Fostering research careers in LIGHT sciences

Projektinformationen

FLIGHT

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 101081441

DOI

10.3030/101081441

EK-Unterschriftsdatum 11 Oktober 2022

Startdatum 1 November 2023

Enddatum 31 Oktober 2028

Finanziert unter

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Gesamtkosten

Keine Daten

EU-Beitrag

€ 3 024 000,00

Koordiniert durch

FUNDACIO INSTITUT DE CIENCIES FOTONIQUES
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FLIGHT (Fostering research careers in LIGHT sciences)

Berichtszeitraum: 2023-11-01 bis 2025-10-31

Zusammenfassung vom Kontext und den Gesamtzielen des Projekts

FLIGHT aims to foster career mobility of researchers beyond the academic sector. The program includes an extensive training program of multidisciplinary scientific workshops and training events where all Fellows are exposed to the interdisciplinary mix between academic research and industrial/clinical work.

PhD students in the Industrial and Clinical tracks will undertake research projects in collaboration with one of 14 Industrial and Clinical partners, from innovative start-ups to multinational companies and leading local hospitals, who will co-finance research projects, and provide co-supervision, extended secondments, research and training resources.

FLIGHT has the potential to have a major impact in improving this situation, leveraging ICFO’s exceptional record of working with its Partners, and the interdisciplinary & intersectoral scope of photonic sciences. The program will allow ICFO to establish a unique model for industrial and clinical PhD training, and strengthen intersectoral engagement for the PhD program as a whole, establishing procedures and guidelines for future partnerships, and providing the critical mass of projects and Partners to give the program international visibility.

FLIGHT will deepen the relationship between ICFO and its Partners, as well as establishing the model for future collaborations using this framework that we fully expect to last well beyond the lifetime of the project.

Arbeit, die ab Beginn des Projekts bis zum Ende des durch den Bericht erfassten Berichtszeitraums geleistet wurde, und die wichtigsten bis dahin erzielten Ergebnisse

During the reporting period, the FLIGHT programme successfully implemented its core research activities through the recruitment and integration of Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) into the PhD Programme in Photonics at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC). A total of 28 ESRs were recruited and initiated their doctoral research projects. Following two withdrawals and the inability to assign two projects despite multiple calls, the programme currently comprises 26 active doctoral projects. Relevant coordination activities, including the preparation of a Grant Agreement Amendment, were initiated to reflect these changes.

All ethical requirements were fully addressed prior to and during the implementation of the research activities. Ethics clearances were obtained for all recruited fellows, with no new ethical issues identified. Research activities related to safety, data protection and imports were conducted in full compliance with ICFO’s institutional protocols and applicable regulatory standards. An independent Ethics Adviser was appointed to support and monitor ethical compliance across the programme.

The FLIGHT programme has already delivered concrete scientific and innovation-related outcomes. Fellows co-authored four peer-reviewed scientific publications and presented their research in 41 contributions at international scientific events. In addition, one patent has been generated and licensed to industry, and one invention disclosure is under preparation for patent filing, reflecting the programme’s contribution to translational research and industrial innovation.

Fortschritte, die über den aktuellen Stand der Technik hinausgehen und voraussichtliche potenzielle Auswirkungen (einschließlich der bis dato erzielten sozioökonomischen Auswirkungen und weiter gefassten gesellschaftlichen Auswirkungen des Projekts)

The FLIGHT programme has generated results that go beyond the current state of the art by advancing photonics research with a strong translational and application-oriented focus. Fellows are developing innovative technologies and methodologies with direct relevance to clinical and industrial environments, contributing to increased technology readiness and bridging the gap between fundamental research and real-world applications. Early scientific outputs, including peer-reviewed publications and protected results, demonstrate the programme’s capacity to produce high-impact research with clear exploitation potential.

In terms of innovation and uptake, the generation and licensing of a patent, together with an additional invention disclosure under preparation, highlight the programme’s contribution to knowledge valorisation and industrial relevance. Active engagement with clinical and industrial networks supports further development, validation and potential demonstration of research results, creating favourable conditions for future commercialisation and long-term collaboration. These activities strengthen the positioning of FLIGHT results within international innovation ecosystems.

To ensure further uptake and long-term success, continued efforts will be required in areas such as follow-up research, proof-of-concept activities, access to industrial partners and markets, and sustained support for intellectual property management. In addition, internal guidance on emerging topics, such as responsible use of artificial intelligence, and harmonised practices across institutions will further enhance the exploitation potential and scalability of the results generated within the FLIGHT programme.