Endometriosis is a chronic and often debilitating condition affecting between 10% and 15% of women, and is one of the leading causes of infertility and chronic pelvic pain. Despite its significant social and economic impact, diagnosis is often delayed and involves invasive procedures with long and complex clinical processes.
It is against this backdrop that ENDO2023—Endometriosis and the development of a lab-on-a-chip for non-invasive diagnosis—has been launched. This ambitious research project has received funding of over EUR 4.4 million from the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) under the FISA call for proposals (code FISA-2023-00281). The five-year project has a total budget of EUR 8.5 million and aims to develop a non-invasive test for the early diagnosis of endometriosis by exploiting state-of-the-art technologies in molecular biology, omics science and bioinformatics analysis.
The initiative is the result of a collaboration between UniCamillus University (research organisation), Eurofins Genoma (host institution) and the University of Turin, with Chiara Benedetto, Emeritus Professor of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, as the Principal Investigator. This collaboration is supported by a wide network of multidisciplinary clinical and research groups.
Eurofins Genoma, a leader in molecular technologies for advanced diagnostics and a leading authority in applied next-generation sequencing (NGS) research, has made its scientific and technological expertise available. Thanks to its proven experience and the work of its Research and Development (R&D) unit, Eurofins Genoma will play a dual role: it will oversee the genetic research component in the field of omics sciences (miRNomics, transcriptomics, and metagenomics), and it will direct the industrial and technological development of the lab-on-a-chip device.
As a research organisation, UniCamillus University has played a leading role in promoting and planning the initiative, making a significant contribution to the scientific design of the project. The University is involved through a highly qualified, multidisciplinary team organised into four specialised units: molecular biology, histology, biochemistry and microbiology. The team is engaged in identifying innovative biomarkers by integrating genomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, computational analysis and the development of in vitro cell systems.
As Project Leader, Professor Benedetto will provide her extensive experience to guide the clinical trial, which is crucial for recruiting and characterising the patients involved in the research.
The shared goal is to develop a compact, user-friendly, high-precision device capable of detecting a wide range of biomarkers (miRNA, RNA, metabolites and pathogenic DNA) in a non-invasive manner. ENDO2023 is expected to have a twofold impact: on the one hand, it will enable faster and more accessible diagnoses for patients, and on the other hand, it will significantly reduce healthcare costs, benefiting the entire public system.
The project will also be supported by Fondazione Medicina a Misura di Donna Onlus, an organisation committed to promoting women’s health and wellbeing through the support of clinical research projects and innovative initiatives. The organisation is chaired by Chiara Benedetto. “Within the framework of this collaboration, a new doctoral research project entitled ‘Development of a lab-on-a-chip for endometriosis non-invasive diagnosis‘ will be launched, enabling further relevant scientific contributions to be made to the project”, says Prof. Benedetto.
“We are proud to participate in a project of such scientific and social relevance, alongside the University of Turin and Eurofins Genoma”, says Prof. Emiliano Maiani, Research Delegate at UniCamillus. “The project represents a paradigm shift in the diagnosis and management of endometriosis, a condition that affects up to 15% of women and 50% of those experiencing infertility. Traditional methods often rely on invasive procedures that can be physically and psychologically demanding. UniCamillus will contribute to the development of research through a multidisciplinary approach that includes metabolomics, genomics, transcriptomics, and metagenomics studies, as well as sophisticated computational analyses and cell cultures, to explore the biological mechanisms of implantation. One of the project’s distinctive features is its adoption of an integrated strategy for identifying biomarkers, which avoids focusing on one type and instead embraces a wide range of possible ‘endometriosis indicators’. This funding is an important acknowledgement of UniCamillus’ ability to promote scientific research that is not limited to the laboratory, but focused on delivering innovative health solutions to people.
“The involvement of UniCamillus in the ENDO2023 project is a significant milestone for our University, which continues to invest in clinically relevant research with a strong social impact“, adds Gianni Profita, Rector of UniCamillus. “We firmly believe that the future of medicine lies in integrating basic science, advanced technology, and paying close attention to patients’ needs. This project is a demonstration of this”.