AquaBioSens aims to drive the decentralisation of tools for the measurement of aquatic hazards and pollution. We will produce and demonstrate new handheld devices to measure contaminants of emerging concern, microbial biohazards and heavy metals. The aim is to make monitoring more efficient and widely accessible, supporting the EU Mission to “Restore our ocean and waters by 2030” Mission, and specifically the Destination “Clean Environment and Zero Pollution”, as well the Water Framework Directive and Marine Strategy Framework Directive. We will achieve this by developing novel analytics based on cutting-edge techniques: i) immunoassays to measure organic contaminants, ii) isothermal environmental RNA quantification for harmful microalgae and fecal coliform bacteria, and iii) two novel whole cell biosensors based on genetically modified diatom microalgae and fish gill epithelia for multiplexed heavy metals quantification and toxicity assessment. These will be coupled with state-of-the art sensors such as acoustic biosensors, multichannel fluorimetry and organ-on-chip microfluidic devices. Low-cost fabrication strategies will ensure that the developed technologies are accessible to end-users, such as industry operators and government inspection agencies responsible for environmental monitoring. New digital real-time data feeds will enable seamless data flows from sensors to the web, including a dedicated live dashboard. The prototype devices will be demonstrated and validated in potentially polluted coastal and freshwater environments in the UK, Ireland and Greece, with the support of local government inspection agencies. Together with measures to disseminate results widely to the international community, stakeholders and citizen science groups, we will maximize exploitation with a view to commercialize the new technologies in future.

The current pandemic of the coronavirus, reported first on 31st December 2019 in China, has produced a global alert of unprecedented nature. From the beginning, immediate actions have been put in place by all relevant stakeholders, i.e., local health departments, governments, pharmaceutical companies, global organisations etc., to address the problem as quickly as possible and control the spread of the disease. Large scale testing of symptomatic and asymptomatic patients/citizens has been one of the most effective measures taken by several countries, combined with isolation and tracking. Today, after six months from the outbreak, the deaths continue to rise with over 200 affected countries. Fear of a new wave of the pandemic together with the ongoing cases worldwide make the need for developing rapid and accurate diagnostic tools for COVID-19 a global priority, as declared by the WHO. The current consortium aims to join forces in the battle against the coronavirus by producing mature and robust solutions with immediate impact. The proposal is built around the implementation of an existing and patented device and methodology based on isothermal LAMP amplification and real time quantitative colorimetric detection. This mature methodology, currently of a technology readiness level of 7, has already been proven to be able to detect SARS-CoV-2 in patients’ samples with 97.4% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The main objectives of this proposal are thus the immediate deployment of the device following clinical validation and fast track certification. Arrangements for the large-scale production of the device and reagents will take place in parallel, followed by the provision of a full medical certification for COVID-19 and flu detection directly in crude samples and at the point-of-care. Global uptake of the two certified products together with global sharing of the project results are important deliverables of the proposal for the current and future epidemics.

The actions address urgent issues surrounding ticks as disease vectors, focusing on Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever, within the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Ticks pose significant challenges to ecosystems, economies, and public health, particularly as climate change exacerbates environmental dynamics. Therefore, tackling ticks' impact becomes crucial, including the development of early warning and monitoring systems and the creation of affordable, user-friendly diagnostics. Proactive actions are necessitated as climate-driven shifts are reshaping disease landscape. We seek to enhance resilience against these challenges by establishing a dedicated network focused on understanding tick species, pathogens, and their interactions within the SSA context. Leveraging advanced molecular ecology methodologies, statistics, and cutting-edge technologies, the initiative will establish baseline data for early warning systems and develop point-of-care devices, integrating them into One Health approaches. Additionally, it endeavours to create predictive models for both tick abundance and disease prevalence. ResTick underscores the critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing these challenges. By bringing together experts from various fields, including molecular biology, ecology, veterinary science, epidemiology and diagnostic assay development, the initiative aims to generate essential tools for managing tick populations and mitigating the spread of tick-borne diseases as integration of scientific findings into practical applications is a key priority for ResTick. Through knowledge dissemination and implementation of innovative prevention strategies, we aim to safeguard public health, support sustainable animal farming, and promote economic vitality in SSA. Through coordinated efforts and cross-border cooperation, ResTick seeks to enhance resilience and fortify societal response to the complex challenges posed by ticks and tick-borne diseases in SSA.

We aim to contribute to global diagnostics and preparedness for the next health crisis by developing in vitro diagnostic devices and methodologies for application at the point-of-care. For this purpose, mature as well as novel technologies and assays will be developed, addressing all pandemic preparedness requirements; i.e., with regards to assay characteristics and ability to assimilate new targets as well as platform ease of use and connectivity fulfilling manufacturing and regulatory requirements. In the 36 months of the project, we intend to develop and deliver two IVDR certified devices and six molecular assays for emerging pathogens detection at the point-of-care. We will build on a recent commercial success during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pebble platform and an innovative pocket-size device to be developed within the project, both providing capability for connectivity and surveillance. For the RNA-targets detection, we will employ a recently developed amplification method (DAMP) demonstrated to have a high specificity in crude samples. Three broad assays will be developed for screening of viruses belonging in one of the families of Corona, Influenza or Arboviruses, and three specific ones for Dengue, Zika and West Nile viruses, all according to IVDR-recommendations. Importantly the above six assays will be tested using samples from humans, animals and during field-monitoring of mosquito populations, providing a solution for the One Health initiative. For the development of accessible diagnostic tools, the UniHealth consortium consist of expert researchers, technologists, doctors, social scientists, regulators, innovators and biomedical device providers within the areas of diagnostics and pandemics. The high degree of UniHealth’s innovation and the co-development of solutions with global partners and end-users will expand the visibly and uptake of the project results to a global level leading to a high preparedness and an economic and social success.

AMBROSIA aims to provide the foundations for a multi-sensing future-proof Point of Care Unit for sepsis diagnosis offered by a CMOS compatible toolkit and enhanced by on-chip photonic neural network technology to provide an accurate and rapid diagnosis. AMBROSIA will be investing in the established ultra-small-footprint and elevated sensitivity of integrated plasmo-photonic sensors reinforced by the well-known on-chip slow-light effect and micro-transfer printed lasers and photodiodes on Si3N4, as well as the functional processing and classification portfolio of integrated photonic neural network engines, towards painting the landscape of the next-coming disruption in sensor evolution, tailoring them in System-in-Package prototype assemblies, with the sensors being cheap disposable pluggable modules that can rapidly and accurately diagnose sepsis at the bedside in clinical environments. AMBROSIA targets to demonstrate a Point of Care Unit incorporating: i) a switchable sensor area array, with each sensor area facilitating a pluggable, 8-channel label-free plasmo-photonic sensor for sepsis diagnosis with a sensitivity over 130.000nm/RIU and a Limit of Detection below 10-8 RIU for each interferometric sensor, ii) an embedded Si3N4 photonic neural network processing and classifying at the same time the data from at least 7 biomarkers with zero-power providing in the first minutes an accurate and rapid diagnosis for sepsis, iii) Micro-transfer printed lasers and photodetectors on chip that will drastically decrease costs of both the sensing and neural network modules, and render the sensor arrays disposable.