Critical healthcare challenges in Europe
This report highlights some of the numerous examples of synergies between the space and the healthcare sectors.
These areas include:
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Medical and biomedical research including tissue engineering, personalised medicine, drug development and disease modelling;
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Telemedicine and digital health for healthcare prevention, remote diagnosis, patient treatment and monitoring, digital health applications and connectivity;
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Public health management for environmental health, health at individual, group, population or ecosystem level and hospital delivery care operations.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has been active in the field of healthcare for many years and has supported several types of activities, from technology development to commercialisation. The Earth Observation Directorate has for example been very active in the field of epidemiology, while the Directorate of Technology, Engineering and Quality, hands in hands with the Technology Transfer Programme Office, paved the way for many technological innovations. Through numerous projects, and through the Business Incubation Network, ESA has furthermore already supported over 70 start-ups located at the intersection of space and health in a variety of areas such as cancer treatment, sustainable food or personalised nutrition for space travel. The ESA Business Applications and Space Solutions programme (ESA BASS) has notably successfully implemented a number of projects and build partnerships with key stakeholders such as the UK National Health Service (NHS). Moreover, the ESA Technology Transfer Office supports technological exchange between the space and health sectors with spin-ins, as well as spin-offs. In addition, the Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN), notably through its Life Sciences Industry Accelerator, offers opportunities for pharmaceuticals and biomanufacturing industrial research by facilitating access to commercial space-based platforms in Low Earth Orbit.
Download the full reportESA and the Space and Global Health Network are jointly organising the Space and Global Health Hackathon from 30 May to 01 June 2024 at the Campus Biotech in Geneva.
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