Achievements

When Prof. Heino Falcke obtained an ERC grant to study and identify the sources of ultra-high energy cosmic rays, back in 2008, he could not imagine that his research would provide an important clue to better understand lightning and thunderclouds much closer to us. His team indeed realized that cosmic rays, originating in outer space and striking the Earth from all directions, can provide a near instantaneous 'picture' of the electric fields in clouds.

Climate change may influence the prevalence of various deadly diseases. But with the future climate still clouded in uncertainty, we can neither predict the precise impact nor prepare for it. Having the right tools in place to make decisions is therefore crucial. This is the message that EU-funded HEALTHY FUTURES project is taking to the World Health Organisation – along with decision support tools that it has developed.

Africa’s dry climate and strong rural dependence on farming make drought a particular threat across the continent. Early warning and targeted action can limit the harm done – EU-funded research is connecting policy-makers to information that helps them identify risks and prevent problems.

EU-funded research has significantly boosted understanding of the links between climate, environment and disease in Sub-Saharan Africa. The research is feeding into global efforts to create an early warning system for major outbreaks of killer diseases such as malaria – and save lives.

The average car in Europe weighed around 1400 kg and emitted about 132 g of CO2 per kilometre travelled in 2012. Lower weight equals a decrease in fuel consumption and as a result CO2 emissions. An EU-funded project has developed two new high-volume materials that could help new car models lighten their emission load.

Language is at the heart of everyday communication. But we don’t all understand language in the same way, with prior information, age and cognitive ability playing a key role. An EU-funded network is studying how people in different ability and age groups perceive language. Its projects are developing tools and training software that could help people with disorders like autism communicate better.

Today’s powerful neuroimaging techniques can map the structure and function of a patient’s brain in great detail. They are crucial for the detection and treatment of many illnesses. Combining two key methods could provide even better brain scans, say EU-funded researchers who have built a prototype of an innovative hybrid instrument.

Rising temperatures in mountain regions could have a significant impact on ecosystems, societies and economies around the world over the coming decades, according to EU-funded researchers who led a landmark study into the effects of climate change on mountain water resources.

Many of Africa’s cities lack the skills and resources to prepare for natural disasters, which scientists expect to become more frequent due to climate change. An EU-funded project has provided practical approaches vulnerable communities could use to plan ahead – and reduce the risk to lives and infrastructure.

The world needs more drinking water, without damaging ecosystems, and the sea is one possible source. EU-funded researchers are developing a self-cleaning filter membrane for desalination plants that cuts their energy use, waste and maintenance costs compared to those of existing filters.

For the first time ever, two ERC grantees, Prof. Luca G. Guidotti and Dr Matteo Iannacone, have observed in vivo how specific white blood cells, so-called cytotoxic T lymphocytes, identify, target and attack liver cells that are infected with the hepatitis B virus. To witness these immune cells in action in real time, the two scientists developed advanced, dynamic imaging techniques. An estimated 240 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis B worldwide.

Mass production and packaging in factories is already highly automated these days, but the same cannot be said for logistics. Movements of raw materials and finished products still depend heavily on manual labour. However, EU-funded research on Automatic Guided Vehicles means this is about to change over the next decade – and could create thousands of new jobs.

Össur, a company with headquarters based in Iceland and whose mission is to improve people's mobility, is a partner in two FET projects, BIOMOT and SYMBITRON. Learn more about those projects and how Össur contributes to them.

Olives are not only a ‘superfood’ – they also create thousands of jobs in the Mediterranean region. But ironically, producing table olives or olive oil requires huge amounts of water – sometimes a scarcity in hot, dry southern Europe. An EU-funded project has developed a system to re-use the water used to wash olives – good news for both the environment and olive producers limited by low water levels.

EU-funded research has shown that natural rubber from home-grown dandelions and guayule could be used for tyres. Researchers and industry are now working together to scale up production – paving the way for Europe to reduce its dependence on rubber imports and to boost competitiveness.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology has the potential to help the EU significantly cut its greenhouse gas emissions. However, a lack of low-cost and energy-efficient capture technologies is hampering their take-up. EU-funded researchers have developed new CCS technologies to produce efficient and cost-effective electrical power from fossil fuels with near-zero emissions. One solution has been patented, while another is being prepared for market.

Do you know what "Maxwell's demon" (MD) is? It is a device where information is converted to energy using feedback from the measurement. The INFERNOS project has successfully shown how an electronic Maxwell's demon does this with the help of nano technology. This achievement could lead towards more energy-efficient future.

Parkinson’s disease is a common disorder with no cure available yet. An EU-funded project has produced a genetic and chemical map of the neurons affected by the disease, to support new research into diagnosis and treatments.

The step from design to real-world implementation is the test of any new technology. An EU-supported project showed how to combine two solar power innovations to provide sunshine energy to customers, day and night.

A personal health system helps Parkinson’s patients manage their symptoms while providing doctors with a rich source of information from continuous monitoring.