The aim of the PoC-ID project is to develop new micro- and nanoelectronic-based sensing and integration concepts for advanced miniaturised in vitro diagnostic devices. The project addresses the increasing demand for rapid and ultra-sensitive point-of-care diagnostics to reduce healthcare costs and increase the quality of life with a focus on infectious diseases, one of the world’s leading causes of morbidity and death. Interdisciplinary collaboration using the technology and expertise of the consortium members will be applied to develop and test a breakthrough PoC prototype for the diagnosis of respiratory syncytial virus infections and host responses in the paediatric context. PoC-ID will enable new types of point-of-care diagnostics for virtually any type of complex liquid sample. Applications are disease diagnosis, monitoring of therapeutic responses, clinical research of pathogen-host interaction and personalised medicine. The platform technology can easily be adapted to a variety of diagnostic or biosensing purposes, such as in health/environmental monitoring or food quality testing. PoC-ID will combine the detection of both pathogens and host responses leading to more accurate diagnosis as compared to the current standard which is focused on detection of pathogens only. This novel approach will support prevention and control of pathogen spread and enable faster and more personalised patient treatment. Improved performance in terms of robustness, sensitivity and selectivity will be reached by a combination of innovative nanomembrane technology, molecular engineered capture molecules and two novel sensing concepts. Further advances will be realised in terms of usability and speed of data-analysis arising from the integration of sensors, read-out electronics and microfluidics into one user friendly point-of-care (PoC) platform. Costs of the new disposable sensors will be ultra-low at high volumes, thanks to designing into microelectronics production flows.

SENSOPAD initiative heralds a transformative era in women's health by addressing the longstanding challenges posed by Endometriosis (ED). ED's early detection is often underdiagnosed due to its asymptomatic nature, pivotal for improved health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs. SENSOPAD introduces two pioneering ED sensing systems: sensoPAD, seamlessly integrated into sanitary pads, and sensoMFgFET, a portable Point-of-Care (POC) device. SensoPAD comprises three Biological Processing Units (BPU) - BPU-1, BPU-2, and BPU-3 - ensuring continuous monitoring. BPU-1 combines an electrochemical sensor with RFID, while BPU-2 merges a chemical-based fuel cell with an electrochromic cell. BPU-3, an energetically autonomous unit, synergizes BPU-1 and BPU-2 capabilities for seamless monitoring. SensoMFgFET, a POC device, utilizes microfluidic systems and bio-conjugated gFET with RFID functionality, capturing specific DNA SNPs from the menstrual fluid as early ED indicators. Both devices are complemented by a user-friendly mobile application enabling real-time data acquisition and analysis. An advanced cloud platform integrated with AI enhances diagnostic accuracy. This innovative approach shifts the paradigm in ED detection, empowering women, clinicians, and healthcare systems. SensoPAD detects biomarkers, providing insights during menstrual cycles. If concerns arise during its use, users transition to sensoMFgFET at clinical points, combining at-home convenience with clinical precision. SENSOPAD aims to reduce ED diagnosis time from eight years to days, enabling early treatment, preventing symptom deterioration, optimizing infertility care, and streamlining healthcare journeys. Integrating SENSOPADs with a mobile app and AI-enriched cloud platform ensures accurate, cost-effective diagnostics, detecting silent instances of ED, and signifies a paradigm shift, fostering informed, proactive, and inclusive healthcare decisions for women worldwide.

The MARITEC-X consortium aims to create a Marine and Maritime Research Innovation and Technology Centre of Excellence based in Cyprus to act as an enabler of scientific and business excellence in Marine and Maritime issues in the Eastern and broader South-eastern Mediterranean. The Centre will be aligned to the overall Smart Specialization Strategy for Cyprus (S3CY) and the European priorities on specific pillars with competitive advantages to the Cypriot economy. Focusing on key priority sectors identified within the Smart Specialization Strategy for Cyprus such as energy, tourism, transport and shipping, MARITEC-X Centre of Excellence will seek partnering relationships with well-known European institutions that will assist to the transfer of knowledge, co-develop sustainability and research programs, handover best practices and consult towards the creation of a critical mass of infrastructure and human capital in the region.