Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Virtual design of flexoelectric sensor for electronic skin (FlexSen)

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: Information Science and Engineering
Countries involved: Belgium
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2021 (HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01, 2021)
Start date: 2023-04-01
End date: 2025-03-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 175920.0
EU funding (EUR): 175920.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Soft electronic devices are indispensable for the development of artificial skin due to their high stretchability and sensing functionality. Conventionally, to mimic touch and temperature sensing of mechanoreceptors and thermoreceptors, compliant structural design accompanied with signal transduction mechanism such as piezoresistive, capacitive, piezoelectric, pyroelectric sensing have been utilized so far. The design of these pressure sensors requires highly flexible and robust electrical properties of materials as active and supporting components. In addition, strategically engineered micro-structure is employed to enhance the sensing performance. In this spirit, flexoelectric material, which relates strain-gradient and electrical polarization, emerges as a naturally suitable candidates for flexible pressure sensors. The strain-gradient-induced polarization does not only distinguish flexoelectricity from the commonly used piezoelectricity but also widen the choice of electro-mechanical coupling materials, especially lead-free and bio-compatible materials that are crucial for the development of biomedical devices. Furthermore, flexoelectric effect exhibits size-dependent behavior, particularly at sub-micron- and nano-scale so that proper design of micro-structure can open an opportunity to a new type of pressure sensor. Therefore, this project aims to propose a novel design for electronic skin (e-skin) based on flexoelectric effect. Specifically, a comprehensive virtual design framework including simulation, characterization and experimental testing of flexoelectric-based sensor will be employed to evaluate key parameters such as sensitivity, limit of detection, linearity, response time and power consumption.

Keywords: electromechanical,flexoelectricity,electronic skin
PrEdicting Nucleation to support next-generation microtechnology: Diffuse Interface, fluctuating hydrodynamics and rare events. (E-Nucl)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Starting 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
Call: ERC STARTING GRANTS (ERC-2024-STG, 2024)
Start date: 2025-04-01
End date: 2030-03-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 1499875.0
EU funding (EUR): 1499875.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

There is a noticeable trend in simulations of fluid processes to try to be as much as possible multiscale, i.e. to carry out simulations from molecular scale to hydrodynamics. This is made possible by the unprecedented capabilities of parallelization, GPUs, and supercomputing in general, which allow in-silico representation of fluids with billions of degrees of freedom. Despite this formidable scientific progress, one crucial aspect still hinders a quantitative description of phase transitions: the way a phase change originates, namely the nucleation process. The elusiveness of this process stems from its strong multiscale nature, involving both atomistic and hydrodynamic scales. More importantly, as nucleation is a rare event, it inherently involves a broad spectrum of time scales, the most ambitious feature to be characterized. It is also clear that the next technological breakthroughs in phase-change-based microtechnology are limited by the inadequate comprehension of phase transitions. As a matter of fact, the fluid dynamic design of frontier microtechnologies is mainly based on empirical ground. Promising two-phase cooling strategies for microelectronics, phase-change-driven micro-robots, synthetic micro-trees, and bio-inspired microstructures for condensation control are typical examples. Meeting these fundamental and technological needs, the objective of E-Nucl is to provide a holistic understanding of phase change processes in fluids which shall describe both the nucleation inception and its coupling with multiphase hydrodynamics. Pursuing this goal, E-Nucl advocates a paradigm shift in fluid modelling by combining innovative rare-event techniques based on Large Deviation Theory with the Diffuse Interface and Fluctuating Hydrodynamics modelling of multiphase flows. This framework could be a game changer in multiphase fluid dynamics and it will allow the first in-silico high-fidelity trials of archetypal microtechnologies.

Keywords: nucleation,multiphase flows,diffuse interface,fluctuating hydrodynamics,multiscale,rare events,phase change,thermal science,boiling,condensation,cavitation,bubbles,droplets
Boosting the uptake of circular business model, product and process innovation (Up2Circ)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Programme: Digital, Industry and Space
Theme: Industry
Destination: Increased Autonomy in Key Strategic Value Chains for Resilient Industry
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Estonia,Czechia,France,Poland,Spain,Italy,Germany
Call: 'Innovate to transform' support for SME's sustainability transition (CSA) (HORIZON-CL4-2022-RESILIENCE-01, 2022)
Start date: 2023-01-01
End date: 2026-12-31
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 4999777.5
EU funding (EUR): 4999777.5
Participants: 7
Project status: SIGNED

Up2Circ will demonstrate a replicable pathway to motivate and effectively support SMEs to innovate and transform towards sustainable growth and adresses the need of EU innovation support ecosystems to better join forces and make best use of synergies in order to enable a quick and comprehensive transition of Europe's SMEs towards a circular economy on a large scale. With the Up2Circ-Accelerator the project accompanies SMEs from exploration of opportunities to concrete implementation projects concerning the uptake of circular business model, product and process innovation, focussing on achievable innovation measures with clear mid-term benefits for the SMEs. Up2Circ is dismantling barriers with a customized, client-centric advisory approach and gives access to specific expertise and skills that SMEs need to develop a concrete action plan on how to transition. Learning modules of Up2Circ-Academy will connect sustainable innovation, the uptake of advanced technologies and social innovation aspects under the holistic concept of a circular economy and will be compiled based on existing results and in close cooperation with EU networks and initiatives such as ATI, EDIH, ECCP, EIT and OITB. Up2Circ methodology and materials will be made available to SME innovation advisors and trainings will be offered targeting e.g. EEN sustainability advisors to upscale project results. Further, to increase efficiency of EU innovation support ecosystems, four leveraging effects will be demonstrated and exploited: Make use of existing results, reach out more efficiently to SMEs, make use of complementary strengths, establish closer connections.

Keywords: innovation support circular economy sustainable innovation advanced technologies social innovation
SMASH-HCM Hop-On: In Silico Drug Repurposing and cardiovascular safety assessment framework for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) (SMASH-HCM HOP-ON)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area
Programme: Widening participation and spreading excellence
Theme: Improved access to Excellence
Destination: Improved access to Excellence
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Finland,Greece
Call: Hop on Facility (HORIZON-WIDERA-2023-ACCESS-06, 2023)
Duration (months): 34.0
Total project cost (EUR): 500000.0
EU funding (EUR): 500000.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

SMASH-HCM HOP-ON builds on SMASH-HCM (101137115) in tackling hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common inherited heart disease (prevalence 1:200 - 1:500). HCM is manifested by thickening of cardiac walls, increased risks of arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death, affecting all ages. Comorbidities include altered vascular control, ischemia, stroke, and dementia. Multiple causal mutations lead to highly diverse phenotypes and disease progression. Yet, HCM is still diagnosed as a single disease, leading to suboptimal care. SMASH-HCM will develop a digital-twin (DT) platform to dramatically improve HCM stratification and disease management for clinicians and patients. Multilevel and multiorgan dynamic biophysical and data-driven models are integrated in a 3-level deep phenotyping approach designed for fast clinical uptake. SMASH-HCM brings together 8 research partners, 3 hospitals, 3 SMEs, a global health-tech corporation, and patients to advance human DT technology: including in-vitro tools, in-silico from molecular to systemic level models, structured and unstructured data analysis, explainable artificial intelligence - all integrated into a decision support solution for both health professionals and patients. SMASH-HCM delivers new insights into HCM, improved patient care and guidance, validated preclinical tools, and the first HCM stratification and management strategy, validated in a pilot clinical trial, and tested with end users. The addition of NovaM will enhance SMASH-HCM's goals with cutting-edge computational techniques for drug repurposing and cardiovascular safety assessment. It enhances the precision of predictive analytics, making them more actionable and tailored to patient needs. NovaM’s advanced in-silico methodologies, integrated through APIs, will elevate the project’s DT platform, offering interpretable and actionable insights for health providers. The collaboration lays the groundwork for future DT platforms for other cardiac diseases.

Keywords: digital twin,drug repurposing,cardiovascular safety
Voice driven interaction in XR spaces (VOXReality)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness
Programme: Digital, Industry and Space
Theme: Digital
Destination: A human-centred and ethical development of digital and industrial technologies
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Italy,Greece,Netherlands,Ireland,Germany
Call: eXtended Reality Modelling (RIA) (HORIZON-CL4-2021-HUMAN-01, 2021)
Start date: 2022-10-01
End date: 2025-12-31
Duration (months): 39.0
Total project cost (EUR): 4786875.0
EU funding (EUR): 4786875.0
Participants: 10
Project status: SIGNED

VOXReality is an ambitious project whose goal will be to facilitate and exploit the convergence of two important technologies, natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision (CV). Both technologies are experiencing a huge performance increase due to the emergence of data-driven methods, specifically machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI). On the one hand, CV/ML are driving the extended reality (XR) revolution beyond what was possible up to now, and, on the other, speech-based interfaces and text-based content understanding are revolutionising human-machine and human-human interaction. VOXReality will employ an economical approach to combine these two. VOXReality will pursue the integration of language- and vision-based AI models with either unidirectional or bidirectional exchanges between the two modalities. Vision systems drive both AR and VR, while language understanding adds a natural way for humans to interact with the back-ends of XR systems or create multimodal XR experiences combining vision and sound. The results of the project will be twofold: 1) a set of pretrained next-generation XR models combining, in various levels and ways, language and vision AI and enabling richer, more natural immersive experiences that are expected to boost XR adoption, and 2) a set of applications using these models to demonstrate innovations in various sectors. The above technologies will be validated through three use cases: 1) Personal Assistants that are an emerging type of digital technology that seeks to support humans in their daily tasks, with their core functionalities related to human-to-machine interaction; 2) Virtual Conferences that are completely hosted and run online, typically using a virtual conferencing platform that sets up a shared virtual environment, allowing their attendees to view or participate from anywhere in the world; 3) Theaters where VOXReality will combine language translation, audiovisual user associations and AR VFX triggered by predetermined speech.

Keywords: natural language processing,computer vision,personal assistants,augmented theater,virtual agents,multilingual translation,multimodal language models
The ecological drivers of species radiation in island mammals. The case of the Cretan deer. (CREDE)

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: Environment and Geosciences
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2024 (HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01, 2024)
Start date: 2026-01-01
End date: 2027-12-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 217076.16
EU funding (EUR): 217076.16
Participants: 2
Project status: SIGNED

By their own very nature, islands are natural laboratories where evolutionary outcomes seem to exceed the limits of imagination. Stubby and flightless birds, dwarf elephants and hippos, and giant mice are some of the bizarre examples. Those morphological modifications are not the result of random variation but are triggered by the specific ecological conditions of the islands (absence of terrestrial predators and low level of competition for food and space). In some occasions, these conditions do not lead to a particular shift in body size, but instead to a diversification event, resulting in a disparity of forms, such as the case of Darwin’s finches in Galapagos. The island of Crete (Greece) housed one such diversification, that of the enigmatic extinct Pleistocene deer. This genus (Candiacervus) evolved into eight species in six size groups, ranging from ~28 to ~245kg in body mass, in less than 1 million years. In CREDE I will explore this unusual disparity of body size in Cretan deer to understand the evolutionary mechanisms behind species radiations in mammals. Despite advances over the years in knowledge on this lineage, mainly focusing on dwarf or giant species, we know little about the factors underpinning this level of diversity. In CREDE I will employ my expertise in deer bone histology together with the novel application of 3D image analysis to examine bone microstructure of Cretan deer, and thus, obtain data about their life strategies (age at maturity, pace of growth, longevity). Moreover, the use of stable isotope will provide new integrative data on the ecological and dietary preferences of the different species. Finally, the combination of both approaches will shed light on diversification of mammal lineages on a macroevolutionary scale, presenting a comprehensive framework for interpreting mammalian evolution.

Keywords: palaeohistology,pleistocene,life history traits,cervidae
Unravelling the molecular determinants of insecticide sensitivity in the Hymenoptera HYMOTOX (HYMOTOX)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Biotechnology and Biosystems E ngineering
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: United Kingdom
Call: ERC ADVANCED GRANTS (ERC-2024-ADG, 2024)
Start date: 2026-01-01
End date: 2030-12-31
Duration (months): 60.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2485038.0
EU funding (EUR): 2485038.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Hymenoptera (sawflies, wasps, ants, and bees) are an environmentally and economically important order of insects that carry out vital ecosystem services in their role as parasitoids, predators, and pollinators. However, while performing this function, hymenopteran species may come into contact with potentially harmful xenobiotics in the environment such as pesticides. We have recently demonstrated that the impact of pesticides on the health of managed bee species is profoundly influenced by the capacity of a small group of cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s) to convert these compounds to less toxic forms. However, for the vast majority of the >150,000 hymenopteran species the role of these enzymes as determinants of insecticide sensitivity remains unknown. The overarching objective of the HYMOTOX project is to address this critical knowledge gap by exploiting the natural diversity within the Hymenoptera, in combination with new advances in genomics, synthetic biology and protein modelling, to understand how variation in these biotransformation enzymes across an entire order of insects impacts sensitivity to pesticides. Our analyses will establish the extent to which insecticide-detoxifying P450s are shared across hymenopteran diversity, identify critical structural and functional determinants of P450-mediated insecticide metabolism, and develop a framework for predicting hymenopteran sensitivity to insecticides based on genomic information. The project will progress beyond the state of the art by providing: i) a step-change advance in our understanding of the molecular determinants of insecticide sensitivity in the Hymenoptera, ii) a new paradigm for pesticide risk assessment that moves beyond the use of data derived from a few managed model species, iii) powerful knowledge, tools and resources that can be used to predict and avoid negative pesticide-insect interactions and in the development of next-generation insecticides that are safe to beneficial insects.

Keywords: beneficial insects,p450 enzymes,insecticides
AI-powered embryonic phenotyping for accelerated drug discovery and toxicology (EmbryoNet-AI)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Proof of concept grants
Action type: ERC actions
Countries involved: Germany
Call: ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANTS (ERC-2024-POC, 2024)
Start date: 2025-03-01
End date: 2026-08-31
Duration (months): 18.0
Total project cost (EUR): 150000.0
EU funding (EUR): 150000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

The EmbryoNet-AI project seeks to transform drug discovery and toxicology testing by integrating advanced deep learning technologies to automate phenotypic analysis of embryos and organoids. Traditional drug testing methods rely heavily on animal models, which are time-consuming, costly, and often ethically problematic. EmbryoNet-AI offers a faster, more accurate, and comprehensive solution for evaluating the effects of compounds on biological development, thus significantly enhancing the efficiency of early-stage drug screening. The core innovation is EmbryoNet-AI's ability to analyze complex biological data with precision, providing insights into drug mechanisms that are not only quicker but also more reliable than current methods. This will ultimately reduce the need for animal models in drug testing, addressing both ethical and logistical concerns. The EmbryoNet-AI platform is poised to fill a critical gap in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries, offering a scalable, non-invasive approach that can be easily integrated into existing workflows. With the support of the ERC Proof of Concept grant, we will focus on the further development, validation, and commercialization of the EmbryoNet-AI platform. The project will involve refining our AI models through rigorous testing, building a prototype web interface for user interaction, and collaborating with industrial and academic partners to ensure the platform’s practical utility. Additionally, we will explore intellectual property strategies and assess market readiness, paving the way for wide-spread adoption. By addressing the limitations of traditional phenotyping methods, EmbryoNet-AI aims to accelerate drug discovery, reduce costs, and promote more sustainable research practices in developmental biology and pharmacology. Through ERC funding, we aim to establish EmbryoNet-AI as a ground-breaking tool that will impact both the scientific community and the pharmaceutical industry.
Hop-on digital based bio-waste derived meta-PANels Towards A REvolutionary building Identity (HO-PANTAREI)

Framework: Horizon Europe — Widening Participation and Strengthening the European Research Area
Programme: Widening participation and spreading excellence
Theme: Improved access to Excellence
Destination: Improved access to Excellence
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Italy,Lithuania
Call: Hop-on facility (HORIZON-WIDERA-2025-03, 2025)
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 550750.0
EU funding (EUR): 550750.0
Participants: 2
Project status: CLOSED

The PANTAREI project develops bio-waste-based construction panels that combine circularity, digital manufacturing, high performance, and acoustic functionality to reduce embodied carbon and accelerate sustainable building practices. Through the Hop On Facility, Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) contributes expertise in civil engineering, Life Cycle Assessment, acoustic evaluation, and cold-climate testing, ensuring the panels are relevant across diverse European regions, generating "HO-PANTAREI". HO-PANTAREI supports the European Green Deal, the Renovation Wave, and the Circular Economy Action Plan by delivering recyclable, resource-efficient products that contribute to a climate-neutral building stock by 2050. A key novelty is the systematic integration of acoustic performance—covering sound insulation, absorption, and reverberation—into the design and validation of bio-based materials, addressing an aspect rarely considered in this field. This ensures that the panels improve not only structural and thermal performance but also occupant comfort and well-being in urban and public buildings across diverse climates. By benchmarking against conventional materials, applying multi-criteria evaluation, and contributing durability, environmental, and acoustic datasets to the Open Sustainable Material Database, KTU enhances the robustness and transparency of project results. HO-PANTAREI will provide evidence for regulators, industry, and developers, build confidence in innovative bio-based solutions, and accelerate their uptake in both renovation and new construction projects across Europe.

Keywords: sustainable construction,life cycle assessment,acoustic metapanes,panel durability,mcdm