Strategic inputs of the ETPN
Shaping a global vision for Nanomedicine in Europe & Supporting public funding.
Defining a strategy for all Nanomedicine stakeholders in Europe
As a major pan-European industry-oriented initiative, the ETPN aims at strengthening Europe’s capabilities and competitiveness in the area of Nanomedicine innovation. Since 2005 the ETPN published a number of strategic documents outlining the needs and roadmaps for nanomedicine research in Europe. We have contributed to set up numerous European funded projects providing a first impression of the conditions for a suitable social and economic environment and the structural requirements for an efficient translation of R&D results into innovative nanomedicine. In 2013, ETPN has published a White Paper “Contribution of Nanomedicine to Horizon 2020” setting the groundwork to manage the efficient translation of nanotechnology from a Key Enabling Technology (KET) into new and innovative medical products.
More recently, ETPN has published together with EuroNanomed 2 the update of the Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda fo Nanomedicine. The SRIA is intended to provide a framework for the fruitful deployment of innovative Nanomedicine solutions for healthcare and to provide the ecosystem, including European, national and regional public authorities, with roadmaps and priorities for research. It contains precise recommendations for R&D topics on selected diseases that a affect a large number of patients (cardio-vascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, infection diseases, osteoarticular pathologies and others). Moreover, the focus is set on translability of research results, i.e. their adequacy with clinical but also industrial needs.
European Funding allocated to Nanomedicine-related projects
Research in Nanomedicine is widely supported by the European Commission through its Framework Programmes for Research and Development, FP7 as well as as the current Horizon 2020.
European Funding allocated to Nanomedicine-related projects
Research in Nanomedicine is widely supported by the European Commission through its Framework Programmes for Research and Development, FP7 as well as as the current Horizon 2020.
In FP7, nanotechnologies for healthcare applications were the topic of 85 Projects in Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies – FP7-NMP (corresponding to an EU contribution of about 400 mio €) and of 31 Projects in FP7-Health (corresponding to an EU contribution of about 150 mio €).
In Horizon 2020, nanomedicine research is eligible for funding under the 3 pillars of the framework programme (excellent Science, Industrial Leadership, Societal Challenges), however with a stronger focus on nanomedicine translation under the NMP programme: http://ec.europa.eu/research/industrial_technologies/nano-in-healthcare_en.html
Past and current calls for proposal of the European Commission can be found on the EC’s participant portal.
Paving the way for Horizon Europe and ESTHER
ETPN is looking at the future of Nanomedicine under Horizon Europe for more than 3 years. On request of DG RTD, ETPN has been asked with Medtech Europe to set up the basis for a large partnership in health technologies. This should encompass all enabling technologies contributing to healthcare like nanotechnologies, robotics, advanced materials, microelectronics, smart systems and photonics. This initiative called ESTHER is progressively setting up working groups representing stakeholders along the healthcare value chain from R&D to market access. Discussions are ongoing with the European Commission on how this vision on integrated healthcare could fit into the next Framework Programme Horizon Europe 2021-2027. Support to individual Key Enabling Technologies are not listed as such in the draft document describing Horizon Europe. ETPN, which is animating the ESTHER Task Force, is working on an integration of nanotechnologies in this wider vision of a sustainable and equitable healthcare to all EU citizens.
Further subprogrammes of the European Commission support nanomedicine-related projects:
- ICT (Micro-Nano-Bio-Systems)
- PEOPLE (Marie-Curie Training bursaries and training networks)
- ERC – European Research Council (Frontier research)
- EuroNanoMed (ERANET, trans-national projects)
- EuroSTARS (Eureka ~ EU)
