On 4 and 5 June, the CARAMEL consortium gathered in Trento for its fourth plenary meeting, hosted by Socialit. Partners came together to review the progress achieved during the first 18 months of the project and align on the next phase of activities.
The meeting marked an important transition point for CARAMEL, with several foundational activities completed and new workstreams starting around clinical studies, prospective AI modelling, self-management tools and impact.
Beyond the coordination of technical and scientific activities, one message clearly emerged from the meeting: women aged 40–60 are at the heart of CARAMEL. Their experiences, needs and expectations are not only informing the project, but actively shaping its tools, methods and prevention strategies.
Listening to women’s experiences
Indeed, a central moment of the meeting was the direct involvement of women and Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) committees, who had the opportunity to share their experiences, perspectives and expectations with the consortium.
Their stories provided valuable insights into the real-life challenges, needs and priorities that should guide the development of CARAMEL’s tools and prevention strategies.
“Meeting other women who share similar symptoms as well as the anxiety … and receiving valid and scientific guidance for menopause and cardiovascular health.”
(Woman from NKUA PPI Committee)
From social research to co-creation
The meeting highlighted how CARAMEL’s participatory approach has been built step by step. During the first project phase, partners carried out social research activities, including questionnaires, qualitative interviews and focus groups, to better understand women’s experiences of menopause, cardiovascular health and prevention.
Building on these findings, participatory co-creation workshops helped the consortium translate women’s needs and expectations into concrete inputs for the design of CARAMEL’s digital tools, including the self-management app, app functionalities and user interface development.
Aligning clinical, technical and impact activities
CARAMEL brings together expertise from medicine, artificial intelligence, digital health, communication and social research. Turning this diversity into meaningful outputs requires constant dialogue and integration across disciplines.
This is why project meetings such as the one held in Trento are essential: they create the space to align perspectives, connect technical progress with real-life needs, and move together towards more personalised and inclusive cardiovascular prevention for women.
To learn more about the project progress and next goals, check out the latest project brief.
Stay connected with CARAMEL’s progress through our website and LinkedIn page.
