Brominated organic chemicals, man-made chemical compounds added to many consumer products to make them less flammable, have raised numerous health and environmental concerns in recent years. An EU-funded project is evaluating a commercially ready tool to test for the presence of these harmful substances and prevent them from affecting ecosystems and human health.
Obesity is on the rise in Europe and with that worrying signs of poor health, stigmatisation and social exclusion, especially among the young. International research is now under way to help schools tackle this scourge through physical education classes that better communicate the benefits of being active to all students, regardless of their gender, sexuality, ethnicity, race and social class.
EU-funded researchers have developed and tested a way to make human heart valve implants more tolerable and longer lasting, enabling recipients of all ages to avoid follow-up surgery and live largely normal lives, cutting hospital stays and healthcare costs.
An EU-funded project is carrying out the first clinical trial among elderly cardiac patients of a novel multi-medication pill to prevent recurrent heart attacks, improve the efficacy of care and save lives.
Europe has identified the need for a central, standardised stem cell repository providing researchers with access to quality controlled cell lines and data for future drug development. EU and industry funding helped this new bio-bank facility establish initial operations and create a 'foundational collection'.
EU and industry-funded researchers have developed a portable device to test in the field whether a person has caught the deadly Ebola disease. It gives reliable results in 75 minutes, which can help contain outbreaks and save lives.
The EU-funded ENSPIRIT project is developing an innovative emission abatement system capable of reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) pollution levels and meeting stringent new regulations on particle matter.
To ensure the right person takes an Ebola trial vaccine at the right time in Sierra Leone, an EU-industry funded project is employing a combination of low-tech and high-tech community engagement strategies. Today, 450 adults and 96 adolescents are successfully enrolled in a two-stage vaccine trial.
