Wroclaw Medical University is creating a European Centre of Excellence in the field of heart failure. As one of only three Polish scientific institutions selected in the latest “Teaming for Excellence” competition under the Horizon Europe programme, it has been awarded €30 million in funding.
“Teaming for Excellence” is one of Europe’s most prestigious grant schemes. Its primary goal is to establish new Centres of Excellence in EU countries with lower research capacity through close collaboration with leading scientific institutions across Europe. Importantly, the evaluation considers not only the achievements of outstanding researchers but also the institution’s overall potential to join the European scientific elite.
“For years, when speaking about Wroclaw Medical University, we have proudly added: the highest-ranked Polish medical university in global rankings. Now we have another reason to be proud,” says the Rector of Wroclaw Medical University, Prof. Piotr Ponikowski.
The university’s Institute of Heart Diseases, led by Prof. Ponikowski, will establish the RAPTOR-HF Centre of Excellence. The international consortium also includes Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and University of Oxford. Collaboration with these world-leading institutions will ensure the transfer of best practices and expertise.
The consortium, coordinated by Wroclaw Medical University, will receive €15 million from the European Commission, while the remaining €15 million will be provided by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education.
“When I began my scientific career, I completed a two-year fellowship at Royal Brompton Hospital in London. It was regarded as the mecca of European cardiology and a model example of how research, education, and clinical practice could be integrated. Thirty years ago, I never imagined that one day we would have the opportunity to create a similar centre in Wrocław,” recalls Prof. Piotr Ponikowski.
The six-year project will establish a unique centre in Poland that will support innovative research at the university. While autonomous in managing its research programme, the centre will remain closely integrated with Wroclaw Medical University and work in partnership with the University Clinical Hospital in Wrocław. RAPTOR-HF is a comprehensive initiative covering research organisation, international collaboration, project management, staff development, efficient use of clinical infrastructure, attraction of young international researchers, and enhanced capacity to secure future European funding.
RAPTOR-HF will serve as a hub for translational research on heart failure—a condition that remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Europe. Research activities will be driven by real clinical challenges, with the goal of developing solutions that can be directly applied in medical practice.
– We want to move away from the model in which all patients are treated in the same way. The future lies in precision medicine – care tailored to the individual. Heart failure has many causes and follows different clinical pathways, making personalised treatment essential, – explains Dr. Michał Tkaczyszyn from the Institute of Heart Diseases at the University Clinical Hospital and the Department of Cardiology at Wroclaw Medical University.
According to Dr. Tkaczyszyn, the project will enable more accurate identification of different forms of heart failure and more effective selection of treatment strategies. This could reduce hospitalisations, facilitate earlier diagnosis in at-risk individuals, and ultimately lead to new diagnostic methods and therapies.
The “Teaming for Excellence” call attracted 340 applications. Of these, 67 proposals advanced to the second stage, and an independent panel of experts selected 19 winners. Success depended not only on scientific excellence but also on demonstrating the institution’s readiness to establish a modern Centre of Excellence with international partners, strengthen global collaboration, and generate a lasting impact on science and innovation. Evaluators also assessed governance, financial stability, legal frameworks, and the long-term sustainability of the centre beyond the funding period.
The proposal was prepared by a multidisciplinary team from Wroclaw Medical University, including researchers from the Institute of Heart Diseases, experts from the Project Management Centre, the university’s Biobank, legal and financial departments, the Technology Transfer Centre, Human Resources, the Main Library, the IT Centre, and the Department of Communication and Marketing.
