It is not every day that Romania manages to conquer the world of science with a heart the size of a finger. But that is exactly what the MAVIS team from UMF Iași is doing, presenting at Expo 2025 Osaka a medical research project considered revolutionary by experts: BabyHeart, the world's smallest artificial heart prototype, designed for children with severe heart failure.
MAVIS represents Romania at Health and Wellbeing Week, an event held between 24 and 30 June, as part of the global exhibition that brings together over 160 countries and international organisations, with over 28 million visitors expected by October 2025.
The team gave an official presentation in the Romanian Pavilion in front of an international audience, at a time of exceptional visibility for Romanian research.
‘We are honoured by the large number of visitors who come through our doors. Many are surprised by what we manage to do,’ said Ana Bunduc, one of the team members. Her colleague, Otilia Pintilii, added: ‘It's a pleasure to talk to people of all ages and explain how we can make science more accessible.’
The uniqueness of MAVIS' presence in the pavilion lies in the creation of a living lab – a space where visitors can see in real time how cardiac components are designed, 3D printed and tested. With the help of local partners in Osaka, the team installed a 3D printer and gave symbolic miniatures – small blue hearts – to officials and visitors.
This participation is not an isolated incident. The young people from UMF Iași are finalists in the 2024 edition of the ‘100 Youngsters for Romania's Development’ Campaign, run by the Dan Voiculescu Foundation for the Development of Romania. The programme promotes young people who, through innovation, excellence and social impact, offer a real vision for the future of the country.
MAVIS integrates an entire support infrastructure for artificial hearts: a controller, a smart battery, wireless communication with mobile applications – all in rapid development. The goal is to offer a real alternative to paediatric patients with heart failure, for whom options are currently extremely limited.
In Osaka, BabyHeart is not just a demonstration of technology, but also a symbol of hope. The fact that Romania is presenting such a project at one of the largest international exhibitions highlights how much investment in education, research and trust in younger generations can mean.
