The Hub of Advanced Technologies for Medicine has been established in Milan.
The collaboration between the University of Milan-Bicocca, the proposing body, the Polytechnic University of Milan, the University of Bergamo and the University of Catania, as well as the 19 other bodies involved, is called ANTHEM (AdvaNced Technologies for HumancentrEd Medicine) and will make it possible to develop digital devices and tools for data collection to support proximity medicine solutions, to develop tools for monitoring and assessing environmental, lifestyle and pathological factors in fragile and chronic populations, and to implement cancer therapy methodologies for tumours that cannot be treated with conventional approaches.
Bridging, with the help of multidisciplinary and innovative technologies and pathways, the existing gap in the healthcare of frail and chronic patients within specific areas characterised by diseases without specific therapies. This is the main goal the project aims to achieve over the next four years thanks to partnerships with nine universities, public and private research and healthcare institutions and a total investment of over €123 million, financed by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
The investment will finance research and technology and knowledge transfer activities in the health and care sector. In all, more than 200 researchers from 10 universities and research organisations, 8 health, social and medical research facilities, and 5 companies and private organisations will be involved in 28 projects. There are plans to recruit 80 researchers and technologists and 65 PhD students.
Project activities will be coordinated, managed and monitored by the Milan-based Anthem Foundation. ANTHEM will work in deep synergy with the economic and industrial ecosystem, local governments and civil society in the field of health and care innovation at both local and national levels. The project has four focus areas, each coordinated by a university: technologies and data management for diagnostics and treatment (University of Bergamo); smart environments and innovative sensors for proximity medicine (University of Milan-Bicocca); research into risk factors and tools for monitoring chronic patients (Milan Polytechnic); innovative therapeutic solutions for orphan diseases (University of Catania).
The project will act on specific local contexts and health systems that reflect the country’s diversity in terms of organisation, technology, population density, presence of hospitals and outreach facilities, ease of access, diagnostic and therapeutic efficiency, and use of digital technologies. Five regions (Lombardy, Calabria, Campania, Apulia, Sicily), mountain communities, such as Val Seriana and Val Brembana in the province of Bergamo, and metropolitan and district communities (Milan, Monza and Brianza, Naples, Taranto, Bari, Lecce) will be involved.
ANTHEM was presented today at the University of Milan-Bicocca in the presence of the Rector of the University of Milan-Bicocca, Giovanna Iannantuoni, the President of Crui (Conference of Italian University Chancellors), Salvatore Cuzzocrea, the President of the Anthem Foundation, Stefano Paleari, and the scientific head of the ANTHEM project, Guido Cavaletti.
“The ANTHEM project is an ambitious nationwide initiative which, using a multidisciplinary approach, aims to innovate personalised medicine and reduce the gap in healthcare for certain diseases through advanced technology solutions,” commented Giovanna Iannantuoni, Rector of the University of Milan-Bicocca. With funds guaranteed by the National Plan Complementary to the PNRR and thanks to the partnership of 23 public and private actors, the project becomes an opportunity to build synergies and supply chains in the field of health and care innovation, as well as a chance to establish contact with cutting-edge institutional and industrial players.”
“The Anthem initiative combines various subject expertise in a multi-project framework,” remarked Stefano Paleari, president of the Anthem Foundation, “from the fields of medicine, physics, engineering, economics and management with the sole objective of developing technological solutions that improve the treatment of particular diseases in specific ‘target communities’. These are innovations which, within the four-year horizon of the PNRR complementary plan, are intended to find an application to improve personal care. Anthem is a national initiative which, while respecting regional identities, aims to unite research and business excellence across the country to improve people’s lives. Let us not forget that in Europe, while life expectancy is well above 80 years, ‘healthy life’ is until around 64 years old. We want to make a contribution to increasing both but, above all, to reducing a difference that has very high costs for those affected, their families and society as a whole.”
Intervention areas and all ANTHEM partners
1) Technologies and data management for diagnostics and treatment
COORDINATING BODY AFFILIATED BODIES
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University of Bergamo |
University of Milan-Bicocca University of Messina University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli Diapath Mario Negri Institute Ferb Onlus Asst Bergamo Est Asst Monza Asst Papa Giovanni XXIII |
2) Smart environments and innovative sensors for proximity medicine
COORDINATING BODY AFFILIATED BODIES
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University of Milan-Bicocca |
University of Bergamo University of Calabria Artemide ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII Ats Milano Asst Bergamo Est Asst Monza Ferb Onlus |
3) Research into risk factors and tools for monitoring chronic patients
COORDINATING BODY AFFILIATED BODIES
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Polytechnic University of Milan |
Humanitas University University of Salento Ab Medica Chiesi Farmaceutici |
4) Innovative therapeutic solutions for orphan diseases
COORDINATING BODY AFFILIATED BODIES
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University of Catania |
Polytechnic University of Milan Mediterranean Institute of Oncology Humanitas University University of Calabria University of Messina University of Salento University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli National Institute for Nuclear Physics A.O. Cannizzaro Biogem |