Scientific excellence in collaborative research to be awarded in Brussels
27 November 2001 - 27 November 2001
The Descartes prize for scientific and technological excellence in European collaborative research will be awarded in Brussels on 27 November in the presence of EU Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin and DG Research Director General Achilleas Mitsos.
This is the second time that the Commission has awarded the Descartes prize, which has an award of up to one million euro for the winner. This year's seven finalists have been selected from over 50 entries. The competition is open to all scientific fields, including the social and economic sciences, and is not limited to EU-funded projects. Researchers are awarded for collaborative efforts as well as the quality of their work.
The jury responsible for selecting the winner includes eminent figures from academia and the public and private sectors, and is chaired by Yves Michot, former president of Aerospatiale Matra.
The seven finalists are as follows:
- 'Development of novel drugs against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)'
This European research network brings together researchers from six countries with the common objective of fighting AIDS. The project concerns the discovery of new medications and the identification of new sites in the HIV replication cycle which are particularly suitable for the targeting of pharmaceutical intervention. Research has resulted in the identification of several new inhibitors of HIV reverse transcriptase, an enzyme crucial to the replication of the virus.
Over the past 15 years, the network has developed a range of new treatments, not only for AIDS, but also for hepatitis B, cytomegalovirus and herpes viruses. The network has also established the European centralised facility for the screening of anti-HIV drugs.
- 'BIODEPTH - Biodiversity and ecological processes in terrestrial herbaceous ecosystems'
This project involves around 50 scientists from eight countries and is the largest terrestrial ecology study of its kind anywhere in the world. The consortium set up around 500 experimental field sites in a range of European climates and conditions and analysed how simulated changes in biodiversity affected the functioning of these ecosystems in terms of loss of nutrients, resistance to invasive species and the production of biomass. The results show clearly that ecosystem function declines with a loss of biodiversity.
- 'Safetrain - Train crashworthiness for Europe'
Bringing together 16 partners from manufacturing, railway operators and research centres, this project focuses on designing a 'crashworthy' train. By concentrating on passive train safety, the ability of the vehicle to withstand the impact of a collision, research will lead to greater passenger protection in the result of a crash.
- 'ABI - Adaptive brain interfaces'
Initiated and coordinated by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), this project has developed a portable brain computer interface allowing people to interact with computer-based systems through conscious control of their thoughts. A cloth cap with integrated electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors picks up a range of simple signals, which, in the future, could lead to physically impaired people being able to read web pages, write messages, interact with games, turn on appliances and guide a wheelchair. The central aim of the project is to extend the capabilities of physically impaired people so as to allow them access to the new services and opportunities provided by today's information society.
- 'Mechanism of protease inhibition in the protection of lungs'
Researchers from the UK and The Netherlands have been working together in this project to investigate the precise mechanism leading to the inhibition of protease, which attack the elasticity of lung tissue and cause the suffocating lung disease emphysema. The exact mechanism of how antitrypsin traps and destroys offending proteases has been difficult for scientists to understand up until now. Research should lead not only to the prevention of emphysema, but other mechanisms leading to liver cirrhosis, blood clotting disorders and common forms of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease and spongiform encephalopathies.
- 'Development of new asymmetric catalysts for chemical manufacturing'
This project involves researchers from the UK, France, Germany, Russia and Armenia in a quest to develop new asymmetric catalysts for chemical manufacturing. Many chemicals can be regarded as 'hands', with one hand having a desired effect and the other having no effect at all, or worse, a detrimental effect. This research team is producing catalysts capable of producing the desired hand of the product in large excess of the undesired hand. So far, 50 new catalysts have been developed, one of which has already been patented.
- 'The 'chemistry' of conical intersections'
This Italian/UK collaboration has achieved significant advances in understanding of photochemical reactions, that is, chemical reactions triggered by sunlight. The team is focusing on understanding the ways in which organic compounds react to light. Such knowledge will help scientists harness and manage the enormous energy resources provided b the sun. The project may have implications for the development of artificial light receptors, light resistant products such as dyes and paints and protection against harmful ultraviolet light.For further information on the seven finalists, please consult the following web address:
http://cordis.europa.eu/improving/awards/descartes.htm(opens in new window)
For further information on the Descartes prize, please contact:
Michel Claessens
Tel: +32-2-295 9971
E-mail: michel.claessens@ec.europa.eu
This is the second time that the Commission has awarded the Descartes prize, which has an award of up to one million euro for the winner. This year's seven finalists have been selected from over 50 entries. The competition is open to all scientific fields, including the social and economic sciences, and is not limited to EU-funded projects. Researchers are awarded for collaborative efforts as well as the quality of their work.
The jury responsible for selecting the winner includes eminent figures from academia and the public and private sectors, and is chaired by Yves Michot, former president of Aerospatiale Matra.
The seven finalists are as follows:
- 'Development of novel drugs against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)'
This European research network brings together researchers from six countries with the common objective of fighting AIDS. The project concerns the discovery of new medications and the identification of new sites in the HIV replication cycle which are particularly suitable for the targeting of pharmaceutical intervention. Research has resulted in the identification of several new inhibitors of HIV reverse transcriptase, an enzyme crucial to the replication of the virus.
Over the past 15 years, the network has developed a range of new treatments, not only for AIDS, but also for hepatitis B, cytomegalovirus and herpes viruses. The network has also established the European centralised facility for the screening of anti-HIV drugs.
- 'BIODEPTH - Biodiversity and ecological processes in terrestrial herbaceous ecosystems'
This project involves around 50 scientists from eight countries and is the largest terrestrial ecology study of its kind anywhere in the world. The consortium set up around 500 experimental field sites in a range of European climates and conditions and analysed how simulated changes in biodiversity affected the functioning of these ecosystems in terms of loss of nutrients, resistance to invasive species and the production of biomass. The results show clearly that ecosystem function declines with a loss of biodiversity.
- 'Safetrain - Train crashworthiness for Europe'
Bringing together 16 partners from manufacturing, railway operators and research centres, this project focuses on designing a 'crashworthy' train. By concentrating on passive train safety, the ability of the vehicle to withstand the impact of a collision, research will lead to greater passenger protection in the result of a crash.
- 'ABI - Adaptive brain interfaces'
Initiated and coordinated by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), this project has developed a portable brain computer interface allowing people to interact with computer-based systems through conscious control of their thoughts. A cloth cap with integrated electroencephalogram (EEG) sensors picks up a range of simple signals, which, in the future, could lead to physically impaired people being able to read web pages, write messages, interact with games, turn on appliances and guide a wheelchair. The central aim of the project is to extend the capabilities of physically impaired people so as to allow them access to the new services and opportunities provided by today's information society.
- 'Mechanism of protease inhibition in the protection of lungs'
Researchers from the UK and The Netherlands have been working together in this project to investigate the precise mechanism leading to the inhibition of protease, which attack the elasticity of lung tissue and cause the suffocating lung disease emphysema. The exact mechanism of how antitrypsin traps and destroys offending proteases has been difficult for scientists to understand up until now. Research should lead not only to the prevention of emphysema, but other mechanisms leading to liver cirrhosis, blood clotting disorders and common forms of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease and spongiform encephalopathies.
- 'Development of new asymmetric catalysts for chemical manufacturing'
This project involves researchers from the UK, France, Germany, Russia and Armenia in a quest to develop new asymmetric catalysts for chemical manufacturing. Many chemicals can be regarded as 'hands', with one hand having a desired effect and the other having no effect at all, or worse, a detrimental effect. This research team is producing catalysts capable of producing the desired hand of the product in large excess of the undesired hand. So far, 50 new catalysts have been developed, one of which has already been patented.
- 'The 'chemistry' of conical intersections'
This Italian/UK collaboration has achieved significant advances in understanding of photochemical reactions, that is, chemical reactions triggered by sunlight. The team is focusing on understanding the ways in which organic compounds react to light. Such knowledge will help scientists harness and manage the enormous energy resources provided b the sun. The project may have implications for the development of artificial light receptors, light resistant products such as dyes and paints and protection against harmful ultraviolet light.For further information on the seven finalists, please consult the following web address:
http://cordis.europa.eu/improving/awards/descartes.htm(opens in new window)
For further information on the Descartes prize, please contact:
Michel Claessens
Tel: +32-2-295 9971
E-mail: michel.claessens@ec.europa.eu