The clinical translation of nanoparticle-based therapies over the last decade has been hampered by issues such as inefficient targeting and limited therapeutic effect. This poor translational outcome calls for deeper understanding of the biomechanics of cell-nanoparticle (cell-NP) interactions. Indeed, targeting mechanosensing-activated cell pathways is suitable for tuning cell fate and readdressing its functions, as mechanosensing components control the expression of genes involved in the cell’s migration, survival and resistance to drugs. Hippo pathway appears to be one of the most promising mechanobiology pathway, as it is involved in pathological diseases and tissue regeneration. This project aims to address the response of this pathway on cells upon interaction with nanoparticles. Indeed, tuning cell mechanosensing with nanoparticles is likely to hold great potentiality to control cell functionalities. The first objective will be the synthesis of nanoparticles of different size, shape and stiffness, using a silica scaffold coated with hyaluronic acid via metal-phenolic network assembly with exceptional physicochemical properties. The second objective consists in the application of Superresolution microscopy for studying cell-NP interactions with unprecedented detail and unveil the interaction/structure/ spatiotemporal localization of mechanosensing components related to the Hippo pathway (i.e. YAP, actin and focal adhesions) at molecular level. The third objective will be the deep analysis of the molecular biology and biochemistry of mechanosensing proteins (i.e. YAP, TAZ, RhoA and Rock), and their downstream effectors (i.e. TEAD and transcriptional factors) involved in the response to cell-NP interaction. The forth objective will pursue the analysis of these interactions using NenoVision technology (LiteScope), for measuring cell stiffness at the boundary of cell-NP contact with unique resolution.

Epilepsy is a brain disorder characterized by sporadic debilitating seizures and declines in mental health. Available therapies suffer from drawbacks and are not suitable for all patients. The medical needs in epilepsy encapsulate those for clinically managing brain health in general, i.e., the need for precision, personalized, non-systemic and safer therapies. Potential innovative solutions are available from advances in technology but will require multidisciplinary teams which bridge between engineering and clinical neurology. The main objective of the EMUNITI project is to develop a breakthrough, non-invasive, personalized brain stimulation device for epilepsy patients, (i) as a diagnostic for seizure localization which can guide subsequent surgical resection; and (ii) as a therapy, akin to immunizing the patient against seizures. The device is based on temporal interference (TI) of electrical signals delivered from positions around the scalp. The project will be led by Adam Williamson, who is a former recipient of ERC Starting and Proof-of-Concept grants and has IP for the technology. His lab is at the interface between state-of-the art engineering and neurology, and is based in a major European centre for clinical research on epilepsy in Marseille, France. His lab has already demonstrated in a pilot study of epilepsy patients, that TI can block seizure-provoking brain activity. The project includes three work packages (WPs). WP1 focuses on optimizing TI stimulation at the engineering level and establishing a novel form of TI in multipolar TI (mTI). WP2 will evaluate mTI in epilepsy patients, for seizure localization and for therapeutic intervention with the potential to create brain seizure immunity through repeated mTI. WP3 administers the project and delivers the main outcome: a clinical prototype with closed-loop stimulation combining mTI and intelligent software. The successful outcome is anticipated to lead to other applications for TI in brain health.

Excessive inflammation underlies the development of inflammatory diseases, e.g. Rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's Disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and cardiovascular disease - the most common cause of death in the world. Human physiology is controlled by defined molecular mechanisms, commonly controlled by specific target nerves and their associated reflexes which optimize function – for example molecular mechanisms regulating inflammation. Harnessing the power of the inherent nerve reflexes which are evolutionarily adapted to regulate specific molecular mechanisms holds promise to overcome many of the drawbacks intrinsic to current drug therapies. This approach, designated “bioelectronic medicine”, presents a radically improved way to both treat and better understand disease – with increased adaptability and precision. The vagus nerve, as shown by the team in this project and other groups, plays a key role in regulating key pro-inflammatory cytokines, pro-resolving mediators, and controls inflammation. However, specific targeting of the vagus nerve has required neurosurgical implantation of a pacemaker-like stimulator device with a control unit, a connecting cable, and an electrode implanted at depth. The requirement for highly specialized surgery significantly limits the usefulness and possibilities for implementation of nerve stimulation in treatment of inflammation. Surgery and device implantation also carries risks for permanent tissue damage, local inflammation, infection, and other potentially serious complications. TREATMENT will generate a precise, non-invasive nerve stimulator that uses Temporal Interference in an ultra-thin form factor (enabling patch-based applications) that will (i) target one nerve of interest and avoid off-target stimulation, (ii) avoid surgery, (iii) simplify effective use and (iv) enable bioelectronic medicine.

The project of “Mut catches up Europe” has been prepared to meet out long-term needs in terms of quality development and internationalisation. In this regard, the needs of our school, students and education staff are taken into consideration and the content of our project is planned in parallel with these needs.In the selection process, planned selection criteria were not changed. As a result, 9 students were selected as participants. Preparation program has been applied to selected students to get maximum efficiency from mobilities.The first mobility took place between 2-15 December 2018 in Germany. The internship with the participation of Health Care Technician Department was held in Betreuungs & Vermittlungsservice Andreas. This center is especially preferred for patients with stroke and is recommended for patients. Our students have been internship for 10 days in the center. During the internship, students who attended the internship for 4 hours, fulfilled their duties and responsibilities under the supervision of authorized personnel. In the first week, our students get to know a care center in European quality and are accustomed to the patients they are responsible for. They learned to follow the life findings of these patients from the devices and to process them on the scale. They carried out drug follow-ups and provided hygiene of the patients. In the second week, they had intervened in patients who were in danger of becoming a bed wound and had physical movements to patients. They support patients in swallowing-speech-respiratory therapies.The second mobility took place in Czechia between 3-16 February 2019. Our internship for the students of the Nurse Department was held at Motole Hospital. This hospital is one of the largest hospitals in Czechia. Unlike our country, the mothers stay in the hospital for 3 days and not after 24 hours. During this time it is supported both for its own care and for the care of the baby. Practices on the basic care and treatment of the mother are carried out extensively and the nurse assistants work actively to do their part during these practices. The participants were interned in this hospital for 10 days (4 hours a day) and fulfilled their duties and responsibilities for the mother's care and treatment after the birth. In the first week, our students got used to the delivery unit and paid attention to mothers' postnatal preparations. They followed the life findings and values. They have increased their knowledge and skills about muscle rupture, suturing pain and organ position. In the second week, they followed the mother's hygiene-sleep-meal follow-up. They supported the mother in breast care, breastfeeding and newborn care.The participants have spent 2 weeks in European countries and their viewpoints have changed. They came out of the district and found together with people who have different culture and life style and working principle. This situation caused them to change their opinions about their future and to have a visionary perspective. Our students, who did not even dream of going out of the district, are now curious about the differences. Therefore, our project was a starting point for our participants to be open to development and innovation. Thanks to the participation of foreign students who are reluctant to speak English in advance; language, motivation, skills and self-confidence towards learningOur institutional capacity has also increased thanks to our students' development and motivation for the projects, successful completion of our project, the development of team spirit in our team thanks to our new experiences and the increase in school-business cooperation. Now, organization, application and logistics issues can be carried out smoothly by us. Risk factors can be considered and actions taken accordingly. Thanks to our cooperation with German and Czech enterprises; Our cooperation capacity and internationalization dimension have also improved.