A new emblematic initiative, the National Network for Neurodegenerative Disease Research towards Precision Medicine, commences its operation in Greece. This flagship initiative positions Greece at the forefront of neurodegeneration and ageing research, with initial funding of € 2.2 million, over a two-year implementation period, provided by the Ministry of Development and Investments, through the General Secretariat for Research and Technology. The pioneering Network comprises leading National Research Centers and Universities, and is coordinated by the Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (FORTH), with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) as co-coordinator.

Dr. Spiros H. Anastasiadis, professor of Polymer Science and Engineering at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Crete and Director of the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser of the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, was elected a Member of the Evaluation and Accreditation Council of the Hellenic Authority for Higher Education (HAHE, www.ethaae.gr).

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, still grows rapidly. A recent study published as a preprint manuscript in BioRxiv by researchers from FORTH-ICS, FORTH-IMBB and the University of Western Attica, provides new insights into the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The Centre for eHealth Applications and Services (CeHA), of the Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology – Hellas (FORTH-ICS), responded to the "Rapid Implementation of Mature Digi-Tech Solutions" invitation of the Hellenic Ministry of Digital Governance for utilization or repurposing already existing infrastructure and ready to use solutions for direct implementation and results.

The European Research Council recently featured a study at the high impact journal in atmospheric sciences, Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, on the lidar remote sensing of ice nuclei with the participation of the Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences of FORTH in Patras (Center for the Study of Air Quality and Climate Change, C-STACC, article co-authored by Prof. Athanasios Nenes), in collaboration with the National Observatory of Athens, Institute TROPOS, the Cyprus Institute and other organizations.

Prof. Electra Gizeli from IMBB-Biosensors lab (http://biosensorslab- forth.gr) is recipient and will coordinate a new Human Frontier and Science Program (HFSP) grant entitled “Self-organization and biomechanical properties of the endosomal membrane”.

Researchers of FORTH / ICE-HT in Patras headed by Prof. Costas Galiotis of Chemical Engineering Dept. of University of Patras published in the high-impact scientific journal Nature Communications a scientific report for the superlubric behaviour (approximately zero friction) between two randomly packed graphene monolayers.

The Award of Excellence in Natural Sciences of the Academy of Athens for the year 2020 was given to Dr. Costas Galiotis, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Patras and Collaborating Faculty Member of the Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences of the Foundation for Research and Technology, Hellas (FORTH/ICE-HT).

The European Astronomical Society has announced the award of the 2020 MERAC Prize for Best PhD Thesis in Theoretical Astrophysics to Dr. Aris Tritsis (https://eas.unige.ch/merac_prizes.jsp). The award represents the highest distinction of the European Astronomical Community for doctoral studies.

The laboratories of Drs. Peyman Golshani (golshanilab.neurology.ucla.edu/) at the University of California in Los Angeles, Tristan Shuman (http://labs.neuroscience.mssm.edu/project/shuman-lab/ ) at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, and Panayiota Poirazi (dendrites.gr) at the Institute of Molecular Biology & Biotechnology (IMBB) at the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), joined forces in order to uncover how epilepsy affects spatial navigation in epileptic mice