The weakened immune system in people with HIV/AIDS makes them particularly vulnerable to fungal infections such as cryptococcal meningitis, which can be deadly. The medicine used to treat the condition is flucytosine, and EU-funded researchers have developed a new and more efficient way of producing it. This will cut production costs, making it more affordable for people in low-income countries.
An intelligent system developed by EU-funded researchers can provide buses and coaches with firefighting capabilities. This integrated solution is designed to detect, locate and suppress fires quickly. It can address some of them before they even start.
The production of cement and lime involves fossil fuels and produces harmful greenhouse gases. Industry could change this, if scientists can develop a technology that can use solar power for high temperature industrial processes. The EU-funded SOLPART project has built lab-scale reactors that use a solar powered process to meet this need.
High-performance biocomposites derived from wheat straw and recycled paper? EU-funded researchers have developed new materials and components based on substances isolated from these renewable residues. They have also found a way to extract silica from the straw, offering a greener alternative to current production methods for this compound.
What would it be like to live on Mars? Much like Earth, maybe, in due course - but the pioneers who will one day head out there will face a deeply hostile environment upon arrival. EU-funded researchers have developed a habitat for simulated space missions in suitably challenging locations down here on Earth. It can also support research in extreme conditions.
Catalysts are essential for a lot of chemical production processes, accelerating and enhancing chemical reactions to produce plastics, medicines and fuels more efficiently. Now, thanks to EU-funded research, catalysts are being made more precise and effective with potentially significant benefits for industry and the environment, not least through the development of ultra-clean fuels.
Nuclear fusion could, potentially, solve our energy problems once and for all, but we're not quite there yet. However, we are already reaping benefits from the research. Technology development for ITER, for example, generates new know-how with possible applications in industry. It has inspired world-leading innovation for a type of analytical instrumentation.
The EU-funded InnoRenew Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Slovenia will foster research on the innovative and efficient use of renewable resources in building materials.
By making the most of Distributed Modular Electronics in next-generation avionics, researchers with the EU-funded ASHLEY project are establishing Europe's position as a global leader in aviation innovation.
The EU-funded SISSDEN project will create, deploy and operate a network of sensors to detect, collect and share information about potential threats to cyber security and how to tighten computer defences accordingly.
