MELISSA Annual Meeting Highlights – Awaiting the MELISSA clinical trial

Maastricht, May 26–27, 2025 – The third MELISSA Annual Meeting took place in Maastricht, bringing together clinical researchers, technology providers, and the MELISSA Patient Advisory Committee (PAC) from across Europe for two days of progress review, exciting workshops, and planning next steps.

Day 1: Project’s achievements – a lot to celebrate!

The first day was dedicated to the presentation and alignment of the different work packages (WPs). Since our last meeting significant progress was made. We are reaching some major milestones:

• The release of the first version of the MELISSA application is approaching;
• The feasibility study, currently underway in Geneva, has 15 participants already enrolled;
• Two clinical centres have obtained the ethics approval for the upcoming MELISSA clinical trial.

In the afternoon, it was time to engage in an inspiring Design Thinking workshop organized by our project partner IESE. The topic of discussion was specific user personas, their needs, proposed solutions, and the evaluation of how the project could best support people living with diabetes and healthcare providers. The workshop fostered a collaborative and user-centred approach.

Day 2: MELISSA app demonstration and clinical trial planning

Held at the University of Maastricht, the second day centred around a live demonstration of the application and the strategic planning for the upcoming clinical trial.

During an interactive session led by project partner DEBIOTECH, the functionality of the app was shown with the participants actively engaged, asking questions and discussing various features to ensure that the system's usability was clearly understood by all stakeholders.

In preparation for the clinical trial, a comprehensive overview of the clinical study procedure was given, walking participants through each step of the participant visit workflow. This included explanations of the devices to be used, the integration of the application into routine clinical practice, and the roles of different team members during the trial – ensuring alignment across the consortium on how the study will be executed.

Highlight of the meeting – The important role of communication among people living with diabetes and clinicians

One of the meeting's most dynamic discussions focused on the intersection of human expertise and artificial intelligence. In a panel involving clinicians, AI developers, and people living with diabetes, participants addressed:

• The importance of aligning participants' understanding of AI technology;
• Ensuring transparent communication about the system’s functionality and recommendations;
• Building trust in AI systems among trial participants, particularly regarding the clinical decision-making process.

In light of the upcoming MELISSA clinical trial, the event highlighted the invaluable contribution of the MELISSA Patient Advisory Committee to the project through our project partner Breakthrough T1D, emphasising the importance of communication between healthcare professionals and people with diabetes in supporting awareness and informed decision-making especially with regard to participation in the clinical trial.

Stay tuned for more updates on the clinical trial and our progress!