University of Liverpool to lead research on digestive issues in people with cystic fibrosis
Scientists from around the world are being led by the University of Liverpool to look at new ways of dealing with digestive issues in people living with cystic fibrosis (University of Liverpool, 2017). Cystic fibrosis is an inherited genetic condition that affects over 10,500 people in the UK. Symptoms begin in childhood and slowly progress … Continue reading University of Liverpool to lead research on digestive issues in people with cystic fibrosis
Bionic hand automatically sees and grabs objects
A bionic hand that “sees” objects and instantly decides what kind of grip to adopt has been developed by scientists at Newcastle University (BBC News, 2017). A computer uses a camera to assess an object’s shape and size and then trigger the correct movement to pick it up. The technology has been trialled by a … Continue reading Bionic hand automatically sees and grabs objects
Lab mice may not be effective models for immunology research
Lab mice may not be effective models for studying immune responses to disease according to researchers at the University of Bristol and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (University of Bristol, 2017). The findings of the study, published in Nature Communications, have implications for all aspects of medical and scientific research because laboratory mice … Continue reading Lab mice may not be effective models for immunology research
Active gaming is good for brain health and memory
Video games which involve physical activity significantly boost people’s brain health as they get older, according to new research led by University of Manchester experts (University of Manchester, 2017). Study authors Dr Emma Stanmore and Joseph Firth said systems that use physical activity for gaming, such as Wii and Xbox Kinect, can boost brain functioning … Continue reading Active gaming is good for brain health and memory
Smartphone apps can significantly reduce anxiety
New research has revealed that apps installed on smartphones can be used to significantly reduce anxiety (University of Manchester, 2017). Joseph Firth, from the University of Manchester, led the first ever meta-analysis of all published evidence on the effect of smartphone-based therapies on anxiety in 1,837 people. The study, published in the Journal of Affective … Continue reading Smartphone apps can significantly reduce anxiety
Research to improve asthma management
A new study by University of Manchester researchers, published today on World Asthma Day, has looked at the features that people with asthma and healthcare professionals want from an asthma management app (University of Manchester, 2017). Asthma treatment is currently managed by the use of written plans which help people with asthma work out when … Continue reading Research to improve asthma management
The smartphone that orders the body to treat diabetes
Researchers at East China Normal University in Shanghai have used a smartphone to control blood sugar levels in mice with diabetes (BBC News, 2017). The idea, described in Science Translational Medicine, could be applied to a wide range of diseases and drug treatments. Cells in the mice were genetically engineered to manufacture drugs that control … Continue reading The smartphone that orders the body to treat diabetes
Drug combination could help children with arthritis
A clinical trial, funded by Arthritis Research UK and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), led by professors from the University of Liverpool and University of Bristol has discovered a drug combination that could help thousands of children with arthritis (University of Liverpool, 2017). Over 5,000 children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) … Continue reading Drug combination could help children with arthritis
Cells identified that could repair damaged kidney function
Researchers from the University of Liverpool have identified a cell type isolated from human kidneys that can help repair renal function without integrating into the kidneys (University of Liverpool, 2017). Most people know that a major function of the kidneys is to remove waste products and excess fluid from the body. These waste products and … Continue reading Cells identified that could repair damaged kidney function
Autism more likely in girls whose maternal grandmothers smoked
Scientists from the University of Bristol have looked at all 14,500 participants in Children of the 90s and found that if a girl’s maternal grandmother smoked during pregnancy, the girl is 67% more likely to display certain traits linked to autism, such as poor social communication skills and repetitive behaviours (University of Bristol, 2017). The … Continue reading Autism more likely in girls whose maternal grandmothers smoked
