Project acronym ATLAS
Project Bioengineered autonomous cell-biomaterials devices for generating humanised micro-tissues for regenerative medicine
Researcher (PI) João Felipe Colardelle da Luz Mano
Host Institution (HI) UNIVERSIDADE DE AVEIRO
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE8, ERC-2014-ADG
Summary New generations of devices for tissue engineering (TE) should rationalize better the physical and biochemical cues operating in tandem during native regeneration, in particular at the scale/organizational-level of the stem cell niche. The understanding and the deconstruction of these factors (e.g. multiple cell types exchanging both paracrine and direct signals, structural and chemical arrangement of the extra-cellular matrix, mechanical signals…) should be then incorporated into the design of truly biomimetic biomaterials. ATLAS proposes rather unique toolboxes combining smart biomaterials and cells for the ground-breaking advances of engineering fully time-self-regulated complex 2D and 3D devices, able to adjust the cascade of processes leading to faster high-quality new tissue formation with minimum pre-processing of cells. Versatile biomaterials based on marine-origin macromolecules will be used, namely in the supramolecular assembly of instructive multilayers as nanostratified building-blocks for engineer such structures. The backbone of these biopolymers will be equipped with a variety of (bio)chemical elements permitting: post-processing chemistry and micro-patterning, specific/non-specific cell attachment, and cell-controlled degradation. Aiming at being applied in bone TE, ATLAS will integrate cells from different units of tissue physiology, namely bone and hematopoietic basic elements and consider the interactions between the immune and skeletal systems. These ingredients will permit to architect innovative films with high-level dialogue control with cells, but in particular sophisticated quasi-closed 3D capsules able to compartmentalise such components in a “globe-like” organization, providing local and long-range order for in vitro microtissue development and function. Such hybrid devices could be used in more generalised front-edge applications, including as disease models for drug discovery or test new therapies in vitro.
Summary
New generations of devices for tissue engineering (TE) should rationalize better the physical and biochemical cues operating in tandem during native regeneration, in particular at the scale/organizational-level of the stem cell niche. The understanding and the deconstruction of these factors (e.g. multiple cell types exchanging both paracrine and direct signals, structural and chemical arrangement of the extra-cellular matrix, mechanical signals…) should be then incorporated into the design of truly biomimetic biomaterials. ATLAS proposes rather unique toolboxes combining smart biomaterials and cells for the ground-breaking advances of engineering fully time-self-regulated complex 2D and 3D devices, able to adjust the cascade of processes leading to faster high-quality new tissue formation with minimum pre-processing of cells. Versatile biomaterials based on marine-origin macromolecules will be used, namely in the supramolecular assembly of instructive multilayers as nanostratified building-blocks for engineer such structures. The backbone of these biopolymers will be equipped with a variety of (bio)chemical elements permitting: post-processing chemistry and micro-patterning, specific/non-specific cell attachment, and cell-controlled degradation. Aiming at being applied in bone TE, ATLAS will integrate cells from different units of tissue physiology, namely bone and hematopoietic basic elements and consider the interactions between the immune and skeletal systems. These ingredients will permit to architect innovative films with high-level dialogue control with cells, but in particular sophisticated quasi-closed 3D capsules able to compartmentalise such components in a “globe-like” organization, providing local and long-range order for in vitro microtissue development and function. Such hybrid devices could be used in more generalised front-edge applications, including as disease models for drug discovery or test new therapies in vitro.
Max ERC Funding
2 498 988 €
Duration
Start date: 2015-12-01, End date: 2020-11-30
Project acronym CapTherPV
Project Integration of Capacitor, Thermoelectric and PhotoVoltaic thin films for efficient energy conversion and storage
Researcher (PI) Isabel Maria Das Merces Ferreira
Host Institution (HI) NOVA ID FCT - ASSOCIACAO PARA A INOVACAO E DESENVOLVIMENTO DA FCT
Call Details Consolidator Grant (CoG), PE8, ERC-2014-CoG
Summary The possibility of having a unique device that converts thermal and photonics energy into electrical energy and simultaneously stores it, is something dreamed by the PI since the beginning of her research career. To achieve that goal, this project aims to gather, in a single substrate, solar cells with up-conversion nanoparticles, thermoelectrics and graphene super-capacitor, all made of thin films. These three main components will be developed separately and integrated sequentially. The innovation proposed is not limited to the integration of components, but rely in ground-breaking concepts: 1) thermoelectric elements based on thin film (TE-TF) oxides; 2) plasmonic nanoparticles for up conversion of near infrared radiation to visible emission in solar cells; 3) graphene super-capacitors; 4) integration and optimization of all components in a single CapTherPV device. This ambitious project will bring new insights at large area, low cost and flexible energy harvesting and comes from an old idea of combining energy conversion and storage that has been pursued by the PI. She started her career in amorphous silicon thin film solar cells, later she started the development of thin film batteries and more recently started a research line in thermoelectric films. If approved, this project will give financial support to consolidate the research being carried out and will give independence to the PI in terms of resources and creative think. More importantly, will facilitate the concretization of the dream that has been pursued with hard work.
Summary
The possibility of having a unique device that converts thermal and photonics energy into electrical energy and simultaneously stores it, is something dreamed by the PI since the beginning of her research career. To achieve that goal, this project aims to gather, in a single substrate, solar cells with up-conversion nanoparticles, thermoelectrics and graphene super-capacitor, all made of thin films. These three main components will be developed separately and integrated sequentially. The innovation proposed is not limited to the integration of components, but rely in ground-breaking concepts: 1) thermoelectric elements based on thin film (TE-TF) oxides; 2) plasmonic nanoparticles for up conversion of near infrared radiation to visible emission in solar cells; 3) graphene super-capacitors; 4) integration and optimization of all components in a single CapTherPV device. This ambitious project will bring new insights at large area, low cost and flexible energy harvesting and comes from an old idea of combining energy conversion and storage that has been pursued by the PI. She started her career in amorphous silicon thin film solar cells, later she started the development of thin film batteries and more recently started a research line in thermoelectric films. If approved, this project will give financial support to consolidate the research being carried out and will give independence to the PI in terms of resources and creative think. More importantly, will facilitate the concretization of the dream that has been pursued with hard work.
Max ERC Funding
1 999 375 €
Duration
Start date: 2015-07-01, End date: 2020-06-30
Project acronym MEMOIRS
Project Children of Empires and European Postmemories
Researcher (PI) Maria Margarida DE SA CALAFATE RIBEIRO
Host Institution (HI) CENTRO DE ESTUDOS SOCIAIS
Call Details Consolidator Grant (CoG), SH5, ERC-2014-CoG
Summary MEMOIRS focuses on the intergenerational memories of the children and grandchildren of those involved in the decolonization processes of colonies held by France, Portugal and Belgium. Through interviews of this second and third generation, and a comparative analysis of the cultures influenced by the postmemory of the colonial wars and the end of empire, Europe's postcolonial heritage will be reinterrogated, and a new understanding of the contemporary continent will be developed. At the heart of the project is a desire to comprehend the effects of Europe's postimperial diversity through postmemories of colonial praxis.
The project is interdisciplinary, bringing together specialists from literary and cultural studies, history, sociology and migration studies. MEMOIRS aims to maximize the impact of its findings through broad web, open-access publications and an itinerant artistic exhibit that captures multiple aspects of the representations of postmemory, and fosters a meaningful North-South dialogue.
Summary
MEMOIRS focuses on the intergenerational memories of the children and grandchildren of those involved in the decolonization processes of colonies held by France, Portugal and Belgium. Through interviews of this second and third generation, and a comparative analysis of the cultures influenced by the postmemory of the colonial wars and the end of empire, Europe's postcolonial heritage will be reinterrogated, and a new understanding of the contemporary continent will be developed. At the heart of the project is a desire to comprehend the effects of Europe's postimperial diversity through postmemories of colonial praxis.
The project is interdisciplinary, bringing together specialists from literary and cultural studies, history, sociology and migration studies. MEMOIRS aims to maximize the impact of its findings through broad web, open-access publications and an itinerant artistic exhibit that captures multiple aspects of the representations of postmemory, and fosters a meaningful North-South dialogue.
Max ERC Funding
1 982 475 €
Duration
Start date: 2015-11-01, End date: 2020-10-31
Project acronym NEW_FUN
Project New era of printed paper electronics based on advanced functional cellulose
Researcher (PI) Luis Miguel Nunes Pereira
Host Institution (HI) NOVA ID FCT - ASSOCIACAO PARA A INOVACAO E DESENVOLVIMENTO DA FCT
Call Details Starting Grant (StG), PE8, ERC-2014-STG
Summary Fully recyclable and low cost electronic goods are still far from reality. My interest is in creating environmental friendly advanced functional materials and processes able to result in new class of paper based electronic products. This represents a reborn of the paper millenary industry for a plethora of low cost, recyclable and disposable electronics, putting Europe in the front line of a new era of consumer electronics.
While the vision of the proposal is a very ambitious one, my ground-breaking research work to date related with oxide based transistors on paper (from which I am one of the co-inventors) has contributed to the basic technological breakthroughs needed to create the key elements to establish a new era of paper electronics. Field effect transistors (FETs), memory and CMOS devices, with excellent electronic performance and using paper as substrate and dielectric have resulted from my recent work. What I am proposing now is to reinvent the concept of paper electronics. In NEW_FUN I want to develop a completely new and disruptive approach where functionalized cellulose fibers will be used not only as dielectric but also as semiconductor and conductor able to coexist in a multilayer paper structure. That is, assembling paper that can have different functionalities locally, on each face or even along its entire thickness/bulk. This way issues such as failure under bending, mechanical robustness and stability can be minimized. Doing so, electronic and electrochemical devices can be produced not only on paper but also from paper. The outputs of NEW_FUN will open the door to turn paper into a real electronic material making possible disposable/recyclable electronic products, such as smart labels/packages (e.g. food and medicine industry), sensors for air quality control (car, house and industry environments); disposable electronic devices such as bio-detection platforms, lab-on-paper systems, among others.
Summary
Fully recyclable and low cost electronic goods are still far from reality. My interest is in creating environmental friendly advanced functional materials and processes able to result in new class of paper based electronic products. This represents a reborn of the paper millenary industry for a plethora of low cost, recyclable and disposable electronics, putting Europe in the front line of a new era of consumer electronics.
While the vision of the proposal is a very ambitious one, my ground-breaking research work to date related with oxide based transistors on paper (from which I am one of the co-inventors) has contributed to the basic technological breakthroughs needed to create the key elements to establish a new era of paper electronics. Field effect transistors (FETs), memory and CMOS devices, with excellent electronic performance and using paper as substrate and dielectric have resulted from my recent work. What I am proposing now is to reinvent the concept of paper electronics. In NEW_FUN I want to develop a completely new and disruptive approach where functionalized cellulose fibers will be used not only as dielectric but also as semiconductor and conductor able to coexist in a multilayer paper structure. That is, assembling paper that can have different functionalities locally, on each face or even along its entire thickness/bulk. This way issues such as failure under bending, mechanical robustness and stability can be minimized. Doing so, electronic and electrochemical devices can be produced not only on paper but also from paper. The outputs of NEW_FUN will open the door to turn paper into a real electronic material making possible disposable/recyclable electronic products, such as smart labels/packages (e.g. food and medicine industry), sensors for air quality control (car, house and industry environments); disposable electronic devices such as bio-detection platforms, lab-on-paper systems, among others.
Max ERC Funding
1 429 719 €
Duration
Start date: 2015-09-01, End date: 2020-08-31
