News: ABSPIE recent initiatives

At the 12th EDCTP Forum held in Kigali, Rwanda, from 15th to 20th June 2025, Ernest Bwogi, a biomedical engineer from Ernest Cook University, presented collaborative research on “Oxygen Concentrator Failures in Resource-Limited Settings.” This study, jointly conducted with the University of Warwick and University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome and funded by EPSRC IAA, examines the technical, environmental, and operational factors affecting the performance of oxygen concentrators essential to healthcare in low-resource environments. Bwogi’s presentation highlighted the significance of publishing peer-reviewed, evidence-based research to inform practical solutions and policy discussions. The forum provided a platform for interdisciplinary engagement and underscored the critical role of emerging professionals in driving innovation for healthcare delivery in underserved regions. Bwogi’s participation demonstrated the impact of global research partnerships in addressing real-world health challenges.

ABSPIE Lab participated in the EPIG (European Parliament Interest Group) event, which focused on revisions to the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) to address regulatory bottlenecks. Key themes included medical innovation, sustainability, digital transformation (EHDS and AI), and patient safety, emphasizing the sector’s impact with 2 million technologies, 37,000 companies (90% SMEs), and 880,000 jobs. The event echoed the message: "No health, no wealth; no medical technologies, no healthcare."

Giacomo Pratesi and Davide Piaggio have been awarded a Visiting Professorship at the Institute of Advanced Study (IAS) at the University of Warwick. Their research focuses on validating "DINO" by Paperbox Health, a web-based game for early literacy assessment in English primary schools.

The 9th European Medical and Biological Engineering Conference (EMBEC 2024) took place at the Congress Centre Bernardin in Portorož, Slovenia, from June 9 to 13, 2024. Organized by the Slovenian Society for Medical and Biological Engineering and supported by the IFMBE, this conference showcased traditional and emerging fields in Biomedical Engineering. Highlighted topics included Artificial Intelligence in Health Care, Tissue Engineering, Bioinformatics, Neurotechnology, Electroporation-based Treatments, and Technologies for Medicine and Biology, with an emphasis on education, translational research, and commercialization.

The ABSPIE Lab, representing the University of Warwick’s School of Engineering, made significant contributions. Access the whole piece of news to read the details.

This interdisciplinary project, co-sponsored by the Health GRP and the Innovative Manufacturing and Future Materials GRP, was undertaken by Dr Davide Piaggio, Dr Alessia Maccaro and Mr Pedro Checa (ABSPIE lab), Dr Luis Montesinos, Dr Javier Maldonado-Romo (Tecnologico de Monterrey), Mr Stefano Capacci (Longevity Partners) and Ms Mireya Fabregat (ENSHPO).

The article discusses key points learned from the literature in terms of improving the sustainability of the medtech industry.
Read more here.