Our vision

In the FORTIFIEDx project, we identified 2 unmet clinical needs:

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD)

To improve case detection and follow up of patients with STD (in particular by enabling simultaneous diagnosis of HIV and Syphilis) who are not always able to reach centralized settings for testing due to stigma or financial difficulties.

Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers (VHF)

To battle the spread and outbreaks of highly contagious VHF (e.g. Ebola and Lassa virus), prevalent in low-middle income countries (LMIC) where resources are scarce and investment in healthcare is low.

Our vision is to address these 2 clinical gaps by offering a novel technology-based approach to revolutionize the diagnostics workflow, from centralized towards decentralized and more patient empowerment. With our interdisciplinary approach, we aim to cover the whole value chain of a novel IVD patch from its engineering and material side until its validation with clinically relevant applications. For this reason, it is anticipated that our impact will be extensive, touching different growing markets, engaging with academic, industrial and societal stakeholders. As such, FORTIFIEDx project is in line not only with EU policy priorities but also with global WHO priorities by:

Infectious diseases

Helping to end the epidemics of AIDS and combat other communicable diseases, such as VHF.

POC Settings

Ensuring universal access to quality essential healthcare services with a device ideal for POC settings.

Early diagnosis

Strengthening the capacity of all countries (especially LMIC) for early warning, risk reduction and management of national and global health risks by providing new tools for rapid medical decision making (e.g. early diagnosis), crucial in the context of outbreaks.

Upgrade technology

Upgrading the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries addressed by the inclusion of 2 high-tech SMEs to expand their activities to the IVD sector.

Developing countries

Recruiting and training of the health workforce in developing countries AND supporting LMIC to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity for sustainable patterns and for the use of enabling technology as demonstrated by the inclusion of a Guinean partner.