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Re@ct!
Researchers at school and at university
When fun meets Science!
Pilot project Belgium 2018 2
Table of Contents
Description of Re@ct .......................................................................................... 3 Pool of Researchers ........................................................................................... 5
Researcher: Federica Bressan ......................................................................... 5 Researcher: Johann Wolfschwenger................................................................10 Researcher: Massimo Taronna .......................................................................12 Researcher: Wine Tisseur ..............................................................................13 Researcher: Mathieu Bourguignon ..................................................................15 Researcher: Michalina Oplatowska .................................................................17 Researcher: Jan Völkel .................................................................................20 Researcher: Xoana G. Troncoso .....................................................................23 Researcher: Maryline Calonne .......................................................................26 Researcher: Jean Lacroix ..............................................................................28 Researcher: Aurore Burietz ...........................................................................30 Researcher: Matthieu Gosselin .......................................................................32 Researcher: Yves Mollet ................................................................................34 Researcher: Patricia Bonnavion ......................................................................38 Researcher: Jonàs Juan Mateu .......................................................................41 Researcher: Willeke de Haan .........................................................................45 Researcher: Gwendolyn Bailey .......................................................................47 Researcher: Dr. Karl J. Duffy .........................................................................49 Researcher: Enriqueta Alós ...........................................................................50 Researcher: Dimitris Gakis ............................................................................51 Researcher: Elise Kalokerinos ........................................................................54 Researcher: Carmen Mirabelli ........................................................................55 Researcher: Niels van Duijkeren ....................................................................58 Researcher: GM Velpula ................................................................................61 Researcher: Christine Vos .............................................................................62 Researcher: Mouna Abdesselem .....................................................................65 Researcher: Gangamallaiah Velpula................................................................67 Researcher: David Soto ................................................................................68 Researcher: Mirko Sinico ...............................................................................69 Researcher: Maria Livia Sassano ....................................................................71 Researcher: Saba Safdar ..............................................................................73 Researcher: Gabriel Probst ............................................................................74 Researcher: Sugosh R. Prabhu ......................................................................76 Researcher: Mohamed Mounir .......................................................................77 Researcher: Luca Michele Martulli ..................................................................79 Researcher: Chaoyun Li ................................................................................81 Researcher: Raphaëlle Lesage .......................................................................82 Researcher: Arijit Karmakar ..........................................................................84 Researcher: Hans Kainz ................................................................................85 Researcher: Thomas Haas .............................................................................86 Researcher: Yamid Ali Gomez Rueda ..............................................................87 Researcher: Francisco García Cirujano ............................................................89 Researcher: Veerle de Rond ..........................................................................91 Researcher: Luigi Criscuolo ...........................................................................92 Researcher: Wenchao Cao ............................................................................93 Researcher: Fabio Cameli ..............................................................................94 Researcher: Mattia Bellotti ............................................................................95 Researcher: Marta Barniol Xicota ...................................................................96 Researcher: Sergio Alvarez Pérez ...................................................................98
Pilot project Belgium 2018 3
Description of Re@ct
(EN Version)
Researchers at school and at university: 'Re@ct!'
Re@ct aims to promote research careers among youngsters and dispel stereotypes
about researchers and research. For this purpose, the European Commission
envisages bringing Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSC) researchers closer to learners at
schools and universities. Re@ct is a pilot project and limited to Belgium in 2016.
The action is split into two strands. First and with the collaboration of the
Representation of European Commission in Belgium, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Unit
will organise several presentations at Belgian schools in order that they benefit from
the outstanding research projects and experience of MSC fellows located in the
country (or possibly elsewhere). In addition, several sessions within Belgian
universities will be organised to inform students about the opportunities that a
research career may provide them, including through the MSC actions.
In the event that your school would like to book a timeslot with a specific researcher
please send a message to: [email protected]
Technical requirements for the schools: big screen (for a pwp presentation) and
internet connexion (for online videos).
All the information concerning the title of the talk session, abstract, potential
questions for the teachers to prepare the session with the pupils in advance, dates of
availability and language skills can be found in the section "Pool of Researchers".
First come, first served!
The schools need to be reachable by public transport from Brussels (for those out of
Brussels).
Further information at: http://ec.europa.eu/msca
(Version FR)
Chercheurs dans les écoles et dans les universités: 'Re@ct!'
Re@ct a pour but de promouvoir les carrières de recherche parmi les jeunes et
dissiper les clichés concernant les chercheurs et la recherche. Dans ce but, la
Commission européenne envisage de mettre en contact les boursiers Marie
Skłodowska-Curie (MSC) avec les étudiants des écoles et des universités. Re@ct a
dest donc un projet pilote limité à la Belgique.
L'action se divise en deux parties. D'une part, c'est avec la collaboration de la
Représentation de la Commission européenne en Belgique que l'Unité responsable des
actions Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) organisera plusieurs présentations des
chercheurs au sein d'écoles belges afin que ces écoles et leurs élèves bénéficient
d'excellents projets de recherche et de l'expérience des boursiers MSC qui se trouvent
en Belgique ou dans les pays voisins. D'autre part, quelques séances dans des
Universités belges seront organisées afin d'informer les étudiants des opportunités de
carrière dans la recherche pour leur avenir, les actions MSC incluses.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 4
Si votre école souhaite organiser une telle séance avec les chercheurs, je vous prie de
bien vouloir réserver un créneau horaire et envoyer votre choix à: EAC-MSCA-
Les besoins techniques demandés aux écoles pour l'organisation d'une séance sont:
un grand écran (pour des présentations Powerpoint) et une connexion internet (pour
les vidéos on-line) le cas échéant.
Toutes les informations concernant le titre de la séance, le résumé, les questions
potentielles fournies par les chercheurs à l'avance afin que les professeurs puissent
préparer la séance avec les élèves, la disponibilité des dates et les langues offertes
sont disponibles dans la section "Pool of Researchers".
Premier arrivé, premier servi !
L'école doit pouvoir être accessible facilement en transport en commun à partir de
Bruxelles (pour les écoles en dehors de Bruxelles).
Pour plus d'informations: http://ec.europa.eu/msca
(NL version)
Onderzoekers op school en op de universiteit: 'Re@ct!'
Re@ct heeft als doel onderzoekcarrières onder jongeren te promoten en vooroordelen
over onderzoekers en onderzoek te bestrijden. Daartoe probeert de Europese
Commissie Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSC) onderzoekers dichter bij leerlingen op
scholen en universiteiten te brengen. Re@ct is een proefproject beperkt.
De actie is opgesplitst in twee luiken. Vooreerst en met de medewerking van de
Vertegenwoordiging van de Europese Commissie in België, zal de Marie Skłodowska-
Curie-afdeling een aantal presentaties op Belgische scholen organiseren zodat deze
kunnen profiteren van de uitstekende onderzoeksprojecten en van de ervaring van
onderzoekers met een MSC beurs in eigen land (of eventueel ook uit het buitenland).
Daarnaast zullen een aantal sessies aan Belgische universiteiten georganiseerd
worden om studenten te informeren over de mogelijkheden die een onderzoekcarrière
hen kan bieden, onder meer met de steun van de MSC acties.
Indien je school graag een tijdslot met een specifiek onderzoeker wenst te boeken,
stuur dan een berichtje naar: [email protected]
Technische vereisten voor de scholen: een groot projectiescherm (PowerPoint
presentaties) en een internet aansluiting (voor het tonen van online video's).
Alle informatie met betrekking tot de titel van de gespreksronde, abstract, mogelijke
vragen voor de docenten om de sessie met hun leerlingen voor te bereiden, data van
beschikbaarheid en vereiste taalvaardigheden zijn in de sectie "Pool of Researchers" te
verkrijgen.
"First come, first served!"
De scholen (buiten Brussel gelegen) moeten vanuit Brussel bereikbaar zijn met het
openbaar vervoer.
Meer informatie op: http://ec.europa.eu/msca
Pilot project Belgium 2018 5
Pool of Researchers
Researcher: Federica Bressan
Field: Digital humanities, Cultural heritage preservation, Audio and multimedia
Availability: 20/03-24/03/2018, 16/04-20/04/2018, 15/05-25/05/2018, open to
negotiate other dates.
Languages: English, Italian, Slovenian, French, Dutch, Spanish
In English:
Title: Dynamic Preservation of Interactive Art: The Next Frontier of
Multimedia Cultural Heritage
We have all experienced not being able to find a file on our computer. We can’t search
for a file like we search for an object in a room: retrieval is mainly based on structured
textual descriptors of the digital objects we’re looking for, called metadata. Bad
metadata makes it very difficult or impossible to find things. And not finding things
often equals to not having them: you can’t use something you don’t have.
With my research project, I address the question of how to produce optimal metadata
for interactive art, in order to facilitate the archiving, access and re-purposing of
interactive artworks. Due to its influence on other art forms as well as on the
contemporary culture, the evolution of interactive art may be considered as important
as the evolution of opera in the XVII century. This research contributes to the
promotion and capitalisation of the European multimedia cultural patrimony, informing
and transforming other cultural and industrial sectors, attracting more young
researchers to engage in this field, and opening new career opportunities for young
professionals within and without academia (in museums, information technology,
tourism, history and philology – in cultural industries and creative economy).
My profile: http://research.federicabressan.com/
Project website: http://daphnet.federicabressan.com/
The project on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daphnet4art/
Possible questions:
Pilot project Belgium 2018 6
- Are video games interactive art?
- How do you write metadata? Is it a language?
- What happens when different metadata sets are used to describe the same objects?
- Have you ever imagined what it would be like not to have any information on our -
recent past? Or conversely, what it would be like to have… Leonardo da Vinci’s
Facebook wall?
In Italian:
Titolo: Conservazione dinamica dell'arte interattiva: La prossima frontiera del
patrimonio culturale multimediale
Tutti abbiamo provato almeno una volta a non riuscire a trovare un file sul nostro
computer. Un file non si può cercare come cerchiamo un oggetto nella nostra stanza: il
suo reperimento si basa principalmente su una descrizione testuale strutturata degli
oggetti digitali che stiamo cercando; tale descrizione forma l’insieme dei metadati.
Metadati fatti male rendono il reperimento molto difficile o impossibile. E non trovare
le cose spesso equivale a non averle: non si può usare qualcosa che non si ha.
Il mio progetto di ricerca ha lo scopo di individuare una maniera ottimale di descrivere
l’arte interattiva, al fine di facilitarne l'archiviazione, l'accesso e la riutilizzazione in
contesti diversi. L’importanza dello sviluppo dell’arte interattiva si può paragonare a
quello dell’opera nel XVII secolo, per l’influenza che ha esercitato su altre forme d'arte
e sulla cultura contemporanea. Il mio lavoro di ricerca contribuisce alla promozione e
alla capitalizzazione del patrimonio culturale multimediale europeo, all'informazione e
alla trasformazione di altri settori culturali e industriali, invogliando nuovi giovani
ricercatori a impegnarsi in questo settore e aprendo nuove opportunità di carriera per
giovani professionisti all'interno e all'esterno del mondo accademico (nei musei, nelle
ICT e le tecnologie dell'informazione, nel turismo, nella storia e nella filologia - nelle
industrie culturali e nell'economia creativa).
Il mio profilo: http://research.federicabressan.com/
Sito web del progetto: http://daphnet.federicabressan.com/
Il progetto su Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daphnet4art/
Domande possibili:
- I videogiochi si possono considerare arte interattiva?
- Come vengono scritti i metadati? Hanno una loro lingua?
- Cosa succede quando vengono utilizzati metadati diversi per descrivere gli stessi
oggetti?
- Hai mai immaginato come sarebbe non avere alcuna informazione sul nostro passato
recente? O viceversa, come sarebbe avere... la bacheca di Facebook di Leonardo da
Vinci?
In French:
Titre: Préservation dynamique de l'art interactif: La prochaine frontière du
patrimoine culturel multimédia
Nous avons tous expérimenté ne pas être capable de trouver un fichier sur notre
ordinateur. On ne peut pas rechercher un fichier comme on cherche un objet dans une
pièce: la recherche (in English it's "retrieval", pas "search": is it pareil en FR?) est
principalement basée sur un texte structuré qui décrit les objets numériques qu'on
cherche, appelés metadata. De mauvaises metadata rendent très difficile, voire
Pilot project Belgium 2018 7
impossible, de trouver ce qu'on recherche. Ce qui équivaut souvent à ne pas pouvoir
utiliser quelque chose que l'on n'a pas pu obtenir.
Et ne pas trouver les choses équivaut souvent à ne pas les avoir: on ne peut pas
utiliser quelque chose qu'on n'a pas.
Avec mon projet de recherche, j'aborde la question de savoir comment produire des
métadonnées optimales pour l'art interactif, afin de faciliter l'archivage, l'accès et la
bonne réorientation des œuvres d'art interactives. En raison de son influence sur
d'autres formes d'art ainsi que sur la culture contemporaine, l'évolution de l'art
interactif peut être considérée comme aussi importante que l'évolution de l'opéra au
XVIIe siècle. Cette recherche contribue à la promotion et à la capitalisation du
patrimoine culturel multimédia européen, informant et transformant d'autres secteurs
culturels et industriels, attirant plus de jeunes chercheurs dans ce domaine et ouvrant
de nouvelles perspectives de carrière pour les jeunes professionnels au sein et en
dehors des universités (musés, technologie de l'information, tourisme, histoire et
philologie - dans les industries culturelles et l'économie créative).
Mon profil: http://research.federicabressan.com/
Site web du projet: http://daphnet.federicabressan.com/
Le projet sur Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daphnet4art/
Questions possibles:
- Les jeux vidéo sont-ils un art interactif?
- Comment on écrit les métadonnées? Est-ce une langue?
- Que se passe-t-il lorsque différents métadonnées sont utilisés pour décrire les
mêmes objets?
- Avez-vous déjà imaginé ce que ce serait de ne pas avoir d'informations sur notre
passé récent? Ou inversement, ce que ce serait d'avoir ... la page Facebook de
Léonard de Vinci?
In Dutch:
Titel: Dynamische conservatie (bewaring, bescherming) van interactieve
kunst: De volgende grens van multimedia erfgoed
We hebben het allemaal al eens ervaren dat we een bestand op onze computer niet
kunnen terugvinden. We kunnen niet naar een bestand zoeken zoals we naar een
voorwerp in een kamer zoeken: het ophalen (het zoeken ernaar) is voornamelijk
gebaseerd op gestructureerde tekstuele beschrijvingen van de digitale bestanden
waarnaar we op zoek zijn, genaamd metadata. Slechte metadata maken het heel
moeilijk zoniet onmogelijk om dingen terug te vinden. En het niet terugvinden van
dingen is vaak gelijk aan het niet hebben ervan: je kunt niet iets gebruiken dat je niet
hebt.
Met mijn onderzoeksproject ga ik in op de vraag hoe optimale metadata voor
interactieve kunst kunnen worden geproduceerd, om de archivering, de toegang en
het hergebruik van interactieve kunstwerken te vergemakkelijken.
Vanwege zijn invloed op andere kunstvormen alsook op de hedendaagse cultuur, kan
de evolutie van interactieve kunst even belangrijk worden geacht als de evolutie van
de opera in de zeventiende eeuw. Dit onderzoek draagt bij tot de promotie en
kapitalisatie van het Europese cultureel multimediaal erfgoed, informeert en
transformeert andere culturele en industriële sectoren, trekt meer jonge onderzoekers
aan om zich op dit gebied in te zetten en opent nieuwe carrièrekansen voor jonge
professionals binnen en buiten de academische wereld (in musea,
informatietechnologie, toerisme, geschiedenis en filologie - in culturele industrieën en
creatieve economie).
Pilot project Belgium 2018 8
Mijn profiel: http://research.federicabressan.com/
Website van het project: http://daphnet.federicabressan.com/
Het project op Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daphnet4art/
Vragen:
- Zijn videogames interactieve kunst?
- Hoe schrijf je metadata? Is het een taal?
- Wat gebeurt er wanneer verschillende metadata worden gebruikt om dezelfde
objecten te omschrijven?
- Heb je je ooit voorgesteld hoe het zou zijn om geen informatie te hebben over ons
recente verleden? Of omgekeerd, hoe het zou zijn om... de Facebook pagina van
Leonardo da Vinci te hebben?
In Slovenian:
Naslov: Dinamično ohranjanje interaktivne umetnosti: Naslednja meja
multimedijske kulturne dediščine
Vsi smo že doživeli, da nismo uspeli najti datoteke na svojem računalniku. Datoteke
ne moremo iskati, kot iščemo objekte v prostoru: pridobivanje datoteke temelji
predvsem na strukturiranih besedilnih deskriptorjih digitalnih predmetov, ki jih
iščemo, imenovanih metapodatki. Zaradi slabih metapodatkov je stvari težko ali celo
nemogoče najti. In če nekaj ne najdemo, to pogosto pomeni, da tega nimamo: nekaj,
česar nimamo, pa ne moremo uporabiti.
V svojem raziskovalnem projektu se ukvarjam z vprašanjem, kako izdelati optimalne
metapodatke za interaktivno umetnost, da bi olajšali arhiviranje, dostopnost in
ponovno uporabo interaktivnih umetniških del. Razvoj interaktivne umetnosti se lahko
zaradi vpliva, ki ga ima na druge umetniške oblike in tudi na sodobno kulturo, šteje za
tako pomembnega kot razvoj opere v XVII. stoletju. Ta raziskava prispeva k
promoviranju in kapitalizaciji evropske multimedijske kulturne dediščine, obveščanju
in preoblikovanju drugih kulturnih in industrijskih sektorjev, privabljanju več mladih
raziskovalcev na to področje in odpiranju novih poklicnih priložnosti za mlade
strokovnjake znotraj in zunaj akademskega sveta (v muzejih, informacijski tehnologiji,
turizmu, zgodovini in filologiji – v kulturni industriji in kreativnem gospodarstvu).
Moj profil: http://research.federicabressan.com/
Spletna stran projekta: http://daphnet.federicabressan.com/
Projekt na Facebooku: https://www.facebook.com/daphnet4art/
Vprašanja:
- Ali so video igre interaktivna umetnost?
- Kako napišete metapodatke? Je to jezik?
- Kaj se zgodi, če se za opisovanje istih predmetov uporabljajo različni metapodatki?
- Ali ste kdaj pomislili, kako bi bilo, če ne bi imeli nobenih informacij o naši nedavni
preteklosti? Ali nasprotno, kako bi bilo, če bi si lahko ogledali... Facebook stran
Leonarda da Vincija?
In Spanish:
Título: Preservación dinámica del arte interactivo: La próxima frontera del
patrimonio cultural multimedia
Todos hemos experimentado no poder encontrar un archivo en nuestra computadora.
No es posible buscar un archivo como se busca un objeto en un cuarto: la
Pilot project Belgium 2018 9
recuperación se basa principalmente en descripciones textuales estructuradas de los
objetos digitales que estamos buscando, llamados metadatos. Los metadatos
inadecuados hacen que sea muy difícil o imposible encontrar cosas. Y no encontrarlas
a menudo equivale a no tenerlas: no se puede usar algo que no se tiene.
Con mi proyecto de investigación, abordo la cuestión de cómo producir metadatos
óptimos para el arte interactivo, con el fin de facilitar el archivo, acceso y reutilización
de obras de arte interactiva. Debido a su influencia en otras formas de arte, como en
la cultura contemporánea, la evolución del arte interactivo se puede considerar tan
importante como la evolución de la ópera en el siglo XVII. Esta investigación
contribuye a la promoción y capitalización del patrimonio cultural multimedia europeo,
informando y transformando otros sectores culturales e industriales, atrayendo a más
investigadores jóvenes para participar en este campo y abriendo nuevas
oportunidades de carrera para jóvenes profesionales dentro y fuera de la academia
(en museos, tecnología de la información, turismo, historia y filología – industrias
culturales y la economía creativa).
Mi perfil: http://research.federicabressan.com/
Sitio web del proyecto: http://daphnet.federicabressan.com/
El proyecto en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daphnet4art/
Preguntas:
- ¿Los videojuegos son arte interactivo?
- ¿Cómo se escriben los metadatos? Tienen un lenguaje?
- ¿Qué ocurre cuando se usan diferentes metadatos para describir los mismos objetos?
- ¿Alguna vez has imaginado como sería no tener ninguna información sobre nuestro
pasado reciente? O a la inversa, ¿cómo sería tener... el perfil de Facebook de
Leonardo da Vinci?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 10
Researcher: Johann Wolfschwenger
Field: International Relations and EU Studies
Availability: Until 09/2018
Languages: English and German
In English:
Title: What are International Organizations good for? The case of EU-Russia
relations
Since centuries nations states are the principal units of organizations of peoples. This
hegemony of the nation state has recently been challenged by International
Organizations such as the EU, the UNO or the OSCE. Those organizations are
constituted by the states themselves and have taken over significant tasks from them.
By providing fora of cooperation and legal harmonization those international
organization help to find solutions for problems shared by a number of states and
contribute to peace and economic prosperity. Sometimes, however, the differences of
views and interest between some states are that grave that no dialog is possible and
no solution for common problems can be found. This has happened recently between
the EU and Russia where distrust and the self-serving pursuit of interests has become
the standard way of dealing with each other.
In my research I analyse the work and functioning of International Organizations such
as the EU or the OSCE and the domestic politics of nation states such as Russia, the
EU member states or the states between Russia and the EU, such as Ukraine. I am
trying to find out how an International Organizations should be designed in order to
maintain trust, peace and economic cooperation between Russia and the EU.
Possible questions:
- Why can we travel to other countries?
- Why can we buy fruits from Spain, TVs from China and cars from Germany or Japan?
- What is diplomacy and how has it developed historically?
- The history of an International Organization – let’s say the European Union?
- How and why maintain states relations to each other?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 11
In German:
Titel: Wozu dienen Internationale Organisationen? Am Beispiel der EU-
Russland Beziehungen
Seit Jahrhunderten sind Nationalstaaten die wichtigste Organisationsform von
Gesellschaften. Diese Vormachtstellung der Nationalstaaten ist seit Kurzem durch
Internationalen Organisationen wie die EU, die UNO oder die OSZE in Frage gestellt.
Diese Organisationen werden von ihren Mitgliedstaaten selbst geformt und haben
einige ihrer bedeutenden Aufgaben übernommen. Indem sie Raum für Kooperation
und rechtliche Harmonisierung eröffnen, helfen diese Internationalen Organisationen
gemeinsame Probleme zu lösen und tragen damit zur Erhaltung von Frieden und
Prosperität bei. Manchmal jedoch, sind die Unterschiede der Ansichten und Interessen
der Nationalstaaten so stark, dass ein Dialog nicht möglich ist und keine gemeinsamen
Lösungen gefunden werden können. So etwas ist kürzlich zwischen der EU und
Russland geschehen, wo nun Misstrauen und das Vorantreiben eigennütziger
Interessen der normale Umgangs miteinander ist.
In meiner Forschung analysiere ich die Arbeit und Funktionsweise von Internationalen
Organisationen wie die EU oder die OSZE, die Innenpolitik von Staaten wie Russland,
den EU Mitgliedstaaten, aber auch den Staaten zwischen Russland und der EU, wie die
Ukraine. Ich versuche herauszufinden, wie eine International Organisation
funktionieren sollte, um Vertrauen, Friede und wirtschaftliche Kooperation zwischen
Russland und der EU zu erhalten bzw. wieder herzustellenden.
Mögliche Fragen:
- Warum kann man in andere Länder reisen?
- Warum kann man Früchte aus Spanien, Fernseher aus China und Autos aus
Deutschland oder Japan kaufen?
- Was ist Diplomatie und wie hat sich diese historisch entwickelt?
- Die historische Entwicklung einer Internationalen Organisation – sagen wir der EU?
- Wie und warum unterhalten Staaten Beziehungen zueinander?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 12
Researcher: Massimo Taronna
Field: Quantum Field Theory
Availability: via Skype due to his MSCA fellowship at Princeton University
Languages: English
In English:
Title: Symmetries in Quantum Field Theory
Phase transitions are among the most beautiful physical occurrences in nature. They
describe everyday phenomena from boiling water or liquid-crystal transitions, to
ferromagnetism and superconductors and many others.
Among the most simple and basic properties of phase transitions is that when they
occur the state of matter have uniform physical properties while certain properties of
the medium change discontinuously. Furthermore, a very interesting class of phase
transitions has the additional property that the correlation length of the system grows
exponentially, suggesting the appearance of a new symmetry: scale invariance.
My project aims to develop tools which can lead to methods to solve such phase
transitions analytically, employing symmetry and quantum mechanics to uniquely fix
the dynamics of the transition which in more technical terms is described by a special
type of quantum field theory known as conformal field theory.
Possible questions:
- How can we describe water/gas phase transition? What does it mean to say that
water boils at 100°C: can water boil at different temperatures? How is the boiling
temperature defined? What is the temperature of the vapor when water is boiling? Is it
possible to increase the boiling temperature?
- What is the latent heat?
- What happens to a magnet when it is heated up above a certain temperature? How
can I restore the initial state of the magnet?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 13
Researcher: Wine Tisseur
Field: Translation
Languages: English and Dutch
In English:
Title: Researching language and translation: what is it, how do you do it, and
is it for you?
I was in the final year of secondary school, deciding what to study. I loved languages,
and there were several options. My teachers said: “Whatever you do, choose a
university degree. You need a challenge, a programme that goes into depth and is
broad enough”. I found that a difficult idea: no one in my family had gone to
university. Could I really do that? The academic world seemed hardly accessible to
me, and the idea of one day doing a PhD seemed impossible and even ridiculous.
Research on languages, wasn’t that something that was done by dusty grey men
(especially men) who seemed to live in the library?
But I was wrong, so it seems. Now, many years later, I have finished my PhD, and I
continue doing research on languages and translation. How that happened and what it
is exactly that I do as a researcher is what I would like to share with you. Because no:
I don’t live in the library. As a starting researcher I was financed by the European
Commission with a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship, and I moved to Birmingham
(UK) to do my PhD. My research was on languages and translation at the global
human rights organisation Amnesty International, and I did internships with Amnesty
in Paris, Madrid and Antwerp.
Nowadays I do similar research on languages in the work of development
organisations like Oxfam and Save the Children. What I like most about my research
are the unique opportunities to collaborate with so many different people, to visit so
many different places and countries, and to do something useful for these
organisations with my research. It’s very different from sitting in the library all day.
Maybe it’s also something for you?
Possible questions:
Pilot project Belgium 2018 14
-Why did you decide to start doing research after your university degree?
-What exactly is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship? How does it work?
-How did you find out about this Fellowship?
-Why did you move abroad? Did you choose the country?
-Do you like living in the UK? What do you miss most about Belgium?
-How many languages do you speak?
-What is it like to work with Amnesty International?
The event will be split into two parts: the entertainment and the institutional parts.
In Dutch:
Titel: Een carrière als onderzoeker in talen en vertalen: kan dat en wat is dat?
Ik zat in het zesde middelbaar. Studiekeuze. Ik deed graag talen, en er waren
verschillende mogelijkheden. Mijn leerkrachten zeiden: “Wat je ook kiest, ga naar de
universiteit.. Jij hebt een uitdaging nodig, een opleiding die breed en diep genoeg
gaat”. Dat vond ik een moeilijk idee: niemand in mijn familie had “unief” gedaan. Was
dat wel voor mij? De academische wereld leek mij maar moeilijk toegankelijk, en dat
ik misschien ooit zou kunnen doctoreren leek een onmogelijk en zelfs een onnozel
idee. Onderzoek naar talen, werd dat niet gedaan door stoffige grijze mannen (vooral
mannen) die in de bibliotheek leken te wonen?
Ik had het mis, zo blijkt. Nu, zoveel jaren later ben ik gedoctoreerd, en doe ik
onderzoek naar talen en vertalen. Hoe dat gebeurde en wat ik zoal doe als
onderzoeker dag in dag uit deel ik graag met jullie. Want neen: ik woon niet in de
bibliotheek. Als beginnend onderzoeker werd ik gefinancierd door de Europese
Commissie met een Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship, en ik verhuisde naar
Birmingham (VK) om daar te doctoreren. Mijn onderzoek ging over talen en vertalen
bij Amnesty International, de wereldwijde mensenrechtenorganisatie, en ik deed
stages bij de organisatie in Parijs, Madrid en Antwerpen.
Ook nu doe ik gelijkaardig onderzoek over talen in het werk van hulporganisaties zoals
Oxfam en Save the Children. Het allerleukste aan mijn onderzoek vind ik de unieke
kansen om met zoveel verschillende mensen samen te werken, zo veel verschillende
plaatsen en landen te bezoeken, en met mijn onderzoek iets nuttigs te doen voor deze
organisaties. Dat is heel wat anders dan in de bibliotheek zitten. Het is misschien ook
wel iets voor jou?
Mogelijke vragen:
- Waarom besliste je om met onderzoek te beginnen nadat je afgestudeerd was?
- Wat is een Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship precies? Hoe werkt het?
- Hoe hoorde je over die Fellowship?
- Waarom verhuisde je naar het buitenland? Koos je zelf het land?
- Woon je graag in het Verenigd Koninkrijk? Wat mis je het meest aan België?
- Hoeveel talen spreek je?
- Hoe is het om samen te werken met Amnesty International?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 15
Researcher: Mathieu Bourguignon
Field: Neuroscience, neuroimaging, developmental neuropsychology, signal
processing
Availability: not available from 30/04/2018 until 08/05/2018
Languages: English and French
In English:
Title: Dyslexia seen through the lens of neuroimaging
My name is Mathieu Bourguignon. I am a physics engineer with a PhD in biomedical
sciences, working at the Institute of Neuroscience of the ULB on the neuronal basis of
dyslexia. Children with dyslexia have reading and spelling difficulties despite normal
intelligence. Given the importance of reading in our society, one can understand that
dyslexia may have severe consequences when not dealt with adequately and early
enough.
The goal of my MSCA fellowship is to develop novel techniques based on neuroimaging
to identify and remedy dyslexia earlier than currently possible. To that aim, I mainly
use magnetoencephalography, a technique to record brain activity with a high
precision in time.
Possible Questions:
- How frequent is dyslexia, and how do we identify it?
- What could be the cause of dyslexia?
- How can we take a picture of a living human brain?
- What are the different methods available to study the functioning of the brain?
How do they work?
- What do neuroimaging studies tell us about dyslexia?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 16
- What is needed to become a researcher? What studies should be undertaken?
Is it possible/necessary to live abroad?
In French:
Titre: Mieux comprendre la dyslexie grâce à la neuroimagerie
Mon nom est Mathieu Bourguignon. Je suis un ingénieur physicien avec un doctorat en
science biomédicales, et je travaille à l’Institut des Neurosciences de l’ULB. Mes
recherches visent à mieux comprendre les bases neuronales de la dyslexie. Les
enfants atteints de dyslexie ont des difficultés de lecture et d’écriture, et ceci malgré
qu’ils soient aussi intelligents que les autres. Vu l’importance de la lecture dans notre
société, il est facile de comprendre que la dyslexie peut avoir des conséquences
sévères si elle n’est pas prise en charge de manière appropriée, et assez tôt.
L’objectif the mon projet de recherche MSCA est de développer de nouvelles
techniques basées sur la neuroimagerie pour identifier et remédier à la dyslexie plus
tôt que ce qui est possible pour le moment. A cette fin, j’utilise principalement la
magnétoencéphalographie, une technique d’enregistrement de l’activité du cerveau
caractérisée par une très haute précision temporelle.
Questions fréquemment posées:
- Avec quelle fréquence retrouve-t-on la dyslexie, et comment peut-on
l’identifier ?
- Quelle est la cause de la dyslexie ?
- Comment peut-on prendre une photo d’un cerveau humain vivant ?
- Quelles sont les différentes méthodes disponibles pour étudier le
fonctionnement du cerveau ? Comment fonctionnent-elles ?
- Qu’est-ce que les études de neuroimagerie nous apprennent sur la dyslexie ?
- Que faut-il faire pout devenir chercheur ? Quelles études ? Est-ce
possible/nécessaire de vivre à l’étranger ?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 17
Researcher: Michalina Oplatowska
Field: Food safety
Languages: English and Polish
In English:
Title: safe food = our health
Dr. Michalina Oplatowska-Stachowiak is a scientist who works in the food safety area
that combines different subjects such as chemistry, biology and biotechnology.
After working for 8 years at the University in the United Kingdom, Michalina joined
EuroProxima company in the Netherlands. EuroProxima produces special tests for the
detection of harmful substances in food. These are for example natural toxins
produced by microorganisms in crops or residues of drugs in meat. These substances
should not be present in food as they can be really dangerous to your health. Special
detection methods are used by food producers and inspectors to control their presence
in food.
As a Marie Skłodowska -Curie Fellow, funded by the European Commission, Michalina
works on the MycoTest project at EuroProxima. Her main goal is to develop simple
methods to detect mycotoxins in food. Mycotoxins are produced by moulds – fungal
microorganisms that are in the environment around us. In certain conditions moulds
grow on food and produce mycotoxins. Even a tiny amount of mycotoxins, less than a
breadcrumb, can make you sick. Science knows more than 400 of these chemicals.
Michalina has selected a few of the most important ones and she is making new tests
to detect them in food. These tests are very fast and simple to use. They will be
offered to food producers and inspectors so they can easily test for mycotoxins in
food. It is all about making our food safer!
Preliminary presentation plan, duration approximately 30 min
1. Food safety.
2. What kind of contaminants can be present in food?
3. How is food tested for contaminants?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 18
4. Moulds and toxins produced by them.
5. Marie Sklodowska-Curie project MycoTest: developing news tests to detect toxins
produced by moulds in food.
Possible Questions:
What type of contaminants can be present in food? Think about examples of both
microorganisms and chemicals. What is the food you like the most: meat, fish,
vegetables, candies or chips? Do you know what kind of contaminants can be
present in your favourite food? Can you remember any recent cases of food
contamination from the news?
Some examples: Salmonella bacteria in chicken, mycotoxins in cereals, pesticide
residues in vegetables, melamine in baby milk, antibiotics in milk, harmful dyes in
spices, mercury in fish
What are fungi and moulds?
In Polish:
Title: bezpieczna żywność = nasze zdrowie
Dr. Michalina Opłatowska-Stachowiak, naukowiec w dziedzinie bezpieczeństwa
żywności
Dr. Michalina Opłatowska-Stachowiak jest naukowcem i zajmuje się bezpieczeństwem
żywności, dziedziną badań łączącą w sobie chemię, biologię i biotechnologię.
Michalina pracowała przez 8 lat na uniwersytecie w Wielkiej Brytanii. W tamtym roku
przeniosła się do Holandii, gdzie zaczęła współpracę z firmą EuroProxima. EuroProxima
produkuje specjalne testy do wykrywania w żywności szkodliwych dla naszego zdrowia
substancji. Są to na przykład naturalne toksyny produkowane przez mikroorganizmy w
produktach rolnych albo pozostałości leków w mięsie ze zwierząt hodowlanych.
Substancje te nie powinny znajdować się w żywności, ponieważ mogą być szkodliwe
dla zdrowia. Producenci i kontrolerzy żywności używaja specjalnych metod do
monitorowania obecności zanieczyszczeń w jedzeniu.
Michalina jest obecnie stypendystką programu Maria Skłodowska-Curie Komisji
Europejskiej i pracuje nad projektem MycoTest w firmie EuroProxima. Jej celem jest
opracowanie prostych metod wykrywania mykotoksyn w żywności. Mykotoksyny są
produkowane przez pleśnie – mikroogranizmy grzybowe występujące w środowisku. W
odpowiednich warunkach pleśnie rosną na żywności sprawiając, że nie nadaje się ona
do spożycia przez ludzi. Czasami jest to bardzo niebezpieczne, ponieważ pleśnie mogą
też produkować toksyny. Nawet mniejsza od okruszka ilość tych toksyn może być
przyczyną poważnych chorób. Obecnie znamy więcej niż 400 takich substancji.
Michalina wybrała kilka najważniejszych z nich i pracuje nad nowymi testami do ich
wykrywanie w żywności. Testy te są bardzo szybkie i proste w użyciu. Znajdą one
zastosowanie u producentów i kontrolerów żywności, a wszystko po to, żeby nasze
jedzenie było bezpieczniejsze!
Wstępny plan prezentacji, czas około 30 minut
1. Bezpieczeństwo żywności.
2. Jakie rodzaje zanieczyszczeń mogą występować w żywności?
3. Jak się tetsuje żywność pod kątem zanieczyszczeń?
4. Pleśnie i toksyny przez nie produkowane.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 19
5. Maria Skłodowska-Curie projekt MycoTest: opracowywanie nowych metod
wykrywania toksyn produkowanych przez pleśnie w żywności.
Pytania do dyskusji przed prezentacją
Jakie rodzaje zanieczyszczeń mogą występować w żywności? Czy znasz przykłady
zanieczyszczeń mikroorganizmami i związkami chemicznymi? Jakie jest twoje
ulubione jedzenie: mięso, ryby, warzywa, słodycze, a moze czipsy? Czy wiesz jakie
zanieczyszczenia mogą w nich występować? Czy słyszałes o jakichś niedawnych
przypadkach zanieczyszczeń żywności?
Przykłady: Salmonella w kurczaku, mykotoksyny w zbożach, pestycydy w
warzywach, melamina w mleku dla dzieci, antybiotyki w mleku, szkodliwe barwniki
w przyprawach, rtęć w rybie
Co to są grzyby i pleśnie?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 20
Researcher: Jan Völkel
Field: Political Science, Area Studies Middle East and North Africa
Availability: 01/2018-03/2018, 05/2018-06/018, 11/2018-01/2019
Languages: English, German
In English:
Title: Democracy in the making? The Middle East and North Africa after the
Arab Spring
I am a political scientist who analyses the current developments in the Middle East and
North Africa (MENA) region in a comparative perspective. My Marie Skłodowska-Curie
research project considers the contributions of parliaments in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco
and Tunisia to their countries’ individual policy processes, in particularly since the
“Arab Spring” uprisings in 2011. Hope was high back then that the political systems
across the Arab world would open up and democratise. This, in conclusion, would
inevitably lead to more relevance for the national legislatures as representatives of
people’s will. However, with the exception of Tunisia, this has hardly happened. The
project analyses the major obstacles for more parliamentary relevance, and develops
strategies how these assemblies could effectively strengthened, also from the
European side. Besides, I work as MENA region’s regional coordinator for the
Transformation Index of the Bertelsmann Foundation (BTI, www.bti-project.org), a bi-
annual assessment of political and economic reform in 129 transformation countries
around the globe. Here, I follow very closely all relevant internal and external
developments in 19 MENA countries. side.
Jan Völkel at the Institute for European Studies: https://ies.be/users/jan-völkel
Recent Blog contributions:
As Populists rise in the West, Arab Autocrats rejoice. Social Europe, 10 May
2017
https://www.socialeurope.eu/2017/05/populists-rise-west-arab-autocrats-
rejoice;
Pilot project Belgium 2018 21
re-published in BTI Blog, 19 May 2017, https://blog.bti-
project.org/2017/05/19/populists-rise-west-arab-autocrats-rejoice
(with Paul Esber, University of Sydney) Moving the German anti-IS troops from
Turkey to Jordan: a jump from the frying pan into the fire? Global Policy, 24
July 2017
http://www.globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/24/07/2017/moving-german-anti-
troops-turkey-jordan-jump-frying-pan-fire
republished in BTI Blog, 2 August 2017, https://blog.bti-
project.org/2017/08/02/moving-german-anti-troops-turkey-jordan-jump-
frying-pan-fire/.
Possible Questions:
- What differentiates democracy from autocracy?
- How can democracy be measured?
- Success strategies of populist leaders?
- What role should religion play in politics?
- Economic development under authoritarian leadership – pros and cons?
In German:
Title: “Demokra – nie? Der Nahe Osten und Nordafrika nach dem Arabischen
Frühling”
Als Politikwissenschaftler analysiere ich die aktuellen Entwicklungen in Nahost und
Nordafrika aus vergleichender Perspektive heraus. Mein Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Forschungsprojekt untersucht dabei die Beiträge der nationalen Parlamente von
Ägypten, Jordanien, Marokko und Tunesien im Politikgestaltungsprozess ihrer
jeweiligen Länder, insbesondere seit den Aufständen des “Arabischen Frühlings” im
Jahre 2011. Damals hofften viele, dass sich die starren politischen Systeme der
arabischen Welt nach Jahrzehnten autokratischer Herrschaft öffnen und
demokratisieren würden – was wiederum zu stärkeren Parlamenten führen würde.
Mit Ausnahme Tunesiens ist daraus leider nichts geworden. Das Projekt analysiert
deswegen die größten Hürden, die einer effektiveren Rolle der arabischen Parlamente
im Wege stehen, und entwickelt Strategien, wie diese Parlamente entsprechend
gestärkt werden könnten, auch von europäischer Seite aus.
Neben diesem Projekt, das ich an der Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) durchführe,
arbeite ich als Regionalkoordinator Nahost/Nordafrika beim “Transformationsindex der
Bertelsmann-Stiftung” (BTI, www.bti-project.org), einem alle zwei Jahre
erscheinenden Ranking von weltweit 129 Transformationsländern. Hier verfolge ich
sehr eng alle relevanten internen und externen Entwicklungen in insgesamt 19
Ländern der Region.
Jan Völkel am Institut für European Studies: https://ies.be/users/jan-völkel
Aktuelle Blogbeiträge:
As Populists rise in the West, Arab Autocrats rejoice. Social Europe, 10 May
2017, https://www.socialeurope.eu/2017/05/populists-rise-west-arab-
autocrats-rejoice;
re-published in BTI Blog, 19 May 2017, https://blog.bti-
project.org/2017/05/19/populists-rise-west-arab-autocrats-rejoice
Pilot project Belgium 2018 22
(with Paul Esber, University of Sydney) Moving the German anti-IS troops from
Turkey to Jordan: a jump from the frying pan into the fire? Global Policy, 24
July 2017, http://www.globalpolicyjournal.com/blog/24/07/2017/moving-
german-anti-troops-turkey-jordan-jump-frying-pan-fire;
republished in BTI Blog, 2 August 2017, https://blog.bti-
project.org/2017/08/02/moving-german-anti-troops-turkey-jordan-jump-
frying-pan-fire/.
Mögliche Fragen:
- Was unterscheidet Demokratie von Autokratie?
- Wie kann Demokratie man messen?
- Was sin Erfolgsstrategien populistischer Führungspersonen?
- Welche Rolle sollte Religion in Politik spielen?
- Ökonomische Entwicklung unter autoritärer Führung- Pro und Contra?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 23
Researcher: Xoana G. Troncoso
Field: Physics, optics, neurons
Languages: English, French, Spanish
In English:
Visual Illusions: trick your brain and learn from it!
Understanding how the brain works is one of the greatest scientific challenges of the
21st century. The human brain has around 100 billion specialized cells (called
neurons) making over 1 quadrillion connections among themselves. The connections
among neurons allow them to communicateinformation, creating every experience we
have of the world: everything we think, see, feel, touch, dream, imagine… everything
we do arises from communicating neurons!
But… does the brain ever get it wrong?? In this talk I will use different interactive
demos based on Visual Illusions to demonstrate how our brain can be tricked, making
us perceive things that are not there, not see things that are there, or see things
differently than they actually are. We will discover how these errors help
Neuroscientists learn how the brain works and how it constructs our perception of the
world. In this talk I will use different interactive demos based on Visual Illusions to
demonstrate how our brain can be tricked, making us perceive things that are not
there, not see things that are there, or see things differently than they actually are.
We will discover how these errors help Neuroscientists learn how the brain works and
how it constructs our perception of the world. We will also talk about the different
steps in the career of a Researcher and what path to follow to become an
interdisciplinary Neuroscientist.
Some questions to wonder about before the visit
What is the brain for? What is the function of the brain?
What are neurons? How do neurons communicate?
How do we see/recognize things so fast and with such high resolution? How come
robots/artificial vision systems are much worse than we are at recognizing
objects/people?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 24
Who is in charge of doing research about the brain? What background/studies do
Neuroscientists need?
In French:
Title: Les Illusions: faire mentir son cerveau pour mieux le comprendre
Comprendre comment le cerveau fonctionne est l’un des plus grand défis scientifiques
du XXIe siècle. Chez l’Homme, le cerveau possède autour de 100 milliard de cellules
spécialisés (les neurones) qui font plus de 1 million milliard de connexions entre eux.
C'est-à-dire, il y a plus de neurones dans notre cerveau que d’habitants sur Terre, et
plus de connexions que d’étoiles dans la Voie Lactée! Ces connexions permettent aux
neurones de transmettre des informations, en créant ainsi toutes nos expériences:
tout ce que nous pensons, voyons, sentons, touchons, rêvons, imaginons… tout ce que
nous faisons est généré par des neurones qui communiquent! Mais… le cerveau ne se
trompe-t-il jamais??
Dans mon exposé plusieurs démonstrations interactives basées sur des Illusions
Visuelles illustreront comment notre cerveau peut être piégé et nous faire percevoir
des choses qui ne sont pas là, ou inversement ne pas voir de choses qui sont là, ou
voir les choses différemment de la réalité.
On découvrira comment ces erreurs aide les Chercheurs à mieux comprendre
comment le cerveau fonctionne et comment il construit notre perception du monde.
On parlera aussi des différentes étapes dans la carrière d’un Chercheur et le parcours
professionnel à suivre pour devenir Neuroscientifique interdisciplinaire.
Quelques questions à se poser avant la visite
Le cerveau, if fait quoi? Quelle est sa fonction?
Qu’est-ce que c’est un neurone? Comme est-ce que les neurones se
communiquent entre eux?
Comme est-ce que c’est possible qu’on voie/reconnaît les choses si vite et avec
une résolution tellement haute? Pourquoi les robots et les systèmes de vision
artificielle n’arrivent pas à avoir notre niveau?
Qui fait la recherche sur le cerveau? Quel licence/parcours suivre pour devenir
Neuroscientifique?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 25
In Spanish:
Title: Las ilusiones visuales: engaña el cerebro para comprenderlo mejor
Comprender cómo funciona el cerebro es uno de los desafíos científicos más grandes
del siglo XXI. El celebro posee en torno a 100 millones de células especializadas (las
neuronas) que suponen más de un billón de conexiones entre ellas. Es decir, hay más
neuronas en nuestro cerebro que habitantes en la Tierra, y más conexiones que
estrellas en la Vía Láctea! Estas conexiones permiten a las neuronas transmitir las
informaciones, creando así todas nuestras experiencias:
Todo lo que pensamos, vemos, sentimos, tocamos, sonamos, imaginamos, … todo lo
que hacemos esta generado por neuronas que se comunican! Pero… ¿el cerebro no se
equivoca nunca?
En mi explicación, llevaré a cabo varias demostraciones interactivas basadas sobre las
ilusiones visuales para ilustrar cómo nuestro cerebro puede equivocarse y hacernos
percibir cosas que no son tales, o bien al contrario, no ver cosas que están ahí, o
verlas de manera diferente a como son en realidad.
Descubriremos cómo los errores ayudan a los investigadores a comprender mejor
cómo el cerebro funciona y como se construye nuestra percepción del mundo.
Hablaremos también de las diferentes etapas en la carrera de un investigador, de la
trayectoria profesional a seguir para poder ser un neurocientífico interdisciplinario.
Algunas preguntas para preparar el encuentro
El cerebro, ¿qué hace? ¿Cuál es su función?
¿Qué es una neurona? ¿Cómo se comunican entre ellas?
¿Cómo es posible que veamos y reconozcamos las cosas tan rápido y con una
resolución tan alta? Por qué los robots y los sistemas de visión artificial no llegan a
tener nuestro nivel?
De qué trata la investigación sobre el cerebro? Qué estudios y trayectoria se
pueden seguir para llegar a ser un neurocientífico?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 26
Researcher: Maryline Calonne
Field: Biology
Languages: English and French
In English:
Title: Could plant and fungi remediate to polluted soils?
My name is Maryline Calonne. My area of expertise is the physiology of plants
associated to symbiotic fungi, the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. More specifically, I
investigate their interaction in presence of hydrocarbures. Because of their toxicity to
Human and its environment, it is necessary to remediate hydrocarbures-polluted soils,
which are numerous and worldwide distributed. My current Marie Curie research
project is thus focused on the development of alternative environmental friendly
methods to remediate to hydrocarbures-polluted soils, using plant associated to
arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The purpose of my research is to better understand the
role and benefits of these fungi used as tools for phytoremediation of hydrocarbures-
polluted soils.
Being granted by a two-year post-doctoral experience as a MSCA fellow has given me
the opportunity to continue my research started during my thesis in France and
allowed me to join an expert laboratory in my research topic (Laboratory of mycology
at the Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium). The Marie Curie fellowship has
contributed to my career development in the short-term (by the acquisition of novel
expertise in various domains from science to entrepreneurship) and will, in the long-
term, open large perspectives as full-time researcher in the academic environment.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 27
Possible questions:
What are arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi ?
Is it possible to see these fungi in nature?
How these fungi act on soils depollution ?
What are the advantages of phytoremediation methods ?
Do another soil remediation technics exist ?
How much years of study are necessary to become a researcher?
How does a researcher work in a lab? What does a researcher do each days?
What is the Marie Curie Fellowship?
In French:
Titre : Les plantes et champignons peuvent-ils remédier aux sols pollués ?
Je m’appelle Maryline Calonne. Mon domaine de compétence concerne la physiologie
des plantes associées à des champignons symbiotiques, les champignons mycorhiziens
à arbuscules. Plus spécifiquement, j’étudie leur interaction en présence
d’hydrocarbures. Du fait de leur toxicité pour l’Homme et son environnement, il
devient crucial de remédier aux sols pollués par les hydrocarbures, très nombreux de
par le monde. Mon projet de recherche Marie Curie porte donc sur le développement
de techniques alternatives écologiques de remédiation des sols pollués par les
hydrocarbures, en utilisant les plantes associées à ces champignons mycorhiziens à
arbuscules. L’objectif de mes recherches est de mieux comprendre le rôle et les
bénéfices apportés par ces champignons utilisés comme outils de phytoremédiation
des sols pollués par les hydrocarbures.
Questions fréquemment posées :
Qu’est-ce qu’un champignon mycorhizien à arbuscules ?
Voit-on souvent ces champignons dans la nature ?
Comment ces champignons agissent sur la dépollution des sols ?
Quels sont les avantages de la phytoremédiation ?
Existe-t-il d’autres techniques de remédiation des sols pollués ?
Quel est le nombre d’années d’études pour devenir chercheur ?
Comment travaille-t-on dans un labo ? Comment travaille un chercheur ? Que fait
un chercheur ?
Qu’est-ce que la bourse Marie Curie ?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 28
Researcher: Jean Lacroix
Field: Economics and democratisation
Languages: English and French
In English:
Title: How long should new democracies wait in order to attract foreign
investors?
Foreign investments matter for developing countries. They spur growth, technologies
and knowledge. Democracies have an advantage in attracting such investments.
Lowering the executive discretionary power decreases the risk of investing. However
democratization is maybe not the best solution to attract investors as it generates
uncertainty and often emerges from civil conflict. Therefore the impact of being
democratic on foreign investments inflows may vary over time. Our study measures
this effect.
Possible questions / related issues:
- Globalization / Investment flows. How developing countries are integrated into
international finance?
- What is democratization? The importance of free and fair elections and of a
democratic constitution. What is a constitution? What is a democratic constitution?
Notions of popular sovereignty and of checks and balances.
- Democratization and its effect on a country profile (corruption, education, growth…).
- Decision-making process in democracies. The role of the median voter.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 29
In French:
Title: Combien de temps les nouvelles démocraties doivent-elles attendre
pour attirer les investisseurs étrangers?
Les investissements étrangers sont un enjeu majeur pour les pays en développement.
Ils sont vecteurs de croissance et permettent également la diffusion de nouvelles
technologies et de savoirs. Les démocraties semblent avoir un avantage pour attirer
ces investissements. Limiter les pouvoirs des dirigeants politiques réduit les risques
liés à l’investissement. Cependant se démocratiser n’est peut-être pas la meilleure
solution pour attirer les investisseurs. Les épisodes de démocratisation sont en effet
souvent le résultat de conflits internes et peuvent donc mener à un contexte
économique incertain. Par conséquent l’attrait d’un régime démocratique auprès des
investisseurs étrangers peut varier dans le temps. Notre étude mesure cet effet.
Questions fréquemment posées :
- La mondialisation et les flux d’investissements / Comment les pays en
développement sont intégrés au système financier mondial?
- Qu’est-ce que la démocratisation ? L’importance d’élections libres et équitables.
Qu’est-ce qu’une constitution ? Qu’est-ce qu’une constitution démocratique? Les
notions de souveraineté populaire et de pouvoir et contre-pouvoir.
- La démocratisation et son effet sur un pays (changement en termes de corruption,
éducation et croissance).
- Le processus de décision en démocratie. L’importance de l’électeur median
Pilot project Belgium 2018 30
Researcher: Aurore Burietz
Field: Economics and democratisation
Languages: English and French
In English:
Title: Doing research: An exciting work to learn and travel
lPost-doc at ULB for one year within the MacroHist project (Marie Curie ITN Program),
I got my master at IESEG School of Management and my PhD at the University of
Picardie (both in France). With my coauthors, we are studying the interwar period
(1919-1938) and we are working on the contagion effect in financial markets during
the different crises that occurred at that time.
Possible questions:
- What do you do on a day-to-day basis?
- What are the opportunities to travel?
- What do you like in this job?
- What are the difficulties?
- How have you heard about this job?
- What are the different step to become a researcher?
- What are the topics you are working on?
- How have you picked up your topic? Why?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 31
In French:
Title: Faire de la recherche: Un travail stimulant pour apprendre et voyager
Post-doc à l’ULB pour un an dans le cadre du project MacroHist (Marie Curie ITN
Program), j’ai obtenu mon master à l’IESEG School of Management et mon doctorat à
l’université de Picardie (toutes les deux situées en France). Avec mes co-auteurs, nous
étudions la période de l’entre-deux guerres (1919-1938)
et nous travaillons sur le phénomène de contagion sur les marchés financiers pendant
les différentes crises qui caractérisent cette période.
Questions fréquemment posées :
- En quoi consiste votre travail au quotidien?
- Comment cela vous amène-t-il à voyager?
- Qu'est-ce qui vous plait dans ce métier?
- Quelles sont les difficultés?
- Comment avez-vous découvert ce métier?
- Quel parcours faut-il suivre pour faire de la recherche son métier?
- Sur quels thèmes travaillez-vous?
- Comment avez-vous choisi votre sujet? Pour quoi?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 32
Researcher: Matthieu Gosselin
Field: Gravitational waves, Physics
Languages: English and French
In English:
Title: "Listening to the Univers"
Matthieu is a PhD student at the European Gravitational Observatory in Italy. In this
laboratory they use a laser to detect gravitational waves coming from space. It is a
very huge project which takes into account every single detail. He is working on the
improvement of a part of the laser that will be used in the future.
Possible questions:
Can you get black by superposing two beams of light?
Is it easier to look or to listen to what is happening in space?
Is it possible to measure a change of distance by one hair's width between the
Earth and the Sun?
Why do we want to detect gravitational waves?
While graduated of telecommunication engineering, why did I finally decide to get
involved in this research project?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 33
In French:
Title: "À l'écoute de l'Univers"
Matthieu est un doctorant à l'Observatoire Gravitationnel Européen en Italie. Dans ce
laboratoire ils utilisent un laser pour détecter les ondes gravitationnelles venant de
l'espace. C'est un immense projet qui tient compte du moindre petit détail. Il travaille
sur l'amélioration d'une partie de ce laser qui sera utilisée dans le futur.
Questions fréquemment posées :
Est-ce vous pouvez obtenir du noir en superposant deux faisceaux de lumière?
Est-il plus facile de regarder ou d'écouter ce qu'il se passe dans l'espace?
Est-ce qu'il est possible de mesurer un changement de distance de l'épaisseur d'un
cheveu entre la Terre et le Soleil?
Pourquoi est-ce qu'on veut détecter les ondes gravitationnelles?
Alors que j'ai un diplôme d'ingénieur en télécommunication, pourquoi ai-je décidé
de m'impliquer de ce projet de recherche?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 34
Researcher: Yves Mollet
Field: Engineering
Languages: French, Dutch and English
In English:
Title: "Study, test and optimize electrical vehicles in order to increase their
competitiveness"
Electrical vehicles are progressively appearing on the roads but many challenges still
need to be taken in terms of autonomy, performance, but also vibrations and
acoustics. The substitution of the combustion engine with an electrical motor does
reduce the global noise level in the car interior, but the nature of the sounds can be
more annoying for the driver and for his passengers than in a classical vehicle.
The European project DeMoTestEV (for DEsign, Modelling and TESTing tools for
Electrical Vehicles powertrain drives) on which I am working as a PhD candidate at the
ULB with the collaboration of Siemens Industry Software NV (SISW, ex LMS
International) in Leuven and ICPE in Bucharest aims at solving vibration and acoustic
noise problems in electrical vehicles (EVs). The project also proposes new modelling
and testing tools in electromagnetic, vibrational and acoustic domains.
With Siemens I had the opportunity of performing simulations and experimental tests
on a particular and still rarely used machine (called “switched reluctance machine”)
and improve a test bench with more classical machines in order to reproduce typical
working conditions in an EV.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 35
In ICPE I proposed a new winding to study short-circuits in a prototype of a
permanent-magnet machine for EV and realized a simulation model of that
machine.
Possible questions:
Which solutions can the EVs bring to better preserve our environment?
What are the challenges to be taken for a better competitiveness of EV on the
market?
What is the working principle of an electrical motor? What is a permanent magnet?
What is an electromagnet?
What is the resonance phenomenon? Where can it appear? Give examples from
everyday life.
What's a short-circuit ? What are the related dangers?
In French:
Title: 'Etudier, tester et optimiser les véhicules électriques pour améliorer
leur compétitivité'
Les véhicules électriques font timidement leur apparition sur nos routes alors que de
nombreux défis sont encore à relever en termes d’autonomie, de performances, mais
aussi de vibrations et d’acoustique. Le remplacement du moteur thermique par un
moteur électrique dans un véhicule réduit, certes, le niveau sonore global dans
l’habitacle, mais la nature des sons perçus peut s’avérer au final plus dérangeante
pour le conducteur et pour ses passagers que dans un véhicule classique.
C’est dans ce cadre que s’inscrit le projet européen DeMoTestEV (pour DEsign,
Modelling and TESTing tools for Electrical Vehicles powertrain drives) sur lequel je
travaille pour mon doctorat à l’ULB en collaboration avec Siemens Industry Software
NV (SISW, ex LMS International) à Louvain et ICPE à Bucarest. Le projet propose en
outre de nouveaux outils de modélisation et de tests dans les domaines
électromagnétique, vibratoire et acoustique.
Avec Siemens, j’ai eu l’occasion de faire des simulations et des tests vibro-acoustiques
sur une machine particulière (dite « à réluctance variable ») encore peu répandue et
de perfectionner un banc d’essais de machines plus classiques pour reproduire les
conditions de fonctionnement typiques d’un véhicule électrique.
Chez ICPE, j’ai proposé un nouveau bobinage pour l’étude de courts-circuits sur un
prototype de machine à aimants permanents pour véhicule et réalisé un modèle de
simulation de cette machine.
Questions fréquemment posées :
Pilot project Belgium 2018 36
Quelles solutions les véhicules électriques apportent-ils pour une meilleure
préservation de l’environnement ?
Quels sont les défis à relever pour une meilleure compétitivité des véhicules
électriques ?
Quel est le principe de fonctionnement d’un moteur électrique ? Qu’est-ce qu’un
aimant permanent ? Qu’est-ce qu’un électro-aimant ?
Qu’est-ce que le phénomène de résonance ? Où peut-il intervenir ? Donnez des
exemples de la vie courante.
Qu’est-ce qu’un court-circuit ? Quels en sont les dangers ?
In Dutch:
Title: 'Elektrische voertuigen studeren, testen en optimaliseren om hun
competitiviteit te verbeteren'
Elektrische voertuigen verschijnen geleidelijk op onze wegen, maar vele uitdagingen
moeten steeds aangenomen worden op het vlak van autonomie, prestatie, trillingen
en akoestiek. De vervanging van de verbrandingsmotor door een elektrische motor in
het voertuig vermindert zeker het totale geluidsniveau in de auto, maar de natuur van
het geluid kan uiteindelijk meer verstorend zijn voor de bestuurder en voor zijn
passagiers dan in een klassiek voertuig.
In dat kader bevindt zich het Europese project DeMoTestEV (pour DEsign, Modelling
and TESTing tools for Electrical Vehicles powertrain drives) waarvoor ik werk voor mijn
doctoraat bij de ULB, samen met Siemens Industry Software NV (SISW, ex LMS
International) in Leuven en ICPE in Boekarest. Het project biedt ook nieuwe middelen
aan voor het modelleren en het testen in elektromagnetische, trillings- en akoestische
velden.
Met SISW had ik de gelegenheid om simulaties en trilling- en akoestische
experimenten op een speciale en nog weinig gebruikte machine (“variabele
reluctantiemachine” genoemd) uit te voeren en om een testbank met klassiekere
machines te verbeteren om de typische werkcondities van een elektrische voertuig te
reproduceren.
Bij ICPE heb ik een nieuwe wikkeling voor een prototype met permanente magneten
voor elektrische voertuigen aangeboden en een model van deze machine gerealiseerd.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 37
Mogelijke vragen:
- Welke oplossingen kunnen de elektrische voertuigen aanbieden voor een betere
milieubescherming?
- Welke uitdagingen moeten aangenomen worden om de competitiviteit van
elektrische voertuigen te verbeteren?
- Wat is het werkingsprinciep van elektrische motoren? Wat is een permanente
magneet? Wat is een elektromagneet?
- Wat is het resonantiefenomeen? Waar kan het ingrijpen? Geef voorbeelden van het
gewone leven.
- Wat is een kortsluiting? Wat zijn de verwante gevaren?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 38
Researcher: Patricia Bonnavion
Field: Neuroscience
Languages: French and English
In English:
Title: How to control brain activity with light ?"
My research consists in understanding how the brain operates to conduct or control
one behaviour. For example, what happens in the brain that makes us fall asleep, feel
hungry or sated, feel stressed when passing an exam or pay attention in class. I’m
also interested in understanding what goes wrong in the brain that may cause
insomnia, eating disorders or anxiety for some people, or what can lead to inattention
and impulsive decisions. I study how neurons function and communicate in the brain
to conduct and orchestrate these multiple behaviours. More particularly, I observe and
manipulate the electrical activity of specific neurons in certain brain regions, and
examine its consequences on behaviour.
To control the electrical activity of neurons, we employ an innovative technique called
optogenetics that allows stimulating or shutting off specific neurons with light, using
genetic manipulations and thin optical fibers inserted into the brain. To conduct our
research, we study mice behaviour, which share the same genes, brain anatomy and
many brain functions with humans.
With the support of the European Commission and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Fellowship program, I am developing a project that aims to better understand the
brain dysfunctions occurring in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which
includes inattention, restlessness, and impulsivity, and affects many children
worldwide. We are using optogenetics in mice models of ADHD, which are mice
exhibiting most of ADHD symptoms and that respond to the same drugs used to treat
ADHD in humans. The objective is to examine the role of certain neurons that may
Pilot project Belgium 2018 39
cause ADHD, and test whether controlling and adapting these neurons activity might
help to correct and treat these symptoms.
Possible questions:
- What is the brain?
- What is a neuron?
- What is optogenetics?
- Why do we use rodents to study human brain? What behaviour and brain disorder
can we study in rodents?
- What is ADHD? How do we treat ADHD? Can rodents have ADHD like humans?
- What do you like most about doing research?
- What studies are needed to be a Neuroscientist?
In French:
Title: Comment contrôler l’activité du cerveau avec de la lumière?
Ma recherche consiste à comprendre comment le cerveau opère pour provoquer ou
contrôler un comportement. Par exemple, que se passe-t-il dans le cerveau quand on
s’endort ? Quand on a faim ou quand on se sent rassasié? Quand on est stressé par un
examen, ou que l’on porte son attention en classe? Je m’intéresse également aux
changements ou dérèglements du cerveau qui peuvent provoquer de l’insomnie, des
troubles alimentaires, ou de l’anxiété chez certaines personnes, ou bien encore ce qui
conduit à être inattentif ou impulsif. J’étudie comment les neurones fonctionnent et
communiquent dans le cerveau pour générer et orchestrer ces multiples
comportements. Plus précisément, j’observe et manipule l’activité électrique de
neurones spécifiques dans certaines régions du cerveau, et j’en examine les
conséquences sur le comportement.
Pour contrôler l’activité électrique des neurones, nous employons une technique
innovatrice appelée « optogénétique », qui permet de stimuler ou d’éteindre des
neurones distincts en utilisant des manipulations génétiques et en insérant de fines
fibres optiques dans le cerveau. Pour mener ces recherches, nous étudions le
comportement de la souris qui partage les mêmes gènes, la même anatomie du
cerveau et beaucoup de fonctions cérébrales communes à l’homme.
Avec le soutien de la Commission Européenne et le programme de bourses Marie
Skłodowska-Curie, je développe un projet qui vise à comprendre les dérèglements du
cerveau dans les troubles de l’attention avec hyperactivité (TDAH), qui incluent de
l’inattention, de l’agitation et de l’impulsivité, et touchent de nombreux enfants dans
le monde entier. Je mène des études d’optogénétique sur des modèles de souris
TDAH, c’est à dire des souris qui présentent notamment la plupart des symptômes
TDAH et qui répondent aux mêmes traitements employés chez l’homme. L’objectif
étant de comprendre le rôle de certains neurones qui pourraient être à l’origine des
symptômes des TDAH, et nous tentons de corriger et traiter ces symptômes en
contrôlant et en réajustant l’activité de ces neurones.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 40
Questions fréquemment posées :
- Qu’est-ce que le cerveau ?
- Qu’est-ce qu’un neurone ?
- Qu’est-ce que l’optogénétique ?
- Pourquoi étudie-t-on les rongeurs pour comprendre le cerveau humain ? Quels
comportements et troubles du cerveau peut-on étudier chez les rongeurs ?
- Que sont les troubles de l’attention avec hyperactivité (TDAH) ? Comment les
traite-t-on ? Les rongeurs peuvent-ils avoir des TDAH comme les humains ?
- Qu’est-ce qui vous plait le plus dans la recherche ?
- Quelles études doit-on faire pour être chercheur en Neuroscience ?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 41
Researcher: Jonàs Juan Mateu
Field: health, diabetes
Languages: French, Spanish and English
In English:
Title: Did you know that diabetes affects more than 400 million world-wide
and its causes remain poorly understood?
Jonàs Juan-Mateu is a biologist from Mallorca, Spain, developing his Marie Curie
project at the Center for Diabetes Research of the Université Libre de Bruxelles. His
project BETA-SPLICENET is focused in studying the role of a complex process of gene
regulation called alternative splicing in the development of type 1 diabetes (T1D).
T1D is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the cells of the
pancreas that produce insulin, the beta cells, provoking its progressive dysfunction
and death. Patients with T1D produce little or no insulin, a hormone that tells the cells
of the body to uptake glucose (a sugar) and turn it into energy. As a result the body’s
cells starve from the lack of glucose and the blood glucose levels increase. High blood
sugar levels can damage eyes, kidneys, nerves, and the heart, and can also lead to
coma and death. T1D is increasing at an alarming rate in all the world, and there is
presently no therapies to cure or prevent the disease.
Alternative splicing is a process that allows a single gene to produce different proteins.
The genetic information (the biological instructions) is codified inside the genes in the
DNA. This information is transferred to mRNA in a process called transcription. After
transcription, the information within the mRNA is used to produce proteins, the
molecules that will do all the functions that a cell needs to work properly. However,
mRNA can be re-organized in different ways by a cut and join process called
alternative splicing, allowing a gene to produce multiple mRNA variants that will give
rise to different proteins with different functions. Alternative splicing affects many
cellular functions and can contribute to the development of human diseases.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 42
The BETA-SPLICENET project uses in vitro beta cell culture under stress conditions and
RNA-sequencing to identify splicing alternations that contribute to the death or
dysfunction of beta cells during T1D. Hopefully, the discovery of key mRNA splice
variants involved in T1D may lead to the development of new therapies for diabetic
patients.
Possible questions:
The role of insulin in regulating the metabolism of sugars
Diabetes and type 1 diabetes. Pathology, causes and therapies.
The transmission of the genetic information (DNA-RNA-proteins).
Alternative splicing. Regulation, types of alternative splicing, impact on protein
function.
Methodologies for biomedical research. Cell culture, RNA-sequencing.
In French:
Title: Est-ce que vous savez que le diabète affecte plus de 400 millions dans
le monde et ses causes demeurent mal comprises?
Jonàs Juan-Mateu est un biologiste de Majorque, Espagne, qui développe son projet
Marie Curie au Centre for Diabetes Research de l'Université Libre de Bruxelles. Son
projet BETA-SPLICENET se concentre sur le rôle de l’épissage alternatif, un processus
de régulation génétique, dans le développement du diabète de type 1 (DT1).
DT1 est une maladie auto-immune où le système immunitaire attaque les cellules du
pancréas qui produisent l'insuline, les cellules bêta, provoquant leur
dysfonctionnement et leur mort progressive. Les patients avec le DT1produisent peu
ou pas d'insuline, une hormone qui indique aux cellules du corps d’absorber glucose
(sucre) et de le transformer en énergie. En conséquence, les cellules du corps
manquent de l'énergie pour bien fonctionner et le niveau de glucose dans le sang
(glycémie) augmente. Un niveau élevé de glycémie peut endommager les yeux, les
reins, les nerfs et le coeur, et peuvent également conduire au coma et à la mort.
L’incidence de DT1 s'accroît à un rythme alarmant dans le monde entier, et il n'y a
actuellement pas de traitements pour soigner ou prévenir la maladie.
L'épissage alternatif est un processus qui permet à un seul gène de produire des
protéines différentes. L'information génétique (les instructions biologiques) est codifiée
à l'intérieur des gènes dans l'ADN. Cette information est transférée à l'ARNm grâce à
un processus appelé transcription. Après la transcription, l'information au sein de
l'ARNm est utilisé pour produire des protéines, les molécules qui feront toutes les
fonctions qu'une cellule nécessite pour fonctionner correctement. Toutefois, l’ARNm
peut être re-organisés de différentes façons par un processus de coupe et épissure
appelé épissage alternatif, permettant à un gène de produire plusieurs variants de
ARNm qui donneront lieu à différentes protéines avec des fonctions différentes.
L'épissage alternatif affecte de nombreuses fonctions cellulaires et peut contribuer au
développement de la maladie humaine.
Le projet BETA-SPLICENET utilise les cultures in vitro de cellules bêta en conditions de
stress et le séquençage d’ARN pour identifier les modifications d'épissage qui
contribuent à la mort ou le dysfonctionnement des cellules bêta au cours de T1D. La
Pilot project Belgium 2018 43
découverte des principaux variants de mRNA impliqués dans DT1 peut entraîner le
développement de nouvelles thérapies pour les patients diabétiques.
Questions fréquemment posées :
Le rôle de l'insuline dans la régulation du métabolisme des sucres
Le diabète et le diabète de type 1. Pathologie, causes et thérapies.
La transmission de l'information génétique (ADN-ARN-protéines).
L'épissage alternatif. Règlement, types d'épissage alternatif, l'impact sur la
fonction de la protéine.
Les méthodologies pour la recherche biomédicale. Culture cellulaire,
séquençage de l'ARN.
In Spanish:
Title: ¿Sabías que la diabetes afecta a más de 400 millones de personas en
todo el mundo y sus causas siguen sin comprenderse bien?
Jonàs Juan Mateu es un biólogo de Mallorca que desarrolla su proyecto Marie
Skłodowska-Curie en el Centro de Investigación en Diabetes de la Universidad Libre de
Bruselas. Su proyecto BETA-SPLICENET se centra en estudiar el papel del splicing
alternativo, un proceso de regulación genética, en el desarrollo de la diabetes de tipo
1 (DT1).
DT1 es una enfermedad autoinmune en la cual el sistema inmune ataca las células del
páncreas productoras de insulina, las células beta, provocando su mal funcionamiento
y su muerte progresiva. Los pacientes con DT1 producen muy poca o nada insulina,
una hormona que indica a las células del cuerpo cuando tienen que absorber glucosa
(azúcar) y transformarlo en energía. En consecuencia, las células del cuerpo no
disponen de energía para funcionar correctamente y los niveles de azúcar en sangre
aumentan. Un nivel elevado de azúcar en la sangre puede dañar los ojos, los riñones,
los nervios y el corazón, pudiendo inducir al coma y a la muerte. La incidencia de DT1
esta aumentando a un ritmo alarmante en todo el mundo sin que actualmente
dispongamos de tratamientos para prevenir o curar la enfermedad.
El splicing alternativo es un proceso que permite a un gen producir proteínas
diferentes. La información genética (las instrucciones biológicas) está codificada en el
interior de los genes dentro del ADN. Esta información se transfiere al ARNm mediante
un proceso llamado transcripción. Después de la transcripción, la información dentro
del ARNm se utiliza para producir las proteínas, las moléculas encargadas de realizar
todas las funciones que una célula necesita para funcionar correctamente. No
obstante, el ARNm puede ser re-organizado de maneras diferentes mediante un
proceso de corte y empalme llamado splicing alternativo, permitiendo a un solo gen
producir múltiples variantes de ARNm que darán lugar a diferentes proteínas con
funciones diferentes. El splicing alternativo afecta muchas funciones celulares y puede
contribuir al desarrollo de enfermedades humanas.
El proyecto BETA-SPLICENET utiliza el cultivo in vitro de células beta en condiciones
de stress y la secuenciación de ARN para identificar alteraciones de splicing que
contribuyen a la muerte o disfunción de las células beta durante el desarrollo de DT1.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 44
El descubrimiento de las principales variantes de ARNm implicadas en DT1 podría
ayudar a desarrollar nuevas terapias para los pacientes con diabetes.
Algunas preguntas para preparar el encuentro:
• La insulina y su papel en la regulación del metabolismo de la glucosa.
• Diabetes y diabetes de tipo 1. Patología, causa y terapias.
• La transmisión de la información genética (ADN-ARN-proteínas).
• Splicing alternativo. Regulación, tipos de splicing alternativo, impacto sobre la
función proteica.
• Metodologías en la investigación biomédica. Cultivo celular y secuenciación de
ARN.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 45
Researcher: Willeke de Haan
Field: Cardiovascular Sciences
Languages: English, Dutch
In English:
Title: Specialisation of hepatic blood vessels
The inner layer of blood vessels consists of endothelial cells. These cells are very
specialized depending on the vessel type and organ they reside in. In the brain, for
example, endothelial cells form a tight barrier to prevent the entry of toxins, whereas
endothelial cells in the liver facilitate the transport of many different substances to the
hepatocytes. This is important because the liver is crucial in the removal of toxins and
waste products from the body and also important in the uptake and release of utrients
into the blood. Therefore, endothelial cells in the liver contain fenestrae (openings
between the endothelial cells) and they express receptors to take up macromolecules
in the liver parenchyma.
In my project I study how these endothelial cells in the liver acquire their specific
functions. In addition I evaluate how changes in these endothelial cells affect liver
function and development of liver disease. This knowledge may contribute to the
discovery of novel therapeutics to treat liver disease in the future.
In Dutch:
Title: Specialisatie van bloedvaten in the lever
De binnenste laag van onze bloedvaten wordt gevormd door endotheelcellen.
Deze endotheelcellen zijn verschillend in structuur en functie afhankelijk het type
bloedvat en de plaats in het lichaam waar ze zich bevinden. In de hersenen,
Pilot project Belgium 2018 46
bijvoorbeeld, vormen endotheelcellen een barrière om te voorkomen dat schadelijke
stoffen uit het bloed bij de hersencellen kunnen komen, terwijl de endotheelcellen in
de lever juist gespecialiseerd zijn om een grote hoeveelheid verschillende stoffen naar
de levercellen te transporteren. Dit is belangrijk omdat de lever essentieel is in de
afbraak van lichaamseigen afvalproducten, medicijnen en gifstoffen en daarnaast
verantwoordelijk is voor het opnemen en uitscheiden van voedingsstoffen zoals vetten
en glucose in het bloed. In mijn project onderzoek ik hoe endotheelcellen in de lever
zich specialiseren. Daarnaast probeer ik erachter te komen hoe veranderingen in de
specifieke functie van deze endotheelcellen kunnen leiden tot het ontstaan van
leverziekten. Uiteindelijk zou deze kennis bij kunnen dragen tot het vinden van nieuwe
manieren om leverziektes te behandelen.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 47
Researcher: Gwendolyn Bailey
Field: Sustainable Materials
Languages: English and French
In English:
Title: How can we make electric vehicles (EVs) more environmentally
friendly?
Contrary to popular belief, the electric vehicle may be more damaging to the
environment than initially perceived. This is because they are powered by electricity
from a grid which has still not been decarburized, and they contain rare earth
permanent magnets such as neodymium iron boron. Neodymium is a rare earth
element which is considered to be at a global supply risk. China produces 97 % of the
worlds rare earth supply. In order to retain some of the magnetic materials that exist
in EVs already in Europe, we have developed new recycling and reuse routes for these
permanent magnet EV motors to decrease the risk of complete reliance on China.
However the price of rare earth elements is lowering and therefore government
intervention and/or price influence is necessary to establish a recycling and collection
system. Therefore the monetary impact of each recycling solution is evaluated in our
study. Our Marie Skłodowska-Curie project will answer the questions: are EVs and
their strong magnetic materials in fact environmentally friendly and are they
economically feasible?
Possible Questions/related issues:
- How do EVs contribute to sustainability? Can you name other examples of
sustainable technologies?
- What is sustainability?
- The importance of rare earth permanent magnets in our society.
- How does an EV motor work?
- Brainstorm ways to meet the objective of becoming independent of Chinese
sourced rare earth magnets in other ways?
- Is it important for the clean tech industry to be ‘clean’?
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In French:
Titre: Comment rendre les voitures électriques plus durables?
Contrairement aux idées reçues, l’impact de la voiture électrique sur l’environnement
est bien plus négatif que positif. L’électricité utilisée provient du réseau électrique qui
est lui-même généralement approvisionné par des sources d’énergies fossiles. De plus,
les voitures électriques contiennent des aimants permanents conçus à partir de terres
rares, notamment du néodyme, du fer et du bore. L’utilisation durable du néodyme est
considéré comme un risque majeur, car, avec près de 97% de la production mondiale,
la Chine possède le monopole de l’approvisionnement.
Nous développons actuellement de nouvelles voies de recyclages et de réutilisation
des moteurs électriques afin de préserver les matériaux magnétiques déjà utilisés à
l’heure actuelle dans les véhicules électriques en Europe et ainsi réduire la
dépendance vis-à-vis de la Chine.
Cependant, avec la baisse des prix des terres rares, il est devenu nécessaire de mettre
en place des régulations gouvernementales et/ou financières afin d’assurer la création
de filières de recyclages. C’est dans ce contexte que notre étude s’attelle à évaluer les
possibles leviers économiques (à disposition).
Notre projet Marie Skłodowska-Curie répond ainsi à la problématique suivante :
L’utilisation de voitures électriques, et notamment de leurs composants chimiques,
est-elle respectueuse de l’environnement et durable ?
Quelques questions à se poser avant la visite:
Comment les voitures électriques contribuent au développement durable ?
Autres exemples des technologies durables ?
Que signifie le développement durable ?
Les terres rares sont-elles importantes ?
Comment le moteur d’une voiture électrique fonctionne-t-il ?
Existe-t-il d'autres moyens pour réduire notre dépendance par rapport à la
Chine concernant les matériaux magnétiques ?
Est-ce important qu'une technologie durable reste ‘durable’ ?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 49
Researcher: Dr. Karl J. Duffy
Field: Population Ecology
Language: English only
In English
Title: How do we know whether populations of wild species will go extinct?
Extinction of animal and plant populations is becoming more frequent. This is mainly
because humans are having an increasing effect on the natural environment. Yet, we
directly depend on plant and animals for food and clothes, so we need to know how
wild populations will respond to a rapidly changing environment. Plant and animals
normally have a particular range of environmental conditions in which they can
survive, and they often interact with other organisms in ways that are not immediately
obvious. In order to predict how humans affect the natural environment, we need to
measure these environmental conditions to better understand why species occur
where they do. Using the example of plants and their mutualists, I will explain how
scientists try to understand the ecology of natural populations in changing
environments, what the threats are facing natural populations, and what we can do to
prevent future extinction of wildlife.
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Researcher: Enriqueta Alós
Field: Improvement of fruit nutritional quality
Languages: English
In English:
Title: Increasing nutritional content of apples: “an apple a day keeps the
doctor away”
The saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ accurately summarises that apples
are full of healthy compounds. Ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C, is one of them
and it is particularly interesting because it acts both as a vitamin and as an
antioxidant. Vitamin C is not only crucial for humans nutrition, but can also improve
the storability of the apples, hence, considering the importance of this compound in
apples our research aims to discover the main factors that regulate its concentration.
By knowing which are the key regulators of vitamin C variation in apple fruits, in the
future we will be able to breed and select apple varieties with higher vitamin C
contents. Our studies aim i) to identify master regulators of vitamin C metabolism ii)
to find gene sequences that are tightly associated to the differences in vitamin C
content and iii) to identify DNA properties, apart from the genetic sequence, that are
key for the vitamin C content.
Questions to discuss:
- Why do humans need vitamin C to survive?
- Which fruits and vegetables have more vitamin C than others?
- How can we improve the vitamin content in fruits?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 51
Researcher: Dimitris Gakis
Field: Philosophy
Languages: English, Greek
In English:
Title: Philosophy, Language, Politics, and Wittgenstein
My name is Dimitris Gakis and I am currently a Marie Skłodowska-Curie post-doctoral
fellow at the Institute of Philosophy, KU Leuven. During my bachelor studies in
Computer Science I developed a strong research interest in language. That interest led
me to study Language Technology at a master’s level, where I was exposed to
philosophy of language and logic. In this way, my long standing side-interest in
(mainly political) philosophy came to meet my fascination by language as a human
phenomenon, being particularly intrigued by the works of one of the most important
20th century philosophers, Ludwig Wittgenstein. By the completion of my master
studies I had decided that philosophical research was what I wanted to do from that
point on. So, I started and completed a PhD in Philosophy at the University of
Amsterdam, investigating the relation between Wittgenstein’s life and thought and
their broader (intellectual, cultural, political, social, historical) context. After the
completion of my PhD, the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship gave me the
opportunity to expand my line of research, focusing this time on the relevance of
Wittgenstein’s philosophy for contemporary political theory.
While Wittgenstein is occupied with various themes in his philosophical writings
(ontology, language, logic, psychology, epistemology, mathematics), discussions of
issues of an explicit political nature are almost completely absent. Nevertheless, his
work, and especially its later phase, constitutes a significant source of inspiration and
influence for contemporary political theory. My research addresses this apparent
discrepancy by, first, highlighting the political aspects of Wittgenstein’s philosophy
and, second, examining the exact nature of Wittgenstein’s influence on particular
political thinkers. The main goal of my research is to enrich political reflection, which
Pilot project Belgium 2018 52
in times of (financial, ecological, geopolitical) crisis like ours is as vital as ever, by
providing it with a distinctive Wittgensteinian direction.
Possible questions:
- Why did you decide to start doing research after your university degree?
- How have you picked up your research field and themes? Why?
- What do you like most about doing research? What are the difficulties?
- What does a philosophy researcher do on a day-to-day basis?
- What is philosophy’s value, role, and place in 21st century?
- What are Wittgenstein’s most important ideas?
- What exactly is a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship? How does it work?
- How did you find out about this Fellowship?
- Why did you move abroad? Did you choose the country?
- How many languages do you speak?
In Greek:
Τίτλος: Φιλοσοφία, Γλώσσα, Πολιτική, και Wittgenstein
Το όνομά μου είναι Δημήτρης Γάκης και είμαι μεταδιδακτορικός υπότροφος Marie
Skłodowska-Curie στο Ινστιτούτο Φιλοσοφίας του KU Leuven. Κατά τη διάρκεια των
προπτυχιακών μου σπουδών πάνω στην Επιστήμη Υπολογιστών ανέπτυξα ένα ισχυρό
ερευνητικό ενδιαφέρον για τη γλώσσα. Το ενδιαφέρον αυτό με οδήγησε στο να
σπουδάσω Γλωσσική Τεχνολογία σε μεταπτυχιακό επίπεδο, όπου και ήρθα σε επαφή με
τη φιλοσοφία της γλώσσας και τη λογική. Κατά αυτόν τον τρόπο, το μακροχρόνιο
παράλληλο ενδιαφέρον μου για την (κυρίως πολιτική) φιλοσοφία συναντήθηκε με το
ενθουσιώδες ενδιαφέρον μου για τη γλώσσα ως ανθρώπινο φαινόμενο,
παρακινούμενος ιδιαίτερα από το έργο ενός από τους σημαντικότερους φιλοσόφους του
20ου αιώνα, του Ludwig Wittgenstein. Με την ολοκλήρωση των μεταπτυχιακών μου
σπουδών είχα αποφασίσει πως η φιλοσοφική έρευνα ήταν αυτό με το οποίο ήθελα να
ασχοληθώ από εκείνο το σημείο και ύστερα. Έτσι, ξεκίνησα και ολοκλήρωσα ένα
διδακτορικό στη φιλοσοφία στο Πανεπιστήμιο του Άμστερνταμ, εξετάζοντας τη σχέση
μεταξύ του έργου και της ζωής του Wittgenstein και του ευρύτερου (πνευματικού,
καλλιτεχνικού, πολιτικού, κοινωνικού, ιστορικού) πλαισίου τους. Μετά την ολοκλήρωση
του διδακτορικού μου, η υποτροφία Marie Skłodowska-Curie μου προσέφερε την
ευκαιρία να επεκτείνω το πεδίο της έρευνάς μου, εστιάζοντας αυτήν τη φορά πάνω στη
σημασία της φιλοσοφίας του Wittgenstein για τη σύγχρονη πολιτική θεωρία.
Ενώ ο Wittgenstein καταπιάνεται με διάφορα θέματα στα φιλοσοφικά του γραπτά
(οντολογία, γλώσσα, λογική, ψυχολογία, επιστημολογία, μαθηματικά), οι συζητήσεις
θεμάτων ρητής πολιτικής φύσης απουσιάζουν σχεδόν παντελώς. Μολαταύτα, το έργο
του, και ιδιαίτερα η ύστερη φάση του, συνιστά σημαντική πηγή έμπνευσης και επιρροής
για τη σύγχρονη πολιτική θεωρία. Η έρευνά μου εξετάζει αυτή τη φαινομενική
αναντιστοιχία μέσω, πρώτον, της ανάδειξης των πολιτικών πτυχών της φιλοσοφίας του
Wittgenstein, και, δεύτερον, της διερεύνησης της ακριβούς φύσης της επιρροής του
πάνω σε συγκεκριμένους πολιτικούς στοχαστές. Ο βασικός στόχος της έρευνάς μου
είναι να εμπλουτίσει τον πολιτικό στοχασμό, ο οποίος σε καιρούς (οικονομικής,
οικολογικής, γεωπολιτικής) κρίσης όπως οι δικοί μας είναι ζωτικής σημασίας όσο ποτέ,
παρέχοντάς του μια διακριτή βιττγκενσταϊνική κατεύθυνση.
Πιθανές ερωτήσεις:
- Γιατί αποφάσισες να ασχοληθείς με την έρευνα μετά την ολοκλήρωση των σπουδών
σου;
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- Πώς επέλεξες τα ερευνητικά σου πεδία και θέματα και γιατί;
- Τι σου αρέσει περισσότερο στην έρευνα; Ποιες είναι οι δυσκολίες;
- Τι κάνει ένας ερευνητής της φιλοσοφίας σε καθημερινή βάση;
- Ποια είναι η αξία, ο ρόλος, και η θέση της φιλοσοφίας στον 21ο αιώνα;
- Ποιες είναι οι πιο σημαντικές ιδέες του Wittgenstein;
- Τι ακριβώς είναι η υποτροφία Marie Skłodowska-Curie; Πώς λειτουργεί;
- Πώς έμαθες για αυτήν την υποτροφία;
- Γιατί μετακόμισες στο εξωτερικό; Επέλεξες εσύ τη χώρα;
- Πόσες γλώσσες μιλάς;
Pilot project Belgium 2018 54
Researcher: Elise Kalokerinos
Field: Psychology
Language: English (native speaker)
In English:
Title: How to deal with how you feel: Understanding and training context-
dependent emotion regulation
People deal with their emotions in lots of different ways, for example, by distracting
themselves, looking for the positives in a situation, or hiding how they feel from other
people. Lots of research has demonstrated that how we deal with our emotions is
really important to our mental health. However, most of this research tends to
categorize ways of dealing with emotion as being “good” or “bad”. In my research, I
have people answer questions about their emotions and the situations that they are in
on smartphones multiple times a day across two weeks. In my research, I show that
some “bad” ways of dealing with emotions are actually helpful in certain situations,
some “good” ways of dealing with emotions can be harmful in certain situations.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 55
Researcher: Carmen Mirabelli
Field: Virology
Language: English, French, Italian
Viruses WWW- What are viruses? Who works with viruses? Why working with
viruses?
Virus are particles which defy all sort of definitions. They are in between life and non-
life because only when viruses parasite a cell, they become able to make copies of
themselves by using the energy and the structure of the cell. We therefore use to
know viruses as invaders who exploit and challenge our cells and our immune system
and ultimately make us sick. However, this is not completely true! There are several
viruses which live naturally in the body and their invasion is not correlated with an
infection.
Actually, given the importance of host cells, it is pointless for viruses to destroy their
only source of `life`. Indeed, what we consider infection is the result of the virus
invasion but also the response of our body.
The job of virologists, the people like me, who work with viruses is indeed to
understand how the virus interact with our body and what are the causes of an
infection. To study viruses, we need a model of infection. We can use simple or
complex systems. The simple ones are important to understand the mechanistic things
(how the virus gets into the cells, how it replicates), the complex one are more
important to study the effect of the infection on the organism. For this, we use animal
model like worms, fishes, mice or also people who volunteer in participating in
scientific studies. Our simple models of infection are cells that we culture in plastic
bottles and we can observe with a microscope or analyse with other machines during
the infection. Unfortunately, we don’t have cells for all the viral infection. I am
currently working on a type of common cold virus, the rhinovirus C, which cannot be
Pilot project Belgium 2018 56
cultured. In this case we need to push harder the research because without a model of
infection, we cannot identify the virus in people who are infected, study the virus and
find the weaknesses of the virus. With this approach, we try to develop therapies,
mainly antivirals and vaccines. Antivirals target the virus or the host cell to block one
or multiple step of viral cycle: the entry, the replication, the assembly of the viruses,
etc. Vaccines act on the host immune system.
By doing research every day, we do not study to have a good note (like at school) but
to try to push the boundary of knowledge, solve problems and ultimately save lives.
We are therefore kind of super-heroes; we work in the shadow like Batman but the
impact of our discoveries really make the difference in the everyday life of each
people.
In French:
Title: Virus www: quoi-qui-pour quoi
Les viruses sont des particules qui défient toutes sortes de définition. Ils se placent
aux limites entre vie et non-vie car seulement quand ils parasitent une cellule, ils
acquièrent la capabilité de se multiplier tout en utilisant l`énergie et les structures de
la cellule hôte. On connait pourtant les viruses comme des conquéreurs qui en
exploitant nos systèmes, cellulaire et immunitaire, nous rendent malades. En fait, ce
concept n`est pas vraiment exacte ! Il y a dans notre organisme plein de viruses qui
vient normalement dans notre organisme et leur invasion n`est pas du tout corrélé a`
une infection. Vu l`importance de la cellule hôte, c`est au fait contreproductive pour
le virus de détruire sa seule source de vie. Par conséquence, l`infection est le résultat
de l`infection et de la reponse qui monte notre organisme.
Le job des virologues, les gens comme moi qui étudient les virus, est de comprendre
comment le virus interagit avec l`organisme et comment cette interaction parfois
génères des symptômes et une infection. Pour étudier les virus, on utilise des
systèmes : simples ou complexes.
Les systèmes simples nous servent pour comprendre les mécanismes (l`entrée des
viruses dans la cellule, sa réplication), les complexes sont important pour étudier
l`effet de l`infection sur un organisme. Pour cela, on se sert des modèles animaux,
nématodes, poissons, souris, ou des gens qui volontairement participent à des études.
Nos modèles simples d`infection sont au contraire des cellules maintenues dans des
bouteilles en plastique qu`on infecte et observes avec des microscopes ou des autres
machines. Malheureusement, on ne possède pas des cellules pour tous les types de
virus. Par exemple, maintenant je travaille avec un type de virus du rhume qui ne
peut pas être cultive` et par conséquence, étudié. Dans ce cas, il faut pousser la
recherche encore plus car, sans un modèle d`infection, il est impossible de détecter le
virus dans des personnes infectées, étudier le virus et au final comprendre ses
faiblesses. On essaye avec cette approche pour développer des thérapies : antivirales
et vaccines. Les antiviraux ciblent le virus même oh là cellule hote, les vaccines
agissent sur le système immunitaire de l`hôte.
A travers la recherche, tous les jours nous essayons de pousser les limites de la
connaissance, résoudre des problèmes et au final, sauver des vies. On est des
superhéros qui travailles dans l`obscurité et l'anonymat comme Batman mais qui
peuvent avec ses découvertes avoir un impact considérable dans la vie de toutes les
gens.
In Italian:
Title: Virus WWW: cosa-chi-perché
Pilot project Belgium 2018 57
I virus sono particelle difficilmente categorizzabili e definibili. Oscillano infatti tra vita e
non-vita in quanto da soli non sono capaci di espletare alcuna funzione biologica ma
quando parassitano una cellula possono sfruttare la sua energia e le sue strutture per
moltiplicarsi.
I virus sono quindi considerati come degli invasori che usano i nostri sistemi e ci
rendono malati. Tuttavia, questo concetto non é del tutto esatto. Esistono nel nostro
organismo tanti virus la cui invasione non equivale a una infezione. E se ci si pensa,
non vi é alcun interesse da parte del virus di distruggere la sua sola fonte di vita (che
sia una cellula o un organismo). Per cui è corretto piuttosto pensare che l'infezione sia
il risultato combinato di infezione e la risposta dell'organismo all'infezione!
Il lavoro del virologo, di chi, come me, studia i virus è di capire come i virus possano
interagire con l'organismo e come questa interazione possa tradursi in sintomi e
infezione.
Per studiare i virus, possiamo utilizzare modelli semplici o complessi. I primi
permettono di capire i meccanismi di invasione virale (l'ingresso dei virus nella cellula,
la replicazione virale), i secondi l'effetto dell'infezione su un organismo. Come modelli
complessi, usiamo modelli animali come nematodi, pesci, moscerini, topi o anche
uomini che volontariamente decidono di sottoporsi a studi clinici.
I nostri modelli semplici sono invece delle cellule mantenute in cultura in supporti
plastici, la cui infezione con virus può essere seguita con microscopi e altri macchinari.
Sfortunatamente, non abbiamo un modello cellulare per ogni infezione virale. In
questo momento, ad esempio, sto lavorando su l'infezione del virus del raffreddore
(Rhinovirus) di tipo C per il quale non si dispone di un modello di infezione semplice e
che, di conseguenza, é molto difficile studiare. In questo caso, bisogna investire molto
di più nella ricerca in quanto l'assenza di un modello incide sulla capacità di diagnosi,
di studio e di sviluppo di terapie.
Lo scopo ultimo, infatti, dello studio é di individuare punti deboli del virus e elaborare
strategie terapeutiche: molecole antivirali o vaccini. Le prime agiscono a livello
cellulare, i vaccini a livello sistemico.
A traverso la ricerca, cerchiamo ogni giorno di spingere i confini della conoscenza un
po' più in là, risolvere i problemi per poter alla fine salvare delle vite. I ricercatori sono
dei piccoli supereroi che lavorano nell'ombra, a volte nell'anonimato, proprio come
Batman ma che, grazie alle loro scoperte, posso avere un impatto considerevole sulla
vita della gente.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 58
Researcher: Niels van Duijkeren
Field: Control of Robotic Systems
Language: English and Dutch
In English:
Title: “Research in mechatronics, advanced play with mechanics, electronics
and computers.”
You can’t escape from it. news item about remote controlled quadrocopters (a type of
drone), built by hobbyists in their homes. Spectacular race tracks are constructed to
host drone races to find the fastest pilot. The most remarkable thing about this
phenomenon is that it is not just for the die-hard enthusiast, for a few hundred Euros
one can purchase the required parts or a complete kit. And the automatic control
systems, implemented on small microcomputers, accommodate that almost anyone
can fly them. The hobby-pilot provides the desired flying direction. The
microcomputers compute blazing fast how fast each motor should run and adapts its
decision automatically in case of side wind. How to exactly determine the best steering
signal is a typical example of a research in question in systems & control.
Drones are just one example where control systems are prominently present. Self-
driving cars use controllers as well, to automatically plan safe trajectories and for
robots in factories a questions remains is how to utilize powerful computers to execute
tasks fast and energy efficient.
Possible questions to prepare:
Pilot project Belgium 2018 59
To control a steam engine, James Watt applied a concept by Leonardo Da Vince: the
centrifugal regulator.
A valve in the supply of steam is manipulated by a fast rotating mechanism. You can
find an image of such a regulator below. Explain how you think it works.
Think of five examples from daily life where control systems play an important role.
• An important goal of a regulator is disturbance rejection. Say that we want to keep
the quadrocopter still at a certain position, an unforeseen wind gust appears. Think of
a way how we can let the quadrocopter correct for this disturbance and return to its
desired position. Hint: every regulator requires measurements (using sensors). Which
sensors would you use and how would you use them.
• Controller design often happens through mathematical optimization. An example of
an optimization problem is how to find the fastest path from one point to another on
the map, like in a navigation system. Think of an efficient way to obtain the shortest
path. Hint: how can you exclude many paths very quickly (think of intersections)?
In Dutch:
Title: “Onderzoek in de mechatronica, knutselen op niveau met mechanica,
electronica en computers.”
Je kunt er haast niet meer omheen. Op het nieuws zie je berichten voorbij komen over
mensen die met een zelfgebouwde, op afstand bestuurbare quadrocopter (een type
drone) rondvliegen. Op spectaculaire circuits worden zelfs al races georganiseerd om
te zien wie het snelst is. Het meest opvallende aan dit nieuwe fenomeen is dat het niet
meer enkel voor de die-hard hobbyisten is weggelegd. Voor een paar honderd euro
bestel je de onderdelen of een bouwpakket. Het automatische regelsysteem, dat
geïmplementeerd is op kleine microcomputers, zorgt ervoor dat de quadrocopter voor
iedereen makkelijk te besturen is. De hobby-piloot geeft met de afstandbediening aan
waar de drone naartoe moet vliegen. De microcomputer rekent razendsnel snel uit hoe
elke motor hiervoor aangestuurd moet worden en past zich automatisch aan in het
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geval van zijwind. Hoe we precies het beste stuursignaal naar de motoren berekenen,
is een typische onderzoeksvraag in de systeem & regeltechniek.
Drones zijn één voorbeeld waar regeltechniek prominent aanwezig is. Ook in
zelfrijdende auto’s wordt door regelaars automatisch een veilige weg gepland en bij
robots in fabrieken is de vraag hoe we krachtige computers kunnen inzetten om taken
snel en energiezuinig uit te voeren. Mogelijke vragen om voor te bereiden:
Om een stoommachine in bedwang te houden paste James Watt een concept van
Leonardo Da Vinci toe: de centrifugaalregelaar. Deze vinding was cruciaal voor de
industriële revolutie. De klep voor de toevoer van stoom wordt bediend door een snel
ronddraaiend mechanisme.
Hieronder zie je een afbeelding van deze regelaar. Leg uit hoe jij denkt dat deze
werkt.
Bedenk een vijftal toepassingen waarvan jij denkt dat regeltechniek een rol speelt in
het dagelijks leven.
• Een belangrijk doel van een regelaar is verstoringen weg te werken. Stel dat we de
quadrocopter stil willen laten hangen op één bepaalde plek, maar er komt een
onvoorziene windvlaag.
Bedenk hoe we ervoor kunnen zorgen dat de quadrocopter zich automatisch
corrigeert. Tip: zonder metingen (middels sensoren) geen regelaar. Welke sensoren
zou jij gebruiken en hoe zou je deze gebruiken?
• Een regelaar wordt typisch ontworpen met behulp van wiskunde optimalisatie. Een
voorbeeld is hoe we de snelste weg vinden van één punt op de kaart naar een ander
punt, zoals op een navigatiesysteem. Bedenk hoe jij efficiënt een computer zou
gebruiken om de kortste weg te vinden. Tip: hoe kun je veel paden uitsluiten (denk
aan de rol van kruispunten)?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 61
Researcher: GM Velpula
Field: Nanochemistry
Language: English
In English:
Title: Impact of Nanoscience and technology on Future Energy Devices
Developing an environmentally clean and practical technology for producing renewable
energy from natural resources, such as sunlight, rain and wind is the challenging job
to the scientists. Among these, solar energy has received a great attention because as
long as sun rises, the Earth will have a sustainable source of energy. Colleting this
complete energy source has been a dream of mankind for thousands of years. Variety
of instruments (devices) have been developed for collecting this energy. However,
today’s devices are unable to convert complete sun light into electricity. One of the
main reasons is lack of complete understanding of basic structure (nanostructure) of
the devices. It is believed that the arrangement of chemical molecules in the
nanostructure define the performance of the devices. Therefore, to know the
arrangement of the molecules in the nanostructure, advanced techniques are required.
Scanning probe microscopy, especially, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) emerged
as a powerful tool not only to visualize the surface pattern but also to control atoms
and molecules on surfaces. The direct visualization of molecules by STM of a structure
serves the better understanding of the organization of the molecules on surfaces,
which is of relevance for the construction of high performance molecular devices.
Figure 1: STM image with molecular resolution showing arrangement of both the
molecules at the heptanoic acid/graphite interface.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 62
Researcher: Christine Vos
Field: Biology, Agriculture, Plant Science, Microbiology,Plant diseases; Biological
control
Language: Dutch, English, French
In English:
Title: SOS Agriculture: How to protect plants against disease in a sustainable
way
Plants in fields and greenhouses, such as potato and tomato, continuously suffer from
attacks by a large range of enemies. Insects, fungi, bacteria and viruses can damage,
weaken or even kill large amounts of plants very fast. This is dangerous for our food
production. It is thus very important to protect plants against such attackers.
Traditionally in our agriculture this is done by spraying chemical pesticides. However
some of these pesticides have negative effects on us and on the environment. So we
urgently need to look for other solutions that are more sustainable. That is what my
research is all about. I am investigating whether we can protect plants against the bad
microbes by using good microbes or biocontrol organisms. In my work I try to
discover promising biocontrol organisms and then to understand the strategy they use
to protect a plant, so we can use them in the best possible way in agriculture. Of
course I do not do all of this work only by myself. I collaborate with other researchers
and companies from all over the world, which makes this a very exciting international
job that is also giving me the chance to do my bit in making this world a better place.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 63
Possible questions:
- Have you ever seen a sick plant? Do you know any plant diseases?
- What can cause plant disease?
- How important do you think plant diseases are for our food production? The teacher
could give the famous example of the Great Famine in Ireland in the 19th century
caused by a potato disease
- How do you think plant diseases are treated nowadays?
- Have you already heard about biological control is? Do you know any examples?
In Dutch:
Titel: SOS landbouw: Hoe planten te beschermen tegen ziekte op een
duurzame manier
Planten in het veld of in de serre, zoals aardappelen en tomaten, worden voortdurend
aangevallen door allerlei vijanden. Insecten, schimmels, bacteriën en virussen kunnen
allemaal heel snel een plant aantasten, verzwakken of zelfs afdoden. Dit is gevaarlijk
voor onze voedselproductie. Het is dus erg belangrijk dat we planten beschermen
tegen ziektes. Traditioneel wordt dit in onze landbouw vooral gedaan door het
bespuiten met chemische pesticiden. Helaas zijn er verschillende pesticiden die
negatieve effecten kunnen hebben op ons en op onze omgeving. Daarom moeten we
dringend op zoek naar andere oplossingen die duurzamer en milieuvriendelijker zijn.
Dat is waar mijn werk helemaal om draait. Ik onderzoek of we planten kunnen
beschermen tegen kwaadaardige microben door het gebruik van goedaardige
microben of biocontrole-organismen. Hierbij probeer ik nieuwe veelbelovende
biocontrole-organismen te ontdekken, en dan te begrijpen welke strategie zij
gebruiken om de plant te beschermen, zodat we ze op de meest optimale manier
kunnen inzetten in onze landbouw. Natuurlijk doe ik al dit werk niet alleen: ik werk
samen met collega-onderzoekers en bedrijven overal ter wereld. Dit alles maakt dat ik
een erg opwindende en internationale job heb, die me ook nog eens toelaat om mijn
steentje bij te dragen aan de bouw van een betere wereld.
Voorbeeldvragen die de leerkracht kan stellen ter voorbereiding van de sessie:
- Heb je al eens een zieke plant gezien? Ken je een plantenziekte?
- Hoe kan plantenziekte veroorzaakt worden?
- Welke impact denk je dat plantenziekten kunnen hebben op onze voedselproductie?
De leerkracht kan eventueel het erg bekende voorbeeld geven van de Ierse Grote
Hongersnood in de 19de eeuw veroorzaakt door de aardappelziekte.
- Hoe denk je dat plantenziekten tegenwoordig worden behandeld in onze landbouw?
- Heb je al eens van biologische controle gehoord? Ken je er voorbeelden van?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 64
In French:
Titre: SOS agriculture: Comment protéger nos plantes contre les maladies
d’une façon durable
Les plantes de plein champ ou de serre, comme les pommes de terre et les tomates,
sont sans cesse attaquées par des ennemies. Des insectes, champignons, bactéries et
virus peuvent tous très vite les endommager, affaiblir ou même tuer. C’est une
situation dangereuse pour notre sécurité alimentaire et c’est donc très important que
l’on protège les plantes contre les maladies. Traditionnellement dans notre agriculture
on traite les plantes avec des pesticides chimiques. Malheureusement ils existent
plusieurs pesticides dont l’usage entraîne des conséquences négatives pour nous et
pour notre environnement. Il est donc urgent que l’on trouve d’autres solutions plus
durables. Voilà le thème central de mon travail. J’examine si l’on peut protéger les
plantes contre les microbes nocifs en utilisant des microbes bénéfiques, nommés des
organismes de biocontrôle. J’essaie de découvrir des nouveaux organismes de
biocontrôle prometteurs, et ensuite de comprendre quelle stratégie ils utilisent pour
protéger les plantes, pour que l’on puisse les appliquer d’une façon optimale dans
notre agriculture. Bien entendu je ne fais pas tout ce travail que par moi-même : je
collabore avec d’autres chercheurs et entreprises partout dans le monde. Tout cela fait
que mon travail est international et très excitant, et en plus il me permet de
contribuer modestement à la construction d’un meilleur monde.
Des exemples de questions que le professeur peut poser en préparation de la session:
- Avez-vous déjà vu une plante malade? Connaissez-vous des maladies de plantes ?
- Qu’est-ce qui peut causer une maladie chez les plantes ?
- Quel est l’impact des maladies des plantes sur notre production d’aliments ? Le
professeur peut donner l’exemple connu de la Grande Famine en Irlande au 19ième
siècle, causé par une maladie affectant les pommes de terre.
- Comment les maladies des plantes sont traitées dans notre agriculture ?
- Avez-vous déjà entendu parler de contrôle biologique ? Pouvez-vous donner des
exemples ?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 65
Researcher: Mouna Abdesselem
Field: Biophysics, Cardiology
Languages: English, French
In English:
Title: How can you mend a broken heart*?
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of death in Europe and in the world.
Because of their prevalence in aging population, cardiovascular diseases are an
important public health issue. After a heart attack (myocardial infarction), part of the
cardiac tissue has died. Around the injury, the remaining live cells will grow and adapt,
but the heart is unable to heal fully. Overall, the heart pump function is weakened
and the beating rhythm is deadly disturbed.
The heart function results from a remarkable coordination between processes
happening at different scales: from the full organ to very small regions inside the cells
no larger than a few micron wide. During disease, these very small regions are
dramatically disturbed, affecting the cardiac cells contraction. My project focuses on
understanding how these regions can handle chemical messengers that are essential
for the good function of the heart. My work will provide an original insight in heart
remodeling and may pave the way for developing novel treatments.
*It’s the title of an old song, check it out if you’re curious!
Possible questions:
Pilot project Belgium 2018 66
- What is the heart for?
- What happens during a heart attack? And after?
- How does a heart cell look like?
- How can we observe heart cells and their activity?
- How did you become a scientist?
- What do like the most in your job? / What do you dislike the most?
- I do not like sciences! Shall I work for research?
In French:
Titre : Un cœur blessé, est-ce que ça se répare ?
Les maladies cardiovasculaires sont les principales causes de décès en Europe et dans
le monde. En raison de leur prévalence dans la population âgée, les maladies
cardiovasculaires constituent un problème de santé publique important. Après une
crise cardiaque (infarctus du myocarde), une partie du tissu cardiaque meurt. Autour
de la blessure, les cellules survivantes vont grandir et s'adapter, mais le cœur est
incapable de guérir complètement. Dans l'ensemble, la fonction de pompe cardiaque
est affaiblie et le rythme de battement est gravement perturbé.
La fonction cardiaque résulte d'une coordination remarquable entre des processus se
déroulant à différentes échelles: de l'organe complet à de très petites régions à
l'intérieur des cellules, ne dépassant pas quelques microns de large. Pendant la
maladie, ces très petites régions sont considérablement perturbées, affectant la
contraction des cellules cardiaques. Mon projet vise à comprendre comment ces
régions peuvent gérer les messagers chimiques essentiels au bon fonctionnement du
cœur. Mon travail apportera une vision originale du remodelage cardiaque et pourrait
ouvrir la voie au développement de nouveaux traitements pharmaceutiques.
Des exemples de questions que le professeur peut poser en préparation de la session:
- A quoi sert le cœur ?
- Qu’est-ce qui se passe pendant une attaque cardiaque ? Et après ?
- A quoi ressemble une cellule du cœur ?
- Comment observer les cellules du cœur et leur activité ?
- Comment êtes-vous devenue scientifique ?
- Qu’est-ce qui vous plaît le plus dans votre métier ? Qu’est-ce qui vous déplaît ?
- Je n’aime pas les sciences ! Est-ce que je devrais faire de la recherche ?
Pilot project Belgium 2018 67
Researcher: Gangamallaiah Velpula
Field: chemistry
Language: English
Title: Exploring the Interface Between Ionic Liquids and Graphene:
Elucidating Structure and Electronic Properties
In English:
GRAPHIL aims at generating a detailed picture of the lateral nanostructure of the ionic
liquid (IL)-graphene interface. A special focus will be given to the understanding of the
IL-graphene interactions that generate the interfacial structure and to the influence of
IL on graphene electronic structure. This understanding will greatly benefit the
research on IL/graphene based energy storage devices. State-of-the-art amplitude-
modulated atomic force microscopy (AM-AFM) will be employed to visualize the lateral
arrangement of cations and anions for a series of ionic liquids in order to establish the
correlation between the constituent ions and the interfacial structure of IL on
graphene. Raman spectroscopy will be used to establish the dependence of IL
structure on the electronic structure of graphene.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 68
Researcher: David Soto
Field: biology, environment
Language: English, Spanish
Title: Aquatic-terrestrial linkages in Afrotropical lakes and rivers using stable
hydrogen isotopes
In English:
Understanding ecological functioning of large aquatic ecosystems provides an essential
framework for conservation and management of aquatic resources. The degree to
which aquatic and terrestrial primary production fuel Afrotropical aquatic food webs
remains poorly understood, since quantifying the relative contributions of these
resources is methodologically challenging. Recently, the promising use of stable
hydrogen isotope ratios has gained attention to complement other isotope tracers for
aquatic food webs due to their greater power of separation between aquatic and
terrestrial subsidies. The aims of this research are to quantify to which extent aquatic
communities in the Congo River basin and L. Edward depend on aquatic and terrestrial
primary production using a multiple tracer approach during different hydrological
conditions, and over different temporal scales (recent versus historical, using
museum-archived specimens). This proposal will link terrestrial inputs to invertebrate
Pilot project Belgium 2018 69
and fish productivity in the Congo River basin and Lake Edward to understand their
ecosystem functioning. The information obtained through this project will be of direct
relevance for the conservation and management of important goods and services
offered by these ecosystems (i.e. fisheries).
Researcher: Mirko Sinico
Field: manufacturing, chemistry
Language: English
Title: PAM2 - Precision Additive Metal Manufacturing
In English:
Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a fast-growing sector with the ability to evoke a
revolution in manufacturing due to its almost unlimited design freedom and its
capability to produce personalised parts locally and with efficient material use. AM
companies however still face technological challenges such as limited precision due to
shrinkage and build-in stresses and limited process stability and robustness. Moreover
often post-processing is needed due to the high roughness and remaining porosity. In
Pilot project Belgium 2018 70
addition qualified, trained personnel is hard to find. This project addresses both the
technological and people challenges.
My topic in PAM2: Develop design guidelines for Precision AM based on scientific
understanding
The overall objective of PAM2 is to ensure the availability of high precision metal
Additive Manufacturing (AM i.e. 3D printing) processes and (computational) design
procedures. Consistently producing accurate parts by Additive Manufacturing can only
be achieved if the part’s design is well-tailored to specific capabilities of AM.
Nevertheless, little research has been dedicated to the development of “design for
additive manufacturing” rules for industrial components. Within this MSCA project,
e.g. minimum producible dimensions (of holes and ridges) will be investigated, as well
as develop a procedure to define the optimal support structure needed to avoid
overheating during the process and extreme down-facing roughness. Moreover, final
part dimensions will be compared to design specifications in order to define correction
algorithms for first-time-right processing. The influences of the AM machine and
settings, the processed material, and the geometry all contribute to the challenge,
which will be addressed both experimentally as well as through the validation and
tuning of AM process modelling.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 71
Researcher: Maria Livia Sassano
Field: chemistry
Language: English
In English: Title: Endoplasmic Reticulum and mitochondria; two organelles in need of
contacts
My project aims at defining the possible role of the interaction between two
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) proteins, PERK and E-Syt1, at the interface between ER
and mitochondria. This region represents one of the most important intra-cellular
contact sites between organelles, and it consists of the close juxtaposition between ER
and mitochondria, also called mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs). The
formation of these tight communications between ER and mitochondria is fundamental
to co-regulate different organellar functions, such as the lipid trafficking and the
calcium transfer occurring between the two organelles, thus maintaining the cellular
homeostasis. Moreover, several proteins are enriched in these sub-domains, whose
function is to regulate the distance between the ER and the mitochondria.
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We found that both PERK and E-Syt1 are enriched at MAMs and they interact in this interface, where PERK is affecting the tethering. Currently, we are trying to find out the role of their interaction at MAMs, by looking at the possible effects that their interaction could have on the main functions occurring at MAMs. We noticed that the reduced expression of both PERK and E-Syt1 could affect the distribution of different phospholipids at MAMs, suggesting a possible role of their interaction in modulating the trafficking of phospholipids from the ER towards the mitochondria. Therefore, we also observed that modulating their interaction could affect the mitochondrial respiration as well as the tethering. While ongoing studies are assessing the functional relevance of these findings, this raises the
possibility that PERK is crucially involved in modulating the transfer of lipid mediators at the
MAMs, possibly through its interaction with E-Syt1.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 73
Researcher: Saba Safdar
Field:
Language: English
In English: Title: Easy to use diagnostics for pathogens
Antibiotic resistance is a global menace. The antibiotics we have been trusting for
decades to help us beat seasonal illnesses are no longer effective against many
germs. One reason is the mis-identification of the germ causing the illness, which
leads the physicians to give the wrong antibiotic to the patient. If you take the
antibiotic not suited to a particular germ, the germ only gets stronger for the next
round of illness.
In my project, we are developing tests and devices to correctly identify these germs.
The goal is to have a test that is easy to use, and can help the physician find out the
specific germ that is causing the disease. This will in turn help correct prescription of
antibiotics, leading to killing of the illness causing germs.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 74
Researcher: Gabriel Probst
Field: Chemistry, physics, engineering
Language: English, Portuguese
In English: Title: Development of Dedicated Calibration Procedures for X-ray Computed
Tomography
X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) is a measurement technique that makes use of X-rays to collect dimensional information of manufactured components. The increasing manufacturing complexity added by 3D printing, for examples, has pushed quality control engineers into finding new ways of verifying whether fabricated components respect their designed tolerances. XCT is for the time being, the only available technology capable of measuring entire components with hidden structures in a non-destructive way. XCT is however not flawless and measurement results obtained from components might not always represent the true dimensions of the measured component. Therefore, measurement procedures that identify errors in XCT and enable their correction are needed in order make XCT a trustworthy technology in the field of quality control. In Portuguese: Tomografia computadorizada por Raios-X (TCX) é uma técnica de medição que utiliza raios-X para coletar informação dimensional de componentes fabricados. O aumento na complexidade de
Pilot project Belgium 2018 75
fabricação, adicionada por impressão 3D, por exemplo, força engenheiros de controle de qualidade a encontrarem novas maneiras de verificarem se um componente fabricado respeita ou não suas tolerâncias de fabricação. A TCX é no momento a única tecnologia disponível capaz de medir compontes, que possuem estruturas escondidas, de maneira não-destrutiva. A TCX no entanto não é perfeita, e os resultados de medição obtidos podem não representar as verdadeiras dimensões dos componentes fabricados. Portanto, procedimentos de medição capazes de identificar erros em TCX, que possibilitam sua correção, são necessários de maneira a tornar a TCX uma tecnologia de medição confiável no campo de controle de qualidade.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 76
Researcher: Sugosh R. Prabhu
Field: Chemistry, physics, engineering
Language: English
In English: Title: Nucleic acid storage and stability
Nucleic acid storage and stability is of primary importance as it finds uses in material
science as nanomachines, biosensors and bioelectronics. The long-term stability and
storage of DNA is a major challenge as hydrolytic reactions cause its denaturation
when stored in an aqueous environment with conventional buffer solutions. Most of
the devices employing nucleic acids require the nucleic acid molecule (generally DNA)
to be adsorbed on the surface with a solvent in its immediate vicinity. The search for
suitable solvents and electrolytes received a boost with the advent of ionic liquids
(ILs). Nucleic acids have showcased enhanced chemical and structural stability in ILs
compared to conventional buffer solutions. However, to employ ILs as electrolytes or
solvents in biosensors and bioelectronics it is paramount to understand the effect of IL
ions on the adsorption and dynamics of DNA molecules on surfaces. The objective can
be achieved by employing a synergistic approach of microscopy, spectroscopy and
theory. In essence, the central research objective of NAIL is to understand, the role of
the various stabilizing interactions on Nucleic Acids imposed by the ions of Ionic
Liquids on the adsorption and dynamics of the former on surfaces.
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Researcher: Mohamed Mounir
Field: physics, engineering
Language: English, Portuguese
In English: Title: RADiation and Reliability Challenges for Electronics used in Space,
Aviation, Ground and Accelerators
Pilot project Belgium 2018 78
As illustrated in the figure above, "Reliability" is essential for safe operation and
optimized efficiency within all four application areas where radiation effects on
electronics are and have to be considered: e.g. satellites must not fail as repair
interventions are impossible to be carried out; the safety of electronic systems in
avionics is of utmost importance and must be ensured in spite of the high-altitude
radiation levels; planes, cars, trains and communication systems integrate a
constantly increasing number of electronic components, increasingly complex, where
even relatively low radiation levels can lead to important risks; and finally operation
and safety systems at accelerators require a high mean-time-between failures for
reaching ultimate design goals and achieving scientific breakthroughs.
Consequently, RASAGA has two main goals. First goal is to push the scientific frontier
in design, testing and qualification of complex electronic systems for mixed field
radiation environments. Second goal is to issue design and test guidelines to support
industry, to protect the European competitiveness when radiation effects become
critical.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 79
Researcher: Luca Michele Martulli
Field: Chemistry, physics, engineering
Language: English
In English: Title: Fibre Break Models for Designing novel composite microstructures and
applications
To respond the Paris agreement objectives to limit the climate change in the next
future, several countermeasures must be taken in many human activities. One of the
ways to reduce the environmental impact of the transportation industry, is to design
lighter vehicles, so that their energy consumption is lower, and less fuel is burnt.
Taken to a global scale, this can significantly decrease the pollution produced by cars,
trains and planes!
Fibre-reinforced composites are the key to achieve this result. Those class of materials
can achieve, with the same weight, higher stiffness and strength than many metals
used today, even steel. Their use is however still limited by the lack of knowledge on
the mechanisms that brings composites to failure. In other words: we know they are
good, but we still don’t know how good they are to use them as effectively as
possible!
Pilot project Belgium 2018 80
FiBreMoD is born to reduce this knowledge gap: 13 young researchers will be trained
in the field of composites. These materials will be studied covering many aspects:
some researchers will focus on their chemistry, others will try to study the physics
happening at different levels, from the very small scale to the component-level, and
much more. The researchers will be hosted by different academic and industrial
partners, all renowned for their great contribution in the composite research.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 81
Researcher: Chaoyun Li
Field: IT, engineering
Language: English, Chinese
In English: Title: Stream Ciphers in Modern Communication Systems
We are today surrounded by many communicating electronic devices. The security of
such devices is often critical to their functionality. Stream ciphers are widely exploited
to provide confidentiality of the electronically transmitted data. Compared to other
primitives, stream ciphers are competitive in software applications with exceptionally
high speed, and in hardware applications with exceptionally small footprint. Notable
examples of stream ciphers include the A5/1 in GSM standard and RC4 in WPA and
TLS protocols. In this presentation, we will give a brief introduction of the design and
analysis of many widely used stream ciphers.
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Researcher: Raphaëlle Lesage
Field: informatics, life science
Language: English, French
In English: Title: When informatics come to enhance bone regeneration in the laboratory
Bone fractures are the most common large-organ, traumatic injuries to humans.
Although natural fracture repair usually restores the damaged bone, about 10% of
fractures will not heal normally [1]. These kind of fractures have huge societal and
economical impacts. Nowadays, no effective therapeutical treatment exists on the
market to help healing of such large bone deffects. Tissue Engineering (TE) is a
promising way to cure large bone fractures by filling the gap with a new bone
construct developed in vitro. Indeed, TE consists in developing new organs in the lab
for later implantation in order to cure various organ defects. In order to produce new
bone, our laboratory attempts to reproduce the natural process of bone formation
which occurs during the development of the embryo, before birth. During this process,
the bone is formed starting from cartilagenous template and it implies a drastic
change in the nature of cartilage cells. This change is called cell differentiation and it is
controlled by a very complex network of molecular components inside the cell. Some
of those molecules are potential drug targets so our laboratory tries to identify the
most important components of this network on which to act with a drug in order to
promote cartilage differentiation and thus bone formation. In order to achieve this
goal we have created a computational/digital model of the cell which enable to
perform in-computer experiments. Currently, this high-technology model is used to
design experimental strategies favouring robust cartilage differentiation in the context
of bone tissue engineering.
[1] Fracture healing: mechanisms and interventions, Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2015 Jan;
11(1): 45–54.
In French:
Quand l'informatique vient améliorer la régénération de l’os au laboratoire:
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Les fractures des os font partie des blessures traumatiques des ‘grands organes’ les
plus répandues chez l’homme. Bien que la réparation naturelle de la fracture restaure
généralement l’os, près de 10% des fractures ne guérissent pas normalement [1]. Ce
type de fractures a un énorme impacte d’un point de vu sociétal et économique.
Aujourd’hui il n’existe pas de traitement thérapeutique efficace sur le marché pour
aider à la réparation de grosses fractures de l’os. L’ingénierie tissulaire (IT) est un
moyen prometteur de soigner les grosses fractures osseuses en remplaçant l’espace
laissé par la fracture par de l’os nouvellement fabriqué dans le laboratoire. En effet,
l’IT consiste au développement en laboratoire de nouveaux organes à implanter pour
soigner divers types d’organes défectueux. Pour fabriquer de l’os notre laboratoire
tente de reproduire the processus naturel de formation de l’os qui a lieu pendant le
développement de l’embryon avant la naissance. Pendant ce processus, l’os est formé
à partir du cartilage et cela implique un changement drastique dans la nature des
cellules du cartilage. Ce changement est appelé différentiation cellulaire et il est
contrôlé par un réseau complexe d’interactions entre molécules, à l’intérieur de la
cellule. Certaines de ces molécules sont des cibles potentielles pour des médicaments
donc notre laboratoire essaie d’identifier quels sont les composants les plus important
du réseau sur lesquels agir avec un médicament dans le but de promouvoir la
différentiation du cartilage et ainsi la formation d’os. Pour réussir cela, nous avons
crée un modèle informatique ou digital de la cellule de cartilage, qui permet de réaliser
des expériences sur l’ordinateur. Actuellement, cet outil de haute technologie est
utilisé pour mettre en place des stratégies expérimentales favorisant la différentiation
robuste de cartilage dans le contexte de l’IT de l’os.
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Researcher: Arijit Karmakar
Field: informatics, life science
Language: English
In English:
Title: Integrated Time-based Signal Processing Circuits for Harsh Radiation
Environments
The goal of this project will be to define architectures and design electronic front-ends
for radiation tolerant, time-based, analogue signal processing application in energy
physics experiments, future nuclear systems and space missions. More specifically the
projects set goal to develop a sensor readout circuit in nanometer CMOS Technologies
anticipating record radiation tolerance of 10 MGy. Current sensor interface and
readout circuits are majorly based on signal processing in voltage domain. Therefore,
systems developed on scaled CMOS technologies suffers from reduced dynamic range.
Time-domain signal processing can be beneficial and that requires radiation tolerant
low-jitter circuits with sub-ps-accuracy. However, SEE and TID effects become severe
with technology scaling and increases 1/f noise and mismatch problems. As a part of
the project, new innovative sensor (resistive, capacitive etc.) readout architectures
will be developed to counter the radiation driven problems, complying with present
standards.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 85
Researcher: Hans Kainz
Field: life science, neurology
Language: English
In English:
Title: NORmalize MusculoskeletAL LOadings to Avoid bony Deformities in
children with cerebral palsy
Muscle contractions in children with cerebral palsy cause abnormal musculoskeletal
loading, which can lead to bony deformities. Deformities of the femur are commonly
corrected by de-rotation osteotomies. In children, early clinical interventions, which
aim to normalize the loading of the musculoskeletal system, could influence bone
growth and prevent the development of bony deformities. To investigate this
assumption, I will use musculoskeletal models and mechanobiological finite element
analysis. If load-modifying clinical interventions can be used to reduce the number of
surgical corrections, it will decrease the burden on the child as well as decrease the
socio-economic costs related to the treatment of children with cerebral palsy.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 86
Researcher: Thomas Haas
Field: renewable energy, engineering
Language: English, French, German
In English:
Title: Virtual Wind Environment and Flight Simulator for Airborne Wind
Energy Systems
Airborne Wind Energy (AWE) is an emerging technology in the field of renewable
energy generation. This technology uses tethered aircrafts or kites to harvest wind
energy at very high altitudes by flying crosswind manoeuvers. The main advantage is
that at high altitudes the wind is stronger and more consistent. Thus, AWE systems
can tap into wind resources that are not accessible to conventional wind turbines. In
addition, AWE systems require less material and can be deployed rapidly. Hence,
Airborne Wind Energy is a cost effective alternative in the shift toward sustainable
power generation.
However, the technology is still in its early development stage and there is a research
need to provide reliable engineering solutions. In this context, my research focuses on
the interaction between AWE systems and the wind environment. In other words, I
develop a flight simulator to assess the performance of AWE systems and park (just
like wind turbine parks) using mathematical modelling and high performance
computing. Thus, with my colleagues in the Marie Skłodowska-Curie project
“AWESCO” we work towards improving the efficiency of this technology in order to
make Airborne Wind Energy a key player in the future energy market.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 87
Researcher: Yamid Ali Gomez Rueda
Field: renewable energy, engineering
Language: English, French, Spanish
In English:
Title: Gas cleaning assisted by plasma technology.
Waste is produced in high quantities in urban environments. The solution until now
has been to dig a giant hole in the earth to bury it especially in small countries like
Belgium. But the growing population is putting limits to the land available for burying
urban waste. In the last years, there is a possibility of transforming waste into a
useful gas containing hydrogen, CO, methane and some pollutants. The presence of
this pollutants reduce the potential applications of the produced gas. In my PhD
project I use a technology called plasma which has the potential to remove this
pollutants from the useful gases (H2, CO, CH4 ) which makes the gas very valuable
for chemical synthesis ( specially fuels like gasoline or diesel ) and for clean power and
heat generation. In this way we can use waste as a raw material instead of oil and
coal for producing chemical products and energy while decreasing the amount of land
used to bury these wastes.
In French:
Titre: Purification du gaz á l’aide du technologie plasma
Des grandes quantités de déchets sont produits dans les grandes villes chaque jour.
La solution utilisé jusqu’à maintenant a été caver un trou géant sur la terre pour les
Pilot project Belgium 2018 88
enterrer. Mais la population croissant fait que la quantité de terre disponible pour
enterrer la poubelle soit limité, spécialement aux petits pays comme la Belgique. Au
cours des dernières années il y a émergé une autre possibilité : transformer les
déchets en un gaz qui contient de l’hydrogène, du CO, du méthane et quelques
polluants. La présence de ces polluants réduit la valeur économique et les potentielles
applications de ce gaz. Le but de mon doctorat c’est l’enlèvement de ces polluants du
gaz en utilisent la technologie plasma, ce que ferait que le gaz puisse être utilise pour
la synthèse chimique ( essence, gazole, alcools, etc.) et pour la génération d’énergie
propre. De cette manière nous pouvons utiliser la poubelle comme matière première,
en foi du pétrole ou charbon pour obtenir notre électricité, notre chaleur et nos
produits chimiques en diminuent en même temps l’utilisation de terre pour enterrer
ces déchets.
In Spanish:
Título: Purificacion de gases usando plasma
Grandes cantidades de desechos urbanos son producidos en las grandes ciudades
todos los días. La solución más extendida en la actualidad ha sido cavar un hueco
gigante en la tierra para enterrarlos. Sin embargo la creciente población mundial hace
que la cantidad de tierra disponible para entera restos desechos sea limitada,
especialmente en países pequeños como Bélgica. En los últimos años ha surgido una
nueva solución : transformar estos desechos en un gas que contenga hidrogeno, CO,
metano y algunas impurezas. La presencia de estas impurezas reduce el potencial
valor económico y las potenciales aplicaciones de este gas. El objetivo de mi
doctorado es remover estas impurezas del gas usando tecnologías de plasma, lo que
haría que el gas pueda ser utilizado para la síntesis química y para la generación de
energía limpia. De esta manera podemos usar la basura como materia prima, en vez
del petróleo o el carbón, para obtener nuestra electricidad, nuestro calor y nuestros
productos químicos disminuyendo al mismo tiempo la tierra utilizada para enterrar
estos desechos.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 89
Researcher: Francisco García Cirujano
Field: chemistry pharmaceutics
Language: English Spanish, Catalan
In English:
Title: Synthesis of Spirooxindoles and INdoles pharmaceuticals using Metal-
Organic Frameworks
Pharmaceutical compounds are synthetically produced by a huge variety of chemical
reactions, developed in the laboratory and then, scaled to industrial processes.
Currently, it is estimated that during the synthesis of one gram of a standard
pharmaceutical compound, the quantity of toxic residues is between 20 and 100 times
higher. Obviously it is contradictory that in order to solve health problems, we are
affecting our health by the way we are doing those chemical or pharmaceutical
processes. We can improve the sustainability of this type of chemical process
mimicking the way nature bio-synthetize natural products. In fact, many bio-active
pharmaceuticals compounds are naturally produced by living organisms in the most
efficient and clean imaginable ways by microscopic machines present in all cells,
known as enzymes. However, the high cost and low stability of many enzymes in
industrial catalytic processes requires for a robust catalyst that can be think of an
artificial enzyme, in order to withstand broad reaction conditions during a maximum
operational time in order to decrease the cost of the pharmaceutical production
Pilot project Belgium 2018 90
process. With this Marie Curie Fellowship project we minimize the environmental
impact of the chemical transformations used to produce affordable pharmaceutical
treatments for the future generations, trying to be as efficient as natural enzymes, a
goal that is attempted also for the synthesis of neuroactive and anticancer
pharmaceutical intermediates by using robust catalytic materials that withstand a
broader range of reaction conditions than natural enzymes. The current results
obtained would also contribute to improve chemical process efficiency by the
substitution of homogeneous catalysts by its solid counterparts, providing economic
and environmental benefits, reducing or eliminating the use of hazardous industrial
reagents that will eventually contribute to the environmental and public health
European policy, increasing the EU competitiveness.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 91
Researcher: Veerle de Rond
Field: life science, Parkinson
Language: English, Dutch
In English:
Title: Neural and behavioral mechanisms underlying balance and weight
shifting in aging and Parkinson’s disease
Patients with Parkinson’s disease and healthy older people show deficits with balance
and shifting their weight while maintaining an upright position. This can lead to gait
difficulties and falls. Therefore, the current project wants to gain novel insights into
how balance and weight shifting in these groups differ from healthy young adults
during various conditions, using a virtual reality game-like virtual reality environment.
In addition, it will be explored whether the differences between groups can be
explained by the activation of different muscles and brain areas. The second part of
this project wants to generate knowledge about the capacity of healthy older adults to
train their weight shifting skills compared to young adults, and if the effects of training
will still be visible after a 24-hour period. For the first time, it will be explored whether
the consolidation of training effects can be explained by alterations in motor,
integration or cognitive brain areas. Hence, the results of this project may form a
basis for the implementation of virtual reality to improve balance in older adults,
which will target specific brain regions.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 92
Researcher: Luigi Criscuolo
Field: IT, engineering
Language: English, Dutch
In English:
Title: Experimental and numerical analysis of aeroacoustic feedback
phenomena and its influence on far field noise radiation
Aeroacoustics concern the interaction between aerodynamic (the way air moves
around things) and acoustics (sound and noise). Sound effects and noise negatively
affect industrial applications (air conditioning systems, trains, planes and cars) causing
human health and comfort problems. The aim of my research is to develop an efficient
way to predict negative aeroacoustic phenomena in industrial applications and reduce
noise emissions.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 93
Researcher: Wenchao Cao
Field: IT, engineering
Language: English, Chinese
In English:
Title: Advanced beam hardening correction (BHC) for multi-material objects
Beam hardening artefacts caused by the polychromatic nature of x-ray has long been
recognised as a problem in computed tomography (CT) that deteriorates the
reconstructed image quality and thus affects feature inspection. My work is to
compare the performance of the existing beam hardening correction algorithms in
industrial CT inspection and metrology. In addition, I developed an innovative
algorithm based on the observations of the shortages of the existing algorithms.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 94
Researcher: Fabio Cameli
Field: chemistry
Language: English, Spanish, Italian
In English:
Title: European Training Network for Continuous Sonication and Microwave
Reactors (EU MSCA-ETN COSMIC).
The COSMIC project aims to contribute to the modernization of European chemical
industry via developing intensified processes featuring non-conventional energy
sources such as microwave and ultrasound in continuous production. By following this
pathway, production of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals could finally be realized
under high energy efficiency and product quality control so to favour competitiveness
of European chemical industry in the global market.
The industrial partners involved in the consortium will later apply the developed
technologies into real chemical processes.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 95
Researcher: Mattia Bellotti
Field: physics. Engineering
Language: English, Italian
In English:
Title: Efficient spark control strategies in micro EDM
Micro electrical discharge machining or briefly micro EDM is a technology that uses
millions of sequences of short sparks to drill small holes and cavities into conductive
materials. Micro EDM has several applications; it is for example used to build
components of aircraft engines, car engines, inkjet printers, biomedical implants, and
wristwatches. Although Russian scientists already discovered EDM before the Second
World War, the mechanisms behind the technology are still not fully understood.
Adequately controlling those sequences of sparks remains a significant challenge. This
has two main consequences: increase of production time and reduction of part quality.
Drawing on recent developments in computer science and technology, my research
aims to develop more efficient ways of controlling sparks in micro EDM. My goal is to
develop new monitoring strategies to reduce and control sudden and unexpected
variations in the sequences of sparks, which are widely recognised as sources of
inaccuracies. This would eliminate some of the metrology controls that are nowadays
performed to guarantee part quality. Consequently the price of components produced
using micro EDM, such as wristwatches and biomedical implants, would drive down.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 96
Researcher: Marta Barniol Xicota
Field: life science, chemistry, sickness, proteins, Parkinson, Malaria
Language: English, Spanish. Catalan
In English:
Title: Rhomboids: the proteins
All living organisms have a certain class of proteins named rhomboids. These
rhomboids are buried in the cellular membranes; they are coated by fats that keep
their correct shape and function.
The rhomboids play key roles in several biological processes and are involved in well-
known diseases as Parkinson’s disease or Malaria. Therefore, by studying these
proteins we could shine light on the treatment of a wide range of illnesses. For
example, we could understand better the mechanisms through which Parkinson occurs
or develop safer drugs for Malaria.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 97
Studying these rhomboids doesn’t come easy as they are in need of their fatty coating
to keep their structure, which is what will, in a great part, determine their function.
The problem is that the purification techniques, required for their study, use
detergents. These detergents destroy the natural environment of the rhomboids,
leading to unstable proteins that are difficult to study.
To solve this issue, I am developing a method that allows studying the proteins in
their natural environment. For this I use a polymer that surrounds and captures the
protein in the membrane, as a rodeo rope would do. Using the rodeo rope method
there’s no need for harmful detergents. Hence, we can work to clarify what is the role
of specific rhomboids.
Using this brand new approach I will work to discover the exact function that
rhomboids have in Malaria. Once their role and structure are determined, I will design
and prepare new molecules that, in the future, might be used as new ameliorated
treatment for Malaria.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 98
Researcher: Sergio Alvarez Pérez
Field: life sciences, fruits, chemistry
Language: English, Spanish
In English:
Title: Coping with inhospitable sweetness: insights from a (diversity)3 study
of nectar acinetobacters
Plants are hotspots of microbial diversity, and novel lineages of plant-associated
microorganisms are continuously described. Recently, floral nectar has been identified
as the natural habitat of different highly adapted yeasts and bacteria which can
withstand elevated sugar contents and the presence of plant secondary metabolites
with defensive functions. As a consequence of their metabolism, these microorganisms
can reduce the nutritional value of nectar and profoundly alter its chemistry, and thus
modify pollinators’ foraging behavior and indirectly affect plant fitness. Although the
species Acinetobacter nectaris and A. boissieri (“nectar acinetobacters”) are among
the most frequent bacterial nectar-dwellers, their diversity and intriguing ubiquitous
occurrence in floral nectar still remain poorly characterized. Through a comprehensive
study of the phenotypic, phylogenetic and genomic diversity (“D3 approach”) of the
nectar acinetobacters, our project aims to explain why A. nectaris and A. boissieri are
particularly well suited to thrive in the “inhospitable sweetness” of floral nectar. This
research question will be addressed by using state-of-the-art methodologies of high-
throughput phenotyping, phylogenetic inference and whole-genome sequencing and
analysis.
Pilot project Belgium 2018 99
In Spanish:
Título: Lidiando con una dulzura inhóspita: perspectivas desde un estudio de
la (diversidad)3 de los acinetobacters del nectar
Las plantas son puntos calientes de diversidad microbiana, y continuamente se
describen nuevos linajes de microorganismos asociados a plantas. El néctar de las
flores ha sido identificado recientemente como el hábitat natural de diferentes
bacterias y levaduras altamente adaptadas y capaces de soportar el elevado contenido
en azúcares y la presencia de metabolites secundarios con funciones defensivas de
origen vegetal. Como consecuencia de su metabolismo, estos microorganismos
pueden reducir el valor nutricional del néctar y alterar profundamente su química, y
por tanto modificar el comportamiento de los polinizadores e, indirectamente, afectar
la eficacia biológica de las plantas. Aunque las especies Acinetobacter nectaris y A.
boissieri (“acinetobacters del néctar”) destacan entre los habitantes bacterianos más
frecuentes del néctar floral, su diversidad e intrigante ocurrencia ubícua en dicho
hábitat permanece aún pobremente caracterizada. Mediante un amplio estudio de la
diversidad fenotípica, filogenética y genómica (“enfoque D3”) de los acinetobacters del
nectar, nuestro proyecto pretende explicar por qué A. nectaris y A. boissieri están
particularmente bien adaptados para medrar en la “dulzura inhóspita” del nectar floral.
Esta cuestión será abordada utilizando las más modernas tecnologías de fenotipado de
alto rendimiento, inferencia filogenética y secuenciación y análisis de genomas
completos.