The Foundation for Polish Science has recognised, among other things, the potential value of the project, which is the possibility of earlier detection of health deterioration and better management of patient care, including in the telemedicine model.
In 2024 Dr inż. Maciej Ślot, from the Department of Solid State Physics at the Faculty of Physics and Applied Informatics, University of Lodz, constructed a sensor for non-invasive monitoring of the water level in the body, used in cardiological diagnostics to assess the health of people with heart and circulatory system diseases. Fluid congestion in the lungs in patients with heart failure is usually the result of left ventricular heart failure. In this condition, the heart loses its ability to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body, which leads to an increase in pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs (pulmonary circulation). The increase in the pressure, in turn, causes fluid from the blood to penetrate into the intercellular spaces and alveoli in the lungs. Congestion is one of the most common causes of hospitalisation in patients with decompensated heart failure.
The team that has developed the device includes mgr inż.Maciej Ślot, (then a doctoral student at the University of Lodz Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences), Prof. Wielisław Olejniczak, Prof. Ilona Zasada (supervisor from the University of Lodz), and Prof. Agata Bielecka-Dąbrowa (supervisor from the Institute of Polish Mother's Health Center, Head of the Department of Cardiology and Congenital Defects in Adults). The device has been submitted for patent protection both in Poland and abroad.
Funding from the Foundation for Polish Science and cooperation with other Polish research units will certainly enable further development of this innovative device.
The project, which has been funded with a total of PLN 8 million, will involve five laboratories from two universities: the University of Lodz and the Warsaw University of Technology. TEAM NET is aimed at consortia formed by two or three teams from Polish research organisations. This initiative strengthens cooperation and pools expertise. It enables the implementation of larger-scale projects, encompassing both the development of solutions and their testing in real-world conditions, as well as preparation for potential implementation. TEAM NET focuses on areas crucial to the economy and safety: health, the environment and Industry 4.0.
TEAM NET enables funding for truly large-scale projects – from PLN 8.4 million for a two-team consortium and up to PLN 12.6 million for a three-team consortium. This level of support allows for the development of interdisciplinary projects. We are committed to ensuring that research results can progress from concept to solutions that impact the economy, technology and quality of life
– says Prof. Krzysztof Pyrć, President at the Foundation for Polish Science.
The project selection process in the TEAM NET programme is multi-stage and expert-driven. Following formal evaluation, applications undergo a content-related assessment conducted by independent experts in the relevant fields. The analysis includes the quality of the research concept, implementation plan and the potential for practical application of the results. Projects that receive the highest scores in this procedure are recommended for funding. In the 1/2025 call, 65 applications were submitted; 58 passed the formal evaluation, 14 qualified for the second stage of the substantive assessment, and ultimately, eight projects were selected for funding. Each will run for three years. A total of nearly PLN 90 million in funding was allocated to these projects.
More information about other projects co-financed by the Foundation for Polish Science (in Polish)
Source: FNP
Edit: Press Office, University of Lodz
