Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Chronic migraine is defined as a headache persistent for more than 3 months or a severe headache persistent for more than 15 days within a month. It affects approximately 2% of the world population. The World Health Organization classifies severe migraine attacks as among the most disabling illnesses, comparable to dementia and quadriplegia. Treatments start with pharmaceutical drugs, which have contra-indications and severe side effects and often remain ineffective in chronic migraine patients. Injectable treatments like Botox and nerve blocks can be effective but require multiple sessions per year and also have undesirable effects. Treatments using neurostimulation products that deliver electrical pulses to the occipital nerve have been up to 80% effective but they are designed for the back not the neck which results in high rates of surgical revisions. This leaves the chronic migraine population severely underserved and in need of an innovative solution. Our vision is fundamentally based on disrupting the continuum of care and referral pathway by creating a more effective non-surgical solution that reduces cost and risk and therefore increases accessibility to more physicians and patients. The consortium will develop a novel platform for the treatment of chronic migraine that will be particularly applicable to resource restricted environments and targeting underserved patients. We are working on 4 elements working together seamlessly. 1) LUNA-AIR: An implantable electronics device with neural write stimulation 2) LUNA-CONTROL: A wearable device that will communicate with and power the implantable device. 3) LUNA-APP; a mobile app to control the implant. 4) LUNA-INJECT; an ergonomic, minimally invasive, injection device that minimises tissue trauma and training required for physicians.

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

REFORM (pRinted Electronics FOR the circular econoMy) sets out to address the environmental and sustainability challenges around conventional surface mounted and embedded functional electronics. The project aims to accelerate and guide the development of a new European green functional electronics supply chain. It seeks to use ecodesign principles to ensure that functional electronics can be produced that meet multiple application requirements for technological performance and compliance, while also meeting societal and environmental needs for sustainability. To achieve this, REFORM will develop environmentally benign electronic ‘building blocks’ focusing on green, bio-derived adhesives, conductive inks and flexible substrates. These will be integrated into industry-led functional electronics systems and supported by innovations in conformance testing and material recovery methods. Taking a holistic approach to development across the supply chain positions, this project is unique in not only achieving a step-change in technology compatible with industrial reality, but also producing prototype showcase systems with direct future impact on sustainability. REFORM brings together a world-leading consortium of academics, non-profit RTOs, industrial associations, private SME partners and large firms from eight countries across Europe. The project is female-led and coordinated by CIDETEC, a specialist RTO in surface engineering and energy storage based in Spain with a strong track record of leading large collaborative European projects. By combining the consortium’s unique and complementary expertise, REFORM aims to give Europe an innovation lead in green functional electronics, enhancing European competitiveness, and helping meet the ambitions for the European Green Deal. The immediate outcome of REFORM will be three demonstrators: a green smart logistics tag, a green embedded wireless sensor and a microsupercapacitor, taking the project from TRL 2/3 to TRL 5.

Gene therapies are a highly promising and rapidly expanding new class of biotherapeutics able to treat and potentially cure diseases that currently have few or no treatment options. The major challenge facing commercialisation of gene therapies is the manufacture and supply of products at a commercial scale. Critical to the success of gene therapies is the ability to develop robust and scalable manufacturing process that can meet anticipated commercial demand. Platform processes will enable more rapid development and commercialisation of gene therapies at lower risk and cost. This 12 month project brings together the significant AAV process development expertise and capability of two leading national research organisations, CPI and the National Research Council of Canada, to rapidly optimise a new manufacturing platform for the benefit of companies developing gene therapies (particularly SMEs) and accelerate these important new treatments to market.