A new research project entitled "Development of a deep-learning based tool for blood scRNAseq: a comprehensive AI predictive Platform for diagnosis and potential treatment of IPF" (acronym: SPARK) will be launched on Wednesday, April 22, at 11:00 a.m. in the "Emmanuele F.M. Emanuele" Aula Magna at Biogem in Ariano Irpino (AV). The project is funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research as part of the Call for Project Proposals under the Italian Fund for Applied Sciences contained in Decree No. 1075 of July 18, 2024 (FISA-2024).

Carebios srl, a subsidiary of Biogem, is the company where the research activities will be carried out. Professor Rosalinda Sorrentino of the University of Salerno is the principal investigator of the SPARK project, which also involves the University of Naples Federico II.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a serious lung disease in which tissue hardens and becomes progressively damaged, compromising breathing and the patients quality of life. Currently available drugs slow the progression of the disease, but they are not sufficient to completely stop it, also because IPF is often diagnosed too late. Furthermore, rapid and precise diagnostic tools that allow for timely intervention and effective monitoring of therapies are lacking.

The SPARK project aims to fill these gaps by developing easy-to-use software based on advanced blood cell analysis to identify early signs of the disease and to better understand its causal mechanisms.

To this end, the five-year project will combine various approaches, including the analysis of lifestyle, clinical data, and diagnostic images (X-rays and CT scans) of IPF patients, the development of an AI-based platform, and the use of experimental models, both cellular and animal.

Thus, the project aims to improve early diagnosis, disease monitoring, and the development of new, more effective treatments.