What is the problem/issue being addressed?
The IMI2 JU has implemented numerous new projects in the area of neurodegeneration, covering the research and development (R&D) value chain from bench to bedside. Although several of these initiatives started leveraging on one another, an operational coordination for strengthening the information flow and enhancing the exchange of experiences and learning across projects was lacking. Moreover, there was a clear need to evaluate the impact of the investment in this research area. Effective and efficient collaboration and coordination among the IMI projects in the area of neurodegeneration was a key success factor for the important public-private investment to achieve its full impact, so the need for a tailor-made and structured support structure was evident.
Why is it important for society?
Millions of people in Europe and worldwide live with neurodegenerative diseases that can severely impact their quality of life and wellbeing. NEURONET has brought together the IMI research projects targeting neurodegenerative diseases, effectively connecting resources and facilitating synergies and collaborations amongst them, with the aim of advancing science and knowledge in this important area and bringing solutions to European citizens.
What are the overall objectives?
NEURONET ‘s main objective has been setting up an efficient platform to boost synergy and collaboration across the IMI projects of the neurodegeneration portfolio, assisting in identifying gaps, multiplying its impact, enhancing its visibility and facilitating dovetailing with related initiatives in Europe and worldwide. The overarching concept has been to collect and analyse information and assets from the various neurodegeneration initiatives supported by IMI in order to accelerate the development and implementation of novel therapeutics in this area across Europe. This has been achieved by developing a platform that, on one hand, has allowed interactions between the actors of the IMI projects, and, on the other hand, has been assessing both the intellectual and technological contributions of various projects and their potential impact. NEURONET has also allowed to identify gaps and common issues across projects and it has also assisted in the building of future projects that will address these unmet needs using the context and the building-blocks provided by the projects and research.
The specific objectives of NEURONET have been:
1. To create an overall platform for efficient collaboration, communication and operational synergies among both present and future IMI neurodegeneration projects, including transparent procedures and setting up of governance mechanisms such as coordination boards, working groups and task forces.
2. To design systems to map and analyse information regarding actions, initiatives and partnerships in order to assess impact of the individual projects, remaining gaps and global value of the programme for stakeholders using consensus metrics.
3. To deeply analyse the existing IMI neurodegeneration projects to support management of the programme, providing an overview of timelines, dependencies, potential synergies and key results across projects.
4. To proactively detect needs, opportunities and transferrable best practices of projects, and connect them to enhance value of the portfolio, effectively turning it into an integrated programme.
5. To support projects by organising tools, services, expert advice and guidelines/recommendations (including innovative approaches and ‘best of breed’ solutions from existing projects) on common issues, including (without limitation) a particular focus on: Data sharing & re-use, HTA/regulatory interaction, Patient privacy & Ethics, Sustainability.
6. To support enhancement and coordination of communication across the IMI neurodegeneration projects, increasing programme visibility to the outside world, outreaching to key stakeholders and establishing synergistic relationships with major initiatives in the field worldwide.
7. To manage and to assess its sustainability.
