Challenge-driven programmes in cancer, climate change and smart cities are not working out as planned. To be successful they need to pull in outside funding, says new EU research head Marc Lemaître. A progress report is due out next week

Nodes in seven universities around the country will build bridges with materials science and life sciences companies that could benefit from advanced imaging facilities 

Experts are calling for more regulatory action to bring precision medicine to the market, as big data enables more personalised treatments and prevention

Moves to ensure the EU’s economic independence and technology sovereignty are catching universities in the cross hairs. Institutions must strike a balance between protecting sensitive technologies and maintaining open science and autonomy

AI could be used to falsify data. It could also check the quality of journal papers. New guidance says AI has potential benefits, but maintaining integrity of research requires scientists and institutions to be transparent about its use

The Commission is set to update legislation on genetic engineering of crops, with its proposal to be presented in July. There will be opposition from environmental groups that want the 2001 blanket ban to be retained

A small top-up for Horizon Europe allays fears the budget would be cut, but there’s growing unease about the EU’s research programme becoming too focused on innovation

Maria Leptin looks to how Horizon Europe’s successor programme can help bridge the east-west gap in research performance after visiting Croatia and Slovenia

A formal system has been put in place that allows regional funds to be transferred to Horizon Europe projects. To date, €18.5M has been made available

A new report highlights structural problems and bottlenecks that are holding back progress in building up capacity and strengthening the scientific systems in eastern Europe