COST Conversations

Investigating the negative health consequences of problematic usage of the internet has been a key priority for research in the last years. To effectively conduct such research, engaging with the general public becomes indispensable, requiring from scientists to navigate the creative fields of communication and public relations. Dr Julius Burkauskas is the Science Communication Coordinator of the COST Action (a multidisciplinary research network) 'European Network for Problematic Usage of the Internet'. During its four years' activities, this COST Action has been very active, engaging with the general public on various occasion and generating creative material as well as impressive media outfall.

Thursday 28 January is International Data Privacy Day. The day has been created to raise awareness and promote better privacy and data protection best practices. In honour of this cause we hear from 3 key individuals who are working to keep COST Action participant data safe and legally protected.

Podcast features interviews with:

How can ultrafast imaging techniques benefit society? And what are the  implications for medicine? Find out in our latest COST Conversation with  Dr Harry Tsoumpas.

In this special edition of COST Conversations we focus on the Western Balkans and discover how researchers from the region are contributing to pan-European networking, as well as how they are benefitting from the experiences and knowledge gained through the COST programme.

Why should we worry about younger people living in rural areas who are not in employment, training or education? What are the consequences for society, democracy and the economy? Find out in this episode of COST Conversations, where we hear from Dr Francisco Simões from COST Action, Rural NEET Youth Network: Modeling the risks underlying rural NEETs social exclusion (CA18213).

How can 3-D cell based models lead to a reduction in animal testing, improve health research and help in the fight against COVID-19? Find out in our COST Conversation with Professor Tiziana Brevini, Chair of COST Action, In vitro 3-D total cell guidance and fitness (CellFit).

Read more about the Action www.cost.eu/actions/CA16119/

In this episode, we speak with Prof. Jan Baumbach from COST Action 'Open Multiscale Systems Medicine,' otherwise known as OpenMultiMed and learn how the team behind the Action have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by creating a tool called CoVex, a platform, which gives the science community direct access to basic network medicine algorithms integrating drug-protein-virus interactions.

For more information on the Action visit www.cost.eu/actions/CA15120/