The ERA PerMed Joint Transnational Call 2021 (JTC2021) Midterm Symposium was organised by EP PerMed on 12 and 13 February 2025 in Berlin.
The symposium brought together researchers, clinicians, funders, and patient representatives to discuss the progress and outcomes of the ERA PerMed projects and featured presentations from 21 interdisciplinary consortia (out of 22) funded under the JTC2021 call, which focuses on the development of clinical support tools to facilitate the implementation of personalised medicine.
Over two days, participants explored cutting-edge research in disease fields such as oncology, neurology, cardiovascular diseases, and rare diseases, showcasing innovations in AI-driven diagnostics, machine learning models, biomarker discovery, and precision treatment approaches.
Workshop on Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)
Project Booklet
The symposium also included a workshop on Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), conducted by a team from the BIH QUEST Centre for Responsible Research. The two-hour session provided an interactive platform for participants to reflect on their current research practices, focusing on transparency and clinical validity. The workshop began with a presentation outlining key challenges in the field and strategies to ensure robust knowledge generation. Early-career researchers engaged in discussions on how to enhance transparency in data, methods, and computations within their research, while principal investigators examined the evaluation of clinical validity in their projects. The workshop provided practical insights on integrating RRI principles into research, reinforcing the importance of ethical and responsible research practices.
Additionally, a panel discussion on patient engagement in personalised medicine research highlighted the importance of involving patients at all stages of research. Patient representatives shared concrete strategies for fostering meaningful collaboration and ensuring that research outcomes align with patient needs.
Scientific experts and patient representatives were also present, providing feedback on the progress and outcomes of the JTC2021-funded projects. Their insights will support both the funders in evaluating the progress and outcomes of the projects and the consortia in refining their research approaches.
The poster sessions provided a platform for young researchers from the funded consortia to present their work and engage in discussions with their peers and senior scientists. Attendees voted for the best poster prize, recognising outstanding contributions within the symposium. Additionally, the event featured a presentation by Lena Lorenzer, the winner of the JTC2021 video competition, who is a junior researcher at the Medical University of Graz and a member of the PRE-CARE ML consortium. Her video highlighted the role of machine learning in predicting cardiovascular events, demonstrating the power of visual storytelling in communicating research impact.
By bringing together various leading and young researchers, clinical experts, patient representatives, and funding agencies, the symposium fostered international collaboration, encouraged multidisciplinary dialogue, and reinforced EP PerMed’s role in driving forward personalised healthcare solutions through funding excellent personalised medicine research.
