Digital replicas of patients can help them get healthy

Simulations of the human body and advanced data promise more personalised medical treatment for a range of illnesses. By  Jack McGovan In a laboratory in the Italian capital Rome, Marco Evangelos Biancolini and his team are poking patients to gauge the effectiveness of different surgical procedures. But it’s not actual people under a scalpel – it’s … Read more

Touching a nerve in the fight against chronic pain and diseases

The human body’s longest cranial nerve has the potential to improve health on numerous fronts, according to researchers. By Vittoria D’Alessio Erika Folkes has almost given up on finding pharmaceutical solutions to her chronic pain, which is always present and can sometimes leave her in agony. She has endured this kind of discomfort – defined … Read more

Fighting superbugs with tiny machines

Instruments smaller than a human hair are being designed to eradicate antibiotic-resistant bacteria and fight cancer. By  Anthony King Dr Ana Santos becomes emotional when describing what happened several years ago: her grandfather and an uncle died of a urinary tract infection and a good friend succumbed after an accidental cut got infected. She was … Read more

The health powers of birdsong, breezes and bushes

Nature is being harnessed in the EU to improve the wellbeing of city dwellers, including people suffering from loneliness. By  Ali Jones It was researching the health benefits of urban community gardens in Denver in the US state of Colorado that set Professor Jill Litt on a path to sow nature’s feel-good factor in cities … Read more

Wind-powered ships, food scents and forest guardians vie to lead research advances

Five experts who appeared in Horizon Magazine in 2023 outline how their areas of activity will evolve in the coming year and beyond. By  Anthony King From sail-powered tankers and new food habits to forest-protecting hedges and data-driven healthcare, 2024 promises to be a big year in EU science. Rogier Eggers wants today’s ships to … Read more

Brain gain: Europe’s big advances in neuroscience

EU researchers are coming up with new ways to tackle the range of illnesses tied to the human body’s most complex organ. By  Horizon Staff In the southern French city of Marseille, health researchers have developed a way to operate more effectively on epilepsy patients. In Milan in northern Italy, scientists have come up with … Read more