Making a real difference: the ReachInnovation Hackathon, when startups meet science

Participants: Maryam Bashar Ahmed Al-Chalabi, Aqeel Talib Qanbar Al-Asadi, Elaf Salim Mohammed Alsulaitti, Hassan Ahmed Mohammed, Sarmad Fadhil Jawad, Mustafa Mazin Ahmed, Hadeel Jameel Imran, Bilal Ahmed Rahem, Zahraa Hussein Neamah, Dhuha Shaker Abd, Daniyah Alaa Kamil, Mohammed Azeez Abbood.

Organizing team: Haneen A. Salih, Zainab Al-Araji, Farah H. Khammas, Muhaimen Amer

Proofreader: Hussein A. Yousif

ReachSci Iraqi Hub hosted a 2-day ReachInnovation hackathon during which participants utilized solutions that had already been identified in existing research papers but were never implemented in real life yet.

We initiated a ReachInnovation pilot run for 3 cohorts, with each team consisting of approximately 3-5 people (Figure 1). After intensive training delivered by the organizing committee, the results were creative and we saw practical projects that we hope to see come to fruition in the near future. Each team excelled in their assignments, demonstrating how much hidden potential resides in plain sight.

The first project proposed "Kiddose", was an AI application for enhanced smart dose calculation for paediatrics. The second project focused on modifications the reusable insulin pens to improve patient compliance and ease of use. The last project was the creation of an environmentally friendly hand sanitizer using nano-technology

"Kiddose" is designed to reduce errors in drug dose administration and improve accuracy, ultimately providing more support for healthcare professionals. It also generates valuable data for future developments in the toxicology database. This project was built on research published 4 years ago (Rödle et al., 2019).

The concept behind the insulin pen project is to enhance patient compliance and ease of use by incorporating voice commands that support native languages and adding a notification feature for scheduled doses (Figure 2). This concept is based on a study that investigated the opinions of diabetics regarding reusable insulin pens (Tschiedel et al., 2014).

The "Green Antibiotics" project aimed to develop an environmentally friendly hand sanitizer using nano-technology, as suggested by (Bin-Jumah et al., 2020). This innovation aims to enhance burn unit care in hospitals, particularly in addressing bacterial infections in wounds and skin. Actinobacterium, identified as the third most prevalent pathogen at Ghazi AL Hariri Hospital (Talarska, Boruczkowski, and Żurawski, 2021), poses a significant threat. The innovation will safeguard all hospital patients from wound infections and post-operative skin infections, ultimately reducing mortality attributed to Actinobacterium.

We primarily focused on STEM projects and have specific standards for what qualifies as an innovation. Our ultimate goal is to achieve the highest societal impact, which means addressing wide-scale issues. We ensure that these proposed innovations meet our expectations as an organization led by Cambridge University ReachSci Society.

It is clear that any of these prospective projects will definitely make an impact if they become a reality. For example, the reusable insulin pen will provide a more economical option, in addition to enhancing the user experience.

We concluded the hackathon on a positive note, and after reviewing the trainees' reports, each participant was issued a ReachInnovation certificate as a testament to their hard work. However, this is not the end; we will continue our work to see our vision through to completion. If you'd like to join this ambitious cause, you are more than welcome to volunteer with us.

References:

1- Rödle, W., Wimmer, S., Zahn, J., Prokosch, H.U., Hinkes, B., Neubert, A., Rascher, W., Kraus, S., Toddenroth, D., Sedlmayr, B., 2019. User-Centered Development of an Online Platform for Drug Dosing Recommendations in Pediatrics. Appl Clin Inform 10, 570. https://doi.org/10.1055/S-0039-1693714

2- Tschiedel, B., Almeida, O., Redfearn, J., Flacke, F., 2014. Initial Experience and Evaluation of Reusable Insulin Pen Devices Among Patients with Diabetes in Emerging Countries. Diabetes Therapy 5, 545–555. https://doi.org/10.1007/S13300-014-0081-Z/FIGURES/2