Project title:

WellBioprints: precision droplet-bioprinter for combinatorial high-throughput functional screening of 3D tissue models in preclinical drug development

Principal Investigator:

Scientific Leader: Dr. hab. Jan Guzowski, Technology Transfer Support: Dr. Ronald Terrazas Mallea, Business Leader: Dr. Kenji Shoji

Project number:

PRIME 02.06-0090/25

Project duration:

June 1, 2025 – November 30, 2026

Project value:

313,904 PLN

Contribution of European:

313,904 PLN

Project financing:

The project PRIME 02.06-0090/25 is financed under Priority 2 of the European Funds for a Smart Economy 2021–2027 (FENG) programme, with the Foundation for Polish Science acting as the Intermediate Body.

The aim of the project:

Pharmaceutical industry suffers from a lack of reliable methods of high-throughput screening of 3D human tissue models. The existing methods do not address the complexity of the actual tissue and fail in predicting drug response which poses a particular problem, e.g., in immunotherapies. Our microfluidic droplet-bioprinting technology provides a competitive advantage via precise ultra-high-throughput production of human cancer microenvironments, lowering cost and time of screens by > 100x. Project WellBioprints aims at commercialization of the technology of formation and incubation of thousands of cell-laden microdroplets, each serving as a miniature bioreactor for a living human microtissue. Unique combination of microfluidics and 3D-printing provides unprecedented levels of both precision and throughput to the advanced tissue modeling. Our droplet-bioprinter allows rapid and reproducible testing of drug efficacy, e.g., in immunotherapies.

Tasks and activities to be carried out under the project:

Acquire basic knowledge in entrepreneurship, business models, value creation, market research, intellectual property (IP) protection, valuation and financial modeling. Perform market interviews with potential partners/clients/customers. Analyze competition business strategy, value driven models. Define the potential use cases to maximize value and lure the interest of potential customers taking into consideration experimental feasibilities and competitive landscape. With the help of assigned Mentor, create and evaluate technical and business roadmap towards market entry. Analyze the IP owned by competitors in preclinical drug development. Perform patent search to evaluate the Freedom to Operate (FTO). Define business proposition: calculate costs of services and define price tags and values of each proposition. Conduct pilot studies and ensure regulatory compliance. Evaluate possibilities of raising funds with private investors, negotiate conditions of technology transfer.

Results and outcomes of the project:

Short term (6 months): The Team has developed knowledge, skills, teamwork competencies and established specific responsibilities within the team. Based on the interviews with the potential recipients of the technology, the business model has been evaluated (e.g. service vs product). The market potential of the technology has been verified and the most promising potential beachhead market has been identified, including the list of interested clients and partners with indications towards further possible product adjustments to optimally meet market needs. Long term (18 months): The team has prepared a detailed business plan including well defined concept of the minimal viable product (or service), unique selling point, detailed competition analysis, go-to-market strategy, and a financial plan. The commercialization strategy has been established including the mechanism of IP transfer. Well-defined future action plans has been prepared, e.g., creating consortium for grant applications, running pilot services or product trials, initiating the pre-seed/seed fundraising round.

Hashtag:

#EUfunds #FENG #PRIME #FNP

Project title:

Inverse design-assisted biodegradable modular dressings for negative pressure wound healing

Principal Investigator:

dr hab. Marco Costantini

Project number:

FENG.02.02-IP.05-0180/24

Project duration:

01.07.2025 - 30.06.2029

Project value:

3 901 600 PLN

Contribution of European:

3 901 600 PLN

Project financing:

The project is financed under Action 2.2 “Intellectual Property for the Development of Companies”, Priority II “Environment Conducive to Innovation”, of the European Funds for Smart Economy 2021–2027 (FENG). The Intermediate Body is the Foundation for Polish Science (FNP).

The aim of the project:

The aim of the project is to develop an innovative, modular, and partially bioresorbable wound filler for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT), based on natural biopolymers, which addresses the clinical limitations of conventional polyurethane dressings. The proposed system is intended to support tissue regeneration, prevent excessive granulation, and facilitate wound access and monitoring.

Tasks and activities to be carried out under the project:

The project will integrate advanced computational design methods and state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques, including high-throughput hydrogel testing, machine learning-assisted material optimization, and microfluidic platforms enabling precise control over the porous structure of the material. This synergistic approach will allow the creation of customized, multifunctional dressings that meet clinical requirements and align with sustainable development goals.

Results and outcomes of the project:

As part of the project, biodegradable foam dressings will be developed for use in combination with Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT).

Project target groups:

The target groups include clinicians specializing in Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) and a broad range of patients — from those who have undergone extensive tissue removal due to tumors or injuries to individuals with chronic wounds.

Hashtag:

#FunduszeUE #FunduszeEuropejskie

Project title:

Development of the innovative AQuaRam device for measuring trace amounts of pharmaceuticals and microplastics in water

Principal Investigator:

Prof. Agnieszka Michota-Kamińska

Project number:

FENG.02.03-IP.05-0014/24

Project duration:

01.08.2025 – 31.07.2028

Project value:

11,198,376.00 PLN

Contribution of European:

11,198,376.00 PLN

Project financing:

The project entitled “Development of the innovative AQuaRam device for measuring trace amounts of pharmaceuticals and microplastics in water,” No. FENG.02.03-IP.05-0014/24, is financed from the European Funds for a Modern Economy Programme 2021–2027 (FENG), Priority 2: Environment Conducive to Innovation, Action 2.3 TEAM-NET; Intermediate Body: Foundation for Polish Science.

The aim of the project:

The project envisages the development of the AQuaRam device based on Raman spectroscopy, including surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), for qualitative and quantitative monitoring of water contamination by selected pharmaceuticals and microplastics indicated for monitoring in accordance with the requirements of the aforementioned new EU directives. The device will be based on SERS (detection method) combined with dielectrophoresis and a microfluidic extractor (Lab-on-Chip; separation/trapping techniques), using algorithms for automatic identification (AAI) and spectral libraries. AQuaRam will be designed to provide the capability for simultaneous, multiplex detection of at least ten substances, including, among others, commonly used antibiotics and analgesics. The operational device is to ensure consistency of results with data from established reference methods, i.e. pyrolysis with GC/MS for microplastics and LC-MS/MS for determining active pharmaceutical substances, at the level of 95% (sensitivity and repeatability of determinations).

Tasks and activities to be carried out under the project:

The AQuaRam project comprises activities divided into five stages, from the development of SERS platforms to the validation of the finished device prototype. As part of the activities leading to the creation of the AQuaRam device, at the initial stage, substrates for SERS analyses dedicated to the analysis of microplastics and pharmaceuticals will be developed, characterised by a high Raman signal enhancement factor (EF), repeatability and stability, forming the basis for further research. Next, a module responsible for trapping micro- and nanoplastics from water samples will be developed, followed by a module for the extraction of pharmaceuticals from the water matrix, which will simultaneously ensure and enable efficient transfer of contaminants onto the SERS platform and their further analysis in a specially designed measurement module. The effectiveness of both modules will be verified using reference methods, including gas chromatography (GC), mass spectrometry (MS), and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS). A spectral library containing SERS spectra of selected microplastics and pharmaceuticals, as well as algorithms for their automatic identification, will be developed. The final, fifth stage will comprise the integration of all modules into a portable AQuaRam device and its comprehensive testing and validation. The device will be optimised in terms of optical and spectroscopic parameters, and then tested on real water samples in accordance with applicable ISO standards. In parallel, comparative studies using reference methods and system safety tests will be conducted. The end result of the project will be a prototype portable system enabling rapid, sensitive and selective detection of pharmaceuticals and microplastics in water.

Results and outcomes of the project:

The project will result in the development of a measurement technology compliant with the applicable regulatory requirements, in particular with the guidelines to Directive (EU) 2020/2184 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the quality of water intended for human consumption. The analytical methodology applied will also be aligned with the measurement protocols specified in the latest international ISO standards, including ISO/DIS 16094-2. The AQuaRam device will enable automatic monitoring of contamination by pharmaceuticals and microplastics, with the water measurement result available after approximately 40 minutes; the cost of analysing a single water sample for multiplex detection will be competitive compared to the costs of currently used methods. The sensitivity of pharmaceutical determinations will reach the nanogram range, and the device will provide unique capabilities for detecting plastic contamination at nanogram concentrations and nanometre sizes, i.e. below 100 nm. Spectral libraries of microplastics and pharmaceuticals integrated with the device’s analytical module will be developed, enabling rapid comparison of recorded spectra with reference spectra. Their operation will be supported by dedicated software (based, among other things, on artificial intelligence algorithms) allowing automatic data processing, spectrum averaging and normalisation, and the creation of calibration curves for quantitative assessment of micropollutant concentrations. The combination of SERS technology, spectral libraries and AI algorithms will form the basis for the deployment of rapid water monitoring systems at national and European scale, which can be widely used in environmental and public health practice.

Project target groups:

The AQuaRam solution has been designed with a broad audience of institutional, commercial, and scientific stakeholders in mind. It is primarily directed to public administration units responsible for monitoring the state of the environment and the quality of water intended for consumption, such as the State Environmental Inspection and the State Sanitary Inspection. For these entities, the device will provide a tool enabling more efficient inspections while reducing costs associated with the need to perform complex laboratory analyses. An important group of recipients comprises numerous commercial laboratories operating in the country (approx. 800 laboratories nationwide) that test the quality of supplied water on a local scale. Implementation of the device in such entities will allow for ongoing monitoring of water supply safety and a rapid response in the event of identified threats, both supervisory and remedial. A separate group of recipients consists of scientific laboratories—in the context of understanding the direct impact of microplastic and pharmaceutical contamination on living organisms, and above all on human health.

Hashtag:

#FunduszeUE lub #FunduszeEuropejskie

Project title:

Development of Cell-IN technology for microplate and flow cytometry applications

Principal Investigator:

Aneta Magiera, M.Sc.

Project number:

FENG.02.07-IP.05-0127/23

Project duration:

01.10.2024 - 30.09.2025

Project value:

PLN 613,200

Contribution of European:

PLN 613,200

Project financing:

Project FENG.02.07-IP.05-0127/23 is financed from the funds of Priority 2 of the European Funds for a Modern Economy Program 2021–2027 (FENG) Action 2.7 Proof of Concept, with the Intermediate Institution being the Foundation for Polish Science.

The aim of the project:

The aim of the project was to demonstrate that introducing macromolecules (DNA, proteins, nanoparticles) into cells using concentrated biopolymers (Cell-IN technology) is suitable for scaling up for high-throughput experiments: flow cytometry and multi-well plate readers.

Tasks and activities to be carried out under the project:

1. Optimization of Cell-IN technology for 96-well culture plates, including: a) Conducting a standard, primary Cell-IN procedure for two types of probes as a control for the optimization process. b) Verifying the volumes of hyper- and hypotonic solutions determined by the original Cell-IN procedure for 96-well culture plates. Determine the optimal volumes. c) Testing the Cell-IN procedure with the working solution removal step omitted and using the volumes determined in the previous step. d) Testing different incubation times of cells with the hypotonic solution while adequately changing the osmolarity of this solution. Selection of the optimal variant. e) Verification of the effectiveness of the most optimal and effective procedure (taking into account the results obtained from points b, c, and d) on other cell lines. f) Re-comparison within one measurement day of the original Cell-IN procedure with the optimized procedure as verification of the obtained results. 2. Demonstration of compatibility of Cell-IN technology with a flow cytometer: a) Conducting cellular delivery studies of fluorescently labeled polymers on a model HeLa cell line. Establishing the methodology for flow cytometry measurements, crucial for further steps. b) Conducting cellular delivery studies of two types of fluorescently labeled nanoparticles of different diameters on a model HeLa cell line. c) Conducting cellular delivery studies of plasmid DNA (EGFP) and a selected type of RNA molecule on a model HeLa cell line. In the next step, steps (a-c) will be repeated on two other cell lines: fibroblasts and cells of the HEK293 line.

Results and outcomes of the project:

The research conducted as part of the project allowed for positive verification of the research hypothesis: it was demonstrated that the Cell-IN technique is scalable both to experiments using a multi-well plate reader (stage 1 of the project) and flow cytometry (stage 2 of the project). This confirmed the implementation potential of the Cell-IN technology. In addition, as a result of laboratory research, the composition of the formulation dedicated to the delivery of nucleic acids into mammalian cells was modified.

Project target groups:

Recipients of the PoC Project results are both individual customers - scientists who need to cross the cell membrane barrier in their experiments using 96-well culture cells and/or the flow cytometry technique, as well as companies/enterprises from the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors and chemical reagent manufacturers.

Hashtag:

#EUfunds #EuropeanFunds

Project title:

Retinal display based on two-photon vision for Augmented Reality

Principal Investigator:

dr inż. Katarzyna Komar

Project number:

FENG.02.07-IP.05-0233/23

Project duration:

01.10.2024 - 31.10.2025

Project value:

698 880,00 PLN

Contribution of European:

698 880,00 PLN

Project financing:

The “Retinal display based on two-photon vision for Augmented Reality” (FENG.02.07-IP.05-0233/23) project is financed from the funds of Priority 2 of the European Funds for Smart Economy 2021-2027 (FENG) Action 2.7 Proof of Concept, with the Intermediary Authority being the Foundation for Polish Science.

The aim of the project:

The aim of the project is to create a functional prototype that demonstrates the advantages of two-photon vision for AR technology. The prototype will provide data on the required two-photon brightness of the source, which will be the results of planned tests, and the next steps for its optimization.

Tasks and activities to be carried out under the project:

The aim of the project is to verify the potential of a retinal display based on two-photon vision in augmented reality (AR) technology. Two-photon vision extends the range of perceived radiation to near-infrared (850-1300 nm) due to two-photon absorption in visual pigments. The project aims to investigate whether applying two-photon vision for displaying augmented content in AR glasses improves the quality of the augmented image. These hypotheses will be verified by building a prototype of two-photon AR glasses and conducting psychophysical tests.

Results and outcomes of the project:

The aim of the project is to create a functional prototype that demonstrates the advantages of two-photon AR, thus attracting the interest of producers AR glasses, waveguides and pulsed lasers.

Project target groups:

The project's target groups include companies involved in the development of augmented reality (AR) technology. The key recipients will be manufacturers of optical waveguides used in such glasses so far. The project may also interest manufacturers of optical components and non-linear imaging systems, especially in medical, military, and industrial applications. In addition, the technology may attract the attention of companies developing laser technologies that are important for the further miniaturization of AR devices.

Hashtag:

#EUfunds or #EuropeanFunds #two-photon vision; #AR displays

Project title:

Novel tunable fiber light source synchronously pumped by laser pulses at fixed centralwavelength

Principal Investigator:

dr inż. Katarzyna Krupa

Project number:

FENG.02.07-IP.05-0252/23

Project duration:

01.10.2024 - 31.10.2025

Project value:

PLN 626 640,00

Contribution of European:

PLN 626 640,00

Project financing:

Project „Novel tunable fiber light source synchronously pumped by laser pulses at fixed centralwavelength” nr FENG.02.07-IP.05-0127/23 is financed from the funds of Priority 2 of the European Funds for a Smart Economy 2021–2027 Program (FENG) Action 2.7 Proof of Concept, with the Intermediate Institution being the Foundation for Polish Science.

The aim of the project:

Light sources capable of delivering high-energy beams with narrow spectral width and wide tunability are in high demand for nonlinear imaging microscopy and spectroscopy, particularly in the fields of biology, medicine, and chemistry. Until recently, such sources have relied on free-space optics and optical parametric oscillators using nonlinear crystals pumped by solid-state, water-cooled lasers. While highly efficient, these systems are bulky, expensive, and sensitive to environmental conditions. Recent advances in nonlinear fiber optics and laser technology have enabled the development of multicolor fiber-based light sources that are compact, cost-effective, alignment-free, and robust to environmental fluctuations - making them ideal for applications outside the laboratory. However, currently available fiber gain media constrain the operation of high-power fiber lasers to spectral regions near 1.0 μm, 1.55 μm, and 1.9 μm. In contrast, fiber-based light sources operating beyond these wavelength ranges remain relatively rare, with only a few capable of producing spectrally narrow, high-power beams tunable from the visible to the near-infrared spectrum. The aim of this project is to use a resonant cavity architecture and to generate four-wave mixing, tunable via a novel mechanism that combines temporal stretching and nonlinear spectral broadening of pump pulses, all while maintaining a constant central pump wavelength.

Tasks and activities to be carried out under the project:

The project aims to develop a novel multicolor light source based on a fiber-optic parametric oscillator, tunable across the full parametric gain bandwidth of the nonlinear four-wave mixing effect. The source is expected to deliver output beam power and spectral resolution comparable to, or exceeding, that of existing parametric oscillators that rely on tuning the pump wavelength.

Results and outcomes of the project:

Through the research and development activities conducted in the project, we successfully built a demonstrator of a multicolour light source. The resonant-cavity architecture enabled simultaneous optical amplification and broadband wavelength tuning of the four-wave mixing sidebands. Although the final output parameters did not yet reach the target performance levels, the core project objectives were met, and the developed system proves the feasibility of a tunable fiber parametric oscillator based on the novel mechanism combining temporal stretching and spectral broadening. The remaining performance gap concerns power scaling and spectral narrowing, both of which can be addressed in the next development phase, paving the way toward a commercially product. A key competitive advantage of developed solution is that it does not require tunable pump lasers. Instead, it can operate using fixed-wavelength fiber oscillators that are already widely available on the market. Such an architecture is technologically simpler, more stable, and more cost-efficient, giving it an advantage over existing solutions and opening new possibilities for clinical and industrial applications. Furthermore, the use of nonlinear optical loop mirrors (NOLMs) as artificial saturable absorbers ensured excellent operational stability, overcoming a known limitation of SESAM-based architectures, which suffer from degradation over time. The concept developed within the project is the subject of a patent application, with protection extended to the European territory, confirming both its innovative nature and its commercialization potential. The project outcomes have also been integrated into educational activities through student research internships. Moreover, a master’s thesis topic based on the project is planned, enabling the training of a new generation of engineers and scientists in state-of-the-art photonic technologies entering the market. The Principal Investigator participated at the international CLEO/Europe-EQEC conference in June 2025, which features dedicated technology panels focused on advances in laser systems.

Project target groups:

Potential stakeholders directly interested in the outcomes of the project include companies currently developing and commercializing tunable light sources based on fiber-optic parametric oscillator architectures, as well as manufacturers of “white light” sources. Providers of nonlinear imaging systems for medical diagnostics may also find the results valuable, as such systems require broadly tunable light sources. Additionally, researchers in the fields of nonlinear imaging and spectroscopy represent a key target group for this project.

Hashtag:

#FunduszeUE , #FunduszeEuropejskie, #EUfunds,