ICT 2015 - Innovate, Connect, Transform, takes place in Lisbon from 20th to 22nd October 2015 with some of the most important European players in ICT, the excellence of EU universities and research centres and flourishing SMEs and start-ups.
ERC grantee Professor Deniz Kirik's spin-off company will join forces with Skåne Regional Council in southern Sweden to build a specialised hospital and a state-of-the-art gene therapy centre, the parties announced on 8 October. The new facilities are expected to be operational by 2020. They will provide researchers unique opportunities for clinical trials, while patients will gain access to the latest treatment methods for Parkinson’s disease and other illnesses.
Short-lived pollutants such as ozone, methane and aerosols are key to fighting both climate change and air pollution, says the team behind an EU-funded study that assessed effective emission abatement strategies for these short-lived climate forcers. Such strategies could reduce increases in global temperatures by 0.22°C by 2050, the team believes.
Our fragile marine ecosystems are under threat. Sustainable use of resources is key to redressing the balance. Enter a network of EU-funding research agencies who have already offered a glimpse of the future of fisheries and aquaculture research.
Plant breeders could in the future produce new versions of common crops to cope with climate change. An EU-funded project is using genetics to identify which plants in staple cereal species could thrive in drought and high temperatures, helping future-proof our food.
Producing more food to feed a growing global population will require more intensive and extensive farming over the coming decades. Ensuring this can be achieved in a sustainable way is the goal of EU-funded researchers developing methods and tools to monitor and map agricultural areas and crop production.
It may look like rubbish, but food waste does have its uses. It could even be converted into valuable graphite and hydrogen. An EU-funded project has set out to do just that. The process it is developing combines anaerobic digestion with microwave plasma technology to transform trash into treasure.
The briefing will reflect on how to reduce energy needs for the next generation of smart buildings from Swiss and EU perspectives.
The Swiss Innovation Briefing, jointly organised by the Mission of Switzerland to the EU and SwissCore, will host the following speakers: Gian-Luca Bona, Alexander Wokaun, Walter Steinmann and Mark Van Stiphout, who, after their presentations, will take part in a panel discussion moderated by Christian Schaffner.
The ABIOMATER project will explore how magnetically controlled metamaterials – engineered materials with properties not found in nature – could be used to improve medical devices and implants, upgrading treatment options for patients. From lenses to tissue engineering, the team plans prototypes within three years.
If we ever want to put down roots beyond our home planet, we will need a way to grow food out there. Pre-packaged meals will only get us so far. The EDEN ISS project has set out on a four-year mission dedicated to plant cultivation on the International Space Station. Its work could help to remove one of the barriers standing between us and thriving colonies on Mars.
The European Commission will invest almost €16 billion in research and innovation in the next two years under Horizon 2020, the EU's research and innovation funding scheme, following a new work programme for 2016-17 adopted on 13 October. The work programme is now available on the participant portal.
An EU-funded project has developed innovative technologies and techniques for recycling water, nutrients and by-products along the food supply chain – from horticulture to processing and on to shop shelves. These advances add up to big savings for producers and manufacturers, increase competitiveness, and benefit the environment.
Carlos Moedas, Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation said: "Research and innovation are the engines of Europe's progress and vital to addressing today's new pressing challenges like immigration, climate change, clean energy and healthy societies. Over the next two years, €16 billion from Horizon 2020 will support Europe's top scientific efforts, making the difference to citizens' lives."
Would you rather squeeze a ball to exercise your weaker hand or play video games? An EU-funded project tested the concept on a group of patients in Israel recovering after a stroke. The idea was unanimously popular and also saw patients working harder – without realising it – than during traditional rehabilitation exercises.
When consumers buy food, their choices impact economies, the environment and the well-being of both humans and animals. An EU-funded project is developing a flexible method to assess these impacts to help policymakers achieve a more sustainable food supply.
EU-funded researchers are developing an underwater robot with exceptional dexterity that can be controlled remotely from the shore. For the oil and gas industry this could mean reducing the amount of hazardous underwater repair work that is usually carried out by divers, while also cutting operational costs.
As the popularity of ready-to-eat salads increases, producers are seeking to keep us hungry for more by offering greater choice. But testing each new recipe for safety, quality and shelf life costs time and money for producers – predominantly small companies. EU-funded researchers have developed software that predicts the impact of each production stage on a salad, aiming to reduce costs, and help small food makers become more competitive in this market.
Building a sustainable future is a key challenge facing governments today. Information on possible approaches is needed, and a wealth of relevant research does exist — but it is not necessarily easy to find and use. An EU-funded project has compiled extensive knowledge online and promoted dialogue between scientists and policy-makers.
Europe’s first fully comparable evaluation of vitamin D status and dietary intake – as they relate to vitamin D deficiency – will soon be available thanks to the EU-funded ODIN project. This could lead to innovative food-based solutions designed to increase vitamin D in the food supply.
