iSTART-NET
Description
iSTART-NET is an international network of scientists, artists, clinicians and technologists. We share one question: how can people stay resilient under chronic stress? This question matters more than ever. War, displacement and global tension affect both people and research communities. Our network grows out of the iSTART model, which acronym START ("Stress, Transition, Art, Resilience, Training") defines a directional pathway that converges on the values: Individual, Instruction, Information, Inspiration, and Internet (meaning of prefix "i").
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2025.1691149/full
Project Lead
- Name
- Oksana Zayachkivska
- Field
- 3.01 Basic medical research, 3.02 Clinical medicine, 3.03 Health sciences
- Institution
- American University of Health Sciences
- Country
- United States of America
Geography & Actors
Countries of direct impact: Ukraine, France, UK, USA
Actors involved: international_orgs, diplomatic_missions, universities
Classification
International partners
Yes
International knowledge exchange
Yes
Cross-border challenges
No
Other international dimension
iSTART-NET is more than a project. It is a living community, and every member acts as an ambassador for open and ethical science. This model helps experimental and clinical researchers expand the scope and impact of their studies.
Potential impact
We run joint seminars, summer schools and online working groups. We share research protocols and open data. We co-supervise young researchers in research projects and PhD programs. We also organize research visits.
Impact
Outcomes
iSTART-NET's early stage has included five institutions in Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France: AUHS, Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Lviv Polytechnic National University, King's College London, and MSHS Sud-Est. The iSTART model builds on earlier work including the EU Horizon 2022 REBOOT programme.
Diplomatic / societal impact
iSTART-NET builds trust between Ukrainian scientists and partners in Europe and the U.S. It connects researchers in Ukraine with colleagues in the diaspora, so talent is not lost to war and displacement. Each member acts as an ambassador for open and ethical science. Through joint seminars, co-supervision and research visits, the network gives Ukrainian researchers access to international expertise and infrastructure.
Strategic impact
As an early-stage project, iSTART-NET does not yet claim systemic impact. However, it lays the groundwork. The network creates a lasting Ukraine–EU–US research community on stress resilience that can outlive single projects. Its long-term goal is to integrate Ukrainian researchers into the European Research Area as equal partners. The consortium will prepare joint applications to Horizon Europe and related programmes.