Projects

VANGUARD aims to strengthen the fight against trafficking in human beings (THB) at the nexus of advanced technological solutions, understanding, awareness raising, and training in order to disrupt the trafficking chain at an early stage and address the culture of impunity. In particular, VANGUARD aims to provide an improved intelligence picture of THB, with particular focus on THB for purposes of sexual exploitation, labour exploitation, and forced criminality. This will be achieved through developing a modular and trustworthy suite of tools for detecting, identifying, investigating, and preventing online-facilitated THB activities and THB-related activities at (border) checkpoints based on the analysis of online multimedia content and multimodal streams, by leveraging the latest advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI). It will also address the societal dimensions of THB through improved understanding and engagement with relevant actors, improved strategies of international cooperation, increased awareness, and better evidence-based policymaking. The capacity of end users (including Police and Border Guard Authorities) will be further enhanced and will enable them to tackle such criminal activities in an effective manner based on advanced tools and solutions and on innovative training curricula. VANGUARD will be validated in field tests and demonstrations in three operational use cases. Extensive training, hands-on experience, joint exercises, and training material will boost the uptake of VANGUARD tools and technologies. With a Consortium of seven Police and Border Guard Authorities (including from countries of origin and transit of THB networks and countries neighbouring Ukraine), one Police Academy, eight research/academic institutions, four industry partners (including two SMEs), and two CSOs, VANGUARD delivers a strong representation of the challenges, requirements, and tools to meet its objectives.

The BAG-INTEL project will provide robust AI based information utilization and decision support tools, within the context of advanced detection systems to support customs for increased effectiveness and efficiency of the customs control of air traveller baggage in inland border airports, while minimizing the human customs resources needed. This aim addresses the challenge of maintaining effective and efficient customs control of passenger baggage in the situation of the substantial growth of the volume of air travellers arriving in inland border airports with the limited human customs resources available. For this aim, the project will develop an integrated system solution comprising: (1) new AI powered functionality for enhanced detection of contraband in x-ray scanning of luggage, (2) AI camera based end-to-end reidentification of luggage, (3) digital twin for system visualisation and performance optimization for the operational context of an airport, (4) use case for test demonstration and evaluation in 3 European airports, a small, a medium sized, and a big airport, and (5) wide dissemination and elaboration of easy-to-use training material for end users. For the customs, BAG-INTEL solution aims to: increase the successful detection of contraband in luggage by at least 20%; demonstrate the possibility and utility in automatically to derive risk indicators from external data such as the Advanced Passenger Information; demonstrate the effectivity of AI camera based reidentification of luggage, when the traveller carries it into the customs space at the exit of the carousel area; increase the fluidity of passenger flow and control by at least 20%; decrease the customs personal resources mobilisation by at least 20%; derive data useful in flights risk assessment; derive data useful in flights risk assessment; demonstrate the autolearning capacity of this smart risk engine.

CIGS solar cells currently reach 23% efficiency with a metallic back contact and a >2µm thick absorber layer as well as excellent stability. Hi-BITS partners will introduce a disruptive device structure that allows a high degree of bifaciality and photon recycling. The efficiency will be improved beyond 25% by the innovative high quality CIGS absorbers and passivation at the back contact, which allows to remove compositional gradients and reduce absorber thickness. Hi-BITS will explore four different applications, that all use these features, including bi-faciality, flexible and reflective, semi-transparency and suitability for tandems. While the bi-faciality will harvest stray light reflected from the ground, and thereby increase the yearly yield, the reflective and flexible will enable photon recycling for light-weight modules. The necessary back reflector is easily integrated into the bifacial Hi-BITS cells. To close the gap in efficiency between large area modules and record cells, Hi-BITS will improve monolithic integration to increase the productive area of the module, and the semi-conductor quality by fast-feed-back methods fit for industrial processes. The applications foreseen as results from Hi-BITS respond to market demands and are particularly well suited for building or vehicle integration or agri-photovoltaics. Modules for these new applications will be out-door tested in three different European climates demonstrating higher energy yield and stability. Life cycle analysis and costing, taking aspects of circularity into account, will underline the superior sustainability of these new modules. Hi-BITS includes 5 European PV manufacturers, will improve a technology that does not depend on imports of ingots or wafers, reinforcing the European PV value chain. The results will boost thin-film manufacturing by higher efficiency, lower raw material consumption, shorter and well-controlled processes, better module technologies and novel applications.

Satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) represent a perfect match for non-terrestrial sensing and communications in 6G. Hence, it is of great interest to combine UAVs with satellites to maximize their respective advantages for emerging applications. This project tackles the challenges of using UAV for non-terrestrial communications and non-terrestrial sensing, in combination with satellites, for 6G. The objectives of this research include: 1) Data-driven UAV deployment: to perform intelligent analysis of the spatial and temporal needs for UAV deployment using data mining techniques in important 6G scenarios; 2) Communications and sensing channel modelling: to establish realistic channel models to describe the 3D environment in non-terrestrial applications; 3) Separate non-terrestrial communications and sensing designs: to develop efficient data transmission strategies to ensure the reliable delivery of information and the accurate acquisition of network perception using new channel models, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces and computer vision; 4) Integrated non-terrestrial communications and sensing designs: to devise robust signal processing and networking algorithms to integrate non-terrestrial communications with non-terrestrial sensing using dual-functional waveforms and UAV wireless charging based on the previous separate designs; 5) Sensing-based communications designs: to design effective non-terrestrial communications methods using the network information acquired from non-terrestrial sensing; 6) Disseminate, exploit and communicate the outcomes of this research to the wider community. Achieving the above measurable objectives will provide crucial inputs to the exploitation of UAVs in non-terrestrial communications and non-terrestrial sensing for 6G by solving its major challenges, which will allow us to address the digital inequality issue and to enhance the terrestrial network functionality.

The NanoSCAN project aims to transform tissue analysis with a novel 3D spatial biology platform that provides crucial insights into cellular and tissue functions. Spatial biology visualizes the interaction of molecules with their 3D environment, which is essential for cell and tissue screening. However, most spatial biology imaging technologies, based on wide-field microscopy, have limited spatial resolution and insufficient molecular profiling. A major obstacle to quantitative tissue imaging progress is the lack of a single instrument that can cover various complementary scales from tissue to molecule with high speed, high throughput, and high accuracy. To address these limitations, we propose to develop a new imaging platform, the SAFe-nSCAN, which combines multi-scale optical microscopy solutions, from structured illumination microscopy for rapid cell and tissue inspection and classification to single-molecule localization microscopy techniques for deeper and higher nanoscopic 3D information over preselected regions. We will use an innovative chip-based technology developed under the PROCHIP FET-OPEN project (801336) to ensure robustness and accuracy of the measurements. We will validate and deploy this technology in relevant applications, with a focus on immuno-oncology, to advance personalized therapies. The consortium consists of academic partners who will develop the technology, a non-profit association that will facilitate beta testing and promote the technology, and an SME that will collaborate with a new startup company to manufacture chips and bring molecular resolution spatial biology to the market.

Paediatric high-grade gliomas (pHGGs) are malignant, deadly tumours developing in infants and children. Mutations in histone coding genes disturb epigenetic regulation and in cooperation with other oncogenes promote tumour initiation and progression. pHGGs are fast-growing and diffusive which makes them hard to remove or treat. Surgery (unattainable in midline brain regions) and radiotherapy (RT) remain the only option with transient benefits as median survival is 9-15 months. Those tumours are immunosuppressed, thus immunotherapy is ineffective. We propose that knowledge of tumour-host interactions in the tumour microenvironment (TME) would reveal novel targets allowing to find new ways to eradicate mutated tumour cells, improve efficacy of RT, and reinvigorate anti-tumour immunity. To achieve these ambitious goals we built up the international, multidisciplinary consortium HIT-GLIO. We will i) use latest single-cell technologies and multimodal imaging to characterise tumour-immune cell interactions in a large spectrum of pHGG patient samples; ii) create cellular and animal models of increasing complexity: human glioma-microglia co-cultures, DIPG-derived organoids complemented with iPSC-derived immune cells and syngeneic pHGG mouse models which would be platforms for mechanistic studies and drug screening; iii) evaluate hypoxia-inducible epigenetic inhibitors and blockers of tumour-host interactions to improve RT and immunotherapy responses; iv) generate nanocarriers functionalised to target immune cells and deliver drugs to the brain; v) develop more effective CAR-T cells that together with TME reprogramming and RT would boost anti-tumour immunity; vi) assess neurodevelopmental alterations and psychological consequences of disease and foster psychological approaches to increase quality-of-life of patients and caregivers. The expected outcomes of HIT-GLIO would ultimately pave ways to new clinical trials to improve the way pHGGs are treated. This action is part of the Cancer Mission cluster of projects on “Understanding (tumour-host interactions).

The AntiMatter-OTech project (EIC grant) aims to demonstrate the potential performance of a completely new strategy for non-intrusive nuclear reactor monitoring, exploiting the intrinsic reactor’s fission antineutrino emanation. This enables a new insight into nuclear facilities with even possible integration into existing installations. Since their discovery using reactors in the 50s, antineutrino detection capabilities have been limited by their signal-to-background ratio despite significant improvement. A groundbreaking potential opens with LiquidO’s unique ability to tag the antimatter nature of the antineutrino upon detection. In brief, any strategy capable of boosting the detected light output will directly impact the ultimate performance of its subatomic topological imaging as well as the so far available calorimetry information. After long optimisation with prototypes, the only possible improvements ahead are the optical fibres’ light collection and today’s scintillators’ light yield per energy deposited. Despite decades of effort, the fundamental light losses remain uncontrolled, historically limiting detection in the MeV range worldwide. The SHINE proposal aims to address this challenge by the definition of a new photonics detection framework to be integrated into the AntiMatter-OTech LiquidO-based detector for a possible technological breakthrough by improving both optical fibres, in tight cooperation with Kuraray (Japan) and a new wave of scintillation technology. This is expected to boost all the original goals with no project re-scoping whatsoever. The project relies on the latest advances in photo-chemistry technology never employed in neutrino detection that may revolutionise the worldwide MeV detection and instrumentation well beyond the AntiMatter-OTech scope, including major opportunities for European industry. SHINE leads to the strengthening of the original consortium by recognised renowned expertise by specialised photo-chemical scientists.

The MAGIC Project aims to generate models of human skeletal pathophysiology to be used in the development of new vectors for gene therapy and genome editing. iMM with MAGIC partners aim to create novel and vigorous skeletal muscle-on-chip models that echo multiple muscle pathologies, with quantitative and reproducible phenotypic readouts at the celular scale. These cellular models will allow phenotypic assessment of cellular pathways and mechanism that are central to the pathophysiology of multiple neuromuscular disorders using high temporal and super resolution microscopy. Furthermore, the extensive expertise of iMM in cellular pathophysiology and centronuclear pathologies will facilitate the comprehensive assessment of excitation-contraction coupling, a pivotal physiological process within skeletal muscle that is often compromised in multiple muscle disorders. In addition, iMM will extend the educational and training opportunities of MAGIC by the implementation of activities within local communities and organizing upskilling workshops to train early career researchers. Finally, iMM will establish Management Staff Exchange focused on European Research and Innovation, to foster knowledge exchange between MAGIC partners and iMM.

In the CORSAIR project, I propose to study and control subradiance, namely the suppression of collective spontaneous emission, in sub-wavelength arrays of two-level atoms, using a new atomic physics platform. Understanding and controlling how an ensemble of quantum emitters collectively emits or absorbs light is vital in several areas of science and technology. However, the description of this problem is a challenge since it amounts to a dissipative quantum many-body problem. This is why I propose to develop a new experimental research direction towards the following specific objectives: (i) The building of an experimental platform able to create ordered 1D and 2D arrays of atoms with sub-wavelength spacing, and high-fidelity detection of excitations in the arrays. (ii) The selective excitation of subradiant excitations, i.e., where collective spontaneous emission is strongly suppressed. I will develop an addressing scheme to populate a subradiant state with high fidelity and perform experiments demonstrating tailored light storage and retrieval, and metrological enhancement by subradiance. (iii) The understanding of how atomic correlations can be dissipatively engineered via subradiance. I will strive to observe the fermionic correlations that are predicted to emerge from collective decay in arrays, and I will map the phase diagram of a driven two-level atomic array. These objectives will be reached by developing dedicated new tools. I will use dysprosium, an atomic species with properties that allow novel cooling and trapping schemes that I propose to use. In the rich spectrum of Dy, I will isolate a two-level system with a narrow linewidth. I will further develop a novel addressing tool, that allows to drive an array with an alternating phase profile which directly excites a subradiant excitation. I will rely on a broad transition to perform time- and position-resolved high-fidelity measurements of excitations and correlations in the two-level arrays.

Economic ideas play a vital role in public decision-making. The energy sector is an emblematic case: competition policies (e.g. anti-trust laws, deregulation), taxation, emission permits and sustainable-growth programmes all have origins rooted in economic reasoning. Today, more than 80% of the world's primary energy comes from fossil fuel combustion, contributing strongly (75% of CO2 emissions) to climate change. To understand the historical developments that led to this situation, an in-depth examination of past economic discourses, concepts, theories, models and policy recommendations is essential. This has not been done to date. ETRANHET's ambition is thus to write the first ever history of energy transitions in economic thought, on a global scale. ETRANHET will analyse how economics has dealt with energy issues and transitions since the early 19th century, in diverse market-economy contexts (5 areas: Continental Western Europe, the British Isles, North America, Latin America, Japan). Deliberately going beyond the English-speaking literature, it will perform an unusual decentring of the history of economic thought. ETRANHET aims to characterise the context-dependency of past economic views of energy. It seeks to uncover forgotten, yet relevant, ideas that could enrich current research into the energy transition. And it intends to precisely determine how the economic discipline has been able to influence decision-making in energy matters. ETRANHET is a multidisciplinary project mobilising historiographical and science studies methods to study past economists and economic thinking. Digital humanities and archival research will be key, including the creation of electronic repositories, making new valuable material available to historians. By taking a fresh look at today's challenges in relation to the low-carbon transition, ETRANHET will contribute to show that the history of ideas has a role to play in contemporary debates on sustainability.

Negative curvature features of Artin groups, surface mapping class groups and outer automorphisms of free groups have been the subject of intense study in geometric group theory. I propose to confront this viewpoint with recent developments in measured group theory and operator algebras. The focus is on obtaining structural and rigidity theorems in measure equivalence, and for von Neumann algebras associated to these groups and their ergodic actions. A first goal is to pursue the classification of right-angled Artin groups up to measure equivalence, describe the class of groups that are measure equivalent to a given one, and tackle the question of their rigidity for integrable measure equivalence. Beyond the right-angled case, I aim for new superrigidity theorems, both for quasi-isometry and measure equivalence, for many Artin groups (of hyperbolic type, of FC type); this will require describing lattices in the automorphism group of their Cayley complex. A second goal is to prove the proper proximality of Out(Fn) in the sense of Boutonnet, Ioana and Peterson, which would yield strong rigidity results for von Neumann algebras associated to its compact actions. This will require developing an analogue for Out(Fn) to the Masur-Minsky theory for mapping class groups. These new tools, as a by-product, are likely to be helpful to tackle some of the most challenging questions on Out(Fn), like the Farrell-Jones conjecture. The biggest challenge will be to investigate the group von Neumann algebra L(G), when G is an Artin group, a mapping class group, or Out(Fn). I will start with the W*-classification of right-angled Artin groups with finite outer automorphism groups. Ultimately, I aim at proving structural properties of L(G), like primeness, when G is as above and, as a long-term goal, establish rigidity phenomena.

Polynomial equations and inequalities raises fundamental theoretical issues, many of which have been answered by algebraic geometry. As of applications, nonlinearity is also a formidable computational challenge. Based on recent proof-of-concept works, I propose new foundational methods in computational nonlinear algebra, motivated by the need for reliability and applicability. The joint development of theoretical aspects, algorithms and software implementations will turn these proof-of-concepts into breakthroughs. Concretely, I will develop a theory of transcendental continuation for the numerical computation of a wide range of multiple integrals, based on a striking combination of algebraic geometry, symbolic algorithms and numerical ODE solvers. This would enable the computation of many integrals (e.g. volume of semialgebraic sets, or periods of complex varieties) with rigorous error bounds and high precision, more than thousands of digits. Building upon transcendental continuation, I propose to design algorithms to compute certain algebraic invariants of complex varieties related to algebraic cycles and Hodge classes, far beyond the current reach of symbolic methods. This surprising application is backed by a recent success on Picard group computation. Applications include algebraic geometry, with the development of computational tools to experiment on concrete examples and build databases that document the largest possible range of behavior. Besides, I propose applications to Diophantine approximations, Feynman integrals, and optimization.

The project explores a new class of silicon photonic devices and circuits in a three-dimensional integration technology for the generation, control, and reception of free-space laser beams. This research is motivated by the surging importance of communication, sensing, and imaging applications exploiting optical beams propagating in the free space and their urgent need for compact and flexible devices. Currently available integrated solutions based on planar integration technologies are fundamentally limited by either narrow operational bandwidth and reduced shaping capabilities or small apertures and limited steering ranges. The original idea of the BEAMS project is to overcome these limitations by developing multi-layer antenna arrays, metasurfaces, and photonic control circuits exploiting an approach based on three-dimensional integration. This multi-pronged concept will enable unmatched performance in aperture size, efficiency, bandwidth, control flexibility, and power which cannot be achieved by currently available scientific and technological solutions, enabling the development of integrated photonic devices for long-range and broadband free-space applications. Exploiting these new capabilities, the project will demonstrate in particular innovative photonic devices for optical communications, targeting a kilometer-long communication link in free space with multiple wavelength channels. Through its research program, the BEAMS project will combine the fields of integrated and free-space photonics, opening a plethora of new possibilities with a large impact on science and society.

The wave/particle duality is one of the counter-intuitive traits of quantum mechanics. The fundamental constituents of matter and light can be either apprehended as corpuscules or waves depending on the choice of the measurement apparatus. In the case of light, one can either decide to measure the quadrature of the electromagnetic field or count the photons impacting the detector. These two modalities come with pros and cons, the first one is sensitive to both the phase and the amplitude of the field but at the cost of a fundamental noise associated to vacuum fluctuations while the latter is only sensitive to the energy of the field but at the Photons lie at the heart of the human experience; they are the most direct way to sense our immediate material environment. A light source irradiates material objects in its surroundings and depending on their composition, materials will re-emit the incident light with slight variations in intensity and color. In the course of the last century, the meaning of imaging has been considerably broadened, scientific and technological advances have enabled the detection of single quanta of light from further away, at smaller scales, and on a considerable enlarge portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. At one extremity of the spectrum, the field of microwave quantum optics (1-10 GHz) has emerged as a powerful tool to probe quantum systems. We have recently demonstrated high-performance single microwave photon detection based on elementary superconducting circuits. Based on this novel method, a new window on new material systems is opened at unprecedented sensitivities. This proposal aims at the improvement of the newly developed single microwave photon detector for the exploration of new luminescent systems in the microwave domain. In particular, the detection of individual paramagnetic electron spins for quantum computing and quantum-enhanced sensing applications; and the search of one of the leading dark-matter candidates, axions.

Forests cover a third of the vegetated surface of the Earth and interact with global climate. These interactions are being altered by human activities at an unprecedented scale, both in their rate and in their geographical extent. At present, Earth system models (ESMs) struggle to predict how these climate-vegetation interactions will evolve in the future because of varied responses of the carbon cycle in their Land Surface Models (LSMs). This long-standing issue leads to widely varying atmospheric CO2 concentrations and hence varying climate projections under the same scenarios. LSM projections of forest biomass and carbon balance increasingly diverge over longer periods, thus limiting confidence in future climate projections. The goal of this proposal is to develop a new cross-disciplinary framework to constrain climate projections by jointly improving the simulation of forest growth and water use efficiency (WUE; the ratio of photosynthesis to transpiration) at long time scales (decades to century) using novel observational standards for historical growth and physiology derived from tree-ring data. The following three objectives are addressed: (1) advance the mechanistic representation of tree-ring growth and stable isotopes in the global LSM ORCHIDEE, the terrestrial component of the IPSL ESM; (2) use tree-ring data together with eddy covariance flux measurements to improve the capability of the model to simulate the effects of changing climate, CO2 and nitrogen on forest growth and WUE; (3) provide the first climate simulations until 2100 constrained by historical forest responses. The constrained projections will reduce uncertainties on the feedbacks of altered tree growth and physiology on climate. The proposed work will bring into Earth System modelling decades of advances made by dendrochronologists around the world, providing at last a critical long-term constraint for the land surface modelling community as ice-cores are for global circulation models.

In the global warming era, heat stress is a major threat for both yield stability and yield increase. Plants have evolved a variety of sophisticated mechanisms to adapt to challenging environments. Epigenetic regulations allow them to dynamically reprogram their transcription machinery to adapt to an ever-changing environment. Both histone marks and the 3D organization of the chromatin are instrumental for this coordinated regulation of gene expression according to environmental cues. Yet, the overwhelming majority of available data on chromatin dynamics in response to stress has been obtained in Arabidopsis, and cannot be directly transferred to crops. Due to the expansion of NGS technologies, we are currently facing a change of paradigm, empowering the development of genome-wide approaches on crops. In this project we focus on wheat. Wheat is the 1st cereal worldwide for trade, and the demand is expected to increase by 60% by 2050. My main objective is a thorough understanding of the priming for heat stress resistance in wheat. To this end, I propose to develop a new tri-dimensional (D) functional genomics approach, integrating epigenomic (1D), transcriptomic (2D) and chromatin architecture (3D) data to elucidate the molecular basis for priming in wheat. Moreover, this project will go beyond addressing the challenge of deciphering epigenetic regulatory processes underlying priming. It also includes the development of innovative tools for novel breeding strategies that will harness epigenetic variability in addition to genetic diversity. We propose to generate a new generation of molecular markers that do not rely on DNA sequence polymorphisms, and that can be readily used in traditional breeding programs as such, or as complementary tools for efficient QTL introgression. Such markers will be used to tag new traits, to follow a new generation of alleles as well as to unveil new types of genetic diversity in existing collections of germplasms.

State-of-the art implantable actuating devices, such as automated prosthetics, have time-limited operational capacities because they are sustained by batteries which, ultimately, rely on external power sources to be recharged. INTEGRATE proposes a radically new way to solve this problem: use metabolic energy from the patient to power implanted devices. To achieve this ambitious goal, INTEGRATE will develop i) new 3D printable soft actuating materials inspired by human muscles whit high performances and low power consumption and ii) an artificial organ capable of harvesting metabolic (biochemical) energy and transform it into electricity. The actuating materials (Bionic Muscles) will be prepared via self-assembly of biocompatible colloidal liquid crystals and stimuli-responsive polymers. A modular design and 3D printability will offer the possibility to manufacture these materials on the basis of patient’s anatomy and needs. The Energy-Harvesting Organ will be capable of converting pH differences within various body fluids (e.g. gastric juice and saliva) in electricity with high efficiency, providing the necessary power to sustain the Bionic Muscles. This research will revolutionize the field of implantable devices and will represent a turning point in robotics, wearable technologies, materials science, energy conversion, and materials engineering.

Particle accelerators are devices of primary importance in a large range of applications such as fundamental particle physics, nuclear physics, light sources, imaging, neutron sources, transmutation of nuclear waste. They are also used every day for cargo inspection, medical diagnostics and radiotherapy worldwide. Electron is the easiest particle to produce and manipulate, resulting in an unequaled energy over cost ratio. However, there is an urgent and growing need to reduce the footprint of accelerators in order to lower their cost and environmental impact, from the future high-energy colliders to the portable relativistic electron source for industrial and societal applications. The radical new vision we propose will revolutionize the use of accelerators in terms of footprint, beam time delivery and electron beam properties (stability, reproducibility, monochromaticity, femtosecond-scale bunch duration), which is today only a dream for a wide range of users. We propose developing a new structure sustaining the accelerating wave pushing up the particle energy, which will enable democratizing the access to femtosecond-scale electron bunch for ultrafast phenomena studies. This light and compact accelerator, for which we propose breaking through the current technological barriers, will open the way towards compact industrial accelerators with an energy gain gradient of more than 100 MeV/m and enlarge time access in the medical environment (preclinical and clinical phase studies). This new accelerating structure will be combined with a conventional femtosecond-scale electron source, to provide a compact layout based on a multi-skill competence (non linear optics, High power optical source, accelerators, dosimetry) secured by industry partners. Its size and weight will for example enable it to be mounted on a robotic arm, to move around a patient for medical applications or material inspection for industrial applications.

The elder wand of telecom wizards would coherently change the color of light. But while the laws of physics do allow mutating the photon chroma, all attempts to date have been very inefficient for large frequency mismatches. PALANTIRI will initiate a technological breakthrough by providing a viable development path for integrating the coherent and efficient interconversion of information between microwaves and light on a chip. We propose a radically new approach building on quadripartite (microwave photon-magnon-phonon-optical photon) hybridization process. The idea is to exploit opto-mechanical effects while inserting a magnetic element that maintains high cooperativity both with a mechanical mode through magneto-acoustic coupling and with the microwave antenna through inductive coupling, while exploiting magnetic texture to achieve perfect matching of the microwave precession profile with the optical mode. This opportunity has recently emerged from progress in material science, which allows the fabrication of freestanding micron-size slabs of ultra-high quality magnetic insulator yttrium iron garnet. The suspension greatly suppresses any leakage of phononic or photonic oscillating energy through the substrate. PALANTIRI’s scientific objectives are to deliver within 42 months a proof of principle on-chip analog coherent frequency converter with efficiency of the order of unity (TRL2). The delivered phase-sensitive device will provide the breakthroughs needed to achieve a radical expansion of the connectivity capacity of a backhaul network for enabling high-speed internet access for everyone from any location. It will also provide the elementary brick to build the quantum-ready internet infrastructure of the future. To achieve these goals, our consortium consists of six academic partners (CEA, MLU, CNRS, TUD, ICN2, MPG) from four EU countries (FR, DE, NL, ES) and one industrial partner (TSST). The global budget of the proposal is 3,3M€.

We propose to deliver a novel technology for the nuclear industry to open the possibility of direct monitoring of nuclear reactions inside nuclear power plant cores. The new technology centres on a radically-new and totally counter-intuitive approach to radiation detection that has arisen from neutrino physics research. As of today, direct and rapid in-situ measurement of nuclear reactor fission activity is not possible. Our technology is expected to make this possible by using the copious neutrinos that stream out of nuclear reactors. Achieving this leap relies on the paradigm shifting nature of our approach. Detection of radiation makes extensive use of light emitting materials known as scintillators. These are nearly always transparent, to allow the light to be seen and measured. Our radically-new approach is to use an opaque scintillator, coupled with a lattice of optical fibres to extract the light. This technique naturally provides high-resolution imaging of anti-matter annihilation plus many other types of radiation (e.g. betas, gammas, neutrons), improving the signal to noise ratio of anti-neutrino detection by a factor >10x. Consequently, our technology would be able to tolerate the high background environment close to a reactor. The civil nuclear industry will benefit in a range of ways from safety and societal reassurance to operational efficiencies with a direct economic return. Our technology will also be able to provide remote monitoring and information on any nuclear processes that emit neutrinos, opening many potential new markets. Examples include spent nuclear fuel containers, fuel pools and waste disposal sites as well as nuclear warheads and fusion reactors such as ITER. Our inter-disciplinary consortium pulls together experts from mechanical and electronics engineering, nuclear and particle physics, chemistry and computing with our major industrial partner in the civil nuclear energy industry to make this radical new technology a reality.

Among the thousands of extrasolar planets discovered, Earth-like objects focus our attention to seek new habitable worlds. Eleven Earth-sized planets have already been discovered in the Habitable Zone (HZ) of their host-star, including three in the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system. Deciphering their atmospheres is the challenge of the next decade in exoplanetary science, stressing out urgent needs in fundamental data for these objects. My aim is to investigate how the atmospheric organic reservoir forms and evolves in the frame of humid exoplanetary atmospheres in Habitable Zone. I will also quantify the impact of theses processes on the climate and on the potential for prebiotic chemistry on these planets. I propose to consider the role of organic aerosols as prebio-signature: those are nanoparticles chemically produced in the atmosphere. I will address the capacity of exo-Earths atmospheres to produce organic aerosols in various oxidative conditions, and their further physical and chemical interactions with atmospheric water. To tackle these questions, I will combine experiments and models to discover the reactivity that occurs in atmospheres within an extensive range of oxidation conditions. I will experimentally determine the physical properties of the aerosols, and then model their radiative impact and their propensity to generate clouds in the atmosphere. I will also experimentally identify the prebiotic molecules composing the aerosols that dissolve into clouds. This transfer from the dry organic reservoir towards liquid water is indeed critical for the emergence of life. The ERC-AdG Oxyplanets project will contribute to interpret and suggest observations for the future NASA-JWST and ESA-ARIEL space missions. Furthermore, it will reinforce our knowledge of the habitability of Earth-like exo-worlds, potentially reappraising the conditions for life to appear on the early-Earth.

Atmospheric chemistry is an essential component of the functioning of the Earth's climate. It determines the atmospheric lifetime of most climatic agents, impacting the nature and concentrations of aerosols, greenhouse gases, cloud formations. Determining how this chemical reactivity has evolved in the past is essential, both for evaluating chemistry-climate models (CCM) and for establishing future climate trajectories. The chemical activity of the atmosphere is driven by highly reactive atmospheric compounds that have a very short lifetime in the atmosphere. Because of this ephemeral nature, they are not archived in the paleoclimate record. Reconstructing this chemical activity over time remains a difficult exercise that has not been successful to date. Using ice cores, the multidisciplinary DOC-PAST project proposes to develop new tracers of this chemical activity by taking advantage of the revolution introduced by clumps and isotopic anomalies. The aim is to use a variety of ice cores covering all latitudes to highlight key elements of the chemical reactivity of the atmosphere. This will be done by 1-determining in the laboratory the isotopic characteristics of key oxidation reactions of atmospheric of compounds preserved in the ice, 2-documenting in the ice archives these isotopic compositions and deducing the associated chemical reactivity of the atmosphere 3-incorporating in the CCM LMDz-INCA these changes and measuring their impacts on climate. These new isotopic proxies will require the development of new analytical approaches based on the retargeting of an orbitrap towards isotopic measurements and the construction of a very high sensitivity infrared spectrometer, paving the way for the use of clumped isotope in broad disciplinary fields using stable isotopes. DOC-PAST will provide for the first time in situ “chirurgical-level” of how atmospheric species are made with unparalleled mechanistic details and set new standards in geochemistry and spectroscopy.

The main objective of the PREFER project is to open the scientific debate on existential risk to empirical enquiry. The PREFER team will identify how lay ethics (the ethics of ordinary people) manifest themselves in non-Western communities faced with extreme threat. Local terminal risks due to the collapse of regional ecosystems will serve as proxies for existential risks. Thus, this pioneering project will obtain, for the first time, empirical evidence on how ordinary humans evaluate and cope with real-life terminal situations. Existential risks concern humanity as a whole: it is essential to add to the variety and number of voices heard in scientific deliberations. A broader discourse on existential risk will contribute to better governance and decision-making around existential risks. The PREFER team will conduct field work in two diverse geographical areas whose inhabitants are experiencing the collapse of life-sustaining ecosystems: the Arctic and the Mekong Delta. Three communities in each area will serve as case studies. Preparatory fieldwork has revealed that members are aware of the terminal threat and have expressed fears that they are facing the end of the life they know. Community transdisciplinary research (the co-production of knowledge with and for local communities) will be accompanied by ethnographic work. Data will be collected in the form of narratives which will be analyzed as sources of information on how local communities appraise the multiple dimensions of local terminal risk, including descriptions, the meanings drawn from these and involvement in impact mitigation actions. These results will then be applied to existential risks, all the while analyzing the appositeness of the PREFER proxy-based approach. Finally, although the main focus is on widening the discourse on existential risks, PREFER will also contribute to the urgent empirical analysis of terminality in the face of collapsing regional ecosystems.

Radical changes in aircraft configurations and operations are required to meet the target of climate-neutral aviation. To foster this transformation, innovative digital methodologies are of utmost importance to enable the optimisation of aircraft performances. NEXTAIR will develop and demonstrate innovative design methodologies, data-fusion techniques and smart health-assessment tools enabling the digital transformation of aircraft design, manufacturing and maintenance. NEXTAIR proposes digital enablers covering the whole aircraft life-cycle devoted to ease breakthrough technology maturation, their flawless entry into service and smart health assessment. They will be demonstrated in 8 industrial test cases, representative of multi-physics industrial design, maintenance problems and environmental challenges and interest for aircraft and engines manufacturers. NEXTAIR will increase high-fidelity modelling and simulation capabilities to accelerate and derisk new disruptive configurations and breakthrough technologies design. NEXTAIR will also improve the efficiency of uncertainty quantification and robust optimisation techniques to effectively account for manufacturing uncertainty and operational variability in the industrial multi-disciplinary design of aircraft and engine components. Finally, NEXTAIR will extend the usability of machine learning-driven methodologies to contribute to aircraft and engine components' digital twinning for smart prototyping and maintenance. NEXTAIR brings together 16 partners from 6 countries specialised in various disciplines: digital tools, advanced modelling and simulation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, aerospace design, and innovative manufacturing. The consortium includes 9 research organisations, 4 leading aeronautical industries providing digital-physical scaled demonstrator aircraft and engines and 2 high-Tech SME providing expertise in industrial scientific computing and data intelligence.

The Green ERA-Hub (GEH) represents 15 currently active EU ERA-Net Cofunds and self-sustained initiatives in the field of Agri-food and biotechnology. Together with already ended predecessor initiatives, they represent 29 co-ordination actions in which more than 1100 Mio Euro funding has been mobilised via 89 transnational calls. The ERA-Net scheme is a success model for transnational co-operation of national research programmes. The partners consider GEH an ideal measure to continue and extend this fruitful co-operation. The aims of GEH are to: - continue to build on previous achievements and further enhance cross-sector collaborations between Agri-food and biotechnology ERA-Nets, through joint transnational funding of collaborative research projects - valorise and implement joint activities supporting the market, regulatory or societal uptake of results after the end of individual ERA-Nets - identify common research and innovation priorities, agreed upon by the participating national programmes, and address them via new joint calls - preserve best practice and managerial competences - contribute to the planning and complement the implementation of the new HEU Partnerships and Missions - broaden the actions and impact of initiatives towards stakeholders and in terms of geographical coverage - contribute to achieve the strategic goals of the SDGs, in particular zero hunger, industry innovation and infrastructure, responsible consumption and production, life on land, partnership for the goals, the farm2fork strategy and EU's Green Deal. GEH will provide clear perspectives for ERA-Net (Cofunds), national research funders and researchers in the Agri-food and biotechnology sector to find dedicated support at the level of information, communication, co-operation, networking and joint transnational funding that best fits their needs. In turn, GEH will contribute to maintaining and strengthening EU's highly competitive position in Agri-food and biotechnology research.

Wetlands cover 5-8% of the world’s land area and have a huge capacity to sequester carbon (C). Healthy wetlands accumulate C effectively due to water-logged conditions promoting highly stable C content. The EU aims to cut GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030.This ambition requires new GHG mitigation measures within all sectors including LULUCF sector, where wetlands as C rich ecosystem can contribute to efficiently to both EU's climate targets and biodiversity strategy. Currently there is still a high uncertainty prevails of wetlands’ spatial and C sink extent, as well as source estimates and sustainable alternatives in restoration. This hinders the efficient use of wetlands in C mitigation and adaptation in the context of other LULUCF mitigation options. We will advance the state-of-the-art on the geospatial knowledge base on wetlands and their use and degradation in Europe. We will apply a co-creation approach to develop procedural knowledge and find ways for integrating multiple targets, supporting more inclusive, community-based approaches to wetland restoration. Diverse novel experimental data on ecosystems’ responses to wetlands’ management and restoration regimes under different types of land-use and will be acquired and synthesised on biodiversity and other ecosystem services (BES). At the local level, Living Labs (LL) support and integrate interdisciplinary and multi-actor research on ecological, environmental, economic, and social issues. Models will be utilised to scale up experimental data from LLs, to gain an understanding of the potential impacts of upscaled wetland restoration options on BES provision, as well as changes in BES provision at the EU level for various policy-relevant time periods and the most policy-relevant CC mitigation and BD targets. We will assess the societal impacts of wetland restoration, especially on BES benefits and costs of different restoration approaches and wellbeing impacts at local, national, and EU levels.

Wetlands are key biodiversity hotspots that provide numerous ecosystem services such as water purification, flood control and climate change mitigation due to their capacity of sequestering carbon and modulating the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. Despite their ecological and economic importance, wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate, and are among Europe’s most endangered ecosystems, with less than 20% remaining in good ecological condition. WET HORIZONS will provide the critical flying start for the challenge of enhancing wetland restoration using a holistic approach. It will boost crucial wetland knowledge and develop sound tools and approaches for fast-tracking large scale restoration action. The project will improve the current data available from pristine, drained and rewetted peatlands, floodplains, and coastal wetlands, model the effects of typical restoration measures under variable conditions, and analyze the potential socio-economic impacts, finally delivering guidelines and best management practices. WET HORIZONS will involve citizen science for data collection and will develop digital tools for upscaling wetland restoration including an app for the visualization of wetland status and a decision support system for policy makers. This will enable to choose best pathways in wetland restoration minimizing trade-offs, including hotspot priority lists where the ecological and biodiversity benefits are greatest with minimum investment. The results will be available in open access repositories to maximize their use and outreach. There will be a constant dialogue with policymakers and stakeholders before, during and after the project, to ground-truth the findings and ensure that the tools support country-specific decision-making processes. The results of the project will be used to promote feasible and more ambitious legislation towards protecting and restoring European wetlands to increase benefits for climate and biodiversity.

To reduce climate impact of aviation, decarbonisation is a major challenge. Current combustion chambers are burning hydrocarbon fuels, such as kerosene or more recently emerging SAF products. Hydrogen is also considered today as a promising energy carrier but the burning of hydrogen creates radically new challenges which need to be understood and anticipated. HESTIA specifically focuses on increasing the scientific knowledge of the hydrogen-air combustion of future hydrogen fuelled aero-engines. The related physical phenomena will be evaluated through the execution of fundamental experiments. This experimental work will be closely coupled to numerical activities which will adapt or develop models and progressively increase their maturity so that they can be integrated into industrial CFD codes. Different challenges are to be addressed in HESTIA project in a wide range of topics: - Improvement of the scientific understanding of hydrogen-air turbulent combustion: preferential diffusion of hydrogen, modification of turbulent burning velocity, thermoacoustics, NOx emissions, adaptation of optical diagnostics; - Assessment of innovative injection systems for H2 optimized combustion chamber: flashback risk, lean-blow out, stability, NOx emission minimisation, ignition; - Improvement of CFD tools and methodologies for numerical modelling of H2 combustion in both academic and industrial configurations. To this end, HESTIA gathers 17 universities and research centres as well as the 6 European aero-engine manufacturers to significantly prepare in a coherent and robust manner for the future development of environmentally friendly combustion chambers.

Aviation contributes to about 5% of the total anthropogenic climate change when including non-CO2 effects, e.g., contrail formation and the impact of NOx emissions on ozone and methane. Among various non-CO2 effects, the contrail-cirrus radiative forcing is the largest (~2/3) with large uncertainties. The most critical affecting factor is the huge weather-induced variability of the radiative impact of individual contrails. This is the quantity, BeCoM will predict better since the knowledge of the individual radiative forcing is the basis for avoidance of just those contrails that contribute most to the overall climate impact. Once this is standard, it will be possible to formulate adequate mitigation measures and develop policy-driven implementation schemes. BeCoM will address the uncertainties related to the forecasting of persistent contrails and their weather-dependent individual radiative effects. BeCoM focuses on: 1) obtaining a larger and higher resolution database of relative humidity and ice supersaturation at cruise levels for assimilation into numerical weather prediction (NWP) models; 2) providing more adequate representation of ice clouds in their supersaturated environment in the NWP models; and 3) validation of the predictions to determine and reduce the remaining uncertainties of contrail forecasts. To facilitate the assimilation and validation process, BeCoM will develop a novel hybrid artificial intelligence algorithm. Based on the contrail prediction, BeCoM will develop a policy framework for effective contrail avoidance through a trajectory optimization approach. BeCoM will enable a better understanding of contrail’s climate impact and formulate recommendations on how to implement strategies to enable air traffic management to reduce aviation's climate impact. The BeCoM consortium builds on its knowledge and expertise covering a wide spectrum from atmospheric science and climate research to aviation operations research and policy development.

The Ambition of GreenFeedBack is to enhance knowledge of the GHG dynamics in the ecosystems and link GHG in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems to provide a solid basis for estimation of regional and global climate feedback processes taking human pressure on ecosystems into account. GreenFeedBack will study the processes in sensitive terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine areas of which some are hypothesized to be tipping elements in the climate system. Thus, we will primarily focus on high latitude terrestrial and freshwater systems, marine shelves and ocean areas and thereby advance the process-based representation of ecosystems in Earth System Models (ESM). The analysis will involve co-design between scientists and stakeholders. We will use data from the ICOS and ACTRIS stations in Europe and the GIOS, GEM and SMEAR network in Greenland and Finland as well as data from dedicated field and laboratory studies. The enhanced knowledge will be used to improve descriptions of the GHG processes for implementation in ecosystem models and ESMs. Hence, GreenFeedBack will improve and apply ecosystem- and Earth System models to advance our understanding of GHGs effect on climate variability over different time horizons.

The RESCUE project will improve knowledge and understanding in area c) of this call: “Climate and Earth System responses to climate neutrality and net negative emissions”, by pursuing two overall objectives: 1) Quantify the climate and Earth system responses to pathways achieving climate neutrality by Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) deployment with and without temperature overshoot, and 2) Assess the potential role of CDR in reducing net GHG emissions, as well as its potential environmental risks and co-benefits. RESCUE will expand existing knowledge on CDR methods, to design a suite of new global temperature stabilization scenarios at several target values to achieve the first objective. New model developments will deliver improved climate projections with explicit representation of CDR portfolios for these scenarios. The analyses will be devoted to finding suitable pathways to climate neutrality considering multiple aspects of the Earth system response: mean climate and extremes, sea-level rise, global carbon cycling, biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Particular attention will be paid to the reversibility of induced changes by comparing scenarios with and without temperature overshoot. The second objective will be achieved by analyses assessing various factors determining overall effectiveness, impacts and co-benefits of CDR portfolios. These factors include CDR-specific CO2 uptake, CDR-induced biogeophysical climate feedbacks, CDR-derived non-CO2 radiative forcers, and the interaction between socio-economic and environmental impacts (e.g., biodiversity). Moreover, a dedicated analysis will provide key criteria for developing a monitoring system for the effectiveness of CDR portfolio deployments and their potential side effects. Stakeholders will be closely engaged throughout the project to ensure policy relevance and final update of the results which will be made freely available via existing climate services.

Individuals with mental health (MH) conditions and their families, especially those with highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), are exposed to high levels of discrimination and stigma, which significantly affects their physical and mental well-being. Our world-leading collaborative group at the forefront of research in NDDs will launch a new project - ?Risk, Resilience and Developmental Diversity in Mental Health? (R2D2-MH). We propose a double paradigm shift to improve the wellbeing of people with MH conditions and their families. We will move (i) from risk-focused studies towards understanding and promoting resilience, and (ii) from a diagnosis-based approach to a developmental diversity approach that will define wellbeing and functioning across the human lifespan. R2D2-MH aims to identify genetic and environmental protective/resilience factors and how they influence developmental diversity and MH. We will investigate at multiple levels two highly prevalent early risks for MH conditions: prematurity and genetic liability for NDDs. Our project has four main ambitions 1. Provide the largest European multi-scale dataset on early human brain development and MH outcomes; 2 Identify biological mechanisms of resilience to the adverse effects of NDD; 3. Co-develop, with the stakeholders, new digital tools to increase participatory research/medicine and reduce stigma; 4. Establish predictive models to guide personalised interventions. R2D2-MH integrates interdisciplinary and complementary expertise across Europe, Israel, and Australia that covers ethics, epidemiology, sociology, genetics, cell biology, neuroscience, computational modelling, Information Technology, psychology, and psychiatry. Our research is highly engaged: it embeds participant and patient involvement in research to ensure that our expected outcomes are truly translational, and will help to reduce stigma and burden for individuals with MH conditions.

Nuclear and High Energy Physics explore at different scales what the universe is composed of and how it functions. Breakthroughs in accelerator and detector technologies combined with innovative experiments represent the key to new discoveries. High Energy Physics, while preparing for the HL-LHC, is pursuing the design of the next generation particle accelerators and detectors, balancing the present and the future. Newly available beams of nuclei far from stability and intense stable beams have opened new avenues, ranging from the production of new elements to the exploration of nuclear properties at extremes of temperature, angular momentum and isospin. It is of vital importance to simultaneously optimize the use of existing and new Research Infrastructures (RIs) to conduct curiosity-driven research addressing fundamental questions and technological challenges, and also advance projects with broad societal impact. This project provides efficient access to the available resources to a large fraction of EUROpean Laboratories for Accelerator Based Sciences (EURO-LABS). It allows the diverse community of users to choose the best state-of-the-art RI or a network of RIs to conduct high impact research, fostering knowledge sharing across scientific fields. The proposal brings together, for the first time, the three communities engaged in Nuclear Physics, Accelerator and Detector technology for High Energy Physics, pioneering a super community of sub-atomic researchers. It allows a synergic implementation of best practices for data management and activities relating to targeted service improvements at these RIs. Joint training activities are foreseen to develop the skills of the next generation researchers to optimally use the RIs services for scientific and technological discoveries. EURO-LABS will create synergies and collaborations between the RIs of the Nuclear and High Energy communities, enhancing Europe's potential for successfully facing future challenges.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most prevalent monogenic diseases in Europe. A single amino acid substitution in the beta-globin chain of the adult hemoglobin (Hb) drives red blood cell sickling and multi-organ damage. The clinical severity of SCD is alleviated by the co-inheritance of mutations causing expression of fetal gamma-globin in adult life ? a condition termed hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH). Transplantation of autologous, genetically modified hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) is an attractive therapeutic option for SCD patients. To this end, genome editing approaches based on the use of site-specific nucleases or, more recently, base editors have been explored by many groups, including teams in our consortium. These approaches either correct the single point mutation causing SCD or reactivate fetal gamma-globin expression by mimicking HPFH mutations. On the other hand, (pre)clinical data from SCD patients or SCD mouse models, as well as preliminary data from our labs suggest that SCD HSPCs are characterized by a high mutational burden, oxidative stress and expression of inflammatory genes. This can alter HSPC properties as well as their interactions within the bone marrow niche. In the context of gene therapy, it is essential to understand the mechanisms underlying SCD HSPC dysfunction and assess the impact of genome editing approaches on SCD HSPCs. In this proposal, we have assembled a multidisciplinary team to: (i) understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying SCD HSPC autonomous and non-cell-autonomous dysfunctions and (ii) evaluate the impact of established and novel genome editing approaches on SCD HSPC properties and genome integrity. This study will lay the foundation of an improved gene therapy strategy to treat SCD and provide best practice tools and protocols for genome editing-based therapies in HSPCs.

Developing a resilient and sustainable agriculture system, and the agroecological transitions requires a deep understanding of agroecosystems, their interactions with the environment, and management practices. AgroServ features a large consortium of research infrastructures, most of them being on the EU roadmap, and a vast offer of services at all scales, from the molecule to the organism, to the ecosystem, to the society. AgroServ will facilitate a systemic and holistic approach to understand the threats and challenges agriculture is facing, towards the implementation of a resilient and sustainable agri-food system. We propose a transdisciplinary offer of services, integrating the actors of the agriculture system in the research process, of which the farmers are the first, thanks to a wide offer of living labs across Europe. Most of the relevant field of sciences are represented in AgroServ, from natural to social sciences. We will develop a wider catalogue of integrated and customized services, thanks to a specific approach of service pipelines designed from a gap analysis, stakeholder and user demands. A strong community building and training program for access managers and users will be implemented to facilitate multi- and transdisciplinary research with all relevant actors. Results from the research performed under AgroServ will be synthetized to be used in the scope of evidence-based policy making. Data from AgroServ will be open and compliant with FAIR practices, and made available on the long-term to the communities, and be linked with the main European initiatives, as the EOSC. Strong links will be established with existing or future programs under H2020 and Horizon Europe, such as the partnerships agroecology, living labs and research infrastructures, and agriculture of data, as well as the two CSA AE4EU and ALL-READY, and the missions soil and plant health, and waters. AgroServ will collaborate with other relevant initiative in the Pillar II to of HE.

The generation of ex vivo functional megakaryocytes (MK) and platelets is questioning current transfusion medicine exclusive reliance on blood donors to produce platelets. The demand for platelets is, in fact, in continuous rise, driven by an aging population, advances in medical procedures and even more aggressive cancer therapies, although the supply of blood donors continues to remain stagnant. Ex vivo platelet production systems have then emerged as a feasible supply that can moreover secure universal compatibility to avoid platelet refractoriness. If during the FET Open application we have proved that the platelet production ex vivo can be precision-tailored with the correct physical and biochemical environment, now with SilkPlatelet our consortium is looking forward to demonstrating the feasibility of an upscaled ex vivo production system. To bring then our technology from TRL4 to TRL6 we will increase the ex vivo platelet production capacity with media and stem cells aligned to GMP requirements for large-scale clinical transfusion. Our goal is to produce universal platelets particularly for patients with immune reaction to previous transfusions with HLA null platelets and patients with acute hemorrhage. At the core of our ?from lab-to-patients? roadmap, we will find both UNICAM proprietary technology to differentiate stem cells into MK precursors (natural source of platelets) and UNIPV disruptive bioreactor made of a silk-scaffold to mimic the bone marrow conditions. These will be then complemented by IGR long-term experience in iPSC and MK biology, and ISENET cell quality control contribute to the standardization of the platelet production pipeline and its validation and verification. Under the guidance of our experienced tech transfer officers, by the end of the project we expect to complete the transition into a commercial innovation exploited by a next university spin-out.

interTwin co-designs and implements the prototype of an interdisciplinary Digital Twin Engine (DTE), an open source platform that provides generic and tailored software components for modelling and simulation to integrate application-specific Digital Twins (DTs). Its specifications and implementation are based on a co-designed conceptual model - the DTE blueprint architecture - guided by the principles of open standards and interoperability. The ambition is to develop a common approach to the implementation of DTs that is applicable across the whole spectrum of scientific disciplines and beyond to facilitate developments and collaboration. Co-design involves DT use cases for High energy physics, Radio astronomy, Astroparticle physics, Climate research, and Environmental monitoring, whose complex requirements are expected to significantly advance the state of the art of modelling and simulation using heterogeneous distributed digital infrastructures, advanced workflow composition, real-time data management and processing, quality and uncertainty tracing of models, data fusion and analytics. As a result, a consolidation of software technologies supporting research will emerge. The validation of the technology with multiple infrastructure facilities, will boost the accessibility of users to technological capacity and the support of AI uptake in research. interTwin builds on the capacities of experts from pan-European research infrastructures and the long tail of science, an open source community of technology providers that will deliver TRL 6/7 capabilities to implement the interdisciplinary DTE, experts of the European Centre of Excellence in Exascale Computing, and infrastructure providers from the EGI Federation, PRACE and EuroHPC supporting data and compute intensive science. interTwin key exploitable results will be continually co-developed and aligned with the contribution of external initiatives such as Destination Earth, EOSC, EuroGEO and EU data spaces.

The Project eBrain-Health will deliver a distributed research platform for modeling and simulating complex neurobiological phenomena of human brain function and dysfunction in a data protection compliant environment. It will provide thousands of multilevel virtual brains from patients and healthy human controls for research and innovation. Brain data from multiple sources will be pre-processed. Solving the societal grand challenge of dementia is a big task. Yet it appears feasible in a collective approach. Therefore, we will build an interdisciplinary digital twin for dementia for modeling and simulating complex phenomena at the service of research infrastructure communities. EBRAINS-Health-Cloud will offer end-to-end services for personalized complex brain modeling and simulations in distributed e-infrastructures with data protection by design and by default and simulation-ready human multiscale brain data that range from molecular (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics) and cellular to electrophysiology and imaging to behavioural, clinical, life-style and environmental data as well as data from wearables. Brain data are pre-processed and annotated such that they all relate to a common reference 3D brain space. EBRAINS-Health-Cloud constitutes a blend of three large-scale research programs: the FET Flagship Human Brain Project with its EBRAINS Research Infrastructure, the EOSC project Virtual Brain Cloud with its Virtual Research Environment for sensitive data and the H2020 project AI-MIND with intelligent tools for dementia risk estimation. The project will have synergies to topics of the Digital Europe Program, such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and supercomputing and the Health Data Space. EBRAINS-Health-Cloud offers a next generation clinical research infrastructure and creates an open yet protected space for groundbreaking digital health innovation by the research infrastructure communities comprising academia and the private sector.

The project ?Knowledge and climate services from an African observation and Data research Infrastructure? aims to provide concepts for developing the best available science and science-based services in Africa that are needed to sharpen our common action on climate change as outlined in the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 13 ?Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts?. The concepts we want to provide aim at improving the knowledge base on climate change in Africa and developing the tools to combat the negative consequences of it. This basic objective shall be achieved by a consortium that combines partners from Africa and Europe but also combines diverse experiences, backgrounds and viewpoints. The common goal is to provide a comprehensive concept that supports the important societal role of research outlined above by co-designing research capacities for climate change observation with societal demands and expectations, in our case called ?climate services? and to pave the way for their implementation. The specific objectives of the proposed project are: ? A comprehensive design for a pan-African climate observation system developed on the basis of climate services as guiding design principle. This shall be rooted in a comprehensive documentation of past and existing observing capability, contrasted with scientifically justified requirements to identify the gaps. ? A broad information network as basis for a successful and sustainable cooperation that connects infrastructure operators, scientists, data and knowledge users, a community of practice in climate services, agencies and funding bodies. This will be achieved by a dense networking and knowledge exchange approach connecting to all important players on the global, continental, national, and local level. ? A solid strategy for implementation and usage in close connection to future actors and users.

Skills4EOSC brings together leading experiences of national, regional, institutional and thematic Open Science (OS) and Data Competence Centres from 18 European countries with the goal of unifying the current training landscape into a common and trusted pan-European ecosystem, in order to accelerate the upskilling of European researchers and data professionals in the field of FAIR and Open Data, intensive-data science and Scientific Data Management. Competence Centres (CC) are seen as centres of gravity of OS and EOSC activities in their countries. These entities can either be established national initiatives (as is the case of ICDI in Italy) or initiatives under establishment (e.g. Austria, Greece and the Nordic countries) or organizations which have the leading or mandated contribution to the OS activities nationally. CCs pool the expertise available within research institutions, universities and thematic and cross-discipline research infrastructures. They offer training and support, empowerment, lifelong learning, professionalization and resources to a variety of stakeholders, including not only researchers and data stewards, but also funders, decision makers, civil servants, and industry. Thanks to their position at the heart of the above described multi-stakeholder landscape, the CCs represented by the Skills4EOSC partners play a pivotal role in national plans for Open Science and in the interaction with scientific communities. They also have close access to policy makers and the related funding streams. The Skills4EOSC project will leverage this reference role to establish a pan-European network of CCs on OS and data, coordinating the work done at the national level to upskill professionals in this field. The Skills4EOSC CC network will drive the co-creation of harmonised trainer accreditation pathways, academic and professional curricula and skills quality assurance, recognition frameworks, and learning material creation methodologies.

The Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) ProjectThe Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) Project has the overriding aim of accelerating the application of genomic science to enhance understanding of biodiversity, monitor biodiversity change, and guide interventions to address its decline. BGE coordinates and upscales DNA barcoding and reference genome generation in the context of European biodiversity. The Project develops synergies by aligning efforts and resources of the DNA barcoding and genome sequencing communities across the continent. The BGE objectives with derived ambitions: CAPACITY: To establish functioning biodiversity genomics networks at the European level to connect and grow community capacity to use genomic tools to help tackle the biodiversity crisis With the ambition to (a) Future-proof our networks on biodiversity genomics research, (b) lower access thresholds to biodiversity genomics research, and (c) promote co-creation and citizen engagement. PRODUCTION - To establish and implement large-scale biodiversity genomic data-generating pipelines for Europe to accelerate the production and accessibility of genomic data for biodiversity characterisation, conservation and biomonitoring With the ambition to (a) establish distributed and inclusive capacity, (b) build economies of scale and (c) connect previously disjoined resources to deliver relevant knowledge. APPLICATION - To apply genomic tools to enhance understanding of pan-European biodiversity and biodiversity declines to improve the efficacy of management interventions and biomonitoring programmes. With the ambition to (a) improve the use of biodiversity genomics data in science policy and (b) establish European-wide large scale biodiversity genomics research mechanisms. The BGE Consortium is comprised of 33 partners across 20 countries and brings together, for the first time at this scale, the two communities for barcoding and reference genome to implement its aspirational programme.

Accelerating the transition from animal-based to alternative dietary proteins – the dietary shift – is key to reducing the footprint of our food system in terms of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), energy, water and land use, and other relevant environmental impacts, and for improving the health and well-being of people, animals and the planet. GIANT LEAPS delivers the strategic innovations, methodologies, and open-access datasets to speed up this dietary shift, in line with the Farm-to-Fork strategy and contributing to the Green Deal target of reaching climate neutrality by 2050. Achieving the dietary shift in practice is inherently complex due to the diverse set of actors involved and further hindered by major knowledge gaps, scattered across the various alternative protein sources and the domains of health (safety, allergenicity and digestibility), environment (GHGs and other environmental and climate impacts, biodiversity, circularity), and/or barriers to adoption (technological, sensory, and consumer acceptance). The GIANT LEAPS consortium consists of the key actors and spans all expertise to address relevant knowledge gaps and proactively engages to arrive at optimized future diets based on alternative proteins that are broadly accepted across stakeholder groups. In order to deliver required insights for short-, mid- and long-term decision making and impact, GIANT LEAPS protein sources have been selected for either targeted or full assessment based on their current level of specification. The innovations and improved methods combined with accessible and comprehensive information, generated for a wide collection of alternative proteins, will enable policymakers to prioritise changes in the food system towards the dietary shift based on desired impact, value chain actors to make strategic scientific, business and investment choices, and the general public to make more sustainable and healthy dietary choices.

The overall objective of HOLiFOOD is to improve the integrated food safety risk analysis (RA) framework in Europe to i) meet future challenges arising from Green Deal policy driven transitions in particular in relation to climate driven changes, ii) contribute to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and iii) support the realization of a truly secure and sustainable food production. HOLiFOOD will apply a system approach, which take the whole environment into account in which food is being produced, including economic, environmental and social aspects. Three supply chains will be considered (i.e. cereals [maize], legumes [lentils] and poultry [chicken]). Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data technologies will be used in the development of early warning and emerging risks prediction systems for known and unknown food safety hazards. In addition, tools, methods and approaches will be developed for hazard detection and will be targeted and non-targeted and new holistic risk assessment methods will be develop in which food safety risk will be embedded in a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of the food system including positive and negative health, environment and economic dimensions. An effective impact pathway will be developed and implemented through integration of the HOLiFOOD outputs into the legal framework associated with the food risk analysis process. The impact pathway will be supported by an electronic data and knowledge sharing platform aiming at the full digitalization of food (safety) systems and supporting transparency and impact for all stakeholders. In order to align with stakeholder priorities, preferences and user requirements, the HOLiFOOD innovations will be designed and tested in a multi actor approach (i.e. Living Lab) involving all stakeholders (e.g., authorities, food producers and citizens).

To reach the targets of the Paris Agreement commitments for land degradation neutrality, for biodiversity, and to support the EU Green Deal, Europe needs to join its research and innovation forces on soil carbon with those around the globe in a coordinated manner. To scale up efforts for conserving and increasing soil carbon stocks and harness the co-benefits for climate change mitigation and adaptation, soil health and food security international coordination of research efforts is essential. In this context the EC supported a 1st Coordination action (CIRCASA) led by INRAE which brought together over 100 key stakeholders and 500 scientists from around the world who formalised an interest in establishing an International Research Consortium (IRC) on Soil Carbon built around an initial strategic research and innovation agenda (SRIA) focusing on agricultural soils. Operationalising the IRC requires further mobilization of the international community of stakeholders working on agricultural soil carbon but also other land uses and therefore expanding the initial SRIA as well as developing with international funding bodies an implementation plan and a central knowledge platform offering services to this community. The main goal of ORCaSa is therefore to launch and roll out the initial operational phases of the IRC on Soil Carbon so that by 2024 the IRC has established an international position as the coordinator of soil carbon research and innovation and related issues at global level offering a unique SRIA and implementation plan, supporting knowledge platform and enable the preparation of a disruptive low cost international recognized MRV system. To reach this overall goal, ORCaSa brings together European partners and 6 regional nodes covering the 5 continents around an ambitious 3-year work plan working hand in hand with the international every step of the way.

LIVESEEDING contributes to the upscaling of organic production in Europe through (i) improving availability of organic plant reproductive material of organic cultivars (Organic Heterogeneous Material, Organic Varieties, landraces) of a large range of crops, bred for improved diversity and adaptation to local conditions, and (ii) strengthening and diversifying the organic seed sector informed by market demands. LIVESEEDING contributes to the transition towards environmentally-friendly, climate-neutral, healthy and fair food systems through further developing (i) cultivars suited for organic and low external input production, (ii) novel governance models linking breeders with value chain actors and citizens with local food production, and (iii) awareness around the importance of biodiversity for our food and health. LIVESEEDING focuses on the main drivers for (i) the supply and demand of organic seed and cultivars, (ii) the supply and demand of food products derived from them, and (iii) enabling frameworks and roadmaps through active policy dialogue with national and European authorities and policymakers by providing science-based evidence and best practice solutions to achieve 100% organic seed. LIVESEEDING addresses the topics in a holistic multi-actor, multi-stakeholder participatory approach involving organic and public research institutes (with proven competencies in breeding, seed multiplication and health, socio-economics, extension and outreach), variety examination offices, private breeders and seed companies, organic production and civil society associations. Additional stakeholders along the value chain are involved in the local Living Labs (LLs) and the established networks of organic breeders (ECO-PB), seed savers (ECLLD) and Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP). 15 European countries cover the different pedoclimatic zones and socio-economic contexts, including countries with a low level of development in organic seed and breeding in East and South Europe

Marine biodiversity sustains ecosystem services for planetary and human health. Recent surveys of marine ecosystems have unveiled our ignorance of the richness and functioning of marine life, which is changing in the Anthropocene at a faster pace than terrestrial life. BIOcean5D unites major European centers in molecular/cell biology (EMBL), marine biology (EMBRC), and sequencing (Genoscope), together with 26 partners from 11 countries, to build a unique suite of technologies, protocols, and models allowing holistic re-exploration of marine biodiversity, from viruses to mammals, from genomes to holobionts, across multiple spatial and temporal scales stretching from pre-industrial to today. A focus is to understand pan-European biodiversity land-to-sea gradients and ecosystem services, including marine exposomes, notably with an expedition (TREC, 2023/24) that will deploy mobile labs, research vessels including the Tara schooner, and innovative citizen science tools, across 21 coastal countries and 35 marine labs from the Mediterranean to Arctic seas. New data will be harmonized with existing data into an open-access data hub, leveraging international infrastructures, and generating transformative, cross-technologies/cross-scales standard marine biodiversity knowledge at the socio-ecosystem level. Knowledge will inform and constrain (i) new theories and models of marine biodiversity ecological and evolutionary dynamics and drivers, at both taxonomic and functional scales, (ii) a portfolio of novel holistic indicators of marine ecosystem health, (iii) innovative methods and protocols for economic and legal valuations of marine biodiversity and services integrating the dynamical and functional complexity of marine life. BIOcean5D will create a unique opportunity to bridge molecular/subcellular biology to organismal biology, theoretical ecology and econometrics, and marine complex systems to social sciences, toward the sustainable preservation of our oceans and seas.

As part of the European Green Deal, the EU must achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The land use sector has a key role to play, which is recognized in the “Fit for 55 package”, where a climate neutrality target for the Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (AFOLU) is set for 2035. To enable fundamental transformations in the land use sector necessary to achieve the Green Deal, LAMASUS proposes a step change in land use sector governance from policy formulation to implementation to monitoring. LAMASUS builds on i) decades of experience in direct policy support, ii) unique modeling tools, such as GLOBIOM, the only model that integrates agricultural and land use sectors, and CAPRI, MAGNET and CLUE, which underlie JRC’s land use policy assessments, and iii) novel approaches mobilizing machine learning and citizen science. The project is driven by four key elements: EVIDENCE – dynamic monitoring of land use, management and related policies for evaluation and model calibration; UNDERSTANDING – state-of-the-art econometric and biophysical models to assess the role of past policies on changes in land use and management, and their economic and environmental impacts; TOOLS – a highly-integrated policy modeling framework with full sectorial coverage from agriculture and forestry to the whole economy, accounting for carbon, biodiversity and all relevant sustainability dimensions, at multiple scales (land use actors, country, EU level, global); GUIDANCE – a multi-level stakeholder dialogue for co-design of agriculture, forestry and climate policies by the EC, national and local governments and citizens, made accessible to stakeholders across multiple spatial scales through the novel web-based LAMASUS Portal. In this way, LAMUSUS will create a new level of societal engagement in which local actors contribute to the design of effective and efficient EU policies for climate neutrality and will serve as an exemplar for other policy processes within the European Green Deal.

Heritage conservation preserves the tangible remains of society, but relies on toxic, unsustainable materials and on energy-consuming air conditioning of collections. GoGreen promotes preventive and remedial conservation practices based on green principles to spearhead the green revolution within conservation. Specifically, GoGreen will: (1) develop new damage functions that allow more flexible environmental control in collections, thus improving energy efficiency; (2) generate innovative nature-inspired, bio-based and historical conservation treatment-inspired methods for remedial conservation, including new cleaning solutions for paintings and metals, all using green solvents, bio-inspired reagents, green delivery systems; and stabilization methods for metal and glass that employ innovative techniques like biopassivation to stabilize metal surfaces and nanomaterials that mimic the growth of silica to stabilize glass; (3) assess our new materials and methods using cutting-edge analytical techniques and benchmark methods in collaboration with expert practitioners and museums, to determine their efficacy in the cleaning of paintings and metals, or the stabilisation of glass and metal objects; (4) develop a digital web-app to aid conservators in the design of green preventive and remedial conservation treatments, and a decision model integrating green thinking in complex conservation decision making. Crucially, GoGreen encompasses all relevant and necessary academic and socio-economic actors spanning the full stakeholder value chain to ensure future impact. Our uniquely advantageous composition coupled with the embedding of bottom-up education of professionals through modules and courses for conservation training programmes, emerging conservators and mid-career professionals, guarantees the next generation of conservators are fully prepared to embrace the GreenDeal.

New genomic techniques (NGTs) can contribute to an energy-efficient, low-input and zero-pollution agricultural production and industrial processing. Despite rapid recent progress, this toolbox is still in its infancy and substantial investments are needed to optimise the methods. Also, the innovation potential is fully exploited only if economic, social, and regulatory drivers coalesce and are accompanied by transparent communication and inclusive stakeholder engagement. A problem facing NGT innovation in Europe is that regulatory uncertainty restricts investment at all levels – research, innovation and scaling up – and the impacts of NGTs, both positive and negative, are not fully assessed. It also remains to be seen if public and stakeholder acceptance of NGT products will enable their application. The consequence is that NGTs do not yet reach their full potential. The research in GeneBEcon has two facets. First, the technical potential is explored by applying gene editing to develop 1) a virus-resistant potato with an industrial tuber starch quality, and 2) microalgae-based production of industrially relevant mycosporin-like amino acids. Second, the risk-regulatory aspects, economic incentives, and social perceptions are investigated. In the latter, comparative analyses are enabled by our approach with two different production systems: open-field agricultural crop and contained-system microalgae. The results will enable technical innovations as well as allow stakeholders (incl researchers, breeders, primary producers, value chain actors, risk assessors and decision makers) to take informed decisions on the safe and responsible use of NGT-derived products. GeneBEcon has a multi-sectoral consortium and the project links to relevant stakeholders through a Stakeholder Advisory Board. This will, through communication and inclusive engagement, enable an improved understanding and awareness of the risks and benefits of NGT-derived products through societal dialogue.

Advances in immersive technology are an important driver of the experience economy, enhancing the breadth, depth and intensity of the visiting experience at arts and cultural institutions. Yet, they usually are neither readily available nor broadly accessible. First, they require specific developments that can hardly be carried out by most institutions. Second, the inherent affordance of immersive propositions is questioned by the currently evolving world health situation. The objective of the Artcast4D project is to develop a technological framework and tools that will unleash the potential of EU CCIs for designing and developing cost-effective, non-invasive, immersive and interactive users experiences. Using both academic and industrial approaches, it relies on theoretical and experimental research, open source software and hardware development together with challenging case studies and onsite beta testing implementations. The innovation lies in the ability to create immersive environments in open spaces, with minimally intrusive projection technology, on the capability to design interactive applications with crowd movement and sensing capabilities, and on the open source availability and ability to extend the solutions. Artcast4D will technically and financially promote the implementation of the technology outside the cultural institutions, implementing 4 pilots in cities around the world (Issy-les-Moulineaux, Hounslow, Valencia, Athens), each one with different artistic topics and experiences, and bringing together creative actors and industrial partners with the civil society. All pilots will include training workshops, and open training modules will be designed for developers and artists. The projects outcomes will also help to derive policy guidelines on how to strengthen the competitiveness and innovation potential of CCIs on national level and EU-level.

The IN SITU project combines research and experimental actions to advance the innovation-related practices, capacities, and potential of CCIs based in non-urban areas of the EU, a constituency of the CCI sector that has grown in visibility and significance over the last decade in Europe and internationally but which is still vulnerable due to the lagging attention of research and policy to its needs, characteristics, and potentials. The project aims to advance understanding of the forms, processes, and governance of innovation involving cultural and creative industries (CCIs) located in non-urban areas of Europe and to advance the ability of non-urban CCIs to act as drivers of innovation, competitiveness, and sustainability for the locales in which they are located. IN SITU brings together leading approaches to investigating economic evolution and diversification, a challenge-oriented approach to processes of innovation, non-urban place-based planning and development, and creative industries entrepreneurship to investigate the situation of CCIs in non-urban areas. The project couples this with a pragmatic capacity-building programme to enable CCIs to address some of the key issues of their communities/region and of our time. The core defining aspect of IN SITU is the interlinking of research and practice through place-based IN SITU Labs, hubs for projects in 6 non-urban regions across Europe, located in Portugal, Ireland, Iceland, Finland, Latvia, and Croatia. Involving both Europe-wide research and place-based experimentation, IN SITU will provide an in-depth knowledge of the direct and indirect effects, cross-sectoral connections and spillovers, innovative strategies and systems, and needs of CCI practitioners in non-urban areas. Complementary to this, the project will assess and advance the multi-level innovation and culture policy and planning frameworks that contextualize and can enable this work.

Silicon-based technologies offer tantalizing prospects for low-cost mass production of high-performance optoelectronic circuits by leveraging the maturity of complementary-metal-oxide semiconductor facilities. However, the processing and generation of high-quality radiofrequency signals using optoelectronic oscillators is still hampered by the spectral response of Si filters, which are unable to provide a rejection band on the order of MHz. Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) has been at the core of recent stunning demonstrations of key on-chip functionalities for microwave photonics, exhibiting several properties that are ideally suited to overcome the limitation of Si photonic filters. SBS interactions can be orders of magnitude stronger in suspended Si waveguides compared to conventional optical fibers, but approaches demonstrated so far are mainly limited by trade-off between phonon lifetime and photon-phonon overlap. This project will address a completely new route to overcome the trade-off between long phonon lifetimes and large photon-phonon overlap in conventional Si optomechanical waveguides. The original idea is to exploit the unique degrees of freedom released by subwavelength Si nanostructuration to achieve flexible control of the shape and dispersion of optical and mechanical modes in order to maximize optomechanical coupling and Brillouin gain. This approach will be used to demonstrate a Si optoelectronic oscillator that exploits the intrinsic narrow linewidth of the Brillouin effect to achieve three orders of magnitude phase-noise reduction compared to the state of the art. The SUNRISE technology will open a whole new research domain in integrated optomechanics with great opportunities for fundamental and applied research. The unique expertise combination of the experienced researcher, the host institution and the two teams hosting secondments offers all the ingredients to significantly contribute to the next generation of microwave photonic systems

In a warming world, extreme heat will become more likely, and more extreme. Extreme heat can lead to devastating socioeconomic and ecological impacts, especially when peak maximum temperatures occur together with other compounding stressors, such as high ambient humidity, lack of nighttime cooling, or persistent drought. When unprecedented record-shattering compound heat extremes occur, it raises the question of whether current climate models are able to sufficiently capture the risk and intensity of such unlikely but devastating extremes under present, and especially future climate conditions. Are climate model projections downplaying the risk and intensity of current and future heat due to missing or incorrect process representation? Can climate models sufficiently sample the most unlikely and extreme albeit still plausible events? And how would such utterly unlikely extreme compound heat develop? Which intensity, persistence, or compounding could it reach? These are the questions I will answer in TrueHeat, and by doing so I will produce the best-informed knowledge of the unlikely but plausible heat that we may come to experience in the near-term future, and how single instances of extreme heat can turn into their most devastating and unprecedented version. To do this, I will first exploit the vast amount of existing large ensembles from different climate models that allows me to curate best-estimate future heat and heat-impact projections using superior evaluation and performance-weighting frameworks. Then I will use climate prediction ensembles to assess where chance brings the largest heat intensification, while determining why forecasted black swan heat extremes did not occur, or occurred in a less extreme form in reality. Lastly, I will generate novel targeted boosted large ensembles to quantify the role that chance plays in the intensification of extreme heat, and to fully sample the most unlikely but physically plausible worst-case heat storyline.

At High Energy hadron colliders, the wide phase space for particle emissions can compensate the smallness of the strong-interaction coupling of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). At the LHC this effect is crucial for production of mesons containing charm and bottom quarks. At hadron collider with energy of 100 TeV, all Standard Model physics will be affected by these large corrections. RadCor4HEF's objective is to develop an efficient and robust method to match these phase-space corrections, provided by High-Energy Factorization (HEF) formalism with standard QCD computations in Collinear Factorization(CF). At present, this is not available. I aim at advancing the HEF including sub-leading corrections in the strong-interaction coupling within a new computational framework. I will apply it to study the production of (i) the eta_{c,b}-mesons in the LHCb kinematics, (ii) photoproduction of J/psi and Upsilon mesons (iii) hadroproduction of open heavy-flavour mesons. For all of these observables the theoretical uncertainties are larger than the experimental ones and we will change this. The matched CF+HEF framework solves the instability problems of standard CF computations for eta_{c,b}, J/psi and open heavy flavour meson production at the LHC energies. RadCor4HEF will contribute to our quest to understand the proton structure and to predict heavy-quark bound-state production, which are the most poorly understood parts of QCD. The science generated by RadCor4HEF will be disseminated via top-level publications, oral communications, outreach events and computing codes integrated in the EU Virtual Access "NLOAccess". Project activities will take place in the theory pole of IJCLab Orsay managed by CNRS, which gathers all the required expertise in the theory and phenomenology of QCD and particle physics. The exceptional environment part of Paris-Saclay U. will offer me an ideal training to develop my skills, to extend my research network and to become an independent researcher.

The 15-month coordination and support action “4.UNCAN.eu” will generate a strategic agenda to launch UNCAN.eu, a European initiative to UNderstand CANcer proposed by the Mission Board and the European Beating Cancer Plan. This research agenda will be built with the final aim of achieving a new breakthrough in cancer prevention and treatment that will contribute to saving European citizens’ lives and help ensuring an optimal quality of life to disease survivors. To reach a new level of understanding, UNCAN.eu will take advantage of recent advances in research data generation and data sciences. Reliable, high-quality cancer research data generated by experimental model analysis and collected from longitudinal follow-up of cancer patients will be shared and integrated at an unprecedented scale within a Federated Cancer Research data hub, in the context of the General Data Protection Regulation. This information will be used by relevant players in Europe and beyond to address urgent and essential scientific and medical challenges in cancer prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and survivorship, in males and females of various ages. These challenges, identified in close interaction with European patients and citizens, will be tackled through competitive, ambitious and innovative, cross-border and trans-disciplinary research programmes built in a problem-solving manner. The definition of challenges will integrate inequalities in cancer research across regions and member states in order to boost the research potential of less-developed regions in Europe. Players will be committed to open science principles, including FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) guiding principles for scientific data collection, management and stewardship. The new understanding gained from the collection and analysis of this wealth of data will apply secondarily to other diseases.

SELFY will increase CCAM ecosystem’s safety, security, robustness, and resilience by researching and developing a toolbox made of collaborative tools which main pillars are: (i) situational awareness, through collaborative perception and monitoring; (ii) data sharing, advanced processing for detection of malicious events and decision-making; (iii) resilience, increased ability to adapt and respond to cyber-threats and cyber-attacks; and (iv) trust, including guarantees regarding privacy, confidentiality, integrity and immutability of data in a collaborative CCAM environment. SELFY tools can operate individually and/or cooperatively with other tools, generating a distributed global solution, where SELF-protection, SELF-response and SELF-recovery decisions will be managed locally or globally as appropriate for any given cyber-attack, malicious activity or hazard, extending the Operational Design Domain (ODD) In Europe, 50 million connected cars are expected in circulation by 2026, and EU regulations requires for cybersecurity certificates for vehicles. In this scenario, SELFY long term impact is grounded on a value proposition that is OEM and/or vendor agnostic, thus facilitating adoption at all stages of the value chain. Additionally, the consortium involves all necessary stakeholders for co-creating a sound and comprehensive CCAM solution: including OEMs, road operators, traffic and infrastructure management, researchers, and policy-makers. SELFY expected outcomes include 5 traffic and infrastructure management organizations adopting the SELFY toolbox, which will benefit of a >90% effectiveness rate in detection of vulnerable vehicles and security breaches and an increase of >75% off the mitigation rate at demonstrated in TRL6 by the end of the project.

The objective of HiPEAC is to stimulate and reinforce the development of the dynamic European computing ecosystem that supports the digital transformation of Europe. It does so by guiding the future research and innovation of key digital, enabling, and emerging technologies, sectors, and value chains. The longer term goal is to strengthen European leadership in the global data economy and to accelerate and steer the digital and green transitions through human-centred technologies and innovations. This will be achieved via mobilising and connecting European partnerships and stakeholders to be involved in the research, innovation and development of computing and systems technologies. They will provide roadmaps supporting the creation of next-generation computing technologies, infrastructures, and service platforms. The key aim is to support and contribute to rapid technological development, market uptake and digital autonomy for Europe in advanced digital technology (hardware and software) and applications across the whole European digital value chain. HiPEAC will do this by connecting and upscaling existing initiatives and efforts, by involving the key stakeholders, and by improving the conditions for large-scale market deployment. The next-generation computing and systems technologies and applications developed will increase European autonomy in the data economy. This is required to support future hyper-distributed applications and provide new opportunities for further disruptive digital transformation of the economy and society, new business models, economic growth, and job creation. The HiPEAC CSA proposal directly addresses the research, innovation, and development of next generation computing and systems technologies and applications. The overall goal is to support the European value chains and value networks in computing and systems technologies across the computing continuum from cloud to edge computing to the Internet of Things (IoT).

In recent years, Federated Learning (FL) has emerged as a revolutionary privacy-enhancing technology and, consequently, has quickly expanded to other applications. However, further research has cast a shadow of doubt on the strength of privacy protection provided by FL. Potential vulnerabilities and threats pointed out by researchers included a curious aggregator threat; susceptibility to man-in-the-middle and insider attacks that disrupt the convergence of global and local models or cause convergence to fake minima; and, most importantly, inference attacks that aim to re-identify data subjects from FL’s AI model parameter updates. The goal of TRUMPET is to research and develop novel privacy enhancement methods for Federated Learning, and to deliver a highly scalable Federated AI service platform for researchers, that will enable AI-powered studies of siloed, multi-site, cross-domain, cross border European datasets with privacy guarantees that exceed the requirements of GDPR. The generic TRUMPET platform will be piloted, demonstrated and validated in the specific use case of European cancer hospitals, allowing researchers and policymakers to extract AI-driven insights from previously inaccessible cross-border, cross-organization cancer data, while ensuring the patients’ privacy. The strong privacy protection accorded by the platform will be verified through the engagement of external experts for independent privacy leakage and re-identification testing. A secondary goal is to research, develop and promote with EU data protection authorities a novel metric and tool for the certification of GDPR compliance of FL implementations. The consortium is composed of 9 interdisciplinary partners: 3 Research Organizations, 1 University, 3 SMEs and 2 Clinical partners with extensive experience and expertise to guarantee the correct performance of the activities and the achievement of the results.

TANGO will establish a stronger cross-sector data sharing, in a citizen-centric, secure and trustworthy manner, by developing innovative solutions while addressing environmental degradation and climate change challenges. The overall outcome is a novel platform exhibiting the following capabilities: user-friendly, secure, trustworthy, compliant, fair, transparent, accountable and environmentally sustainable data management, having at its core technology components for distributed, privacy preserving and environmentally sustainable data collection, processing, analysis, sharing and storage. This platform will promote trustworthy and digitally enabled interactions across society, for people as well as for businesses. TANGO will leverage the power of emerging digital technologies to strengthen the privacy for citizens and private/public organisations, reduce costs and improve productivity. It will unlock the innovation potential of digital technologies for decentralised, privacy-preserving applications, while making accessible and demonstrating this potential within the GAIA-X and EOSC ecosystem. With 37 key partners from 13 countries, TANGO, is uniquely positioned to provide a high impact solution within the transport, e-commerce, finance, public administration, tourism and industrial domains supporting numerous beneficiaries across Europe. Through the provision of TANGO technologies, a trustworthy environment will be designed acting as a gatekeeper to information and data flows. Citizens and public/private organisations will be empowered to act and interact providing data both online and offline. TANGO will focus its activities on 3 main pillars: (i) the deployment of trustworthy, accountable and privacy-preserving data-sharing technologies and platforms; (ii) the creation of data governance models and frameworks; (iii) the improvement of data availability, quality and interoperability – both in domain-specific settings and across sectors.

The interconnection between Information Technologies and Operational Technologies is underway, with many impacts on the related cybersecurity of various application domains. For a long time, we have known that attacks or malfunctions in the cyber world can have critical impacts on the physical world, especially in critical infrastructures. Conversely, intentional perturbations of physical systems, through e.g. attacks on sensor measurements, can have disastrous consequences on digital control mechanisms, and thus on physical processes. In this interconnected cyber-physical world, the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) opens the door to various new kinds of attacks, and also offers numerous defence capabilities. In the KINAITICS project, we aim at exploring the new attack opportunities offered by the introduction of AI-based control and perceptive systems, as well as those offered by combination of behavioural understanding of physical systems and cyber-attacks. On the defence side, we aim at offering an innovative spectrum of tools and methodologies, to combine behavioural monitoring and classical cybersecurity tools to protects against these new threats. Importantly, we also target innovative methodologies, which incorporate human factors and their uncertainties in the tools. This last point raises crucial challenges on trustworthy approaches, explanations provided, and how to deal with uncertainties in response decisions. The project will also thoroughly assess the regulation of big data uses and provide guidelines for EU policy actions and cybersecurity experts’ responsible development, thanks to the implication of researchers specialised in legal and ethical aspects of ICT innovation. Our research will strive to counter AI attacks. The seven tools produced during the course of the project, as well as the cyber-defence platform, will significantly improve systems robustness, resilience and response, and will help Europe save 3-4 billion€ yearly by 2030.