European Commission, Directorate General for Research & Innovation news

Do your muscles ache after clicking your mouse and staring at your computer screen for hours on end? Experts tell us that we must take short breaks throughout the day, but many of us often ignore the advice, at the risk of causing repetitive strain injury (RSI). This is about to change. Thanks to a group of European researchers, a smart fabric that can monitor muscular overload and help thwart RSI has been developed. The EU-funded Specific Targeted Research Project ConText initially sought to es

Fruits, vegetables and nuts are just some of the foods that form part of a group of antioxidant chemical compounds called flavonoids. There is growing evidence that flavonoids, part of the polyphenols group, keeps humans healthy, fighting off cardiovascular disease, cancer and degenerative diseases. FLORA, a EUR 3.3 million EU-funded project, is helping people understand the link between diet and health, as well as the beneficial effects flavonoids have on humans. The findings of a FLORA study h

The health benefits of regular exercise are well known and are commonly featured in public awareness campaigns. Now, recent research has revealed just how dangerous a lack of physical activity can be to the human body.

One of the most repeated pieces of medical advice given today is that people should do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week. This regular activity is thought to promote a healthier body and ward off a host of ailments, including cancer, diabetes, arthritis

The European Space Agency is throwing its full support behind an initiative spearheaded by the Portuguese National Health Institute for the development of a Health Early Warning System (HEWS). This system will enable the timely detection and tracking of emerging threats to public health and safety via satellite. Originally the brainchild of the Portuguese National Health Institute (INSA), the HEWS promises to be a boon not only for Europe but also for the world. HEWS is being developed as an int

Portable laboratories the size of your palm, capable of analysing food for diseases such as salmonella, no longer belong in the realms of science fiction. A team of European researchers are on the fast track to producing just such a lab. OptoLabCard, a project funded by the EU to the tune of over EUR 3 million, offers to not only protect the health and well-being of millions of Europeans but also to save hundreds of millions of euros spent treating gastrointestinal infections.

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