Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ICI-THROUGH (Intersectoral collaboration for innovation in non-invasive techniques to estimate human brown adipose tissue activity)
Berichtszeitraum: 2016-12-01 bis 2018-11-30
Thus, measurement of an individual's BAT activity has enormous value for weight management and predisposition to cardio-metabolic disease. It is also critical for treating patients suffering from thyroid, metabolic, and thermoregulatory abnormalities and for its potential prevention and/or treatment of obesity and obesity-associated diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and several cancers.
To solve this intersectoral problem, the ICI-THROUGH project worked on the creation of a sustainable innovation platform of intersectoral collaboration between two academic (University of Thessaly and University of Porto) and two industrial (Imedica SA and Center of Technology Research and Innovation Ltd.) European organizations to exchange knowledge on the development of non-invasive techniques to estimate human brown adipose tissue activity. This was achieved via a series of clear and measurable research and innovation objectives that was realized via staff exchanges of experienced (ER) and early-stage (ESR) researchers. All the research and innovation staff exchanges between the academic and the industrial participants incorporated built-in return mechanisms to maximise the impact of the action for knowledge sharing and long-term collaboration. The two academic and two industrial entities of the consortium were complementary with adequate technical and management abilities for the successful implementation of this project. The four ICI-THROUGH participants are experts in brown adipose tissue biology, medical imaging, human physiology and hardware/software development. Finally, they had participated in previous knowledge transfer programmes funded by the EU.
For the 2nd reporting period, the consortium partners had a successful cooperation and worked very well together as a result the action has achieved all of its objectives. The consortium developed an ICI-THROUGH prototype that will employ the optimum technique (i.e. HFTs or infrared thermography) to derive the activity of brown adipose tissue (BAT).
Moreover, the ICI-THROUGH project contributed in enhancing research and innovation-related human resources, skills, and working conditions to realize the potential of individuals and to provide new career perspectives. It also developed new and lasting research collaborations, achieved transfer of knowledge between research institutions and improved research and innovation potential at the European and global levels.