about Us
Who We Are
CONNECT-CARE is a collaborative European project that brings together leading institutions in the fields of healthcare, clinical research, technological innovation, and artificial intelligence, with a shared goal of advancing towards more inclusive, personalized, and data-driven care for children and adolescents.
The consortium focuses on the design and development of an innovative digital platform that supports active health management, promotes the prevention of childhood obesity, and enhances communication between healthcare professionals and end users.
Partners
Fundació Sant Joan de Déu – Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD)
is the institution that channels all biomedical research and innovation activities linked to the clinical environment of the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu de Barcelona (HSJD), one of Europe’s leading pediatric hospitals.
The IRSJD was established in 2015 through an agreement between HSJD, the Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, the University of Barcelona, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, and the Fundació de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu. In 2020, it was accredited as a CERCA center, recognizing its excellence in research. With over 700 professionals, the institute has a strong track record in scientific production, clinical trials, observational studies, and both national and international competitive projects.
HSJD is a private, non-profit institution that has been part of the public healthcare system since 1973, with more than 150 years of history. Specializing in comprehensive care for women, children, and adolescents, it stands out for its multidisciplinary approach, advanced technology, and focus on rare and complex pediatric diseases. It holds national accreditations as a reference center (CSUR) in various specialties and is a member of 21 European Reference Networks (ERNs).
HES-SO: University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland
is the largest university of applied sciences (UAS) in Switzerland and the third largest higher education institution of the country, with more than 21’000 students and a broad network of schools located in 7 cantons. Strongly anchored in the regional economy, HES-SO collaborates closely with SMEs, and its R&D also extends to certain aspects of industrial-scale production. HES-SO undertakes research projects with a wide range of partners in Switzerland and abroad. HES-SO has been involved in European Framework Programmes in different domains, including digital healthcare and medical informatics.
IDIBELL: Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute / HUB: Health universitat de Barcelona Campus
The Psychoneurobiology of Eating and Addictive Behaviors Group from University Hospital of Bellvitge–HUB/IDIBELL is directed by senior investigators Dr Fernando Fernández-Aranda and Dr Susana Jiménez-Murcia. This group includes both Eating Disorders and Behavioural Addictions units, which are part of the Clinical Psychology Service in the University Hospital of Bellvitge, Barcelona.
The team has been active for more than 20 years and takes part as one of the groups of excellence in the Centre for Biomedical Research in Network-Pathophysiology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBEROBN) of the Carlos III Institute of Health (ISCIII) since 2007. From a broad perspective, the Eating Disorders Unit provides specialized healthcare for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Likewise, the Behavioral Addictions Unit is the largest public healthcare resource in Spain for these types of disorders and has highly consolidated experience in the diagnosis and treatment of behavioural addictions.
Pediatric Care in the Capital Region of Denmark
The Capital Region of Denmark (Region Hovedstaden) provides a full spectrum of pediatric services, combining everyday clinical care with highly specialized treatments. Rigshospitalet functions as the national referral center for complex and rare pediatric conditions, with leading expertise in cardiology, neurology, oncology, neonatology, and adolescent medicine. Nordsjællands Hospital in Hillerød delivers broad pediatric services for children and families in the northern part of the region, including a specialized clinic for childhood obesity.
Together, these hospitals form a strong pediatric network that integrates clinical care, research, and education. Region Hovedstaden is actively engaged in international collaborations, ensuring access to cutting-edge treatments
Arbisense AB
Arbisense is a Swedish SME founded in 2022 that delivers solutions for evaluating human behaviour using innovative, scientifically validated technology. The team brings together experienced health scientists and research engineers specializing in passive smartphone sensing, large-scale data collection, big-data analytics, geospatial analysis tools, and AI-driven analytics. Arbisense complements its analytics expertise with the development of production-ready mobile and web applications, as well as secure cloud deployment.
Department of Political and Social Science (SPOL) of the University of Cagliari
The Department of Political and Social Science of the University of Cagliari is fully engaged with the social, economic and institutional life at regional, national and international level. SPOL promotes and coordinates research and teaching in various spheres: social, communicative, economic-statistical, historical-political-international, and legal. The department has a long tradition of interdisciplinary studies and research, and promotes and coordinates research and teaching in various spheres: social, communicative, economic-statistical, historical-political-international, and legal.
ARTEMIS
ART is a deep tech SME that specializes in research and innovation in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things. We are experts in developing AI recommendation engines to support clinical decision-making and personalized treatment pathways. The company was established in 2022 in Bucharest, Romania. ART is currently involved in several projects dedicated to AI-driven healthcare as well as IoT-related telecommunications initiatives.
Foundation University Institute for Primary Health Care Research Jordi Gol i Gurina (IDIAPJGol)
The Foundation University Institute for Primary Health Care Research Jordi Gol i Gurina (IDIAPJGol) is a leading research centre in Catalonia, Spain, dedicated to advancing innovation, clinical and epidemiological research, and health services research in primary healthcare.
Created in 1996 by the Catalan Institute of Health (ICS) and affiliated with the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) since 2010, IDIAPJGol promotes research, training, and knowledge transfer to improve clinical practice, enhance the efficiency of the healthcare system, and promote the health and well-being of the population.
IDIAPJGol’s participation in the Connect-Care project is led by the South Metropolitan and Penedès Research Support Unit (USR). The Catalan Institute of Health (ICS), the largest public primary healthcare service provider in Catalonia, participates in the project through three Primary and Community Care Managements (GAPiCs): Delta, Baix Llobregat, and Penedès. Together, these managements form a network of more than 5,000 professionals working across 63 primary care teams and 17 support units, located in 68 municipalities throughout L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Baix Llobregat, Alt Penedès, Garraf, and Baix Llobregat Nord. Altogether, they serve a population of over one million people across a territory covering 1,400 km².