SUNWISE – Smart UVR Monitoring for Youth Wellbeing, Inflammation prevention and Self-Empowerment

Project Abstract

Insufficient exposure to natural light among youth (12–25 years) is an underestimated modifiable risk factor for major Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) later in life. Beyond vitamin D synthesis, solar light exposure plays a crucial role in regulating key neurotransmitters—serotonin and dopamine—directly influencing mood, motivation, and mental health. Moreover, adequate light exposure modulates immune function and helps maintain low levels of systemic inflammation. Chronic low-grade inflammation is increasingly recognised as a common underlying mechanism driving the onset of cardiovascular, metabolic, autoimmune, and neurodegenerative diseases, making its early prevention a strategic target for youth health.

Our contribution

We propose to develop the core digital infrastructure for a behavioural intervention on light exposure in youth, consisting of:

• A mobile application integrated with smart wearable devices for continuous, real-time detection of UVR exposure, estimated vitamin D status, and inflammation-related biomarkers, delivering personalised feedback to end users.

• A web-based dashboard for secure aggregation and visualisation of collected Real-World Data (RWD), designed to support healthcare professionals, educators, and researchers.

The scientific foundation builds upon recent in silico reconstruction of the optotransduction pathway, enabling quantified estimates of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine signals. This work will be developed with the scientific support of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), ensuring methodological rigour and validated biomarker modelling.

All components will be developed following FAIR data principles, GDPR compliance, and interoperability standards, ensuring seamless integration with broader project activities and long-term scalability across European contexts.

The proposed digital infrastructure is designed to contribute to full-scale behavioural intervention aligned with this call's objectives, enabling for instance consortium partners to:

• Implement gamification strategies and youth-targeted engagement features to reinforce healthy habits and sustain behavioural change.

• Conduct randomised controlled trials with clearly defined success indicators, including biometric markers, psychosocial wellbeing metrics, and behavioural outcomes.

• Deploy AI-driven analytics for risk prediction, pattern identification, and intervention personalisation across gender, cultural, and socioeconomic contexts.

• Generate actionable evidence for policymakers at local, regional, national, and EU levels to inform and scale behavioural health interventions.

• Facilitate multi-stakeholder collaboration among healthcare professionals, educators, families, and youth throughout the intervention lifecycle.