ERC FUNDED PROJECTS

Wave-particle interactions are ubiquitous in nature and play a fundamental role in astrophysical and fusion plasmas. In solar plasmas, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) fluctuations are thought to be responsible for the heating of the solar corona and the generation of the solar wind. In magnetically confined fusion (MCF) devices, enhanced particle transport induced by MHD fluctuations can deteriorate the plasma confinement, and also endanger the device integrity. MCF devices are an ideal testbed to verify current models and develop mitigation / protection techniques. The proposed project paves the way for providing active control techniques to tame the MHD induced particle transport in a fusion plasma. A solid understanding of the interaction between energetic particles and MHD instabilities in the presence of electric fields and plasma currents is required to develop such techniques. I will pursue this goal through innovative diagnosis techniques with unprecedented spatio-temporal resolution. Combined with state-of-the-art hybrid MHD codes, a deep insight into the underlying physics mechanism will be gained. The outcome of this research project will have a major impact for next-step MCF devices as I will provide ground-breaking control techniques for mitigating MHD induced particle transport in magnetized plasmas. The project consists of 3 research lines which follow a bottom-up approach: (1) Cutting-edge instrumentation, aiming at the new generation of energetic particle and edge current diagnostics. (2) Unravel the dynamics of energetic particles, electric fields, edge currents and MHD fluctuations. (3) From lab to space weather: The developed models will revolutionize our understanding of the observed particle acceleration and transport in the solar corona. Based on this approach, the project represents a gateway between the fusion, astrophysics and space communities opening new avenues for a common basic understanding.

1 512 250 €

Start date: 2019-05-01, End date: 2024-04-30

Membranes are key materials in our life. Nature offers high performance membranes relying on a parallel local regulation of nanopore structure, functional placement, membrane composition and architecture. Existing technological membranes are key materials in separation, recycling, sensing, energy conversion, being essential components for a sustainable future. But their performance is far away from their natural counterparts. One reason for this performance gap is the lack of 3D nanolocal control in membrane design. This applies to each individual nanopore but as well to the membrane architecture. This proposal aims to implement 3D printing (additive manufacturing, top down) and complex near-field and total internal reflection (TIR) high resolution microscopy induced polymer writing (bottom up) to nanolocally control in hierarchical nanoporous membranes spatially and independent of each other: porosity, pore functionalization, membrane architecture, composition. This disruptive technology platform will make accessible to date unachieved, highly accurate asymmetric nanopores and multifunctional, hierarchical membrane architecture/ composition and thus highly selective, directed, transport with tuneable rates. 3D-FNPWriting will demonstrate this for the increasing class of metal nanoparticle/ salt pollutants aiming for tuneable, selective, directed transport based monitoring and recycling instead of size-based filtration, accumulation into sewerage and distribution into nature. Specifically, the potential of this disruptive technology with respect to transport design will be demonstrated for a) a 3D-printed in-situ functionalized nanoporous fiber architecture and b) a printed, nanolocally near-field and TIR-microscopy polymer functionalized membrane representing a thin separation layer. This will open systematic understanding of nanolocal functional control on transport and new perspectives in water/ energy management for future smart industry/ homes.

1 499 844 €

Start date: 2019-04-01, End date: 2024-03-31

Homologous recombination (HR) is a conserved DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) repair pathway that uniquely uses an intact DNA molecule as a template. Genome-wide homology search is carried out by a nucleoprotein filament (NPF) assembled on the ssDNA flanking the DSB, and whose product is a “D-loop” joint molecule. Beyond accurate DSB repair, this capacity of HR to spatially associates homologous molecules is also harnessed for homolog pairing in meiosis. The goal of “3D-loop” is to tackle two long lasting conundrums: the fundamental homology search mechanism that achieves accurate and efficient identification of a single homologous donor in the vastness of the genome and nucleus, and how this mechanism is adapted for the purpose of homologs attachment in meiosis. I overcame the main hurdle to study these core steps of HR by developing a suite of proximity ligation-based methodologies and experimental systems to physically detect joint molecules in yeast cells. It revealed elaborate regulation controlling D-loop dynamics and a novel class of joint molecules. This proposal builds upon these methodologies and findings to first address basic properties of the homology sampling process by the NPF and the role of D-loop dynamics, with the long-term goal to establish a quantitative framework of homology search in mitotic cells (WP1). Second, the meiosis-specific regulation of homology search leading to homolog pairing likely integrates chromosomal-scale information. Genome re-synthesis and engineering approaches will be deployed to (i) achieve a quantitative and dynamic cartography of the cytological and molecular events of meiosis over a large chromosomal region, (ii) probe cis-acting regulations at the chromosomal scale, and (iii) revisit the molecular paradigm for crossover formation (WP2). We expect this project to shed light on the fundamental process of homology search and its involvement in the chromosome pairing phenomenon lying at the basis of sexual reproduction.

1 499 779 €

Start date: 2020-01-01, End date: 2024-12-31

"Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common musculoskeletal disease occurring worldwide. Despite extensive research, etiology of OA is still poorly understood. Histopathological grading (HPG) of 2D tissue sections is the gold standard reference method for determination of OA stage. However, traditional 2D-HPG is destructive and based only on subjective visual evaluation. These limitations induce bias to clinical in vitro OA diagnostics and basic research that both rely strongly on HPG. Objectives: 1) To establish and validate the very first 3D-HPG of OA based on cutting-edge nano/micro-CT (Computed Tomography) technologies in vitro; 2) To use the established method to clarify the beginning phases of OA; and 3) To validate 3D-HPG of OA for in vivo use. Methods: Several hundreds of human osteochondral samples from patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty will be collected. The samples will be imaged in vitro with nano/micro-CT and clinical high-end extremity CT devices using specific contrast-agents to quantify tissue constituents and structure in 3D in large volume. From this information, a novel 3D-HPG is developed with statistical classification algorithms. Finally, the developed novel 3D-HPG of OA will be applied clinically in vivo. Significance: This is the very first study to establish 3D-HPG of OA pathology in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the developed technique hugely improves the understanding of the beginning phases of OA. Ultimately, the study will contribute for improving OA patients’ quality of life by slowing the disease progression, and for providing powerful tools to develop new OA therapies."

1 500 000 €

Start date: 2014-02-01, End date: 2019-01-31