Project
Personalised Medicine refers to an innovative medical model using molecular profiling for
- tailoring the right therapeutic strategy for the right person at the right time,
- and / or for determining the predisposition to a disease,
- and / or for delivering timely and targeted prevention.
Worldwide, but specifically in Europe and China, multiple promising innovative techniques and approaches have been developed during the past few years in the field of health R&I. Various excellent research centres in Europe and China are leading research in diverse fields of action, such as omics, ICT and big data exploitation methods, raising hopes for a shift from a reactive healthcare system towards a more preventive and predictive system.
The complexity of developing personalised solutions for health care at a global scale calls for a coordinated and global approach. This is where the EU-funded coordinated support action (CSA) Sino-EU PerMed comes into play: As the European partners of Sino-EU PerMed, namely DLR-PT (the Project Management Agency of the German Aerospace Center), Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences, Innovation Fund Denmark and Health Research Board Ireland, are active in the International Consortium on Personalised Medicine (ICPerMed) as well as related initiatives and activities (see Figure of the ICPerMed family below). The ultimate goal of the Sino-EU‐PerMed project was to foster collaboration between Chinese health organisations and ICPerMed, and to identify areas of mutual interest (also see 'Internationalisation of Personalised Medicine').
With our Chinese partners, the project spanned the whole healthcare value chain from government organisation to research and technology transfer. The Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health CAS located in the south of China is a research institute with in-house expertise and access to experts in the region. Jiangsu International Technology Transfer Center placed in the economically important eastern region, has expertise in applied innovation.
The ICPerMed Family: The figure illustrates projects and initiatives which are either part of the ICPerMed platform directly (big hexagon) or related to ICPerMed indirectly.
ICPerMED
Sino-EU PerMed worked towards achieving the following specific objectives:
- to gain knowledge and understanding of the scientific and political landscape and its main players within Personalised Medicine in China,
- to engage relevant stakeholders in Europe and China and discuss the main needs and barriers for Personalised Medicine research and policy implementation,
- to involve stakeholders in Europe and China from many provinces and countries, covering existing excellence and diversity in both regions and reducing existing gaps to analyse the potential and advantages of collaboration in Personalised Medicine between EU countries and China,
- to build links between European and Chinese organisations and research centres with an interest in Personalised Medicine R&I and policy and thus to foster their participation in ICPerMed and the ICPerMed Action Plan, and
- to analyse and discuss with major Chinese stakeholders the way forward to integrate China in the ICPerMed challenge groups, workshops, conferences and other events and initiatives.
Sino-EU PerMed was built on 4 pillars:
The project's backbone: Coordination and Management
The project's backbone had the objectives of ensuring the effective and efficient execution of the contract with European Commission (EC), providing the financial management interface with the EC, and disseminating and communicating results. Furthermore, it amplified the impact and sustainability of project results beyond the consortium boundaries by developing and implementing a Sino-EU‐PerMed Communication and Dissemination Plan. Main contact organisation for the project's backbone was DLR-PT, the Project Management Agency of the German Aerospace Center (DLR).
The project's senses: Mapping of landscape and stakeholders
The project's senses aimes to map and follow-up personalised medicine initiatives and stakeholders in China, Europe and the world to keep the consortium updated. Based on the mapping results, the consortium worked on closing identified gaps and meeting needs for better fostering the connection between Europe and China and within ICPerMed. Main contact organisation for the project's backbone was TLS, the Fondazione Toscana Life Sciences.
The project's heart: Science & Policy Dialogue between Europe and China / ICPerMed: establish a common understanding and work on common activities and goals
The aim of the project's heart was to establish a Science & Policy Dialogue between Chinese and European stakeholders that allowed exchange and feedback on strategic developments within ICPerMed as well as communication and dissemination of ICPerMed activities with China. By organising Delegation trips (so-called Clover Leaf Tours ), the long‐term goal was to attract the interest of and to foster collaboration with China. Main contact organisation for the project's heart was IFD, the Innovation Fund Denmark.
The project's brain: Paving the Science & Technology (S&T) way to Europe – China collaboration in PerMed: developing concepts of the future
The objective of the project's brain was to support EU‐China collaboration by establishing common approaches for joint research in Personalised Medicine. This component of the project also fostered the harmonisation of ethical, legal and social aspects (ELSA) in Personalised Medicine research and innovation. Furthermore, it promoted the implementation of approaches in Personalised Medicine compatible with an equitable health care, and provided scientific and technical support to methodologies within Personalised Medicine via taskforces and workshops. The main contact organisation for the project's brain was IFD, the Innovation Fund Denmark.