Fraunhofer IBMT Partner in the EU-Project "CombiDiag"
Network of young scientists for research into a combinatorial diagnostics of Alzheimer’s disease
Memory impairment, orientation problems and speech difficulties can be signs of the onset of Alzheimer's dementia. This disease is not yet curable, but its progression can be slowed down with medication and supportive measures. The EU project "CombiDiag" is a doctoral network funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions of Horizon Europe, aiming to train ten doctoral students in the field of multimodal peripheral markers and their combinatorial use for the diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD). A combinatorial diagnostic protocol may serve as a crucial tool for accurate screening and identification of patients in the earliest stages of AD, before irreversible damage and associated symptoms occur. The aim of the "CombiDiag" project is to develop disease-modifying measures and treatments. The Fraunhofer IBMT is contributing its expertise in the development of printed electrodes for biosensor applications and microfluidics to the project.
"Dementia is a serious disease of old age and a challenge for our society. That is why research into this disease is also included in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and the EU's Horizon Europe program," explains Prof. Dr. Stefan Teipel, Alzheimer's researcher at the Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy in Rostock (Germany). He coordinates the European doctoral program "CombiDiag" (Combined Early Diagnosis of Dementia), which was set up to detect Alzheimer's at an early stage, develop prevention strategies and discover new drugs.
Ten young scientists from different countries have been selected for "CombiDiag" to conduct joint research at sites in Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, Spain and the UK. They will develop an AI- and data-driven diagnostic protocol to detect early stages of Alzheimer's disease. As part of the program, a comprehensive network will be established, and a study will be launched to collect several biomarkers. These include biomarkers for body fluids (urine, blood, and saliva) as well as digital markers for speech, motor function and sleep. The new generation of researchers will receive intensive training in this interdisciplinary field. During the three-year doctoral program, they will undergo a training program consisting of local and network-wide courses, events, and summer schools, and participate in an intensive exchange with the consortium partners. Nine academic and eight non-academic institutions in Europe, the USA, Canada, and China are involved in the program. ""CombiDiag" thus brings together the world's leading academic and industrial experts to promote the doctoral students' scientific skills as well as their creative and economic thinking," adds Professor Teipel.
In January 2024, a young scientist began her research work within "CombiDiag" at the Fraunhofer IBMT. She will work on the development of printed graphene-based lab-on-chip devices for the detection of body fluid biomarkers.
Complete name: "CombiDiag - Peripheral Biomarker Based Combinatorial Early Diagnostics for Dementia"
European Union's "Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions”
Starting date: 01.02.2023
Duration: 48 months
Budget: 2.16 Mio. Euro
Coordinator: Universitätsmedizin Rostock (Germany), Prof. Dr. Stefan Teipel
Universitätsmedizin Rostock (Germany)
Nordic Bioscience A/S (Denmark)
Universita degli Studi di Roma la Sapienza (Italy)
Universität Rostock (Germany)
Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spain)
Université Côte d’Azur (France)
University of Plymouth (UK)
University of Reading (UK)