WP1: NETWORKING
Objectives Networking activities in the SCAFFY Academy are meant to encourage and facilitate long-term collaboration between the non-commercial and commercial sectors. Networking activities will involve two month exchanges of experienced researchers (e.g. lab directors, senior researchers). Description of Work Networking activities will include sharing of information, data, or other common resources in order to ensure knowledge transfer and facilitate long-term cooperation. Sharing of information, data or other common resources in order to produce innovative processes as well as joint publications will be encouraged from all participants and their experienced researchers throughout the project in order to strengthen the research partnership and ensure that the cooperation between the participants continues long after the completion of the project. |
SECONDMENTS PERFORMED: Dr. Begoña Castro from Histocell to VUB, 9th December 2015 - 10th February 2016. Dr. Stefania Mitola from UniBS to Histocell, 12th July - 13th September 2016 Dr. Angelica Valente from VUB to Histocell, 21th July - 21th September 2016 Dr. Antonia Kaltsatou from BME to VUB, 10th August - 11th October 2016 Dr. Begoña Castro from Histocell to UniBS, 5th April -18th May 2016 24th November - 11th December 2016 Mrs. Liliana Leu from Imedica to UniBS 10th October 2017 - 9th December 2017 Dr. Paraskevi Sakellariou from BME to UniBS 21th December 2017 - 20th February 2018 |
WP2: RESEARCH & TRAINING
Objectives The objective of this WP is to move past the state of the art of nanotechnology used as treatment for obesity and cardio-metabolic diseases developing an innovative scaffold prototype for BAT regeneration to launch into the market. Description of Work To achieve the objective of this WP, we plan two science-based and two business-based research activities to: 1) develop different bio-scaffold prototypes and assess their utility for BAT regeneration, 2) validation of the prototype in increasing thermogenesis and metabolism, 3) perform a market and analysis, and 4) business strategy. During each research activity, early-stage researches will travel to the lead participant for 12 months to learn new concepts and techniques and assist in performing the study. |
SECONDMENTS PERFORMED:
Mr. Wandert Schaafsma from Histocell to UniBS March 2016 - March 2017 Ms. Margherita di Somma from UniBS to Histocell June2016 - June 2017 Mrs. Eleni Dakou from VUB to Histocell, July2016 - July 2017 Ms. Maria Vliora from BME to UniBS September 2016 - September 2017 Ms. Miruna Stoilescu from Imedica to UniBS October 2016 - October 2017 |
WP3 : WORKSHOPS ACTIVITIES
Objectives
The objective of this WP is to conduct four workshops on: 1) nanotechnology applied to regenerative medicine 2) cell culture and tissue engineering, 3) BAT activity, neurotransmitters and metabolism, 4) drug development, 5) human clinical trials. By transferring knowledge and ideas on mechanisms involved in BAT regeneration, tissue vascularization on functionalized bio-scaffold and drug development, the planned workshops will improve the host’s and visiting researchers’ understanding of the current nanotechnology approaches to regenerate a target tissue and may provide new insights and future research ideas for developing novel therapeutic interventions for obesity and cardio-metabolic diseases. Description of Work Task 3.1: Design of the workshop’s fine details and take part in demonstration activities. During each workshop, senior researchers from all Universities and Companies of the host participant’ country will be invited to attend the proposed activities and also to present their projects and share their experience in the specific topic of the workshop to maximize the intersectoral and interdisciplinary transfer of knowledge between academic and industrial institutions. Task 3.2: Two ER from HCell (expert in nanotechnology) will travel to one VUB and the other to UniBS for 2 months each to conduct the workshop on nanotechnology applied to regenerative medicine. Task 3.3: Two ER from UniBS (expert in 3D cell culture) will travel one to BME and the other to IMED for 2 months each to conduct the workshop on cell culture and tissue engineering. Task 3.4: Two ER from VUB (expert in BAT thermogenesis and neurotransmitters) will travel one to HCell and the other to IMED for 2 months each to conduct the workshop on BAT activity, neurotransmitters and metabolism. Task 3.5: Two ER from IMED (expert in pharmacology) will travel one to VUB and the other to UniBS for 2 months each to conduct the workshop on drug development. Task 3.6: Two ER from BME (expert in human physiology) will travel one to VUB and the other to UniBS for 2 months each to conduct the workshop on human clinical trials, novel instrument and approaches. |
WORKSHOPS PERFORMED:
1st SCAFFY Workshop ''Recent Advances in Cell Culture and Tissue Engineering '', 08.03.2016, Trikala, Greece Experience Researchers, Dr. Cosetta Raveli from UniBS performed her 2 months secondment in BME to conduct the workshop. 2nd SCAFFY Workshop ''Brown adipose tissue activity, Neurotransmitters and Metabolism '', 20.09.2016, Bizkaia, Spain Experience researcher, Dr. Angelica Valente from VUB performed her 2 months secondment in Histocell to conduct the workshop. 3rd SCAFFY Workshop "Innovative scaffolds: applications and perspective", 21.02.2017, Brescia, Italy Experience researcher, Dr. Begoña Castro from Histocell performed her 2 months secondment in Brescia to conduct the workshop. 4th SCAFFY Workshop: “Drug Development” 07.04.2017, VUB, Brussels. Experience researcher, Mr. Octaviu Moldovan from IMED performed his 2 months secondment in VUB to conduct the workshop. 5th SCAFFY Workshop: “Technology Applied to Regenerative Medicine ” 19.10.2018, VUB, Brussels. Experience researcher, Dr. Eva González from Histocell performed 1,5 months secondment in VUB to conduct the workshop. 6th SCAFFY Workshop: “Innovative scaffolds: applications and perspective", 08.02.2019, Imedica, Ploiesti. Experience researcher, Dr. Roberto Ronca from UniBS performed 1 months secondment in Imedica to conduct the workshop. |
WP4: INNOVATION
Objectives
The objective of this WP is to conduct workshop on entrepreneurship, business model, strategic and operational management, as well as how to take the technologies and innovative prototypes from the laboratory to the open market. By sharing knowledge, concepts and ideas on mechanisms and rules that govern the market, the researchers will have the opportunity to see how the world of business spins, a world driven by profit and market position. Understanding the potential business value of a research project is the ultimate goal of a successful researcher. His/her career can only enhance if the outcome of his/her research is applied successfully in the open market. Description of Work Task 4.1: Two ER from BME (expert in entrepreneurship and business) will travel one to VUB and the other to UniBS for 3 months each to conduct an innovation workshop on entrepreneurship, business world and patent as a form of intellectual property. Task 4.2: Two ER from IMED (expert in marketing management) will travel one to VUB and the other to UniBS for 3 months each to conduct an innovation workshop on the role of marketing in the economy, marketing management for action and reward in the sales function to create “mutual benefit” with the customer, and marketing process to advertise campaigns and product commercialization. Task 4.3: During each workshop, business-researchers from all companies of the host participant’ country will be invited to attend the proposed innovation activities and also to present their own expertise in business and marketing management to maximize the intersectoral transfer of knowledge to the academic institutions. |
INNOVATION PERFORMED:
Mr. Vasileios Sideris form BME to VUB 15th february - 14th May 2017 Mr. Athanasios Dakas from Imedica to UniBS 19th August - 30 September 2019 |
WP5: DISSEMINATION & OUTREACH
Objectives
The objective of the proposed activities is to guarantee the communication to the scientific and the public communities. These activities planned throughout the project will involve 2-month exchanges of ER between the academic and industrial participants to ensure effective dissemination and outreach of the results of the collaboration, both during and after completion of joint activities. Description of Work Task 5.1: Design of a dedicated website and media campaign activities. Task 5.2: Manuscript preparation for publication. Task 5.3: Preparation of results at scientific conferences. Task 5.4: Dissemination reports. |
DISSEMINATION PERFORMED:
Dr. Eva González from Histocell to VUB, 9th December 2015 - 10th February 2016. Ms. Georgia Ntina from BME to VUB 25th March - 24th May 2016 Dr. Angelica Valente from VUB to IMEDICA, 30th April - 29 June 2016 Dr. Roberto Ronca from UniBS to Histocell, 12th July - 13th September 2016 Dr. Eva González from Histocell to UniBS, 16th November - 15th December 2016 23th January - 22 February 2017 Ms. Georgia Ntina from BME to UniBS 21th December 2017 - 20th February 2018 |