MindOnly has developed an Artificial Intelligence tool that can assess your attachment style. This Malta-based research project, supported by Xjenza, has created a platform that reads non-verbal cues to better understand users. This may prove to be a useful personal development tool and, crucially, a valuable resource for mental health practitioners.

We are a product of our upbringing. Our relationships with our parents, or the lack thereof, can be pivotal in shaping expectations for each subsequent relationship. This process begins within a year of our birth, through pre-verbal bonds with primary caregivers. If these formative attachments are traumatising, they disorder how we connect with others. Our understanding of this is in its own infancy. Attachment theory is less than a century old, a mere blink of an eye next to the history of generational trauma. It is utilised by mental health practitioners such as psychologists and counsellors, either to better understand causal factors in people’s mental health issues or to maintain a healthy, secure relationship between therapist and patient.

Broad public understanding of attachment theory is brand new, surging into popular consciousness via social media virality. We want to understand ourselves, and to repair what we can. MindOnly is meeting this demand. They have recently concluded a research project on an AI-based video assessment tool, with the support of Xjenza Malta. Their project, titled ‘Mental Health Care Automated Video Interview Diagnosis with AI, has culminated in a virtual interviewer that reads non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, to better determine a patient’s attachment style. This empathic AI is an example of what could be the future of psychotherapy – affective computing.

The project ‘Mental Health Care Automated Video Interview Diagnosis with AI’ was financed by Xjenza Malta through the FUSION: R&I Technology Development Programme LITE.

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About this initiative:

This ‘call for evidence’ targets all stakeholders from national and regional administrations and research and innovation communities, including higher education, vocational education, and training institutions, research performing organisations, research and scientific communities, private-sector businesses including SMEs, technology centres, research and technology infrastructures, scientific advice and technology assessment structures and organisations, scientific publishers, and the general public.

This public consultation is first published in English. Translations into other 23 EU official languages will be available shortly. The consultation will remain open for 12 weeks after all translations become available.

Topic: Employment and social affairs, Research and innovation, Single market

Type of act: Proposal for a regulation

Public Consultation period: 13 October 2025 to 5 January 2026

Read further on the below link.

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Xjenza Malta invites experts to express their interest to participate in the scientific evaluation within the upcoming Horizon Europe Partnership on Brain Health (EP BrainHealth). This initiative brings together 53 partners from 31 countries to bolster scientific collaboration for better brain health across Europe and beyond.

Who we are looking for
We seek internationally recognized scientists to participate in the scientific evaluation of project proposals under the BrainHealth Joint Calls 2026. Evaluators should have expertise in one or both of the following call topics:

• Call topic 1: Biological, social and environmental factors that impact the trajectory of brain health across the lifespan – in the field of neurological, mental and sensory disorders

• Call topic 2: Biological, social and environmental factors that impact the trajectory of brain health across the lifespan – in the field of neurodegeneration

Experts of any nationality can apply. Selections will ensure balanced representation across disciplines, regions and gender.

Your role
Selected evaluators by the Brain Health Call Secretariat will review and assess transnational research proposals through an online evaluation system during the pre-proposal stage and potentially in the full-proposal stage. Each proposal will be independently assessed by three evaluators, ensuring fairness and transparency throughout the process.

Requirements
Applicants must:

• Not be involved in any pre/full proposal submitted under the BrainHealth Calls 2026

• Possess extensive experience in brain health research or related domains

• Declare no conflicts of interest

Key details

• Deadline: Friday, 14 November 2025 (COB)

• Application materials: Annex 1 Submission Form & detailed CV

• Submission email: eusubmissions.xjenzamalta@gov.mt (email subject: “BrainHealth Call for Experts 2026”)

• CC: Mr. Kaylen Borg (kaylen.borg.1@gov.mt)

Evaluators will be reimbursemed for travel and accommodation expenses related to participation in the Peer Review Panel, as per the Brain Health guidelines.

Download the below document for further guidelines, including the submission form Annex 1.

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Metal 3D printing, or additive manufacturing (AM), has revolutionized industries by enabling the creation of complex components with unparalleled design freedom. However, a persistent challenge has been achieving smooth surface finishes, particularly in techniques like Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion (EB-PBF). Enter the GLAM project, a collaborative endeavour between the University of Malta and the University of Shandong (China), addresses this challenge. GLAM, short for Green Laser Post-Processing in Additive Manufacturing, aimed to refine the surfaces of EB-PBF printed parts, ultimately enhancing their performance and broadening their applications.

EB-PBF, while offering advantages in material efficiency and design complexity, tends to produce rough surfaces due to the high temperatures involved. This roughness can negatively impact crucial properties like fatigue life and wear resistance. These factors are especially important in sectors like aerospace, where the high strength-to-weight ratio of materials like Ti-6Al-4V (a commonly used titanium alloy) is critical.

The GLAM project approached this problem on multiple fronts, combining optimized manufacturing parameters with innovative post-processing techniques. Researchers explored two key post-processing strategies: chemical immersion and laser surface engineering. The University of Malta focused on chemical immersion, employing controlled etching processes to remove surface imperfections, while the University of Shandong handled laser surface engineering, using focused laser beams to smooth and refine the outer layer of the printed parts. The impact of these methods was tested and characterized using characterisation techniques like microscopy and mechanical testing to assess their surface roughness, tensile strength, axial-fatigue resistance, and even tribological (wear) behaviour. Results indicated that improving surface condition (upwards of 30% reduction in Ra roughness) enhanced mechanical response under load. While dry sliding friction showed limited impact,  wear tests under lubricant-starvation conditions revealed significant reductions in wear rate after both acid and laser treatments. These results suggest that the removal of loose, semi-sintered powder and brittle metal protrusions from the as-produced surface creates lubrication reservoirs, lowering friction over extended periods.  Digital simulation was also adopted to couple topological optimization with surface condition, overall aiming at the design of lightweight yet strong components. 

Beyond the technical advancements, GLAM fostered valuable international collaboration and skills development. The project strengthened research ties between Malta and China, facilitating knowledge exchange and paving the way for future joint projects. Crucially, the expertise gained in AM techniques, software, and characterization methods has been embedded within the University of Malta, ensuring a lasting impact on its research capabilities. The enhanced printing strategies and parameter knowledge are directly transferable to other metal AM printers and AM technology, such as wire additive techniques, positioning the university at the forefront of AM research.

The project's findings have been disseminated through various channels, including publications in local media and presentations at international conferences, reaching both specialized and general audiences. The GLAM project demonstrates how focused research and international collaboration can overcome challenges in additive manufacturing, paving the way for higher-performance and more reliable 3D-printed metal components across diverse industries. 

The GLAM project brought together expertise from the University of Malta, including Prof. Inġ. Glenn Cassar who led the project, Prof. Arif Rochman, Prof. Inġ. Ann Zammit, Dr Andre Giordimaina, Mr Kris Bajada, Mr Danjel Grima and Dr Inġ. Bonnie Attard from the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology. The Maltese team partnered with fellow academics from Shandong University, China, including Prof. Guoxin Lu and Dr Qiag Wang from the AEEC Institute of Aeronautical Materials.  The work described in this article was carried out as part of the GLAM (SINO-MALTA-2022-13) project which was financed by XJENZA Malta and the Ministry for Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (MOST), through the SINO-MALTA Fund 2022 (Science and Technology Cooperation).

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The Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership, a European Partnership under the European Commission’s Research & Innovation Framework Programme Horizon Europe, is pleased to announce its first Thematic Portfolio Call for Interest. This call aims to connect ongoing projects to create and boost networking activities for a 2-year period, from early 2026 to early 2028.

Two active networking portfolios will be established, composed of projects granted by the Sustainable Blue Economy Partnership as well as by a range of national, regional and EU funding streams on these two topics:

• Topic 1: Innovations and digitalisation for low-impact sustainable small-scale fisheries management in EU sea-basins
• Topic 2: Innovations for boosting sustainability in marine algae cultivations and circularity in the blue bioeconomy

The Thematic Portfolios of projects will be connected and will define their own roadmap of activities. With the support of the Partnership, the portfolios are expected to increase transnational synergies at the EU scale, boost quadruple helix multi-stakeholders’ collaboration, and respond to the challenges and opportunities identified within each topic. By reaching a critical mass of projects focusing on similar thematics, this action will contribute to leveraging the projects’ impact at the European level by e.g. providing efficient scientific support for strategic and political decision making, whilst also addressing research gaps and avoiding duplication. 

Some of the benefits of participating in the Thematic Portfolios are:

• Increased visibility at the international level
• Networking with quadruple-helix stakeholders
• Career boost, especially for early career scientists
• Identification of new opportunities for cooperation
• Identification of potential beneficiaries of the project outputs
• Co-design market-uptake plans
• Meetings with EU Commission experts
• Participation in Partnership events (e.g. biennial symposium) 

To participate:

• Projects must fall in the thematic scope of the portfolios.
• Projects must be active and ongoing during the Thematic Portfolio Activities timeframe and must be receiving a regional/national/EU grant.
• Projects must address at least one geographical area among: Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean. If applicable, projects may target regional areas (e.g. Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea, Celtic Sea, Adriatic Sea, Aegean Seas, etc.) or their scope must prove to be relevant for one or more of the above-mentioned geographical areas.
• Applicants must prove their commitment, availability and capacity to engage in the activities (as self-funded).
• Project Principal Investigators (and alternates, if any) must be employed by an organisation belonging to one of the countries1 of the Partnership and must be a stakeholder from one of the four major sectors of the quadruple helix (industry, government, research institutes, and the public).

Deadline: 30 October 2025, 15:00 CET, now extended to 12 November 2025

Visit the below link to download call specifications and application forms.

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The Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Malta is part of DIVERSICROP (COST Action CA22146), a global research network studying consumer interest in underutilized crops. Malta is contributing to this international effort with the study: “Consumer Attitudes and Interest in Underutilized Crops.” 

This research explores how cultural and traditional dietary habits in Maltese adults influence awareness, acceptance, and use of these lesser-known crops. You're invited to take part by completing a short, anonymous survey — it takes about 10 minutes. 

Participation is entirely voluntary

• You are free to accept or refuse to participate, without needing to give a reason. 

• You are free to skip any questions or to withdraw from filling in the survey at any time when filling it in, without needing to provide any explanation and without any negative repercussions for you. 

• There are no risks or direct benefits to you.

• At no point will you be asked to provide your name or any other personal data that may lead to you being identified.

• The survey instrument used will not collect IP addresses, which may constitute personal data. 

• Consent is implied by completing the survey.

Data collected will be used solely for this research and may be published in aggregated form in academic journals or presented at conferences. Only the DIVERSICROP research team and local investigators will access the data. This study is approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta.

Visit the below link to participate in this survey.

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A fascinating fact I first encountered during my undergraduate studies involved people who, years ago, claimed to hear voices in their heads. The culprit wasn’t the supernatural, it was radiation. Metal fillings in their teeth were acting like tiny antennas, picking up radio waves from broadcasting towers. 

That was my first glimpse into how parts of the human body could interact with electromagnetic radiation from the outside world. Today, my research takes this idea further but instead of radio waves, I work with microwaves, and instead of dental fillings, my focus is on tumours. This is a crucial step towards improving treatment and survival outcomes for cancer patients. 

Heating Tumours to Heal 

Microwave hyperthermia is a treatment that uses temperatures slightly higher than normal to damage and weaken tumour cells. A set of small antennas placed outside the body emits microwave radiation, which converges precisely at a targeted point inside. Due to constructive interference, this point heats up, much like how multiple waves in a pool can meet to create a larger wave. 

The rise in temperature triggers a cascade of biological effects: 

• Proteins within tumour cells denature, disrupting their normal functions.

• Tumour growth slows, while blood flow increases, making subsequent treatments delivered through the bloodstream more effective. 

Remarkably, this is achieved with minimal side effects. When administered correctly, the only reported discomfort is mild skin irritation or slight unease during the procedure. 

Microwave hyperthermia isn’t designed to replace chemotherapy or radiotherapy, it strengthens them. By precisely heating tumour tissue before these traditional treatments, hyperthermia increases their efficacy. A typical session lasts 30 to 60 minutes, with the patient lying still to ensure healthy tissues remain unaffected. 

Around the world, hospitals are increasingly incorporating hyperthermia into cancer treatment plans. Clinical studies are showing promising results, demonstrating improved treatment responses and patient outcomes. 

In order to understand the technology, think of a microwave phased array as a team of flashlights working in perfect synchrony. Instead of shining light randomly, each ‘flashlight’ (or antenna) coordinates to focus energy precisely where it’s needed, similar to how a magnifying glass focuses sunlight. By carefully controlling the timing of signals from each antenna, the system concentrates microwaves at a single location while cancelling them elsewhere. This technology allows for non-invasive, highly targeted heating inside the body, the same principle that underpins wireless charging, security scanners, and other advanced systems. 

As part of my research at the University of Malta, I am developing a next-generation microwave hyperthermia system that rivals current clinical systems in accuracy and efficiency. My goal is simple: to make cancer treatment more effective, more comfortable, and more accessible to those who need it. 

This work, “Hyper4B” is financed by Xjenza Malta and the Scientific Technology Research Council (TÜBİTAK), through the Xjenza Malta-TÜBİTAK 2022 Joint Call for R&I projects. 

About the Author: Therese Quattromani is an electronics engineer reading for a master’s degree at the University of Malta

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