Ionizing radiation presents a known health risk, but if used controllably it can be the basis of relevant applications spanning from healthcare to civil security. Either for proper control of the dose received by patients in medical treatments or workers in radiation hazardous environments, or for high resolution imagers, proper quantification of the radiation doses is demanded. The x-ray detectors market represented 2.5 Bn$ in 2020, and flexible/wearable X-ray detectors are seen as breakthrough innovations for next-gen devices. But to date, there is not a detection technology offering a combination of conformability, portability, large active area, small interference with the radiation received, potential for high resolution and low cost/complexity. By using the patented idea of oxide transistors as direct ionization radiation detectors coupled to the knowledge derived from ERC Starting Grant TREND in miniaturized oxide electronics using sustainable materials and processes, FLETRAD proposes a platform tackling all those requirements and going beyond them. It creates the breakthrough market opportunity of having a fully flexible and transparent radiation sensing platform, using seamlessly integrated oxide transistors both for sensors and electronics. The action intends to identify the most significant market opportunities/applications for the innovative platform, fabricate/validate a prototype attractive to stakeholders, develop an IP strategy and a business plan, including the detailed analysis of the identified business opportunities. The work will be done at CENIMAT|I3N (NOVA), in a group pioneering oxide electronics, with full support of the Innovation Research and Impact Strategy (IRIS) office at NOVA. FLETRAD has the support of key-players in ionizing radiation/flexible electronics, contributing to take our ideas into impactful market and societal needs.

Agro-food and Paper mill side streams and by-products are sources of unexploited organic fractions exploitable into safe microbial biomasses, functional ingredients and intermediates, e.g. prebiotics, pre-fermented ingredients, bioplastics and chemicals. The INGREEN bio-based ingredients/materials will be used to produce innovative functional products for food, feed, packaging, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic sectors. The INGREEN outcomes will be obtained by validated tailor made biotechnologies based on safe microorganisms or eco-friendly approaches. Logistics and storage conditions will be optimized to favor the flow from feedstock to the bio-based prototype producers. INGREEN aims to demonstrate in industrial environments the efficiency and sustainability of the target biotechnologies to produce i) lactobionic acid (LBA), galactooligosaccharides (GOS), microbial safe biomasses from whey; ii) polyhydrohyalkanoates (PHA) enriched biomasses and purified PHA, as prebiotics and bioplastics respectively, from paper mill wastewater; iii) functional pre-fermented ingredients from rye/wheat milling fractions. Safe and characterized INGREEN ingredients will be used for innovative functional cheeses, bakery products and nutritious feeds. Functional GOS, LBA and pre-fermented bran will be used to produce prebiotic immune-stimulating gel, nutraceutical supplement and cleanser for human health. INGREEN biodegradable material will be valorised into bag in box to boost INGREEN fluid prototype sustainability. Prototype safety, shelf-life, quality and functional performances will be compared to benchmarks. Also LCA/LCC, sound business cases and plans and compliance with REACH and any relevant EU safety legislation will be applied over the whole project to assess prototype benefits compared to benchmarks. INGREEN product specifications will contribute to define/standardize the regulatory requirements for outcome innovation deals, market uptake and societal acceptance.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major worldwide cancer burden with about 1.4 million cases in 2012 and an annual mortality of approximately 700,000. Early detection is crucial as treatment is most efficient in early stages where population based screenings could substantially reduce incidence and mortality. Current screening techniques are invasive or lack sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms leading to the formation of different antigens suggested as CRC biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets are poorly understood, especially with regard to carbohydrate-based molecules, such as glycans. Enhancing our understanding of the structure-function relationship of glycosylation in CRC could lead to the discovery of improved diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and pave the way for nov-el therapeutic targets. Building on an established network of analysts with many years of experience in (glyco)proteomics and biomarker research, in collaboration with colleagues in the field of glycobiology and glyco-immunology, GlyCoCan will develop new methods, and use current state of the art methods, to investigate the role of glycosylation in many different aspects of CRC. The GlyCoCan multi-disciplinary network will principally be a training programme with a substantial industrial focus on technology transfer and teaching of internationally adopted biopharma regulations (GMP, ISO9001, ICH guidelines). The underlying specific research objectives will be addressed within individual ESR projects, giving rise to a generation of ESRs whose main focus is investigating and tackling the challenges of the role of glycosylation within CRC and other diseases. The network will address the currently unmet need for glycosylation researchers with an inter-disciplinary perspective to fully exploit the immense potential of the young scientific field of glyco-oncology and to set them on a path to successful and productive careers in academic and industrial collaborations.

Bladder cancer is the most common malignancy of the urinary tract with 573,000 new cases and 213,000 deaths in 2020 worldwide and affecting more men than women in a 4:1 ratio. Bladder cancer has the highest lifetime treatment costs per patient of all cancers, which is mainly attributed to the intensive follow-up procedures of patients after diagnostics and surgery. Follow-up is made recurring to extremely invasive and low-patient compliant tests. ENSURE aims to validate the technological and business feasibility of the electronic nose technology developed in the ERC Starting Grant SCENT by establishing the proof-of-concept for the non-invasive follow-up of bladder cancer patients. To accomplish this, we will approach the project from both Technical and Business perspectives, with a perfect synergy between the research and business teams, and a close contact with clinical collaborators and stakeholders.

The overall concept of MY-GATEWAY builds around the growth potential boost of CEE start-ups on a pan-European level by exploiting the Consortium partners' Startup Europe experience (as former coordinators and partners of the ICT-13 projects) and by implementing actions aimed at creating new opportunities and synergies within and beyond the MY-GATEWAY’s ecosystem. As a result of the project the CEE start-ups and the startup support organizations representing them will have better access to networks, finance and talent and will acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to maximise their growth potential. Moreover, the project will actively contribute to the expansion of the Startup Europe Community by opening the GATE of the Startup Europe to the Balkans. MY-GATEWAY involved the leading startup support organizations from Serbia, Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina (as members of its Balkan Committee) who will continuously follow up the project activities, facilitate the knowledge transfer - MY-GATEWAY KEY - to the Balkan region and mobilize the Balkan start-ups to set up the "Startup Europe comes to the Balkans" Network.