Page 21 - MemoriaBBN-Eng

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a) Multimodal Diagnostics:
Strategic
Imaging diagnosis is increasingly complemented by another diagnosis technique
lines of
based on different biophysical elements such as the combined use of different
research of the imaging techniques.

programme
The objective of this line therefore relates to the combined analysis of all this in-

formation, promoting improvements in diagnosis systems, creating tools to aid in

clinical decision making and enhancing the pre- and intraoperatory planning sys-
tems, as well as simulation and control tools in virtual surgery.

The strategic line of multimodal diagnostics of CIBER-BBN covers methods and

technologies that allow detecting biological and pathological events, and facilitate

understanding the relationships between the elements making up the complex or-
ganic systems. Multimodal diagnostics integrates knowledge customised in various

scales and originated from different sources. Multimodal diagnostics must there-
fore be understood in a multiscale sense (from cellular level to organs or the body

as a whole) and in a multimode sense (in reference to the basic information from

medical imaging, biophysical signals, functional models, etc).

CIBER-BBN conducts its research activity with dual perspective. On one hand,
CIBER-BBN deems it strategic to carry out a mid- and long-term basic research

with expected results for the purpose of expanding the frontiers of knowledge in

the multimodal diagnostics field and obtaining greater understanding of how such
methodologies may be effective in improving diagnosis and in tracking specific

pathologies. On the other hand, and without losing sight of the translational voca-
tion of CIBER-BBN, this strategic line also gives priority to applied research which

is more closely linked to clinical application and to the market of medical devices.

Said applied research is expected to generate transferable results in short term.

This line is in turn complemented with others such as the line relating to Biosensors
and Molecular Diagnosis and Implant Design in which similar or complementary

techniques are used.

b) Intelligent devices and systems:

This implantation will involve a greater degree of autonomy for the patients and
will translate into lightening the work load of healthcare personnel. Additionally,

the research results from this line will offer a more thorough and continuous con-

trol of the patients since the evolution of their health condition can be tracked and
different variables can be monitored simultaneously.

The growing complexity of diagnostic works requires researching for and develo-

ping new devices for capturing data at very different functional integration levels,

i.e., from molecular to systemic level. Current clinical progression is mainly deter-
mined by the availability of new devices that allow unfurling preventive diagnos- 13
20
tic strategies, early detection of pathologies or disease progression monitoring in T
long-term processes. Likewise, therapies suitable for those levels of action require OR
P
new devices that are capable of operating in an intelligent manner according to the RE
L
condition and needs at that time in the least invasive manner possible.
A
NU
Micro-nano technologies have opened up vast possibilities for the development of N
intelligent sensing devices for in vitro and in vivo diagnosis and monitoring, the A
N /
development of molecular sensors and biomarkers or the study of the communi- B
cation between cells and their environment, as well as the development of asso- -B
R
ciated devices and instrumentation for remote micro-nanoagent manipulation in BE
CI
theranostics.

The electronic instrumentation, the biosensors and the new materials create a con-
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