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By default, this page displays the last three weeks of What's New items. However, you can use the menu on the right to display an individual month or the year so far ... or a previous year.
The last three weeks of What's New
Week 47
Friday, 20 November 2009
- Research Headlines
- Novel protein implicated in genetic control
An international team of scientists has identified a novel protein called BAHD1 that can change chromosome structure and is responsible for the silencing of gene expression. The study, which will help improve our understanding of how genes are regulated, was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS). The research was part of the eight-year EU-funded ERA-NET project PathoGenoMics ('Trans-European cooperation and coordination of genome sequencing and functional genomics of human-pathogenic microorganisms') which runs until 2012 with EUR 3 million in funding under the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).
Thursday, 19 November 2009
- Research Headlines
- Europeans tackle wind turbine development
Researchers at Risø, DTU (the National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy at the Technical University of Denmark) and their European colleagues have discovered a way to develop a more reliable wind turbine design. By taking detailed measurements of the load distribution on a 10-metre-long wind turbine blade under natural wind conditions, the team can offer precise information concerning the wind flow over the wind turbine blade surface. The research is part of two EU-funded projects: UPWIND and TOPFARM, with support totalling EUR 14.6 million and EUR 1.7 million, respectively.
- Star projects
- Where the virtual world and reality meet
The experience induction machine is a room at the pinnacle of virtual reality research. Its touch-sensitive tiles and captivating animations help to form a credible virtual experience. The construction of this machine is part of the PRESENCCIA project and should help researchers to study the role of humans in a mixed (physical and virtual) reality environment.
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
- Research Headlines
- Happy hormone crucial in preventing diabetes
Diabetes is growing into one the biggest health problems in the world and is now responsible for nearly 4 million deaths a year. A team of researchers studied the role of the hormone serotonin, which is stored in the pancreas along with insulin, to see if its absence had any effect on insulin production. Their results showed that the absence of serotonin in the pancreas of mice led to their rapidly developing diabetes. The results, published in the journal Public Library of Science (PLoS) Biology, offer a promising new direction in diabetes research.
- Social sciences and humanities
- Past event : Mediterranean Info Day on Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities
The event aimed at presenting the new call for the Work Programme 2010 on "Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities" and at informing the European scientific community about the research challenges envisaged within the Socio-economic sciences and Humanities domains for the future and the new approach that the Commission planned for the research.
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
- Research Headlines
- Research shows the genetic base of fungal infections
Two independent research studies, published together in the New England Journal of Medicine, used DNA sequencing and genetic mapping techniques to identify two proteins that when missing or mutated impair the body's ability to fight off the fungal Candida infection. The research findings, funded in part by the EU, could increase our understanding of the genetic basis of fungal infections and lead to new treatments not only for Candida but for other types of fungal infection too. EU support for the work came from the EUR 1.6 million MC-PIAID ('Marie-Curie grant on primary immuno-deficiencies and auto-Immune diseases') project, which was financed under the human resources and mobility budget line of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).
Monday, 16 November 2009
- Research Headlines
- EU-funded researchers develop new plastic optical fibre technology
Plastic optical fibre (POF) is making headway in the technology world and the EU-funded POLYCOM ('Plastic optical fibres with embedded active polymers for data communications') project has played a central role in its success. Backed with EUR 1.55 million under the 'Information Society Technologies' (IST) Thematic area of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), POLYCOM has promoted the use of POF in optical computing, ultra-high-speed LANs (local area networks) and new sensing devices.
- Transport
- 'LITEBUS' – the bus that bounced
LITEBUS, an EU-funded project set to reduce the weight and production costs of urban public transport, has developed a sandwich composite material to replace both steel and aluminium frames for buses. The composite renders the vehicles safer and more eco-friendly.
Week 46
Friday, 13 November 2009
- Fuel Cells and Hydrogen
- Stakeholders General Assembly 2009 : Presentations now online
The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking was established in 2008 as a public-private partnership between the European Commission, European industry and the research community to promote the commercialisation of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies. With a budget of approximately one billion Euros spread over six years, it is the most important European initiative to date promoting research, technological development and demonstrations in this field.
- Research Headlines
- Study sheds light on ruminants' tree of life
An international team of researchers has created a 'tree of life' for living and extinct ruminant species. The results, presented in the journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences), effectively link the heritage of a diverse group of species.
- Star projects
- Exploring cold water corals
The deep sea is one of the last remaining frontiers in human exploration. Hidden within the darkness are reefs known as cold water corals, home to crustaceans, molluscs, other invertebrates and fish that form the base of a food chain. As part of a European-funded research programme, British and Dutch coral experts are working together with their American colleagues to shed some light on the deep water corals throughout the Atlantic.
Thursday, 12 November 2009
- Press Centre
- Technology Platform for Implementing Geological Disposal launched
Today the Technology Platform for Implementing Geological Disposal (IGD-TP) of nuclear waste was launched in Brussels with the support of the European Commission. This marks the successful outcome of a process started with a feasibility study carried out by the Euratom 6th Framework Programme (FP6) project, 'CARD'. Since then, radioactive waste management organisations in Sweden, Finland and France, together with the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, have piloted the setting up of this TP. They have also used input from other key radioactive waste management organisations in Europe and consulted widely among R&D organisations and other stakeholders, including national authorities, academia and international bodies.
- Research Headlines
- Research sparks bright new future for welding
A new engineering research project called MINTWELD ('Modelling of interface evolution in advanced welding') has received EUR 3.5 million in EU funding to revolutionise the welding industry by using advanced technology. Funded under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and coordinated by the University of Leicester in the UK, the 4-year project involves 11 partners from 7 countries who will research ways of making welding simpler, safer and more economical by using new technologies including state-of-the-art computer-modelling techniques.
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
- Research Headlines
- Researchers find a not so itsy-bitsy spider in Africa
A new, giant Nephila species, commonly known as golden orb weaver spiders, makes its home in Africa and Madagascar, according to a Slovenian-US study. The results, published in PLoS (Public Library of Science) ONE, showed that this new species is the world's biggest ever orb weaver. The research was part of the Nephilid Spiders ('Nephilid spider phylogenetics as a test for antagonistic coevolution of sexes') project, which received over EUR 766 000 under the 'Marie Curie International Reintegration Grants' (IRG) of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).
Monday, 09 November 2009
- Research Headlines
- Romania intensifies IT competitiveness
Romania holds the 36th spot in this year's world classification on Information Technology (IT) competitiveness, according to a new study. Data from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) showed that Romania boasts a number of impressive performances in business, juridical and legal environments, and it has been instrumental in giving the IT industry a boost.
- Social sciences and humanities
- Policy Brief
Ongoing project : GILDED
(Governance, Infrastructure, Lifestyle Dynamics and Energy
Demand: European Post-Carbon Communities). This research identifies how
people in Eastern and Western Europe make sense of energy
policies and climate change in relation to their own energy
consumption.
- Presentations
Presentations and pictures of Info Day "SSH - Addictions and lifestyles in contemporary European Societies" 27/10/09
Week 45
Friday, 06 November 2009
- Environment
- Environmental Health projects from FP5 added
The list of projects in this area from FP5 has been added and is also categorised according to the following sub areas. Every project entry links to a PDF file containing an easy-to-read summary of the project and its results.
* Air pollution-related health impacts
* Chemicals and health impacts
* Electromagnetic fields and health impacts
* Noise-related health impacts
* UV light and ionising radiation-related health impacts
* Multiple stressors and factors and health impacts
* Waterborne stressor-related health impacts
* Climate change-related health impacts
* Nanoparticle-related health impacts
- Press Centre
- Europe and India sign cooperation agreement – ITER goes on
The European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and the Indian Government signed today a cooperation agreement in the field of fusion energy research. Fusion is the technology which aims to reproduce the physical reaction - fusion - that occurs in the sun and stars. The European Union and India are already partners in the construction of the international fusion tokamak ITER. The agreement was signed at the EU-India Summit in New Delhi by the European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Chairman of the Indian Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).
- Research Headlines
- Tracking the role of clouds in climate change
The role clouds play in climate change remains a mystery, but the EUCLIPSE ('Cloud intercomparison, process study and evaluation project') project is set to shed light on this issue by using state-of- the-art technology to produce an accurate picture of the relation of clouds to changing weather patterns. The EU-funded project, backed to the tune of EUR 3.5 million, aims at helping meteorologists predict more accurately future worldwide patterns of climate change.
Thursday, 05 November 2009
- Research Headlines
- ELI gears up for laser beam infrastructure launch
Can an intense laser rip photons into electron-positron pairs? Seeking to shed light on this burning question is the ELI ('Extreme light infrastructure') project, which received EUR 6 million in funding under the 'Infrastructures' Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The project partners have set their sights on making ELI the first infrastructure to approach this limit — over six orders of magnitude higher than today's laser intensity.
Wednesday, 04 November 2009
- Research Headlines
- EU setting the future in motion
Electric vehicles are the future and researchers are working on developing such cars to fuel technology and protect the environment. Rising to meet this challenge head on is the E3Car ('Energy efficient electrical car') project, funded in part by the EU and ENIAC (the European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council). Its objective is the development of nanoelectronics technologies, specifically for electrical and hybrid vehicles. E3Car will boost the efficiency of electrical cars using advanced semiconductor components. The results will help Europe gain a solid foothold on such technologies.
Tuesday, 03 November 2009
- Press Centre
- Scientists stress the dangerous link between air pollution and climate change
Scientists from the European Network of Excellence on Atmospheric Composition Change (ACCENT) have stressed the dangerous link between air pollution and climate change and the multiplied negative impact they have on the environment and health when combined. With the presentation of their research at a scientific conference today and tomorrow in Brussels, leading scientists from all over the world are contributing to European policy development to help with the fight against this phenomenon.
- How is Europe doing in clean technologies? Visit the new Commission's online assessment system
Today, the Commission launches "SETIS", the online Strategic Energy Technologies (SET-Plan) Information System, which provides the latest research results on the status, forecasts and R&D investment figures for low-carbon technologies. It underpins the effective strategic planning, conception and implementation of EU energy technology policy and serves notably to the implementation of the Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan). SETIS assesses and monitors those technologies that have a significant potential to help Europe meet its energy and climate change targets, such as wind power, solar power, CCS or bioenergy. The Information System offers interactive tools to compare the maximum potential and energy production costs foreseen for the different technologies over time.
- Investing in the future: Commission calls for additional €50bn in low carbon technologies
European Commission called public authorities, business, and researchers to join efforts in order to develop by 2020 the necessary technologies to address climate change, secure EU energy supply and ensure the competitiveness of our economies. In a proposal on "Investing in the development of low-carbon energy technologies", the Commission estimates that an additional investment of €50 billion in energy technology research will be needed over the next 10 years. This means almost tripling the annual investment in the European Union, from €3 to €8 billion. This represents a step forward in the implementation of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan), the technology pillar of the EU's energy and climate policy. Different sources of funding are considered, from public and private sectors at national and EU level, to be used in a coordinated way will also help to push forward a fast growing industrial sector and to create jobs
- Commission takes steps to ensure European Research Council's long term success
The European Commission has decided today on a course of action to secure a sustainable future for the European Research Council (ERC) as a world-class funding organisation supporting leading-edge frontier research. In response to an independent review of the ERC operations and in the light of its own experience, the Commission will streamline the ERC's organisation and governance, and enhance the efficiency of its operations. It will recruit a distinguished scientist with robust administrative experience to lead the ERC Executive Agency. The Commission also announces it will engage into a broader debate with the European Parliament and the Council on adapting the regulatory framework for Research and Technological development to the specific requirements of scientific activities. The Commission is committed to build a financial and administrative framework that will best serve the policies aimed at boosting new sources of sustainable growth.
- Climate change: Commission welcomes IPCC decision to grant EC full participation
The European Commission today welcomed the decision by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC) to let the European Community participate fully in IPCC meetings, a prerogative normally reserved for governments. The IPCC is a United Nations organisation which acts as an objective source of information on climate change. The decision, taken at the IPCC meeting this week, recognises the special status of the European Community and gives Commission representatives the right to speak and to introduce proposals like any IPCC Member, but not to vote. This is in line with what the Commission requested.
- A "BONUS" for the Baltic - €100 million for new Joint Baltic Sea Research Programme
Today, the European Commission has adopted a proposal on a Joint Baltic Sea Research Programme ('BONUS-169'). The objective is to enhance the Baltic Sea region research capacity to ensure a more sustainable development of the region. The Commission proposes to contribute € 50 million to a joint research investment with eight EU Baltic Sea Member States (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden). The € 100 million programme will provide a framework for the coordination of their environmental research.
- Research Headlines
- Mysterious 'ribbon' marks boundaries of solar system
The first complete maps of our solar system produced by the IBEX space satellite have revealed a bright ribbon-like structure — composed of densely packed atoms — that runs around its edges. An international team of scientists is baffled by the presence of the ribbon, which was not seen by the two previous Voyager satellite missions, and further investigation into its role may lead to exciting new evidence on how the heliosphere really operates. The findings were published in the Science journal.
- Social sciences and humanities
- Round table on "Identity and Citizenship in a Supranational Polity"
Over the last years, IntUne has co-ordinated a large European research team on the themes of citizenship, identity and scope of governance in the EU. This research project has entailed two series of mass and elites surveys conducted by local research teams in seventeen Member States plus Turkey and Serbia as well as an in depth analysis of media discourse and a survey of policy experts in five policy areas. 12 November 2009 - Brussels
- Sustainable development
- Conference presentations now available
On 30th September 2009, the Sustainable Development Unit of the Research DG's Directorate for Environment and EUROSTAT has organised a conference on "Research on Sustainable Development Indicators: Taking Stock of Results and Identification of Research Needs". The Conference took place in Luxembourg, back-to-back with the Working group on Sustainable Development Indicators, within EUROSTAT premises.
- Transport
- Event :Intelligent transport projects in focus
With the focus on intelligent transport systems for use in daily life, EU research projects looking to expand practical applications were on show at the 16th ITS Congress in Stockholm.
- iTREN 2030
More than 60 experts from the European Commission, national governments, industry and the researcher community met in Brussels on 21 October for the final presentation of the iTREN-2030 project, which has developed an integrated scenario for energy and transport in Europe.
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 European Network on Clinical Guidelines Development - CoCanCPG Paris Symposium
24 November, 2009
Paris
Over the last decade there have been major improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. However across Europe there is still marked variation in the care that patients receive. The European Union has funded a four-year ERA-NET programme under FP6 on Coordination of Cancer Clinical Practice Guidelines in Europe (CoCanCPG) to allow collaboration across different countries. To share our findings and promote the network, CoCanCPG consortium is holding a symposium in Paris on Tuesday November 24th 2009.
More information
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Gender in EU-funded research: Health, Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies
11 December, 2009
Brussels
These one-day training sessions are intended for anybody interested in rendering research gender-sensitive: researchers, project managers, National Contact Points, expert evaluators etc.
The sessions will provide practical guidance on how the gender dimension can be integrated in research, using clear examples of how gender is relevant to existing FP7 projects.
Website
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