Personalized medicine uses pharmacogenomics (PGX) to individualize therapy upon patients’ unique DNA profiles. With ~200,000 deaths/year in Europe due to adverse drug reactions, it has become an imperative to improve treatment. In Western Balkans (WB), individualization of therapy is done sporadically. IMGGE (Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Serbia) is a pioneer in the PGX in WB. PharmGenHUB will strengthen IMGGE’s PGX R&I potential by exchanging knowledge between IMGGE and EU partnering institutions: University of Patras, Greece (UPAT), University of Ljubljana, Slovenia (UL), University of Trieste, Italy (UNITS). Through collaboration and knowledge sharing with 3 EU partners, IMGGE will become WB central place for PGX diagnostics and R&I, education and trainings, and translation of PGX knowledge into clinically applicable digital solutions. IMGGE’s research project, high-throughput DNA sequencing of WB populations, with support of UPAT and UL, will identify WB specific drug-PGX marker pairs and enable design of electronic tool for better decision-making in clinical practice, electronic PGX assistant for WB (ePGA-WB). iPSC model for validation of novel PGX markers relevant for Europe will be introduced at IMGGE with support of UNITS. IMGGE will renew, reinforce and establish new connections through networking with WB institutions. Project will be realized through short-term visits of IMGGE staff to EU partner institutions, staff exchanges, on-site trainings, experimental laboratory work. Outreach activities will include PGX days, WB conference and joint summer schools. To strengthen research management capacities and administrative skills of IMGGE staff, a research management unit will be established with assistance from UPAT. As focal point of PGX translational research, IMGGE will impact on WB health-care cost benefits and facilitate WB integration to EU-PGX research area through R&I activities and digitalization.

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) caused by alterations in early brain development are a group of complex and heterogeneous disorders that give rise to the psychiatric conditions such as autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. NDDs have a high socio-economic impact and patients with NDDs and mental health problems are geographically dispersed. Thus, establishment of high capacity regional centres with equivalent research capacity and codes of practice is needed in order to build global research activity. The goals of STREAMLINE are to enhanced strategic networking and reinforce research and innovation potential of the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering (IMGGE) in order to develop IMGGE as a high capacity hub for research of NDDs in the Western Balkans which is able to integrate with similar centres in Europe. This will be achieved by twinning IMGGE with three top-class research institutions in Europe: Cardiff University, University of Maastricht and Centre for Research and Technology. The project objectives are: a) to enhance the current and scale up the overall strategic networking activities between the IMGGE and internationally-leading European partners and regional partners; b) to raise the research profile of research stuff and scientific attractiveness of IMGGE in the field of NDDs; c) to strengthens research management capacities and administrative skills of the IMGGE staff and d) to become a regional leader in innovations tackling NDDs. Objectives will be achieved through networking, staff exchanges, training, summer schools, symposia, workshops, participation at conferences and dissemination in scientific community, industries and public. Twinning with partners will provide access to new research avenues, creativity, development of new approaches and increased mobility (inwards and outwards) of qualified scientists.

Global research indicates that millions of people suffer from thyroid disorders, such as hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, autoimmune diseases, and tumors, with nearly 60% of them unaware of their condition. Autoimmune thyroid diseases, notably Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease, are the most prevalent, affecting about 5% of the population. Thyroid cancers are also on the rise, with significant increases in detection over recent decades. Despite various treatment and diagnostic options, many face misdiagnosis, ineffective treatments, and diminished quality of life. Levothyroxine, a synthetic thyroid hormone, is widely prescribed in Europe and the USA, yet 20-50% of patients experience improper dosing, necessitating frequent adjustments. Antithyroid medications can cause severe side effects, underscoring the need for careful management of thyroid diseases to avoid increased healthcare costs and lost productivity. Current treatment approaches, often not personalized, overlook genetic predispositions and environmental factors. Advances in genomics, such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) and the polygenic risk score (PRS), offer new opportunities for personalized medicine. These tools, combined with electronic health records (EHR) and lifestyle data, can improve disease prediction and prevention strategies. Pharmacogenomics further enables tailored drug treatment based on individual genetic profiles, promising more effective and personalized care. The design of thyroid disease gene panels and the development of innovative and digital solutions based on artificial intelligence stand as pivotal advancements. These could markedly accelerate the integration of more personalized and cost-effective approaches into clinical practice, heralding a new era of precision medicine for thyroid disorders.