I-SCREEN General Assembly in Zürich: Advancing Retinal Screening through Collaboration and Innovation

The I-SCREEN project recently gathered in Zürich for its latest General Assembly Meeting, bringing together partners from across Europe for a day of meaningful discussion, knowledge-sharing, and strategic planning.

Hosted by Universitätsspital Zürich, the meeting marked a key milestone for the project, following our first review meeting with the European Commission. In her opening remarks, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth (Medical University of Vienna) highlighted the strength of the consortium’s transdisciplinary approach and reaffirmed the project's long-term impact and potential.

Over the course of the meeting, partners reflected on the Commission’s feedback, identifying areas of success and opportunities for improvement. Gabrijela Radić (RISE – Research and Innovation Services) and Louise Enzendorfer (Medical University of Vienna) facilitated an interactive session that encouraged open dialogue among Work Package leads. Dr. Sanja Sale (EURICE) also contributed to the discussion, sharing measures to maximise the project’s impact. Their contributions are vital as we continue to refine and strengthen the project’s direction.

A key focus for the coming year will be patient recruitment, ensuring that the foundation laid so far translates into meaningful real-world implementation. We were also pleased to welcome Heidi Beate Bentzen, a member of the I-SCREEN External Advisory Board, who shared valuable recommendations and emphasised the importance of keeping patients at the heart of our efforts.

The meeting also featured updates from Work Package 2, presented by Hrvoje Bogunović (Medical University of Vienna), and Work Package 3, presented by Vedran Hrbaček (RetInSight), highlighting ongoing AI development and data management activities essential for the project’s progress.

Highlights from the day included a presentation from Work Package 4, led by ECOO (European Council of Optometry and Optics) and presented by Matjaž Mihelcic and Matjaž Turk, showcasing the development of an AI tool for early AMD detection and progress in community-based OCT screening. With over 20 screening sites engaged, this work demonstrates how innovation is transforming primary eye care delivery.

We thank all participants for their insights, dedication, and continued collaboration.

Stay tuned for more updates as we move into the next phase of I-SCREEN and work together to shape the future of retinal research and community screening across Europe.