After four years of research, collaboration and hard work, the NOVA project is coming to an end.

NOVA was created with an ambitious goal: to develop next-generation antimicrobial, antiviral and antifungal coatings that could contribute to safer everyday environments. From the beginning, the project brought together partners from different countries, disciplines and professional backgrounds. Materials scientists, microbiologists, virologists, toxicologists, immunologists, sustainability experts, engineers, data scientists and industry partners worked together to address a complex challenge from different perspectives.

The work was never limited to developing a coating and asking whether it was effective. NOVA followed a holistic approach that considered the complete pathway from development to possible application. This included the design and optimisation of coating technologies, the development of more realistic efficacy tests, the assessment of human health and environmental safety, the exploration of suitable application devices, and the use of data science and machine learning to support future coating development.

This approach required time, persistence and continuous exchange. It meant sharing samples and results, discussing unexpected findings, refining methods, repeating experiments and learning from results that did not always confirm the initial expectations. It also meant bringing together different ways of working and different areas of expertise in order to build a common understanding.

The NOVA project has generated knowledge across a broad range of topics. This includes bio-based antimicrobial coatings, light-activated coating technologies, coating application systems, real-life-mimicking efficacy testing, biocompatibility and immunocompatibility assessment, environmental safety and Safe and Sustainable by Design approaches. The project also investigated how research data can be organised and used to support more efficient and better-informed coating development.

NOVA’s results are the outcome of this shared effort. They reflect not only the experiments, methods, models and project outputs, but also the commitment of the people behind them. Every meeting, laboratory session, technical discussion, review, report and deadline contributed to the project’s progress.

As NOVA reaches its conclusion, we would like to thank everyone who contributed to the project.

Thank you to all partners across the NOVA consortium for your expertise, commitment and hard work. Thank you for the many hours spent in laboratories, offices, meetings and workshops, and for the patience and determination required to move the project forward.

Thank you to everyone who coordinated work, prepared samples, developed methods, carried out tests, analysed data, reviewed documents, managed project tasks, supported communication and helped connect the different parts of the project. Each contribution mattered.

We would also like to thank the people and organisations who supported the project, shared their knowledge, participated in discussions and helped us understand the requirements of potential real-world applications. Your input helped NOVA stay connected to practical needs.

And thank you to everyone we met during the project: at consortium meetings, scientific events, workshops, conferences and during our shared travels. Some of the most lasting memories were created outside the formal work programme – during journeys, conversations between meetings and the moments when colleagues became friends.

It is difficult to say goodbye to a project that has shaped so much of our professional and personal lives. We are proud of what NOVA has achieved, but we are also a little sad that this shared chapter is coming to an end. The project brought together people from different countries and disciplines and created a community built on collaboration, curiosity and mutual support. That is something we will carry with us beyond the official end of NOVA.

Where to find NOVA

Although the project is ending, NOVA will remain accessible online. Our project materials and results will stay available, allowing interested readers, researchers and stakeholders to continue discovering the project and its outputs.

You can still find NOVA through:

• NOVA in Practice, our accessible article series explaining how we tested, managed and safeguarded our antimicrobial coatings
• CORDIS, the European Commission’s project database
• Zenodo, where our research outputs and publications are available
• LinkedIn, where you can read old posts and still connect with us
• Bluesky, where you can continue to read old NOVA updates
• Email, via  for any final questions or matters relating to the project.

We look forward to keeping the work, results and knowledge generated by NOVA available beyond the official end of the project.

The formal project period may be coming to an end, but the knowledge generated, the methods developed and the connections made through NOVA will continue to be part of the wider conversation around antimicrobial coatings and responsible innovation.

Thank you for being part of NOVA

"It has been an honour to coordinate the NOVA project. We are deeply grateful for the trust, commitment and support of the entire consortium. Coordinating a project of this scope was a privilege, and we are proud of everything we have achieved together.

Thank you for the hard work, the openness, the patience and the many shared moments along the way. We will remember not only the scientific progress, but also the people, the conversations, the journeys and the lasting connections that made NOVA so special."

With heartfelt thanks and warmest wishes,
Sara and Melusine

Goodbye, NOVA – and thank you for the journey.