COVID-19 does not always end with a negative test. Many people face an increased risk of heart, lung and kidney problems months or years after the initial illness, the post-acute phase (PAP) of COVID-19. POINT brings together population data, blood-based measurements and advanced laboratory and computational models to understand why this happens and who is at greatest risk, and to turn that knowledge into practical guidance for clinicians.
The project links two large European registry cohorts (pre-pandemic and during-pandemic) with rich health, prescription and socio-demographic data to map the longer-term burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) after COVID-19. In parallel, clinical cohorts in Greece and Denmark provide longitudinal plasma and serum samples, paired between acute illness and follow-up, that are analysed with deep proteomic methods to reveal circulating factors associated with organ injury, cardiovascular fitness and inflammation.
Laboratory teams use standardised human 2D cell cultures and 3D organoids of lung, kidney and vascular tissues to test how patient plasma and selected protein mixtures affect cell stress, energy production, fibrosis and senescence. These readouts, together with registry and proteomics data, are integrated into “virtual twin” models that simulate disease mechanisms and forecast individual risk.
Social sciences play a central role: POINT works with general practitioners (GPs) to understand guideline use and barriers to uptake, studies how belief systems shape adoption, and liaises with standards bodies to ensure that emerging tools are usable, explainable and interoperable in everyday care.
Expected impact includes earlier identification and follow-up of people at risk of PAP-related NCDs, better targeted monitoring panels for heart, lung and kidney health, and decision support that helps clinicians act on risk in a consistent and transparent way across Europe. At population scale, registry analyses provide evidence to plan services and reduce long-term health and economic burdens.
