Projects / Programmes
Bio-psycho-social model of quality of life
January 1, 2017
- December 31, 2021
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 3.08.00 |
Medical sciences |
Public health (occupational safety) |
|
| 2.04.00 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Materials science and technology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B000 |
Biomedical sciences |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 3.03 |
Medical and Health Sciences |
Health sciences |
| 2.05 |
Engineering and Technology |
Materials engineering |
Public health, materials, telemedicine, paediatric population, the elderly, regenerative medicine, reproductive medicine, nutrition, epidemiological studies, quality of life, new therapeutic approaches, effective care, education methods in medicine
Researchers (23)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
The research programme covers basic and applied research at the intersection of public health and materials science, focusing on the interaction of different population groups with advanced materials, with which they come in contact. Since this interaction significantly influences the human health, living and overall integration, it is fundamental to the bio-psycho-social quality of life. Our results will contribute to development of a knowledge society and are aligned with RISS11-20 and Horizon 2020, as well are complementary to the CRP programme.
The programme includes evaluation of interactions during medical care (contact patient/medical staff) and the contact with relatives, in particular the interaction with materials used during treatment (drugs, medical devices, wound dressings, implants, etc.), food and food supplements, and various forms of technological aids in direct contact or enabling remote care.
The highlighted areas will be approached through several research topics and verified on three population groups (pediatric population, adults and the elderly):
1) Introduction of modern methods in medical education and clinical practice
2) Regenerative medicine
3) Nutrition
4) Reproductive Medicine
The first topic will be devoted to development of modern methods of patient monitoring and medical education. We will follow the extensive development of simulators and virtual patients that have already influenced the medical curricula. We have a history of using modern techniques to obtain new scientific, professional and pedagogical knowledge. The second part introduces and evaluates new telemedical solutions, as well as remote care and diagnostics.
Demographics and the rise of non-communicable chronic diseases are the basis the second topic. In the programme we will focus especially on regenerative medicine (wound healing, skin and bone tissue engineering) in conjunction with chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes), and on the development of new diapers using probiotic bacteria for the paediatric population and the elderly.
The third topic is related to nutrition (food supplements based on probiotics and foods for tackling vitamin D deficiency). A key activity in this topic will be the safety and efficacy assessment of these products using cell cultures and clinical studies.
In the fourth topic we will focus on determining the correlations between fertility (e.g. early failure of ovarian function) and metabolic diseases (e.g. celiac disease).
The acquired knowledge will be used in the development of i) new medical guidelines for the targeted population groups, with the aim of increasing their quality of life, ii) materials for biomedical use, and improved medical care, iii) functional foods and food supplements to lower the incidence of chosen chronic diseases, iv) new findings relating fertility to metabolic diseases, and contributing to wellbeing of individuals and the society as a whole.
All will contribute to the development of a knowledge society.
Significance for science
New findings resulting from epidemiological and clinical studies will be the basis for the development of new therapeutic approaches, materials, as well as the basis for preclinical research, which will integrate all the key areas, in which researchers in the programme group have expertise. The path towards final results will therefore include several steps. Initially we will analyse the present state (epidemiological and clinical studies, especially in the paediatric population and the elderly), then we will improve our understanding and explain the results (basic research in the fields of medicine, materials, telemedicine, nutrition, etc.), and finally we will develop appropriate solutions (the development of advanced and transferable therapeutic or nutritional solutions). In the follow-up we will focus on raising the level of related knowledge at all levels of education. The basic/preclinical research part will be crucial for our understanding of specific diseases on the micro- and nano-level (e.g. the ethiology of diaper rash, the interaction of the intestinal flora with probiotics, the development of algorithms for the effective monitoring of the key signs of disease at a distance, etc.). This knowledge will be used in the development of laboratory disease models, allowing simplified, yet still comprehensive simulation of clinical manifestations, enabling a more efficient development of new therapeutic solutions. Since we will focus on both important aspects of in vitro testing (safety and efficiency), our solutions will be ready for the transfer to clinical trials. Based on the new findings acquired in the steps mentioned above, we intend to develop new materials (functional diapers, food supplements, wound dressings, etc.), as well as appropriate technologies for their production with an emphasis on improving the quality of life of patients.
We highlight some of the scientific contributions resulting from the work program of the group:
• new insights in the field of probiotic bacteria (e.g. In the development of new therapeutic approaches and food supplements),
• new knowledge regarding the use of natural extracts for infection prevention (e.g. in the case of Campilobacter spp.),
• new insights in the field of celiac disease (including participation in the development of new diagnostic tools for its identification),
• new insights in the field of regenerative medicine (new multi-functional wound dressings and profound understanding of their functioning in contact with cells and tissues),
• new solutions for monitoring patients remotely,
• new solutions and knowledge transfer related to the use of simulators in medicine,
The acquired knowledge will contribute:
• to the development of complementary scientific fields (e.g. materials science, information technology, other fields of medicine),
• to new trends in education in medicine and related sciences,
• to the development of a knowledge society.
The content of the program is aligned with the main objectives of Horizons 2020 and the European Strategic Development Agenda (SRA - Strategic Research Agenda), as well as with the Slovenian strategic documents, as RISS11-20.
The results will be published in indexed scientific journals and presented at important international conferences, and in such a way enable exchange of experiences and ideas, which will increase the opportunities for cooperation with foreign experts in the proposed area. This will also increase the possibility of integration into various bilateral projects and EU research projects.
Significance for the country
Combination of epidemiological studies with in vitro and in vivo studies in the laboratory and clinics is crucial for the introduction of new safe and effective therapeutic approaches into the clinical practice, and hence to benefit the patient. Improved quality of life that will result from the development of more efficient and patient-friendly therapeutic approaches, will significantly contribute also to the overall socio-economic impact of the programme group. At the same time, and within the scope of the proposed programme group topics, we strive to develop solutions that are also affordable. As such these will lead to savings for both, the institutional funds (hospitals and insurance companies), as well as for users/patients themselves.
The results of the planned research will contribute to the enrichment of the Slovenian treasury of knowledge at the intersection of the fields of public health and the development of new materials for biomedical applications. The focus is on targeted areas of regenerative and reproductive medicine, nutrition, telemedicine and medical education, in all included population groups.
With a quality interaction between different fields, mastered by programme group researchers, like materials science, public health, paediatrics, telemedicine, etc., the obtained results of will importantly affect and contribute to the spread of knowledge to other scientific disciplines. Applied knowledge acquired through research, will be a great fundament for the development of advanced products, processes and therapeutic approaches. The latter will be initially systematically screened in precisely planned epidemiological studies, in which we will try, apart from the evaluation of the present state, determine also the potential of already developed or prototype solutions. The interdisciplinary developed solutions, technologies and processes will enable novel discoveries also in other areas, e.g. in other branches of medicine, hygiene, information technology, microbiology, nutrition, etc. New insights will be directly transferred into practice through our partners in several ongoing projects, either with the industry or with hospitals. Both types of partners represent the crucial final link in the value chain of our programme group orientation, since the represent a direct contact with the final user/patient. The solutions will also be good starting point to raise awareness in related industries, relying on advanced technologies, modern materials and new trends in therapy, and those that combine information technology with medicine.
Within national and European projects with different partners, through functional training, joint degrees (e.g. master's and PhD), and based on various target research topics we will indirectly affect technological development and conversion of new knowledge/findings to clinical practice, as well as push related product development towards a higher efficiency and safety on one hand, and a greater added value on the other. This will positively contribute to raising the competitiveness of related (Slovenian and EU) economy (e.g. through sustainable production of high-tech products) and lead to more an efficient functioning of the health care system in Slovenia. The described orientation in our programme group has already led to some breakthrough results that are presently at the stage of clinical trials.
Through organization of meetings, symposia, conferences, workshops and other forms of communication and transmission of knowledge (e.g. new learning content and subjects in the curricula) we will also contribute to raising awareness of future doctors, companies, as well as the public about available or planned advanced and sustainable solutions in medicine and related areas. All these activities can greatly contribute to the conversion of Slovenian small and medium-sized enterprises to manufacture products with a higher added value and thus to increase the competitiveness of Slovenian in
Most important scientific results
Interim report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Interim report
