1. Periodic Report Summary 2 - NAMDIATREAM (Nanotechnological toolkits for multi-modal disease diagnostics and treatment monitoring)

Abstract: Overall, the project has been developing both in line with the expected core Technology Platforms' progress over strong support of the spanning horizontal integrating activities. The tasks identified within all the eight Workpackages active over the reporting period have been fulfilled.

NAMDIATREAM has continued to prove itself as a project offering an excellent added value for money invested by the European stakeholders. As a result of expanding scientific activities and prime quality achievements, three principal investigators from the partner institutions have been awarded prestigious grants, further consolidating their outstanding positions within the international scientific community as leaders in their respective areas of research. Prof. Igor Nabiev (TP1 leader, TCD) was the recipient of the MEGA grant competition announced by the Government of the Russian Federation for research projects implemented under the leadership of outstanding world class leading scientists. Prof. Jean Pierre Wolf (TP3 leader, UNIGE) was awarded the prestigious Advanced European Research Council grant in 2011. Prof. Wolf's European Research Centre (ERC) grant came in as recognition of his extensive work in laser technology and imaging. Prof. Yuri Volkov (TP4 leader, TCD) is one of the key Irish recipients of the strategic European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) grant - Celtic alliance in nanomedicine which enables the dissemination of NAMDIATREAM project outputs among the regional stakeholders (e.g. hospitals, universities and nanomedicine-oriented industry).

Technologically, the project has reached the next level of its maturation and after successful accomplishment of the previous stage, has been more focusing on proof-of-concept experimentation, assays and device development. Of note, NAMDIATREAM demonstration activities in terms of device development and toolkit validation are proceeding ahead of schedule and in parallel with research and technological development (RTD) driven by industrial partners.

Two milestones relevant to the decision on immunoassay probes to be included in device prototypes and bringing the awareness of NAMDIATREAM activities at the European Union (EU) and international level have been reached.

A number of industrial partners have gained sizeable bilateral benefits from the NAMDIATREAM consortium through their involvement into the project programme. Thus,
- RDS consolidated its position within the in vitro diagnostic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by securing NHS, European Space Agency (ESA) and substantial venture capital funding;
- CLX received a CEO award and was shortlisted for their innovative trading business in diagnostic devices;
- FEE secured their first IP through the multidisciplinary effort within TP3;
NS consolidated their nanoparticle characterisation market niche by expanding their product features; their proprietary particle tracking analysis technology is currently positioned at the forefront of nanoparticle characterisation approaches.

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