Neuromuscular disorders, which affect millions of people in Europe alone, lead to (progressive) muscle weakness or sensory deficits that gravely affect life expectancy and quality of life. To diagnose the disorders, needle electromyography (nEMG) data must be assessed audio-visually by experts, which is subjective and time-consuming. In this project, experts in clinical neurophysiology, data science and instrumentation will develop an artificial-intelligence platform to automatically, objectively and accurately interpret nEMG data. They will validate the method using real nEMG data from around the world, and take first steps towards integrating the platform into existing software for clinical use.

This project aims to combat loneliness among young adults by investigating how technology use affects feelings of loneliness, cognitive/emotional responses, and neurological effects. Together with experts in mental health, e-health, and student wellbeing, we are developing a scientific knowledge base to understand loneliness, propose effective interventions, and break societal taboos.

Treating Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) worldwide faces challenges as it relies on an trial-and-error aproach. Antidepressants, commonly used, work for just one-third of patients initially, with 50% not finding an effective medication within a year. This underscores the urgent need for a faster and more precise way to determine the effectiveness of antidepressant treatments. Our team has developed DEPREDICT, a groundbreaking tool for promptly evaluating antidepressant response using brain MRI and clinical data within one week of first administration. With this grant, we aim to conduct a comprehensive market assessment and create a robust business strategy to successfully implement DEPREDICT.

Medical imaging only captures the human body in a static, horizontal view, which doesn’t reflect the forces and function that occur during everyday activities like standing or exercise. BioMotive aims to revolutionize this with an advanced MRI infrastructure that can scan the body upright and during movement. This will allow us to see how muscles, bones, and even the heart behave under real-life conditions, such as during exercise. By applying advanced MRI techniques, BioMotive enables real-time visualization of internal forces and physiological processes, providing deeper insights into conditions of the muscles, digestion and blood circulation influenced by posture and movement.