Annotation

CENTER OF COMPETENCE IN THE FIELD OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE, 3D AND TELEMEDICINE, ROBOTIC-ASSISTED AND MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY

Project’s objective: establishment of an innovative, modern high tech based center of competence in the field of personalized medicine, telemedicine, 3D medicine, robotic-assisted and minimally invasive surgery for obtaining high achievements in research and the training of specialists, to enhance the competitiveness of the existing businesses and encourage entrepreneurship in the region and the country.

Tasks

1. Setting up a research center to unite and upgrade the research infrastructure of MU-Pleven and the project partners through the introduction of high-tech and innovative solutions for improvement of the research environment and conditions.
2. Setting up a high-tech research and educational product with permanent trends for promoting the research development of the community by laying the foundations and ensuring the sustainability of the following areas or package: personalized medicine, telemedicine, 3D medicine, robotic-assisted and minimally invasive surgery.
3. Establishing and forming research teams in the areas where young researchers to be involved to work out successfully in the next 10 years advanced dissertations thesis, accompanied by numerous publications in international scientific journals with high impact factor.
4. Obtaining research and development results that could be integrated and implemented in the business of enterprises operating in the key sub-priority areas of the component Health Life and Biotechnology Industries of the Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization
5. Establishing a competitive center of competence with modern based administrative and organizational functionality for implementing advanced research and development projects in the targeted panels.
6. In the Personalized Medicine Package to be developed, investigated and introduced new approaches to diagnosis, treatment and prevention in different fields of medicine. That would enable an individual research approach to be worked out to patients of different pathology (in the field of oncology, internal medicine, dysmorphic syndromes and genetic conditions, etc.) based on the acquired knowledge of the application of new molecular-genetic/genomic and biological research methods. The package includes a laboratory equipped with the latest genomic equipment (gene sequencer of new generation) and a research team.
7. In the 3D Medicine Package to be established a 3D studio for the realization of an interactive transmission of a signal from the robotic Da Vinci Si system for implementing innovative training in surgery in 3D format. A laboratory will be established for three-dimensional printing, to be implemented with 3D printers of the world’s leading companies. By means of this advanced technology to be made orthotic and prosthetic devices of new generation, customized implants and external fixation devices, surgical instruments and models of anatomical organs to assist preoperative planning and training of physicians in minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery. The laboratory will be equipped with a 3D bioprinter, by means of which it will be constructed cartilage tissue, bone tissue, muscle tissue and skin.
8. In the Telemedicine Package to be separated and introduced the use of telepathology in modern education and researches. Equipping a laboratory for digitizing histological and cytological preparations. Making a collection of virtual preparations in cytology, histology, embryology, general and clinical pathology. Integrating the collections in the training with a virtual table that would allow comprehensive and visual innovative training of normal and pathological morphology at organ, tissue and cellular level. Classrooms to be created for virtual microscopy, computer assisted morphometry and telepathology and system for remote access to educational collections of virtual preparations for high-tech training of undergraduate, post-graduate and PhD students. Building connections for telepathologic consultations between the partners. Building integrated theatre operating rooms and establishing connections for telesurgery between the partners. Using this opportunity for research studies in the field of surgery, gynaecology, urology, orthopedics, ENT, etc.
9. In the Robotic-Assisted Surgery Package due to the availability of both robotic systems Da Vinci S and Si, and through specialized equipment 3D signal to be transmitted from the surgeon’s console to the halls of the center in endoscopy. To be developed and carried out researches on quality improvement of interventions using robotic-assisted surgery for reducing the number of complications, examination of the operational resections quality, study the patients’ quality of life, study the speed of the patients’ recovery, study the cost efficiency, preservation of reproductive and excretory function of the patients after that type of surgery in patients with oncology diseases of the cervix and the uterus, the prostate, the rectum, etc.
10. Under the Minimally Invasive Surgery Package to be created the necessary infrastructure for telemedicine between the partners for introducing the third level of highly specialized training for doctors with a speciality for mastering specific skills and experience in this type of surgery. That would have a direct effect on the health economy of the country because of the increasing the number of doctors using minimally invasive surgery in treating patients as their number is currently insufficient. Ensuring of prerequisites for performing in-depth research studies and entry into a lasting partnership with similar international centers, that would improve the dialogue and the cooperation between business and academia with a view to intensify the process of creating innovations and their successful marketing.

Over the next 10 years the center will operate on the basis of high-tech and specialized pro-innovative infrastructure including equipment and specialized software to enable research and development works to be carried out, new knowledge and technologies transfer, training of students, post-graduate and PhD students and other clinical professionals in the targeted areas: General Surgery, Gynaecology, Urology, ENT, Orthopaedics, Pathology, Medical Genetics, etc. The Centre should continue the partners’ mission by offering innovative, attractive and modern education, as well as to broaden the opportunities, quality and form of training and researches.

Services supporting the access to new knowledge and technologies in the field of personalized medicine, 3D and telemedicine, minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgery. They are based on the gained experience of the specialists working for the main partners under the project: Medical University – Pleven; Medical University – Varna and the Institute of System Engineering and Robotics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. For the implementation of part of the actions under the project it shall be used gratuitously the human resources and infrastructure of the associated partners.

The center shall initiate cooperation with leading European and global technology partners that would increase the efficiency of its achievements and therefore the financial sustainability after the project completion. It would contribute to increasing the number of developed and successfully implemented in the science of innovative products, processes and services from the center. On the one hand, the Center would develop innovative methods, solutions and technologies in the field of health, but due to their transfer to high-tech enterprises and higher education institutions in these areas it would create the conditions for their implementation and improvement.