Ερευνητικά Αποτελέσματα Ελλήνων Ερευνητών - Europedirect

Greece's renowned National Center for Scientific Research 'Demokritos' (NCSRD) conducts world-class research for advancing scientific knowledge and promoting technological development. An EU initiative has helped to boost the Center's capacity in environment- and climate-related research.

A nanocarbon coating developed by EU-funded scientists reduces both surface ice build-up on aircraft and in-flight turbulence from wind drag

De-icing aircraft in cold weather can be costly in terms of time, labour and materials such as solvents. Now scientists, under the EU-funded SANAD project, have developed a top coat for aircraft that repels water, leading to significant maintenance cost savings. The innovative nanocarbon coating at the same time reduces wind drag on the aircraft’s surface, reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Two new software tools promise to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) mitigate online fraud in e-shopping and to enhance sales though better knowledge about the competition.

Online sales are flourishing, but e-shops belonging to SMEs have a tough time competing with traditional sales channels of bigger companies that are often much better established. These small shops also have to deal with online fraud, particularly with respect to credit card payments.

EU researchers are making major headway in determining what molecules cause cancer in the human intestine. The next step – formulation of personalised therapies for colorectal cancer.

The cells lining the adult intestine are continuously renewing themselves. A biochemical pathway, Wnt, lies at the heart of the crucial switch – when the cells stop dividing and differentiate to become a specialised cell. Mutations that cause faults in the molecular outcome of the pathway can cause colorectal cancer.

Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) are of great interest for use in miniaturised devices. Scientists synthesised and characterised a host of new materials with a focus on spintronics, permanent magnets and biomedicine.

Numerical simulation of bird strike incidents is a valuable tool during aircraft design and certification processes, especially in cases of structures made of composite materials. European researchers developed new tools to investigate the effect of bird strikes on a new, groundbreaking aircraft wing structure.

Researchers have successfully established a centre of excellence for Earth observation (EO) to improve weather models in the Balkans region.

EO involves the downloading, processing and analysis of satellite images of Earth, which may consist of visible light and/or non-visible wavelengths. These techniques are useful for weather forecasting, disaster management and monitoring of natural resources.

Researchers have successfully developed a new, biodegradable material that is resistant to fats and prevents light-induced food spoilage.

The dried food market is growing rapidly due to advantages over fresh produce such as cheaper transportation costs and longer storage life. This increased demand has resulted in high volumes of food packaging waste, 80 % of which is currently non-recyclable.

Turning to hybrid, electric and hydrogen fuel cell powertrain technologies is the way forward for the automotive industry. An EU initiative contributed to green mobility by upgrading research capacity at the Aerosol and Particle Technology Laboratory (APTL).

Prediction of risk factors triggering asthma and rhinitis could help alleviate and treat such respiratory allergies. Leading European scientists investigated the relationship between recurrent infections and asthma development and generated tools and models to inform prevention.

Millions of people are affected globally by asthma and rhinitis – allergy-related diseases caused by chronic inflammations. Despite the growing health concern, the causative factors and mechanisms triggering allergic disease remain elusive.

An EU initiative assisted a major Greek university to enter the green/sustainable supply chain management (SCM) field, and sustainable agri-food in particular.

The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh), one of the oldest and largest modern universities in Greece and the Balkans region, is making moves to expand into green SCM research.

To enhance the utility of power generation from solar energy, systems must meet demand even when the Sun is not shining. An EU initiative introduced improved technology to store thermal energy during daylight hours.

Concentrating solar power (CSP) technology is in principle compatible to thermal/thermochemical energy storage. Excess heat from the Sun is stored during the day to drive a power cycle during evening and night hours for prolonged electricity production.

An EU initiative has introduced novel nanoscale technology that will slash the costs of cleaning up automobile emissions and enable the secure flow of critical raw materials.

The world market for Organic Electronics (OE) devices should reach EUR 69 billion in 2026, and companies across the world want their share of the pie. An EU-funded consortium set out to take the lead with pilot lines combining smart fabrication tools and smart materials. Their innovative nanomaterials were successfully demonstrated in a solar roof for the Fiat 500L.

The Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB) in Crete has consistently demonstrated its capacity for excellence in structural biology research and innovation. An EU initiative helped to boost its international competitiveness and innovative capacity.

European researchers have investigated the drivers behind the evolution of variations in gene expression from Neanderthal to modern day humans.

Natural selection is the main driver of evolution, but in small populations, where there are weak selective forces, genetic drift takes charge. However, there are many other factors that exert influence under neutrality including mutation, recombination and slight changes affecting binding of transcription factors.

European researchers investigated how the melanoma antigen (MAGE) genes cause metabolic dysfunction in neurons.

MAGE genes have received increasing attention due to their roles in human diseases, mainly cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders. Two members of the MAGE superfamily, necdin and MAGEL2, cause the Prader-Willi syndrome. This genetic disorder is associated with aberrant cognitive function and psychoses, as well metabolic dysfunctions such as hyperphagia, high body fat mass and obesity.

Gas turbines operate with very high temperatures, and thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are a requirement to prevent degradation of components and increase efficiency. Novel coating formulations promise to significantly enhance their performance.

EU-funded scientists have found a better alternative to indium tin oxide (ITO) for controlling display pixels in touchscreen displays. Being highly transparent conductors, nanowires of copper (Cu) can drive down the costs of displaying information on cell phones, tablets or e-books, and help engineers build foldable screens and even solar cells.

Mobile devices are gradually becoming the first go-to device for information and content consumption, and this huge number of interactions amongst people could be the key to establishment of opportunistic networks. High throughput and capacity as well as low energy consumption will render such networks one of the most promising technologies for next-generation mobile applications.