Together with the coordinators of two other Teaming for Excellence projects awarded to Polish institutions, we inaugurated the TRIO-VI CoE Centre of Excellence for Translational Research and Innovation in Ophthalmology.
On 19 February 2025, the United in Excellence ceremonial event was held at the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw, symbolically marking the launch of three new Teaming for Excellence projects in Poland, funded under the Horizon Europe programme. The event was attended by representatives of the European Commission, the Foundation for Polish Science, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Polish Academy of Sciences, the National Science Centre, and the National Contact Point.
These three projects – TRIO-VI CoE, Astrocent Plus, and P4Health – have been distinguished as initiatives that not only enhance the quality of Polish science but also establish new institutional foundations for research of international significance.
TRIO-VI CoE: Envisioning the Future
TRIO-VI CoE (Centre of Excellence for Translational Research and Innovation in Ophthalmology) is coordinated by the International Centre for Translational Eye Research (ICTER), operating within the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The project will elevate ICTER to the rank of a Centre of Excellence, conducting groundbreaking research in the field of eye studies and vision science.
During the event, Prof. Maciej Wojtkowski, Director of ICTER and project leader, presented the vision of a modern centre integrating visual neuroscience, quantum optics, biomedical imaging, and translational medicine. With the active support of partners from University College London and the Paris-based Institut de la Vision, ICTER aims not only to develop advanced technologies but also to implement them in clinical and industrial practice.
This project focuses on integrating basic science with practical applications—from molecular research and the development of innovative imaging methods to their use in treating retinal and optic nerve diseases. As Prof. Wojtkowski emphasised, through TRIO-VI CoE, ICTER aspires to become a reference centre for the entire Central and Eastern European region.
Astrocent Plus and P4Health: Space and Medicine of the Future
The second project presented at the inauguration was Astrocent Plus, coordinated by the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Its goal is to advance research on elementary particles and strengthen the technological infrastructure used in gravitational wave detection.
Meanwhile, P4Health, implemented by Łukasiewicz Research Network – PORT, focuses on creating a Centre of Excellence for precision medicine, based on phenotyping and big data analysis.
