MISTRAL Project combines a solid scientific approach with cutting-edge Al-based technologies to provide immersive digital tools enabling stakeholders to build dynamic and personalized policies. In RP1, all WPs were operational, resulting in submitting 21 out of 21 planned deliverables and achieving 2 scheduled milestones.
Below is a summary of each WP's key accomplishments during this period.
WP1 developed and launched the MISTRAL virtual infrastructure, which can provide secure, federated data processing and administration. Continuous endeavours encompass refining the platform's usability, augmenting data accessibility, and incorporating supplementary datasets. The infrastructure has been developed and deployed physically in Taranto (Urban Health Center). All the devices and high-performing machines are dedicated only to the MISTRAL project and all the partners. The core of the infrastructure is the MISTRAL Platform (
https://mistralplatform.eu(si apre in una nuova finestra)) the central server that is now going to the ZEPHYR digital survey. It will be developed further for the project, offering a solid basis for sophisticated Health Impact Assessments (HIA) and opening up access to a more extensive network of academics for collaboration and creative data analysis and modeling. In the Taranto case study, the first AIRWINGS devices - suitable for indoor air quality monitoring - are being validated concurrently, and after several data security controls will be deployed among the strategic indoor places.
WP2 worked in synergies with WP1 and WP3 to successfully contribute to the draft and release of the first version of the Data Management Plan (DMP) and Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) and to support the principal and secondary study coordinators in dealing with their local Ethical Committees (EC).
WP3's activities connected to the ZEPHYR study started successfully in Taranto (study coordinator) in March 2024; until now, we have reached 50% of the sample. Enrollment in Rybnik (PL) started in June 2024. More than 500 urine and blood samples have been collected and will be shipped to Hasselt University for the black carbon analysis. ASLTA has gathered different environmental exposure data from Copernicus on air pollution and identified patterns in air pollution over time, supported by UNIBA (Physics) for weather data, land use, street configuration, building heights surrounding the area, and traffic exposure indicators, to create different multi-modal physical photochemical dispersion models on the three cities.
WP4’s primary focus has been developing innovative analytical methods and models to enhance Health Impact Assessment (HIA) tools. New models and approaches are currently under study after systematic reviews have been planned and ongoing. WP5 is the foundation for integrating population health researchers and data scientists. Preliminary activities consisting of board committees set up and community engagement events have been scheduled to create a sustainable and responsive engagement framework.
Under WP6, the coordination team organized various meetings, including the Kick-off, General Assembly, and Plenary meetings, to review the project’s status and progress. At this project stage, communication and dissemination (WP7) are mainly focused on raising awareness and engaging with potential adopters of the project results through workshops, webinars, and participation in events. Generally, KPIs related to communication and dissemination align with the initially established targets.
