The research projects Polifarma-3D and Reinforce, in which researchers from the Cancer Center at and Cima and the Cancer Center of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra, respectively, have won the SciencEkaitza awards in their categories, result . Promoted by Aditech, coordinator of the Navarra System of research and development+i (SINAI), SciencEkaitza is an initiative whose goal is to bring science and technology closer to society in general and to transfer the knowledge between SINAI agents and the economic fabric of Navarra.  

The project Polifarma-3D has been the most voted in the category of 'Best project of research and development collaborative SINAI', with a total of 4,937 votes. Its goal is to develop a new generation of antimicrobial drugs to combat chronic respiratory infections caused by multiple pathogens in patients with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), using a personalized and sustainable strategy. SINAI agents are participating in the project : IdAB CSIC, as leader, Cima and AIN.

Respiratory infections caused by several different bacteria coexisting in the patient (polymicrobial infections) are a major clinical problem. This project addresses three fundamental issues. The first is to reduce antibiotic resistance by personalizing treatments taking into account the patient's history of vaccination and previous dental infections. The second aims to develop a generation of sustainable antimicrobials from organic and recycled by-products from the agri-food industry, favoring the circular Economics . And the third is based on using bioengineered artificial microphysiological systems (lab-on-chip and organ-on-chip) to simulate the processes of multiple infection in pathways and test the new therapies developed, avoiding the need to use animals from laboratory.

Artificial intelligence to fight cancer

Reinforce, with 7,731 votes, has obtained the first award in the category of 'Best strategic project of research and development'. This project aims to create an artificial intelligence platform for the prediction of cancer toxicity and recurrence. In the project participates the Cancer Center of the Clinic together with the companies Aldakin, as leader of the project, Cistec Technology, NNBi, Eversens and Movalsys; and the agents of SINAI NAITEC.

Cancer represents one of the major social and economic problems of today's society. For this reason, there is a need for innovative developments capable of improving the current outlook and effectively addressing this major public health challenge. In this context, the project Reinforce has as goal to develop a new platform based on artificial intelligence techniques for the prediction of critical events (tumor relapse, severe toxicity, sequelae and differential diagnosis) in gastrointestinal cancers and brain metastases.

To achieve this goal, Reinforce brings together three important technical-scientific disciplines: oncology, the capture and management of data, and programming using artificial intelligence techniques. This strategy makes possible an exhaustive analysis of medical information, since it allows a rigorous personalized control of each patient's condition in order to make an early diagnosis and prognosis, avoid problems, prevent time and costs, and create alarms and suggestions that help the medical expert staff to make decisions.