On October 10-11, 2019, the AlternativesToGd consortium met for a kick-off meeting at the EIBIR office in Vienna following the official project start on October 1st.

The AlternativesToGD project will develop on a new type of contrast agent for imaging using MRI and involves 10 partners, including EIBIR. The project will run for 36 months, and is scheduled to conclude in September 2022.

Project description:

Recently, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommended suspension and warning labels for the use of contrast agents (CAs) that are Gadolinium (Gd)-bearing CAs (GBCA) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These decisions, although in the absence of any clinical evidence, relate to potential major health concerns resulting from long-term accumulation of Gd containing species in the patients’ bodies. This sends a clear message to carefully consider the necessity of each contrast injection in individuals undergoing an MRI scan. However, for a number of diagnostic procedures such as tumour characterisation, the use of a CA is often essential. The accumulation of Gd in different organs (including the brain) and GBCAs related diseases requires the scientific community to seek radically new alternatives. The AlternativesToGd vision is to identify and validate radically new compounds and technologies as alternatives to GBCAs. Investigated compounds and technologies will be tested in animal models of disease and the most promising ones identified for further clinical development. If successful, the envisaged outcome will radically impact the field, likely leading to a paradigm shift in MR based diagnosis thus being highly beneficial to society. The AlternativesToGd consortium will develop a new class of MRI CAs that will be metal-free, safe, and completely washed out by the human system after injection. The agents consist of small endogenous molecules, which will be hyperpolarised to ensure high sensitivities even at very low doses. A major challenge and risk arises from the rapid decay of the hyperpolarised (HP) state. As enabling technologies, AlternativesToGd focuses on three leading and innovative hyperpolarisation techniques and on unique agents showing HP state lifetimes sufficiently long to enable diagnostic contrast-enhanced MRI approaches with so far unmet sensitivity.

Attendees:

Prof. Rachel Katz-Brull  –  Hadassah Medical Organization
Prof. Silvio Aime  –  University of Torino
Dr. Francesca Reinieri  –  University of Torino
Prof. Jan Henrik Ardenkjaer-Larsen  –  Denmark Technical University
Prof. Volker Rasche  –  Universität Ulm
Prof. Damien Tyler  –  University of Oxford (remote)
Dr. Julien Rivoire  –  RS2D
Dr. Ingo Lieberwirth  –  Max-Planck Gesellschaft Mainz
Prof. Kevin Brindle  –  University of Cambridge
Prof. Angelo Bifone  –  Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (remote)
Dr. Pamela Zolda  –  EIBIR
Peter Gordebeke  –  EIBIR

We’re happy to announce that the AlternativesToGD proposal has been invited to grant negotiations by the European Commission.

The AlternativesToGD consortium will develop on a new type of contrast agent for imaging using MRI.

The consortium consists of 10 partners, including EIBIR, and the project will run for 36 months, and is expected to start in the fall of 2019.

Project description:

Recently, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommended suspension and warning labels for the use of contrast agents (CAs) that are Gadolinium (Gd)-bearing CAs (GBCA) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These decisions, although in the absence of any clinical evidence, relate to potential major health concerns resulting from long-term accumulation of Gd containing species in the patients’ bodies. This sends a clear message to carefully consider the necessity of each contrast injection in individuals undergoing an MRI scan. However, for a number of diagnostic procedures such as tumour characterisation, the use of a CA is often essential. The accumulation of Gd in different organs (including the brain) and GBCAs related diseases requires the scientific community to seek radically new alternatives. The AlternativesToGd vision is to identify and validate radically new compounds and technologies as alternatives to GBCAs. Investigated compounds and technologies will be tested in animal models of disease and the most promising ones identified for further clinical development. If successful, the envisaged outcome will radically impact the field, likely leading to a paradigm shift in MR based diagnosis thus being highly beneficial to society. The AlternativesToGd consortium will develop a new class of MRI CAs that will be metal-free, safe, and completely washed out by the human system after injection. The agents consist of small endogenous molecules, which will be hyperpolarised to ensure high sensitivities even at very low doses. A major challenge and risk arises from the rapid decay of the hyperpolarised (HP) state. As enabling technologies, AlternativesToGd focuses on three leading and innovative hyperpolarisation techniques and on unique agents showing HP state lifetimes sufficiently long to enable diagnostic contrast-enhanced MRI approaches with so far unmet sensitivity.

Project consortium:

Hadassah Medical Organisation, IL

University of Torino, IT

Technical University of Denmark, DK

University Ulm, DE

University of Oxford, UK

RS2D, FR

Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, DE

University of Cambridge, UK

EIBIR, AT

Italian Institute of Technology, IT

The European Congress of Radiology (ECR) 2019 concluded on March 3, 2019 with a new attendance record. More than 30,000 delegates visited the biggest and most innovative congress for radiology in Europe.

Participating for the 14th time, EIBIR invited congress delegates to learn more about EU-funding and project management support while enjoying a cup of coffee in the EIBIR Lounge area.

Two important highlights for EIBIR were its Coffee & Talk session and Networking event. On February 28, Prof. Gabriel Krestin, EIBIR’s scientific director, hosted a Coffee & Talk session dedicated to EU-funded research and funding opportunities. Key considerations were presented and led to a vibrant and productive discussion.

EIBIR is honoured and privileged to contribute to scientific progress by helping researchers in the field of biomedical imaging secure funding for their ideas. EIBIR’s support does not stop there, however: EIBIR also offers project management support, and implements the successful communication and dissemination of research results.

During the Networking event on March 2, project partners and members of the EIBIR Scientific Advisory Board and Joint Initiatives gathered in the EIBIR Lounge to discuss biomedical imaging research in Europe. In addition, demonstrators from the EU-funded research projects LUCA, SOLUS, HYPMED and CoSTREAM – all receiving EIBIR support – were on display in the EIBIR Lounge to inspire researchers to reach for their own dream projects!

We can think of no better endorsement for EIBIR’s work that the comments of one attendee at the Networking event: “These support services are a dream come true for researchers and scientists!“

Visit the EIBIR Lounge at the European Congress of Radiology 2019 in the main entrance hall.

We have cutting-edge research results on display of four projects; HYPMED, LUCA, SOLUS and CoSTREAM. You can also win free proposal preparation support and tickets to the ECR 2019 party!

Come and join for more information about research management support and EU funding opportunities. Get a closer look to our successful projects and set your future goals with expert support from the EIBIR team. Don’t miss out on our additional events during the congress for an inspiring view on biomedical imaging research.

At this years European Congress of Radiology you can visit us in the EIBIR Lounge.

The EIBIR Lounge is located in the main entrance hall and together with the exhibition area is open during the whole ECR event between February 27th and March 3rd, 2019. Come and join us to receive useful information about research management support and EU funding opportunities. Get a closer look to our successful projects and set your future goals with expert support from the EIBIR team. Don’t miss out on our additional events during the congress for an inspiring view on biomedical imaging research.

On February 28th EIBIR will host the Coffee & Talk Session on EU-funded research in imaging and how you can get your research funded. Join us in this 1-hour journey of science and success!

10:00 Chairperson’s introduction
G. P. Krestin; Rotterdam/NL

10:05 What does EIBIR do and how can it help you obtain research funding?
P. Zolda; Vienna/AT

10:10 Case study of EIBIR success: the SOLUS Project
A.Pifferi; Milan/IT

10:15 Horizon Europe and future funding opportunities
P. Gordebeke; Vienna/AT

10:20 EIBIR Strategic Research Agenda
G. P. Krestin; Rotterdam/NL

10:25 Open forum discussion

On March 2nd, EIBIR offers you a guided journey through some of our successful projects. Come to the Networking Event at 12:30 and chat with the brilliant scientific mentors who brought to life LUCA (a multimodal imaging device for thyroid nodules combining laser and ultrasound) , SOLUS (on optical and ultrasound diagnostics of breast cancer) , HYPMED (hybrid PET/MRI insert for breast cancer) and COSTREAM (investigating the link between stroke and Alzheimer’s).

On March 2nd at 14:00, we invite you to attend the EFRS workshop discussing the “Growing radiography research”. During this session you can learn about how to turn your research idea into reality: opportunities for European funding from Pamela Zolda, one of our experts in this area.

We look forward to seeing you at ECR 2019!

We have recently published our Strategic Research Agenda for Biomedical Imaging. It presents current challenges in healthcare and highlights how innovative biomedical imaging can help address them. The strategic research agenda aims to encourage research funding mechanisms to include biomedical imaging. It was developed in collaboration with our shareholders representing scientific societies related to biomedical imaging, as well as EIBIR’s Scientific Advisory Board.

You can read the Strategic Research Agenda here.

The Strategic Research Agenda has also been published in the journal Insights Into Imaging.

The Horizon Europe funding programme will be implemented through three pillars; Open Science, Global Challenges and Industrial Competitiveness and Open Innovation. These support projects driven by researchers, research related to societal challenges with ambitious goals and research aiming to… make Europe a frontrunner in market-creating innovation respectively.

While the European Commission continues to iron out details of the next framework progamme, it has already decided on a name: Horizon Europe. The proposed budget for Horizon Europe will be almost €100 billion, including Euratom. This would be a substantial increase on funding in Horizon 2020 (€77 Billion).

More information is available on the Commission’s website.