The EIC - European Innovation Council funded ALERT Project officially kicks off in Pisa!

The smiles have not yet faded, and the excitement of the challenges ahead is still fuelling the energy of more than 25 international researchers as they return to their laboratories.

The kick-off meeting of ALERT – Multianalyte Digital Sensing with QR-Code Microneedles for Minimally Invasive Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s in Pisa has successfully concluded, bringing together five highly specialized research teams from the University of Pisa (UNIPI), Dublin City University (DCU), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, AB Medica, and the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE). United under a European-funded initiative, the consortium aims to develop a groundbreaking non-invasive sensor capable of diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) up to 20 years before the onset of symptoms.

The synergy among ALERT’s partners will be essential to advancing the technology and translating it into real societal impact. Our team is proud and enthusiastic to contribute to this ambitious mission.

The ALERT team is developing a fluorometric microneedle sensor designed to detect Alzheimer’s diagnostic biomarkers using a simple QR code scanner. While the final solution appears straightforward and user-friendly, the science behind it relies on highly advanced instrumentation and cutting-edge methodologies.

The Giordani Group leads Work Package 2, focusing on the design and synthesis of aptamer-based fluorescent probes. These probes are the core sensing components, capable of detecting Alzheimer’s biomarkers at extremely low concentrations through precise molecular-level interactions.

Inspired by this innovative initiative, Professor Silvia Giordani brings over a decade of expertise in organic synthesis to accelerate large-scale Alzheimer’s screening. The ultimate goal is to enable earlier diagnosis, provide unprecedented clinical support, and significantly improve patients’ healthy lifespan.

The Horizon-EIC-2025-Pathfinder Open project officially commenced on 1 March 2026.