This proposal features a novel and inexpensive, plug-and-play ultrasensitive immune-PCR fully integrated system (lab-on-chip) that will help with early diagnosis of sepsis or toxic shock syndrome caused by pathogenic bacteria Saphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. Sepsis kills 5.1 millions of people annually; it has up to 26% mortality and rapid progression. S. aureus and S. pyogenes colonise ~50% healthy individuals, and cause common diseases such as tonsillitis, skin and deep tissue or medical implant infection, which sometimes progress to sepsis. Biomarkers that predict of S. aureus and S. pyogenes-caused sepsis are bacterial toxins, superantigens. S. aureus causes most deaths from infectious diseases in high-income countries. This situation is exacerbated by spread of multiple antibiotic resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in the community and hospitals. Superantigens are commonly found in the serum in the absence of bacteremia. It is hence not appropriate to detect them by PCR of the toxin-coding DNA sequences. The key to our innovation is detection of superantigen protein using novel DNA-containing detector nanorods. Binding of the detector particles to the analyte will be quantified via the nanorod DNA. This strategy (immune-PCR) combines immunodetection with sensitivity of PCR to achieve ultrasensitive detection. The system devised in this action will be a prototype for a novel class of devices for ultrasensitive detection of wide array of molecules, including explosives, hormones, or chemical pollutants. The affordable all-in-one plug and play design will allow use in the general practitioner’s office (point of care), at home, or even in the war zones or disaster areas. Development of fully integrated point-of-care lab-on-chip prototype will require multidisciplinary effort where ER’s novel detector nanorods will be combined with the Eden’s expertise in design and engineering of microfluidic systems.

Heart transplantation is the gold standard treatment for advanced heart failure, a major cause of premature death. The critical organ shortage however limits this therapeutic approach with a ratio of two recipient candidates for one allograft nowadays. The allocation of a growing number of marginal grafts increases the risk of primary graft failure and early death after transplant. All the most, conventional static cold storage allows for only 4 hours of ischemia. This time limitation induces a geographic restriction between donor and recipient. Ex vivo heart perfusion (EVHP) has been applied to expand the duration of organ preservation. This method provides continuous perfusion of the donor heart using oxygenated blood at 34°C. However no clearance of deleterious molecules for the heart (e.g. pro-inflammatory cytokines, oxygen radicals) is provided by commercially available machines for EVHP. Prolonged EVHP is therefore limited to a maximum duration of 10 hours. There is therefore a need for a portable blood filter connected to EVHP platform. Since there is no commercially available approach to achieve our clinical need, we aim at developing an optimal blood filtration device to ensure the homeostasis of the perfusate during prolonged EVHP. Our study aims to apply microfluidic technology for blood filtration during EVHP. We trust this approach would rapidly increase the chance for heart transplantation: 1) By increasing the duration for organ preservation, we could remove geographic restrictions for organ allocation; 2) By applying cardiovascular imaging using contrast agents, we could diagnose coronary artery disease in cardiac allografts from high-risk donors (age>55 years, cardiovascular risk factors); 3) By improving the quality of organ preservation, we could apply pharmacological intervention for organ repair and rehabilitation of marginal grafts before transplantation.

Innovation in development of cell therapy products are growing rapidly. As per the report of WHO, in the year 2015, total 38 such innovation has been taken place in EU region and other developed countries. Such accelerated growth of the technology leads WHO to configure regulatory issues for the clinical storage and applications of these developed products. Thus, on the basis of current requirements, there is a immediate need to develop systemic research and infrastructure for storage of the developed biological products for longer duration of time. Cryopreservation, lyophilization, and desiccation are the major techniques been used for the preservation of biological products, namely different types of cells. But all above mentioned process are highly toxic while considering cellular viability. At the same time, this processes are bulky and involves substantial cost affair. In current project proposal, ER in collaboration with Eden Microfluidics have proposed development of a microfluidic based cryo-ready device for plug-and-play type cell / biological sample storage, testing, and laboratory usage. The proposed technique is highly inter-disciplinary, and with the experience of ER and his mentors from Eden Microfluidics, they are confident for the development of the product. The development of the product will yield new insight of physical biology in the field of magneto-hydrodynamics, biological thermodynamics, and bio-microfluidics. The proposed project is not only limited to the development of product, but it will extend the work for marketing and production of the product, and dissemination of the acquired field of science to the national and international universities as text contents (in form of book chapters), laboratory tutorials through the collaborations of ER. The developed cryo-ready microfluidic device will also foster ER for involve in EU region as a start-up, and thus contribute to the economical growth of the region directly.

REGENERATION aims to (i) build a multidisciplinary research network involving experts of technical and medical disciplines to merge their expertise and exploit possible synergies for the development of reliable and sustainable in vitro cell models of healthy and aged bone tissue treated with or without QMR (Quantum Molecular Resonance) and (ii) train a cohort of scientists and technologists in exploiting the model features to increase knowledge on the effects of aging on bone biology and mechanobiology, and on bone response to QMR, to leverage the use of cell models in clinics and basic/industrial research labs. Bone aging reduces the quality of life of the elderly and puts social and economic burden on society. Aging bones fail more easily when challenged mechanically or with toxicants or pollutants, and respond differently to drugs than healthy bone. To personalize therapies and enable better preventive care for the elderly it is essential to develop reliable and sustainable in vitro models of aged bone tissue alternative to animal tests which often fail to capture human-specific features. REGENERATION will involve 7 participants from 4 countries (Italy, France, Greece and Switzerland) and with 3 academic partners and 4 SMEs. The networking activities planned in REGENERATION will generate new knowledge about the mechanisms of bone growth, regeneration and aging, about drug and technologies development for bone pathologies and will study the effect of QMR stimuli in cell proliferation, differentiation and trasfection by in vitro and computational models.

Currently there are no portable test or biosensors validated for air, soil or water quality control for pathogens, Chemicals of Emerging Concern (CECs) and Persistent Mobile Chemicals (PMCs), so such devices are much awaited by all stakeholders to ensure successful control and prevention of contamination and infections. Mobiles consortium will develop an interdisciplinary framework of expertise, and tools for monitoring, detection, and consequently mitigation of pollution from pathogens, CECs, PMCs, thus benefiting human and environmental health. Mobiles consortium will work to achieve the following objectives: Develop electronic biosensors for monitoring organic chemicals (pesticides, hormones) and antimicrobial resistance bacteria and pathogens in water, soil and air; Develop organism-based biosensor for detection of organic and inorganic pollution in water and soil; Study environmental performance of developed organisms and devices; Metagenomics analysis of organisms leaving in polluted areas in order to enable searches for diverse functionalities across multiple gene clusters Perform safety tests (e.g., EFSA) to assess the impact of developed organisms on the natural environment. Organism-based biosensor will consist on genetically modified chemiluminescent bacteria able to detect antibiotics, heavy metals, and pesticides in water; genetically modified plants that will change colour when in the soil is present arsenic; and marine diatoms that will be used to detect bioplastic degradation in marine and aquatic environments. Developed devices and organisms will be implemented by using flexible technologies, which can guarantee an easy adaptation to other biotic and abiotic pollutants. Devices and organisms, after proper validation and approval, could be used by consumers, inspection services and industry operators, as well as environmental emergency responders to monitor and detect PMCs, CECs and pathogens in water, air and soil