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eliminate harmful chemicals in the body

PFAS everywhere

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of synthetic chemicals used in a variety of everyday products. Unfortunately, they are harmful to the environment and human health. In many parts of Europe, people are exposed to them through contaminated water and food, posing a public health threat. PFAS are easily absorbed through the intestines and accumulate in the body, primarily in the liver, kidneys, and blood.

There is ample evidence that individuals exposed to PFAS have higher levels of cholesterol and certain liver enzymes in their blood, which can lead to cardiovascular disease. In this project, Tina Cold and her Jensen will use a novel statistical approach to study large-scale studies of children and adults to understand whether there is a clear association between PFAS exposure and blood fat levels. Study groups over time. Her aim is to find ways to stop these substances from being absorbed into the intestines and remove them more effectively. Her findings will help authorities make informed decisions to regulate the use of these chemicals and prevent adverse health effects.

Professor Tina Cold-Jensen is a physician and environmental epidemiologist at the University of Southern Denmark. Her research interests focus on the adverse effects of fetal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals.

researcher: tina cold jensen

project: PFAS Exposure; Relationship with Serum Lipids in Children and Adults, Mechanisms of Action, and Treatment Potential for Individuals Exposed to High Levels (PFAS Anywhere)

Host organization: University of Southern Denmark (DK)

ERC grants: 2.5 million euros over 5 years

How to cultivate a new mind

epicure

Heart disease is a leading cause of death worldwide, making human heart regeneration one of the most important unmet medical needs. This is possible in the early stages of life, but in adulthood the heart loses its ability to regenerate. The epicardium, the outermost protective layer of the heart, plays an important role during the organ’s developmental stages. Studies in other animals suggest that this function may be reactivated in adulthood, allowing spontaneous tissue repair.

Although it is clear that the epicardium is a target for cardiac regeneration, little is known about how this tissue layer develops and responds to injury. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the response to fetal injury and disease in which the heart can regenerate, as well as the contribution of the human epicardium to heart development, is essential before designing effective treatments for heart regeneration in adulthood. This is a necessary and basic step.

Alessandra Moretti and her team will rely on preliminary success in recreating the structures and cells that make up part of a fetal heart in vitro. Researchers will use state-of-the-art 3D imaging and other viewing equipment to study these cells and decipher and exploit the potential of the epicardium as an innovative approach to human heart regeneration. We are aiming for

Professor Alessandra Moretti is Professor of Regenerative Medicine for Cardiovascular Diseases at the Technical University of Munich. She conducts her research in the areas of stem cell biology and cardiac development.

researcher: Alessandra Moretti

project: Epicardial Programming to Heal the Wounded Heart (EPICURE)

Host organization: Technical University of Munich (DE)

ERC grants: 2.5 million euros over 5 years

A story of 500 years of Mexico’s mixed cultural heritage

AdMEXture

One of the most shocking encounters in transatlantic contact occurred in the 1500s, when the Mexican Empire met Spanish and African forces led by Hernán Cortés. Its influence was unparalleled at the time, but just as important is the depiction of this so-called conquest, which has deeply influenced the self-perception and social outlook of the Mexican people over the past five centuries.

The mixing of different ethnic and cultural groups (known as mestizaje) is common throughout human history, but in Mexico this created new identities and social structures that were heavily influenced by social inequality. His 500th anniversary of this encounter highlights the ongoing debate about the factors of Mexico’s mixed heritage that continue to impact this diverse and unequal society today.

The AdMEXture project investigates how social inequalities, gender biases, and different patterns of reproduction influence the persistence and distribution of diversity within Mexico, with a particular focus on biological influences. . This project uses advanced techniques in the field of bioarchaeology to examine human remains, obtain real life histories of individuals involved in the process, and provide critical data for ongoing societal debates. and contribute to a more inclusive and representative history.

Dr. Cristina Valdiosella is currently a researcher at the Institute of Human Evolution at the University of Burgos. She is a biologist specializing in archaeogenomics, focusing on prehistoric and historical migrations in the Iberian Peninsula and the Americas.

researcher: Cristina Eugenia Valdiosela Morales

project: The biocultural roots of diversity and inequality in Mexico: A 500-year mestizo story (AdMEXture)

Host organization:University of Burgos (ES)

ERC grants: 2.49 million euros over 5 years

Combating drug resistance in pancreatic cancer

mechanical resistance

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in Europe, after lung cancer, colorectal cancer and breast cancer. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new treatment strategies to save lives.

As with other solid tumors, the main obstacle to treatment is compression of tumor blood vessels, which significantly reduces drug delivery to cancer cells. In recent years, Triantafyllos Stylianopoulos has discovered a way to make it easier for drugs to reach tumors. Nevertheless, he observed the phenomenon of “mechanoresistance,” in which mechanical forces within tumors promote cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy. He will work with an interdisciplinary team to address this little-studied problem. His plan is to first combine cutting-edge bioengineering and biological techniques to identify the intracellular mechanisms that cause mechanical resistance. Professor Stilianopoulos will then use different drugs to see if mechanical resistance can be counteracted to make chemotherapy more effective. Overall, his project aims to design new personalized treatments for pancreatic cancer and make a difference for patients.

Triantafyllos Stylianopoulos moved to the University of Cyprus from the United States in 2013 and was able to establish a state-of-the-art laboratory thanks to ERC support through a Starting Grant, a Consolidator Grant, and three Proof of Concept grants.

researcher: Triantafilos Styrianopoulos

project: Overcoming mechanical resistance to chemoimmunotherapy in pancreatic cancer

Host organization: University of Cyprus (CY)

ERC grants: 2.5 million euros over 5 years

electricity from thin air

sphinx

Electronics have become ubiquitous in modern society, penetrating every aspect of daily life. Their widespread presence comes with environmental costs. Trillions of batteries, an essential component of many electronic devices, pose an environmental problem due to the extraction of raw materials needed for their production, manufacturing, and waste disposal. Concerns also grow when you consider the amount of work required to replace batteries in trillions of (sometimes inaccessible) locations.

To address these issues, Professor Tomasz Skotnicki proposes a near-permanently mobile solution: battery-less, self-supplied technology. His proposed project, called SFINKS, aims to harness the natural “tidal currents” of pressure and temperature to generate electricity with innovative micro-generators. Unlike traditional battery-powered devices, these new generators can operate continuously anywhere. Because these harvesters have a near-eternal lifespan, they may also be suitable for deployment on satellites or other planets with large fluctuations in pressure and temperature. Professor Skotnicki’s goal is to equip space exploration missions to Mars with sensors powered by SFINKS, paving the way for exciting discoveries beyond Earth.

Professor Tomasz Skotnicki works at the Institute of High Pressure Physics at the Warsaw University of Technology and the Polish Academy of Sciences. Before he returned to Poland in 2018, he served as Vice President of Disruptive Technologies at STMicroelectronics (France). He holds his 80 patents and has authored approximately 500 scientific papers and several book chapters on semiconductors and energy harvesting.

researcher: Tomasz Skotnicki

project: Self-powered electronics – the key to a sustainable future (SFINKS)

Host organization: Warsaw University of Technology (PL)

ERC grants: 2.49 million euros over 5 years

Why do young children learn language so quickly?

infant simulator

According to the statistical learning hypothesis, young children learn by absorbing information from the languages ​​they are exposed to over time. This reflects how her AI large-scale language models (LLMs) are trained today, and shows that basic statistical techniques may be sufficient to achieve adult-level language skills. Suggests. But children seem to pick up language even faster than current AI models. By age 3, they receive significantly less language input than LLMs of similar ability. This difference increases exponentially as the child grows. Furthermore, when the model is trained on audio rather than text, the learning pace is even slower. So how are young children able to learn so effectively?

Emmanuel Dupoux and his team are tackling this problem with a new Advanced Grant. They build infant simulators that process realistic language input and produce outcomes that are observed in children. They hypothesize that in addition to statistical learning, infants benefit from three mechanisms that facilitate learning: the vocal tract, episodic memory, and evolved learning abilities. Professor Dupoux’s research aims to measure how well each of his three mechanisms works and how they contribute to accelerating a baby’s learning rate.

Emmanuel Dupoux is a professor at the French National School of Sciences and Society (EHESS) and leads the Cognitive Machine Learning team at the Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) in Paris. He is also a part-time scientist at his Facebook AI Research.

His research focuses on the mechanisms and representations unique to the human brain that enable human babies to acquire one or more languages ​​and perform cognitive functions within their culture.

researcher: Emmanuel Dupoux

project: Why do young children learn languages ​​so quickly? A reverse engineering approach (InfantSimulator)

Host organization: Faculty of Social Sciences (FR)

ERC grants: 2.49 million euros over 5 years

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