Project acronym DropletControl
Project Controlling the orientation of molecules inside liquid helium nanodroplets
Researcher (PI) Henrik Stapelfeldt
Host Institution (HI) AARHUS UNIVERSITET
Country Denmark
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE2, ERC-2012-ADG_20120216
Summary In this project I will develop and exploit experimental methods, based on short and intense laser pulses, to control the spatial orientation of molecules dissolved in liquid helium nanodroplets. This idea is, so far, completely unexplored but it has the potential to open a multitude of new opportunities in physics and chemistry. The main objectives are:
1) Complete control and real time monitoring of molecular rotation inside liquid helium droplets, exploring superfluidity of the droplets, the possible formation of quantum vortices, and rotational dephasing due to interaction of the dissolved molecules with the He solvent.
2) Ultrafast imaging of molecules undergoing chemical reaction dynamics inside liquid helium droplets, exploring rapid energy dissipation from reacting molecules to the helium solvent, transition between mirror forms of chiral molecules, strong laser field processes in He-solvated molecules, and structure determination of non crystalizable proteins by electron or x-ray diffraction.
I will achieve the objectives by combining liquid helium droplet technology, ultrafast laser pulse methods and advanced electron and ion imaging detection. The experiments will both rely on existing apparatus in my laboratories and on new vacuum and laser equipment to be set up during the project.
The ability to control how molecules are turned in space is of fundamental importance because interactions of molecules with other molecules, atoms or radiation depend on their spatial orientation. For isolated molecules in the gas phase laser based methods, developed over the past 12 years, now enable very refined and precise control over the spatial orientation of molecules. By contrast, orientational control of molecules in solution has not been demonstrated despite the potential of being able to do so is enormous, notably because most chemistry occurs in a solvent rather than in a gas of isolated molecules.
Summary
In this project I will develop and exploit experimental methods, based on short and intense laser pulses, to control the spatial orientation of molecules dissolved in liquid helium nanodroplets. This idea is, so far, completely unexplored but it has the potential to open a multitude of new opportunities in physics and chemistry. The main objectives are:
1) Complete control and real time monitoring of molecular rotation inside liquid helium droplets, exploring superfluidity of the droplets, the possible formation of quantum vortices, and rotational dephasing due to interaction of the dissolved molecules with the He solvent.
2) Ultrafast imaging of molecules undergoing chemical reaction dynamics inside liquid helium droplets, exploring rapid energy dissipation from reacting molecules to the helium solvent, transition between mirror forms of chiral molecules, strong laser field processes in He-solvated molecules, and structure determination of non crystalizable proteins by electron or x-ray diffraction.
I will achieve the objectives by combining liquid helium droplet technology, ultrafast laser pulse methods and advanced electron and ion imaging detection. The experiments will both rely on existing apparatus in my laboratories and on new vacuum and laser equipment to be set up during the project.
The ability to control how molecules are turned in space is of fundamental importance because interactions of molecules with other molecules, atoms or radiation depend on their spatial orientation. For isolated molecules in the gas phase laser based methods, developed over the past 12 years, now enable very refined and precise control over the spatial orientation of molecules. By contrast, orientational control of molecules in solution has not been demonstrated despite the potential of being able to do so is enormous, notably because most chemistry occurs in a solvent rather than in a gas of isolated molecules.
Max ERC Funding
2 409 773 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-05-01, End date: 2018-04-30
Project acronym HARMONY
Project "Harmonic identification, mitigation and control in power electronics based power systems"
Researcher (PI) Frede Blaabjerg
Host Institution (HI) AALBORG UNIVERSITET
Country Denmark
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), PE7, ERC-2012-ADG_20120216
Summary "Global electrical energy consumption is still increasing which demands that power capacity and power transmission capabilities must be doubled within 20 years. Today 40 % of the global energy consumption is processed by electricity in 2040 this may be up to 70 %. Electrical power production is changing from conventional, fossil based sources to renewable power resources. Highly efficient and sustainable power electronics in power generation, power transmission/distribution and end-user applications are introduced to ensure more efficient use of electricity. Traditional centralized electricity production with unidirectional power flows in transmission and distribution system will be replaced by the operation and control of intelligent distribution systems which are much more based on power electronics systems and having bidirectional power flow. Such large scale expansion of power electronics usage will change the characteristic of the power system by introducing more harmonics from generation, from the efficient load systems all resulting in a larger risk of instability and more losses in the future power system. The projects goal is to obtain “Harmony” between the renewable energy sources, the future power system and the loads in order to keep stability at all levels seen from a harmonic point of view. The project establishes the necessary theories, models and methods to identify harmonic problems in a power electronic based power system, a theoretical and hardware platform to enable control of harmonics and mitigate them, and develops on-line methods to monitor the harmonic state of the power system. The outcomes are new tools for identifying stability problems in power electronics based power systems and new control methods for reducing the harmonic presence and reduce the overall instability risks. Further, new design methods for active and passive filters in renewable energy systems, in the power system and in the power electronics based loads will be developed"
Summary
"Global electrical energy consumption is still increasing which demands that power capacity and power transmission capabilities must be doubled within 20 years. Today 40 % of the global energy consumption is processed by electricity in 2040 this may be up to 70 %. Electrical power production is changing from conventional, fossil based sources to renewable power resources. Highly efficient and sustainable power electronics in power generation, power transmission/distribution and end-user applications are introduced to ensure more efficient use of electricity. Traditional centralized electricity production with unidirectional power flows in transmission and distribution system will be replaced by the operation and control of intelligent distribution systems which are much more based on power electronics systems and having bidirectional power flow. Such large scale expansion of power electronics usage will change the characteristic of the power system by introducing more harmonics from generation, from the efficient load systems all resulting in a larger risk of instability and more losses in the future power system. The projects goal is to obtain “Harmony” between the renewable energy sources, the future power system and the loads in order to keep stability at all levels seen from a harmonic point of view. The project establishes the necessary theories, models and methods to identify harmonic problems in a power electronic based power system, a theoretical and hardware platform to enable control of harmonics and mitigate them, and develops on-line methods to monitor the harmonic state of the power system. The outcomes are new tools for identifying stability problems in power electronics based power systems and new control methods for reducing the harmonic presence and reduce the overall instability risks. Further, new design methods for active and passive filters in renewable energy systems, in the power system and in the power electronics based loads will be developed"
Max ERC Funding
2 500 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2013-03-01, End date: 2018-02-28
Project acronym TROJA
Project Targeting Receptors Of Jointly Assembled Ligand-Drug Constructs
Researcher (PI) Soren Kragh Moestrup
Host Institution (HI) AARHUS UNIVERSITET
Country Denmark
Call Details Advanced Grant (AdG), LS7, ERC-2008-AdG
Summary The TROJA proposal is an investigative bioengineering study of the exploitation of specific endocytic receptors for targeting small molecule drugs to specific cells in order to improve medical therapy. This is a new approach with scientific roots in the basic research on endocytic receptors and protein expression carried out in the laboratory of the applicant. The major line of the proposal concerns the construction of combinatory drugs for targeting the haptoglobin (Hp)-hemoglobin receptor CD163 (Kristiansen et al., Nature 409:198-201) expressed in the monocyte-macrophage system. The platform may apply to a broad spectrum of diseases such as inflammatory diseases, various infections and certain cancers which all have CD163-expressing macrophages or malignant derivatives as key cell type in the pathogenesis of the disease. Dependent of the above-mentioned diseases to be treated, the drugs are intended to have anti-inflammatory, microbiotic or cytostatic effects. Efficacy of the combinatory drug will be investigated in monocytes/macrophages, CD163-transfected cells and as well as in suitable animal models including transgenic animals. Another and minor line of the proposal concerns the construction of combinatory drugs for targeting a very recently discovered Hp-Hb receptor expressed in trypanosomes (Vanhollebeke et al., Science, in press) causing sleeping sickness. Both lines of this research proposal will take advantage of established recombinant protein expression methods and chemical coupling technology to construct jointly assembled ligand-drugs complexes. In terms of drug efficacy and toxicity, the aim is to design combinatory products that remain largely inactive in their receptor-binding form, but upon release in the cells or parasites the active small molecule components become active. The discovery of such a Trojan horse platform for cellular drug entry may have major implications for future drug development and for new applications of existent drugs.
Summary
The TROJA proposal is an investigative bioengineering study of the exploitation of specific endocytic receptors for targeting small molecule drugs to specific cells in order to improve medical therapy. This is a new approach with scientific roots in the basic research on endocytic receptors and protein expression carried out in the laboratory of the applicant. The major line of the proposal concerns the construction of combinatory drugs for targeting the haptoglobin (Hp)-hemoglobin receptor CD163 (Kristiansen et al., Nature 409:198-201) expressed in the monocyte-macrophage system. The platform may apply to a broad spectrum of diseases such as inflammatory diseases, various infections and certain cancers which all have CD163-expressing macrophages or malignant derivatives as key cell type in the pathogenesis of the disease. Dependent of the above-mentioned diseases to be treated, the drugs are intended to have anti-inflammatory, microbiotic or cytostatic effects. Efficacy of the combinatory drug will be investigated in monocytes/macrophages, CD163-transfected cells and as well as in suitable animal models including transgenic animals. Another and minor line of the proposal concerns the construction of combinatory drugs for targeting a very recently discovered Hp-Hb receptor expressed in trypanosomes (Vanhollebeke et al., Science, in press) causing sleeping sickness. Both lines of this research proposal will take advantage of established recombinant protein expression methods and chemical coupling technology to construct jointly assembled ligand-drugs complexes. In terms of drug efficacy and toxicity, the aim is to design combinatory products that remain largely inactive in their receptor-binding form, but upon release in the cells or parasites the active small molecule components become active. The discovery of such a Trojan horse platform for cellular drug entry may have major implications for future drug development and for new applications of existent drugs.
Max ERC Funding
2 400 000 €
Duration
Start date: 2009-04-01, End date: 2014-03-31
