Trinity’s School of Nursing and Midwifery has joined the global research network CARAMEL (Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Menopausal Women). This project brings together 25 research partners from 11 different countries, spanning from Europe to South America. With €12m in funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme, the project aims to transform diagnostic and treatment approaches to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in menopausal women using AI over the next five years.
“In Europe, CVD represents the leading cause of death in women, with a sharp risk increase during and after menopause”
The risk of CVD is an ever-present concern for public health. In Europe, it represents the leading cause of death in women, with a sharp risk increase during and after menopause. Although concern about CVD is prominent, research and disease models often do not consider women-specific risk factors. Sharon O’Donnell, associate professor of critical care nursing and lead for CARAMEL at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, described this risk in a press release from College stating:
“Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death amongst European women, responsible for 17% of all female deaths before the age of 65 years. In Ireland, we know that one in four Irish women will die from this disease, with the risk increasing substantially during menopause. Despite these facts, the risk for cardiovascular disease tends to be underestimated by clinicians and by women themselves. The goal of this exciting project is to optimise the cardiovascular health of women, and to develop and test a novel stratified CARAMEL digital application for personalised CVD prevention.”
CARAMEL presents an innovative approach to wagering digital tools in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease in women. Coordinated by the research centre Vicomtech, this project seeks to develop AI-based models to create personalised risk assessments tailored to menopausal women. This is possible through the integration of multiple data sources relevant to the patient’s diagnostic status, such as clinical records, medical images and lifestyle data. It positions itself at the cutting edge of CVD diagnostics, through the use of innovative tools like non-invasive skin nanosensors and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy-based lipoprotein and inflammation markers. CARAMEL seeks to empower women to become agents of choice in their healthcare journey. In alignment with this, one of its goals is the development of a digital prevention platform for self-monitoring and self-care. This seeks to encourage patient involvement through the use of self-assessment tools through a user-friendly digital ecosystem.
“Researchers at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, led by Professor Sharon O’Donnell, will contribute to CARAMEL by focusing on women’s experience of menopause and possible cardio-protective behaviours”
Researchers at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, led by Professor Sharon O’Donnell, will contribute to CARAMEL by focusing on women’s experience of menopause and possible cardio-protective behaviours. The department’s participation in this project is reflective of Professor O’Donnell’s academic and professional focus on cardiovascular diseases and their gender dimension. Plans include carrying out a large-scale survey of 7,000 women across South America and Europe, conducting 140 further interviews and creating workshops for collaboration between women and clinicians.
The project’s inclusive approach hopes to ensure its developments are available to women with diverse backgrounds and disabilities. It aims to achieve this by developing accessible wearable technology and research platforms, partnering with women that can provide insight into their unique experiences and challenges, and ensuring a diverse representation of women within the research being conducted to ensure their solutions are fair and impactful.
Under Grant Agreement Number 101156210, the CARAMEL research network will run using Trinity’s contributions. It aims to produce more accurate risk assessments, improve preventative strategies and create new diagnostic tools. The products of their efforts will work towards the goal of increasing the use of technology and patient engagement in public health approaches, while also benefiting underrepresented populations.
