The EIC Pathfinder Open 2023 call, which closed on 7 March 2023 with a total budget of €169,500,000, attracted the attention of 783 projects from all over Europe. Of these, 53 projects were selected for support, including five from Italy.

Among the Italian projects funded by the EIC Pathfinder Open 2023 is the PHOENIX-OoC Project, Origami Paper-based tecHnology for innovative and sustainable Organ-on-Chip devices, coordinated by the University of Rome Tor Vergata.

Sustainability is at the heart of the PHOENIX-OoC project, which aims to revolutionise the field of Organ-on-Chip (OoC) using the versatile properties of paper. Traditionally, paper-based microfluidic analytical devices (μPADs) have been used for sustainability in Analytical Chemistry, but the PHOENIX-OoC project aims to expand this technology into the field of OoCs. These new devices will be smart, accurate and sustainable, and can be incinerated after use to reduce waste, inspiring the name ‘Phoenix.

The PHOENIX-OoC consortium includes the University of Rome Tor Vergata (coordinator), Institut De Bioenginyeria De Catalunya, Spain, Uppsala Universitet, Sweden, Faculty Of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Serbia, Sense4Med S.r.l., Italy, and Universität Basel, Switzerland.

The words of CEO Fabiana Arduini, as well as project coordinator: ‘We are extremely excited to participate in a project selected among the most prestigious calls for technological innovation. We will apply for the first time paper-based sensors, developed in recent years for analytical applications in the biomedical, environmental, defence and agri-food fields, in the Organ-on-Chip sector. This project will allow us to explore new frontiers in research in order to create new paper-based systems that can implement the Organ-on-Chip market, thus expanding our commitment and expertise in this innovative field’.

The EIC Pathfinder Open 2023 represents a great opportunity for technological innovation in Europe. With projects spanning a wide range of sectors and promoting sustainability, this initiative demonstrates Europe’s commitment to promoting scientific and technological development. The Italian projects, in particular, show how collaboration between universities and businesses can lead to innovative solutions that promise to have a significant impact on the future.