The TrackAF project combines the study of the heart at different scales with models that simulate disease mechanisms and data analysis methods. The goal is to address the challenges of prediction, diagnosis, and treatment of these conditions, which are the leading cause of death worldwide. Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia, affecting approximately one in three people in Europe over their lifetime.
María Guillem, head of the COR group and Director of ITACA, leads Work Package 3 (WP3) of TrackAF. This WP focuses on developing decision-support models that combine knowledge of cardiac mechanisms with data analysis to optimize AF treatment. Research areas include personalized ablation therapies and modulation of the cardiac autonomic nervous system, as well as predictive models to study the influence of lifestyle factors on arrhythmia progression.
The COR group's contribution draws on its expertise in non-invasive cardiac mapping, advanced electrophysiological signal processing, and the development of 'digital twins' of the heart. These computational models enable the study of heart function and, combined with decision models, help better interpret cardiac electrical activity to guide clinical decisions.
The TrackAF network, coordinated by Dr. Axel Loewe of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany), brings together 14 European institutions, including universities such as Maastricht, Zaragoza, Graz, and Trento; hospitals like La Fe in València and UKE in Hamburg; and companies in the sector such as Corify Care, NumeriCor, and FibriCheck. The initiative funds the training of doctoral researchers, who will gain experience in the consortium's laboratories, hospitals, and companies, thus connecting research with clinical practice.
The first in-person meeting of supervisors and doctoral researchers took place on 6 and 7 October in Maastricht (the Netherlands), coinciding with the TrackAF project kick-off meeting. Doctoral training in academic, clinical, and business settings will enable new researchers to gain different perspectives and work on solutions for cardiology's challenges.
