DATE & TIME
1 October 2025, 14:00 – 15:30
TRACKS
TRACK 1: Living Labs for Grand Societal Challenges
TRACK 3: Living Labs for Inclusive Soci(et)al Engagement
ROOM
AQUA
Description
This interactive workshop explores how Living Labs can make complex mental health research—like biomarkers and multi-omics—accessible, engaging, and relevant to diverse communities. Using real-world case studies, participants will co-create communication strategies for audiences such as youth, the elderly, and policymakers, gaining practical tools for inclusive science communication.
Agenda
Timeslot |
Item |
|---|---|
| 14:00 – 14:10 | Welcome and Introduction. Brief presentation of the workshop goals, challenges in communicating complex mental health science, introduction of the VOLABIOS project, and the importance of ethics, responsibility, and legal compliance. (Speakers: Irina Kolomiiets, Carmen Siller, Jonas Montvidas, Gorazd A. Weiss, Vaisakh Shaji ) |
| 14:10 – 14:45 | Group Work: Co-creating Communication Strategies.
|
| 14:45 – 15:05 | Group Presentations:
|
| 15:05 – 15:20 | Joint Reflection and Discussion:
|
| 15:20 – 15:30 | Wrap up and Closing (Facilitator: Irina Kolomiiets) |
Facilitators
Irina Kolomiiets
Project Manager & Junior Researcher
Irina Kolomiiets
Project Manager & Junior ResearcherIrina Kolomiiets is a project manager, Living Lab practitioner, coach, and educator. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Health Management and has over 8 years of experience in innovation and community engagement, including organizing hackathons and co-creation events. She previously served as the EIT Health Hub Coordinator in Lithuania, where she strengthened health innovation ecosystems and public engagement. Currently she coordinates Living Lab activities across three Horizon Europe projects focused on citizen-centered health innovation, including improving colorectal cancer screening, developing AI-driven personalized cancer prevention strategies, and advancing early schizophrenia diagnosis through multi-omics biomarkers (ONCOSCREEN, ONCODIR, VOLABIOS). Irina is a strong advocate of participatory methods, citizen engagement, and science communication. She strives to ensure that these initiatives create tangible impact.
Carmen Siller
Project Manager
Carmen Siller
Project ManagerCarmen Siller holds a university degree in Applied Linguistics and Cultural Studies. Since 2023, she is pursuing master studies in educational sciences at the University of Vienna. Since 2005, she has been working for ZSI as project manager and researcher, currently she is work package leader in VOLABIOS. From 2021 – 2024, she managed the STEP change project, assessing the training needs of different citizen science initiatives and developing suitable training formats as well as supporting mutual learning and exchange. In 2024, she was involved in MEET project dealing with mental health for young people in the Danube region. Managing EU-funded projects for the last 20 years, her key expertise includes the establishment and maintenance of extended networks as well as the organization and implementation of workshops, conferences and trainings covering a variety of topics and target groups.
Gorazd Weiss
Head of Unit, Senior RTDI Expert & Trainer
Gorazd Weiss
Head of Unit, Senior RTDI Expert & TrainerGorazd A. WEISS is a senior expert and Head of Department "Research Policy and Development". His key competencies include research on RTDI policies, Development, RRI and Open Science, Gender issues, social entrepreneurship, co-design and co-creation of technical solutions, as well as coordination and management of international RTDI cooperation projects. Since 2010, Gorazd has conducted dozens of trainings, workshops, info sessions and summer schools on the following topics: successful proposal writing for researchers, responsible research and innovation for different target groups. He has, and continues to be, involved in many RTDI projects around the world. Between 2008 and 2024 he was also involved in the organisation of in many scientific events for researchers and policy makers. Between 2005 and 2024 he was involved in more than 40 international RTDI projects funded by European Commission, other international (e.g. UNESCO, UNIDO) and national funded projects as a researcher, senior research project manager, senior expert or Coordinator. He is member of ZSI’s team for VOLABIOS and contributed to CHERRIES, a H2020 project aiming at Constructing Healthcare Environments through Responsible Research Innovation and Entrepreneurship Strategies.
Jonas Montvidas
Psychiatrist, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, & PhD candidate in Medical Sciences at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
Jonas Montvidas
Psychiatrist, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist, & PhD candidate in Medical Sciences at the Lithuanian University of Health SciencesJonas Montvidas is a psychiatrist, psychoanalytic psychotherapist, and PhD candidate in Medical Sciences at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. He works at Kaunas Clinics, where he also serves as an administrator of a psychiatry ward. Jonas has extensive experience in mental health care, including clinical practice, psychotherapy, medical auditing, and mental health research. He is a member of the Lithuanian Association of Psychiatrists and has been actively involved in professional organizations such as the European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees and the Lithuanian Association of Junior Psychiatrists. His work focuses on bridging the gap between complex psychiatric research — including fields like biomarkers and transcranial magnetic stimulation — and real-world mental health care. At the workshop, Jonas contributes deep expertise in translating complex mental health topics into accessible and meaningful discussions for diverse audiences, supporting participatory approaches and citizen engagement in health innovation.
Vaisakh Shaji
Associate
Vaisakh Shaji
AssociateVaisakh holds an Advanced Masters degree in Law and Digital Technologies from Leiden University. He is a lawyer with ten years' post qualified experience, currently specializing as a technology lawyer. Since 2020, he has been working on issues ranging from platform governance, data privacy, product compliance for various B2C and B2C products in India, South Asia and Middle East markets. Since joining Timelex in late 2024, he has been involved in Horizon Europe projects apart from Volabios handling legal and ethics compliance frameworks and procedures compliant with GDPR, AI Act and other sectoral legislations.