investigate ultrafast electron, exciton and spin dynamics happening in advanced materials on time scales below few femtoseconds with unprecedented and ground-breaking possible outcome. To reach this ambitious goal AuDACE will go beyond the state of the art and develop an innovative pump-probe beamline for transient absorption and reflectivity measurements based on arbitrarily polarised attosecond pulses in a two-foci geometry. Once the experimental techniques are established, my team and I will concentrate on ultrafast exciton dynamics in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (ML-TMDCs). In the final phase, AuDACE will focus on a new class of materials such as ferromagnetic ML-TMDCs to investigate the elusive physical mechanism responsible for ultrafast spin and magnetic dynamics. For the first time, a comprehensive investigation of these phenomena will become feasible on these little studied time scales. Due to the wide spectrum of relevant applications for 2D materials, I expect the outcome of AuDACE to have a crucial impact on the development of many key technological areas like optoelectronics, spintronics, valleytronics and photovoltaics.

Keywords: attosecond science,attosecond spectroscopy,time resolved spectroscopy,ultrafast laser physics
Migration rhythms in trajectories of upward social mobility in Asia (MigrationRhythms)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Institutions, Governance and Legal Systems
Panel description: Political science, international relations, law
Countries involved: Norway
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2020-STG, 2020)
Start date: 2021-05-01
End date: 2026-04-30
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1499725.0
EU funding (EUR): 1499725.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Ninety percent of the global increase in the size of middle classes is occurring in Asia. What is driving this tremendous middle-class expansion and how is it related to the unprecedented levels of internal and international migration in that region? Specifically, what roles does migration play in Asian families’ trajectories into middle-classness over time? MigrationRhythms will investigate this question, discerning whether the roles of migration in trajectories of upward social mobility into middle-classness differ, and if so, how and why. The variation in distances and durations of migration among individuals in a family, over time, are described as migration rhythms. MigrationRhythms will produce a typology of different migration rhythms associated with specific trajectories of upward social mobility into the middle classes, which will enable a comprehensive theorization of the interaction of migration and social mobility of universal applicability, based on the unique data-rich Asian context. The combination of two distinct approaches will enable achieving MigrationRhythms’ objective of evaluating the roles of migration in trajectories of upward social mobility: First, the project employs a mixed-methods research design, encompassing family history interviews and quasi-longitudinal survey data from four Asian cities: Hanoi, Karachi, Manila and Mumbai. Second, it applies rhythmanalysis, as part of an inductive process-tracing framework, across the qualitative and quantitative data sets. This dual approach will enable the PI and two postdocs to identify the relative prevalence of different migration rhythms in families’ trajectories of upward social mobility into middle-classness. The PI will build on these analyses of migration rhythms to theorize the roles of spatial mobility (and immobility) in producing social mobility outcomes over the long-term, promising scientific advances in geography and migration studies, of relevance for research on social mobility.

Keywords: migration and social change,spatial and social mobility,new middle classes in asia,migration research in human geography,migration and mobility,migration and urbanization,mixed methods,family history interviews,quasi longitudinal survey methods,retrospective longitudinal methods
Dissecting the human microbiota-macrophage-innate lymphoid cell crosstalk in the lung (MICRO-MACRO-ILC)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Career Restart panel
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Life Sciences
Countries involved: Sweden
Call: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) (H2020-MSCA-IF-2015, 2015)
Start date: 2016-12-01
End date: 2018-11-30
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 185857.2
EU funding (EUR): 185857.2
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

It is poorly understood how macrophages interact with other cells and commensal microbes (microbiota) to achieve the balance between barrier immunity and tissue homeostasis in the lung. Novel experimental systems are required to investigate the interaction between macrophages, innate lymphoid cells (ILC), and the microbiota since the immune system, inflammatory responses, and microbiota differ between mice and humans. However, studies in humans are limited by ethical constraints. To overcome this limitation, I will use mice with a human immune system (humanized mice) that are colonized with a human microbiota. The supervisor Dr. Willinger has drastically improved humanized mice by providing critical human factors through knock-in gene replacement. Using this unique tool, I will test the hypothesis that signals from the human microbiota regulate lung immune function through effects on alveolar macrophages and ILC and pursue the following objectives: (1) Define the role of human monocytes/macrophages in the homeostasis of lung ILC; (2) Determine how the human microbiota regulates lung macrophages and ILC; (3) Dissect the role of human monocytes/macrophages in lung inflammation. To achieve these aims, I will employ the state-of-the-art model to reconstitute the human lung immune system and microbiota in the mouse. I will deplete human alveolar macrophages and monocyte subsets to determine how these cells regulate ILC differentiation and lung inflammation. This will be complemented by studies in germ-free humanized mice colonized with a human lung microbiota to investigate immune regulatory effects of the local microbiota. The project will generate critical new insights into the human microbiota-macrophage-ILC crosstalk that cannot be obtained with other experimental approaches. My multidisciplinary approach involving humanized mice, immunology, and germ-free studies has the potential to discover novel approaches to treat human lung disease.

Keywords: humanized mice,macrophage,innate lymphoid cell,microbiota