Tackling disease with EU-funded research projects

While we have immensely improved tools to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, this has not been sufficient to halt the spread of the virus or to find a definitive cure. In 2012, more than 131 000 new HIV infections were reported in Europe and Central Asia - up 8 % from 2011. Of these new cases, 29 000 were reported in the EU and the European Economic area (EU/EEA) - 1 % more than the previous year.

And while cancer and anti-cancer therapies have been researched since the beginning of medicine, it is thought that cancer will likely remain one of the biggest killers of the 21st century. Global research efforts to fight the disease have been ongoing since the 1970's. The aim is to turn this disease into a chronic, instead of a fatal one. Most researchers and clinicians will admit that this is a formidable challenge.