A new study shows how mice are picked up can substantially change their behaviour in cognitive tests (University of Liverpool, 2017). The work, by Dr Kelly Gouveia and Professor Jane Hurst from the University of Liverpool was funded by the NC3Rs and is published in Scientific Reports. The researchers discovered that mice handled by a … Continue reading Why you shouldn’t pick lab mice up by their tails

Scientists led by the University of Birmingham have discovered that a new class of androgens plays a key role in the development of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (University of Birmingham, 2017). The research, published online on March 13th 2017 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (April 2017 issue), shows that these novel androgens … Continue reading University of Birmingham study finds new class of androgens play key role in polycystic ovary syndrome

Immune cells which are reduced in number by obesity could be a new target to treat diseases such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension that affect overweight people, according to a collaborative study between the University of Manchester, Lund University and the University of Salford (University of Manchester, 2017). In a study published in Scientific … Continue reading New role for immune cells in preventing diabetes and hypertension

A state-of-the-art research centre to help accelerate the development of new antibiotics is set to be established by the University of Liverpool (University of Liverpool, 2017). The University of Liverpool has been awarded £630,000 of infrastructure funding by Innovate UK to create the Centre for Antimicrobial Pharmacodynamics (CAP) in partnership with Liverpool School of Tropical … Continue reading New centre to help accelerate development of new antibiotics to open

Scientists from the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Infection and Global Health have shown that phage therapy could offer a safe and effective alternative to antibiotics in the treatment of cystic fibrosis lung infections (University of Liverpool, 2017). Chronic lung infections caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa are becoming increasingly difficult to treat due to … Continue reading Phage therapy shown to kill drug-resistant superbug

Researchers from the University of Liverpool have identified a new way to kill certain cancer cells by starving them of a key nutrient (University of Liverpool, 2017). The finding could lead the way to more personalised treatment of certain cancers. In a paper published in Cell Reports, scientists including Ioannis Poursaitidis and Xiaomeng Wang from … Continue reading A new way to kill cancer cells

Researchers have shown stem cells from the umbilical cord may hold the key to a new generation of graft and could reduce the number of surgeries required to treat young children born with certain types of congenital heart disease (University of Bristol, 2017). Congenital heart disease is the most common type of birth defect. In … Continue reading Mending the youngest broken hearts

A Cardiff University study has concluded the number of people in the UK with Type 2 diabetes has trebled over the last two decades (Cardiff University, 2017). The new findings, based on data collected by GP services in the UK between 1991 and 2014, also show a marked increase in life expectancy for people with … Continue reading Number of people with Type 2 diabetes trebles since 1991

The Bevan Commission Academy for Health Leadership and Innovation has been formally opened at Swansea University’s Bay Campus by Dr Andrew Goodall, Director General of NHS Wales (Swansea University, 2017). The Bevan Commission Academy responds to the findings of the Commission for stronger leadership and innovation through a more prudent approach to health and wellbeing … Continue reading Bevan Commission Academy officially opens

Researchers at Cardiff University have devised a new way of creating artesmisinin, a drug commonly used as the first line of defence against malaria (Cardiff University, 2017). Artemisinin is a drug recommended by the World Health Organisation for treatment of all cases of severe malaria and works by attacking all stages of the malaria parasite … Continue reading New way to make artesmisinin