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HEDoctoral network2022–2027

DIALECT · Diabetes Lower Extremity Complications Research and Training Network in Foot Ulcer and Amputation Prevention

Horizon Europe — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2022-10-01 → 2027-03-31
EU contribution
€2,738,725
Participants
18
Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-DN

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners. CORDIS does not always give exact coordinates for projects before 2014. These points are placed at city or country level.

Results in brief

Diabetes Lower Extremity Complications Research and Training Network in Foot Ulcer and Amputation Prevention

In Europe, an estimated 59 million people live with diabetes and this number is growing rapidly. Diabetes and its lower extremity complications such as neuropathy, are a leading cause of amputation, hospitalisation, reduced mobility, loss of social participation, and lower quality of life. These amputations are nearly always preceded by a foot ulcer. While there are various general treatment approaches to help prevent these foot ulcers, their incidence remains high, up to 40% within one year for people who have healed from a foot ulcer. DIALECT is the Diabetes Lower Extremity Complications Research and Training Network in Foot Ulcer and Amputation Prevention and aims to deliver the next generation of scientists with the expertise, skills and experience to successfully combat diabetic foot disease and its devastating consequences. DIALECT focusses on five key objectives (within 3 research work packages) to improve treatment in ulcer and amputation prevention, taking a personalised treatment approach; 1. Establish a new risk stratification model to stratify patients at high risk for diabetic foot disease and to guide personalised medicine in foot ulcer and amputation prevention (Model) 2. Conduct beyond state-of-the-art biomechanical analyses to formulate new hypotheses on specific diabetic foot conditions and pave the way for personalised medicine in ulcer prevention (Model) 3. Establish beyond state-of-the-art physical activity and treatment adherence profiles using artificial intelligence to formulate new hypotheses on patient behaviour in diabetic foot disease (Measure) 4. Develop technologically advanced sensor system products for laboratory measurements and personalised at-home monitoring of foot(wear) biomechanics, activity, and adherence in diabetic foot disease (Measure, Make) 5. Make and validate beyond state-of-the-art personalised footwear using machine learning applications to improve biomechanical, activity, and adherence outcomes in foot ulcer and amputation prevention (Make) The results of the DIALECT program will improve the personalized treatment approach for people with diabetes who are at moderate to high risk of developing foot disease. People with the disease will be better classified according to their risk of ulceration, we will better understand particular pathologies of the diabetic foot, we will be able to better monitor people for relevant biomechanical outcomes and we will deliver footwear that will better fit the patients foot and distribute pressure on the foot. With this personalised more data-driven approach to ulcer and amputation prevention a large impact is expected in reducing the patient and society burden of diabetic foot disease.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

DIALECT aims to combat diabetic foot disease through personalised medicine, by establishing an innovative, international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral research and training effort that will deliver the next generation of leading, entrepreneurial and creative scientists to reinforce the European innovative workforce. This is both timely and urgent, illustrated by that the burden of diabetic foot disease is in the top-10 of all medical conditions, and emphasized by the fact that every 20 seconds someone in the world loses a leg because of foot disease. Currently, we lack success in delivering the right treatment to the right person at the right time to prevent foot ulceration and amputation. We will provide unique world-class interdisciplinary and intersectoral training to a new generation of high-achieving DCs in the areas of biomechanics, activity behaviour and footwear related to diabetic foot disease. A well-balanced consortium of academic, industry, healthcare and implementation partners will deliver the carefully designed DIALECT training network, comprising training through research, structured network-wide training events, intersectoral secondments and future work skills training. This will result in a paradigm shift towards personalised medicine that goes beyond state-of-the-art, by developing new personalised risk stratifications, biomechanical foot models, innovative activity and adherence profiles, wearable technology systems for biomechanical and activity monitoring, and personalised optimised footwear intervention products. DIALECT will provide DCs with a comprehensive skillset capable of delivering high-quality scientific and industry solutions to develop into leading innovators in the European healthcare sector, who are highly employable and ready to engage and lead the next European generation of scientists-entrepreneurs to expedite progress in reducing the patient, societal and economic burden of diabetic foot disease.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • STICHTING AMSTERDAM UMC · AmsterdamCoordinatorNetherlands
  • ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA · BolognaItaly
  • CAP PARTNER APS, EWMA SECRETARIAT DFSG SECRETARIAT · FrederiksbergDenmark
  • DEUTSCHE SPORTHOCHSCHULE KOLN · KolnGermany
  • FIREFLY ORTHOSES LIMITED · SLIGOIreland
  • ISTITUTO ORTOPEDICO RIZZOLI · BolognaItaly
  • KING'S COLLEGE HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST · LondonUnited Kingdom
  • KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET · KOBENHAVNDenmark
  • Kievit Orthopedie · HengeloNetherlands
  • NOVEL GMBH ELEKTRISCHE SPEZIALGERATE · MUNCHENGermany
  • OIM HOLDING BV · AssenCity levelNetherlands
  • PODARTIS SRL · Montebelluna TvItaly
  • REGION HOVEDSTADEN · HillerodDenmark
  • THE GLASGOW CALEDONIAN UNIVERSITY · GlasgowUnited Kingdom
  • Taika 3D Oy · EspooFinland
  • UNIVERSITEIT MAASTRICHT · MaastrichtNetherlands
  • UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM · AmsterdamNetherlands
  • VIBRAM SPA · AlbizzateItaly

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union