University of Cyprus
The University of Cyprus (UCY) is the leading public academic institution of the Republic of Cyprus and a research-intensive university with strong expertise in public health, epidemiology, environmental sciences, and digital health innovation. Through interdisciplinary collaboration across medical, environmental, and technological domains, UCY plays a pivotal role in addressing major societal challenges, including the health impacts of climate change in the Mediterranean region.
In the Horizon Europe project ISMED-CLIM – Innovative Solutions across the MEDiterranean for mitigation of Climate change-related heaLth rIsks and enhancing health systeM resilience, UCY acts as the Project Coordinator, under the leadership of Professor Panayiotis Yiallouros. The project brings together partners from across the Mediterranean to address climate-related health risks such as extreme heat, air pollution, wildfires, flooding, and vector-borne diseases, while strengthening health system resilience across Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Role in the Project
As Project Coordinator, the University of Cyprus provides overall scientific leadership, strategic direction, and operational coordination of ISMED-CLIM, ensuring coherence across all work packages and alignment with the objectives of the EU Mission on Climate Adaptation. UCY leads the integration of epidemiological research, climate modelling, digital innovation, and Living Lab implementation into a unified framework for climate resilience in the Mediterranean region.
The university plays a central role in advancing epidemiological modelling of climate-related health impacts, contributing to the assessment of temperature, air pollution, wildfires and flooding effects on mortality and morbidity across Mediterranean countries. These analyses form the scientific backbone for evidence-based recommendations and policy tools developed within the project.
UCY is also directly responsible for the implementation of Living Lab activities in Cyprus. It co-leads the randomized controlled trial for pregnant women in Limassol under Living Lab 2 and co-leads the trial for older adults with hypertension in Nicosia under Living Lab 3, testing personalized early warning systems and exposure-reduction interventions aimed at mitigating heat- and air pollution-related health risks in vulnerable populations.
In addition, UCY contributes to the development and validation of AI-augmented Early Warning and Response Systems and supports the integration of these tools into the ISMED-CLIM digital platform, which connects forecasting data, exposure monitoring, health information, and policy dashboards. Through this work, UCY ensures that scientific evidence is translated into practical, user-oriented solutions for citizens, healthcare professionals and policy makers.
By combining scientific excellence, clinical research capacity, digital innovation and policy engagement, the University of Cyprus anchors ISMED-CLIM at the intersection of research, implementation and regional impact, reinforcing Cyprus’ role as a key actor in Mediterranean climate and health resilience.
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