Challenges and innovative approaches in cardiovascular and metabolic disease: From basic research to clinical practice

^{*recognition of ECTS depends on your home university}

Physical mobility

The physical mobility section of the BIP will take place between 15-19 June 2026, in Bucharest, Romania:

Day 1 – Orientation & Advanced Diagnostics

• Welcome session and intercultural exchange activities
• Introductory lecture: digital PCR in cardiometabolic health
• Hands-on workshop: digital PCR experiments and biomarker analysis

Day 2 – Cellular & Immune Mechanisms

• Lecture: flow cytometry in cardiovascular and metabolic research
• Practical workshop: sample preparation, staining, and flow cytometry analysis
• Data interpretation and discussion

Day 3 – Industry & Research Immersion

• Visit to pharmaceutical company: insights into drug development and clinical translation
• Visit to eBioHub Bioengineering Center: exposure to bioengineering, molecular diagnostics, and tissue engineering innovations

Day 4 – Data Integration & Collaborative Learning

• Workshop: integrating data from digital PCR and flow cytometry
• Group work: project development, data analysis, and mentorship sessions
• Training in communication: refining elevator pitches and project proposals

Day 5 – Student Presentations & Networking

• Student group presentations (elevator pitches on research projects/solutions)
• Feedback and evaluation by faculty and industry experts
• Closing session, certificate ceremony, and networking event

Virtual part

The course will run online between 12 February - 22 May 2026. 

12 February, 14.00-15.00: Introductory Lecture Epidemiology and Challenges in CardioMetabolic Disease (Fernando Rodriguez Artalejo, Jose Luis Lopez Sendon) 

• Basic epidemiology of CardioMetabolic Disease 
• Current therapies 
• Future challenges and Unmet needs

Virtual Unit 1

13 February, 14.00-15.00: Risk of complications in diabetes: heterogeneity among diabetes types (E. Maddaloni, SUR); Journal club (Group A of students)

Discussion:

• Phenotypes and endotypes of adult-onset diabetes 
• Risk stratification of vascular diabetic complications in different diabetes types 
• Implications for therapies  

19 February, 14.00-15.00: Insights into the mechanisms of diabetic complications (Grațiela Grădișteanu, UB); Journal club (Group B of students)

Discussion:  

• Animal models to study diabetes complications  
• Modulation of signal transduction pathways  
• Molecular regulation of anti-fibrotic responses in diabetes 

20 February, 14.00-15.00: Overweight/ obesity and the changing cardiometabolic profile of type 1 diabetes (R. Risi, SUR); Journal club (Group C of students)

Discussion: 

• PBMCs: heterogeneity of the population and isolation methods 
• PBMCs as marker of metabolic disease 
• Immunometabolic activation of PBMCs: a possible pathogenetic moment in metabolic disease? 

26 February, 14.00-15.00: Type 2 Diabetes: From Pathophysiology to Cyber Systems (Anca Pantea Stoian, UB); Journal club (Group D of students)

Discussion: 

• Lifestyle and nutritional interventions in diabetes 
• Systems to support early diagnosis and prevention of prediabetes 

Virtual Unit 2  

27 February, 13.30-14.30: Cell senescence, inflammageing and vascular disease (C.Peiró); Journal club (Group E of students)

Discussion:  

• Vascular ageing: why does it matter? 
• The hallmarks of vascular ageing 
• Vascular cell senescence, the SASP and inflammageing 

5 March, 13.30-14.30: Development of fibrosis in the cardiovascular system (O. Lorenzo); Journal club (Group A of students)

Discussion:

• Sobreexpresion of extracellular matrix (ECM) components 
• Deregulation of ECM degradation 
• Accumulation of ECM and cardiac remodelling 

6 March, 14.00-16.00: Metabolic reprogramming in obesity-associated liver dysfunction (E. Gurzov)

Discussion:  

• Brief introduction to novel techniques for the study of metabolic diseases (single cell RNA Seq, spatial transcriptomics, spatial lipidomics, etc).  
• Use of stem cells for gene editing, differentiation in metabolic cells and pathology modelling. 
• Therapeutic possibilities and future perspectives. 

Cardiovascular biomechanics: inflammation, fibrosis and remodeling (N. Baeyens). Discussion.  

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with cardiovascular risk factor and ischemic heart disease (G. Deboeck). Discussion. 

12 March, 14.00-15.00: Journal club 1 (Group B of students, N. Baeyens, E. Gurzov); Journal club 2 (Group D of students).

Discussion:

• The basic elements of a correct participant information sheet and informed consent document. 
• Making an application for ethical review and regulatory approval. 
• The ethical and regulatory review process. 

Virtual Unit 3  

13 March, 13.30-14.30: Health policies in diabetes and cardiovascular health and clinical trials (Oana Geambașu); Design and present the summary of a clinical trial for diabetes/ cardiovascular disease interventions (Group A of students).

Discussion: 

• Strategy, public policy, and governmental programs 
• Research, innovation, and technology strategies based on the most recent global trends and examples of good practice. 

19 March, 13.30-14.30: From treat to target to treat to benefit in diabetes: the changing landscape of cardiovascular outcome trials in diabetes (E. Maddaloni); Critical analysis of different cardiovascular outcome trials in diabetes, focusing on the impact of different study design and different enrolled populations on the clinical implications (Group B of students).

Discussion: 

• Glycemic control and CVD in diabetes: does it matter? 
• Cardiovascular outcome trials (CVOT) in type 2 diabetes 
• Impact of CVOT on clinical practice guidelines 

20 March - 19 April: Easter break 

23 April, 13.30-14.30: How to apply for the ethical approval of a clinical trial (A. Borobia).

Discussion: 

• Regulation of clinical trials in Europe: the basics. 
• Participants rights in clinical trials. 
• Ethical evaluation of clinical trials: the protection of participants. 

24 April, 13.30-14.30: Design and draft an ethical committee approval and an informed consent (Group C of students, A. Borobia, A. Carcas)

Discussion:

• The basic elements of a correct participant information sheet and informed consent document. 
• Making an application for ethical review and regulatory approval. 
• The ethical and regulatory review process. 

Virtual Unit 4 

30 April, 13.30-14.30: Introduction to therapeutic approaches for cardiac regeneration to combat heart failure (I. Mourouzis); Journal club (Group C of students). 

Discussion: 

• Examples of cardiac regeneration in nature 
• Different ways to regenerate the heart – target cells 
• Current research and efforts: where we stand  

7 May, 13.30-14.30: Introduction to cardiac organ donor preservation methods: the unmet need of heart transplantation (C. Pantos); Journal club (Group E of students).

Discussion:

• Heart transplantation as a very effective and unique therapy for end-stage heart failure 
• Cardioplegia as the gold standard for cardiac donor preservation: strengths and limitations 
• Novel methods for cardiac donor preservation to expand the donor pool 

8 May, 13.30-15.00: How to design a phase II Clinical Trial with novel drugs in in cardiovascular disease (I. Mourouzis); Design and present the summary of a clinical trial for a new regenerative therapy for the heart including the main components such as inclusion/ exclusion criteria, sample size, end-points, follow-up (Group D of students)

Discussion:

• The appropriate design in a new phase II trial with a novel drug in patients with myocardial infarction 
• How to select inclusion/exclusion criteria in a new phase II trial with a novel drug in patients with myocardial infarction 
• How to select the Primary and secondary outcomes 
• Calculate the number of patients to be included  

Virtual Unit 5

14 May, 13.30-14.30: Write and present a 2-page letter of intent for a grant proposal on "Cardiovascular disease in diabetes" guided by tutors (Group E of students; E. Maddaloni, Giulia D’Amati, R.Risi). Students would have to come up with a new hypothesis, a methodological plan to test it within a two years frame period and prepare a project proposal: 

• How to formulate a scientifically-sound hypothesis and appropriate objectives 
• Choose the correct study design to pursue the specified objectives 
• Time-line and GANTT chart 

15 May, 13.30-14.30: Write and present a 2-page letter of intent for a grant proposal on "Novel therapeutic approaches in type 2 diabetes" guided by tutors (Group A of students; Grațiela Grădișteanu, Sorina Dinescu):  

• How to formulate a scientific research idea  
• Tips and tricks on milestones, deliverables and key project indicators 
• How to formulate working packages and tasks  

21 May, 14.00-16.00: Grant writing (Group B of students; N. Baeyens, E. Gurzov, A. Bondue). Students would have to come up with:

• a new hypothesis,  
• a methodological plan to test it within a two years frame period and  
• prepare a project proposal 

22 May, 13.30-14.30: Write and present a 2-page letter of intent for a grant proposal on "Novel therapeutic approaches for cardiac regeneration" guided by tutors (Group C of students; I. Mourouzis, A. Lourbopoulos). Students would have to come up with

• a new hypothesis,  
• a methodological plan to test it within a two years frame period and  
• prepare a project proposal.

Assessment

Student performance will be evaluated through a combination of virtual and in-person activities:

• in the virtual component, assessment will focus on active participation in journal clubs, presentations, grant proposal writing, and clinical trial design exercises.
• in the physical component, evaluation will include hands-on laboratory performance, group projects, and an individual knowledge test.

Guided by dedicated tutors, students will complete a series of engaging tasks designed to enhance their critical thinking, scientific communication, and professional skills: 

• delivering a critical presentation of key scientific publications;
• writing a compelling letter of intent for a grant proposal;
• designing a clinical trial summary, including essential components like sample size, endpoints, and inclusion/exclusion criteria;
• crafting a professional fellowship application or pitching a scientific idea;
• producing and presenting a visually engaging abstract or public outreach material.

Student performance will be evaluated based on:

• active participation and engagement during the mentoring process;
• the quality and creativity of their final presentations and submissions; 
• onsistent participation in group activities and discussions. 

During the in-person segment, students will be assessed on a multiple-choice test at the end of the program which will evaluate their understanding of the topics covered. 

The final grade will be based on a balanced combination of continuous engagement, quality of assignments, teamwork, and demonstration of practical and theoretical competencies.