The science of stellar nucleosynthesis aims at understanding how the elements in the universe are formed in stars. On a microscopic scale, the formation of elements is dictated by the properties of atomic nuclei and their interactions. Of special importance for r-process nucleosynthesis is a fundamental understanding of shell evolution towards neutron-rich nuclei. I will briefly discuss the underlying physics of nuclear shell evolution and will report on our experiments at the University of Kentucky, CERN and RIKEN (Japan). I will also discuss our current efforts to develop a state-of-the-art silicon tracker device for the future ARIEL facility at TRIUMF (Canada) and will mention medical applications for improved dose monitoring in cancer therapy with heavy ions.