Advancing Patient Care in Europe: 
The EURAMED rocc-n-roll project launches a Strategic Research Agenda and Roadmap as a guide for future research in the field of medical applications of ionising radiation and related radiation protection.
The EURAMED rocc-n-roll consortium is made up of a multidisciplinary team of 29 partners from leading research institutions in 17 European countries, which includes UCD. The EURAMED rocc-n-roll project has achieved an important milestone with the launch of its Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) and roadmap.
Over a three-year period, experts from various fields collaborated to advance the use of ionising radiation in medical applications, with a focus on patient safety and care. The SRA and roadmap, currently being evaluated by the European Commission, offer a comprehensive overview of current research and highlight areas for future European research efforts. This development solidifies Europe’s position as a leader in healthcare technologies and promotes equitable access to high-quality personalised care.
The EURAMED rocc-n-roll project is proud to announce the release of its Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) for medical applications of ionising radiation and related radiation protection, as well as a corresponding roadmap. These documents, which were developed through extensive consultation with stakeholders from the health, radiation protection, and digitisation sectors, including representatives from academia, regulators, industry and patient organisations provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of research in this field and outline a clear path forward for future European research efforts based on identified gaps and research needs. EURAMED rocc-n-roll is a flagship project of pillar 3 of the SAMIRA action plan focussing on facilitating innovation and the technological development of medical ionising radiation applications.
The project ran from September 2020 to August 2023 and brought together a consortium of experts from various disciplines including radiation biology, medical physics and dosimetry, ethics, clinical expertise, regulatory and health policy, AI, and industry experts. EURAMED rocc-n-roll was able to generate an understanding between the representatives from the health sector and from the radiation science sector, fostering cooperation in the field and allowing innovation and groundbreaking achievements in the future.
“We are thrilled to release these documents, which represent the culmination of three years of strong collaboration by our consortium and our stakeholders,” said Prof. Christoph Hoeschen from the Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, the project’s scientific coordinator. “We believe that they will serve as an invaluable resource for policymakers, funding bodies, researchers, practitioners, and industry players working in the field of medical imaging and radiation protection to improve patient care on an individual patient basis across Europe.”
“As we mark the successful conclusion of the EURAMED rocc-n-roll project,” stated the project’s clinical coordinator Prof. Guy Frija from the University of Paris, “we take a transformative stride toward optimising the balance between innovation and patient welfare. The EURAMED rocc-n-roll SRA and roadmap underscore our commitment to steering the course of medical progress and effectively harnessing ionising radiation’s potential while upholding the highest standards of ethical practice and patient-centred care.”
With the release of the SRA and the Roadmap, the EURAMED rocc-n-roll project marks a significant step forward in shaping the future of funding for medical applications of ionising radiation, ensuring that Europe remains at the forefront of cutting-edge healthcare technologies allowing its citizens equitable access to safe, highest-quality personalised care.
For more information about the EURAMED rocc-n-roll project and its outcomes and to view the documents, please visit roccnroll.euramed.eu.
About EURAMED rocc-n-roll
The EURAMED rocc-n-roll project (EURopeAn MEDical application and Radiation prOteCtion Concept: strategic research agenda aNd ROadmap interLinking to heaLth and digitisation aspects) was a 3-year initiative aimed at advancing medical applications of ionising radiation while prioritising patient safety and patient-centred care. The project brought together experts and stakeholders from various fields to create a strategic research agenda, roadmap, and interlink document, facilitating collaboration, innovation, and progress in the field of medical imaging and radiation protection. The goal of the project was to identify research and radiation protection needs in the field of medical imaging, and to develop education and training schemes to increase Europe's research capacity in this area.
The EURAMED rocc-n-roll consortium is made up of a multidisciplinary team of 29 partners from leading research institutions in 17 European countries: European Institute for Biomedical Imaging Research (AT), Otto von Guericke Universität Magdeburg (DE), Université de Paris (FR), Panepistimio Kritis (EL), Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz (DE), Ruđer Bošković Institute (HR), The University of Exeter (UK), Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie/Centre d'étude de l'Energie Nucléaire (BE), European Organistation for Nuclear Research (CH), Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (FR), Umea Universitet (SE), Fundacio Privada Institut d’Investigacio Oncologia de Vall-Hebron (ES), Universitätsklinikum Freiburg (DE), Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio per la Ricerca Medical e di Sanita Pubblica (IT), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (DE), Institutio di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Burlo Garofolo (IT), European Cancer Organisation (BE), Commisariat a l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (FR), Tartu Ulikool (EE), Stichting Het Nederlands Kanker Instituut – Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Ziekenhuis (NL), University College Dublin (IE), Comité Européen de Coordination des Industries Radiologiques Electromedicales et d’Informatique de Santé Aisbl (BE), Nemzeti Népegészségügyi Központ (HU), Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra (PT), European University of Cyprus (CY), Erasmus Universitair Medisch Centrum Rotterdam (NL), European Alliance for Medical Radiation Protection Research (AT), Universiteit Gent (BE), Vrije Universiteit Brussels (BE).
Improving Patient Care through Novel and Optimised Medical Applications of Ionising Radiation – A Strategic Research Agenda: roccnroll.euramed.eu/scientific-research-agenda
European Research Roadmap or Medical Applications of Ionising Radiation for Better and Individualised Healthcare to Improve Patients’ Lives: roccnroll.euramed.eu/roadmap
EU funding
This project has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2019-2020 under grant agreement No 899995.
Disclaimer
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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