NETWORK – WIDE EVENTS

(T1) Training Course on Canine Leishmaniasis

Date: 18 May 2021

Place: On-line Meeting (meeting link: https://meet.google.com/avj-xoic-spz)

Time zone EET: 10:00 – 13:00

Chair: Fethi Diouani (IPT)

The participants were welcomed by Fethi Diouani (IPT), Chairman for Training Course on Canine Leishmaniasis.

Organizers: Kamel Belgacem (Lab technician), Hayet Gharbi (Project manager).

The training course followed presentation by Fethi Diouani of system components of the sampling system. Maher Saihi (IPT) and Fethi Diouani (IPT) showed live the different components of the sampling system and how to assemble the sampling system.

A series of presentations were also given by members of the project partner teams: Leishmaniasis in the Tunisian context: Epidemiology, clinical, medical considerations and future trends (Dr Elias Barbria- IPT), Leishmaniasis: Correlation between clinical polymorphism and intrinsic parasite factors? (Dr Houaida Kbaier – IPT), Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: In Quest of Virulence Biomarkers (Prof. Dhafer Laouini: – IPT), Nanomaterials for leishmaniasis treatment and biosensing applications (Dr Meher Sayhi – IPT), “Prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment in Algeria” (Fayçal Zeroual  – UCBET), “Prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment in Colombia” (Luis Carlos Peña  – UP), “Prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment in Romania” (Viorel Andronie  – USH), and “Canine Leishmaniasis management by veterinary clinics, dog rescue organizations and pet transport companies” (Madalina Lixandru  – USH).

(T2) “Normative in the field of medical research with animals”; “Procedures for obtaining Ethics Committee approvals”; “The protocols from the veterinary medical environment”. 

  • Organized by UCBET online, on 06/11/2021
  • Attendees: 1 (EMU) + 1 (NVIS) + 2 (UMI) + 2 (IPT) + 1 (UP) + 1 (ENCL) + 1 (UU) + 4 (USH) + 8 (UCBET)
  • Talks:
  • Zeroual Fayçal (UCBET): ‘’History of leishmaniasis’’
  • Nasri Hichem, Fayçal Zeroual (UCBET): ‘’Presentation and visit to the Research Laboratory on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Pollution of UCBET’’
  • Righi Souad (UCBET): ‘’Canleish parasitology team at UCBET (area of interest)’’
  • BOUCHEIKHCHOUKH Mehdi, DIB Loubna (UCBET): “Normative in the field of medical research with animals”.
  • LARABA Islem (UCBET): “Procedures for obtaining Ethics Committee approvals”.
  • MEGUINI Nadir (UCBET): “The protocols from the veterinary medical environment”.
  • SAIDANI KHALAF Kamel (UCBET): ‘’Clinic based canine leishmaniasis diagnostic’’
  • Lixandru Madalina (USH): ‘’Bioethical and Deontological priorities of leishmaniasis control programmes’’
  • Radu Magdalena (USH): ‘’Legislation and regulations concerning leishmaniasis in animals’’

(T3) ’’Metabolomics research in biomedical applications’’

Organized by Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia, 4-5 May, hybrid.

Zoomlink: https://emuee.zoom.us/j/81678632034?pwd=MGdWQ05WLzVma2lUOHp0dlROOEJlQT09

Attendees: 4 (EMU) + 1 (NVIS) + 3 (UMI) + 1 (IPT) + 2 (UP) + 5 (ENCL) + 1 (UU) + 1 (USH)

Workshop W1: Metabolomics research in biomedical applications

Date: May 5, 2022

Place: EMU

Presentations from: UMI (3), IPT (1), ENCL (1), UU (1), UP (1), EMU (2), NVIS (1).

Workshop W2 ’’Emerging diagnostic strategies for canine leishmaniasis’’

Date: November 24, 2022

Place: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Spiru Haret University, Bucharest, Romania

Presentations from: USH (2), EMU (1)

Task assessment: This task were performed and those proposed for this period were completed on time and in full.

  • T6.1. Lectures presented by staff members at the host partners (during secondments) – M1-M19

Place EMU:  6 secondees from UP, 2 seconded from UMI, 2 seconded from ENCL, 2 secondees from UCBET 

Place UU: 3 secondees from UP, 1 secondee from NVIS

Place USH: 7 secondees from UP, 1 secondee from UCBET, 1 secondee from UMI, 1 secondee from NVIS

Place NVIS: 2 secondees from EMU,  2 secondees from UU, 1 secondee from UMI, 2 secondees from USH

Place UP: 2 secondees from IPT, 12 secondees from USH, 2 secondees from EMU 

Place ENCL: 6 secondees from USH, 1 secondee from NVIS, 1 secondee from EMU

Place IPT: 1 secondee from NVIS, 2 secondees from UMI, 3 secondees from UP

Secondees’ contribution to WP

  • Improved presentation skills by communicating in multilingual environments (Algeria, Colombia, Thailand) in English and Spanish (in Colombia) and with diverse audiences (academic, undergraduate students, primary and middle school).
  • Improved technical skills for sample collection, becoming aware of the cultural differences between countries and specific areas in terms of owner compliance and animal ownership attitude, improving our approach to sampling collection strategies and our awareness of communication strategies that optimize outcomes.
  • Improved our technical abilities in a laboratory setting by practising DNA extraction as well as ELISA and PCR testing protocols at UP, skills which we then brought back and applied at USH.
  • Improved our knowledge and understanding of volatolomics and the specific applicability of electronic nose systems in the context of disease detection in the veterinary setting. 
  • Developed a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving which has proven to produce results in our daily lives and work settings.

T4. Metabolomics research in biomedical applicationsT3. Metabolomics research in biomedical applications

  • Organized by Uppsala University, Sweeden, May 23, hybrid.
  • Place: Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Sweden
  • Zoom link: https://uu-se.zoom.us/j/64813686483?from=addon
  • Time zone: CET
  • Local chair: Lars Österlund (UU)
  • Attendees: 1 (NVIS) + 1 (UMI) + 1 (UU)

T4 included on-site training on nanomaterials fabrication (AGD, RF sputtering) and characterisation (SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS, FTIR and Raman) techniques. 

09:00 – 09:40 Lars Österlund (UU). Physical vapour deposition methods for nanomaterials synthesis; Chemical vapour deposition methods for nanomaterials synthesis; Nanomaterials characterization techniques

09:40 – 10.20 ENCL Characterization of sensing nanomaterials

10:30 – 12:00 Lars Österlund (UU) On-site laboratory training at Dept Solid State Physics

12:00 – 13:00 Lunch

13:00 – 15:00 Robert Langer lecture in Eva von Bahr Hall, Ångström Laboratory

T5. “Sensing techniques for vapour samples analysis”. Modules: “Semiconductor gas sensors”; “Field effect transistors”; “Quartz crystal microbalance sensors”; “Surface acoustic wave sensors”; “Fibre optic gas sensors”, “Electrochemical cells”.

T5 will include an operation demo of the UMI sensor systems based on semiconductor gas sensors and electrochemical cells.

Starting from 29/11/2023: Measurement of the dog volatile samples acquired by the partners from Tunisia and Algeria with the e-nose system built by University of Pamplona. This activity will be realised until all the dog samples will be analysed.

  • Organized by Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco, hybrid.
  • Place: Biosensors and Nanotechnology Group, Conference room, Faculty of Sciences

Google meet link: meet.google.com/bnx-oajd-oza

  • Project Chair: Violeta Simion (USH) – Primary Coordinator
  • Radu Ionescu (EMU) – Scientific Coordinator
  • Local chair: Nezha El Bari / Benachir Bouchikhi (UMI)

November 28, 2023

Chair: Dr Radu Ionescu

9.15-9.30 Prof. Nezha El Bari – Introducing the University of Moulay Ismail (UMI) – Research activities of Bio-Sensors and Nanotechnology Group

9.30-10.00 Prof. Janusz Smulko – Advances in 2D materials (graphene, MoS2) based field effect transistors for sensing applications

10.00-10.30 Dr. Zouhair Haddi – Electronic gas sensing system based on hybrid nanostructures of metal oxide and graphene for non-communicable diseases detection

10.30-11.30 – Group photo+coffee breah

Chair: Dr Mohamed Fethi

11.00-11.30 Dr Souad Bouhout – Leishmaniasis control program in Morocco

11.30-12.00 Dr Alassane Diouf – Development of an electrochemical sensor using MIP based on a gold screen-printed electrode for the detection of creatinine and glucose in human urine and saliva

12.00-14.30 – Lunch

Chair: Dr. Zouhair Haddi

14.30-14.14.45 Dr Aylen Lisset Jaimes-Mogollon – Electronic nose device for vapor samples analysis

14.45 – 15.00 PhD student Makhtar War – Operation demo of the UMI using electronic tongue for human urinary sample analysis.

15.00-15.15 PhD student Youssra Aghoudane – Operation demo of the UMI electrochemical sensors using MIP based on a gold screen-printed electrode

15.15 – 15.45 – Coffee break

15.45-17.45 – Visit of old Medina of Meknes

19.30 – Dinner

November 29, 2023

9.15-9.20 Opening Remarks – Prof Nezha El Bari

Moderator: Prof. Faycal Zeroual

9.20-10.00 Porf Benachir Bouchikhi – Chemiresitive Electronic Nose and Electronic Tongue Towards Analysis of Volatile Organic Compounds in Exhaled Breath and Human Urine

10.00-10.40 – Prof. Eduard Llobet – Recent advances in two-dimensional-inorganic material-based sensing technology toward health monitoring applications

10.40-11.00 – Coffee break

Moderator: Prof Nezha El Bari

11.00-11.20 – Dr Alassane Diouf – Operation demo of UMI electronic nose prototype based on semiconductor gas sensors

11.20-11.40 Dr Aylen Lisset Jaimes-Mogollon – Operation demo of Canleish e-nose system developed in Colombia

Moderator: Dr Radu Ionescu / Prof Nezha El Bari

11.40-12.00 Closing event

12.00-14.00 Lunch

14.30-18.00 Trip to Roman site of Volubilis and Moulay Idriss

The 3rd Annual meeting CanL project

Date: 25 April 2024

Place: Online Meeting Microsoft Teams, Meeting ID: 326 269 244 50 Passcode: 5wvrVU

Onsite: Location: Recinte Modernista Sant Pau

Address: C/ de St. Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona

  1. Welcome to participants

The participants were welcomed by Zouhair Haddi (NVIS) and Radu Ionescu (EMU) – Scientific Coordinator.  

  • Verification of the presence
  • All parties participated at the meeting: USH (Romania), EMU (Estonia), UCBET (Algeria), NVIS (Spain), UU (Sweden), IPT (Tunis), UMI (Morocco), UP (Colombia), and ENCL (Thailand).
  • Adoption of the agenda
  • The agenda for the 3rd Annual meeting of the Canleish project was set in advance and the Consortium was informed accordingly.
  • Activities:

– Partners presentation: – USH (dogs’ diagnosis), IPT (dogs’ diagnosis), UCBET (dogs’ diagnosis), UP (dogs’ diagnosis, e-nose system, samples measurement in Colombia), UMI (samples measurement in Morocco), NVIS (sensor data analysis), EMU (GC-MS results), UU (sensors), ENCL (portable prototype)

– Project overview, deliverables, secondments – Violeta Simion (USH), Radu Ionescu (EMU)

– Open discussion & Next steps (All partners)

Atendees: onsite: 1 from NVIS,3 from USH, 1 from EMU, 2 from UMI, 1 from UP; online: 2 from USH, 1 from ENCL, 2 from UMI, 1 from UCBET, 1 from IPT, 2 from EMU.

09:00 – 9:15 Welcome reception Zouhair Haddi [NVIS]

Session I: Project Introduction

9:15 – 11:00 Partners presentations (All partners – approx. 10 min per partner) -USH (dogs’ diagnosis), IPT (dogs’ diagnosis), UCBET (dogs’ diagnosis), UP (dogs’ diagnosis, e-nose system, samples measurement in Colombia), UMI (samples measurement in Morocco), NVIS (sensor data analysis), EMU (GC-MS results), UU (sensors), ENCL (portable prototype)

11:00 – 11:30 Coffee break

Session II: Project Overview& Update

11:30 – 14:00 Project Overview & Update

– Project overview, deliverables, secondments (Violeta Simion [USH], Radu Ionescu [EMU])

– Open discussion & Next steps (All partners)

(T6): Modules: “Features extraction from sensor responses”; “Unsupervised and supervised pattern recognition algorithms”; “Data clustering”; “Classification and quantification”; “Data fusion algorithms”.

(T7): Modules: “What to know about the creation of a new company”; “Start-up and spin-off”; “Ways of funding your company”; “R&D versus commercial activity”; “Key exploitable results”; “Market study analysis”; “Contribution benefit matrix”; “Promote gender equality in entrepreneurship”. The last module will be prepared in cooperation with USH, based on USH experience acquired during the realisation of ProFeminAntrep project.