Start of the MAGCCINE Project: Innovative Solutions for Safe and Sustainable Vaccine Cooling
On October 25, 2024, the MAGCCINE project was successfully launched with an introductory Kick-Off meeting, bringing together all project partners in a joint effort to develop innovative solutions for the vaccine cold chain. The project is funded by the European Union as part of the EIC Pathfinder Challenge for clean and efficient cooling.
The meeting offered participants a chance to connect, with each partner introducing their specific area of contribution to the project. The event was opened by Dr. João Belo from the University of Porto, followed by presentations from the European Innovation Council (EIC Pathfinder) and an analysis of the current state of cooling solutions. Additionally, Teshome Yemamu from UNICEF provided an overview of the vaccine supply chain, offering essential context for the next stages of the MAGCCINE project.
The partners then shared their experience and key ideas, including:
• the production of magnetocaloric materials (University of Porto, Portugal, and CNRS, France),
• advanced characterization of magnetocaloric materials (University of Seville, Spain),
• modeling of the innovative rotating magnetocaloric effect (RMCE) technology (University of Porto, Portugal, and University of Aveiro, Portugal),
• modeling of prototype cooling system components (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia),
• development and testing of the cooling system prototype
The meeting concluded with a guided tour of a wine cellar, a tasting of Porto wines, and live Fado music, creating a relaxed atmosphere that encouraged collaboration and connection among participants.
What Does MAGCCINE Bring?
The MAGCCINE project offers a sustainable solution with RMCE technology, reducing energy needs and costs while enabling safer vaccine transport. The project’s goal is to develop and optimize a prototype that maintains a temperature range of 2–8°C, contributing to a reliable vaccine cold chain worldwide.
Project Website: https://magccine.pt/
Contact: Dr. João Horta Belo, email: jbelo@fc.up.pt
The project is founded by the European Union within the framework of the challenge EIC Pathfinder Challenge for clean and efficient cooling.
