Data-Gouv-ML/pcri-informations-sur-les-projets-laureats huggingface dataset:
Copper homeostasis and the effects of copper deficiency on tomato plants and fruit quality (TOMACOP)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Reintegration panel
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Environment and Geosciences
Countries involved: Spain
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2019-09-01
End date: 2021-12-21
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 170121.6
EU funding (EUR): 170121.6
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Copper (Cu) is a vital micronutrient acting as a double-edged sword in living beings because it is an essential redox-active cofactor in biological processes but is toxic when in excess. In humans, Cu is acquired by diet and its deficiency or excess causes important diseases. Plants are also sensitive to Cu bioavailability in soil and their nutritional deficiencies or excesses are transferred to consumers. Therefore, deciphering the regulatory mechanisms underlying Cu uptake and distribution to edible products is crucial to prevent deficient or toxic Cu levels in horticultural crops that may ultimately affect human health. Furthermore, in Europe, around 20% of the arable land is classified as Cu deficient, which has been compensated by using Cu-enriched fertilizers. However, the EU warns that this practice implies high environmental costs and compromises food security for consumers. TOMACOP will study the effects of Cu deficiency on plant growth and development and on fruit nutritional status and quality by using tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), one of the most important crops worldwide. The characterization of Cu homeostasis components and the identification of tissue-specificities in the molecular mechanisms regulating Cu uptake will provide important clues for future biotechnological improvements aimed to solve the challenge facing EU agriculture.

Keywords: copper,nutrient deficiency,fruit quality,metal homeostasis,tomato,transcriptome
Characterization and Active Control of Weyl Semimetals (WATCh)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Actions
Theme: Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Destination: Individual Fellowships (IF)-Society and Enterprise panel
Action type: Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions
Panel: Information Science and Engineering
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2018, 2018)
Start date: 2021-01-15
End date: 2023-01-14
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 203149.44
EU funding (EUR): 203149.44
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

In the past few years, a new topological phase of matter, the Weyl semimetals, has been discovered. In Weyl semimetals, the bulk band structure is characterized by pairs of Weyls cones with opposite chirality that are separated in momentum space, resembling graphene. Its non-trivial electronic structure leads to quantum anomalies and unique transport properties including an extremely high mobility, which offers not only a platform for testing relativistic theories but also a great potential for device applications. The combination of bulk-transport and topological protection currently inspires many researchers to seek novel applications of Weyl semimetals in the emerging areas of neuromorphic computing, quantum computing or reversible computing. However, the great promise of Weyl semimetals, or topological material in general, is yet to be unleashed through meaningful demonstrations of their potential in device applications. In this action, we will develop electrically-gated devices to actively control the transport properties of Weyl semimetals at IBM Research - Zurich. More precisely, we will build and test a Weyl semimetal valley filter based on a recent theoretical proposal. To do this, we will first perform extensive material characterizations and magneto-transport measurements on the candidate Weyl semimetal materials to verify sample quality and its influence on the transport properties. Afterward, we will develop the processing steps to fabricate Weyl semimetal field-effect devices with high gate control and allow incorporation of additional contact structures for valley polarization sensing. Being able to actively control the transport properties of Weyl semimetals is not only a crucial step for its application in information technology but also for probing new physics of Weyl fermions. To achieve the objectives, a secondment is planned at Max Planck-Institute for the Chemical Physics of Solids for knowledge transfer and complimentary experiments.

Keywords: weyl semimetal,field effect transistor,valleytronics,magneto transport,electrical measurement
Senescence therapy for cancer (SENCAN)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Excellent Science
Programme: European Research Council (ERC)
Theme: European research council
Destination: Advanced grants
Action type: ERC actions
Panel: Physiology in Health, Disease and Ageing
Panel description: Organ and tissue physiology, comparative physiology, physiology of ageing, pathophysiology, interorgan and tissue communication, endocrinology, nutrition, metabolism, interaction with the microbiome, non-communicable diseases including cancer (and except disorders of the nervous system and immunity-related diseases)
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: ERC Advanced Grant (ERC-2017-ADG, 2017)
Start date: 2018-10-01
End date: 2024-03-31
Duration (months): 66.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2478750.0
EU funding (EUR): 2478750.0
Participants: 1
Project status: SIGNED

Systemic treatment of advanced cancers is hampered by the development of drug resistance. To prevent resistance, my laboratory has in the past used functional genetic screens to discover several “synthetic lethal” drug combination therapies, which has resulted in 8 clinical trials to date, including one global phase 3 study. In this program, I propose a new approach to the treatment of cancer, which is not based on combinations of drugs, but rather on the sequential treatment with drugs. In a first treatment step, cells will not only be induced to stop dividing, but they will at the same time acquire a major new vulnerability that is subsequently targeted with a second drug that selectively kills cells having the newly acquired vulnerability. To accomplish this, we will take advantage of recent observations that the cellular senescence response is not only a property of primary cells, but can also be triggered in advanced cancers. Such senescent cells have dramatic changes in gene expression, chromatin structure and metabolism that we will exploit for their selective eradication. Using chemical compound libraries and loss-of-function genetic screens in cancer cells harboring a reporter gene that is activated selectively in senescent cells, we will search for genes and compounds that induce senescence in cancer cells. This will lead to the identification of compounds and/or signaling pathways whose inhibition induces senescence in cancer cells. We will also use chemical compound screens to find tools to selectively kill senescent cancer cells. We will use the targets and compounds identified in this program to test the in vivo efficacy of this “one-two punch” consecutive therapy approach: the first to induce senescence in cancer cells, the subsequent therapy to eradicate the senescent cells. We present here preliminary data that the concept of sequential drug treatment can be effective, which serves as an important proof of concept for the strategy proposed here.
User-centred smart nanobiomaterial-based 3D matrices for chondral repair (RESTORE)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing and Processing, and Biotechnology
Theme: Advanced materials
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Iceland,Germany,Italy,Spain,Finland,Sweden,Norway,Finland,Finland,Portugal
Call: Osteoarticular tissues regeneration (RIA) (H2020-NMBP-TR-IND-2018, 2018)
Start date: 2019-01-01
End date: 2022-08-31
Duration (months): 44.0
Total project cost (EUR): 5539736.25
EU funding (EUR): 5539736.25
Participants: 12
Project status: SIGNED

The RESTORE project aims at developing an effective approach to manage the specific unmet clinical needs to treat knee chondral lesions. RESTORE, built upon the consortium’s proofs-of-concept and discussions between orthopaedic surgeons, tissue engineers, material scientists, cell biologists and SMEs, will realize a new generation of smart nanoenabled 3D matrices able to fit into complex lesion geometry, modulate undesirable biological events, and remotely control, stimulate and monitor cartilage repair. To create smart and functional 3D matrices, RESTORE will develop (i) nanobiomaterial-based nanocarriers to modulate inflammatory, cartilage extracellular matrix degradation and infection threats, (ii) stimuli-responsive nanobiomaterials tuned via external physical stimulus using radiofrequency and electromagnetic fields, and (iii) non-invasive wearable and wireless device for remote stimulus and regeneration monitoring. The nanobiomaterials will be integrated into cutting-edge 3D matrices that meet the needs of severe and mild chondral lesions: 1) the COPLA Scaffold commercialised since 2017 for animal health use and 2) 3D cartilage microtissues engineered via 3D bioprinting of iPS cells in a nanocellulose and alginate bioink. The technology development in RESTORE will reach TRL5 and enable substantial clinical advances in regenerative medicine. Untreated or not-correctly treated chondral lesions are likely to progress towards osteoarthritis (OA), which affects 242 million people globally (costs/patient/year: 10,452€). RESTORE will address the shortfalls of current therapeutic solutions while aiming to reduce the overall burden of OA. RESTORE’s outcomes hold high exploitation and commercial potential to boost the competitiveness of European companies, striving to diminish or delay the onset of OA, reducing hospitalization, number of surgeon interventions and time off work, thus leading to more cost-efficient health care and promote wellbeing and active ageing.

Keywords: smart nanobiomaterials,nano carriers,cartilage,regeneration,chondral lesions,bioprinting,remote control,stimuli responsive,user centred
ADVANCED CATALYTIC DEPOLYMERIZATION TECHNOLOGY (CPD)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Industrial Leadership
Programme: Innovation in SMEs
Action type: SME instrument
Countries involved: Switzerland
Call: SME instrument (H2020-SMEInst-2018-2020-1, 2018)
Start date: 2019-02-01
End date: 2019-05-31
Duration (months): 4.0
Total project cost (EUR): 71429.0
EU funding (EUR): 50000.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Catalytic Pressureless Depolymerization (CPD) is a technology belonging to waste-to-fuel field, that clearly surpasses exiting ones that are mainly based in pyrolysis or hydrogenation. We have developed until industrial scale CPD-Swiss, the first low-temperature (<320°) mean of conversion of plastic and organic waste into standard diesel (EN590). Thus, we go beyond current limits and drawbacks of fledging technologies (limitations of input material, high capex and opex, ecological issues, low energy performance and low yield) to bring a trustworthy technology that will enable the production of diesel in small and medium scale plants for a broad variety of customers: industry, municipal waste managers, agriculture and farming, forestry, oil refiners, blenders, among others. Supported by our science and technology partners for 10 years, we have performed intensive R&D, from laboratory tasks to the construction and assessment of a first relevant-size prototype producing 150 l/hour of synthetic diesel. Subsequently, we have improved our plant to an outstanding level of performance, profitability, automation and security that guarantees the robustness of our product. As a result, now we are capable to design, build and maintenance CPD-250 (2 million litres/year) and CPD-500 plants (4 million liters/years).

Keywords: catalytic pressureless depolymerization,diesel,waste to fuel
Investigating the pathogenic mechanisms underlying TUBB2B-related brain malformations using induced pluripotent stem cells and cerebral organoids. (MiniBRAIN)

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: Austria
Call: Individual Fellowships (H2020-MSCA-IF-2017, 2017)
Start date: 2019-03-01
End date: 2021-02-28
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 166156.8
EU funding (EUR): 166156.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

Mutations in TUBB2B are associated with a range of malformations of cortical development: severe structural brain disorders stemming from abnormal cerebral cortex formation. Functional investigation of TUBB2B mutations will enable us to elucidate distinct pathogenic mechanisms underlying various malformations and advance our understanding of normal brain development. TUBB2B is highly expressed during embryonic brain development. It encodes a major component of microtubules (MTs), which perform essential roles during neuronal proliferation, neuronal migration and cortical organisation. I have obtained preliminary data in non-neuronal cells that suggests certain (but not all) TUBB2B-related malformations result from impaired cell division during neurogenesis. This highlights a potential disease-specific mechanism. I will investigate this hypothesis using state-of-the-art induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and cerebral organoid (COs) technologies, more relevant to brain development. I will generate iPSCs from fibroblasts obtained from patients with specific TUBB2B genotypes and brain phenotypes. I will use CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to generate isogenic controls (in addition to a generic wild type line). Mutant and control iPSCs will be differentiated into a neural lineage to study effects of mutations on cell cycle and MT dynamics. Subsequently, differentiated cells will be aggregated into COs; self-organising ‘mini-brains’ that recapitulate human brain development and disease. I will employ immunohistochemistry and microscopy to examine TUBB2B mutation effects on neuronal proliferation, migration and organisation. I will hosted by Dr David Keays (IMP, Vienna). His lab are global leaders in tubulin-gene research and work in close collaboration with the pioneers in CO techniques (Knoblich Lab, IMBA, Vienna). Dissemination and communication of results will impact the scientific community, promote EU-based research and establish me as a reputable figure in the field.

Keywords: tubb2b,tubulinopathy,tubulin,malformation of cortical development,cerebral rrganoid,induced pluripotent stem cell,schizencephaly,polymicrogyria,neurogenesis,cortical malformation
Support, Monitoring and Reminder Technology for Mild Dementia (SMART4MD)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Health, demographic change and wellbeing
Theme: Health care provision and integrated care
Action type: Innovation actions
Countries involved: Spain,Spain,Spain,Israel,Belgium,Sweden,Czechia,United Kingdom,Luxembourg,United Kingdom,United Kingdom
Call: Advancing active and healthy ageing with ICT: ICT solutions for independent living with cognitive impairment (H2020-PHC-2014-single-stage, 2014)
Start date: 2015-04-01
End date: 2019-11-30
Duration (months): 56.0
Total project cost (EUR): 3834554.92
EU funding (EUR): 3660153.3
Participants: 12
Project status: CLOSED

As Europe’s population is ageing, long-term care for elderly citizens will become an increasing cost for society. To manage this transition healthcare policies in the EU and individual Member States are heavily focussed on extending the independent life of the elderly, with the dual aim of increasing their quality of life and reducing the costs of care. Dementia affects more than 6% of people aged 60+ and has a devastating effect on their independence – to date, there is no proven intervention to help dementia patients live a fulfilling life for longer. In this project we will build on an innovative patient support tool to develop a mHealth application that is specifically targeted to patients with mild dementia. The tool will help patients to adhere to their treatment and share data with their carers and doctors; carers will use the same application to monitor patients more easily and share their own well-being with doctors. This will slow the patients’ cognitive and functional decline, avoid carers getting exhausted and reduce costs of emergency care. Our project will comprise two phases: first we will use digital accessibility tools to re-design the existing application for dementia patients. The development will be steered by patients, carers and doctors, through user-centric design: we will collect feedback on each new version of the application until the design is perfectly adapted to the users’ needs. In the second phase we will pilot the optimised application with 1,100 users (patients + carers) and 1,100 controls. This will show the clinical and social benefits for patients and carers, as well as financial benefits for the healthcare system. Successful delivery of the pilot will increase patients’ adherence to treatment (10 %-points), while improving the quality of life of carers and patients. It will save healthcare providers €1,818 / patient / year in care costs and will generate revenue of over €18 million / year for the consortium (Year 5).

Keywords: mild dementia,alzheimer,dementia,patient support,adherence,treatment,assistive technology
Innovative policies for improving citizens’ health and wellbeing addressing indoor and outdoor lighting (ENLIGHTENme)

Framework: Horizon 2020 — Societal Challenges
Programme: Health, demographic change and wellbeing
Theme: Preventing disease
Action type: Research and Innovation actions
Countries involved: Italy,Italy,Estonia,Spain,Germany,Germany,Italy,Italy,Sweden,France,Netherlands,United States,Netherlands,Denmark,United Kingdom,United Kingdom,United Kingdom
Call: Innovative actions for improving urban health and wellbeing - addressing environment, climate and socioeconomic factors (H2020-SC1-2020-Two-Stage-RTD, 2020)
Start date: 2021-03-01
End date: 2025-02-28
Duration (months): 48.0
Total project cost (EUR): 4999909.75
EU funding (EUR): 4999908.75
Participants: 22
Project status: SIGNED

A major, albeit underestimated, by-product of urbanization is the exponential increase of human exposure to artificial light. Outdoor illumination, artificial sky glow, domestic lighting, light-emitting screens, etc. entrain circadian clock. Despite scientific evidence on the pathogenic role of circadian rhythms disruption in predisposing to NCDs, affecting sleep, metabolism, immune function and many aspects of behavior and mood, EU cities are mostly focusing on improving lighting services’ efficiency, reducing costs and emissions, but failing to consider lighting impacts on health and wellbeing. Through an open-online Urban Lighting and Health Atlas, ENLIGHTENme will collect and systematize existing data and good practices on urban lighting and will perform an accurate study on the correlations among health, wellbeing, lighting and socio-economic factors in 3 pilot cities -Amsterdam, Bologna and Tartu, where a target district will be selected due to its exposure to artificial light and to reflect social inequalities. Through the establishment of Lighting Urban Labs within the district, citizens and stakeholders will co-create innovative Lighting Urban Plans measures and define the implementation of a smart outdoor lighting system and indoor lighting changes in a pilot area within the district. There, a population-based study on elderly – addressed as a vulnerable group particularly prone to suffer circadian misalignment – will allow to assess lighting-dependent risks on mental and health conditions and surveys involving the overall district population and users will allow assess the impacts of urban lighting on quality of life and wellbeing. The results will allow to develop a dedicated Decision Support System and guidelines and recommendation on the impact of lighting on health and wellbeing, proposing innovative lighting policies, measures, technologies and interventions aiming at improving citizens’ health and wellbeing in cities. ENLIGHTENme is a part of the European Cluster on Urban Health.

Keywords: health and wellbeing,artificial light,light pollution,urban lighting,urbanized area,light exposure,circadian rhythms,circadian disalignment,public lighting,urban planning and policies,health
Muslims condemning violent extremism - An interdisciplinary analysis of public initiatives in the Netherlands and Norway 2001-2015 (MUSLIM-NLNO)

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: Social Sciences and Humanities
Countries involved: Netherlands
Call: Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) (H2020-MSCA-IF-2015, 2015)
Start date: 2016-06-01
End date: 2018-05-31
Duration (months): 24.0
Total project cost (EUR): 177598.8
EU funding (EUR): 177598.8
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The project comprehends an interdisciplinary study on the dilemma faced by Muslims whether or not to explicitly disavow violent extremism. It explores how Muslim organisations and youth groups in the Netherlands and Norway have responded to calls to publicly condemn violent extremism. Special attention is paid to how young Muslim women and men have used specific strategies to gain media coverage, and the gendered aspects of these strategies. The project aims to analyse recent historical developments in the two countries in theoretical and empirical depth, by studying public debates and specific public initiatives undertaken by Muslims in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks in 2001, the murder of Theo van Gogh in the Netherlands in 2004, and the 22/7 attacks by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway in 2011. It combines a comparative historical approach with theory and methodology of religious-, media-, cultural- and gender studies. The project fills an important gap in the growing body of research on Muslims in Europe: a lot of scholarly attention is paid to public discourses that stigmatise Muslims, but far less on how people with a Muslim background confirm or subvert dominant images in their interactions with the media. Scholars have described the pressure that young Muslims perceive to explicitly disavow terrorism, but a thorough analysis of their responses has yet to be made. The project will contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms of social cohesion in contemporary European society at a time of growing global threats. Hosting arrangements at the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Utrecht University guarantee excellent training and research facilities. The vibrant interdisciplinary research network at the Department and the intense supervision by the awarded professor of religious studies Birgit Meyer will greatly contribute to the project and strengthen the interdisciplinary knowledge, skills and research network of the Experienced Researcher.

Keywords: islam in europe,social cohesion,gender