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Researchers on a mission  |  Health
On a mission to transform palliative healthcare

Greek researcher, Dr Pantelis Natsiavas, is on a mission to use technology to redefine the meaning of palliative care for those affected by cancer ...

Microplastics have been found in water, air and food, raising concerns about how constant exposure may affect human health. © Microgen, Shutterstock.com
Environment  |  Health  |  Science in society
Scientists race to understand the health risks of microplastics

From city air to drinking water, microplastics are becoming impossible to avoid. EU-funded researchers are now exploring how these tiny particles ...

Researchers are bringing personalised care to rheumatoid arthritis patients across Europe. © Vitalii Stock, Shuttersock.com
Health  |  Science in society
Squeezing more from arthritis drugs to help patients live better

Although powerful treatments exist for rheumatoid arthritis, doctors can’t always predict which drug will work best for each person. An EU-funded ...

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The new generation of e-noses could detect diseases such as asthma. Image: Shutterstock/Image Point Fr
ICT  |  Health
Electronic noses could help sniff out disease

Researchers are designing electronic noses that mimic the way our brains process smells, and the new devices could help uncover health conditions such as asthma and pneumonia.

MANAQA project researchers have discovered that cobalt-nickel and nickel alloys produce the most effective magnetic nanowires. Image: (vanadium oxide nanowires) Shutterstock/Georgy Shafeev
Health
Nanowires help scientists manipulate molecules

Designer proteins could mean new treatments to tackle diseases with pinpoint accuracy, thanks to scientists who are developing miniscule machines to manipulate single molecules.

Gold nanorods, modified with a silica shell, could help track the course of artificially programmed stem cells within the body. Image courtesy of Joan Comenge, University of Liverpool
Health
The tools that could help grow human tissue

Tiny gold rods and 3D scaffolds are just two of the tools helping scientists harness the power of stem cells to grow and repair damaged or malfunctioning tissue in patients.

An EU team is working to create a pacemaker that could be powered by the body’s own vibrations. Image: Shutterstock/Vadim Ratnikov
Health
Harnessing vibrational energy can mean heartbeat-powered pacemakers

The noise of a whirring washing machine or a house-rumbling lorry may seem like little more than a nuisance, but scientists are developing sophisticated devices to turn such everyday vibrations into a new energy source.

One of the problems with developing an Ebola vaccine is that only laboratories with a high biosecurity rating can handle the virus. Image: Laboratoire P4 Jean Mérieux/Inserm/François Guénet
Health
New Ebola programme funds vaccines, 15 minute test

New vaccines and a 15-minute diagnostic test are among eight research projects being launched under the first round of a dedicated Ebola funding programme run by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), a tie-up between the EU and Europe's pharmaceutical industry.

One of the project’s pilot sites – Belfast City Hall in Northern Ireland – has taken the opportunity to not only save energy, but also design a better, more flexible lighting system. Image: Belfast City Council.
Energy  |  Health
Intelligent lighting could improve health, slash bills

The widespread adoption of a new form of lighting could not only help dramatically reduce Europe’s energy use but also be used to improve people’s health and well-being.

It can be important to test quickly for the presence of HIV in blood, especially in the case of babies. Image: Shutterstock/ Andrii Muzyka
Health
Cutting the cost of HIV tests

Researchers are working to increase the speed and bring down the cost of HIV tests, and the technology they are developing could have a major impact on the way the disease is treated.

Light is being used to create health monitors and treatments for conditions such as backache, neck and shoulder pain. Image courtesy of Centre for Microsystems Technology (CMST), IMEC and Ghent University.
Health
Glowing bandages and antibacterial hospital gowns – welcome to the new world of wearable tech

Wearable technology isn’t just about gadgets. Scientists are developing a new generation of fabrics and materials with health applications from pain relief to fighting infection.

Researchers think the amount people smoke and how dependent they become is largely genetic. Image: Shutterstock/ Stefano Carnevali
Health
Researchers closing in on addiction genes

Falling in with the wrong crowd at school or college can lead some young people astray but not others – now researchers are closing in on the addiction genes that determine whether bad habits stick.

The Full4Health project is looking at the gut-brain mechanisms behind satiety and how they affect our choices at the dinner table. Image: Shutterstock/Luiz Rocha
Health
The extra-filling foods that could help control your appetite

Foods that make us feel fuller faster and for longer could be the key to managing obesity, according to EU scientists who are developing a new range of appetite-suppressing foods to help us control how much we eat.

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