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Research and innovation

Human development and ageing

EU research on human development and ageing

The number of Europeans aged over 65 is expected to nearly double from 85 million in 2008 to 151 million by 2060, and the number of those over 80 is expected to rise from 22 to 61 million in the same period.

Reducing or containing costs so that they do not become unsustainable depends partly on improving the lifelong health and well-being of all and therefore on the effective prevention, treatment and management of disease and disability.

Due to higher life expectancy the age and population structure in Europe will change. Therefore, research furthering lifelong health, active ageing and well-being for all will be a cornerstone of the successful adaptation of societies to demographic change.

Research on human development and ageing includes:

  • determining the biomarkers of ageing
  • understanding the developmental processes of long-lived organisms throughout their lives
  • studying the immune system in old age
  • establishing a roadmap on ageing research in Europe
  • increasing the participation of eldery in clinical trials
  • studying determinants of ageing and longevity and the role of environment
  • building a consensus definition of frailty

Funding opportunities

Horizon Europe

Funding for health under the research and innovation framework programme, Horizon Europe

Projects and results

EU-funded projects (CORDIS)

Projects in the fields of human development and ageing on the Commission's primary portal for results of EU-funded research projects

Horizon Results Platform

Platform where framework programme funding recipients present their results to search, contact their owners and form partnerships

Collaboration and jobs

Find project partners

Look for project partners and view profiles of all organisations that have received funding via the funding and tender opportunities portal

Scientific publications, tools and databases

Horizon 2020 dashboard

Interactive reporting platform, composed of a set of sheets that allows series of views to discover and filter Horizon 2020 data

EU Open Data Portal

Single point of access to open data produced by the EU institutions. All data free to use for commercial and non-commercial purposes

OpenAIRE

You can access all scientific publications from Horizon 2020 via OpenAIRE