BrainMap

Nadim Al Hajjar

- UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE "IULIU HATIEGANU"

Other affiliations

Professor - INSTITUTUL REGIONAL DE GASTROENTEROLOGIE - HEPATOLOGIE PROF. DR. OCTAVIAN FODOR CLUJ-NAPOCA (Romania)

Researcher | Consultant

Expertise & keywords

Innovative safe robotic system for enhanced patient-centered treatment of liver cancer Call name: P 2 - SP 2.1 - Proiect experimental - demonstrativ
PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2021-2790 2022 - 2024

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO); UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE "IULIU HATIEGANU" (RO)

Affiliation:

Project website: https://cester.utcluj.ro/Enhance/home.html

Abstract:

The ENHANCE project is implemented by an interdisciplinary team of engineers (specialists in medical robotics, advanced control, and programming) and medical experts (in hepatic surgery, hepatology, gastroenterology, and imaging), which aims to develop, test, and validate (in laboratory conditions) an innovative robotic system for liver cancer treatment (using brachytherapy or intratumoral chemotherapy). The project motivation starts from the fact that there are no available robotic systems (available in the scientific literature or in medical practice) designed for liver cancer treatment using intraoperatory ultrasound (IUS) as real-time image guidance. The starting point of ENHANCE is a demonstrator (developed up to TRL 3), namely the ProHep-LCT parallel robotic system, which consists of four modules (two parallel robotic modules, one needle insertion module, one IUS probe module), and a master-slave control. The first step in the project implementations focuses on the critical functionality analysis of ProHep-LCT correlated with the medical procedure. Then, a set of limitations (for each module) are identified, leading towards several optimizations. On the mechanical structure, the main areas of improvement target the workspace and positioning accuracy. The master-slave control will be developed with a modular architecture and optimized to ensure safety, stability, and ergonomics. A critical point is represented by the testing of the robotic system modules (in laboratory conditions), both independently and integrated into the complete solution for liver cancer treatment. The final project scope is to deliver a robotic-assisted solution validated at TRL 4, which can provide a new feasible solution in liver cancer management through further developments.

Innovative robotic guided instruments for the treatment of malignant tumors Call name: P 2 - SP 2.1 - Proiect experimental - demonstrativ
PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2019-4375 2020 - 2022

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO); UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE "IULIU HATIEGANU" (RO); INSTITUTUL REGIONAL DE GASTROENTEROLOGIE - HEPATOLOGIE PROF. DR. OCTAVIAN FODOR CLUJ-NAPOCA (RO)

Affiliation: INSTITUTUL REGIONAL DE GASTROENTEROLOGIE - HEPATOLOGIE PROF. DR. OCTAVIAN FODOR CLUJ-NAPOCA (RO)

Project website: https://cester.utcluj.ro/OnTarget/home.html

Abstract:

Nowadays, cancer remains one of the leading causes of mortality among humans, and increased efforts are made by the scientific community to develop better and more efficient therapeutic methods. Since surgery alone does not present a therapeutic solution in most of the cases, other approaches, such as local percutaneous therapies, become more prominent. One challenge of the percutaneous techniques is the accurate delivery of the therapeutic agent, as in most cases the manual insertion introduces errors beyond the acceptable thresholds. OnTarget aims to develop technical solutions for the local treatment of cancers located in the toraco-abdominal area by exploiting the advantages of brachytherapy, radiofrequency ablation and chemotherapeutic agent targeted delivery. Two medical instruments which were conceptually validated up to TRL3 represent the starting point of the project implementation. OnTarget will further develop the two medical instruments, one for the percutaneous brachytherapy and the second instrument (where modularity will be implemented) for the percutaneous radiofrequency ablation and chemotherapeutic agent delivery. The OnTarget interdisciplinary team (composed of engineers and medical specialists) aims to develop an advanced adaptable control system for the medical instruments to facilitate an optimum fail-safe needle insertion procedure. The technical solution is used in combination with existing robotic structures, by mounting the medical instruments on the robot such that the medical instruments become the robot tool. The control of the instruments will be implemented either into the robotic system control or on a stand-alone electronic device (e.g. laptop, tablet). The technological maturity of TRL4 is validated in the later stages of the project by means of experimental trials where the medical experts will test and evaluate the technical solution based on a medically relevant oncologic protocol.

High accuracy innovative approach for the robotic assisted intraoperatory treatment of hepatic tumors based on imagistic-molecular diagnosis Call name: P 1 - SP 1.2 - Proiecte complexe realizate in consorții CDI
PN-III-P1-1.2-PCCDI-2017-0221 2018 - 2021

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO); UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE "IULIU HATIEGANU" (RO); INSTITUTUL DE MECANICA SOLIDELOR (RO); INSTITUTUL REGIONAL DE GASTROENTEROLOGIE - HEPATOLOGIE PROF. DR. OCTAVIAN FODOR CLUJ-NAPOCA (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE PENTRU OPTOELECTRONICA INOE 2000 INCD (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE "IULIU HATIEGANU" (RO)

Project website: https://cester.utcluj.ro/improve/home

Abstract:

The IMPROVE project will be developed by a transdisciplinary group, which integrates the knowledge of multiple specialists from the technical field (such as mechanical engineers, computer science engineers and material sciences engineers), a team of medical doctors (surgeons, gastroenterologists, oncologists, and radiologists), and a team of chemical scientists. The IMPROVE group will develop an innovative solution for the treatment of the patients diagnosed with non resectable hepatic tumors, based on a novel robotic system, and an novel medical imaging diagnostic tool. The majority of the hepatic tumors are not resectable due to a variety of factors such as tumor placement, size, and the patient general condition. In order to deliver a better palliative care towards the patient, and a better quality of life, the IMPROVE project proposes an integrated system to deliver treatment in the form of brachytherapy or chemotherapy. The treatment will be delivered in a minimally invasive manner, guided by a robot (which delivers the treatment agent through needles), based with a non-invasive diagnostic method. The diagnosis stage consists of the development of “smart” image analysis algorithms which can detect and define some hepatic diseases such as cancers. The preplanning stage will define the treatment method as well as the needle trajectories. For the treatment delivery a robotic structure will be developed to help the clinicians in the minimally invasive (laparoscopic) in situ procedure. The treatment agent (brachytherapy of chemotherapy) will be precisely delivered within the tumor using specialized instruments (for needle insertion and delivery) guided by the robotic system. The IMPROVE team is composed out of experienced researchers whit excellent results in the medical field, and well based former collaborations. The group synergy represents a key factor in obtaining positive results in the survival outcome of the hepatic cancer patients.

Non-invasive assessment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis through unidimensional transient elastography, „ShearWave” elastography and serum markers Call name: Projects for Young Research Teams - RUTE -2014 call
PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-2023 2015 - 2017

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE (U.M.F) Cluj-Napoca

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE (U.M.F) Cluj-Napoca (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE (U.M.F) Cluj-Napoca (RO)

Project website: http://liver-research-club.wixsite.com/liverclub/elastoliver

Abstract:

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently the most common chronic liver disease worldwide; it includes a wide spectrum of conditions, ranging from a simple fatty liver to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with or without fibrosis, to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The diagnosis of NAFLD, and mainly of NASH, requires a liver biopsy, but it has some limits. More research is focused on finding alternative non-invasive methods of diagnosis. Our major objective is to develop a non-invasive diagnostic algorithm for NASH, by combining unidimensional transient elastography including the liver stiffness and controlled attenuation parameter assessment, „shear wave elastography” (SWE) available on the Logiq E9 device, and serum markers of liver fibrosis. The secondary objectives are estimating the performance of new elastographic techniques (Logiq E9 SWE) for the assessment of fibrosis in NASH in comparison with liver fibrosis, interpreted through the computerized analysis of the histologic image, establishing the technical criteria to be met for the most accurate possible estimation of fibrosis when using Logiq E9 SWE, evaluating the performance of the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) measured by TE in assessing the grade of steatosis in NASH, evaluating the performance of certain serum markers. in assessing fibrosis in NASH. The study is going to be conducted prospectively, for a duration of 24 months, in at least 100 biopsied patients with NASH.

Creșterea capacității, competitivității și vizibilității cercetării a UMF „Iuliu Hațieganu” prin formarea si sustinerea de echipe multidisciplinare în cercetarea de excelență. Call name: Fondul de Dezvoltare Instituţională - FDI - Competiţia 2021
CNFIS-FDI-2021-0594 2021 -

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE "IULIU HATIEGANU"

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA DE MEDICINA SI FARMACIE "IULIU HATIEGANU" (RO)

Affiliation:

Project website:

Abstract:

Obiectivul General: Dezvoltarea cercetării de excelență în cadrul UMF Cluj-Napoca cuprinde un set de activități strategice, pro-active și catalitice concepute pentru a facilita colaborarea între diferite echipe de cercetători pentru creșterea capacității instituționale de cercetare. De asemenea, se dorește o strânsă colaborare cu alte institutii pentru atragerea de noi proiecte și crearea de colaborări care să permită dezvoltarea unei capacități instituționale de cercetare si educatională.

Acest proiect dorește să susțină UMF Iuliu Hațieganu pentru a-și îmbunătăți vizibilitatea și competitivitatea în cercetarea medicală de excelență, contribuind astfel la creșterea potențialului de cercetare de excelență. Prin sprijinul oferit se va susține și îmbunătăți infrastructura de cercetare, se va dezvolta resursa umană și se vor disemina rezultatele cercetării în reviste cu vizibilitate crescută.

Obiectivele specifice (OS):

OS1. Dezvoltarea în cadrul UMF a unei structuri tip biobancă pentru susținerea cercetării interdisciplinare și facilitarea realizării de studii de medicină translaționale (Luna1-L7).

OS2. Dezvoltarea de echipe multidisciplinare de cercetare prin formarea resursei umane existente în domeniul medicinei translaționale (L1-L7).

OS3. Creșterea vizibilității cercetării prin îmbunătățirea infrastructurii de cercetare, mentenanța infrastructurii existente și susținerea diseminării rezultatelor cercetării în reviste cu factor de impact ridicat (L1-L

FILE DESCRIPTION	DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects