The damage done by chronic kidney disease is irreversible: once the illness has taken hold, the organ can't be healed. Patients' prospects and quality of life would be much improved if the condition could be spotted sooner. An EU-funded project has developed a biomarker test to pick up very early signs of diabetic kidney disease, and identified possible improvements in the approach to therapy.
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.
AVS Chile, an applied research company that works with companies, universities and research centres to help meet the R&D challenges facing Chilean aquaculture, discusses its work on the EU-funded ClimeFish project.
Scientists are delving into the core machinery of cellular life, in search of the mechanisms driving bacterial evolution and adaptation. Their findings promise biosynthetic factories able to convert biomass into fuels and valuable chemicals.
The EU-funded CERES project is using models to anticipate the impact of climate change on European fisheries and aquaculture. The assessment will feed into industry-driven solutions to secure Europe's seafood supply.
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.
Language, reasoning and learning are abilities powered by the neocortex, the folded grey matter on the outside of the brain. But how does its neuronal circuitry actually handle information? Using the example of syntax processing, new EU-funded research is exploring the physiological underpinnings of human cognition.
Green, bio-based industries could drive smart new growth in Europe's regions. An EU-funded project has developed assessment and guidance tools to help regions design strategies to boost entrepreneurship and investment in local bioeconomies.
