Humanitas University and Politecnico di Milano held the first MEDTEC Research Day

Four years after the start of the MEDTEC Degree Course, Humanitas University and Politecnico di Milano held the first MEDTEC Research Day, an event dedicated to the research synergies and collaborations between the two institutions: an opportunity to talk about innovative projects that shift the boundary between medicine and engineering, to reflect on the importance of interdisciplinary approaches and open up to new scientific partnerships.

The event started with the opening remarks of Humanitas University’s Rector, prof. Luigi Maria Terracciano, and of the Executive Vice Rector of Politecnico di Milano, Prof. Isabella Nova.

Prof. Prof. Maria Laura Costantino, President of the MEDTEC course, welcomed the students and the researchers joining the event and talked about the inception ideas behind the innovative course MEDTEC and the successes obtained so far, highlighting the role that innovation and research at the boundary between engineering and medicine could have in reshaping our concept of medical practice.

The Vice President of the MEDTEC course, prof. Maurizio Cecconi, gave an overview of the clinical research projects already ongoing in Humanitas thanks to the partnership with Politecnico di Milano, projects that are changing our way of approaching medical challenges in specialties ranging from neurosurgery to radiology, from hematology to intensive care.

In a round table titled “Politecnico di Milano and Humanitas University: new research synergies and collaborations”, the Vice Rectors for Research of the two institutions, respectively Prof. Maria Rescigno and Prof. Alberto Guadagnini, discussed the next challenges in biomedical research and the need for new interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches, a new culture of collaboration that will be championed by MEDTEC students.

The second part of the event saw the presentation of two flagship projects between Humanitas and Politecnico di Milano. The first, “Cholangiocytes-on-a-chip: a platform to identify medical therapy”, aims at developing and characterizing a human 3D liver tumor model that could accelerate personalized medicine and was presented by its principal investigators: Prof. Ana Lleo De Nalda, from Humanitas University, and Prof. Marco Rasponi, from Politecnico di Milano.

The second project, funded through the PNRR framework, is called “ANTHEM: AdvaNced Technologies for Human-centrEd Medicine”, and was presented by Prof. Marco Francone, from Humanitas University, and prof. Andrea Aliverti, from Politecnico di Milano. It’s an ambitious plan aimed at developing new sensors and technologies to monitor patients, frail populations and environments, as well as new technologies and AI-methodologies aimed at improving early diagnosis. The final goal is to advance personalized medical treatments and facilitate technological enhancement and transferability.