PROJECT LEADER & MANAGERS
WORK PACKAGES LEADERS
Get to know them as well as their thoughts on their involvement in INNOVA4TB
José Domínguez
PhD
Management and training, Host-pathogen interaction
"This project represents a great opportunity to train young researchers and clinical doctors in both, general research and TB management. We have the challenge of creating a European network of excellence based on enthusiastic people who want to change the way we face TB."
Cristina Prat
MD, PhD, Medical Microbiologist
Host-pathogen interaction
"This project joints efforts and expertise from academic, clinical and industry and represents for me the achievement of a lifetime fight to bridge clinics and research. From a scientific point of view, challenges are focused on approaches for diagnosis and monitoring that can reach the clinical practice and give solutions to daily challenges rapidly. From a training point of view, it offers a wide range of complementary biomedical techniques that will enrich skills and expertise of the participants focusing on early-stage researchers but also giving fresh air and new challenges to senior ones. The synergy between clinical and academic Institutions is extremely high as well as the real transfer into the practice by the participation of SMEs. But the nicest part is the personal involvement since we are very lucky to joint efforts with people that we already had the chance to share many scientific and personal experiences with, in the last decade."
Alicia Lacoma
PhD in Microbiology, host-pathogen interaction during lower respiratory tract infections
Therapeutic strategies
"INNOVA4TB is a research project that offers different opportunities of collaboration between clinicians, academic researchers from interdisciplinary backgrounds and industry to improve TB management."
Valeriu Crudu
MD,PhD, Associate professor, Chief of National TB Reference Laboratory Phthisiopneumology Institute
Development of new diagnostic methods
"I believe that this project is extremely interesting and important. My colleagues are very enthusiastic, have a strong interest in contributing in the study objectives, and would like to express their support in the research study. We anticipate that the proposed project will be beneficial for the National TB Control Program in Moldova, as well as for other countries with high burden M/XDR-TB. The results could be applied in Moldova as well as in many other countries around the world. Therefore, we are very interested in the possibility of cooperation in the implementation of the project. We with enthusiasm participated in the development of the project and we declare that our laboratory with pleasure will participate in the INNOVA4TB project."
Andrii Dudnyk
MD, PhD, specialised in TB and Respiratory Medicine National expert on clinical monitoring of shorter MDR-TB treatment regimens
Multi/Extensively Drug Resistant Tuberculosis detection
"Over the past 10 years, I have been pulling on my white coat to find solutions for rapid diagnostics and personalized management of my MDR-TB patients. INNOVA4TB is a project for rising stars, for those who would like to improve current practice. I consider our consortium as a unique skill-building platform for sharing experience and research career mentorship. Innova4TB provides an opportunity to develop innovative technologies bridging the gap in our willingness to end TB globally."
Raquel Villar Hernández
PhD in Microbiology, TB & NTM diagnosis
Dissemination, communication & exploitation
Responsible for visual identity, awareness campaigns, social media & website creation & management
"Besides research in itself, I have always had a strong interest in Science Communication. It plays an important role in making research available and comprehensive to everyone enabling proper and informed decisions while encouraging to take action. Considering that to advance the decrease of TB burden and improve patient care we need a functional multi-sectoral approach, communication becomes crucial. This is why at the heart of INNOVA4TB, research and training are accompanied by communication and advocacy which I am very happy to be a part of. So... follow us and stay tuned!"
Olena Rzhepishevska
PhD
Dissemination, communication & exploitation
"INNOVA4TB is important for me because it is a second chapter of the work we have been doing for 5 years with Ukrainian and Spanish colleagues. INNOVA4TB is about finding better methods for TB management by scientific methods but it is also about building a multidisciplinary and multinational community of people who support each other in the struggle against TB, an infectious disease that has been neglected in many countries. Lately, the WHO, the UN and StopTB partnership are doing impressive work to put TB in focus. I hope this will continue and with sufficient funding for research, clinical and social work against TB I will live to the day when TB is eliminated globally."
BENEFICIARIES & PARTNERS
Health Care Centres, Universities, Research Institutions and SMEs who make this project possible
Consortium Center of Biomedical Research Network M.P. (CIBER)
Madrid, Spain
The aim of the CIBER consortium, a public research consortium set up at the initiative of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), is to further excellence research in Biomedicine and Health Sciences done in the National Health System and in the Science and Technology System. To this end, efforts and interdisciplinary and multi-institutional research are combined with a preferential dedication of financial resources around knowledge networks formed by centers and research groups reporting to different administrations and public and private institutions.
Umeå University (UMU)
Umeå, Sweden
Umeå University is the flagship institution of higher education in northern Sweden. It offers a broad range of academic opportunities, including creative learning environments, an exciting campus life and valuable support services. Research at Umeå University spans the fields of humanities, medicine, natural sciences, social sciences and the science of education.
Odessa National I.I. Mechnikov University (ONU)
Odessa, Ukraine
The university is a classical establishment of higher education of a European type. It trains specialists in main spheres of natural and human sciences. The work of the University is recognized by European educational and scientific centers. It is a member of the Association of European Universities and The International Association of Universities. ONU constantly takes part in the work of international organizations on the subject of higher education. Hundreds of foreign students receive education within the walls of ONU.
Institutia Medico-Sanitara Publica - Institutul de Ftiziopneumologie "Chiril Draganiuc" (IFTIP)
Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
The IFTIP is the main research institution and clinical structure in the field of tuberculosis control from Moldova. The principal tasks of IFTIP are scientific researches, clinical consultation and treatment of respiratory diseases, including TB. The main research fields of the IFTIP include epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment of tuberculosis and nonspecific pulmonary diseases. The other scientific area of activities of IFTIP are new molecular genetic methods of diagnostic of pulmonary diseases, new therapeutic compounds with anti-TB activity, genotyping of M.tuberculosis, tuberculosis drug resistance, nosocomial transmission of TB.
Odesa Significant Diseases (SD) Center
Odessa, Ukraine
Principal TB medical and diagnostic facility in Odessa region, Ukraine, providing TB treatment and surveillance services to about 2.5 million citizens. It has a staff of over 550 people in 5 departments including Surgery, and Pediatric TB Department. The urologic department of the Odessa SD Center is one of only two places in Ukraine where urogenital TB is treated. The clinical laboratory of the Odessa SD Center is a certified Bacteriological Safety Level 3 facility funded by USAID, equipped with modern instrumentation. Over 18000 M. tuberculosis culture tests and 3500 drug susceptibility tests for M. tuberculosis are being done yearly. RTBH routinely organizes training on TB diagnostics and treatment for all type of medical experts.
Vinnytsia National M.I. Pyrogov Medical University (PMU)
Vinnytsia, Ukraine
National Pirogov Memorial Medical University, Vinnytsya (VNMU) (state organisation) is among the best universities for medical students in post Soviet Union countries. It has the staff of over 1730 including researchers/teachers and 12000 medical students from 56 countries. University has its own campus area, Fundamental Research Division and contracts with all regional hospitals to provide clinical researches.
Serveis Clínics (SC)
Barcelona, Spain
Serveis Clínics is a TB Centre created by the Barcelona Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Program and the Catalan Government in 1993, to perform directly observed treatment under hospitalization for patients with drug resistance and/or risk factors for bad adherence to the TB treatment. SC is the place of reference for all Catalonia if patients need to be hospitalized to comply with the isolation period or cover all the TB treatment. We also have a Physiotherapist and a Department of Social Work. The staff specially works with the immigrant population with language barriers and generally with sociocultural and economic problems that need to be approached and solve their medical problems simultaneously, which helps boost their adherence to TB treatment. Doctors and nurses have large experience in clinical management of pan-susceptible and drug resistant TB cases.
Genome Identification Diagnostics (GenID)
Germany
GenID is a small and innovative company that offers extensive expertise in the application of genomic and molecular genetic technologies. It is a well-established provider and developer in the field in vitro diagnostics in molecular biology, immunology, and infectious diseases. GenID GmbH develops and produces a comprehensive range of test systems for research as well as diagnostic labs and works since 1999 in the field of T-cell diagnosis. The EliSpot Reader System is placed worldwide in research and routine also in vaccination trials. GenID possesses a suitable market access via partners within the group of companies and also a considerable customer base and supports the AID group in distribution of the kits worldwide by workshops and presentation on expert conferences. GenID has taken part in many different research projects, and the involved staff is a well-coordinated team for research activities as well as for organized work-flow.
EMPE Diagnostics
Sweden
EMPE is an interdisciplinary R&D-based SME focusing to develop rapid diagnostic solutions for infectious diseases with a special focus on antimicrobial resistance. EMPE aims to develop proficient point-of-care tests that can provide reliable clinical information already during the first clinical contact between the doctor and the patient at primary health care centers and medical camps.
Magritek
Aahen, Germany
Magritek is the global leader in manufacturing cryogen-free benchtop Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometers for the analytical instrument market. Magritek’s revolutionary 80 MHz, 60 MHz and 43 MHz Spinsolve family of benchtop NMR models offer the highest sensitivity and resolution available in the market. These portable systems are robust and easy to use, allowing modern NMR methods to be performed on the chemistry lab bench or inside the fume hood next to a reactor. Spinsolve NMR spectrometers are used daily by scientists in research labs to quantify and identify sample compositions, confirm reaction completions and elucidate unknown molecular structures.
University of Zaragoza (UNIZAR)
Zaragoza, Spain
The University of Zaragoza was founded in 1542 and presently consists of 11 faculties, 1 school of engineering, 6 technical schools, 55 departments and 5 research institutes. More than 30.000 students (40% in science and technology) are attending the 48 graduate level programs and 51 post‐graduate academic programs that cover a wide range of fields such as: humanities and arts, social sciences, health sciences, experimental sciences and technological sciences. ICMA is a Joint Research Institute of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and University of Zaragoza. It is an interdisciplinary research institute of the focused on R+D in nanoscience and nanotechnology, based on the processing and fabrication of structures at the nanoscale and the study of their applications, in collaboration with companies and technological institutes from different areas.
CIC biomaGUNE (CICbmG)
Guipuzcoa, Spain
CICbmG is a non-profit research organization with the basic aim of creating and promoting cooperative scientific research and technological innovation in the field of biomaterials. The Centre comprises of 11 international research teams conducting state-of-the-art research at the interface between chemistry, physics and biology, with special emphasis on the properties and applications of molecular-level biological nanostructures. The main research lines lie within the design, preparation and characterization of biofunctional nanostructures and their in vitro and in vivo biological evaluation. CIC biomaGUNE’s cutting-edge infrastructure includes the Molecular Imaging Facility, a reference platform in Europe in the field of molecular and functional pre-clinical imaging.
Instituto Aragonés de Ciencias de la Salud (IACS)
Zaragoza, Spain
IACS was created in 2002 by the Aragon Health Act (Law 6/2002, of April 15) as an independent public entity under the umbrella of the Regional Department of Health. The Institute organizes its activity in two main areas: Knowledge Transfer and Research, Development and Innovation. The IACS mission is to promote research, innovation and knowledge brokering in biomedicine and health sciences for the Aragon Health System.
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)
Madrid, Spain
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) is the oldest and largest of the Spanish technical universities, with currently more than 3000 faculty members, around 38000 undergraduate students, and around 6000 postgraduate students. The University has a strong commitment to research, development and innovation and extensive participation in international R&D. UPM has recently opened an European Projects Office, to provide support for the participation and leadership of innovation-fostering groups at UPM into high quality European R&D projects. The annual average figures are 1,200 journal papers, 2,000 conference communications and 200 Ph.D. theses.
Universidad de la Frontera (UFRO)
Chile
UFRO is an institution of public and state higher education, considered among the best in the country, for its remarkable indicators of quality and excellence. It has over 8,500 students in its undergraduate programs, distributed in six Faculties, and more than 800 students in its graduate programs. The Jeffrey Modell Center is included in Center of Excellence in Translational Medicine of Universidad de La Frontera, and it is aimed at diagnostic and research in Primary Immunodeficiencies.