Library FAQ
How do emerging deep-tech technologies converge with clinical applications in the report?
The report highlights convergence between advances in medical imaging, AI, and regenerative medicine with clinical applications, showing opportunities to create predictive, preventive, and personalised healthcare solutions that could redefine healthcare system...
How does the EIC support biotechnology innovations across development stages?
The EIC supports innovations across the Pathfinder instrument and higher readiness levels via Transition and Accelerator, targeting different healthcare applications and disease areas to advance technologies from early research to market.
How does the report characterise biotechnology's role and potential?
The report describes biotechnology as a frontier science that harnesses living systems for innovations in diagnosis, treatment, drug development, and biomanufacturing, with broad potential to address many disease areas, increase access to therapies, and improv...
How may 3D and 4D bioprinting impact wound care in the next five to ten years?
They could revolutionise chronic wound management by enabling personalised treatments, improving outcomes, stimulating new medical device markets, reducing bioink costs, lowering long-term healthcare costs, and prompting regulatory updates for clinical integra...
How may digital biomarkers and AI affect healthcare in the next five to ten years?
They may enable more accurate disease predictions and personalised treatments for conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, improve outcomes, reduce costs through timely interventions, and position Europe to lead by harmonising biomarker te...
How might FLASH radiotherapy impact cancer care in the next five to ten years?
If validated, FLASH could expand radiotherapy's role by offering faster, safer, and less toxic treatments, widen the therapeutic window enabling dose escalation, shorten treatment times, improve management of organ motion, and spur demand for specialised radio...
What additional research directions has success in targeted protein degradation inspired?
Success in targeted protein degradation has inspired research into harnessing other native cellular pathways to chemically rewire signalling networks or gene regulation, offering alternative means for precise therapeutic interventions.
What advantages do degrader-based medicines offer?
Degrader-based medicines have a unique mechanism that can provide greater potency and selectivity, potentially widening the therapeutic window and improving safety by more effectively eliminating pathogenic proteins.
What are 3D and 4D bioprinting and how are they applied to wound treatment?
3D bioprinting layers biomaterials (e.g., hydrogels, polymers) and bioactives to create customised scaffolds and skin substitutes tailored to wound geometry. 4D bioprinting produces constructs that can change over time in response to stimuli to better match ev...
What are digital biomarkers and how are they used with AI for health prediction?
Digital biomarkers are measurable biological inputs (e.g., molecules, genetic expression, imaging data) that quantify physiological processes. Combined with AI, they enable predictive models to forecast disease progression and tailor personalised treatment str...
What are Single-Atom Photocatalysis and computational approaches for next-generation materials, and what impacts might they have?
Single-Atom Photocatalysis (SAP) uses isolated atoms on supports to catalyse reactions with high selectivity and minimal metal use, enabling precise material synthesis. Computational approaches integrate simulation, algorithms, physical modelling, and data-dri...
What challenges are associated with scaling up healthcare biotechnology solutions?
Scaling challenges include matching disruptive technology to unmet needs, shortages of skilled personnel, limited manufacturing capabilities, stringent quality control requirements, ensuring affordable access, and navigating complex regulatory frameworks.
What critical challenges must be addressed to realise deep tech's potential in healthcare?
Key challenges include access to high-quality, diverse datasets and explainable AI for clinical trust; reproducibility, cost-efficiency, and regulatory compliance for regenerative medicine and bioprinting; and rigorous validation of disruptive radiotherapy tec...
What is FLASH radiotherapy?
FLASH radiotherapy delivers ultra-high-dose-rate gamma or particle beams in extremely short times (ideally under a second) to improve tumour control while protecting surrounding healthy tissues compared with conventional radiotherapy.
What is new about 3D and 4D bioprinting in wound management?
Novelty includes fabricating complex, multi-layered tissue constructs integrating multiple materials and bioactives for targeted therapy, and 4D constructs that dynamically adapt mechanical properties and release profiles in response to environmental cues like...
What is new about digital biomarker-based health prediction with AI?
New capabilities include processing vast, diverse biomarker datasets, continuous monitoring via advanced sensors and wearables, combining multiple biomarkers for improved accuracy, and using synthetic data and digital twins to train AI models.
What is novel about FLASH radiotherapy?
Its novelty lies in delivering doses at rates several magnitudes higher than conventional radiotherapy. Early animal and initial human studies are promising, but the precise biological mechanisms remain under investigation and current devices are not yet optim...
What is targeted protein degradation and why is it important?
Targeted protein degradation is a therapeutic strategy that eliminates disease-causing proteins previously undruggable by conventional small molecules or biologics. It can address unmet medical needs and enable breakthroughs in areas where traditional drugs fa...
What role can the EIC play in overcoming barriers to deep tech in healthcare?
The EIC can foster interdisciplinary collaboration, provide patient capital for long-term development, and build an innovation ecosystem connecting research institutions, startups, and healthcare providers to overcome technical, clinical, and regulatory barrie...
Are applications concerning the evolution of European communication networks allowed?
Such applications will be subject to restriction (Annex II – Section B1).
Are projects that address only one Area or other cancer types eligible?
No. Projects addressing only one Area or other cancer types are out of scope.
Are proposers encouraged to use any specific imaging platform?
Yes. Proposers are encouraged to use the Cancer Image Europe platform from the European Cancer Imaging Initiative and to contribute datasets and tools.
How should datasets be described for the cancer challenge?
Datasets should be described with metadata records in the EU dataset catalogue of the European Health Data Space using Health DCAT-AP.
Is on-site 3D-printing of cementitious materials or polymers in scope?
No. On-site 3D-printing of cementitious materials or polymers as a primary construction task is outside the scope.