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HEAL-4WARD - doctoral network for Wound infection Advanced care and Rapid Diagnosis

Project description

Antimicrobial strategies and personalised wound healing

Antimicrobial resistance in wound healing poses a significant challenge for hospitals. For instance, surgical site infections, burns, and chronic wounds are common in hospital settings. Thus, there is a need for personalised treatment strategies to improve patient care and healthcare efficiency. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the HEAL-4WARD project will train doctoral candidates across Europe to tackle the challenge of wound infections. By combining advanced nanomaterials, non-invasive detection technologies, 3D printing, and artificial intelligence, the project will develop smart wound patches for personalised infection care and diagnosis. The initiative focuses on creating antimicrobial strategies that minimise resistance risks while enhancing diagnostics and imaging.

Objective

The HEAL-4WARD doctoral network aims to train 11 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) across Europe to tackle the critical challenge of wound infections. By integrating cutting-edge nanomaterials, non-invasive label-free detection technologies, innovative additive manufacturing (3D-printing) and Artificial Intelligence models, we will prototype smart wound patches for personalized infection care and diagnosis. Our focus is on developing on-demand antimicrobial strategies that minimize antimicrobial resistance risks, coupled with advanced label-free diagnostics and imaging capabilities. This initiative brings together an academic and industrial multidisciplinary consortium of experts in (nano)material science, chemistry, additive manufacturing, biomedical engineering, molecular biology, microbiology, and clinical practice. Our goal is to translate and combine innovative technologies from the laboratory to prototype to clinical settings, enhancing patient outcomes and reducing the burden of infections on healthcare systems. DCs will receive comprehensive training across these different and cross-section fields, training them with skills and knowledge to tackle antimicrobial resistance in wound healing and at the same time to create groundbreaking solutions that position Europe at the forefront of personalized medical devices. Our focus on skin and soft tissue infections, including surgical site infections, acute burns, and chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, and pressure sores, addresses the high prevalence of these conditions in hospitals and long-term care facilities. This emphasizes the urgent need for personalized treatment strategies to improve patient care and healthcare efficiency.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN - HORIZON TMA MSCA Doctoral Networks

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-DN-01

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA
Net EU contribution
€ 563 510,16
Address
Piazzale Aldo Moro 5
00185 Roma
Italy
Region
Centro (IT) Lazio Roma
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
No data

Participants (8)

Partners (10)