EU-funded research impact
A selection of outcomes and impact of EU-funded research projects at Ghent University.
- Anxiety changes the way we think: this EU project has found that anxiety alters how we interpret our environment and make decisions – abilities we need to function on a daily basis. [ANXIETY & COGNITION]
- Device for identifying individuals at high risk of Osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture: The early detection of osteoporosis is key to its treatment. This EU-funded project introduces a point-of-care tool for bone disease risk profiling, prevention, detection and treatment. [PoCOsteo]
- Geometry in error-correcting software: Error-correcting software is vital in all digital communication as it permits the recovery of signals from degradation by noise during transmission. Geometric relationships can be important in error detection and correction. [FACE]
- Managing fresh produce more effectively: A recent initiative has taken steps to improve European food security in the face of expected climate change. [VEG-i-TRADE]
- Microclimatic buffering of plant responses to macroclimate warming in temperate forests: Many biological communities are struggling to keep pace with climate change. Researchers investigated the role the forest understorey plays in driving local ecosystems. [FORMICA]
- Europe and Asia collaborate on aquaculture: In recent decades, aquaculture has grown from its humble beginnings as small-scale farming operations to become a major technology-based bio-industry. Although the main areas of production are located in Asia, research and technical development in current aquaculture technology is largely centred in Europe. [ASEM-AQUACULTURE09]
- Reward revisited: Towards a comprehensive understanding of motivational influences on human cognition. [REMOTIVATE]
- New mother and newborn health study in Africa: The postpartum period immediately after birth is critical in the lives of mothers and newborns. Most maternal and infant deaths occur during this period. [MOMI]
- Role of macrophages in diabetes: findings disclose an unknown role for innate immunity in the development of diabetes. This opens up a new avenue for therapeutic exploitation through manipulation of the innate immune system. [MACROPHAGES IN T1D]
- Towards a more carbon- and nutrient-efficient agriculture sector: By addressing the agriculture sector’s nutrient imbalances, researchers are helping to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and reduce soil degradation. [Nutri2Cycle]
- Farm to fork approach for aquaculture: Efforts to encourage sustainable fish farming, from traceability and ethics to nutrition and environmental impact, will help create a new paradigm for European aquaculture. [CONSENSUS]
- Uncovering the climatic causes of droughts: Droughts pose a significant challenge, yet our understanding of them remains limited. This EU-funded project developed new frameworks to help explain how they start and evolve. [DRY-2-DRY]
- Understanding what causes childhood leukaemia: by unravelling the epigenomic landscape of childhood leukaemia, researchers aim to identify a less toxic way of treating this aggressive form of cancer. [EpiTALL]
- Functional brain networks in epilepsy: an EU initiative has studied how brain regions communicate with each other during baseline and seizures to identify which area causes epilepsy. The results can pave the way to improved diagnosis and early treatment of epilepsy. [EPICONNECT]
- Turning manure into gold: whereas many see manure as just waste, a group of EU-funded researchers see a wasted opportunity to create a sustainable new market for European farmers. [MANUREECOMINE]
- Adaptive polymers modelled on nature: one of nature's most important functions is adaptation, the ability to change in response to a changing environment. An EU-funded initiative has developed novel responsive polymer assemblies with self-healing and sensing functionalities that will have important uses in industry and biomedicine. [ADAPTPOLY]
- Animal feed clean-up using new chemical assay: consumer concern regarding antibiotic additives in livestock feed is growing. To keep in line with European limits for these growth promoters, a highly reliable chemical assay has been developed. [FEEDSTUFFS-RADIUS]
- Promoting smart textile research and collaboration [PROCOTEX]
- How lianas help tropical forests adapt to climate change [TREECLIMBERS]
- Software solution to efficient chemical reactor design: Software capable of accurately calculating chemical reaction rates has been developed. This could help a range of industries to achieve higher processing efficiencies and product yields. [SERENiTi]
- Research spurs on biotech-modified textiles: innovations in biotechnology and materials science are transforming Europe's textile sector. Researchers have investigated biotech modified textile materials for a number of possible uses, from 'smart' fashion to medical, transport and sports applications. [BIOTIC]
- Digital forensics seeks to enhance the preservation and analysis of our historical record: historical records are increasingly created and preserved as digital-only, yet many scholars lack suitable skills to carry out in-depth analysis. [DFitHH]
- New insight into natural slate solves roofing market’s problems: many historic buildings throughout Europe were built with slate, yet little is known about these building rocks used for roofing. An EU initiative shed important light on this stone, and proposed solutions to some of the European roofing slate industry’s pressing issues. [TOMOSLATE]
- Bacteria and special polymers seal cracks: around 70 % of Europe’s road, tunnel and bridge infrastructure is made of concrete whose structural stability can be compromised by liquids such as rainwater that enter through cracks. Novel self-healing concrete should solve the problem. [HEALCON]
- The rise and rise of women editors from 1700 onward: women were denied the right to vote until the early 20th century. They had limited access to financial rights and almost none to formal education. Yet, a few of them managed to make their voice heard through the press. The WeChangEd project is investigating their contribution to sociocultural change. [WeChangEd]
- Combined protections for greater security in mobile apps: as advanced as they have become from a purely technological point of view, smartphones still represent a step backwards from desktops in terms of security. Mobile apps and software are still largely vulnerable to attacks, and current software protections are often limited. The ASPIRE project has developed a turnkey solution for software vendors and developers to overcome these problems. [ASPIRE]
- Online tool feeds into effective forest management strategies: a great deal of biodiversity, accounting for an enormous variety of plants, amongst other forms of life, is found on the forest floor but this is often overlooked in forest management strategies. Ghent University researchers developed an online tool to accurately take account of biodiversity loss at this level. [UnderSCORE]
- Cracking steam cracking technology with eco-friendly furnaces: Innovative technology geared at emissions and energy reduction in steam cracking furnaces provides an important solution to the chemical industry. [IMPROOF]