The project aims to combine the expertise and resources of four academic groups working at the frontiers of material research and two SMEs, one engaged in producing commercial medical materials as well as having own research capacities. The Consortium plans to develop wound dressings which an be rated as a radical innovation in the area of chronic wound care. Our efforts will concentrate on the design of a new product which will combine diagnostic and therapeutic actions and facilitate wound healing, while at the same time minimize treatment costs and optimize wound management thus positively influencing patient's wellbeing. A range of new composites derived from naturally occurring materials, such as chitin and halloysite combined with colloids will be studied. The ensuing hybrid materials will be processed using micro- and nano-manipulating tools, including roll-to-roll and electrospinning technologies. A thorough characterization program will be undertaken in order to understand the molecular-level interactions between the composite components. The determination of materials structure will allow a complete understanding of how their properties originate so that they can be tailored to precisely fit their application. The dressing will feature diagnostic sensors capable of measuring pH, humidity, temperature and associated bacterial activity as well as a highly absorbent layer designed to drain the wound and release therapeutic agents. Each member of the Consortium is well-resourced in terms of facilities, infrastructure and technology transfer support so as to provide an ideal environment for the research program, the training of younger researchers and the exploitation of findings. Leveraging from nationally funded grants and actively engaging in research exchanges while seeking to produce a radical innovation in the area of 'smart' dressings the project will address all three key drivers of the knowledge-based society, namely research, education an innovation.

The aim of the project is to create multinational partnership between European research and innovation institutions, industry, and researcher teams in third countries in order to exchange knowledge and experience concerning cellulose-based materials using biomass residues processing in small and medium enterprises and rural areas from Europe and Latin-America. In order to fulfil the sustainability of the complete process, the new products and processes will be chosen taking into account the social (rural and/or vulnerable areas, portable pieces of equipment and educational programmes), environmental (use of natural additives and biomass residues as raw materials, removal of chemicals reactants in the processes, bioenergy) and economic (every-day products in construction and health sectors, artisan economies, engineering and mathematical tools to optimise the business models) points of view. The project enhances the development of knowledge and scientific excellence by enabling European universities and industries to establish and maintain contacts with their partners in third countries thereby facilitating access to research environments outside Europe and promoting synergies on a global scale with corresponding directly to EU & UN priorities and within some global goals of sustainable development, especially 7, 9 and 11.