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Innovation and Technology Transfer Office at Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos (VUL SK):
- supports commercialization of research results;
- promotes Business and science cooperation activities for innovations in healthcare sector,
- coordinates design & implementation of science & technology, eHealth solutions, smart hospital projects, etc.
We are looking forward to our collaboration. Please contact us:
Indre Klimantaviciene, Head of Unit, tel. +37052501394, e-mail: indre.klimantaviciene@santa.lt
Iveta Merkeviciute, Senior project manager, tel. +37069771677, e-mail: iveta.merkeviciute@santa.lt
Renata Blackute, Senior project manager, tel. +37069771171, e-mail: renata.blackute@santa.lt
Giedre Urbonaviciute, Project manager, tel. 869771318, e-mail: giedre.urbonaviciute@santa.lt
Our experts are participating in multiple local and international projects. The ongoing international projects are:
Collaborative Innovation Procurement Action to Improve the Efficiency, Quality and Sustainability of Healthcare (EcoQUIP Plus)
EcoQUIP Plus is a collaborative Public Procurement of Innovation (PPI) project aimed at demonstrating how pro- innovation procurement methods can improve the efficiency, quality and sustainability of healthcare.
Many hospitals across Europe do not have an effective emergency call system, in cases such as emergency intubation and resuscitation where rapid help is needed. Help is often called in a confused and chaotic way which is stressful for staff and, moreover, life threatening for patients. Delays in the right support arriving can adversely affect the patients outcomes and can lead to unnecessary clinical complications. Speedy and efficient arrival of help in such situations would lead to a significant improvement in patient outcomes, improve the use of staff resources, and significantly reduce stress for staff. In addition, a smart solution would enable the collation and analysis of data to enable learning and further improve outcomes.
The solution should be able to alert the specifically required staff 24/7 and direct them to where they are needed. The solution will also collate and facilitate an analyse of data that will lead to learning and further improvements in the system and patient/staff outcomes.
Coordinator: OPTIMAT LIMITED (UK).
Partners: Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos (VULSK), Agency for Science, Innovation and Technology (LT), Jera Consulting Limited (UK), University Hospitals Bristol Nhs Foundation Trust (UK), Zespol Opieki Zdrowotnej W Suchej Beskidzkiej (Poland), Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Policlinico S. Orsola Malpighi (Italy ), Agencia De Qualitat I Avaluacio Sanitaries De Catalunya (Spain), Corporacio Sanitaria Parc Tauli De Sabadell (Spain), European Health Management Association (Belgium), Synoptic Technologies Ltd (UK).
Twinning in Research and Education to improve survival in Childhood Solid Tumours in Lithuania (TREL)
2021 10 04 TREL PROJECT news: As part of the project activities, several researchers undertook a secondment period in order to increase knowledge sharing. Three of them have shared their experiences.
2021 10 04 TREL PROJECT news: TREL Workshops for training of early stage researches in research methodology
2021 10 21 About TREL PROJECT
2021 10 04 TREL PROJECT news: As part of the project activities, several researchers undertook a secondment period in order to increase knowledge sharing. Three of them have shared their experiences.
2021 10 04 TREL PROJECT news: TREL Workshops for training of early stage researches in research methodology
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Twinning in Research and Education to improve survival in Childhood Solid Tumours in Lithuania (TREL)
Solid tumours can occur in many parts of the body and there are some types that develop only in children. VULSK coordinates the EU-funded TREL project which aims to enhance translational, clinical and late-effect research in paediatric solid tumours.
The purpose of the project: increase the research excellence of VULSK and to enhance its reputation, attractiveness and networking channels in the field of pediatric solid tumours. By twinning with eight internationally-leading research institutions from across Europe, VULSK will be positioned to improve its scientific, technical and innovation capacities in translational and clinical research.
Coordinator: Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos.
Partners: Children’s Cancer Research Institute (Austria), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (Germany), Region Hovedstaden (Denmark), Princess Maxima Centre (Netherlands), Instituto Giannina Gaslini (Italy), Consorzio Interuniversitario (Italy), Institute Gustave Roussy (France), European Society for Paediatric Oncology (Belgium).
For more information, please follow the link: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/952438
Contacts:
Coordinator Local Team
Project coordinators dr. Jelena Rascon jelena.rascon@santa.lt
Project manager Renata Blackutė renata.blackute@santa.lt
Coordinator assistant Alma Čerkauskienė alma.cerkauskiene@santa.lt
CHRODIS PLUS: Implementing good practice for chronic diseases
The economic burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is on the rise and is projected to show steeper increases in the future, especially in less developed economies and among the poor in middle- and high-income countries. CHRODIS+ during its 36 months of operation will contribute to the reduction of this burden by promoting the implementation of policies and practices with demonstrated success. The development and sharing of these tested policies and projects across EU countries is the core idea driving this action.
The purpose of the project: promote the implementation in several countries of innovative policies and practices for patient empowerment, health promotion and prevention, and fostering quality management of CD and multimorbidity as well as for improving the adaptation of the employment sector to chronic patients, in pilot actions that can be validated before scaling them up.
Coordinator INSTITUTO DE SALUD CARLOS III (Spain).
Scientific Coordinator: Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos.
Participants: 42 beneficiaries representing 20 European countries.
Scientific project coordinator - Rokas Navickas, Project Manager - Elena Jureviciene.
For more information, please follow the link http://chrodis.eu/
Personalised Knowledge Transfer and Access to Tailored Evidence-Based Assets on Integrated Care: SCIROCCO Exchange
The SCIROCCO Exchange project builds upon the preliminary achievements of the B3 Action Group on Integrated Care (of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing) that first developed the concept of the B3 Maturity Model. Through the activities of the EU Health Programme funded project SCIROCCO, the Model has been further refined and tested and is supported by a validated online self-assessment tool for integrated care. The capacity-building support will be provided to 9 national and regional health care institutions having a different maturity level and organization of integrated care.
The purpose of the project: support health and social care authorities in the adoption and scaling-up of integrated care, maximize the value and impact of the SCIROCCO tool for regions and organizations involved in the deployment of integrated care.
Coordinator: Scottish Government (UK)
Partners: 14 partners from 10 countries including national and regional health care institutions, universities, competence centers and etc.
Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos Project Manager - Elena Jureviciene.
For more information, please follow the link: ww.sciroccoexchange.com
Reduction of social exclusion and increase in the quality of life of cancer patients in Vilnius and Grodno regions
Morbidity of the bladder, kidney, cervical, uterine body, upper urinary tract urothelial, ovary, prostate and colon cancer cases represent a major proportion of all cancer cases in Lithuania and Belarus, Vilnius and Grodno regions are not an exception. Radical surgery treatment applied to the cancer patients is related with long postoperative treatment and higher risk of complications. All this leads to the worsening of the patient's quality of life both in the postoperative period and later, experienced social exclusion and long-term patient's disability related to the higher risk of poverty.
Seeking to improve the quality of life of cancer patients’ who are certainly identified as vulnerable group it is appropriate to increase the access to the minimally invasive surgery services. Application of these services leads to shorter hospitalization, lower probability of postoperative complications, and faster return to the normal activities.
The purpose of the project: to establish and strengthen cooperation between Lithuania and Belarus, to exchange experiences in order to reduce social exclusion and improve the quality of life of cancer patients in Vilnius and Grodno regions, to increase access to minimally invasive surgery services in urology, abdominal surgery, and gynecology fields.
Coordinator: Vilniaus universiteto ligonine Santaros klinikos.
Project partner: Grodno University Clinic.
Improving access to genetically well-matched bone marrow donation in border regions of Lithuania and Belarus for blood cancer patients)
Morbidity of blood cancer cases represent a major proportion of all cancer cases in Lithuania and Belarus. Insufficient number of donors in the national bone marrow donor registries and inability to find genetically well-matched donor for all blood cancer patients waiting for bone marrow transplantation leads to the worsening of the patient's quality of life after transplantation, experienced social exclusion and long-term patient's disability related to the higher risk of poverty. Seeking to improve the quality of life of such blood cancer patients who are certainly identified as vulnerable group, it is appropriate to increase the number of donors in the national registries as well as to start bilateral genetically well-matched bone marrow donations between Lithuania and Belarus.
Project activities provide complex tools for improving current situation. The increase of public awareness about the donorship (including establishment of modern donor registration tools) led to more effective donor recruitment process and to quantitative increase of national registries in both countries. Adoption of novel HLA typing technology and training of laboratory personnel, exchange of the valuable experience of specialists working in unrelated donor search and selection, and other specialists working with donors (representatives of NGOs, etc.) will contribute to the strengthening of inter-institutional cooperation, transferring the valuable knowledge during the regular consultations. It is expected that project results will not only eliminate the barriers for bilateral cooperation but also will enable the positive changes in the sector in the border regions.
The purpose of the project: establish and strengthen cooperation between Lithuania and Belarus in cross border bone marrow donor search and donation exchange seeking to reduce social exclusion and improve the quality of life of blood cancer patients.
Coordinator: Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos.
Project partners: Grodno Regional Center of Transfusiology, association “Kraujas”.
Improving and enhancing accessibility of prostate cancer diagnostic services in cross-border region
Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common oncological disease along border in Lithuania and Belarus (genetic origin, life style, similar PC patients, identified as a major vulnerable group). Since 2006, LB had become a National Coordinating Center of Prostate Cancer Screening. Minsk has the experience in screening since 2010. Multiple cancer patients' visits for invasive prostate biopsy are leading with unnecessary diagnosis or complications of radical treatment of many low-risk PC cases, getting to a problem of causing frustration, lower quality of life, additional costs and social exclusion for many men and their families. Currently used Systematic Prostate Biopsy (SPB) has a negative influence on patients (pain, sick leave and hospitalization), and is likely to detect high numbers of low-risk cancer needless of treatment (overdetection).
Targeted Prostate Biopsy (TPB) with acquisition and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Ultrasound fusion technology can solve mentioned issue as being the most accurate and cost-effective method, helping to reduce the rates of untargeted SPB reserving only for patients with contraindications for MRI (e.g. implanted cardiostimulator). Overdetection of lowrisk PC could reduce the patient flow and follow-up visits. MRI-Ultrasound fusion technology is cheaper 10 times and more feasible than prostate biopsy under the direct control of MRI.
The purpose of the project: increase comfort level of prostate cancer patients with diagnostics procedures in Vilnius and Minsk regions.
Coordinator: Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos.
Project partner: N.N. Alexandrov Belarus National Cancer Center (Minsk Oblast)
Network for blood pressure research in children and adolescents (HyperChildNET)
Hypertension is now responsible for 7.1 million deaths per year worldwide, and largely contributes to cardiovascular and renal diseases such as ischemic heart disease, stroke and chronic kidney disease. Cardiovascular and renal diseases linked to high blood pressure are the first cause of mortality in Europe. High blood can also become evident in early life. But relatively little attention has been paid to the problem of hypertension in children and adolescents.
The purpose of the project: establish a European sustainable and multidisciplinary network of internationally renowned researchers, clinicians, early career investigators, health economists, decision-makers, patients, regulatory bodies, nutrition & pharma companies and medical devices manufacturers focusing on acquiring a holistic understanding of the factors affecting high blood pressure (BP) in children in order to propose and implement corrective and preventive actions both globally and locally.
VULSK Project Managers: prof. Augustina Jankauskiene, dr. Karolis Azukaitis
For more information, please follow the link: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA19115/#tabs|Name:overview
The European Researchers' Network Working on Second Victims
Every year between 8 and 12% of the people admitted to hospitals and around 6% of those in primary care suffer from an adverse event (AE) while receiving healthcare. When an AE does occur, there is a domino effect with healthcare professionals (second victims of these events) also suffering from the knowledge of having harmed their patients (first victims). This second victim phenomenon increases the likelihood of further errors and suboptimal care as consequences of emotional disturbances in the hours after the patient safety event.
The purpose of the project: facilitate discussion and share scientific knowledge, perspectives, and best practices concerning adverse events (AEs) in healthcare institutions to implement joint efforts to support second victims (SVs), and to introduce an open dialogue and discussion among stakeholders about the consequences of the SV phenomenon based on a cross-national collaboration that integrates different disciplines and approaches.
VULSK Project Managers: prof. Augustina Jankauskiene, dr. Karolis Azukaitis
For more information, please follow the link: https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA19113/#tabs|Name:overview
PanCare studies of the scale-up and implementation of the digital Survivorship Passport to improve people-centred care for childhood cancer survivors
Almost 500,000 former childhood cancer patients (CCS) are now living in Europe. Compared to the general population, CCS represent a vulnerable population as they are at an increased risk of developing health problems, known as late effects, resulting in excess morbidity and mortality. Many survivors are unaware of their personal risk for specific late effects, which reduces their ability to manage their own follow-up care. Similarly, their treating healthcare professionals (HCPs) lack information about care required for CCS and access to treatment data from their childhood cancer. The Survivorship Passport (SurPass) is an innovative, digital tool, developed in previous EU-funded projects, that can be used to overcome these knowledge gaps to improve people-centred long-term survivorship care. Importantly, end users (CCS, HCPs) are integral to the research, represented by three key stakeholder networks (PanCare, SIOP Europe, CCI Europe).
PanCareSurPass will conduct a robust assessment of the implementation of the SurPass by first conducting a pre-implementation study in six countries (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Spain) representing three infrastructural scenarios in Europe. Ethical, structural, organisational, economical, national, local, privacy issues, health systems, and particular national circumstances will be taken into account throughout. An Implementation Strategy will be developed and the SurPass will be updated and validated before use in an implementation study in the six countries. The study will look at a range of outcomes including CCS activation and empowerment, CCS/HCP satisfaction with the tool, feasibility and health economics. Based on the results of the study, a Prediction Model will be developed to promote and support future implementation of the SurPass across Europe.
The purpose of the project: leverage the digital transformation of healthcare to improve people-centred survivorship care by scaling up and implementing an interoperable SurPass v2.0 across Europe.
Coordinator: University Medical Center of Johannes Gutenberg-U Mainz (UMC-Mainz)
Partners: Vilnius University Hospital Santaros klinikos (VULSK) and 16 other international partners from Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium.
VULSK Project Manager: doc. dr. Jelena Rascon.
Strengthening Blood Safety System in Georgia
The project supports public health policies and programmes of Georgia in the field of communicable diseases and blood transfusion. It upgrades national blood safety legislation and assesses blood banks. It is a Twinning of Lithuanian, Dutch and Georgian partners, where European colleagues help Georgian counterparts with strengthening national capacities and assisting in carrying out reorganization of blood transfusion service, establishing laboratories, establishing quality systems for blood establishments.
The purpose of the project: upgrade national blood safety legislation and strengthen national institutional capacities in accordance with European regulations and the Association Agreement, to provide equal safety standards of blood components across the nation, assure safety of blood related services and prevent the spread of blood borne infections by blood transfusion.
Coordinator: Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos.
Partners: Central Project Management Agency; National Blood Centre of Lithuania; National Public Health Surveillance Laboratory of Lithuania; The Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kauno klinikos; Vilnius University Hospital Santaros klinikos; Centre for Communicable Diseases and AIDS of Lithuania; Sanquin Blood Supply (Sanquin) of the Netherlands.
For more information, please follow the link: https://eu4georgia.ge/strengthening-blood-safety-system-in-georgia/
VACCELERATE - European Corona Vaccine Trial Accelerator Platform
Horizon 2020 “Coordination and Support Actions” regarding “Mobilisation of research funds in case of Public Health emergencies”.
The purpose of VACELERATE is to serve as single-entry point for all stakeholders in COVID-19 vaccine development (pharma, academia, European Commission, EMA, ECDC, national health authorities and others) for phase 2 and 3 trials in Europe. Address any research question of interest outside the big registration trials, such as vaccine efficacy in virus variants, trials in children, pregnant women, immuno-compromised patients, trials on combination of different vaccines etc.
Coordinator: Keln university hospital, Germany
Partners: Biomedicinske centrum Slovenskej akademie vied (SK); Centro Hospitalar Universitario Do Porto EPE (PT); Collaborative Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Outcomes Research (EL); Ecrin European Clinical Research Infrastructure Network (FR); European University Cyprus (CY); European Vaccine Initiative Ewiv (DE); Hacettepe Universitesi (TR); Institut National De La Sante Et De La Recherche Medicale (FR); Instituto De Salud Carlos Iii (ES); Karolinska Institutet (SE); Region Stockholm (SE); Faculty Of Medicine, University Of Belgrade (RS); Ministry Of Health (IL); Uniwersytet Medyczny W Bialymstoku (PL); Medizinische Universitaet Wien (AT); University College Dublin, National University Of Ireland, Dublin (IE); National University Of Ireland Galway (IE); Region Hovedstaden (DK); Universiteit Antwerpen (BE); Universitaet Bern (CH); Universitetet I Bergen (NO); Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht Netherlands; Universita Degli Studi Di Verona (IT); Universite De Paris (FR); Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos (LT)
For more information, please follow the link: https://vaccelerate.eu/
DIGITALIZATION AND ADAPTATION OF TF-CBT (TRAUMA-ORIENTED COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY) FORADOLESCENTS IN LITHUANIA
The purpose of the project: digitalize, adapt, and validate the TF-CBT in Lithuania which is an evidence-based, conjoint child and parent/caregiver psychotherapy model for children and adolescents who are experiencing clinically significant emotional and behavioral difficulties related to traumatic life events they have experienced.
NEWS
Research shows that a significant number of children in Lithuania experience numerous potentially traumatizing events, including emotional, physical, or sexual abuse or neglect. These events place children at risk of developing dangerous mental health problems such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, drug dependency, and behavioral problems. The establishment of timely evaluation and accessible treatments can therefore have significant benefits for children, families, and communities at large.
The purpose of the project: digitalize, adapt, and validate the TF-CBT in Lithuania which is an evidence-based, conjoint child and parent/caregiver psychotherapy model for children and adolescents who are experiencing clinically significant emotional and behavioral difficulties related to traumatic life events they have experienced.
Coordinator: PI „Smart Health DIH“
Project partners: Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos, The Institute of Management and Psychology.
VUH SK Project Manager: Jurgita Radzeviciene, Head of the Department of Child Psychiatry
The project is financed by 2014-2021 European economic area financial mechanism programme „Health“. Funding amount 223,609.79 Eur, applicant and partners own contribution 24,845.53 Eur, total project budget 248,455.32 Eur.
More information about financial mechanism of European economic area www.norwaygrants.lt.
NEWS
2022-04-21 Cooperation agreement with Kaunas district social service centre signed.
2022-06-23 Cooperation agreement with Vilnius city social service centre signed.
2022-06-07 Agreement with JSC PROIT of TF-CBT (Trauma-Oriented Cognitive Behavior Therapy) for Adolescents IT tools inplementation and maitenance signed.
2022-08-09 Cooperation agreement with Vilnius city municipality signed.
Last edited: 2023-05-05
