It was assumed that viruses spread as independent particles called virions. The EU-funded Vis-a-Vis project used social evolution concepts to study viral transmission, showing how viral particles compete and collaborate with one another. An improved understanding of virus-virus interactions paves the way for a new generation of treatments.
An EU-funded project has pioneered new techniques to detect and share information about infectious disease outbreaks. These methods will be used in the future to improve public health responses to pandemics. Already, some of the tools devised in the project are being further developed to specifically tackle the spread of COVID-19.
Developing a vaccine is a time-consuming and complex process. But as the current global pandemic has made abundantly clear, time is of the essence. That is why a group of EU-funded researchers launched a platform that provides services, support, networking, and training to help accelerate the development of important vaccines, including one for COVID-19.
Emerging viruses pose a serious threat to global public health. EU-funded research is helping to advance our understanding of how infectious diseases evolve and adapt genetically, informing our efforts to develop an effective response. Researchers have already applied these new methods to several public health crises, including COVID-19.
EU-funded researchers have developed an innovative and 'smart' prototype contrast mechanism for use in medical imaging that could provide doctors with important new insights to help diagnose injury and disease.
EU-funded researchers have developed an ultrasensitive test to rapidly, accurately and cost-effectively diagnose disease, underpinned by innovative biosensing technology that could help combat the COVID-19 pandemic, HIV and cancer.
A revolutionary approach to neuro-rehabilitation developed by EU-funded researchers could help intensive care patients to recover, including survivors of the COVID-19 pandemic.
EU-funded researchers hope a greater understanding of interactions between pertussis bacteria and the immune system, together with a toolkit for testing new vaccines, will help prevent whooping cough disease and deaths in babies worldwide.
Across the EU, many people are worried about the novel coronavirus and its rapid spread. The EU project PREPARE, which began in 2014, is responding to COVID-19 by rapidly assessing Europe’s preparedness and deploying vital clinical research.
An EU-funded project investigated how pathogenic viruses, including influenza A, take control of the protein synthesis machinery in human cells. This has provided valuable new knowledge, which paves the way for new flu treatments.
