science wire

Air travel during pregnancy poses no significant risk, say experts
There is no significant risk directly associated with air travel during pregnancy, even at advanced gestation, says report by the University of Liverpool.

Exploring the extraordinary science of bones
Super scientists of the future have been delving into the intriguing world of medical biology at an extraordinary workshop hosted by the University of Sheffield.

Imperial’s historic medical library reopens thanks to funding

National CQC first for Plymouth dentistry
Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry’s (PUPS MD) Dental Education Facility in Truro is the first of its kind in the UK to be inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – and the first to pass the inspection with flying colours.

Small cancer risk following CT scans in childhood confirmed
New research has found a small increase in cancer risk following exposure to CT scans in children and young people. The study used anonymised medical records for 11 million young Australians, including 680,000 who were exposed to CT scans between 1985 and 2005. The Australian researchers, with colleagues at Oxford University and the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France, found that for every 1,400 CT scans before the age of 20 there was one extra case of cancer over the following 10 years.

University of Glasgow academic wins prestigious entrepreneurship award
A simple 30-minute test for infections could revolutionise the detection and treatment of common diseases, including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and malaria, thanks to a new device developed by a Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow's Division of Biomedical Engineering.

Alcohol sales fall due to ban on multi-buy promotions
A report published today shows a 2.6% decrease in the amount of alcohol sold per adult in Scotland in the year following the introduction of the Alcohol etc.

Parents should be allowed to make informed choices over infant bed-sharing, says child sleep expert
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New £23m research unit will use advances in genetics to help reduce risk of disease
A new £23million research unit is announced today, that will exploit the latest advances in genetics to improve understanding of how changes to lifestyle or environment, as well as pharmacological interventions, can reduce the risk of disease.

Experts advocate for stronger measures to protect trees and other plants from pests and pathogens
Ash dieback, caused by the Chalara fungus, prompts re-evaluation of current protocols to protect UK trees and other plants; taskforce recommends threats to plant health be taken as seriously as animal disease The UK needs to be better prepared for threats to plant health.

Professor Steve Williams elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
Professor Williams is the founding Director of the Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, a collaboration between King's and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM).

Good progress for integrated care pilot
A report evaluating a new scheme designed to deliver more integrated care to patients in North West London has been published today. The Inner North West London Integrated Care Pilot is a large-scale programme focused on developing new models of care planning and coordination for people with diabetes and those who are over 75 years of age.

Grassroots women’s groups could halve maternal death rate
Women's groups can dramatically reduce the number of maternal and newborn deaths in some of the world's poorest communities, according to a new meta-analysis published in The Lancet .

Salt consumption in India: the need for data to initiate population-based prevention efforts
International researchers are studying the salt intake of Indian adults to provide vital new data to aid the development of a national salt reduction strategy. Scientists from the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), the University of Birmingham, Imperial College London and the University of Sydney are carrying out an assessment of dietary salt intake among 1,400 adults over 24 years in urban Delhi and rural Haryana.

Global health policy fails to address burden of disease on men
Men experience a higher burden of disease and lower life expectancy than women, but policies focusing on the health needs of men are notably absent from the strategies of global health organisations, according to a Viewpoint article in this week's Lancet .

The artificial pancreas that keeps tabs on sugar
Development of a sophisticated artificial pancreas holds potential to transform the lives of patients with Type 1 diabetes.

UCL shares in £50m of new funding to help stimulate UK’s economy

A better way to prevent child abuse
New research at The University of Nottingham is calling for changes to a government scheme which engages community nurses in the prevention of child abuse and neglect in the home as part of a maternal and child health care programme.

Acclaimed work of law professor recognised

Volunteers needed to put best foot forward
13 May 2013 Researchers at The University of Manchester are looking for volunteers from across the North West to take part in a new study to help people act on their good intentions to walk more. Studies show that despite many people wanting to increase their physical activity levels, they often fail to do so by not thinking through exactly how they are going to fit it into their busy lives.

Stress and unhealthy lifestyle increase risk of heart disease
People with job stress and an unhealthy lifestyle are at higher risk of coronary artery disease than people who have job stress but lead healthy lifestyles, according to work published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) by researchers from UCL's Department of Epidemiology and Public Health.

Rhino ’dung’ research leads to baby boom at Chester Zoo
Researcher at the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester have monitored the hormone levels of female rhinos at Chester Zoo to discover the best time to introduce them to a potential partner.

Prestigious election for Durham University Physics professor

Tree health: Spot pests and diseases for new national OPAL survey
Researchers need help checking the health of Britain's trees using the Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) national survey on Tree Health, which opens today.

‘Dung science’ leads to rhino baby boom at Chester Zoo
09 May 2013 Ground breaking science by Chester Zoo, in partnership with The University of Manchester, has helped to achieve a rhino baby boom.

Pressure ulcer research uncertainties
09 May 2013 A new study involving researchers at the universities of York and Manchester has revealed substantial areas of doubt and uncertainty about the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. The findings by the James Lind Alliance Pressure Ulcer Priority Setting Partnership (JLAPUP), which includes The University of Manchester's School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, suggest that more research is needed to guide practice on how to prevent and treat pressure ulcers - pressure sores or bed sores.

Prestigious appointments for two Manchester Professors
09 May 2013 The contribution of two University of Manchester professors to the advancement of medical science has been recognised with their election to the prestigious Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Professor Garth Cooper is a professor in Discovery and Experimental Medicine as well as the Director for the Centre for Advanced Discovery and Experimental Therapeutics.

Mobile health technologies to rapidly test and track infectious diseases
Early-warning sensor systems that can test and track serious infectious diseases - such as major flu epidemics, MRSA and HIV - using mobile phones and the internet are being developed by a major new Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration (IRC) led by UCL.

Fulbright Lecture 2013
Fulbright Lecture: International Relations in Science & Medicine Dr Harold E Varmus, Director of the US National Cancer Institute, spoke at King's last night about the US government's global programme to tackle the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The high-tech future of healthcare: a digital health assistant in your home
The UK's healthcare system faces unprecedented challenges. Britain is the most obese nation in Europe and the country's ageing population is especially at risk from isolation, depression, strokes and fractures caused by falls in the home.

Mood-tracking app paves way for pocket therapy
An Android app which keeps tabs on users' mood swings and works out what might be causing them has been developed by researchers, with implications for psychological therapy and improving well-being. Behind the scenes, smartphones are constantly collecting data that can turn them into a key medical and psychological tool.

New dawn in disease research and treatment with launch of in silico medicine in Sheffield
High performance computer power is being harnessed to revolutionise treatments for a wide range of diseases through ground-breaking virtual models in a joint project by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Academy of Medical Sciences honours seven Oxford researchers
Seven medical researchers at Oxford University have been elected as Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Professors Barbara Casadei, Michael English, Russell Foster, Keith Hawton, Paul Klenerman, Xin Lu and Lionel Tarassenko are among the 44 new Fellows announced today by the Academy. The honour recognises outstanding contributions to the advancement of medical science, innovative application of scientific knowledge, or conspicuous service to healthcare.

Putting the humanity back into healthcare
An innovative study led by The University of Nottingham is to investigate whether arts and humanities can help improve the mental health and well-being of patients and carers alike.

Staying on the meds: involving young patients in the treatment for their chronic illnesses
Researchers at The University of Nottingham have examined why large numbers of children and young people sometimes don't take their medication, despite suffering from a range of chronic and potentially life-threatening illnesses. Many children and young people regularly miss doses of medication for a longstanding illness, with adherence rates as low as just 25% among some groups.

University partners with Sony to find cure for ’lazy eye’
The University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, have been working with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) to develop special 3-D glasses and games to help treat children suffering from Lazy Eye.

Biologist elected to Academy of Medical Sciences
Sussex biologist elected to Academy of Medical Sciences Professor Guy Richardson, an expert in many aspects of hearing research, has been recognised for excellence in medical science by being elected to the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Manchester appoints world-leading academic to bring graphene closer to medicine
07 May 2013 The University of Manchester has today announced the appointment of a world-leading academic, who is playing a pivotal role in nanomedicine - a growing field with potential to benefit patients suffering from neurodegenerative disease and cancer.

New antiviral treatment could significantly reduce global burden of hepatitis C
Around 150 million people globally are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) - a major cause of liver disease and the fastest growing cause of liver transplantation and liver cancer. 1   New prevention strategies are urgently required as people are continuing to be infected with HCV.

Royal Society Fellowships awarded to three Imperial scientists
Fellowship of the Royal Society has been granted for three scientists at Imperial College London today.

Keeping our legs free from the pain of cellulitis
In the largest randomised trial of its kind, dermatologists from the UK have discovered that taking low dose penicillin twice a day for a year can reduce the number of repeat episodes of leg cellulitis.

H7N9 bird flu questions answered
What is known about the new strain of influenza emerging in China, and how concerned should we be? One hundred and twenty-six people are known to have been infected since the virus emerged a month ago.

Birmingham joins the world’s largest nuclear physics research facility
Researchers from Birmingham will have access to the most impressive and advanced nuclear physics research facility in the world as the UK has today officially become part of a €1.6 billion* international project that will become to nuclear physics what CERN is to particle physics. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) has today (3 May 2013) signed an agreement that makes the UK an associate member of FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) currently under construction next to the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, in Darmstadt, Germany.

Study allays out-of-hours admissions fears
Children admitted to UK intensive care units in out-of-hours emergencies are at no greater risk of dying than children arriving during normal working hours, according to new research.

Our debt to Islam’s medics: amazing collection goes on show
02 May 2013 A remarkable collection of manuscripts going on public display for the first time is to graphically illustrate the West's debt to the medieval medics of Islam. The collection, held at the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in London, will depict the medical traditions that developed in the golden age of Islam from the 9th century to the 17th century.

Imperial Podcast: diabetes news, festival preview, and women in space

Glasgow joins Liverpool in new Wellcome Trust Centre for Global Health Research
The Wellcome Trust Tropical Centre , a joint initiative between the University of Liverpool and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine , has been awarded funding to become the Wellcome Trust-Liverpool-Glasgow Centre for Global Health Research.

Experts warn Latin America ’overwhelmed’ by challenge of cancer
Latin America is set for a full scale ‘cancer-crisis' unless urgent measures are taken to increase investment in public healthcare and extend access to remote populations outside affluent urban areas.

£1.3M grant to develop novel diagnostic medical tool

Glasgow joins Liverpool in a new Wellcome Trust Centre for Global Health Research
The Wellcome Trust Tropical Centre, a longstanding joint initiative of the University of Liverpool (UoL) and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), is pleased to announce that it has been award

New gene therapy could treat devastating heart failure
Researchers at Imperial College London have begun the first UK clinical trials of a gene therapy for heart failure.

Sussex molecular biologist wins Silvanus Thompson Medal

Xenon gas successfully delivered to baby in an ambulance
The first baby in the world to receive xenon gas and cooling therapy while being transferred from one hospital to another, in a bid to prevent brain injury following a lack of oxygen at birth, is now at home after being discharged from St Michael's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Bristol. Olivia Burke was born at the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust on Thursday 4 April 2013, soon after her mother Natalie gave birth to her twin brother, Owen.

Imperial group reaches milestone in tropical disease campaign
A charitable organisation based at Imperial has given out its 100 millionth treatment for a debilitating tropical disease.

UCL Grand Challenges Small Grants awarded to 22 new projects
22 new research projects have been awarded funding of up to £5,000 through the 2013 UCL Grand Challenges Small Grants Scheme.

Improved care needed for mothers from ethnic minority groups
Women in some disadvantaged communities are missing out on support that could potentially reduce high rates of infant mortality, according to an exploratory study at the University of Leeds.

New medical technologies go from bench to bedside
Six cutting edge medical technologies will be brought closer to the clinic thanks to new research funding at The University of Nottingham. The projects will be funded through the University's Confidence in Concept programme. Nottingham received £400,000 last summer from the Medical Research Council and the Technology Strategy Board's Biomedical Catalyst.

Computer scientists start second project to improve access to NHS patient database
Computer scientists start second project to improve access to NHS patient database Two Sussex academics have begun work on developing a system for assessing the quality of patient information held in a new NHS database.

Imaging the fetus - the history of obstetric ultrasound
To mark one of the most important medical developments to come out of the University of Glasgow in the twentieth century, a new book has been published.

New alliance to develop programme of lung cancer trials
Leading research institutions and hospitals across London have announced plans to transform lung cancer care with a programme of clinical trials.

Manchester bids for back-to-back titles in University Challenge
25 Apr 2013 Manchester will attempt to retain its University Challenge crown in the final of the TV quiz on BBC2 this Monday.

Imperial wins women in science award

Plymouth hosts pan-European Parkinson's project
A pan-European project designed to promote healthy living and well-being for Parkinson’s disease patients, has visited Plymouth in its latest stage of development.

The future of malaria control is uncertain, according to world-leading academic
Steve Lindsay, Professor in the School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences , is a world-leading authority on the control of malaria.

New device could make diagnosing disease as simple as breathing
A range of diseases and conditions, from asthma to liver disease, could be diagnosed and monitored quickly and painlessly just by breathing, using gas sensing technology developed by a Cambridge spin-out.

Exclusive behind-the-scenes tours at Imperial Festival

King’s joins London Lung Cancer Alliance
Leading research institutions and hospitals across London, including King's, will unite to transform the care of lung cancer with plans to invite patients over a population of six million into a pioneering new programme of clinical trials.

Imaging and modelling the brain to help earlier dementia diagnosis
A major European project, led by the University of Sheffield, will develop sophisticated image-based biophysical models of the human brain to enable early diagnosis of dementia and help doctors predict the progression of the disease. The model will be the first to combine a wide range of physiological data from medical imaging - such as blood flow, brain tissue properties and cellular activity - with psychological measures such as memory and cognitive function.

Plymouth joins international Cancer Prevention Network
Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry has joined the international Cancer Prevention Network(CPN) Consortium, in recognition of the importance of the University’s cancer-related research programmes.

Nottingham-China research collaboration holds hope for bovine and human TB vaccine
Scientists at The University of Nottingham are studying whether harmful bacteria found in cattle could be harnessed to protect livestock from the devastating disease bovine tuberculosis (TB). The research, being led by Professor Paul Barrow in the University's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science , could offer an important step towards developing a vaccine against bovine TB, which affects tens of thousands of cattle every year.

Researchers link facial structure to kidney disease
Researchers at King's College London's Dental Institute have shown that people with a certain kind of kidney disease have characteristic facial features that may reflect the genetic mutation they carry. A team led by Professor Sharpe—an expert in craniofacial development and stem cell biology at the Institute—has published a paper detailing this phenomenon in the journal Human Molecular Genetics .

Personal experiences of cleft lip and palate needed for research study
Parents of children with cleft lip and/or palate, or people who were born with a cleft lip and/or palate themselves are being asked to consider taking part in a new research study to develop an online resource for families and individuals affected by this condition.

Medical neglect law needs shot in the arm
23 Apr 2013 A review of criminal investigations into medical error, conducted by a University of Manchester team, has shown how difficult it is to convict doctors and nurses for wilfully failing their patients.

University of Glasgow receives funding for world-leading stratified medicine Innovation Centre
The University of Glasgow is set to boost its contribution to global medical research and the Scottish economy following the announcement of funding to build a major research centre.

Innovation Centre set to boost sensor and imaging systems industrial engagement
The University of Glasgow has received funding to create a world-leading sensor and imaging systems centre which will offer major benefits to the Scottish economy.

World Immunisation Week: Tackling infectious diseases in India and Africa
The World Health Organisation (WHO) will mark Immunisation Week this month to raise public awareness of how immunising against diseases such as measles, TB, and rotavirus, can save lives.

Salmonella colonises the gut
Researchers plan to use data collected to develop vaccines to control Salmonella in animals and humans Salmonella is a major cause of human diarrhoeal infections and is frequently acquired from chickens, pigs and cattle, or their products. Around 94 million such infections occur in people worldwide each year, with approximately 50,000 cases in the UK per annum.

Knee bracing can significantly reduce pain of kneecap osteoarthritis
19 Apr 2013 Wearing a knee brace has been shown to “significantly improve the pain and symptoms” of a type of osteoarthritis affecting the kneecap, according to a new study.

World-class Motor Neurone Disease researcher awarded senior investigator award
A world-class neurologist from the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) leading the fight against Motor Neurone Disease (MND) has been awarded senior investigator status from the National Institute for Health Research for outstanding work in her field.

Appointment boosts Plymouth neurobiology research
Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry has appointed Dr. Shouqing Luo as Associate Professor in Neurobiology at its Institute of Translational and Stratified Medicine. Dr. Luo joins from the Institute for Medical Research at the University of Cambridge. His previous posts have been at: Northwestern University Medical School, USA; and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (NIH), USA.

Team prepares for final push
18 Apr 2013 The University of Manchester is hoping to reach the final of University Challenge on Monday night as they chase a second successive title.

Health experts from Manchester and Tokyo sign memorandum
18 Apr 2013 Experts in Tokyo and Manchester have formerly agreed to work together in informatics technology to improve patient care and population health.

Modified bacteria could be used in vaccines
A modified strain of Salmonella could be used to efficiently deliver antigens, the key ingredients of vaccines, into human cells, a study suggests. Salmonella bacteria use nanoscopic needles to inject their own proteins into host cells, enabling them to survive and replicate inside those cells.

Launch of Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise
At the end of last year Plymouth University became the first university in the world to be awarded the Social Enterprise Mark in recognition of its long-standing support for the sector.

New £743,000 study into whether after-school dance programme helps to increase physical activity and is cost-effective
Researchers led by principal investigator, Professor Russ Jago in the University of Bristol's School for Policy Studies have been awarded £743,000 of funding from the National Institute of Health Rese

Leading the way in regenerative medicine
PA 115/13 The University of Nottingham has received a multimillion pound funding boost to its research into regenerative medicine. The University has received £4.6m from the first stage of the UK Regenerative Medicine Platform (UKRMP) to fund a research hub that brings together a team of scientists from the UK and internationally with skills and expertise in a range of areas to tackle the challenges in regenerative medicine.

Curbing patients’ risky behaviour
Much of the burden of disease and ill health facing the NHS is as a result of 'risky' health behaviours such as smoking, excess drinking and over-eating. Given that time for counselling patients about this is limited, the biggest challenge facing clinicians is to find an efficient way of helping patients consider a change in behaviour and to take action.

Ground breaking research into debilitating degenerative disease given generous boost
Pioneering Parkinson's disease research at the world-leading Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) has been given a major boost thanks to a generous donation.

History and culture play key role in public spitting habits
People should take historical and cultural influences into account before forming opinions about those who spit in public, an academic has suggested.

University secures Government funding to improve childbirth in Africa
15 Apr 2013 Manchester midwives are to lead a major research project to improve midwifery services for women and babies in six East African countries. The University of Manchester team will buddy practising midwifes in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Tanzania to identify ways to improve maternal and child health according to the particular priorities in each area.

Baby bump body suit scientist explains womb movements at Imperial Festival
Expectant mothers, prospective fathers and all the family can find out more about why and how a baby moves around in the womb at Imperial Festival.

Better support needed for dads as well as mums after difficult births
Severe and life-threatening complications in pregnancy can have a big impact on fathers as well as mothers.

’Strikingly similar’ brains of man and fly may aid mental health research
A new study by scientists at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry and the University of Arizona (UA) published in Science reveals the deep similarities in how the brain regulates behaviour in arthropods (such as flies and crabs) and vertebrates (such as fish, mice and humans). The findings shed new light on the evolution of the brain and behaviour and may aid understanding of disease mechanisms underlying mental health problems.

Lord Darzi meets Suu Kyi to support healthcare reform in Burma

One in three people with rheumatoid arthritis at high risk of repeated falls
11 Apr 2013 One in three people with rheumatoid arthritis, regardless of their age, will fall once or more times a year, according to a new University of Manchester study. The research, funded by medical research charity Arthritis Research UK, shows those who have fallen once are at much greater risk of falling again due to previous injuries and an increased fear of falling.

Manchester professor and former UN chief calls for more help in Syria
11 Apr 2013 A former United Nations (UN) chief and University of Manchester Professor, who let the world know about genocide in Darfur, has called for more to be done in Syria ahead of a debate in Manchester next week.

TEDMED and Imperial explore the boundaries of health and medicine

UK Health progress below the European average
Liverpool scientists, as part of an international consortium, have found that progress in preventing premature deaths is below average compared to other countries in Europe.

Metagenomics used to identify organisms in outbreaks of serious infectious disease
Researchers have been able to reconstruct the genome sequence of an outbreak strain of Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC), which caused over 50 deaths in Germany, using an approach known as metagenomics which bypasses the need for growing bacteria in the lab. An international team coordinated by Mark Pallen, Professor of Microbial Genomics at Warwick Medical School, was able to reconstruct the genome sequence through the direct sequencing of DNA extracted from microbiologically complex samples.

New app powers better sanitation in developing world
A new mobile phone app developed by a University of Nottingham researcher is changing the lives of millions of people in Africa by giving them the power to instantly report problems with poor sanitation.

New centre aims to mend broken hearts
Imperial will lead one of three new British Heart Foundation (BHF) research centres focussed on repairing the damage caused by a heart attack.

The work of Professor Peter Kohl’s group
Peter Kohl heads up the Cardiac Biophysics and Systems Biology group at Imperial which tackles heart science issues at various scales.

Tumour-shrinking drug trialled for treatment of tuberous sclerosis
A new trial is underway at Cardiff University to see if a tumour-shrinking drug can improve the memory and thought processes of adults with tuberous sclerosis.

Prestigious ERC Synergy grant for intelligent implant to tackle obesity

'Diseases of affluence’ spreading to poorer countries
High blood pressure and obesity are no longer confined to wealthy countries, a new study has found. These health risks have traditionally been associated with affluence, and in 1980, they were more prevalent in countries with a higher income. The new research, published in Circulation , shows that the average body mass index of the population is now just as high or higher in middle-income countries.

Magic mushrooms trial for depression delayed by red tape
Professor David Nutt says drug laws hinder research on clinical applications The UK's first clinical trial using the hallucinogenic ingredient in magic mushrooms for treating depression is being delayed due to UK and EU rules on the use of illegal drugs in research.

£4.5M awarded for regenerative medicine development
Scientists at the University of Liverpool have been awarded £4.5 million, as part of the Medical Research Council (MRC) and British Heart Foundation 's (BHF) £20 million investment in the development of regenerative medicine therapies.

International stem cell conference unites leading UK and Indian scientists
The University of Sheffield is this week hosting a three-day international conference which will bring together a number of the world's leading biologists working on the application of embryonic stem cell biology to regenerative medicine.

Dengue infections 'triple current estimates'
The global burden of dengue infection is more than triple current estimates from the World Health Organization, according to a multinational study published in the journal Nature . Dengue, also known as 'breakbone fever', is a viral infection that is transmitted between humans by mosquitoes.

Scientists make progress in fight against virus killing captive elephants
Scientists may be a step closer towards the development of a vaccine against a virus that is killing scores of Asian elephants, many of them in captivity. The majestic Asian elephant is listed as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and is threatened by loss of habitat, poaching and illegal trade.

Warwick Medical School launches new four million pound Division of Microbiology and Infection
Warwick Medical School has this week established a new four million pound Division of Microbiology and Infection, a vibrant new research community of around twenty staff and post graduate students, headed up by Professor Mark Pallen.

Reducing health inequalities In Europe
Partners from six European countries and three UK research centres came to Liverpool for two days of review and planning at the end of the first year of DEMETRIQ - Developing methodologies to reduce inequalities in the determinants of health – a €4million EU Framework 7 project.

Funding of 6m euros will help child health researchers to work across the globe
The University of Nottingham has secured €6m in funding from the EU to enable post-doctoral researchers in child health to take part in exchanges and collaborations across the globe.

New degree to boost next generation of drug discovery
PA 105/13 A new postgraduate science degree is aiming to boost the next generation of drug discovery, from ‘concept to clinic.' Launching in September 2013, the University of Nottingham's on

New Director of Research post for Imperial Academic Health Science Centre
Professor Jonathan Weber appointed to new combined role across Trust and College Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Imperial College London have appointed a Director of Research for its Academic Health Science Centre (AHSC).

Child heart surgeons access clearer picture of their success rate
For the first time, teams that care for children needing heart surgery have been able to review their short-term success rate better across all the different operations they perform. Graphic data charts, devised by analysts at UCL, now allow child heart surgeons to spot and investigate trends in survival and act promptly on any concerns.

90th anniversary of the curse of Tutankhamen – how a modern myth was born
04 Apr 2013 Friday April 5 marks the 90th anniversary of the death of the Egyptologist Lord Canarvon and the start of the mysterious curse of Tutankhamen.

Fossils could reveal why racehorses’ legs prone to fracture
Scientists at the University's Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease are investigating 15-milion-year-old horse fossils to understand why the legs of modern racehorses can be prone to fracture. Using computer models to simulate how the fossil bones respond to various forces, Dr Ellen Singer and Dr Nathan Jeffery are comparing ancient bones with modern ones to see how the leg joints have evolved to withstand certain forces and at what point they become vulnerable to fracture.

Nanokicking stem cells to open for new generation of orthopaedics
New research has shown that it is possible to grow new bone by “nanokicking” stem cells 1,000 times per second using high frequency vibrations. This new technique is cheaper and easier to implement than current technologies and it is hoped that it may lead to new therapies for orthopaedic conditions such as spinal traumas, osteoporosis and stress fractures.

Sussex undergraduate to present her research at prestigious conference
Sussex undergraduate to present her research at prestigious conference During the summer vacation of 2012, Sussex Psychology undergraduate Florence Mowlem carried out research under the supervision of Dr Ayana Gibbs, a forensic psychiatrist at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS).

Manchester leads the way in graphene membrane research
University of Manchester graphene researchers have been awarded a £3.5m funding boost that could bring desalination plants, safer food packaging and enhanced disease detection closer to reality.

Models to predict flood and drought risks developed by Imperial researchers
Predicting floods, droughts and contamination in UK will be easier, thanks to models developed at Imperial.

New software to unite European healthcare industry to combat diseases
Developing a software system that enables healthcare industry to share information to advance our understanding of diseases is the focus of project Developing a software system that enables pha

Behind the scenes: Virtual dissections
Human dissections are a vital part of every doctor's training, but the experience might be different for medical students from the iPad generation.

New treatments could stop multiple sclerosis progression for the first time
Thanks to research on brains donated by MS patients, Imperial researchers have made major advances in efforts to understand and treat the disease. Around 100,000 people in the UK have multiple sclerosis and, while several treatments exist to treat early attacks, there is currently nothing to stop the disease from progressing.

Health app endorsed by NHS
A mobile phone health app created by medical experts at Imperial has been officially endorsed by the NHS.

Smokefree workplaces linked to smokefree homes in India
Adults in India are substantially more likely to abstain from smoking at home if they are prohibited from smoking at work, a new study has found. According to data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey India, 2009/2010, 64 per cent of adults who work in smokefree environments live in a smokefree home, compared with 42 per cent of those who work where smoking is permitted.

Advanced dissection tool comes to Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine
NTU's joint medical school with Imperial is the first in Southeast Asia to have a cutting-edge tool for virtual dissection.

Medical Research Council centenary celebrations come to Imperial

Going Public: Professor Stephen Curry on blogging as an academic
Structural biologist Stephen Curry reveals how plugging himself into the public domain has added new perspectives to his research and teaching.

Researchers at Barbican Wonder: Art & Science on the Brain
From 7 to 10 April, Imperial College London neuroscientists, psychiatrists and surgeons will be engaging the public at the Barbican.

Improving dental care for homeless in Plymouth
Dental students from Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry have been working with residents from a local project providing housing and support for homeless Armed Forces Veterans.

Time to Change evaluation shows drop in mental health discrimination
It found that 3% more people using mental health services now say that they don't experience any discrimination at all compared with 2008 . There has also been a clear trend towards improved attitudes among the general public, in contrast to the preceding 10-15 years, in which there was a lack of improvement in public attitudes in England, Scotland and the USA.

Diabetes: double trouble – its effects on heart and brain
Scientists at the University of Sheffield are launching a pioneering investigation to discover how diabetes affects heart and brain function in order to help the soaring number of people living with the disease. The serious condition currently affects three million people in the UK - experts predict this number will double to six million over the next 25 years due to an alarming increase in the number of patients developing Type 2 diabetes.

Anaesthetists' research network creates buzz
A research network established by a network of training anaesthetists in the South West, and which in just nine months has become one of the most successful of its kind in the UK, is set to create a buzz at the national Group of Anaesthetists in Training (GAT) annual scientific meeting in Oxford. The group is called SWARM (South West Anaesthetic Research Matrix) and is currently made up of around 80 training anaesthetists from all six hospitals across the South West.

Acid reflux? It's in the genes
For many years it has been thought that acid reflux and a related condition called Barrett’s Oesophagus were acquired conditions, via diet, smoking and other lifestyle activities. However, recent family and twin studies have shown that those with Barrett’s Oesophagus may have their genes to thank for their predisposition to this condition.

Researchers seek participants for study into problem gambling
Gambling addicts may be putting themselves and their families at risk despite not even realising they have a problem, academics have suggested. The claim from Plymouth University’s Drug and Alcohol Research Unit (DARU) comes as a new study is launched looking into people’s gambling habits, and examining the ways people can reduce the potential for harm to both themselves and those around them.

Fusion IP: £20m earmarked for investment
 Fusion IP, the AIM-listed company which works with Cardiff as a partner to turn the University's world-class research into business has announced it has raised a further £20M through share issue.

Facing up to cancer
Gavin Garland's experiences of confronting cancer as a teenager influenced his choice of career as a molecular biologist working on the mechanisms of lymphoma.  Now he's running the Virgin London Mara

Report calls for strengthening of academic psychiatry
Professors Shitij Kapur and Sir Simon Wessely , King's College London Institute of Psychiatry, are contributors to a major new report by the Academy of Medical Sciences - Strengthening academic psychiatry in the UK .

Low-cost LEDs for saving energy and improving health
Gallium nitride has been described as "the most important semiconductor since silicon" and is used in energy-saving LED lighting.

New exhibition aims to show how our BodyWorks
A new exhibition focusing on the wonders of the human body and showcasing the latest research in health and wellbeing opens at the Glasgow Science Centre this week.

New foot-and-mouth vaccine is safer and cheaper to produce
A new vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease that is safer to produce and easier to store has been developed by scientists from the University of Oxford and The Pirbright Institute. They have used a new method to produce a vaccine that doesn't rely on inactivating the live, infectious virus which causes the disease – and is therefore much safer to produce.

Death in young children in Africa linked to mother’s poor health
Young children in poorer countries who lose their mother are at increased risk from when she becomes seriously ill, not just in the period following her death. An international study including Oxford University researchers found increased risk of mortality among children aged under five in the months before their mother's death, as well as in the months after her death.

UCL Friends of MSF charity run

Expert group issues health warning for procurement on NHS Sustainability Day
The National Health Service will need to bring together multidisciplinary teams of clinicians and procurement specialists if it is to adjust to potential global resource shortages and guarantee patie

Teenage and young adult cancer deaths almost halved
Teenage and young adult cancer deaths have almost halved in the last 30 years but the success masks lack of access to clinical trials.

Inspiring Women: in conversation with Prof Dame Sally Davies
To celebrate International Women's Day, the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London invited Professor Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England and the Government's principal medical advisor, to talk about the challenges for women in science.

Winners revealed at Plymouth University’s Community Research Awards
Seven research projects ranging from an oral history of World War Two and post-war rebuilding in Plymouth to a study of how some teachers lack confidence when assessing Key Stage 1 physical education in the city’s schools have been chosen for an annual awards programme.

World’s biggest study of food allergies gets underway
The world's biggest ever study of allergies - spearheaded by the University of Manchester - officially gets underway today.

Chief Medical Officer opens new research facility in Oxford
Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health, has opened a new research facility in Oxford which will speed the development of effective treatments for dementia, mental health and neurological conditions. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford cognitive health Clinical Research Facility (CRF) will enable clinical studies of the size and quality required to translate important scientific advances into benefits for patients.

Healthcare heroes wow at the Big Bang Fair
Last week children and young people from across the UK tried their hand at medical procedures including keyhole surgery, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and endoscopy at King's Health Partners' s

Distinct biology of breast cancer in older women
Early operable breast cancer in older women has distinct biological differences to breast cancer in the under 70s.

Dental schools brings NHS care to 10,000-plus
More than 10,000 people in Devon and Cornwall now have access to NHS dental care, thanks to Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry.

UCL and Oxford unite to tackle challenge of sustainable medical innovation
UCL and the University of Oxford have come together to form CASMI - the Centre for the Advancement of Sustainable Medical Innovation.

Studying brain-cooling for birth asphyxia
In high income countries brain cooling is standard treatment for neonatal encephalopathy - unexpected, devastating brain injury due to low oxygen and blood in the baby's brain at birth.

Exercise could be key to success of cancer surgery
Scientists at the University of Liverpool are using a fitness programme to understand whether exercise could improve the surgical success rate of patients with rectal cancer.

People with learning disabilities are more likely to have a premature death compared with general population
A three-year study into the extent of premature death in people with learning disabilities has found that those with learning disabilities are more likely to have a premature death compared with indi

Operation Gorilla
The life of a young male gorilla has been transformed after an operation carried out by a surgeon from The University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science.

Index identifies poorer countries where poverty is 'shrinking'
An Oxford University study shows poverty is shrinking in many parts of the world. The index devised by researchers at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) measures reductions in multidimensional poverty – overlapping deprivations in health, education and living standards – rather than income.

Nottingham leads £2.6m international clinical trial into new stroke treatment
PA 84/13 Scientists in Nottingham are leading an international study to investigate the effectiveness of a new treatment on a devastating type of stroke.

New NHS advice showcases University research
Pioneering research by a world-leading team of University of Nottingham academics in the prevention of accidents involving children and young teenagers is being showcased to health and social care professionals. The work of Denise Kendrick and the Injury Epidemiology and Prevention Research Group at the University's Division of Primary Care has informed a substantial part of a National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Evidence Update ‘Strategies to prevent unintentional injuries among children and young people aged under 15' .

Manchester experts design new outcomes website for heart surgeons
The Blue Book Online , has been developed in partnership with National Institute for Cardiovascular Outcomes Research, NorthWest E-Health, a partnership between The University of Manchester, Salford Royal Foundation Trust and Salford NHS, and the Manchester Academic Health Science Centre. The Society of Cardiothoracic surgeons (SCTS) announced the ground breaking new development aimed at harnessing the digital age at their annual meeting in Brighton today (Monday 18 March).

Brain scientists put their heads together to create Sussex Neuroscience
Brain scientists put their heads together to create Sussex Neuroscience A major new initiative will establish the University of Sussex as a centre of excellence in neuroscience.

World first: device keeps human liver alive outside body
In a world first, a donated human liver has been 'kept alive' outside a human being and then successfully transplanted into a patient in need of a new liver.

New exhibition highlights story of Scotland’s oldest museum
A new exhibition will celebrate the origins of Scotland's oldest museum through objects and specimens from its first visitor guide, published in 1813.

Prospective joint clinical trials centre tops agenda for latest Sun Yat-Sen visit
The creation of a new joint clinical trials unit based in Guangzhou's largest hospital is under discussion as its President visits the University of Birmingham this week.

’Status quo bias’ affecting take up rate for bowel cancer screening
The NHS has to overcome people's ‘status-quo bias' if it is to increase the number of screenings for bowel cancer.

Researchers take you on a journey of discovery
Smashing strawberries to extract the DNA, mini creatures living all over our bodies, and medical implants used in hospital operations are just some of the things to be amazed by when the University

Innovative support programme improves employment prospects for people with mental health problems
An innovative support programme has helped to significantly transform the employment prospects of people in Nottinghamshire with a severe mental illness.

Errors are reducing the effectiveness of anti-D injections in pregnant women
Too many clinical errors are occurring with the requesting and administration of anti-D prophylaxis to prevent Rhesus Haemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (Rh HDFN) in pregnant women, according to a Manchester academic.