Research Project Description:

Human Health Research requires ever more sophisticated infrastructures to allow cutting-edge science to take place within the relevant domains of biosciences, biomedical sciences and technology, including bioarchaeology. In recent years, vast infrastructures, such as multi-national synchrotron facilities have begun to be used increasingly in researching human health, both ancient and modern. Increasingly sophisticated high-resolution imaging has opened up new research directions for diagnosis of disease as well as development of safe and effective pharmaceuticals.

This project will create a new distinct research unit (platform) focused on biosciences and human health, both ancient and modern, with the acquisition of a micro computed tomography (microCT) facility – a research infrastructure not yet available in Cyprus, but crucial to the study of human health. In addition to the cutting-edge, laboratory-based high-resolution 3D imaging, at micrometre scales, of both modern and ancient human tissue and remains, pharmaceutical compounds and products, and laboratory animals, critical in human health research, the microCT will open doors for Cypriot researchers and research groups to access multi-national cutting-edge research facilities, synchrotrons, allowing even higher resolution studies, and research requiring phase contrast. The new research unit shall pursue high-level frontier research in the domains of biosciences, as well as biomedical sciences and technology.

The project has applicability to two specific focus areas of the Health Priority Sector of the Cyprus Smart Specialisation Strategy: the diagnosis of diseases in Cypriot populations (ancient and modern), contemporary methods of imaging, and exposure to environmental conditions; as well as safe and effective pharmaceuticals. Further, through the case study components on ancient human health, the project contributes towards an additional focus area, namely the conservation, promotion and exploitation of cultural heritage.

Principal Investigator(s) and Coordinating Institution(s):

  • Dr Kirsi Lorentz, The Cyprus Institute, Cyprus

Researchers at University of Nicosia Medical School:

  • Dr Dimitrios Kanakis

UNIC Participating Institution:

  • University of Nicosia Research Foundation (UNRF)

Other Participating Institution(s):

  • Cyprus (The University of Cyprus)
  • Cyprus (University of Nicosia Research Foundation)
  • Cyprus (Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre)
  • Cyprus (European University Cyprus)
  • Cyprus (Medochemie Ltd)
  • Cyprus (Cyprus Geological Survey Department/ Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment)
  • Cyprus (Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics)
  • Italy (Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste SCpA)
  • Middle East (SESAME Synchrotron)
  • France (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility)
  • France (SOLEIL Synchrotron)
  • UK (Durham University)
  • UK (University of Bradford)

Research Project Acronym: BIOMERA

Funding Agency: Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF)

Funding Programme: New Strategic Infrastructure Units – Young Scientists

Total Research Project Budget: €999,964

Research Project Status: Ongoing

Start and End Dates: 03 June 2019 – 01 June 2023

Funding Programme or Research Project Logo:

Related Links: https://biomera.cyi.ac.cy/project-consortium/university-of-nicosia#