Advances in medical imaging have enabled unprecedented ability to image cardiac anatomy and function. So far these technologies have had relatively modest clinical impact as the analysis of such rich multi-modal datasets has proven challenging. In silico models hold vast potential to better harness such datasets by enabling their integration into quantitative frameworks that can aid in gaining better mechanistic insight into cardiac function in health and disease, and thus paving the way towards optimal therapeutic strategies. Our objective is to develop the most advanced biophysically detailed in-silico model of total electro-mechano-fluidic function of the heart. This model will be parametrized, verified and used to study cause-effect relationships between flow and pressure and their impact upon pumping performance. A novel set of features such as combined models of both heart and attached outflow vessels and the computational efficiency will provide a unique platform for translational research. This ambitious endeavor is feasible only by combining the expertise of the applicant in modeling soft tissue mechanics and his supervisors in modeling electrophysiology (Gernot Plank, MUG) and blood flow (Shawn Shadden, UC Berkeley). Clinical input and datasets for model parametrization and validation are provided by Titus Kühne (DHZ Berlin) and by clinical collaborators of Prof. Shadden at UCSF. During the return-phase, the applicant will use the infrastructure of Prof. Plank’s lab and the large network of academic and industrial collaborations as an incubator for building up his own research group in computational hemodynamics. This is ideal in many regards, as the expertise of the applicant's group will be entirely orthogonal to the expertise in Prof. Plank's lab, thus promoting a fast pathway towards full indepence, and core expertise necessary for further developing and maintaining a highly complex computing environment is synergistically shared between the labs.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common autoimmune disorder to affect the central nervous system. Demyelination of nerve cells leads to a slowing of electrical signals, causing visual and sensorimotor deficits, cognitive decline and mood changes. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) plays a central role to in diagnosis through the identification of plaques and active lesions. Recently, functional MRI (fMRI) and Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM) have been shown to provide insights into the pathogenesis of MS and possible biomarkers of MS subtypes (relapsing-remitting (RR), primary progressive (PP) and secondary progressive (SP)). fMRI shows aberrant neuronal activation in response to motor tasks and changes to the motor resting state networks which are different in RR, PP and SP MS, for instance, whereas QSM provides images of the magnetic susceptibilities of different tissues, revealing iron deposits and demyelination. This action proposes the development of a new MRI sequence which will allow fMRI and QSM data to be acquired simultaneously rather than in two separate scans. This will drastically reduce the scan time, which is vital as many MS patients find it hard to stay still during an MRI. The combined fMRI-QSM sequence used to examine, in different MS subtypes and genders, reorganization of motor function and disruption of functional connectivity (from fMRI) in relation to the distribution of plaques, iron and demyelination (from QSM). The sequence programming in this interdisciplinary project will be carried out under the supervision of Prof. Barth, a physicist who developed the MR method on which the fMRI-QSM scan will be based, at the University of Queensland. In the return phase Prof. Enzinger, one of Europe’s leading MS neurologists, will supervise the clinical study with the combined sequence. This action stands to lead to a step-change in the international standing of the researcher and benefit the host and the European research area.

University of Ljubljana, located in a low R&I performing country, will partner with two internationally-leading organisations, the Medical University of Graz and KU Leuven, to expand the support and coordination capacity for national and European research in ageing-related decrease in brain functions leading to dementia. By 2025 more than 25% of European population will be over 60 years old, with people over 80 increasing most rapidly. Cognitive function declines with ageing, but unpredictably, remaining practically stable over time or progress rapidly to dementia, when a person loses the ability to live independently and enjoy a reasonable quality of life. Detection of the transition from a pattern of normal, ageing-related decline to a state associated with the beginning of mild cognitive impairment is crucial for providing long term effective medical support and a better quality of life to ageing people. Several advanced brain imaging methods are used to detect mild cognitive impairment. As no single method is optimal for the early detection, there is an urgent need for further improvement/refinement of these methods. Through this proposed project we will transfer current state-of the art methods in brain imaging, including magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography and positron emission tomography, from the two internationally-leading organisations to Ljubljana. This will be achieved by mentored training of early stage researchers and other researchers through workshops, summer schools, short-term on-site training and expert visits. With the two internationally-leading organisations, we will prepare joint collaborative grant proposals and PhD projects during the life time of the Twinning project. These will enable further development of advanced brain imaging methods to study cognitive decline at the University of Ljubljana and sustain the newly formed research and technology network for the foreseeable future.

Twinning for the Armenian Research Infrastructure on Cancer Research (ARICE) aims to increase the research infrastructure capacities in the field of cancer research in Armenia, through integrating a robust pathology background with state-of-the-art biobanking to a research-ready data structure. This will be achieved by establishing close cooperation with the leading expert-institutions in the field (Medical University Graz, Charles University and IARC) as well as by facilitating spread of the competences at institutional, national and regional level. Cancer research infrastructure has been chosen as the focus because Armenia has a very high incidence and mortality of cancers, as well as a very high prevalence (according to incidence) among rare malignant diseases, while it underperforms in cancer research when compared to the EU average. ARICE will ensure cancer research infrastructure gets appropriate attention in order to support further local research in Armenia and in the wider Caucasus region, including former Soviet Republics. New scientific developments in the field of cancer prevention, in particular in biomarker research and large population-based investigations are in place to facilitate success in research in this field. The ARICE project is going to be an important step for reaching the set goals both efficiently and effectively. The competences acquired in this field during the project realization will be easily transferable to other fields of research related to medicine, biology and medical ethics, health-economics and biostatistics. Involvement of researchers from multiple specialities (physicians of different specialities, biologists, data management specialists) hosted by the Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU) will ensure this smooth transfer of expertise.

The clinical and genetic investigations of diseases of the Cypriot population as well as eHealth are a priority of the Smart Specialization Strategy of the Cyprus government. This strategy can best be served by creating a Centre of Excellence (CoE) with two main spear heads: A contemporary Biobank and a research facility for developing the Cyprus Human Genome Project. Biobanks are organized collections of medical records and biological material of all types, aimed to support biomedical research, serving as repositories and distribution centers. Cyprus, as a Low Performing Member State, was the last country that started a Biobank, when 4 years ago we were competitively funded by the European Regional Development Fund & the Republic of Cyprus through the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation. That project provided €2m, 0.4m of which was for creating a seed infrastructure for Biobanking. The rest was used for research in inherited kidney diseases. The money for Biobanking was too little for supporting a contemporary operation of recruiting adequate numbers of patients with complete records and promoting translational research. Here, we propose to upgrade the existing small infrastructure and turning it into a CoE with the assistance of Advanced Partners who led a similar operation Europe-wide, Prof. K. Zatloukal, coordinator of the Biobanking & BioMolecular Resources Research Infrastructure that recently became an ERIC (European Research Infrastructure Consortium) directed by Jan-Eric Litton (BBMRI-ERIC) located in Graz, Austria. The previous activity allowed us to comprehend the problems associated with patient recruitment and record collection. This can now serve as a starting point for upgrading it into a larger scale operation of European standard, aimed at leading the Cyprus Human Genome Project, part of which will be the sequencing of 1000 Cypriot genomes. This CoE will provide the prospects for innovative research and lead Cyprus into the European Research Area.