International and multidisciplinary VAHVISTUS project addressed research and innovation staff mobility, knowledge sharing, new skills acquisition, and career development. The Project focused on a two-dimensional mobility: international and intersectoral.
The Consortium was created for integrative development of smart drug-vector nanostructures (DVNs), which can be used for adaptive delivery of active substances into the target tumour or parasite infected cells. The ambitious scientific objectives were achieved through intensive continuous knowledge sharing between the participants.
Nanostructures for targeted drug delivery have attracted increasing attention owing to their ability to improve the efficacy and enhance bioavailability of pharmacetically active compounds (PhACs), control their release and provide a possibility to target cells. The Project challenged and resolved many technical problems associated with the synthesis and composition of the nano-assemblies, their uptake into the target cell and efficient adaptive payload release.
Project objectives
- The principal objective of VAHVISTUS is to strengthen the existing international collaborations between the Consortium Partners and to establish new long-lasting international and intersectoral ones, to provide knowledge sharing, to enable exchanges of research and innovation staff, and to create an intercontinental network in the area of smart DVNs for adaptive delivery to target cells;
- The main scientific objective consists in the integrative development of drug-vector nanostructures for adaptive delivery into the target cells to influence the SP compartments, to monitor the DVN behaviour inside the cell. Thus, the DVN will suppress the PV formed by protozoan parasites inside the infected mammalian cell or to affect the SP in order to initiate the cell demise in tumour cells.
- The key innovation objective of Project is to establish a creative multicultural interdisciplinary environment for the development of smart DVNs for adaptive delivery through shared culture of research and innovation, cross-fertilisation of ideas, international and intersectoral staff exchanges and transfer of knowledge and ideas from research to market.
VAHVISTUS project is highly relevant to the society, it is devoted to the development of new treatments for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and cancer.
The Project strengthened already established international collaborations and built a new network with the academic partners from the USA and Morocco as well as industrial partner Farmak (UA).
VAHVISTUS developed joint research and innovation activities, accompanied by knowledge sharing during well-balanced international and intersectoral mobility. The researchers developed abilities to appreciate the value of good scientific practice and the role of science in preserving human dignity and life. VAHVISTUS opened possibilities for the ESRs to perform training, to develop competences, to become aware of socially relevant areas; to discover new cultures, habits and life-styles; to strengthen values like solidarity, democracy, and friendship.
Communication and dissemination activities, as well as exploitation of results were crucial within the VAHVISTUS. The Project results will enhance the competitiveness of European pharmaceutical industry, health care, and higher education. Five project workshops were organised in Finland, Ukraine, Morocco, Brazil , and Italy. In June 2018, Summer School on Smart Nanomaterials for Drug Delivery was successfully organised on the island of Capri (NA), Italy.
