Social challenges

The social challenges of the coming decade are eminently cross-cutting: public health under pressure from the environment and ageing, resilience to natural and technological risks, digital transformation in terms of trust and inclusion, and sustainable management of cultural memory in conditions of uncertainty. The National Research Foundation (NHRF) stands at the very intersection of these issues, transforming scientific knowledge into measurable social impact, from preventive medicine and evidence-based policy to the accessibility of cultural heritage for all.

As a unified ecosystem, the NHRF interconnects the humanities and natural sciences to answer complex social questions. The Institute of Historical Research (IHR) documents and interprets Greek and European history using modern methods and digital collections. The Institute of Chemical Biology (ICB) develops drug discovery, holistic health approaches, bioinformatics, and biotechnology. The Institute of Theoretical and Physical Chemistry (TPCI) designs advanced materials and photonic solutions, with a strong computational/theoretical component. The coexistence of these capabilities allows the NHRF to refine scientific ideas into tools that actually solve social problems.

Flagship collaborations prove this in practice. ENVESOME, a new EU project coordinated by the NHRF, maps the exposome—a person’s total exposure to all factors that affect their health—and translates science into prevention and policy, providing an application for citizens, a decision support system for institutions, and an “assistant” for health professionals. At the same time, the Athens Comprehensive Cancer Center (ACCC), with an emphasis on personalized oncology and the interconnection of laboratories, universities, and hospitals, brings together biobanks, omics technologies, and clinical knowledge for the benefit of patients. These initiatives show how chemical biology, advanced materials, and data analysis are coordinated to support healthy and cohesive societies.

Open access and cultural participation are key to social cohesion. The Helios repository makes the scientific and digital content of the NHRF freely available. At the same time, the digital infrastructures of the NHRF (e.g., PANDEKTIS, First Hellenic Republic 1821) and the 100memories initiative for the memory of refugees from Asia Minor transform historical documentation into living public history, integrating research into education and collective memory.

Finally, the quality of the research environment itself is a social challenge. With a new Equality and Anti-Discrimination Committee and an approved Gender Equality Plan (2022–2025), the NHRF safeguards equal participation, transparency, and safety in the workplace, prerequisites for inclusive excellence and research that earns the trust of society.