Ιούλιος 2013

Genetic inheritance plays a role in attributing traits such as good health or increased risk for diseases like cancer, hypertension and diabetes. Novel methods to detect and analyse nucleic acids have been developed to solve problems at the genetic and epigenetic level.

Further information: cordis.europa.eu

There is often a ''glass ceiling'' – engrained social and organisational barriers – holding back the advancement of women in science. An EU-financed project has come up with an integrated approach to help overcome structural challenges facing gender equality in the field.

Further information: cordis.europa.eu

The EU budget has provided more than EUR 1.9 billion for brain research since the start of the current EU framework programme for research, FP7, in 2007. This has funded more than 1200 projects with more than 1500 participants from the EU and beyond. Looking back on the ''European Month of the Brain'' in May, we take a retrospective look at the range of brain-related research projects the EU is funding in the field of ''Information and communications technologies'' (ICT).

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is the selective separation of materials in the blood that are allowed to enter the brain. European scientists investigated the BBB function in neurological disorders and explored the potential of targeting it as a means of overcoming drug resistance.

Further information: cordis.europa.eu