Second Progress Meeting of the EIC Pathfinder Project MuSiC4Diabetes Held in Würzburg
The MuSiC4Diabetes partners gathered in Würzburg for their second progress meeting, hosted by the project partner FIDAM (Forschungsinstitut Diabetes Akademie Mergentheim) on 9th and 10th October. The two-day event brought together the consortium’s interdisciplinary team to review advancements across all work packages and to align on the next steps toward achieving the project’s ambitious goals.
Comprehensive Review of Project Progress on Day 1
The first day of the meeting provided an in-depth overview of the developments made since the project’s last gathering. Each work package leader presented a status update, discussed technical challenges, and refined interdependencies to ensure a coherent progression toward the next milestones. Highlights included updates on:
- Sensor development for continuous glucose and metabolic monitoring;
- Micropump engineering and integration into the system prototype;
- Device manufacturing and testing processes;
- Advances in MM Data Science: algorithm modelling for adaptive insulin control;
- The human factor: perceived benefits and barriers to the use of the device
- Preparations for the validation activities and clinical trial set-up
- Portfolio activities of the consortium
In addition to technical progress, the partners also reviewed the status of communication and dissemination activities. Discussions also addressed the project’s intellectual property (IP) strategy and exploitation pathways, laying the groundwork for future translation of research results into tangible societal impact.
Our Scientific Advisory Board members enriched the event with their insights and their enthusiasm for the project. Peter Lord concluded the day with valuable feedback from his side, while Nicolas Santoro and Lutz Heinemann followed as much of the discussions online as they could. After a long day of presenting and discussing, the meeting hosts made sure that the partners had some activity in the evening: A guided tour through the Würzburg residency and the inner city provided the consortium with interesting facts and knowledge about the city and its history. Before heading to dinner, the partners were introduced to the Würzburg tradition of having a glass of wine on the old bridge.
Looking Ahead – Meeting Day 2
After having looked back into the past, day two of the meeting focused on future activities. In breakout sessions, the partners discussed upcoming tasks and aligned on the next steps for each work package to shape their collaboration. Furthermore, the parameters and requirements of the device were discussed in depth to make sure that the development of the components is meeting all of them.
After these discussions, our EIC project advisor joined the meeting virtually and updated the partners regarding upcoming milestones and processes. His advice and input were well appreciated by all project partners.
The meeting concluded with a roadmap for the next project phase, emphasizing collaboration across technical, clinical, and management teams, summarised by our Coordinator Martin Richter (Fraunhofer EMFT). A big thank you goes to the FIDAM team around Norbert Hermanns and Dominic Ehrmann for their great hospitality and organization!
Figure 1: The MuSiC4Diabetes Consortium 
Figure 2: Partners at the Consortium Meeting 
Figure 3: Team members listening to a presentation 
Figure 4: In front of Würzburg Residence 
Figure 5: Inside Würzburg residence 
Figure 6: On the way to the old bridge