Imagine if tumor growth would be reduced and then kept in a minimal and safe volume in an automated manner and in a personalized way, i.e. cancer drug would be injected using a continuous therapy improving the patient’s quality of life. By control engineering approaches it is possible to create model-based strategies for health problems. Artificial pancreas is an adequate example for this, where by continuous glucose measurement device and insulin pump it is possible to improve diabetes treatment. Gaining expertise from this problem, the current proposal focuses on taming the cancer by developing an engineering-based medical therapy. The interdisciplinary approach focuses on modern robust control algorithm development in order to stop the angiogenesis process (i.e. vascular system development) of the tumor; hence, to stop tumor growth, maintaining it in a minimal, “tamed” form. This breakthrough concept could revitalize cancer treatment. It is the right time to do it as some investigations regarding tumor growth modeling have been already done; now, it should be refined by model identification tools and validated on animal trials. The benefit of robust control was already demonstrated in artificial pancreas; hence, it could be adapted to cancer research. The result could end with a personalized healthcare approach for drug-delivery in cancer, improving quality of life, optimizing drug infusion and minimizing treatment costs. This interdisciplinary approach combines control engineering with mathematics, computer science and medical sciences. As a result, the model-based robust control approach envisage refining the currently existing tumor growth modeling aspects, design an optimal control algorithm and extend it by robust control theory to guarantee its general applicability. Based on our research background, validation will be done first in a manually controlled way, but then in an automatic mode to propose it for further human investigations.

Our project “Enhanced networking on antimicrobial resistance surveillance with NGS” brings together Semmelweis University (SU) and Klinika Za Infektivne Bolesti „Dr. Fran Mihaljevic (BFM) with two internationally leading research institutions, Laboratory of Medical Microbiology (LMM), University of Antwerp (UAntwerp) and the Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa) , on the topic of Antimicrobial resistance surveillance with whole genome sequencing (WGS) in correlation next-generation sequencing techniques. Our aim in AmReSu is to strengthen, to the highest European level, Semmelweis University (SU)’s and Klinika Za Infektivne Bolesti „Dr. Fran Mihaljevic” (BFM)’s scientific excellence and innovation capacity in Antimicrobial resistance surveillance and to set-up an ‘Antimicrobial resistance surveillance vision’ in Hungary and Croatia. Strenghtening antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance is also in line with the Hungarian National Smart Specialisation Strategy and the Croatian National Programe for Antibiotic Resistance Control. AMR bacterial infections are a global threat, they are responsible for increased morbidity and mortality rates in Hungary and Croatia, especially in cases of nosocomial infection. Many previously manageable bacterial infections are becoming increasingly hard to treat. Rising rates of resistance amplify the morbidity and economic burden associated with infections. An estimated 700,000 deaths attributable to AMR every year in the world, and a projected 10 million deaths per year by 2050 in the absence of additional control measures. The core activities of our project are knowledge transfer, exchanges of best practices via a number of institutional networking and training activities, including workshops, conferences, summer schools. to a new level, promoting research excellence in AMR and Microbiome with strong societal impact. Our proposed actions will strengthen joint research programmes in Europe.