People who have had a stroke are more likely to develop infections such as pneumonia. These infections can slow recovery and make brain injury worse. Understanding why the immune system becomes weaker after stroke could help doctors prevent these infections and improve patient outcomes.

Earlier studies by Dr Laura McCulloch and Dr Barry McColl at the University of Edinburgh found that in animal models, stroke activates the system behind the fight-or-flight response, which includes the release of the chemical noradrenaline.

This activation quickly impairs a group of immune cells called B cells, reducing their ability to produce protective antibodies, and was associated with vulnerability to infection. Until now, it was unclear whether the same thing happens in stroke patients.

In this study, carried out at the University of �������Թϱ��� in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh team, researchers analysed blood samples from patients 24 - 48 hours after an ischaemic stroke and compared them with samples from individuals who had not had a stroke (‘controls’).

They found that stroke patients had fewer B cells than control patients and that these remaining cells were also less effective at producing antibodies and special signalling proteins called cytokines, both of which are essential for fighting infections.

“Findings from this collaborative study confirm that after someone has had a stroke important immune cells that help to fight infection are reduced, limiting the patient’s ability to make protective antibodies. Revealing these changes opens opportunities to develop new treatments that could help reduce the incidence of infection after stroke,” said Clinical Study Lead Prof Craig Smith from �������Թϱ���. 

The teams also tested B cells from healthy volunteers. When these cells were exposed to noradrenaline, they showed the same responses as seen in stroke patients: increased cell death and reduced antibody production.

These findings suggest that activation of the fight-or-flight response itself, not just stroke, can impair immune function. Stress, illness, or extreme physical exertion may all influence how well B cells work.

Reduced numbers of immune cells (B cells) were found in the blood of patients 24–48 hours after an ischaemic stroke. When B cells were stimulated with bacterial proteins (mimicking an infection), they were less able to produce protective antibodies and signalling proteins called cytokines.

The researchers are now studying how these immune changes after stroke may affect long-term recovery, including thinking and memory, as well as further damage to the brain’s blood vessels.

They are also exploring new treatments aimed at protecting or restoring B cell function after stroke, with the goal of reducing infections and improving recovery.

This research was a collaboration between the University of �������Թϱ��� (Geoffrey Jefferson Brain Research Centre and the Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation), the �������Թϱ��� Centre for Clinical Neurosciences (part of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust) and the University of Edinburgh (including the UK Dementia Research Institute).

This work was funded by the Medical Research Council, NIHR, Wellcome Trust, The Royal Society, The Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research, Leducq Foundation Transatlantic Network of Excellence StrokeIMPaCT and UK Dementia Research Institute.

• Read the full paper in

Scientists have long known that inherited neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or motor neurone disease, can be traced back to genetic mutations. However, how they cause the diseases remains unanswered.

In today’s issue of the journal Current Biology Professor Andreas Prokop revealed that so-called ‘motor proteins’ can provide key answers in this quest.

The research by the Prokop group focusses on nerve fibres, also called axons. Axons are the delicate biological cables that send messages between the brain and body to control our movements and behaviour. Intriguingly, axons need to survive and stay functional for our entire lifetime!

To survive long-term, axons harbour complex cellular machinery. This machinery crucially depends on the transport of materials from the distant nerve cell bodies which is performed by motor proteins running along thin fibres called microtubules.

If mutations in motor protein genes abolish their ability to transport cargo, this causes axonal decay, and many inherited neurodegenerative diseases can be traced back to such mutations. However, another class of mutations also linking to neurodegeneration, causes motor protein hyperactivation, meaning that motor proteins are constantly active, unable to pause.

“So far, it has been difficult to explain why both disabling and hyperactivating mutations can cause very similar forms of neurodegeneration.” said Professor Prokop.

“To find answers, we use fruit flies, where research is fast and cost-effective and where many of the relevant human genes have close equivalents and perform similar functions in nerve cells. Capitalising on these advantages, we could show that disabling as well as hyperactivating mutations cause a very similar pathology in axons: straight microtubule bundles decay into areas of disorganised microtubule curling, similar to dry versus boiled spaghetti.”

Further investigations revealed that hyperactivating and disabling mutations work through two different mechanisms that eventually converge to induce this curling:

Even under normal conditions, cargo transport along microtubules generates damage, like cars cause potholes – and this requires maintenance mechanisms to repair and replace microtubules. The balance between damage and repair is disturbed if motor proteins are hyperactivated or if maintenance machinery fails - both leading to microtubule curling as a sign of axon decay.

Prokop said: “In this scenario, disabling mutations could be assumed to cause less curling because there is less damaging traffic. However, less traffic depletes supply to the axonal machinery, and this triggers a condition referred to as oxidative stress. We could show that oxidative stress affects microtubule maintenance and leads therefore to the same kind of microtubule curling as observed upon motor hyperactivation.”

“These findings suggest a circular relationship which we called the “dependency cycle of axon homeostasis”, proposing that axon maintenance requires a microtubule- and motor protein-based machinery of transport which, itself, is dependent on this transport.”

Any gene mutations affecting axonal machinery in ways that cause oxidative stress, or that disturb the balance between microtubule damage or repair, can break this cycle. This can explain a long-standing conundrum in the field: why almost any class of neurodegenerative disease can be caused by mutations in a wide range of genes linking to very different cellular functions.

He added: “Parallel work by my group strongly supports the dependency cycle model. Importantly, since the fundamental genetic makeup of fruit flies and humans is surprisingly similar, it is very likely that our findings are replicated in humans – and there are good indications already.”

The study is published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism today (15/01/26) and is the first of its kind to compare alcohol treatment outcomes for all adolescents aged 11 – 17 seeking specialist treatment for alcohol problems in England.

It included data of marginalised groups, like those who are NEET, homeless, experiencing sexual exploitation and registered with social services.

Almost 26% of NEETs and 18% of adolescents with a child protection plan - which indicates risk of significant harm through neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse - did not complete treatments.

Older adolescents and those with higher alcohol use at treatment start were also at greater risk of dropping out of treatment compared with other vulnerable groups.

They also found that early onset alcohol use, mental health problems and substance use among family or household members reduced the chance of stopping drinking (becoming abstinent), by the end of treatment.

Adolescent alcohol abuse can lead to developmental problems, higher risk of addiction, accidents and injuries, mental health problems and poor performance at school.

Treatment typically involves psychosocial interventions including psychoeducation, motivational interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, family therapy and safeguarding.

A 2023 Government report showed that 5% of all school pupils said they usually drank alcohol at least once per week. The proportion increased with age, from 1% of 11 and 12 year olds to 11% of 15 year olds

There were also 14,352 children and young people aged 17 and under in alcohol and drug treatment between April 2023 and March 2024, a 16% increase from the previous year.

However, the numbers of young people in alcohol and drug treatment are 41% lower than at peak in 2008/09. Over this period concerns have been raised about cuts to funding and changing trends in alcohol consumption.

This study suggests among those who do access treatment, outcomes vary significantly based on socioeconomic disadvantage and early life adversity.

The researchers analysed National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) data of 2,621 adolescents whose publicly funded alcohol treatment took place between April 2018 and March 2023 in England.

Lead author Dr Mica Komarnyckyj from �������Թϱ��� said: “Alcohol abuse is a serious problem among young people and can lead to lifelong consequences.

“So understanding which people struggle with treatment is crucial as it could help services provide more tailored support for those at higher risk.

“Many challenges that put adolescents at risk of being NEET -  such as lack of parental support, economic inequalities or emotional difficulties – may be the same barriers that make it harder for them to complete treatment.”

She added: “Young people with child protection plans also had greater risk of dropping out of treatment. Many have experienced neglect or abuse, and some use alcohol to cope with trauma. Embedding trauma-informed approaches in services is essential”

Co-author Dr Stephen Kaar, Addiction Psychiatrist from �������Թϱ��� said: “Treatment services for adolescents with alcohol problems need to be appropriately funded, multi-disciplinary with a professionalised workforce, have access to mental health expertise and receive multi-agency support to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations”.

An embargoed copy of the paper Associations between childhood risk factors and alcohol treatment outcomes in adolescence is available here

The first study of its kind, published in the journal Communications Psychology  and funded by Wellcome Trust, also showed that stable light exposure across a week and uninterrupted exposure during a day had similar effects.

Participants in the study experienced improved subjective sleepiness, the ability to  maintain focused attention and 7-10% faster reaction speeds under bright light when compared to recent dim conditions.

Compared with their peers who went to bed later, participants with earlier bedtimes tended to be both more reliably wakeful under bright morning light - and sleepy under dimmer evening -light.

Lead author Dr Altug Didikoglu from �������Թϱ��� said: “Our findings show that outside controlled laboratory conditions, where participants continue their daily routines, both recent and long-term light exposure positively influences cognitive performance.

“The beneficial effects were associated with short-term bright light and habitual light exposure patterns characterized by brighter daytimes, earlier bedtimes, and higher consistency in light exposure.”

“These improvements in cognitive performance may have practical implications for health, safety, and work efficiency, particularly in low-light workplaces, during extended work hours, or night shifts.”

Being exposed to bright, stable daytime light was linked to enhanced and more sustained attention in a visual search task in which participant were asked to find a specific target on a page.

Higher daytime light exposure and less switches between light and dark were linked to improved cognitive.

And higher daytime light exposure and earlier estimated bedtimes were also associated with stronger relationships between recent light exposure and subjective sleepiness.

However, neither the time of day nor time awake significantly impacted cognitive performance; the effect of light was stronger than the effect of time of day.

The effects, argue the scientists, are likely initiated by activation of the ipRGC system in the thin layer of light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye that converts light into signals we interpret as vision, known as the retina.

Special photosensitive retinal cells in the ipRGC system containing the photopigment melanopsin are particularly sensitive to blue-green light and are  responsible for non-image-forming functions, such as regulating circadian rhythms, the pupillary light reflex, and mood.

The effects of personal ambient light exposure were measured in a sample of 58 adults over seven days of daily life.

The participants wore a special daylight exposure monitor on their wrists which effectively told the scientists how well light exposure influenced their internal body clock.

In addition, a smartphone app called Brightertime, developed at the University of �������Թϱ���, provided data on human cognitive performance compared to light exposure in their everyday life.

Forty-one of the  participants also attended a lab session which investigated how their eye pupils responded to light and compared actual light levels and their perception of light. However, this does not directly predict how light affects cognitive performance in everyday life

Dr Altug added:“Light is a fundamental environmental cue that governs numerous biological processes in humans, including body clocks, sleep, and cognition

“However, despite substantial findings from controlled laboratory studies, little is known about how these effects translate to real-world environments, where light exposure is dynamic and intertwined with daily routines.

“We think this study is an important addition to our understanding of this area of research.

”  Scientists already know that exposure to electrical light at night is known to disrupt sleep quality and delays the biological clock.

“Our new study paper now shows that bright daytime light is also critical by supporting cognitive function.”

• The paper Relationships between light exposure and aspects of cognitive function in everyday life published in Communications Psychology is available . DOI:
• The study authors previously led a on recommended healthy lighting levels: bright light during the day, dim light before sleep, and darkness at night. They also previously that meeting recommended light levels support our sleep .The current results align with these recommendations and suggest that following them long-term may also support cognitive performance.

“AI will revolutionise the care we provide, enhance diagnostics and care pathways and free up time for our clinicians to do what they do best: caring for our children and young people. This is a great example - a practical tool directly focused on better care for children with cerebral palsy” – Lead Clinician, Professor Daniel Perry (surgeon at Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and NIHR Research Professor).

Children with cerebral palsy are at high risk of developing hip problems, with the ball of the hip moving out of the socket. This movement can cause the child severe pain, problems sitting down, and difficulties with personal care. The dislocation, however, can be prevented through regular X-ray measurements and prompt intervention with reliable procedures if a problem is spotted.

The system, developed in conjuncture with clinicians at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, is intended to be integrated into the Cerebral Palsy Integrated Pathway (CPIP), the national framework used to monitor the musculoskeletal systems of children with cerebral palsy. CPIP involves affected children receiving regular assessment, physical examination and regular hip X-rays, which are then examined by medical experts in order to identify changes and predict risks. 

This process, however, is not nationally standardised, and uptake differs between regions. Due to the large amount of clinician time it consumes, and the extra costs and delays involved, levels of CPIP uptake are often limited by the resources available to a particular region. This means that the standard of care for a child with cerebral palsy may be higher in one area of the country than another.

This new tool, however, will help to change that - by automating the process of hip x-ray interpretation, data capture and monitoring, enabling more patients to benefit from early detection and prevention as a result.

Professor Mike Lewis, NIHR Scientific Director for Innovation, said: "This project demonstrates the NIHR’s commitment to transforming healthcare for all of society, adults and children. We are already supporting research that embeds innovation directly into NHS services and tools like this automatic AI system have real potential to reduce waiting lists, improve long‑term outcomes for children with cerebral palsy, and help clinicians make better decisions at earlier stages of care.

Dr Claudia Lindner, who co-leads the project with Prof. Cootes, states, “This software can be used to ensure prompt and consistent diagnoses. We want to make sure that every child with cerebral palsy in the UK receives the same high level of care.”

The AI algorithm has been trained using thousands of X-ray images and is capable of automatically locating the outline of children’s hip bones, and is able to detect cases where the hips are just beginning to dislocate, through to full dislocation. The accuracy of the tool has been thoroughly tested and was found by researchers to be similar to that of human medical experts, while taking a fraction of the time to perform the analysis.

�������Թϱ��� Imaging Ltd will take the AI algorithm developed at the University of �������Թϱ��� and build a Medical Device that will be integrated into hospital systems, making it easy for clinicians to use.

The medical device will be used to monitor hip movement, picking out areas of concern in hip X-rays and flagging up areas where a serious problem is likely to occur, identifying when preventative intervention is likely to be needed.

The researchers say that by using the tool, clinicians will save significant amounts of time and will improve patient outcomes by speeding up the treatment process. 

Professor Timothy Cootes, who works on the research, said this, “We hope that by automating this process, we can standardise our level of care across the board, and ensure that the CPIP can be fully integrated throughout the NHS.”

By using this tool to processes thousands of images across the country, X-ray image data will be automatically entered into the national CPIP database. This will enable new research to better understand the course of the disease and the benefits of monitoring. 

Dr Steve Cooke, national orthopaedic lead for CPIP, remarks, “With nearly 14,000 children on CPIP there is a huge opportunity for ground-breaking research, but we need more and better data. An accurate, streamlined tool that automates what is currently a labour-intensive task will transform the way we monitor the hip in children with cerebral palsy.”

Dr Tom Williams, Chief Technical Officer at �������Թϱ��� Imaging Ltd, commented, “We are excited to be furthering our working relationships with our esteemed academic and clinical colleagues. We look forward to bringing our expertise in translating leading-edge AI algorithms into devices that directly benefit patients, ensuring real-world impact from cutting-edge research.”

The study, supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) �������Թϱ��� Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) is published in the journal today

The findings, based on the analysis of four linked national datasets comprising over 24,000 patients in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, hold true even when accounting for the different complexities and durations of the surgery.

The data showed late-morning surgery was linked to an 18% higher risk of death - almost one fifth - from heart related causes compared with early-morning surgery.

And the most common surgical start time was 07:00–09:59- early morning - accounting for 47% of all surgeries.

Though complication rates and readmissions were unaffected by the time of day, the findings still pose questions about the best time to schedule heart surgery.

They also give an important insight into the potential influence of the body clock - a set of 24-hour biological cycles present in our cells and organs – on surgery as a whole.

Lead author is Dr Gareth Kitchen, Clinical Senior Lecturer at �������Թϱ���. He is also part of the Respiratory Theme and Co-Lead for Industry and Commercialisation at the NIHR �������Թϱ��� BRC.

He said: “Given that over 25,000 heart operations are performed across the UK every year with around a 2.7% mortality, even small improvements in timing-related outcomes could have significant benefits to patients.

“This research shows a slightly higher risk of heart related mortality is likely to occur when heart surgery starts in in late morning.

“However, though the risk is statistically significant, it is relatively modest and patients can be reassured that most people will almost certainly be unaffected.

“It is though, our duty as clinicians to ensure the best possible outcomes, and moderating timings is a potentially inexpensive method to achieve that.”

The researchers compared four starting times for the 3 to 5 hour operations: early morning (07:00 to 09:59); late morning (10:00 to 11:59); early afternoon (12:00 to 13:59); and late afternoon (14:00 to 19:59).

The main outcomes they examined were hazard of death from cardiovascular disease and time to hospital readmission for heart attack or acute heart failure.

Secondary outcomes included duration of postoperative hospital stay, occurrence of major cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality.

The researchers accounted for potential bias by taking into account key mortality predictors such as age, sex, diabetes and urgency of surgery.

Dr Kitchen added: “Integrating body clock biology into the planning of heart surgery could support a more personalised, precision medicine approach.

“As some people’s body clock makes them early birds and others makes them night owls, it is worth exploring tailored operative times through further research.

“With more understanding of how body clock biology varies between individuals, precision and personalised scheduling of cardiac surgery may one day allow us to achieve better patient outcomes.”

• The paper Time of Day and Outcomes Following Cardiac Surgery in the UK: A Secondary Analysis of Linked National Datasets is available . doi.org/10.1111/anae.70125

The review including 21 studies involving more than 6,000 patients who underwent blood tests for procalcitonin, a biomarker that becomes elevated during bacterial infections, is published in the journal today (9/01/26). 

The analysis was undertaken by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded Applied Research Collaboration Greater �������Թϱ��� (ARC-GM), the NIHR �������Թϱ��� HealthTech Research Centre in Emergency and Acute Care and the NIHR �������Թϱ��� Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), in collaboration with The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and �������Թϱ��� University NHS Foundation Trust. 

It revealed that health professionals who used procalcitonin tests as part of their decision making were able to safely stop antibiotics about two days earlier than when they were not used, without increasing risk of death. 

The review findings suggest that more, higher-quality studies are still needed to determine whether another test, known as C-reactive protein is safe to use when deciding about antibiotic use in these patients. 

The results are an important milestone in the care of sepsis, a life-threatening condition where the body’s response to infection damages its own tissues, leading to organ failure and death. 

Treatment for the condition, one of the leading causes of death worldwide, usually involves 7-10 days of antibiotics. 

But using antibiotics for too long can cause serious problems, including antibiotic resistance, bacterial infections that no longer respond to medicine, a global health crisis which kills millions globally.

Reduction in antibiotic use could also provide significant cost savings to health systems and limit unwanted drug side-effects.

UK health authorities, such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), have not recommended routine use of these blood tests in hospitals because earlier evidence was limited and lacked UK trial data.

However, the review addresses the gap in knowledge and includes recent clinical trial data from the UK ADAPT-Sepsis trial, also led by University of �������Թϱ��� researchers.

In their review, the researchers assessed randomised controlled trials which compared procalcitonin tests with standard care and C-reactive protein tests with standard care, where antibiotics are given according to international, national, or local clinical guidelines, without biomarker testing.

In patients with sepsis, the findings show that procalcitonin tests may help healthcare professionals stop antibiotics about two days earlier than standard care and may reduce the risk of death by 5%.

However, it is still unclear whether using procalcitonin tests prevents people from getting sick again or leads to longer hospital stays.

Study co-author, Professor Paul Dark, is Vice Dean for health and care partnerships at the University of �������Թϱ��� and Professor of critical care medicine at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust.

He said: "Our findings show that using a procalcitonin test can help healthcare professionals safely stop antibiotics for people with sepsis more quickly. This is exciting because it supports safe care whilst reducing the risk of antibiotic-resistant infections in the future.

“This will be better for patients, who will experience more limited side effects, and better for health care systems by providing significant cost savings.”

He added: “Our  recent cost effectiveness that was part of the ADAPT-Sepsis trial also suggests that implementing daily procalcitonin measurement into routine NHS sepsis care would likely be cost effective.

“This approach supports the UK’s 10-Year Health Plan to tackle antibiotic resistance and could inform future NICE sepsis guidelines, paving the way for routine use of these blood tests in sepsis care.

• The paper Clinical effectiveness of procalcitonin- or C-reactive protein-guided antibiotic discontinuation protocols for adult patients who are critically ill with sepsis: a systematic review and meta-analysis  is available

Her three-year Fellowship will focus on understanding how the most aggressive type of womb cancer called p53-abnormal (p53abn) womb cancer, develops, who is most at risk, and whether early changes can be targeted to prevent it.

Womb cancer is the most common gynaecological cancer, and the fourth most common cancer in women. It affects 9,700 women and people with gynae organs each year in the UK. There are four main subtypes, and p53abn womb cancers are the most aggressive. They are more likely to spread, more likely to return after treatment, and have worse outcomes than other types of womb cancer. They are also more common in Black women.

Despite the impact these cancers have, we still don’t know what causes them to develop, whether early warning signs can be detected, or how we might prevent them. Dr Sarah Kitson hopes to change this. She aims to improve our understanding of how these cancers develop, find out whether the process is the same for all p53abn womb cancers, and learn about the risk factors that make someone more likely to develop it. Her hope is that this research will reveal ways to prevent these cancers from developing and help save lives.

To do this, Sarah will invite 50 women undergoing surgery for p53abn womb cancer to donate blood, womb tissue and a cervical screening sample. She will use these samples to look for the earliest gene changes that signal a cancer is forming, examine how the cancer grows and changes over time, and explore how the body’s own defence system responds during the early stages. She hopes this information could allow researchers to identify individuals at a high risk of p53abn womb cancer long before symptoms appear. This would hopefully open the door to future screening tests or ways to prevent it developing.

If successful, this project could point towards potential new drug treatments to try stop p53abn womb cancers from developing. The research team would then need to develop and test these treatments in the laboratory before moving on to clinical trials with people at a high risk of developing this type of womb cancer.

Dr Sarah Kitson, Eve Fellow and Principal Investigator said: “I am extremely honoured to have been awarded The Eve Appeal/North West Cancer Research Fund Fellowship to learn more about how p53abn womb cancers develop and to explore ways in which we could try and stop these aggressive cancers from forming. The two charities have contributed greatly to cancer research and gynaecological cancer prevention, and it will be a huge privilege to join their world-leading groups of researchers.”

Athena Lamnisos, CEO of The Eve Appeal said:  “p53-abnormal womb cancers are the most aggressive of the womb cancer subtypes, and we urgently need answers about how they develop and how we can prevent them. Sarah’s work will take us a step closer to reducing one of the biggest inequalities in gynaecological cancers, that Black women are twice as likely to die from womb cancer as their White peers. We are incredibly proud to support her, and we believe this project could help change the future of this aggressive form of womb cancer.”

Alastair Richards, CEO of North West Cancer Research said: “We are incredibly proud to once again partner with The Eve Appeal to co-fund another outstanding research Fellow. Together, our charities have now invested more than £1.2 million in pioneering gynaecological cancer research. In the North West, womb cancer rates continue to rise, and aggressive cases like p53abn cancers pose a real challenge for women in our region. Dr Kitson’s project is especially important because it seeks to understand how these cancers begin—and how we might stop them. This is exactly the kind of ambitious, high-impact research we are committed to supporting.”

Principal Investigator Dr Imelda McDermott said: “Our evaluation shows how different independent prescribing models were expected to work (or not) and achieve their intended outcomes.”

Under the NHS 10 year health plan, community pharmacies will become better integrated with primary care and general practice; pharmacists are becoming increasingly clinically qualified, many with the ability to prescribe.

In anticipation of the change , NHS England is running the Independent Prescribing in Community Pharmacy Pathfinder , which was evaluated by the researchers.

The programme allows community pharmacist prescribers in around 200 ‘pathfinder’ sites to deliver prescribing models as part of integrated primary care clinical services.

Participating pharmacists reported significant increases in job satisfaction and many felt the programme "saved" them from leaving the sector by allowing them to use their full clinical skills.

The pathfinder sites tested three different clinical models to examine how pharmacist prescribing can be incorporated into community pharmacy clinical services:

• Existing services, including acute minor illnesses and contraception
• Long-term conditions, including prescribing for cardiovascular diseases (e.g. hypertension, lipid optimisation), respiratory diseases, and women's health.
• Novel services, including reducing over prescribing, reviewing antidepressants and menopause

For the Long-term condition models, a ‘joint partner’ approach between the pharmacist prescriber and the local GP practice was fundamental, to ensure joined up collaboration for improved patient access and care.

However the implementation and long-term viability of an IP service were found to be dependent on five key areas as laid out by Stephen  , Minister of State for Care: clinical governance, clinical supervision, optimal skill mix, digital infrastructure and a financially viable funding model.

Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) -  the regional NHS organisation in England responsible for planning and funding local health services - were instrumental in guiding sites through assurance processes, developing clinical governance, and fostering stronger relationships between GPs, community pharmacy and other stakeholders.

However, securing clear indemnity to deliver pharmacist prescribing in community pharmacy was challenging due to insurance companies’ lack of familiarity with the new model.

Clinical supervision, something which is traditionally scarce in community pharmacy, was usually provided by a GP through regular one-to-one sessions and was highly valued by pharmacist prescribers as it helped to build their confidence and GP’s trust.

The researchers also found:

• Commissioning strategies were needed to generate predictable patient volumes to ensure a financially viable service
• Having read-only access to patients’ medications and limited details of their medical histories made holistic patient care more challenging. Those IP pharmacists who had read/write access to patient records found it easier to collaborate in a timely fashion with GPs and other GP practice based healthcare professionals.
• A good skill mix is needed across the wider pharmacy team to ensure pharmacist prescribers have the capacity to deliver the service.

 The analysis – featured in the journal Clinical and translational medicine  – revealed molecular signals that in one case prompted re-examination of archived fallopian tube tissue and led to the retrospective identification of a pre-invasive or very early cancerous lesion. 

“This is important as it is now known most ovarian cancers don’t start in the ovary itself. Instead, they start from pre-cancer lesions which develop in the fallopian tube before spreading to the ovary and beyond,” said Dr Christine Schmidt, Senior Lecturer at �������Թϱ���’s Division of Cancer Sciences. 

The findings from the  study could in the longer term  form the basis for future approaches aimed at informing ovarian cancer risk assessment and  contributinge to less invasive interventions for some high-risk women. 

Surgery to remove the tubes and ovaries is often currently used to reduce risk for high-risk women. 

However, the study raises the prospect of delaying  risk-reducing surgery for some women, preserving their fertility. 

This could be particularly beneficial for the women in the UK who are at high genetic risk of ovarian cancer because they carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation.

Though uncommon in women with an average risk, existing shows that roughly half to three-quarters of women with a high genetic risk of ovarian cancer currently choose surgical removal of the ovaries.

Despite evidence suggesting a prolonged window between pre-cancer lesions inside the fallopian tube and more serious cancer in the ovaries and other tissues, there are currently no clinical tests available to help detect these early pre-cancer changes without invasive surgery.

However, the team in �������Թϱ��� have shown that fluid washed through the inside of the fallopian tube could be used to test for broad patterns of molecular changes associated with early tumour development using a technique known as proteomic analysis.

The researchers used the approach in an exploratory study of the fallopian tubes of 27 women who had had them surgically removed.

The women were divided into different groups. The first group were either high-risk BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation carriers or they had an abnormal ovarian growth. A second group had other gynaecological conditions unrelated to ovarian cancer.

The researchers took the samples from the soft, frilly, finger-like edge at the open end of the tube next to the ovary known as the fimbriae.

They were able to detect different patterns of proteins in the washes from high-risk fallopian tubes and tubes associated with ovarian cancer compared to normal.

Some of these proteins overlap with previously proposed biomarkers for advanced disease stages and some may form the basis for future exploratory studies to identify potential targets for ovarian cancer prevention.

Dr Schmidt added: “While further exploration and validation in larger cohorts is needed, our findings point to a promising direction for less invasive ovarian cancer risk management strategies that could – in the longer term –  help reduce reliance on invasive prophylactic surgeries while preserving fertility in some high-risk women.”

“We look forward to taking this novel approach forwards and hope that one day the findings can contribute to the development of an approach that cmight eventuallyan be used in the clinic.”

• The study was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the International Alliance for Cancer Early Detection (ACED) programme.
• The  paper, Fallopian tube lavage sampling towards early detection of pre-invasive ovarian cancer, is available

The £8m programme, which aims to recruit up to 100 patients over 5 years, has secured £3.4 million from the Medical Research Council (MRC), with support from industry partners Poolbeg Pharma plc, Johnson & Johnson, Randox Laboratories Ltd and Sanius Health.

The programme, called RISE*, aims to address one of the biggest challenges in advanced cancer immunotherapies – reducing the potentially life-threatening side effects of powerful therapies such as CAR-T and T-cell engaging bispecific antibodies. These next-generation treatments are already transforming survival prospects for patients with blood cancers like lymphoma and leukaemia, but many experience severe immune system overreactions, including Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) which can cause ‘flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue and muscle ache and can be potentially life-threatening. Approximately two hundred people are given advanced cancer therapies every year, a quarter of whom are treated at The Christie. Nearly a fifth of patients with CRS suffer severe side-effects such as difficulty breathing, organ dysfunction or neurological complications, needing intensive care treatment. 

Dr Jonathan Lim, Honorary Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Christie and Senior Lecturer at �������Թϱ��� and programme lead for RISE said: “RISE brings together experts from across �������Թϱ��� to understand how powerful new cancer immunotherapies work, and why they sometimes cause serious side effects. Our ambition is to position the UK as a global leader in research focused on the safe delivery of cell therapies.”

Talking about her experience, Elkie said: “CAR-T was basically the only option left for me and without it I wouldn’t be here. I was told my bone marrow was about 90% leukaemia, so my prognosis was very poor. I was given a 20% chance of the treatment being successful and told about the side-effects which scared me, but I didn’t have an alternative. I was in hospital for a month and a half and spent a week in the critical care unit. I got neurotoxicity and my personality changed over-night. I was in and out of consciousness and very confused. I had hallucinations and woke up on Easter Sunday convinced I was Jesus. I became paranoid and thought I was kidnapped and chained up, but it was just the IV tubes around the bed. I even tried to attack my poor mum.

“It was very tough, but the tremendous support from my mum, boyfriend and the whole family got me through, as well as the fantastic Christie medical team. If there’d been a drug available to prevent the side effects, I would have felt less anxiety beforehand and would have had a much better experience altogether. If the researchers find a way of preventing these awful side-effects, that will make a massive difference for patients like me. It could be a real game-changer.

“My memory isn’t what it was, and my immune system is very weak, so I have to have an infusion once a month to give it a boost. I also get tired very easily but I’m now back working part-time at a hair salon and enjoying life with my boyfriend, Christy and the rest of my family.”

In parallel, the �������Թϱ��� Wearables Research Group and the Christabel Pankhurst Institute at �������Թϱ���, core partners of the RISE programme, will deploy a digital monitoring platform to track patients receiving standard-of-care CAR-T therapy. This technology aims to detect early signs of inflammation and enable earlier clinical intervention, before complications escalate.

Professor Alejandro Frangi, Director of the Christabel Pankhurst Institute and co-lead of RISE said: “To push the boundaries of what’s possible in immunotherapy research, we’re embedding artificial intelligence and machine learning from the outset. These high-risk and potentially high-reward tools will help uncover insights that traditional methods might miss – accelerating discovery and enabling smarter, faster solutions.”

Any patients interested in taking part in clinical trials should discuss this option with their consultant or GP. Not all patients will fit the criteria for a specific trial. While clinical trials can be successful for some patients, outcomes can vary from case to case. More information about taking part in clinical trials can be found .

*RISE stands for ‘Reducing Immune Stress from Excess Cytokine release in advanced therapies’.

Dr Glenn Wells, Medical Research Council Deputy Executive Chair, said: “This project is part of a £9 million public sector investment through MRC’s first Prosperity Partnerships. With additional contribution from industry and close collaboration with key regulatory bodies, we are addressing the safety and toxicity of advanced therapies. This research is critical to improving how gene, cell-based, and nucleic acid-dependent therapies are developed for conditions such as cancers and rare genetic disorders, so we can make meaningful improvements to patient outcomes.”

A patient who welcomes the news about this research is Elkie Mellor, 22, from Bebington in the Wirral, Merseyside who underwent CAR-T treatment for  in March 2024. This was the third time she’d had leukaemia, having first been diagnosed when she was 14 years old.

Led and funded by researchers at �������Թϱ��� and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Greater �������Թϱ��� (ARC-GM), and NIHR �������Թϱ��� Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). The papers, published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, examined adults and young people who accessed the Greater �������Թϱ��� Resilience Hub, which was established to coordinate psychological support following the attack.

The attack on 22nd May 2017 killed 22 people and around 19,500 people were present at the Arena, including concert-goers, staff, parents and emergency responders.

Adult study: timely help seeking is linked to lower levels of mental distress

The first paper analysed data from 2,627 adults who registered with the Resilience Hub during the three years after the attack. Researchers examined screening results for symptoms of trauma, depression, anxiety and problems with social or work functioning. Participants were grouped according to when they first registered—from three months to more than three years after the attack—and followed over time.

Those who sought help earlier were less symptomatic when they first contacted the Hub. People who waited longer to register tended to have higher levels of distress, depression and anxiety, but all groups showed improvement in mental health over time. Later registrants improved at a slightly faster rate once they engaged with support.

The analysis also showed that individuals who had more contact time with Hub staff, through assessments, therapy sessions or group workshops, tended to experience greater reductions in depression and anxiety scores.

Researchers concluded that early and sustained engagement with mental health support services can be beneficial after a traumatic event. They also found that even those who delayed seeking help experienced improvement once they accessed care.

Dr Louise Hussey, lead author and Research Fellow at the  University of �������Թϱ��� said:

“These papers explore how the Resilience Hub supported people affected by the 2017 traumatic event. They add to existing evidence showing the benefits of providing timely mental health support after major incidents. The research also offers valuable insight into how the Hub was developed as a rapid and ongoing response to urgent needs. This work is helping to inform future service planning and provision, with the aim of improving outcomes for those affected by similar events.” 

Sister paper: impact on children and adolescents

A companion study, “Has mental health changed in children and adolescents registered with a dedicated support service responding to the �������Թϱ��� Arena attack: 3-year follow-up,” examined similar data from younger registrants of the Hub. It explored how symptoms changed over time among children and adolescents affected by the attack, including those present at the Arena and those indirectly affected through family members. Researchers also looked at some of the children and adolescence mental health screening scores in relation to those provided by their parents/guardians. Parents/guardians with a higher level of mental distress were observed to assign higher anxiety scores to their child or adolescent in relation to the score reported by the young person themselves. This showed that parental wellbeing was associated with child’s mental distress indicating shared family trauma should be considered when planning care.

Together, the two studies provide a detailed picture of the psychological impact of the �������Թϱ��� Arena attack and the long-term value of proactive, coordinated mental health support.

Wider lessons

The authors note that the findings reinforce the importance of early outreach and accessible psychological services following mass trauma events. We recommend that future emergency response planning should include systems for early identification, regular follow-up and data collection to support ongoing evaluation.

Read more about the project here:

Read both papers in full via the links below;

Anyone impacted by the �������Թϱ��� Arena attack can still contact the Greater �������Թϱ��� Resilience Hub on 0333 009 5071 or email gm.help@nhs.net. The Hub provides a range of specialist, psychological support services to help people affected by trauma; including supporting anyone living in Greater �������Թϱ��� affected by the �������Թϱ��� synagogue attack in October 2025.

Published in Brain, Behaviour and Immunity, the study adds to the emerging idea of the “gut-brain axis” – in which scientists suggest allows communication between the two organs in both health and disease.

The study casts more light on the biology of stroke, a life-threatening medical emergency that disrupts blood flow to parts of the brain often causing long-term effects to mobility and cognition.

Stroke patients are also at risk of secondary bacterial infections and often exhibit gastrointestinal symptoms including difficulty swallowing and constipation.

Increasing evidence suggests these gastrointestinal complications are associated with changes in the commensal microbiota – the community of “good bacteria” that normally keep our guts healthy.

The changes are seen both in stroke patients and in animal models of stroke, yet the underlying reasons for these gut symptoms and their importance for stroke severity or recovery have been poorly understood.

Previous studies from scientists who co-authored the current study have shown how signals from the nervous system may act to change gut immune responses following stroke.

The latest study, funded by the Wellcome Trust,  shows the axis may also work in both directions, with antibody-producing immune cells moving to the brain and the associated membranes during stroke – although the importance of this for stroke severity and prognosis is not yet known.

Using mice, the team studied the changes that happened in the small intestine after a stroke,  revealing populations of immune cells that make antibodies became altered in the first few days.

In particular they found that a specialised subset of cells that make an antibody called Immunoglobulin A (IgA) became hyper-activated. IgA acts to manage the populations of commensal bacteria that live in the intestine and determine gut health.

The researchers then found that mice lacking IgA do not exhibit the same degree of changes to the gut microbiome following stroke – suggesting altered immune function could in part explain some changes seen in the intestinal tract of stroke patients.

Lead investigator Professor Matt Hepworth from  the Lydia Becker Institute of Immunity and Inflammation at �������Թϱ��� said: “Stroke is a devastating neurological event but also has many long-term consequences that can leave the patient at risk of airway infection, as well as gastrointestinal complications.

“Working with neuroscientists, we were able to begin to uncover how the immune system in the gut becomes disturbed following a stroke, and how that might lead to changes in the way the gut deals with its “good bacteria”.

“We now think these immune changes might contribute to the intestinal symptoms and long-term complications seen in stroke patients.”

He added: “While the focus remains on stroke prevention, as well as early intervention to minimise the damage in patients who do suffer stroke we reveal new understanding of the secondary pathologies experienced throughout the body and that contribute to long-term complications for recovering patients.

“As immune-targeting therapeutics are increasingly used in the clinic, this opens up the possibility of treating immune driven disease symptoms following a stroke to improve patients’ quality of life.”

• The paper Cerebral ischaemic stroke results in altered mucosal antibody responses and host-commensal microbiota interactions  available . DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2025.106184.

Girls vaccinated before the age of 16 were found to be 80% less likely to develop cervical cancer. The reviews also confirm that HPV vaccines are only likely to cause minor, transient side effects such as a sore arm. The reviews were supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

Professor Emma Crosbie, Honorary Consultant in Gynaecological Oncology at Saint Mary’s Hospital, part of �������Թϱ��� University NHS Foundation Trust, was involved in the new Cochrane reviews.

Prof Crosbie, who is also Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Co-Theme Lead at the NIHR �������Թϱ��� Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and Professor of Gynaecological Oncology at �������Թϱ���, specialises in the screening, prevention and early diagnosis of gynaecological cancers.

She said: “Cervical cancer is an essentially preventable disease; we can prevent it through screening and vaccination. The Cochrane review looked at all the available evidence from all the studies that have been done so far looking at the effectiveness of HPV vaccination and its long-term safety.”

HPV is a family of common viruses, including the viruses that cause skin warts. Whilst many types of HPV are harmless, other ‘high-risk’ types can cause cancers of the cervix, anus, penis, vulva, vagina, and throat, and others cause anogenital warts.

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide and causes more than 300,000 deaths each year, mostly in low- and middle-income countries. The new reviews confirm that vaccination against HPV can prevent most of these cancers from developing.

Prof Crosbie said: “Unfortunately, year on year, we have seen a drop in the number of people taking up vaccination. HPV vaccination is incredibly safe. The work we have done with Cochrane show there are no negative long-term health impacts associated with vaccination. Many millions of people have now been vaccinated with the HPV vaccine, and we have not seen any safety issues.”

Watch this video to hear Professor Crosbie discuss the importance of the HPV vaccine, alongside senior author, Dr Jo Morrison and Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist, Laura Pope who was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

Clinical trial evidence supports effectiveness and safety

The first review focused on randomised controlled trials and included 60 studies with 157,414 participants. They found that all HPV vaccines were effective in preventing infections that can lead to cancer and other HPV-related conditions, with no evidence of serious safety concerns.

Because cancers caused by HPV can take many years to develop, most studies did not follow participants long enough to measure direct effects on cancer itself. However, vaccines such as Cervarix, Gardasil, and Gardasil-9 reduced precancerous changes in the cervix and other tissues in people aged 15 to 25 years, as well as the number of people needing treatment for HPV-related disease. The vaccines that included protection against the relevant HPV types significantly reduced the risk of anogenital warts.

Short-term side effects like mild pain or swelling at the injection site were common, but serious side effects were rare and occurred at similar rates in both vaccine and control groups.

“Clinical trials cannot yet give us the whole picture on cervical cancer, as HPV-related cancers can take many years to develop,” says Hanna Bergman, co-lead author. “That being said, the evidence from these trials confirms that HPV vaccines are highly effective at preventing the infections that lead to cancer, without any sign of serious safety concerns.”

Real-world evidence confirms long-term protection

The second review analysed evidence from 225 studies involving more than 132 million people across multiple countries. It looked at observational study designs, including population-level studies comparing outcomes before and after introduction of the vaccine. Findings show that HPV vaccination clearly reduces the risk of developing cervical cancer and pre-cancerous changes of the cervix. The results came from studies of various designs across different follow-up periods.

Girls vaccinated at or before the age of 16 were 80% less likely to develop cervical cancer than unvaccinated girls. The review also found substantial reductions in pre-cancerous changes (known as CIN2+ and CIN3+), and in anogenital warts, which are also caused by HPV infection. Reductions were greater in people who received the HPV vaccine at or before the age of 16.

Importantly, the review found no evidence to support claims that HPV vaccination increases the risk of serious adverse events. By cross-referencing alleged adverse events with real-world follow-up data, the review team found no relationship between reported serious side effects and HPV vaccination.

“We now have clear and consistent evidence from around the world that HPV vaccination prevents cervical cancer,” says Nicholas Henschke, co-lead author. “An important finding was that the commonly reported side effects of the vaccine, often discussed on social media, were found to hold no evidence of a real link to vaccination.”

Global impact and next steps

Together, the two Cochrane reviews provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date evidence on HPV vaccination to date, drawing from both large-scale real-world studies and rigorous clinical trials. Evidence shows that HPV vaccination is a safe and highly effective public health measure, capable of preventing cancers that affect hundreds of thousands of people every year.

The findings underscore global recommendations to vaccinate both girls and boys, ideally before the age of 16, to achieve the greatest protection against HPV-related cancers. Protection is strongest when vaccination occurs before sexual debut and exposure to the virus.

However, the authors also note some evidence gaps. Most research has been conducted in high-income countries, meaning more studies are needed in low- and middle-income settings, where cervical cancer is more common and screening programs are lacking; it is in these countries that HPV vaccination will have an even more positive impact. However, to achieve the World Health Organisation’s ambition to eradicate cervical cancer, high rates of HPV vaccination, cervical screening and treatment of pre-cancers detected by screening remain crucial.

• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for the prevention of cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases: a network meta-analysis is available
• Effects of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination programmes on community rates of HPV-related disease and harms from vaccination is available

In February this year, Oliver (Ollie) Chu, was treated for Hunter syndrome in a clinical study being delivered at Royal �������Թϱ��� Children’s Hospital (RMCH) in collaboration with the �������Թϱ��� Centre for Genomic Medicine at Saint Mary’s Hospital – both part of �������Թϱ��� University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) The trial is managed and sponsored by the University of �������Թϱ���.

Children with Hunter syndrome, a rare, inherited condition also known as mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II), have an error in a gene, meaning they cannot produce an important enzyme that breaks down complex sugar molecules. Over time these sugars build up in organs and tissues, leading to joint stiffness, hearing loss, breathing and heart problems, developmental delays and cognitive decline, resembling childhood dementia. Hunter syndrome can be life-threatening, with life expectancy typically between 10 and 20 years. Currently the only licensed drug that can help to improve life for children with Hunter syndrome is Elaprase – a weekly enzyme replacement therapy that takes approximately three hours, that children must take for their whole life. Approximately 50 patients in the UK receive Elaprase, which costs around £375,000 a year per patient. The drug can reduce mobility and organ problems but cannot improve mental decline.

Now, several months on from the procedure, Ollie has fully recovered from the transplant, and his parents and the �������Թϱ��� researchers are excited by his progress.

The clinical study at RMCH is investigating a one-off gene therapy which involves removing the child’s stem cells, replacing the faulty gene and re-injecting the modified cells into the patient. These stem cells can produce high levels of the missing enzyme and also reach the brain.

Professor Rob Wynn, Consultant Paediatric Haematologist and Director of Paediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Programme at RMCH and joint clinical lead, said: ““For many years we have performed bone marrow transplant for children with Hunter Syndrome and similar illnesses. However, these are difficult procedures that can only deliver as much enzyme as the donor’s blood naturally has.

“Gene therapy is not only safer and more effective, but it enables us to use the child’s own cells which cuts out the need to find a donor, and means we can produce more enzyme for the patient.

“The principles of using gene therapy of blood cells to treat patients with this disease can be applied to many other conditions which offers exciting prospects for patients and healthcare professionals. Our medicine is becoming safer, and better, and that can only be a good thing!”

Professor Simon Jones Consultant in Paediatric Inherited Metabolic Disease at the �������Թϱ��� Centre for Genomic Medicine at Saint Mary’s Hospital,  joint study lead, said: “Since having the gene therapy Ollie is no longer having weekly Elaprase infusions, but instead of seeing levels of the previously missing enzyme dropping we are seeing very high levels in his blood, and this is an extremely encouraging sign that the treatment is working.

Professor Jones, who is also a Medical Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) �������Թϱ��� Clinical Research Facility (CRF) at RMCH, added: “I have worked in researching treatments for children with rare genetic diseases for over twenty years and I have sadly seen many children lose their lives to these devastating conditions. This is a truly exciting development which could lead the way for treating similar genetic conditions and bring hope to other families.”

Ollie Chu is the first of five young children with Hunter syndrome to participate in this study. The research is jointly funded by the University of �������Թϱ��� and by LifeArc, a self-funded, not-for-profit medical research organisation, and developed by researchers at MFT and �������Թϱ���, working in partnership with the University of Edinburgh and Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), where patients’ cells are taken to be modified with the missing gene in their specialist laboratories.

Ollie’s story

Ollie was diagnosed with Hunter Syndrome after five-year-old brother, Skyler, was found to have the condition.

Ollie, who lives in California with mum Jingru, dad Ricky, and Skyler travelled to the UK to be part of the research, after tests showed he was still in the early stages of the condition.

Ricky said: “Although it was a big commitment to travel to the UK, of course we want the best for our children, so when this opportunity came up in �������Թϱ���, we discussed it as a family. Due to Skyler’s age, he was not eligible to take part in the �������Թϱ��� trial and is taking part in a different study in the United States. That has meant splitting up the family, but it was something we were willing to do for Ollie to have the opportunity to be in this trial.

“There are very few times where your child can have a reset on life so if you can give them that chance, then it’s just something you do.

“Ollie is doing great since having the gene therapy. We have seen dramatic improvements, and he continues to grow physically and cognitively. Our hope for Ollie because of this treatment is that he will continue to make his own enzymes and live a normal life without infusions.

“We’re excited for Ollie’s future. Seeing the difference for Ollie pre-and post-transplant has made us believers.

“We will be forever grateful to the entire research team for allowing us to be part of this research. I’ve been a huge advocate of this trial. The medical team is very transparent and provides all the information that they can.

"We think it’s wonderful that there is research being done on rare conditions. Our priority is our children but knowing that this could result in helping other children around the world is very meaningful for us. We hope that one day, a treatment becomes available for all children at all stages of Hunter syndrome.”

Brian Bigger, Honorary Professor at �������Թϱ���, academic lead said: “This therapy was developed over the course of 10 years at the University �������Թϱ��� and seeing this now tested in patients by the clinical team at MFT has been incredibly rewarding.”

“We developed an improved method of stem cell gene therapy which adds a short tag to the missing enzyme, allowing it to cross the blood-brain-barrier and improve the amount of enzyme delivered to the brain. This helps break down complex sugars that build up in the brain and aims to prevent the devastating dementia-like decline seen in children with severe Hunter disease. Parents have told us that this symptom is the most important factor to improve quality of life for their family.”

• Philanthropic support from individual donors and not-for-profit medical research organisations such as , has been essential in driving this progress forward. Philanthropy helps to bridge critical funding gaps and translate breakthrough science into life-changing therapies. To learn more about the University's fundraising for research, visit: Challenge Accepted.

Meningiomas, which account for around 3,500 new cases in the UK each year, are often discovered by chance during brain scans. While most never cause harm, some eventually require surgery or other treatment. Until now, it has been difficult to know which patients will be affected, leading to years of unnecessary monitoring for some and delayed treatment for others.

Researchers developed the in 2019 based on data from around 400 patients under neurosurgical care at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool. The tool considers the patient’s comorbidities, functional status and imaging characteristics of the tumour, to work out the risk of tumour progression, and need for treatment. The tool has now been tested on more than 1,200 patients from 33 hospitals across 15 countries, with follow-up periods of up to 15 years. The results showed that patients could be reliably grouped into low, medium, or high risk of tumour progression.

Low-risk patients were found to have only a one in twenty-five chance of needing treatment, while the risk was one in four for medium-risk patients and one in two for those in the high-risk group. Most progression was seen within the first five years, while older or frailer patients were found to be very unlikely ever to require treatment.

, study co-lead, former Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Liverpool and currently a Neurosurgery Registrar and PhD Fellow, University of �������Թϱ��� & Salford Royal Hospital said: “This study is an important step forward in personalising care for people with meningiomas. For the first time, we can give patients with an incidental meningioma clear answers about their individual risk, helping avoid unnecessary scans for some, while ensuring that others get timely treatment.”

The findings suggest that high-risk patients may benefit from early intervention, medium-risk patients should continue regular monitoring, and many low-risk patients could be safely discharged with advice on what symptoms to look out for.

Study lead, concluded: “It’s important that now we test the IMPACT tool in real-time with patients in clinics, with funding being sought to bring it into routine practice. The ability to offer personalised care will bring not only health benefits to patients but also cost savings to the NHS and wider economic growth.”

• The paper, ‘ was published in Jama Oncology DOI 10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.4821

A report released today (November 20, 2025) by Health Equity North (HEN) reveals that the relationship between health and productivity has become stronger over the last seven years, placing a huge financial burden on the economy and stagnating possible productivity growth.

The scale of the health-related economic inactivity crisis is greater in the North of England, with workers more likely to lose their job due to ill health, and those without educational qualifications facing a ninefold higher risk of losing their job if they become ill.

‘Health for Wealth 2025: Building a Healthier North to boost UK Productivity’ revisits the issues exposed in the landmark 2018 Health for Wealth report and explores how the landscape has changed over the last seven years.

It shows that regional inequalities in health, wages and economic inactivity have deepened since the 2018 report – a trend that began even before the COVID pandemic. This sharp rise in economic inactivity due to ill health, now at a record high, underscores the urgent need to put health at the heart of any strategy for sustainable economic growth.  However, there are some ‘good news stories’ in the North, with productivity growth strong in areas such as Greater �������Թϱ���, Cumbria and parts of Yorkshire over the past few years.

In 2018, the Northern Health Science Alliance’s highlighted the link between the North’s poor health and poor productivity for the first time, and revealed that tackling health inequalities between the North and the South could generate an additional £13.2bn per year. Today’s analysis show that this figure has risen to £18.4bn per year.

Findings also show that improving physical and mental health through a variety of policy changes, proactive health programmes and empowering local authorities, could deliver transformative economic benefits - particularly in regions such as the North East, where improving population mental health alone could add £6.6bn to the economy.

The report, authored by HEN academics from Newcastle University, �������Թϱ���, Lancaster University and Teesside University, shows that:

• If the health of the North was matched to the rest of the country, it could generate an additional £18.4bn a year - a 13% increase in economic gains found in the previous Health for Wealth report published in 2018 when accounting for inflation.
• People living in the North are two times more likely to lose their job following a spell of ill-health than those in the rest of England.
• In the North, workers with no educational qualifications are nine times less likely to remain employed following a spell of ill health compared with those with at least an A-level qualification, whereas in the rest of England, there is no statistically significant relationship between worsening health and remaining employed by educational attainment.
• £6.6bn could be added to the economy if mental health was improved in the North East.
• Workers in the North who experience ill-health suffer monthly pay losses that are nearly triple the national average – equal to 6.6% vs. 2.3% national average.
• Since 2018, all three northern regions have experienced, on average, more than double rises in economic inactivity due to ill health compared with London - rising by 22% vs. 10% respectively.
• Amongst people with long-term health conditions, the gap in economic inactivity between the North and rest of England has nearly quadrupled since the start of the COVID pandemic – increasing from a 1.1 percentage point difference to 4.2 percentage points (47% to 51.2%).
• The regional economic divide between the North and the South has increased since 2018, with gaps in total economic inactivity growing by 8% and in wages by 5%.
• The relative gap in productivity (as measured by GVA per head) has decreased by 2%, owing to the relatively greater increases in the North, particularly since the pandemic. However, the gap remains large, with 26% lower productivity in the North than in the rest of England in 2023. In particular, Greater �������Թϱ��� and some parts of Yorkshire experienced the highest increases in productivity growth over the past two decades, with accelerated improvements since the pandemic. However, other parts of the North – including the majority of the North East – are continuing to be left-behind.
• The new report suggests that unless decisive action is taken, the North-South health and productivity divide will continue to widen, limiting the UK’s ability to deliver inclusive, sustainable growth.

Additional findings include:

Wages and GVA

• Overall, between 2013 and 2022, the average gap in GVA per head was approximately 30% lower in the North (£22,710 vs £29,379) – 36% of the gap can be attributed to the poor health in the North.
• Since 2013, the gap in economic inactivity increased by 8% (from 3.8 to 4.1 percentage points) and the gap in wages rose by 5% (from £54 to £57). The relative gap in productivity has decreased by 2%, with the Northern regions experiencing faster productivity growth by 1% since the pandemic.

Economic inactivity

• Since 2019, economic inactivity rates have been rising ten times faster than the growth of the working-age population. Economic inactivity due to ill-health is now at its highest levels, with poor mental health and musculoskeletal problems being the main cited reasons.
• Economically inactive people in the North are more likely to have mental health problems, to be younger and to live in larger families and more likely to be private renters.
• The economic inactivity rates due to ill-health in North East are more than double compared with the rates in South East (9.5% vs. 4.5%), with the remaining southern regions having similarly low rates around 5%. The North East has the highest rates of economically inactive women at 9.7% and 9.4% for men - compared to 5% and 3.9% respectively in the South East.

Mortality and morbidity

• Between 2013 and 2022, rates of mortality were 16% higher in the North than in the rest of England, with the rates of morbidity being 45% higher.
• Since 2013, the gap in morbidity between the North and the rest of England has increased by 62%, with the gap in mortality rising by 15%.

Health and productivity

• In the North East, potential economic gains from improving population mental health amount to £6.6bn in terms of productivity and household prosperity.
• To reduce the employment gap between the northern regions and the rest of England by 10%, population self-rated health problems in the North need to be reduced by 4.4%.
• The report urges government and business leaders to make health a central component of the UK’s productivity and growth strategy.

The recommendations call for targeted investment in mental health services, preventative programmes, and public health funding across the North of England, alongside reforms to benefits and employment support that promote health and economic participation. Authors also advocate for regionally driven strategies with embedded health targets to tackle inequalities and ensure place-based solutions align with national goals.

Lead report author Dr Julija Simpson, Research Associate at Newcastle University, said: “Since the last Health for Wealth report in 2018, the health divide between the North and the rest of England has not only persisted but deepened. This growing inequality is not inevitable, nor is it the fault of individuals – it’s the result of policy choices. Addressing this gap must be central to the government’s growth and wealth agendas.

“Health and economic performance are deeply intertwined: when communities are healthier, they are more productive, more resilient, and better able to contribute to long-term prosperity. Health policy is economic policy – and investing in the health of people in the North is one of the most effective ways to unlock the country’s full economic potential.”

Professor Clare Bambra, Academic Co-director of Health Equity North and Professor of Public Health at Newcastle University, said: “

“While many welfare and employment reforms are designed to reduce long-term benefit dependency and encourage people back into the workforce, these efforts will not work unless they are supported by sustained investment in public health, health care and mental health services. Without addressing the root causes of ill health in the North, we risk pushing people into situations of poverty - worsening their wellbeing and limiting their capacity to work – all while our economy continues to take the hit.

“To genuinely improve economic participation, we need to ensure that people are not only healthy enough to be able to work, but and also healthy enough to thrive in employment. The link between good health and a strong economy is undeniable – and policy must reflect that reality.”

Dr Luke Munford, Academic Co-director of Health Equity North and Senior Lecturer in Health Economics, �������Թϱ���, said: “Investing in public health delivers extraordinary value for money. For every £1 spent, society can expect to see a return of around £14 in broader health and socio-economic benefits. That means every pound we invest in preventing illness, improving mental health, and tackling health inequalities pays dividends in higher productivity, stronger local economies, and reduced strain on the NHS.

“The evidence is clear: the government’s approach to health should not be seen as a cost, but an investment. By prioritising prevention and supporting healthier communities, we create the conditions for long-term economic growth and prosperity across the North and the nation as a whole.

“There are things we can learn from Greater �������Թϱ���. Since devolution of health and social care, we have seen improvements in life expectancy, and this is now beginning to track through to increases in productivity and economic growth.”

Hannah Davies, Executive Director at Health Equity North, said: “There is a great deal of work being done across local government, central government, and the third sector to tackle the North’s health and productivity challenges – but the scale of the problem means there is still so much more to do.

“Our new analysis makes it clear that health investment is not just a social or moral priority, but an economic necessity. Poor physical and mental health are holding back the potential of millions of people and, in turn, the productivity of the entire UK. If we want a stronger economy, we must start by building a healthier nation. Prioritising mental health, prevention, and place-based support in the North will deliver lasting returns in prosperity and wellbeing.”

The report, Health for Wealth 2025: Building a Healthier North to boost UK Productivity, is available

Previously, little was known about the drivers of post-infection symptoms typically associated with severe viral infections, such as breathlessness and fatigue, but the study sheds light on what exactly might underpin these long-term effects.

“Serious viral infections like influenza and Sars-CoV-2 can cause long-term breathlessness and fatigue, though until now, the biological context to this has puzzled scientists,” said co-author Prof Tracy Hussell from �������Թϱ���:

The study, funded by Wellcome and published in the journal Mucosal Immunology, also explains how inflammation may lead to aging in the lungs. 

The researchers found that following severe viral infection, a critical structure in the lung remains damaged, even after the symptoms and virus have both cleared. 

The structure, known as the basement membrane, is a thin supportive layer of extracellular matrix that anchors and separates cells from underlying tissue 

The basement membrane forms a barrier to line airspaces, support cells, and regulate fluid and cell movement. 

For the study, the lungs of mice with influenza virus were analysed by proteomic mass spectrometry, to identify potential protein biomarkers compared to non-infected mice.

The study also used peptide location fingerprinting, a technique developed by Dr Eckersley’s lab, which can identify damage across protein structures. 

They found that basement membrane proteins had reduced abundance and harboured structural damage following recovery from infection. 

That suggests post-viral damage is long-term, and that the membrane does not repair appropriately. The damage appeared patchy when observed histologically and resulted in leaky lungs.

 As similar structural damage was also observed by the scientists in aged lungs of non-infected mice, they propose that long-term, age-related complications may be caused by repeated inflammation.

Dr Alex Eckersley, from the University of �������Թϱ��� said: “We’re very excited about our findings which reveal a new angle on why some viral infections have a long-term impact on lung health.

“Our study suggests that similar processes occur both when your lungs are exposed to a serious viral infection, and when you age.

“This means repeated viral infection could cause some people’s lungs to age more quickly.”

In many cases, the resolution of inflammation is incomplete, and the lung is thought to accumulate damage as a result over time.

By identifying evidence for this process, the  researchers hope to have found a new area of interest in developing therapeutic targets for treating long-term post-viral symptoms.

He added: “By identifying these persistent basement membrane changes, we provide an entirely novel area to target with new medicines to treat complications arising from viral infection.

“By providing new therapeutic targets, and opportunities to broaden our understanding of how relevant biological structures might be being damaged or struggling to repair, we can better understand, research, and medicate post-viral symptoms.”

• Lung basement membranes are compositionally and structurally altered following resolution of influenza infection is published in . DOI:

Previous research has found the risks of serious conditions like diabetes, renal and liver failure, fractures, and premature death, are particularly raised within the first 12 months of being diagnosed with an eating disorder. 

But new findings, published in the journal ,  highlight that these elevated risks can persist for years, even after the person is thought to have recovered from their eating disorder, with the researchers saying that timely interventions from multiple different health services are needed to improve patient outcomes.

The research team, led by Dr Cathy Morgan from �������Թϱ��� with input from Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham OBE from Keele, were funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Greater �������Թϱ��� Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GM PSRC).

Using the the researchers studied anonymised electronic health records spanning from 1998 to 2018, linked to Hospital Episode Statistics data, and linked death records across England.

Their data covered over 24,000 patients with a diagnosed eating disorder which were each matched for age, sex, and GP practice, with up to 20 others who had not been diagnosed with an eating disorder (493,001 in total). They then tracked the patients’ mental and physical health over 10 years using the data to learn more about their health following initial diagnosis.

Their analysis showed that patients diagnosed with eating disorders were at a much higher risk of poor physical and mental health, and premature death. The greatest risks were within a year of diagnosis, but the researchers found that these risks persisted for years afterwards.

People with eating disorders were six times more likely to develop renal failure and nearly seven times more likely to develop liver disease within the first year of being diagnosed, as well as being at significantly heightened risks of osteoporosis, heart failure, and diabetes.

The risks of poor mental health were also higher within the first 12 months of diagnosis, with rates of depression and self harm being significantly higher during this period, with these heightened risks persisting after five years, albeit lowered.

The risk of death from any cause was also higher within the first 12 months and once again, these risks persisted for up to 10 years afterwards, although at a lower rate.

Dr Cathy Morgan from the University of �������Թϱ���, said: “This study highlights the substantial long-term effects of eating disorders. Raising awareness among healthcare providers about the lasting effects of eating disorders and the need for ongoing support in managing current symptoms and recovery is essential.” 

Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham OBE from Keele University, added: “Integration is needed across primary and specialist care – both mental and physical health services including nephrology, cardiology, and endocrinology. This is particularly important at the time of diagnosis of an eating disorder and whilst a person is under specialist mental health services.

“Our work highlights that monitoring a person’s health is vital even when management of the eating disorder has been completed and the person is thought to have recovered. This monitoring should take place in primary care (general practice) – so we highlight the need for education and training of primary care clinicians, but also the need for this work to be commissioned in primary care going forwards.”

• Adverse outcomes in patients with a diagnosis of an eating disorder: primary care cohort study with linked secondary care and mortality records is published in BMJ Medicine and is available .  doi:10.1136/ bmjmed-2025-001438

Their symptoms are investigated less often, they receive less treatment, and have a poorer prognosis according to the study funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Greater �������Թϱ��� Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GM PSRC). 

The results of the most comprehensive investigation ever carried out – using huge national datasets - are published today (insert date) in the journal The Lancet Regional Health – Europe. 

The study using linked primary care, hospital, and national cancer and death records from England, compared 180,911 individuals with a learning disability to over 3.4 million matched comparators. 

According to the study, people with learning disabilities were about half as likely to be referred for urgent investigation when they had ‘red flag’ symptoms that could be due to cancer. They were more often diagnosed after the disease had spread, when cure was not possible, and were less likely to receive surgery, radiotherapy, or systemic anticancer therapy. 

Life expectancy after cancer diagnosis was significantly shorter, particularly among those with severe learning disability or Down syndrome, with most dying within four years of diagnosis compared with nine years among those without a learning disability. 

The study found that several cancers were more common among people with learning disabilities. Rates of sarcoma were around twice as high, cancers of the central nervous system were three and a half times higher, testicular cancer was twice as high, and uterine cancer was about 70% higher compared with the general population. 

While some cancers, including melanoma, breast and prostate cancer were less common among people with learning disabilities, those affected had up to a fourfold higher risk of death after diagnosis, highlighting possible delays in diagnosis and inequities in access to timely and effective treatment. 

The research team also found that people with learning disabilities were over 70% more likely to develop cancer before the age of 50. This pattern was especially strong for nervous system, uterine, ovarian and digestive tract cancers. Oesophageal cancer in the under 50s, was more than five-fold higher in those with a learning disability. 

Lead author Dr Oliver Kennedy, Clinical Lecturer at �������Թϱ��� and The Christie said: “We already know that people with a learning disability face poorer health outcomes, but the burden of cancer in this population is poorly understood. 

“That is why this study, the most comprehensive population-based investigation of cancer in people with a learning disability, is so crucial to understand the immense challenges this vulnerable population group face in cancer care. 

“There is an urgent need for effective strategies to improve cancer detection and care”

Principal Investigator Prof Darren Ashcroft from �������Թϱ��� is Director of the NIHR Greater �������Թϱ��� Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GM PSRC)  

He said: “People with a learning disability frequently encounter barriers to healthcare access, such as communication difficulties and  diagnostic overshadowing, where clinicians might attribute new symptoms to an existing diagnosis instead of investigating other possible causes.

“These contribute to poorer health outcomes in general. On average, adults with a learning disability die 19–23 years earlier and it is widely accepted that 42% of deaths are considered preventable.

“This study highlights critical gaps and persistent uncertainties in cancer care for people with a learning disability that merit further investigation.”

Dr Kennedy added: “We suspect many people with learning disability experience missed opportunities for earlier diagnosis given the reduced likelihood of urgent suspected cancer referral following red-flag symptoms.

“This was probably why more cancers were diagnosed outside the urgent suspected cancer referral pathway, and more frequently at an advanced stage.

“Barriers such as lack of staff training, communication challenges and inflexible appointment systems may also contribute to these disparities.”

Jon Sparkes OBE, chief executive of learning disability charity Mencap, said: “We already know that cancer is the second most common cause of avoidable death amongst people with a learning disability.

“It’s unacceptable that late diagnosis and lack of urgent referral for treatment is costing people with a learning disability years of life.

“Melanoma, breast and prostate cancer are eminently treatable, yet people with a learning disability are four times more likely to die of them even after diagnosis. There’s something deeply wrong when people die for want of proper screening or treatment.

“The NHS must do better, with priority screening at a younger age and urgent referral for people with a learning disability, who we know are at greater risk of certain cancers.”

CASE STUDY:

Annabell Downey, supported by Mencap in Hexham, Northumberland has terminal cancer. She said:

“I’d gone to the doctor countless times with back pain but I found it hard to explain how bad it was. The pain scale didn’t mean anything to me and when I was asked if I could walk about as normal, I struggled to convey that sometimes I’d be fine, other times I’d be curled up in agony.

“And, though I’d had breast pain for some time, I didn’t realise it might be related.

“Someone without a learning disability might volunteer that information, questioning if there was a link – but it didn’t occur to me. No one ever asked if I had pain elsewhere until I was in hospital.

The  paper ‘Cancer diagnoses, referrals, and survival in people with a learning disability in the UK: a population-based, matched cohort study’, published in Lancet European Health is available

Interestingly, the index did not predict COVID-19 mortality or pandemic-related excess deaths - the researchers say this may reflect that some aspects of resilience – such as good transport links, mobility and strong social connectedness – can increase exposure risk during fast-moving infectious disease outbreaks.

The team believes their findings could help shape future public health policy. While deprivation measures like the Index of Multiple Deprivation will remain key tools, resilience-based measures may help councils and national bodies identify communities that need support - not just because of what they lack, but because of the assets they can build upon.

The researchers hope the index will be used alongside deprivation indices to guide investment in social infrastructure, voluntary sector capacity, community spaces and local connectivity.

Led by National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator Professor Kevin Munro, the research team surveyed a representative sample of over 2,000 adults in the UK about their willingness to test their own hearing at home and use pre-programmed or self-fit hearing aids.

Almost 9 in every 10 adults surveyed said they would be willing to test their own hearing at home if recommended by the NHS.

The majority also said they would be willing to try a hearing aid that was sent to them by the NHS either ready programmed or which required them to programme it for themselves.  

The current NHS pathway involves GPs making a referral for a face-to-face appointment with an NHS audiologist in a hospital or high street setting. The uptake of hearing care is low and slow and current waiting times are very long.

However, policymakers are encouraging self-monitoring of health, and for health services to make greater use of digital technology as well as provide care closer to home.

The findings are a positive indication that such an approach would be welcomed by at least a proportion of adults.   

A variety of apps and online tests are available for people to assess their hearing at home using their smartphone or tablet, and there are hearing aids that are available without the need to involve a hearing professional. However, these vary in quality, and not all have been properly evaluated.

The findings are published in the International Journal of Audiology.

The study was funded by an NIHR Senior Investigator award to Prof Munro and was supported by the NIHR �������Թϱ��� Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).

Prof Kevin Munro said: “If evaluated and shown to be successful for adults who prefer this option, DIY ear care has the potential to increase patient choice and shift care closer to home. It will also free up audiologists’ time to spend with adults who most need their help.”

However, Prof Munro cautions that more work is needed before the findings are rolled out into practice: “We have yet to evaluate whether this willingness will translate into reality or whether audiologists would be comfortable with this approach. We would also need to determine what support the NHS should provide to adults who opt to use these new pathways.”

Professor Gabrielle Saunders from �������Թϱ��� and Hearing Health Co-Theme Lead at the NIHR �������Թϱ��� BRC, a co-author of the study said: “The main benefits reported in the survey include convenience, immediacy (not needing to wait for an appointment) and savings for the NHS. However, respondents raised genuine concerns that will need to be addressed including uncertainty about trusting the test results and feeling confident that they did the testing properly in the absence of face-to-face support.” 

Claire Benton, President of the British Academy of Audiology, said:   “The profession is keen to foster a culture of continuous improvement, and these findings are very interesting. It is clear there is a need to provide a variety of solutions to resolve the current pressures. If the benefit to patients is not inferior to current practice, this provides additional options that are potentially sustainable solution for the NHS.”

However, Benton went on to note: “These low-touch digital solutions will not be suitable for everyone. Also, we need to be reassured that we will not miss anyone with ear disease that requires medical attention.”

Professor De wet Swanepoel, editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Audiology said: "Traditional models of hearing care can no longer meet the near-universal demand among older adults. This study highlights that adults themselves recognise the need for more accessible, self-directed models of care — a shift that is both necessary and transformative for healthy ageing.”

According to RNID, 1 in 3 adults in the UK have some sort of hearing disorder, which is a total of over 18 million people. The prevalence increases significantly with age, with over half of people aged 55 or more having hearing loss. The number is projected to rise, with estimates suggesting 14.2 million adults will have hearing loss by 2035.

• The paper: DIY audiology at home: adults are interested in conducting self-administered hearing tests and trying fit-at-home hearing aids is published . The DOI of the paper is: 10.1080/14992027.2025.2576030.T

The study in older animals  showed that the placentas of male but not female offspring had increased cell damage from a biological state called oxidative stress. 

Oxidative stress occurs when harmful molecules called free radicals build up faster than the body can clear them. 

It is associated with a range of pregnancy complications including fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia, both of which increase the risk of stillbirth. 

The study demonstrated reduced weight in both female and male fetuses in older mice, but the placental alterations were sex-specific. 

The scientists are conducting further studies in mice to confirm these findings  and also carrying out a parallel study to see if similar sex differentiated mechanisms exist in human placentas from mothers of advanced maternal age (AMA), defined as age 35 and over. 

The study, published in the journal Reproduction and funded by Tommy’s and the Medical Research Council, also discovered placental mitochondria -  the biological batteries that power cells-  were working at a reduced rate in the placentas of both male and female pups but that there were more of them. 

Mitochondria are a major source of free radicals. Reducing their rate of activity at the same time as increasing their numbers is a way they adapt to prevent further oxidative stress while maintaining the supply of energy needed for cells to work properly.

This could mean that the adaptation in placentas from females was more successful than in placentas from males because oxidative stress was not increased in placentas from females of older mice. 

Although scientists know AMA increases the risk of placental dysfunction leading to  fetal growth restriction and stillbirth, little is known about the mechanisms that cause it.

Lead author Dr Michelles Desforges from the University of �������Թϱ���  said: “Some impacts of advanced maternal age appear common to both sexes but this data suggests some may be sex specific.

“Evidence that sex differentiated placental dysfunction occurs in a range of risk groups -  including diabetes or obesity- has been around for some time.

“This, however, is amongst the few to delve into the sex differentiated processes which increase the risks of adverse pregnancy outcome in animals of advanced maternal age.

“In 1980, only around 6% of pregnant women in the UK were aged 35 and over. However this figure has now risen to 25%. This represents a massive societal shift and it is important that we understand the reasons why these pregnancies are more vulnerable to fetal growth restriction and stillbirth.

“But it is important to stress, however, that though advanced maternal age comes with  increased risks for some women, the  majority of mums aged 35 and over have normal pregnancies and healthy babies.”

Principle investigator Dr Mark Dilworth added: “Studies in mice are particularly helpful as they allow us to compare male and female offspring in the same pregnancy. In addition, these studies provide an important basis for future studies intent on developing therapeutic strategies for preventing fetal growth restriction and stillbirth.”

• Sex-specific alterations in placental mitochondria, oxidative damage and apoptosis in mice of advanced maternal age” is available .DOI: 

Researchers at the �������Թϱ��� Breast Centre, based at �������Թϱ���, found that blocking the effects of the hormone progesterone, using ulipristal acetate, a drug already used on the NHS, may reduce the risk of breast cancer developing in women before the menopause, with a strong family history of the disease.

Progesterone is a hormone that can drive breast cancer development. It promotes the growth of a type of breast cell, that has the potential to turn into breast cancer. It can also influence the environment inside the breast, making it easier for these healthy cells to transform into cancer cells.

Blocking these effects of progesterone could be a new way to stop breast cancer before it starts.

The study, published today in the journal Nature, found that taking ulipristal acetate helped block the growth of breast cells that can turn into cancer, called luminal progenitors. These cells are the starting point for triple negative breast cancer, a more aggressive form of the disease that is more common in younger women and black women. Previous research has shown that the risk of triple negative breast cancer coming back or spreading in the first few years after diagnosis, is higher than in other types of breast cancer.

Between 2016 and 2019, 24 women aged 34-44 with a family history of breast cancer took ulipristal acetate for a 12-week period. During the trial, they underwent breast biopsies, blood tests, and detailed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans before and after treatment.

The researchers were measuring changes in breast tissue to understand if the drug might have a protective effect against breast cancer development.

MRI scans showed that the breast tissue became less dense with treatment, which is important because higher breast density is known to increase risk of breast cancer. The team found that the treatment worked best in women who had high breast density before treatment started.

Researchers also observed dramatic changes in breast tissue.  They found that treatment significantly reduced the number and function of certain collagen proteins that normally help support breast tissue.  Overall, the breast tissue became less stiff, making the environment less favourable for cancers to develop and grow.

One protein in particular – collagen 6 – showed the most noticeable decrease after treatment. Based on their findings, researchers now think that it may directly influence the behaviour of luminal progenitor cells, that can give rise to breast cancer. 

All these changes suggest that the drug alters breast tissue in a way that makes it harder for cancer cells to develop and grow, therefore reducing the risk of breast cancer.

Clinical lead author, Dr Sacha Howell, Clinical senior lecturer at �������Թϱ���, Director of �������Թϱ��� Breast Centre and Consultant Oncologist at The Christie said: “We are profoundly grateful to the women who volunteered for this study. Our research, with them, provides evidence that progesterone plays a critical role in breast cancer development in high-risk individuals. By targeting its action, ulipristal acetate and other anti-progestins show promise as preventive treatments for women at increased risk.

“What makes this study particularly exciting is the combination of clinical imaging and biological analysis, which gives us a powerful tool to understand how prevention therapies work at both the tissue and molecular levels. These results lay important groundwork for larger trials to confirm the potential of anti-progestins in reducing breast cancer risk”.

Laboratory lead author, Dr Bruno Simões, research fellow at �������Թϱ��� and Principal Investigator at the �������Թϱ��� Breast Centre said: “Our team was intrigued by how anti-progestins reshaped the breast tissue environment at the molecular level, reducing the number of tumour-initiating cells. We observed clear reductions in collagen levels and organisation, giving us direct insight into how targeting progesterone signalling can create conditions that make it harder for cancers to develop.”

“Our goal is to understand the biology underlying breast cancer risk factors so we can develop better strategies to reduce the number of women affected by the disease. This study is particularly exciting because it suggests that women with increased breast density, a well-established risk factor, may benefit most from preventive treatment with an anti-progestin drug.”

Co-lead author, Rob Clarke, professor of breast biology at the University of �������Թϱ���, Principal Investigator and former Director of the �������Թϱ��� Breast Centre said: “The biological research behind the clinical study was a great example of team science, a major collaboration between investigators in �������Թϱ���, Cambridge and Toronto coming

together to understand the breast tissue and cellular changes underlying this preventive treatment. The findings reveal biomarkers that could be used to gauge response to therapy and whether it will be effective in preventing breast cancer.”

Dr Simon Vincent, chief scientific officer at Breast Cancer Now, which funded the research, said: “We desperately need better risk-reducing treatments for women at high risk of breast cancer, that also protect their quality of life. And we need to explore all avenues, including existing drugs with the scope to be repurposed, to achieve this.

“Currently, these women have only two options to reduce their risk - surgery or long-term hormone therapy, both of which have a profound impact on their physical and emotional wellbeing.

“This research into ulipristal acetate is an important step forward, and aligns with our key strategic goal to accelerate the discovery of preventative treatments.  We now need larger, longer-term studies, so we can fully understand the potential of this drug to stop breast cancer developing.”

Grace Burton, 27, from Bromley London, underwent a preventative double mastectomy last year after finding out she was at high risk of breast cancer due to an inherited BRCA1 gene change at the age of 21.

Grace says: “Breast cancer has had a huge impact on my family - both my mum and my aunt were diagnosed, and knowing I was at high risk was always in the back of my mind. Having later gone through preventative surgery myself, I know how heavy and difficult those decisions can feel. That’s why this new research into preventative medication is so exciting, it offers hope for other women who might one day have less invasive options to protect their health.

“For those of us with a strong family history, the possibility of preventing breast cancer before it starts is incredible. It gives me hope that future generations may not have to make the same tough choices and can grow up with more options and less fear around breast cancer.”

Several of the authors were supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) �������Թϱ��� Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).

The research is published in Nature and is  available

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09684-7   

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Professor Rosalie David and Dr Roger Forshaw show in their book, published by Liverpool University Press  in paperback this month, how Western medical practice owes a debt of thanks to the Ancient Egyptians. 

Though previous works have highlighted the diseases that affected the Egyptians thousands of years ago, this is the first to be written from the perspective of the ancient equivalent of doctors, patients and nurses. 

According to the authors, the system can be seen as a precursor to the healthcare of today: the equivalent of consultants – with different specialisms-    and GPs treated patients either at home in the community or in something resembling hospitals. 

Nurses cared for patients and midwives -  usually women - were highly respected and according to one account were paid more than the doctors. 

Student medics , who were often male relatives of existing doctors,  were trained in temples. Discoveries of mummies also showed that patients who lived with long term debilitating  illness were presumably cared  for by nurses and support workers during their lives. 

If they needed the ancient equivalent of hospital treatment, patients stayed in small cells attached to a temple -  such as at the temple of Denderah in upper Egypt-  where they would be looked after by priest-doctors. 

The care  was paid for either in kind by the patients themselves-  who donated food or other items to the temple - or some assistance was provided by the State for particular groups -  almost like the state healthcare of today. 

The system was so successful that if you made it past the first 5 years of life, your  life expectancy was similar to that of many British people  in Victorian times-  between 30 and  40. 

What the authors call ‘rational’ treatments were given for problems that could be seen, such  as bandaging for broken bones. There was even a form of palliative care for the terminally ill. 

Balanites oil-   which is extracted from parts of the Desert Date tree  - was often successfully prescribed by community doctors to  treat bilharzia or Schistosomiasis-  a devastating disease caused by parasitic worms. The treatment was still used in modern medicine up to  50 years ago. 

However the less commonly used ‘irrational’ treatments, where it wasn’t possible  to see the origin of the disease such as mental illness- involved the use of spells and magic.

Much of the information about ancient Egyptian healthcare was derived by the researchers from medical papyri discovered  in different locations across Egypt.

The papyri give details on disease, diagnosis, and treatments, including herbal remedies, surgery, and magical incantations.

Only 12 of these medical papyri are known today from over 3,000 years of history: others undoubtedly existed and may in future be discovered during excavations or identified in modern library collections of papyri.

The economically successful New Kingdom (1550 BCE – 1069 BCE)  and the Greco Roman Period  from around the beginning of the common era, were probably the high point for healthcare in ancient Egypt said Professor David, though it probably existed from at least around 3000 BC she added.

The book, called Medicine and Healing Practices in Ancient Egypt, shows how European, Arabic and ancient Greek medicine all  have a direct lineage to healthcare  practice that was common 3000 years ago.

Professor David said: “We’re delighted our book is available in paperback, which means the public, medics and Egyptology buffs will not just enjoy it, but learn about the important contribution of ancient Egyptian healthcare to our systems of today.”

“Though punishments could be quite vicious if you transgressed the legal code, the perception that ancient Egypt was a violent and unpleasant  place is completely wrong.

“They believed in an afterlife where there was no aging, or illness-  but to get there you had to be on the straight and narrow.”

“That might at least partially explain why, for most of the time, it was a well-organised society which cared for its people in a way which far exceeded anything else in the ancient world.”

Images:

• The remains of a schistosome, the causative parasite for the disease Bilharzia, discovered in an Egyptian mummy. Parasite DNA was for the first time identified in this sample
• Sanatorium at Temple of Hathor at Denderah
• Cover of book: Medicine and Healing Practices in Ancient Egypt
• Statue of Sekhmet, lioness-headed goddess of medicine
• Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahri where patients received medical treatment

The study by health economists at �������Թϱ��� and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Greater �������Թϱ��� (ARC-GM), is published today in the journal Quality of Life Research.

The authors  also say that people from different ethnic groups with health conditions rated their quality of life differently, even when they reported similar prevalence of actual illness.

The findings bring us closer to confirming  what researchers have explored but where further empirical evidence was still needed .

Based on the data from General Practice Patient Survey in England — including 2.3 million White respondents, 160 thousand Asian, 70 thousand Black, 20 thousand of Mixed or Multiple background, and 60 thousand from Other ethnic groups — the findings have potential implications on the equitable design of health services and the way health outcomes are measured.

Though the survey data used in the study relies on self-reported long term health conditions to capture illness, the measure is thought to be more objective than other studies to date for England. It’s also the largest study to yet tackle differences in self-rating.

Lead author Dr Juan Marcelo Virdis from the University of �������Թϱ��� said: “Our study found that certain black and Asian ethnic groups could be more likely to downplay different aspects of how health affects their lives.

“This is important because differences between perceived and actual health can affect how you seek healthcare health care and could, for example, delay a clinical consultation.

“But understanding these differences is crucial for designing equitable health services and improving outcomes across diverse populations.”

The researchers based their analysis on EQ-5D-5L, a standardized measurement tool developed by a group of European researchers called EuroQol Group (EQ) to measure health-related quality of life.

5D refers to five self-reported dimensions of health it assesses: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression.

And  the 5L refers to five levels of self-reported severity for each dimension: no problems, slight problems, moderate problems, severe problems, extreme problems/unable.

They analysed five distinct ethnic groups: White ethnic, mixed background, Asian, Black and Other who reported which  of  15 long term health conditions they had.

In some cases - such as Mobility for the Black and Other ethnic groups or Self-care for the Asian-  the tendency was to choose extreme categories. The study also explored differences within these broader ethnic groups, suggesting that heterogeneity may exist within them as well.

Though the reason why some ethnic groups report differently remain  unclear, some researchers speculate that we answer subjective questions on health by saying what is normal for us, influenced by our background and expectations.

Dr Virdis added: “Our research provides a scenario for further studies using objectively measured health conditions, such as biological risk factors, or objective measures of physical health such as grip strength. In addition, we were not able to investigate the mechanisms at play, so this could be a focus for future qualitative research.”

The paper Differences in rating of health related quality of life on the EQ-5D-5L between ethnic groups is published . DOI: 10.1007/s11136-025-04082-y 

Aurore Hochard, Director at MEC, brought Startup Weekend to the University of �������Թϱ��� in 2024, shortly after joining the team. Following the huge success of the very first Startup Weekend initiative, it has since become a flagship event at the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre, championing entrepreneurship among students across the university. 

This year’s event, organised by Joana Carneiro (Enterprise Innovation Administrator at MEC) and Izzy Paton (Operations Administrator at MEC), brought together industry experts, speakers, and mentors to spark and celebrate entrepreneurship, showcasing both emerging and established talent. 

Across the weekend, participants pitched ideas, formed teams, and developed startup concepts with guidance from experienced mentors and industry leaders, wrapping up the weekend with a live pitch event in front of a panel of expert judges.

The event opened with inspiring talks from Aurore Hochard and Farah Frikha, Founder of Vesta Capsules and MEC alumna, followed by rapid-fire 30-second pitches and team formations. 

Throughout the weekend, participants learned how to identify customer needs, validate business concepts, and apply entrepreneurial thinking to solve real-world problems. 

Saturday focused on turning ideas into viable products and business models, with hands-on workshops including “Building the Startup Team” led by Dr Rob Martin, Lecturer in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at MEC. 

Tom Parson, Founder of Big Echo, led “Blank Page to Big Idea: Unlock Startup Ideas with AI”, a session on using AI to spark creativity and accelerate the ideation process, helping students transform concepts into viable business ideas. 

Jorge Servert, Founder of Sensium, led “Developing the Right Product or Service”, a practical session guiding students to define and build their product or service based on real market needs, while also creating their first business plan using MEC’s startup template. 

On Sunday, teams perfected their business ideas through sessions like “Marketing & Acquiring Customers” with Eleni Chiarapini, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at MEC, and “Personal Branding for Startups” with Coralie Watson, Founder of Theme Socials. 

Lastly, students worked on their pitches in “Pitch Perfect” with Julia Spencer, Acceleration Manager at NatWest Corporate Banking. Julia shared industry experience and insight on what investors are really looking for in a pitch and how to make an idea stand out. 

The weekend wrapped up with final presentations to a judging panel featuring Professor Lee Pugalis (Deputy Director of MEC), Travis Ralph-Donaldson (Innovation Discovery Manager at the University’s Innovation Factory), Stephen Sankson (Regional Director at NatWest Corporate Banking), and Jenny Oliver (CEO and Founder of Biora Nature Tech). 

The event concluded with an awards ceremony recognising the top-performing teams and their innovative ideas:

First place went to Veila, a clothing brand redefining modest fashion, led by Sabrinel Takheroubt (AMBS, Faculty of Humanities) alongside Nishita Chatlani, Yutong Song, Danna Castañeda, and Eleanor Alphonso (all AMBS and Faculty of Humanities students). The team received £3,000 to continue their journey to market, focusing on direct-to-consumer growth and online marketing. 

Second place was awarded to DecoRent, a decoration rental service for short-term stays in �������Թϱ���. The team, Stella Zhuoyue Ji Chen (AMBS), Mollie Levitt (School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, Faculty of Humanities), Benya Irlam (AMBS), Yaowen (Stephen) Hu (AMBS), and Chaerin (Devon) Son received £2,000 to help expand their mission of bringing cosy, functional spaces to students across the city. 

Highly Commended went to isitUp, a speculative market app for investing in people’s relationships, led by Isaac Batho (School of Engineering).

In total, 20 new business ideas were formed over the weekend, showcasing the entrepreneurial energy of �������Թϱ���’s student community and representing students from across all three faculties, Humanities; Science and Engineering; and Biology, Medicine and Health. 

Throughout the weekend, participants were supported by a dedicated group of mentors offering one-to-one advice and feedback, including Oladabola Babalola (Babz), Fernando Torres, Harry Panter, Sergio Gutierrez, Luke Marden, Jonghun Lee, Rick Watson, Ramin Esmaeilzadeh, Huw James, and Leigh Wharton. 

About the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre:  

The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) is the University of �������Թϱ���’s focal point for enterprise and entrepreneurship teaching, learning, and startup support. MEC helps students, researchers, and alumni turn ideas into real-world impact through workshops, mentorship, and venture programmes.  

Learn more at:  

This list coincides with the publication of the Home Office’s report on the statistics of scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain in 2024. 

The ten listed organisations were responsible for 1,379,399 procedures, 54% (more than half) of the 2,637,578 procedures carried out on animals for scientific research in Great Britain in 2024*. Of these 1,379,399 procedures, more than 99% were carried out on mice, fish, rats, and birds and 82% were classified as causing pain equivalent to, or less than, an injection. 

The ten organisations are listed below alongside the total number of procedures they carried out in 2024. Each organisation’s name links to its animal research webpage, which includes more detailed statistics. Case studies explaining how animal research has been used in recent medical research are also provided in the Notes to Editors section. This is the tenth consecutive year that organisations have come together to publicise their collective statistics and examples of their research.

Seventy-two organisations have proactively published their 2024 animal research statistics

UAR has also produced a list (see appendix) of 72 organisations in the UK that have publicly shared their 2024 animal research statistics. This includes organisations that carry out or fund animal research.

All organisations are committed to the ethical framework called the ‘3Rs’ of replacement, reduction and refinement. This means avoiding or replacing the use of animals where possible, minimising the number of animals used per experiment and optimising the experience of the animals to improve animal welfare. However, as institutions expand and conduct more research, the total number of animals used can rise even if fewer animals are used per study. 

All organisations listed are signatories to the , which commits them to being more open about the use of animals in scientific, medical and veterinary research in the UK. More than 130 organisations have signed the Concordat, including UK universities, medical research charities, research funders, learned societies and commercial research organisations.

Wendy Jarrett, Chief Executive of Understanding Animal Research, which developed the Concordat on Openness, said: “Animal research remains a small but vital part of the quest for new medicines, vaccines and treatments for humans and animals. Alternative methods are increasingly being phased in, but, until we have sufficient reliable alternatives available, it is important that organisations that use animals in research maintain the public’s trust in them. By providing this level of information about the numbers of animals used, and the experience of those animals, as well as details of the medical breakthroughs that derive from this research, these Concordat signatories are helping the public to make up their own minds about how they feel about the use of animals in scientific research in Great Britain.” 

Dr. Maria Kamper, Director of the Biological Services Facility at �������Թϱ���, said:

"Scientific research involving animals remains essential in advancing our understanding of health and disease, and is fundamental to developing new medicines and medical technologies.

"At our institution, we prioritize transparency in animal research alongside a culture of exceptional care among our staff. Our approach is founded on collaboration and superior animal husbandry standards. We are dedicated to cultivating a sustainable environment where animal welfare, staff wellbeing, scientific excellence, and open communication with both stakeholders and the public are our highest priorities.

“This dedication aligns with the University of �������Թϱ���'s broader mission to enhance education, knowledge, and wisdom for society's benefit.”

Case study:

Clotbuster drug is new hope for stroke treatment

A new clotbusting drug tested on mice has been shown by University of �������Թϱ��� scientists to be significantly better at treating ischemic stroke than existing therapies.

The compound, developed by the scientists and known as caADAMTS13, could be a breakthrough for patients who have brain blood clots with an overabundance of platelets- the tiny cell fragments that help form clots and are often not treatable by existing therapies.

�������Թϱ���’s Dr Elizabeth Dalgarno celebrated when she heard the Government had decided of the 2014 Children Act, which said involvement of both parents would improve their children’s welfare, creating unsafe contact arrangements 

The decision follows years of advocacy and research and acknowledges the devastating impact the presumption had on victims:  the mothers and their children.

 Further changes put forward will also automatically restrict parents convicted of rape resulting in the birth of a child and for those convicted of serious sexual offences against any child—not just their own- from having access to children. 

And parents convicted of abuse can no longer make decisions about a child’s schooling, medical care, or travel, removing the burden on survivors to apply through the family courts to provide immediate protection post-sentencing. 

Dr Dalgarno is also the Director and Founder of a collective of multidisciplinary professionals working in health, human rights, law, finance, social care and domestic abuse researchers. 

Her research  highlighted the urgent need for systemic reform, and included a study of the shocking impact of family courts on women’s health.

Another study, reported in the , revealed how nine dads accused of child sex abuse won parental access.

She said: “We are overwhelmed with the extraordinary news that the presumption of parental involvement is to be revoked.

“This marks a historic and long-awaited moment of justice for victims of domestic abuse across the country.

“We would like to send our deepest gratitude to the many researchers and professionals - and the wider academic and survivor communities - whose tireless efforts have illuminated the harms and helped build the case for reform.”

“Led by Claire Throssell, who turned unimaginable personal tragedy—the loss of her sons Jack and Paul—into powerful advocacy that has shaped national policy.”

She added: “I also pay tribute to SHERA founder members, especially Natalie Page of The Court Said, Survivor Family Network, and Eight Street LLP, who have dedicated over a decade of their lives to this cause.

“The Victims and Courts Bill amendments follow a long-standing campaign led by Natalie Fleet MP, Baroness Harman, and Jess Asato MP.

“And we also recognise the unwavering commitment of Dr Adrienne Barnett of Brunel University and Dr Charlotte Proudman of Right to Equality, whose legal and academic leadership has been instrumental.

“Above all, we thank the victim-survivors who have shared their stories, fought for justice, and dedicated their lives to this cause. There is much more work to be done, but this victory should be celebrated and belongs to you.”

Dr Dalgarno also thanked Professor Arpana Verma, Alex Davies-Jones MP, Josh Barbarinde MP, Dr Marie Tidball MP,  Josh Fenton-Glynn MP, Alison Hume MP and Jess Phillips MP, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, the London Victims’ Commissioner, Women’s Aid, Profs Birchall, Hester, Kelly and Choudhry, CWA, Kaleidoscopic, PEEPSA, Rights of Women, FiLia Hague Mothers and all those across the VAWG sector who have long advocated for these changes.

And now the programme called Thumos,  involving small group workshops and a follow-up 1:1 phone or video call with the workshop facilitator afterwards, who is a psychological therapist, is being  trialed. 

The programme aims to equip medical students  with psychological strategies which some people find helpful. 

As the study is a trial, 50% of participants will be allocated to receive the intervention, 50% will not receive the intervention, but all participants can continue to access all other support services as usual. 

All participants will be asked to complete questionnaires and will be reimbursed for their time in completing follow up questionnaires (those which come after the first set/the baseline measurement). 

The 115 students, from medical schools across the UK, completed the original Reboot  coaching programme as part of a study to assess whether it would improve their psychological resilience, depression, burnout and confidence in their ability to cope with stressful work-related events. 

Before, during and after the coaching, the students were assessed in each of these areas.  found that taking part in Reboot was linked with significant improvements in all areas, with fewer students experiencing depression symptoms after they had completed the coaching. 

It was originally designed by Clinical Psychologist Dr Judith Johnson, formerly from the University of Leeds but now from �������Թϱ���. 

Dr Johnson adapted the programme to fit the needs of medical students. Globally, one in two report high burnout, while one in three experience elevated depression. 

She said: “Until now, most evaluations of supportive interventions for medical students have focused on generic interventions such as mindfulness, stress management training and yoga. These lack relevance for medical students and professionals and there is no clear evidence for such interventions improving depression or burnout among this group. 

“Poor mental health in medical students is a significant problem globally and there is evidence that a significant proportion of medical students intend to leave the profession as soon as they qualify.

“There is also a workforce crisis, with projections indicating a global shortage of around 10 million healthcare professionals by 2030. Anything which can help retain healthcare professionals in their professions is sorely needed. 

“We found reboot supported medical students with work-related stressors, normalising the anxiety which is inherent to training, providing peer-support and also helping medical students develop skills and solutions for the challenges they face and will continue to face as qualified doctors. 

• If you are a medical student in a year involving clinical placements, such as Y4 or Y5 you are eligible to take part in a new study evaluating a supportive programme designed to help students cope with the challenges placements can present. To express interest visit
• For more information, email ThumosTrial@manchester.ac.uk or the Principal Investigator Dr Judith Johnson,Judith.johnson@manchester.ac.uk

The report models the potential effectiveness of the Government’s ‘Getting Britain Working’ programmes, showing these savings could be made by the end of this Parliament in 2029 if just 5% of out-of-work people in receipt of Universal Credit returned to work.

The report estimates that:

• Getting 5% of unemployed under-25s back into work would save £903 million.
• Getting 5% of under-25s workless due to sickness or disability back into work would save £631 million.
• Getting 5% of unemployed over-25s back into work would save £6.67 billion.
• Getting 5% of over-25s workless due to sickness or disability back into work would save £11.9 billion.

The 5% estimate is based on what happened with the similar New Deal initiatives that happened in the UK in the 2000s. Savings would be made in the form of both reduced benefits spending and increases in tax and national insurance revenue.

The costs to Government of assisting this number of people back into, and helping them stay in, employment could be between £1.5 to £1.9 billion. So that within just two years, the Government could save almost £10bn, meaning every £1 invested in employment support programmes could return between £5.21 and £6.63.

Currently, more than five million people in the UK are out of work and in receipt of Universal Credit - including almost one million people aged 18-24 years who are not in education, employment or training (NEETs). 1 in 5 of these young people receive health-related benefits largely for mental health conditions. Ill-health related economic inactivity accounts for over three million claims and is particularly concentrated in the most deprived and deindustrialised areas. As of May 2025, the average household on Universal Credit received £961.63 per month in England.

The report was commissioned and funded by the Work and Pensions Select Committee and produced by Health Equity North with academics from Newcastle University, �������Թϱ���, University of Liverpool, and University of Glasgow.

The UK government has introduced several return-to-work initiatives over the last 12 months as part of its desire to ‘Get Britain Working’. This includes:

• Creating a new Jobs and Careers Service by merging Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service
• Establishing eight “Trailblazer” areas that receive funding to test local partnerships between the NHS, councils, colleges, and employers
• A Connect to Work programme providing rapid job-matching, training, and in-work coaching
• Embedding employment advisers in mental health and musculoskeletal services, with expanded Individual Placement and Support provision.
• Launching a new Primary Care pilot will enable GPs to directly refer patients for employment support.
• Launching proposals for the Employment Rights Bill and the NHS 10-Year Plan’s, which focus on prevention will further reduce ill health among working-age people.
• The Youth Guarantee for NEETS, which ensures access to apprenticeships, training, education, and tailored job support - including paid work placements for those out of work for more than 18 months.

These schemes replicate previous New Labour successes of the ‘New Deal’ return to work programmes which, between 1997 and 2010, saw a spike in employment across all age groups. This saved up to £2,500 per New Deal participant, with 46% gaining a job and 27% sustaining employment that lasted six months or more.

The report has been submitted as evidence to the Government’s Work and Pensions Select Committee, which looks into the policies and spending of the DWP, including benefits for people both in and out of work.

Debbie Abrahams, MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth and Chair of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, said: : “After more than a decade of austerity-driven policies - further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic - levels of ill health and health inequalities have deteriorated across the UK, but particularly especially in deprived areas. As a result, the country now faces significantly higher rates of economic inactivity due to ill health compared with similar economies such as Germany, Sweden, and France. This poses a major economic challenge, contributing to stagnant growth, widening productivity gaps, and increasing poverty and health inequalities. In the past we have seen the value of supportive welfare-to-work programmes, such as the New Deal for Disabled People and New Deal for Young People, which addressed the needs of the whole person in helping them to get into work. It’s imperative that these Government ‘Trailblazer’ schemes are ramped up – if we can get even a small proportion of the out-of-work population working again, we will see extraordinary gains, not only fiscally, but for these individuals, their families and across communities, workplaces, and public services alike.”

Professor Clare Bambra, Academic Co-director of Health Equity North and Professor of Public Health at Newcastle University, said: “Constituencies such as East Marsh and Port, Grimsby, Central Easterhouse, Glasgow and Birkenhead Central have around 30% of the working-age population receiving ill health-related welfare benefits. In these areas, life expectancy is 12 years less than the national average. This stark inequality reflects the deep connections between health, work, and place - where decades of industrial decline and underinvestment have left communities struggling with poor health, limited opportunities, and persistent economic disadvantage.

“By embedding employment support within health services and targeting investment where ill health and unemployment overlap, we have a real opportunity to break this cycle. Helping even a small proportion of people in these areas back into good, secure work could have transformative effects - not just for the government and local economies, but for people’s health, wellbeing, and prosperity.”

Dr Luke Munford, Academic Co-director of Health Equity North and Senior Lecturer in Health Economics at �������Թϱ���, said: “When people are supported to stay healthy, skilled, and connected to good jobs, everyone benefits – be it individuals, families, businesses or the economy as a whole. This report highlights the value of investing in people’s health and employability. Even modest improvements in getting people back into the workplace could deliver billions in savings by the end of the decade. These findings show that the Government’s efforts to integrate and embed health and employment can be a huge step towards the economic recovery of the UK.”

Dr Andy Baxter, Research Associate at the University of Glasgow, said: “Employment is one of the strongest determinants of health. When people are in good, secure work, they’re less likely to experience long-term illness, more likely to engage with preventive healthcare, and more connected to their communities. Reducing economic inactivity through health-focused employment programmes provides stability, purpose, and the foundation for healthier, fairer futures. Effective back-to-work schemes are crucial in rebuilding a Britain that is healthy and prosperous, and our research shows that the return on investment potential is huge.”

Hannah Davies, Executive Director of Health Equity North, said: “We’ve seen in the past that well-designed back-to-work schemes can transform lives and deliver real results for both people and the economy. But this time, it needs to be right from the very start - ensuring programmes are properly funded, evidence-based, and tailored to the needs of local communities. If the Government can combine effective employment support with investment in health, skills, and opportunity, they have a genuine chance to break the cycle of long-term unemployment and ill health once and for all.”

Read the full analysis ‘Estimating the savings and financial benefits to the UK government of return-to-work for people in receipt of Universal Credit’ here:

11 student and graduate founders from across �������Թϱ��� gave compelling 4-minute pitches to an audience of investors, local ecosystem partners, stakeholders, and peers – demonstrating innovative solutions to real problems across diverse sectors. 

They each developed their products and services on the �������Թϱ��� Venture Builder – MEC's 12-week programme of structured support to help entrepreneurs test and validate their idea, build an MVP and gain real traction on their journey to market-readiness. 

Mohamed Abbas (Venture Builder Manager, MEC) emphasised the importance of collaboration between organisations and individuals in supporting emerging young founders:

After the pitches, startups and guests gathered for the showcase and networking – an opportunity to ask questions, share ideas, and build connections. 

The ventures showcased were: 

• SpinOr – Compact superconducting quantum computers.
• PeerMatch – Building the platform where humanity's next breakthrough begins.
• AquaMinds – AI-powered early warning system for fouling in water treatment plants.
• Vesta Capsules – Offering safe sleep anytime, anywhere through stackable, weatherproof, and modular pods inspired by Japanese capsule hotels.
• ARDHANN – AI-powered next-gen composite materials for Energy, Space and Defence.
• Gynomics – Harnessing computational biology and machine learning to drive predictive and preventative care in women's reproductive health.
• Ecotrace – Plug-and-play circularity SaaS to extend the lifecycle of consumer goods, improve customer experiences, and help manufacturers meet tightening regulations.   
• Synkit – Wellness app helping employers support female staff through cycle-synced lifestyle.
• Waddle – Spontaneous small-group meetups for students seeking real-world connection.
• UniSights – Platform for Latin American schools to connect students with UK universities.
• TerraIQ – AI-powered farm optimisation platform for smallholder farms to unlock sustainability-linked revenue. 

We would like to congratulate all the startups who participated in the Demo Day for reaching this key milestone and we are excited to follow their growth and continued success. 

MEC is the University’s focal point for enterprise and entrepreneurship, offering opportunities for all current students, recent graduates and staff. Our vision is to create an ecosystem that nurtures innovators and fosters startups, driving global impact. 

You can find out more on our website . If you are interested in supporting our entrepreneurs with your expertise or investment, please get in touch with our team.

The knowledge could reduce the risk of severe bowel complications from radiotherapy, known as rectal toxicity, heralding a more personalised approach to prostate cancer treatment. 

The study, funded by Prostate Cancer UK, is published in Clinical Cancer Research today.(13/10/25). 

The study was led by PhD researcher Artemis Bouzaki from �������Թϱ���, who is also an honorary researcher at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. 

Her approach is the first study to combine genetic data with detailed spatial maps of where radiation is delivered in the rectum. 

Though scientists have already identified the lower posterior of the rectum as significant for rectal toxicities after prostate cancer radiotherapy, the study is the first to incorporate genetic information into the framework. 

“Rectal toxicity is a significant concern for patients receiving radiotherapy for prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men and  now the most common cancer in England,” she said.

“Although dose guidelines limit the overall rate of rectal toxicity to around 10%, bowel function nevertheless often deteriorates over the course of treatment and beyond.

“Some patients experience severe, persistent complications, such as incontinence, or rectal bleeding, permanently affecting their quality of life.”

The scientists analysed data from 1,293 prostate cancer patients as part of the international REQUITE study, which collected radiotherapy outcomes from 17 hospitals in Europe and the USA between 2014 and 2016.

For each of three genetic variants linked to increased radiation sensitivity, patients were grouped based on whether they carried the variant.

They were analysed alongside dose maps over the surface of the rectum - based on a methodology developed by the team in their earlier work- which showed the risk regions were consistently in the lower posterior rectum.

 The scientists used a special way of analysing 3D image data by looking at it in tiny volume units called voxels, the 3D equivalent of a pixel.

Instead of just measuring overall dose averages in a region, Voxel Based Analysis analyses the data voxel by voxel across the entire image. This allows smaller regions of organs to be identified, where more radiation dose is linked to different treatment side-effects.

Co-author and supervisor of the study, Dr Alan McWilliam from the University of �������Թϱ��� added: “Our work has revealed that patients with certain genetic variants may benefit from lower radiation doses in those specific parts of the rectum, which could make a significant difference to their recovery.

“However, these findings are preliminary, and clinical studies will be necessary to confirm their safety and effectiveness before any changes are made to standard treatment.”

One reason why the lower part of the rectum may be particularly sensitive is that the higher and lower parts of rectum have anatomical and functional differences which could influence their response to radiation.

The differences play a key role in inflammation and immune response and are likely to be affected by different genetic variants, including the ones analysed by the researchers.

Dr Hayley Luxton, Head of Research Impact and Engagement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “No two men’s prostate cancers will be the same, and different men will opt for different treatment. We know that radiotherapy is an extremely effective way to treat men with prostate cancer. However, it can have life changing side effects for patients.

“There are two ways to limit the side effects caused by radiotherapy – either through adjusting dosage to account for genetics or by reducing the dose to certain areas of the body.

“For the first time, thanks to Prostate Cancer UK’s funding alongside Movember, the team in �������Թϱ��� have combined both methods, and can now fine-tune the delivery of radiotherapy based on a man’s genetics.

“The ability to personalise treatment in this way is exactly the direction we want prostate cancer care to head in. This study helps bring us that much closer to making sure the right men get the right treatment, at the right time.”

The paper Integration of dose surface maps and genetic data identifies the lower posterior rectum as a key region for toxicity after prostate cancer radiotherapy, DOI: xxxxxxxxxxxx is available

The study, published in , funded by Wellcome and the Royal Society, definitively confirm the mother’s role as central to the emotional wellbeing of the family unit.

Though other researchers have focused on isolated relationships between mother and child, this is the first study of the role that both partners may play in family mental health, both concurrently and over time.

The researchers produced a series of maps - called networks - depicting the way symptoms of anxiety and depression in parents and their children up the age of 16 connect with each other over time.

They based the analysis on data from 3,757 families from the UK Household Longitudinal Study between 2009 to 2022.

Additional cross-sectional network maps of 8,795 families captured independent associations between family members’ mental health.

While fathers’ emotional state was linked to mothers’ mental health in the cross-sectional analysis, they observed an absence of associations with their children.

However, they reported that fathers’ emotional symptoms may influence children’s well-being indirectly, by affecting maternal mental health.

The longitudinal maps also identified how a mother’s feelings of being overwhelmed affected the child’s emotional state—especially worry, and that children’s feeling of worry cycled back, further affecting her own emotional health.

The influence of maternal emotional health on their children waned as they got older, reflecting how adolescents transfer their primary attachment from their parents to others.

Lead author Dr Yushi Bai from �������Թϱ��� said: “We do know that children’s mental health is formed by, and within, their family through shared genes, nurturing behaviours of caregivers, and sibling dynamics.

“Our study identified mothers, not fathers, as central to the emotional wellbeing of the family unit.

“We suspect that this can be explained by traditional division of parenting roles, where societal expectations often position mothers as the primary caregivers and organisers within families.

“Mothers are typically more involved in child-rearing and spend considerably more time with their children than do fathers, which means they are more likely to influence children’s lives and development.

“Greater exposure to maternal care might also lead children to copy their mother’s coping mechanisms and behaviours.”

Co-author Dr Matthias Pierce from �������Թϱ��� said: “Emotional disorders in young people are not only increasingly prevalent, but also present at early ages, highlighting the need for early intervention and prevention.

“Given the family’s central role in shaping and sustaining mental health, interventions and policies should consider how the family mental health ecosystem operates.

“This study shows the potential value of interventions that aim to support mothers and reduce maternal anxiety, which may have the greatest impact on improving family dynamics and reduce the risk of poor mental health in children.

“We also suggest that the link between fathers’ and mothers’ mental health presents a further potential avenue for alleviating maternal stress.”

• The paper Quantifying cross-sectional and longitudinal associations in mental health symptoms within families: network models applied to UK cohort data  published in MBJ Open is published

• doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-104829

The high-tech hearing tests, they say, can efficiently understand human speech from the comfort of your own home, rather than at a hospital clinic, by using AI to screen out background noise.

The researchers developed and tested an AI-powered version of the Digits-in-Noise (DIN) test that combines text-to-speech (TTS) and automatic speech recognition (ASR) technologies.

The result was a fully automated, self-administered hearing test that can be performed without clinical supervision in 10 minutes.

The study, funded by a Medical Research Council’s Doctoral Training Partnership grant, could revolutionise the way hearing tests are carried out and is published today  in the journal Trends in Hearing.

Lead author Mohsen Fatehifar from �������Թϱ��� said: “Having tested this technology, we are confident that with the help of AI it is entirely possible to automate a hearing test on a computer or smart phone so it can be done from the comfort of your own home.

“Though we still need more extensive trials and a user-friendly interface, this technology could potentially make a huge difference to patients.

“Specialised equipment in the clinic and the specially trained staff who are needed to use it are not always available to patients who need quick assessment.

“Additionally, people are slow to seek help when experiencing hearing difficulties: there is an estimated delay of 8.9 years between the time hearing aids are needed to the time of their adoption.

“That is why we are excited about the ability of this system to incorporate machine learning into the test procedure to make it less dependent on human supervisors.”

Speech-in-noise tests are commonly used to detect hearing problems by assessing how well someone can understand spoken speech over background noise.

Traditional tests typically rely on pre-recorded human speech and require a clinician to score the responses.

However, the AI-powered version replaces both with computer generated speech and automatic speech recognition, allowing the test to run entirely on its own.

In a group of 31 adults, some with normal hearing and with hearing loss, the AI-powered test was evaluated against two conventional DIN tests.

The researchers assessed both reliability - how consistent results were across multiple runs and validity - how closely results matched a reference test.

Results showed that the AI-powered test gave virtually the same results as the conventional DIN tests.

While there was slightly more variability in some cases - especially in people with a strong accent- the overall reliability and accuracy were the same, demonstrating the addition of AI did not negatively impact test performance.

And by using larger ASR systems, the researchers say the higher accuracy would make the system compatible with stronger accents.

Co-authors Professor Kevin Munro and Michael Stone are from �������Թϱ��� and supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) �������Թϱ��� Biomedical Research Centre.

Professor Munro said: “This  study highlights how AI can make hearing tests both reliable and user-friendly, particularly for individuals who may find traditional formats—such as keyboards or touchscreens—challenging to use.

“It also marks an important step toward more personalised and accessible hearing assessments that people can complete independently at home.

“The test software will be freely available, providing a foundation for future developments using more advanced speech technologies.”

Professor Stone said: “This research highlights the potential for well-crafted and tested AI to modernise hearing care.

“Our team plans to explore extending this technology to more complex speech tests in future studies.”

Using sunbeds causes melanoma and other skin cancers, particularly among young people, yet existing sunbed legislation is ineffective and there is little evidence that stricter rules would help protect the most vulnerable, say Professor Paul Lorigan and colleagues. 

Indoor tanning is experiencing a boom in popularity, particularly among Gen Z (born 1997-2012), with social media promoting sunbeds as integral to wellness, they explain. For example, a 2024 survey of 2,003 people in the UK by Melanoma Focus found that 43% of respondents aged 18-25 used sunbeds, half of them at least weekly, with many unaware of the associated dangers. 

And despite a ban on under 18s using sunbeds in England and Wales in 2011, a 2025 survey by Melanoma Focus of 100 UK 16-17 year olds found that 34% were still using sunbeds. 

Neither the number nor location of sunbed outlets in the UK are monitored, point out the authors. Data from websites and social media in January 2024 identified 4,231 sunbed outlets in England and 232 in Wales, with density per 100,000 population highest in north west and north east England and in the most deprived areas. 

The distribution of sunbed outlets also correlates with melanoma rates in young people, with the highest rates in north England, they add. Over 2,600 new diagnoses were recorded annually in 25-49 year olds in England during 2018-20 and 146 deaths, with two thirds of cases in women. 

Regulation has also failed to prevent young people’s use of sunbeds in other countries, they note. For example, the percentage of under 18s using sunbeds in the Republic of Ireland has barely changed since stricter regulation in 2014, while Iceland’s 15-17 year olds are now the main users of sunbeds despite a ban for under 18s in 2011. 

The current situation in the UK is “a clear example of an under-regulated industry aggressively marketing a harmful product to a vulnerable population,” they write. “An immediate outright ban on commercial sunbeds alongside public education offers the most cost effective solution to reduce skin cancer, save lives, and ease the burden on the NHS.” 

To counter the economic impact of banning sunbeds on providers and communities, they suggest use of a buy-back scheme “to mitigate industry pushback and the potential effect on livelihoods.” 

They conclude: “The UK government has pledged to prioritise prevention and to reduce health inequalities. Commercial sunbeds target those who are most disadvantaged and susceptible to harm.” 

“Enhanced efforts to encourage sun safe behaviours are critically needed but will likely take a generation to have an effect. A ban on commercial sunbeds is the first step in this process. It would send a clear message and have an immediate effect on skin cancer.”

• Analysis: Commercial sunbeds should be banned in the UK  is published in the BMJ doi: 10.1136/bmj-2025-085414 and is available

Current treatments for asthma largely involve controlling the inflammation of lung tissue using steroid inhalers. However, 4 people die every day in the UK¹ from asthma related complications. With funding from the Medical Research Foundation and Asthma UK, a team of researchers from the University of Aberdeen and the University of �������Թϱ��� have investigated the scarring that occurs in lung tissue as a result of asthma and have been able to reverse these changes in animal models.

Although still in the early stages of development, this discovery paves the way for a new way to treat not only asthma, but many different diseases in which similar structural changes in tissues occur. Such diseases include conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic heart disease and cirrhosis of the liver and account for approximately 40% of deaths worldwide.

Asthma affects more than 7 million people in the UK and severe asthma can have a hugely detrimental impact on an individual’s quality of life. Even when treated, asthma can be fatal and the most recent data shows it contributed to 1,465 deaths in the UK in 2022¹ – this is despite the availability of new treatments which aim to dampen down inflammation in the lungs.

However, as well as inflammation, asthma also results in what has previously been considered to be irreversible structural lung changes. These changes include making the lungs stiffer and more scarred through increases in things like ‘extracellular matrix collagens.’

Using animal models that share features of severe asthma in people, the researchers found that preventing inflammation alone is not enough to reverse this tissue scarring. Instead, they found that blocking the action of specific protein molecules strongly associated with inflammation and tissue damage, ‘remarkably reversed’ scarring in the lungs. 

Dr Tara Sutherland, Lecturer of Immunology, who led the research at the University of Aberdeen, alongside collaborators at the University of �������Թϱ���, explains: “Drugs that inhibit inflammation in asthma are crucial for managing the disease. However, these drugs may not always be enough to prevent and reverse lung damage found in severe asthma.

“Our findings show that we also need to consider that structural lung changes occur in severe asthma and that these changes may occur independently of inflammatory pathways.

“A better understanding of these structural changes and their consequences for lung health could lead to development of new therapies that benefit people particularly with severe asthma and could potentially be used alongside drugs that stop inflammation.

“Although a first step in a long process, our study suggests avenues for new treatments that may have the potential to prevent disease progression and even reverse tissue scarring in asthma and many other diseases where fibrosis due to disorganised matrix formation is suggested to account for approximately 40% of worldwide mortality.”

James Parkinson, Research Associate from the division of Immunology and Immunity to Infection and Respiratory Medicine at the University of �������Թϱ��� who collaborated on the project added: “This work adds a new layer to our understanding of how asthma develops. It also reinforces the importance of considering all aspects of airway remodelling when evaluating future potential therapies.”

, CEO of the , said: “Asthma affects millions of people in the UK, including 1.1 million children, yet despite current treatments, too many people still die from the condition every day. Severe uncontrolled asthma can cause lasting damage to the lungs and drastically reduce quality of life. This research is a crucial step forward – showing how we might not only prevent that damage, but even reverse it, opening the door to treatments that could transform lives.

“By supporting studies like this, the Medical Research Foundation aims to generate the evidence needed to change how asthma is treated and ultimately improve outcomes for people living with the condition.”

Dr Ellen Forty, Research Networks and Partnerships Manager at Asthma + Lung UK added:

“Asthma + Lung UK is pleased to have funded this exciting research which has helped to tease apart some of the ways that damage to lung tissue occurs in severe asthma, showing potential that some aspects of the damage could actually be reversed in mice. Now we need to invest in the next stages of this research to better understand this newly discovered process, and whether it works the same way in humans.

“This study offers hope for a new avenue for future treatments for the 7.2 million people in the UK living with asthma, that could supplement existing medicines. It could also have benefits for those with other lung conditions with similar causes of damage. Funding for lung health research is on life support and urgent action is needed to increase investment.”

This research was funded by the Medical Research Foundation and the Asthma and Lung UK Fellowship with support from Medical Research Council and Wellcome.

1: 

“However, if we want to create high streets that truly support healthier, fairer communities, we must also invest in bringing back vital amenities like libraries and community hubs - regulating unhealthy outlets is important, but we also need to create positive alternatives that give people better choices. The Prime Minister’s announcement is progress, but now we need some real ambition."

This success highlights the importance of academic research in tackling some of society’s most pressing challenges. As the government takes steps to empower local authorities, the researchers will continue to work with policymakers, communities and partners across the UK to ensure that high streets can once again thrive as healthy, inclusive spaces.

The report calls for urgent reforms, including:

Faster approvals – cutting the red tape that slows NHS trial delivery.
Flexible design – letting participants choose between home visits, clinic appointments or online check-ins.
Specialist centres – building dedicated hubs for mental health trials inside major NHS Trusts.
Smarter promotion – using social media campaigns and testimonials to boost awareness and trust.

Despite the surge of private providers, the NHS still has key advantages. It can draw on huge, reliable patient datasets and long-standing doctor-patient relationships that private firms cannot match. This helps ensure trials include a diverse mix of people – and prevents the problem of “professional patients,” which industry leaders say can account for up to 30% of participants in US depression trials.

The study was supported by the UK Government’s Office for Life Sciences and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Established in 1945, COEH is the UK’s oldest and one of the world's earliest centres for occupational health research and education. Its foundation lies in �������Թϱ���'s industrial history, particularly the cotton industry, with early studies addressing respiratory diseases and lead exposure. 

The annual honours , the first Professor of Occupational Medicine (1945–1964). The Centre’s subsequent leaders have each contributed to its growth and enduring reputation: Tommy Scott focussed on research on bladder cancer and hearing loss; Tim Lee broadened the scope to areas such as occupational asthma and lead poisoning, and introduced distance learning; Nicola Cherry expanded the department further with research into neurotoxicity and Gulf War Syndrome, launching the Occupational Disease Ascertainment Network (ODIN) network; and Raymond Agius strengthened environmental health research and online education, securing long term funding for the future. 

Current lead, Professor Martie van Tongeren, has transformed the Centre into an interdisciplinary centre offering innovative undergraduate and postgraduate training, attracting students from around the world. Working in collaboration with and the , COEH’s research spans global occupational and environmental health, health inequalities, climate change and health, digitalization and AI, as well as traditional occupational hazards. The Centre is also actively engaged with regulatory bodies, and its balance of basic and translational research supports policy makers. 

As COEH enters its ninth decade, the centre continues to build on its founders’ pioneering work while adopting new approaches to train practitioners and address emerging challenges. Through interdisciplinary collaboration with partners COEH remains committed to social responsibility and reducing health inequalities both in the UK and worldwide, continuing to make a significant impact. 

Professor van Tongeren commented: “I am proud and honoured to be part of the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, continuing the legacy begun by Prof Ronald Lane 80 years ago. As new challenges like AI emerge and longstanding ones like silicosis persist, our mission to protect worker health through research and teaching remains vital. I’m confident COEH will continue to lead the way.”

80^th anniversary event 

COEH invites colleagues and guests to commemorate 80 years of pioneering research and education at �������Թϱ��� on the afternoon of 1 October. The event will bring together past and present staff, students, and guests to honour the Centre’s legacy and explore future progress in occupational health.  

The programme will include: 

• Lightning talks showcasing key achievements and ongoing research initiatives 
• Forward-looking panel session to explore challenges and opportunities in occupational health 
• The , presented by Professor Malcolm Sim, former Head of the Monash University Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health in Australia 
• Closing reception  

2025 Lane Lecture 

While UK occupational health research, including at COEH, now focuses more on stress and mental health, traditional risks such as occupational respiratory disease continue to be a key priority. The Centre has, in recent years, led efforts to address the dangers of artificial stone (used frequently in kitchen worktops and bathrooms) as workers without proper controls can develop accelerated silicosis—a serious lung disease affecting even young individuals. 

Professor Malcolm Sim played a lead role in research and advisory activities to address the silicosis epidemic in Australia among stonemasons working with artificial stone. In this year’s Lane Lecture, Professor Sim will explore artificial stone silicosis further through his talk, ‘The Artificial Stone Silicosis Epidemic: Lessons Learned for More Effective Prevention’. 

where you can also find a detailed programme.

The peer reviewed meta-analysis of 16 studies involving 71,336 patients from the US, UK, and the Netherlands published in the today (10/09/25), is a wake-up call to policy makers grappling with escalating numbers affected by the disease. 

“Our study provides evidence of significant disparities in telemedicine use for type 2 diabetes among men, black communities and those with lower levels of education,” said Nawwarah Alfarwan, a PhD researcher and lead author of the study. 

“These groups already face many challenges in accessing essential healthcare services. 

“Every 10 seconds, somebody dies from diabetes-related complications worldwide, most of whom have type 2 diabetes, so policymakers  really need to think about how to improve access to this crucial form of healthcare.” 

Telemedicine has revolutionised the management of type 2 diabetes in primary care by improving access to healthcare services, and consequently health outcomes. 

Comprising a range of technology including virtual consultations, wearable devices, mobile health apps and other technologies, health services have successfully used it as a response to increasing prevalence of the disease. 

Data from 5 studies comprising 59, 609 patients showed patients with higher education levels had 68.1% greater odds of using telemedicine than those with lower education levels. 

The less educated, say the researchers, have lower levels digital and health literacy, and be more likely to have concerns about trust and privacy. 

Ten of the studies, comprising 68,355 patients, showed female patients had a 5% higher chance of using telemedicine than men.

The difference can be explained, say the researchers, by women being more actively engaged with healthcare services not only for themselves but also their family.

Existing epidemiological evidence, they add, suggests men’ have lower help-seeking behaviour, stronger preferences for in-person consultations, or lower levels of digital health literacy.

Five of the studies showed that compared to white patients, black patients were less 45% likely to use telemedicine.

Many people within black communities, the researchers argue, have limited access to digital infrastructure, mistrust in healthcare systems, language barriers, and inadequate insurance coverage or digital literacy support.

And 10 of the studies comprising 47 927 patients showed older patients were 2.1% less likely to use telemedicine than younger patients.

Co-author Professor Maria Panagioti , also from �������Թϱ���,  added: “For patients with type2 diabetes, we show the extent of the digital divide in certain demographics, especially those from minority backgrounds.

“Lack of affordable access to computers, smartphone, and lower levels digital and health literacy all contribute to these inequalities.

“By understanding these disparities and addressing the underlying factors, policymakers could make more inclusive and effective telemedicine interventions.

“They should also  consider targeted strategies to improve engagement among men, such as awareness campaigns and tailored interventions.”

• The paper is Demographic and Socioeconomic Disparities in Telemedicine Utilisation Among Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes in Primary Care: Systematic Review and Meta Analysis is published in the  

The final version of the tool, called INSPECT-SR, is now published on the pre-print server . 

It was developed by a worldwide collaboration of more than 150 integrity and health research experts, led by Dr Jack Wilkinson from �������Թϱ��� 

Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), it was developed in collaboration with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and Cochrane, a not-for-profit organisation which is the world’s leading publisher of health systematic reviews. 

Some of the studies are subject to critical but honest errors, but many appear to be fraudulent.

Concerns are growing over the increasing numbers of problematic high-level summaries of the research evidence from randomised controlled trials , known as systematic reviews. 

In 2023 alone, over 10,000 research papers issued globally were retracted by journals according to an analysis by , many of which used evidence from problematic RCTs. 

Dr Wilkinson warns problematic RCTs  can result in medical research potentially being compromised, drug development hindered and promising academic research jeopardised. 

INSPECT-SR is designed to root out problematic RCTs which publish faked or manipulated data or have Inadvertently made critical errors. 

Some, written for a fee by outfits known as “paper mills”, are entirely fabricated. 

The tool guides users through a series of 21 checks, grouped into 4 domains:

• Post publication notices which express concern and retractions.
• conduct, governance, and transparency
• text and figures
• data discrepancies and statistical errors.

One of the most well-known examples of problematic RCT research was around claims the drug Ivermectin, hailed as a miracle drug that would save the lives of people with severe COVID-19. 

However, some of the trials used to make the Ivermectin claims appear to have been fabricated, according  health authorities in the . Subsequent high-quality trials suggested little or no benefit. 

In another example , the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reversed recommendation for a device called a fetal pillow, developed to assist caesarean sections, following the retraction of three clinical studies supporting it. 

According to an article in : An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, a trustworthiness assessment may have prevented the use of the evidence in the NICE guideline, as it contained statistical anomalies. 

And trustworthiness concerns were also identified in a group of trials around the use of  CBT and exercise to combat spinal pain. The trials had substantial impacts on clinical practice guidelines. Several have now been .

Dr Wilkinson said: “When a systematic review is carried out, it includes all randomised  controlled trials on a given topic.

“But historically, there has been no way to identify fraudulent or otherwise problematic RCTs, meaning that these studies are inadvertently included in systematic reviews.

“This is a big problem, as systematic reviews are very influential - they inform health guidelines for example.

“Most fraudulent RCTs are produced by individual researchers rather than commercial paper mills, but with the  advent of  AI I fear  this is likely to become more of a problem in the future.”

He added: “Academic papers are often assessed for quality before they are published. But reviewers do not ask the more fundamental question of whether the evidence they are reading is even genuine..

“But we anticipate that INSPECT-SR will become the standard for assessing trustworthiness of RCTs, especially as it has been created withCochrane for use in their systematic reviews of health interventions.

“However, it’s important to stress that our tool is not merely a test for fraud and misconduct-  though clearly many problematic studies are examples of that.

“It also tests for critical errors which is why our priority is to  determine if a clinical trial should be used to guide healthcare decisions.

“Work is ongoing to develop more automated systems -  perhaps using AI-  to assist with this process. In the future, we hope to expand our work  to detect problems in other forms of research studies, not just clinical trials.”

• The paper INSPECT-SR: a tool for assessing trustworthiness of 1 randomised controlled trials is available on the print server https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.09.03.25334905