Mid-Term Meeting of DETMED Drives Innovation in Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

On 20 February 2025, Lusófona University – Lisbon University Centre hosted the Mid-Term Meeting of the DETMED project, an initiative funded by the European Commission’s European Research Executive Agency (REA) and coordinated by the institution itself. The project aims to develop an innovative prototype of a compact, high-precision gamma probe to optimise the surgical removal of tumours, enhancing the effectiveness of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Through advanced research in optoelectronics and the application of cutting-edge technologies, DETMED focuses on international collaboration to drive the next generation of highly sensitive gamma detectors, bringing together experts from Portugal, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Ukraine, Germany, Hungary, and Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, the consortium teams presented the latest project developments and outlined the next steps to be undertaken within the different Work Packages (WP), with particular emphasis on the preparation and testing of innovative SiPM samples, the investigation of scintillating material parameters, the development of the electronic circuit and the gamma probe’s reading system, as well as the overall management of the project. In addition to technical progress, researchers on mobility shared their experiences and contributions to advancing the research.

The event featured both in-person and online participation from all consortium entities, including Lusófona University/COFAC (Portugal), CascataChuva LDA (Portugal), the V.I. Vernadsky Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (Ukraine), Nanomaterials Research & Development (Poland), Elmek Mozgasban Alapítvány (Hungary), Technical University of Dortmund (Germany), the Jožef Stefan Institute (Slovenia), the University of West Bohemia (Czech Republic), the Institute of Radiation Problems of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, and SETM LLC (Azerbaijan). The European Union was represented by a member of the REA, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and research in the fight against cancer. With the progress presented, the project now moves on to the next development phases, aiming to revolutionise the precision of medical procedures and contribute to significant improvements in cancer patient care.