Integrated Human Practices

Patients are at the core of our efforts; we want to provide them with a reliable, early diagnosis test to improve their quality of life. Doctors and neurologists benefit from a more efficient and accurate diagnostic process, ensuring that they have enough time to treat the patients, before severe loss of their dopaminergic neurons. At the same time, biologists and pharmaceutical companies can use our diagnostic kit for research purposes. Our diagnostic kit is designed to be user-friendly, allowing healthcare professionals to use it easily and effectively.

The team's approach to incorporating feedback and insights from a diverse range of experts and stakeholders throughout their project development is commendable. From the very inception of their project, they actively sought external perspectives and engaged in meaningful discussions with professionals from various fields, including neurology, biology, chemistry, and business. This inclusive and collaborative approach allowed them to not only validate the worthiness of their project idea but also to refine and optimize their diagnostic test kit for Parkinson's disease. Their engagement with experts, including representatives from pharmaceuticals, diagnostic centers, and environmental companies, demonstrated a strong commitment to understanding the existing landscape and potential for their project. This thorough research and dialogue helped them make informed decisions and navigate the complexities of their chosen endeavor. Furthermore, their interactions with the elderly population to gauge how their kit would impact them and ensure user-friendliness showcased a genuine concern for the end-users and a dedication to creating a solution that genuinely improves lives. The team's proactive approach to seeking advice and guidance from business experts not only enhanced their project's marketability but also resulted in their successful win in the entrepreneurship MindSpace Competition for life sciences. This achievement underscores the tangible benefits of their well-implemented Human Practices work. Overall, their comprehensive and well-documented approach serves as a valuable example for others embarking on similar projects, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder engagement in creating responsible and impactful solutions for real-world challenges.

Our team's integration of Human Practices work throughout our project was constant. We showcased a meticulous and thoughtful approach by actively engaging with a wide range of experts and stakeholders from the very inception of their project. This engagement was not only well-documented but also exhibited a genuine commitment to learning, collaborating, and adapting their project based on feedback and insights. The team's approach serves as an inspiring example for others in the synthetic biology community and beyond. It highlights the importance of seeking external perspectives, especially from experts in relevant fields, and demonstrates how this can significantly shape the development of a responsible and impactful project. Their documentation of this extensive engagement is thorough and well-structured, making it accessible for others to learn from and build upon. Their rationale and prior work are clearly explained, providing valuable context for their decision-making process. The incorporation of different stakeholder views, including those of experts, potential end-users (the elderly), and business experts, was a prominent feature of their project. This inclusive approach ensured that their diagnostic test kit for Parkinson's disease addressed the needs and concerns of various parties. Overall, the team convincingly demonstrated that their Human Practices activities played a pivotal role in creating a project that is not only technically innovative but also responsible and geared toward improving the lives of individuals at risk of Parkinson's disease. Their successful win in the entrepreneurship MindSpace Competition further underscores the tangible impact of their approach in making their project a reality.

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OUR ADVENTURE

Workshop on Climate Change and Green Growth

Space Biotechnology Webinar

Verde Tec

"Panorama" Entrepreneurship Fair

Scientific Congress of Medical Students of Greece

Panhellenic Symposium of College Students for Bioscientists

Pharmaceutical Conference of Pharmaceutical College Students

Chemexpo

Career and Mobility Fair @ Erasmus Leaders

iGEM Start Up Summer School

Panhellenic Conference of the Hellenic Neurological Society

Online Meeting with Parkinson's Union, a Union of Parkinson's Patients in Athens

On the 9th of September 2023, our team had the privilege of engaging in a meaningful virtual dialogue via Zoom with members of the Parkinson's Association in Athens, the largest Parkinson's disease association in Greece. This enlightening interaction provided a unique window into the lives of individuals who are navigating the challenging terrain of Parkinson's disease, which of course is the core of our project.

During these conversations, we attentively listened to their life narratives, which were marked by the shocking moments of their diagnosis, the age at which the first symptoms manifested, and the subsequent impact on their daily lives. We discussed whether they had the disease in their families, to understand how often PD is due to genetics and inheritance. They also informed us of changes and adjustments they made in dietary habits and daily routines, and of the people around them, whether relatives or friends, that support them.

We also inquired about their current symptoms, ongoing medications, and the proactive measures they employ to slow down the progression of this incurable disease. We questioned whether they would have liked to have known earlier that they have Parkinson's, which is what our kit aims to do, diagnose the illness early. They responded that yes, they would have wanted to know, since it would save them many years of searching for the right diagnosis and treatment. They had difficulties on what doctor to consult and what medical exam to do, from orthopedic specialists to pathologists, before finally reaching neurologists to be properly diagnosed.

Despite the adversities they have faced, the spirit of these individuals shone through. in the end of the call they shared their creative pursuits, including art, signifying their refusal to succumb to the challenges posed by Parkinson's, like tremor, dystonia, and dyskinesia, that commonly interfere with small movements, such as writing and drawing. Their stories serve as a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit and further fuel our determination to pioneer early diagnostic solutions for Parkinson's disease, ensuring that others do not endure the prolonged uncertainty they experienced.

Medhub Meeting

Dr. Spiros Efthimiopoulos

Mr. Efthimiopoulos, a distinguished Professor at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Biology, specializing in the Molecular and Cellular Basis of Alzheimer's disease, was of valuable help to our project. We sought his expertise due to his extensive research background, including studies on Alzheimer's disease mechanisms and his status as a founding member of the Hellenic Society for Neurosciences.

In our initial meeting on 12/02, we discussed at the early stages of our idea for a Parkinson's disease diagnostic test. Mr. Efthimiopoulos confirmed that it was a worthy concept, pointing out its significance as a tool accessible to the general population, unlike exams like DAT SCAN.

During our meeting on 20/02, Mr. Efthimiopoulos facilitated our introduction with experts in the field of Parkinson's disease. We discussed our project’s idea, reviewed relevant research papers, and explored the possibility of using a cell-free system. While assuring us of the value of our idea, he, along with the experts, advised against the cell-free system due to its high production costs and maintenance challenges.

In our last meeting on 30/09, Mr. Efthimiopoulos continued to offer valuable insight. He guided us in how we could make sure of the connection between our phage and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) while he recommended research papers on chemical modification and binding of VOCs with the phage. Although some of the proposed ideas proved too complex for our project, his feedback and recommendations contributed to refining our approach.

Overall, Mr. Efthimiopoulos served as an invaluable resource, sharing his expertise and perspective at critical points in our project's development. His contributions helped us find a more practical and effective solution for Parkinson's disease diagnosis.

Integrated HPs