DIVINE – Improving care for COVID-19 patients based on risk factors
Cartography of Barcelona during the period of the first state of alarm due to the pandemic
July 8, 2021
WINTER: Interference management in communications and information processing 5g networks
June 25, 2021The Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Research Group (GRBIO) participates in the DIVINE project, an acronym of ‘DynamIc eValuation of COVID-19 cliNical statEs and their prognostic factors to improve the intra-hospital patient management’. The aim of the project is to identify risk factors that affect the prognosis and transitions between states (admission, intensive care, discharge, death) through which a patient hospitalised for COVID-19 could pass.
Knowledge of these factors will serve to anticipate potential risks of a patient from the time of their admission and will have two main uses: the provision of better care for the patient depending on their initial risk, and the improvement in hospital management, particularly in periods of considerable healthcare pressure.
To meet these objectives, patient data will be used that have been gathered from different hospitals in the south Barcelona Metropolitan Area during the waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the research team aims to estimate the incubation time of the disease (the time between infection and the appearance of the first symptoms). This information is very useful to create simulation models that explore the evolution of the pandemic at global scale.
DIVINE is led by the gBiostatistics and Bioinformatics Research Group (GRBIO), comprised of UPC and University of Barcelona (UB) researchers. The project is coordinated by the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) and other participants are the hospitals of Bellvitge, Moisès Broggi (Sant Joan Despí), General de l'Hospitalet, Viladecans, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Residència Sant Camil (Sant Pere de Ribes), Sant Antoni Abat (Vilanova i la Geltrú) and the Comarcal de l'Alt Penedès.
The project was one of four UPC projects selected for the call ‘Retreating to grow: the impact of pandemics in a world without visible borders’ (PANDÈMIES 2020) of the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR), for research projects whose aim is to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic specifically, and the concept of pandemic in general. The projects will be developed in a maximum of 18 months.
Related Projects
- The project involves the participation of the Center for Innovation in Electronics, Motion Control and Industrial Applications (MCIA) of the UPC. The main aim is to construct a digital twin to monitor, visualise and manage the state of maintenance of hospital equipment.
- BIOPHOCH, led by the Centre for Sensors, Instruments and Systems Development (CD6), is designed to develop new tools and methodologies for image analysis and processing of data in the health area using photonic techniques.
