Life requires oxygen. This runs the risk that, when oxygen leaks out from normal metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed, which - when too high - trigger disease. With the idea to overcome this, antioxidants are heavily marketed, yet without proof of their effectiveness. Rather, worrying evidence suggests adverse effects. This paradox is due to the fact that ROS are not only 'bad', but - in tightly regulated amounts - also act as essential signalling molecules. Unravelling the fine balance between ROS acting as a friend or a foe is fundamental to understand aerobic life. To advance this important area of biology and medicine, highly synergistic approaches combining diverse and scattered disciplines are needed. For this, COST provides an ideal framework. EU-ROS will bring together multi-disciplinary experts to enhance the competitiveness of European research. By applying fundamentally new approaches it will generate advanced knowledge and translate this into novel applications ranging from medicine to crop science. With its dynamic structure, EU-ROS will attract further experts and particularly support capacity building of the future European research leaders and talented women. Collectively, EU-ROS will overcome the fragmentation of European R&D on oxygen/ROS research while its translational components will contribute to European societies’ economic growth and wellbeing.

(Descriptions are provided by the Actions directly via e-COST.)

Dr. Ana Stančić