In the first ever study of its kind, tennis fan Dr Liam Blything analysed the impact of timeouts using from the world鈥檚 top 250 players between 2013 and 2023. 

Players at this year鈥檚 Wimbledon Championships will be watching closely how their opponents take a bathroom break, in light of the study. 

The paper follows years of speculation by journalists and sports people that the practice amounts to gamesmanship, bestowing an advantage for players taking a bathroom break by disrupting the rhythm of their opponent. 

However, proponents of the bathroom break argue that timeouts are a useful and acceptable way to help players reset.

 In response, the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) introduced a rule for the 2022 season to restrict timeouts to a maximum of 3 minutes, alongside limitations on when and how often they can be deployed. 

Published in the peer reviewed International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, Dr Blything found that 71% of time outs were taken when a player lost the previous set. 

And in normal circumstances, 33% of players recover the next set after losing the previous one. This, however, rose to 47% if they took a bathroom break. 

The data analysed by Dr Blything showed there were 1,928 breaks in play in the study period, though when medical and other breaks were accounted for, he was left with 366 bathroom timeouts. 

Dr Blything said: 鈥淭here has been much argument in the media over recent years about the formalisation of gamesmanship in tennis, with the taking of bathroom breaks. 

鈥淭his study for the first time used real data to check the validity of those concerns. 

鈥淭here is now clear evidence a well-timed bathroom break in play confers an advantage to the player taking the break by regathering him or herself and disrupting the flow of the opponent..鈥� 

Dr Blything also carried out follow up analyses on the extent to which unforced-errors contributed to the forms of points won and lost. 

The overall decrease in the opponent鈥檚 winner-shots was offset by an equivalent decrease in the strategist鈥檚 unforced errors, preserving the proportion observed in the baseline data. 

That showed timeout advantage is a combination of both the strategist benefitting from the opportunity to personally reset, and a disruption of the rhythm of the opponent, rather than being disproportionally driven by one player. 

Psychological theory also supports the notion that taking a break can confer advantages by interrupting momentum. 

Theorists argue an interruption disrupts perceptions associated with positive momentum for players who are on a roll, which is in turn difficult to regain. 

The timeout also potentially affords the opportunity for a losing player to refocus from that negative thinking spiral about prospective outcomes, for example by using self-talk and mental imagery techniques. 

Dr Blything added: 鈥淭hese pioneering findings uniquely inform players and tennis governing bodies about the influence of timeouts and, more broadly, elucidate the role that stoppages can play in sport for altering momentum. 

鈥淚t would be useful understand if this effect is relevant  in other sports. Snooker players, for example, seem to take a lot of bathroom breaks.鈥� 

Examples of comments from players:

Andy Murray on a Stefanos Tsitsipas bathroom break after Murray won the 4th set 2-2 in the 2021 US Open 1st round. He went on to lose 3 - 2. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just disappointing because I feel it influenced the outcome of the match. I鈥檓 not saying I necessarily win that match, for sure, but it had influence on what was happening after those breaks.鈥�

Roger Federer who took a bathroom break after losing the 4th set 2-2 in the 2017 Australian Open semifinal. He went on to beat Wawrinka 3-2. 鈥淚 think they're more mental than anything else. I only really did take the timeout because I thought, 'He took one already, maybe I can take one for a change'. Because I'm not a believer in any way that we should be allowed to take a lot of timeouts. But I took it after the set break. People know I don't abuse the system. I hope it's going to stay that way in the future for me, too.鈥�

Stefanos Tsitispas, who鈥檚 opponent Novak Djokovic took a bathroom break after losing 2nd set to make it  0-2 in the 2021 French Open Final. Djokovic recovered to beat Tsitsipas 3-2: 鈥淚 don't think I changed much, I just kept the same pace. I kept the things that were working for me. He left the court after two sets to love down, and he came back to me like a different player suddenly. I don't know. I have no idea.鈥�

On the same match, Djokovic said: 鈥淭he bathroom break was the turning point. Sometimes in these kind of circumstances where not much is happening positively for you on the court in terms of tennis and the other guy on the court is dominating the play, sometimes these things are necessary. A little break, a little pep talk, and try to recuperate and re-gather the thoughts and reassemble everything that you have and [counter] your opponent with the best possible game.  Maybe it's the experience, maybe it's the toilet break, maybe it's everything combined, but I'm just glad I'm through.鈥�

The paper psychological (ab)use of timeouts in professional tennis is available DOI: 10.1080/24748668.2024.2436271:

The event is a joint collaboration between the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, Athlete鈥檚 Journey Home and Drug Science and is supported by the British Association for Psychopharmacology. 

The event will feature world experts in the psychedelics field:  Prof David Nutt from Imperial College London and Prof Sara Tai from 黑料网吃瓜爆料. 

Three elite athletes: former professional rugby player, Rory Lamont; former professional ice hockey player, Daniel Carcillo; and former mixed martial artist, Ian McCall will talk about their own healing experiences. 

Organised by Jo Neill Professor of Psychopharmacology, from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, the event will explore scientific and real world evidence to show that psychedelic assisted therapy (PAP) may be able to alleviate some harmful effects of trauma in elite athletes. 

Clinical studies, fieldwork and personal accounts from across the world are now finding that PAP can induce neuroplasticity - the ability of the brain to reorganise and make new connections throughout life. 

And that may treat the cognitive decline, early dementia, severe headache and pain which are so common in brain injuries. 

Prof Neill said 鈥淭his is particularly relevant to elite athletes in sports such as rugby, football, ice hockey, horse riding, mixed martial arts and boxing. 

鈥淚n addition to injury, athletes experience emotional trauma from the high pressure environment of competitive sport, and gruelling training regimes, most evident when they leave that sport. 

鈥淏耻迟 psychedelic assisted therapy is known to reduce the emotional and physical impact of these forms of trauma and is even starting to be used by elite athletes for their mental and physical health in countries where it is legal. 

鈥淧AP is increasingly being recognised as a safe treatment though patients must always adhere to the law, and be well prepared in a very safe setting when taking the psychedelic medicines. They must also receive appropriate and extensive integrative therapy afterwards.鈥� 

The event takes place at the University鈥檚 Nancy Rothwell Building on Wednesday 2nd July at 2PM. 

Dr Grace Blest-Hopley and Nige Netzband, experts on Traumatic Brain Injury who work with psychedelics will also speak to the conference. 

Professor Neill added: 鈥淲hile most people find it extremely beneficial and indeed life-changing, PAP can be a very challenging and difficult experience for many. It is not be a medicine to be taken lightly. The treatment paradigm is 1-3 high doses in combination with therapy. Some people may not need to take this treatment again. This is very different from the current approach where people need to take a medicine every day which can have a significant side effect burden. 

鈥淚n spite of all the clinical and scientific evidence for their medicinal properties, particularly for disorders where nothing else works, they remain illegal Class A, Schedule 1 drugs in the UK. 

鈥淭he law is not evidence based and it enacts the harshest penalties for unlicensed manufacture, possession and supply. 

鈥淐linicians and scientists who want to conduct research require a controlled drugs licence from the Home Office, an expensive, bureaucratic and extremely time-consuming process. This must change.鈥� 

Tickets available here, free for BAP members.

CurrentBody Skin, one of the three innovative beauty technology brands owned by TBTG, has been at the forefront of home-use beauty technology globally since 2009 and is a pioneer in bringing LED light therapy to the home. CurrentBody Skin鈥檚 LED Light Therapy Face Mask uses 236 LEDs to emit the three most clinically recognised wavelengths for anti-ageing: red light, near-infrared and deep near-infrared. The efficacy and safety of the technology is underpinned by hundreds of clinical studies, alongside being endorsed by Doctors, dermatologists and aestheticians.

As awareness for our products grows, so does the desire for both education and science-backed beauty technology solutions. We are therefore investing heavily in clinical research for the future as the beauty technology market increasingly becomes a part of people鈥檚 skincare routines.

Home to one of the most active and comprehensive centres for dermatology research in the UK, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 was an obvious partner for our next clinical study. The 12-week clinical study will commence in September 2025 and will be led by Dr. Abigail Langton, PhD, who has an established record of internationally-recognised original research in the field of skin health and ageing.

The study will see a minimum of 20 healthy adult volunteers use the CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Face Mask Series 2  for 10 minutes, five times per week for a 12-week period. In conjunction with the mask, a bespoke LED device for use on the forearm has been designed and manufactured to the same specification as the face mask. This bespoke device will be used on the volunteers鈥� forearms for the same duration as the face mask to support the clinical study. Participants will undergo non-invasive assessments of their face at the beginning, the halfway point and at the end of the study. In addition, small forearm skin biopsies will be taken at the start and at the end of the 12-week period.

The results from this new study will deepen our knowledge of our technology even further, leveraging pioneering techniques including biopsies of the skin to assess the extent of skin ageing and repair. It will evaluate the technology鈥檚 impact on photoaged skin, which is the result of long-term sun exposure over the years, often characterised by wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and dull appearance. It will focus on the impact on skin health and function on the face and forearm, including measures such as elasticity and hydration, as well as microscopic features of the forearm skin, such as epidermal thickness.

Laurence Newman, CEO of The Beauty Tech Group, commented: 鈥淎s the use of LED light therapy and other beauty technologies becomes increasingly commonplace in people鈥檚 lives, so has the increase in demand for education and proof of results. Unfortunately, imitation products, where the accuracies of wavelengths cannot be proven, have entered the beauty technology market and this is subsequently leading to confusion and misinformation. The need to validate and prove our technology is therefore more important than ever.

鈥淲e are addressing these challenges by ensuring each device that we produce can be traced back to its manufacturing to show the exact wavelengths in our CurrentBody Skin LED Face Mask Series 2. Partnering with one of the biggest faculties for skin in the country, and in our home city, will support our continuing journey in expanding the clinical aspect of the use of LED light therapy.

鈥淭his partnership not only demonstrates our commitment to leading the way in product design and development, but also shows our commitment to raise the standards across the industry. Most importantly, it aims to ensure that customers purchase high quality aesthetic products that are proven to work and are safe to use. I am proud of the work we are doing to innovate and progress the beauty technology industry, and look forward to publishing the results once the clinical trial is completed.鈥�

Dr. Abigail Langton added: "We鈥檙e thrilled to be collaborating with The Beauty Tech Group on this pioneering study into the effects of LED light therapy on skin ageing. By harnessing cutting-edge technology and combining it with our expertise in dermatological science, we have a unique opportunity to uncover how targeted light wavelengths influence the biology of photoaged skin. This research will generate powerful new insights into skin structure and function, helping to shape the future of science-backed, at-home skin treatments."

The White Paper takes recommendations from research carried out by University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers based at the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Centre for Audiology and Deafness (ManCAD), funded by the Alzheimer鈥檚 Society and supported by the  National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Biomedical Research Centre.

They found that unaddressed hearing loss is highly prevalent in care homes, impacting on residents鈥� quality of life.

The research identified several barriers relating to caregivers鈥� knowledge of hearing loss and opportunities for care homes to work with audiologists. Unclear responsibilities relating to hearing care and residents鈥� difficulties adapting to, or being comfortable wearing, hearing aids were also identified.

Titled 鈥淗earing Loss in Care Homes 鈥� A Call to Action鈥�, the paper brings together nearly a decade of practical experience from Engage鈥檚 work across over 35 care homes, alongside extensive research and insights from Nightingale Hammerson, where the Engage project has been running for over three years.

With at least 80% of residents in older people鈥檚 care homes living with hearing loss, the paper highlights the widespread impact of unaddressed hearing needs 鈥� from increased risks of dementia and falls, to social isolation, depression, and avoidable distress.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said: 鈥淗earing loss has long been overlooked in care settings, despite its profound impact on wellbeing, safety, and social connection. This white paper, developed jointly with Engage and Nightingale Hammerson, is a timely and vital resource for the sector. It provides practical, evidence-based recommendations that care providers can implement to deliver more compassionate, inclusive and effective care.鈥�

The paper sets out a comprehensive set of evidence-informed recommendations including:

• Conducting environmental audits to reduce noise and improve lighting;
• Implementing clear protocols for hearing aid support and maintenance;
• Providing experiential hearing loss training for staff;
• Appointing Hearing Loss Champions to embed best practice;
• Ensuring access to personal amplifiers when hearing aids are not tolerated or unavailable;
• Improving access to audiology services and earwax removal;
• Supporting residents and families to explore and use assistive hearing technologies;
• Embedding person-centred communication, particularly for people living with dementia.

Dr Hannah Cross, Research Associate, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Centre for Audiology and Deafness (ManCAD) at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淗earing care that is personalised, provided consistently and dementia appropriate can make huge changes to residents鈥� quality of life, wellbeing, independence and functioning.

"Meeting the hearing needs of care home residents with dementia is vital in maintaining their communication abilities, independence, and quality-of-life. 

"My PhD work outlined just how complex providing hearing care can be and how much needs to change. This White Paper will help to guide care homes in supporting their residents, and boost the priority of hearing loss within Social Care policy and regulation.鈥�

Padraic Garrett, Head of Engage and Andrew Goodwin, Service Manager for Engage, said: 鈥淲hen residents with hearing loss are not adequately supported, it leads to increased anxiety, depression, and social isolation, with higher risks to physical health issues including falls. From our many years of successfully collaborating with homes, our motivation for this Paper is to share what we have found works to address the suffering of residents with hearing loss.鈥�

Nuno Santos Lopes, Director of Research and Innovation at Nightingale Hammerson, added: 鈥淗earing loss is common to the vast majority of older people with care needs and the levels of knowledge of the care givers remains very low. From creating the right environment to get staff, managers and relatives knowledgeable about how to engage with someone with hearing loss, there is a lot of work to do and this document works as an easy to access guidance to help improving the hearing care standards.鈥�

The paper not only outlines an ethical and clinical imperative but also makes a compelling financial case: improved hearing care can reduce falls, mitigate cognitive decline, and enhance resident and staff wellbeing鈥攗ltimately supporting occupancy, reputation, and staff retention.

Care England urges all care providers to read the paper and implement its recommendations, using it as a foundation for improving practice and a platform to advocate for better audiology provision within local health systems.

Triangle CERSI is one of five Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-funded centres across the US, designed to promote innovation in regulatory science and accelerate access to complex emerging technologies. Located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, Triangle CERSI is a partnership between University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University, in collaboration with North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University, and the Burroughs Welcome Fund.

UK CEiRSI, jointly funded by InnovateUK and the Medical Research Council (MRC), operates under the leadership of the Christabel Pankhurst Institute in partnership with Unit M. This pioneering consortium has established a comprehensive national network that unites elite academic institutions鈥攊ncluding University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University College London (UCL), University of Edinburgh, University of Strathclyde, Queens University of Belfast and Swansea University鈥攚ith key regulatory bodies such as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Health Research Authority (HRA). With participation from 85 additional national and international stakeholders spanning academia, industry, and regulatory affairs, UK CEiRSI represents an unprecedented collaborative effort to integrate robust in-silico evidence into medical product development and regulatory decision-making pathways.

Professor Alejandro Frangi, Executive Director of UK CEiRSI, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration: 鈥淭his partnership represents a strategic milestone in global regulatory harmonisation. Triangle CERSI's pioneering work in virtual imaging trials and pharmaceutical regulatory science perfectly complements our comprehensive in silico capabilities across drugs and medical devices. By synchronising our regulatory approaches across continents, we're not simply sharing knowledge鈥攚e're building a unified scientific foundation that will accelerate innovation, reduce redundancy, and ultimately deliver safer, more effective medical technologies to patients worldwide. Together, we're transforming regulatory barriers into bridges.鈥�

Christin Daniels, Executive Director of Triangle CERSI, highlighted the importance of the partnership: "Partnering with UK CEiRSI creates a synergistic alliance to modernize regulatory science. Ensuring faster, safer solutions for patients worldwide requires a unified regulatory language. By combining Triangle CERSI鈥檚 expertise in pharmaceutical evaluation and safety, clinical trial optimization, in silico models and other New Approach Methodologies with UK CEiRSI鈥檚 impressive national network focused on comprehensive in silico technologies, we aim to close the gap between the pace of innovation and speed of adoption along the regulatory pathway on both sides of the Atlantic."

The MOU sets the stage for a series of joint initiatives, including workshops, training programs, and collaborative research projects. These efforts will not only advance regulatory science but also contribute to the development of a skilled workforce capable of navigating the complexities of modern healthcare. 

• "In-Silico"  is a term used to describe experiments or studies that are performed using computer simulations or software. 
• For more information visit: UK CEiRSI LinkedIn ; UK CEiRSI ;  InSilicoUK ; UK CEiRSI | InSilicoUK ; In Silico Trials, Real Impact! ; Triangle CERSI

In a new report from the Northern Health Science Alliance, partly based on research by University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 experts entitled 鈥淎geing in the North鈥�, researchers have catalogued an 鈥渁larming鈥� range of disadvantages faced by older people living in the North, in areas such as health, life expectancy, housing, nutrition, employment, and social isolation.

The authors stress that this inequality is mainly driven by economic and social factors, and is 鈥渢otally reversible鈥� - as long as policymakers are bold enough to act. For example, targeted investment has the potential to reduce or recover as much as 拢10.9 billion in lost productivity costs, 拢315 million in NHS costs from falls and hip fractures, and 拢588 million in NHS costs from treating conditions resulting from poor  housing.

鈥淎geing in the North鈥� is published by the Northern Health Science Alliance鈥檚 Ageing North network - including a multi-disciplinary team from Durham University, Lancaster University, 黑料网吃瓜爆料, Newcastle University, and the University of Sheffield - and Health Equity North. The team features expertise from a wide range of disciplines, from biology to sociology.

Researchers analysed existing data through a regional lens to examine the different ways in which ageing is experienced across England. They explored issues such as poverty and employment, health expectancies, long-term chronic conditions, frailty and falls, physical activity, nutrition, dementia and cognitive frailty, social support and unpaid care, social isolation and loneliness, housing and ethnicity.

The report - which you can read in full - states that:

鈼�     There are an estimated 904,200 economically inactive 50-64 year olds in the North: 170,100 in the North East, 428,600 in the North West, and 305,500 in Yorkshire and the Humber, contributing to a potential reduction in GDP of 拢10.9 billion per year

鈼�     People from the South are more likely to retire, while those in the North are more likely to leave the job market due to poor health

鈼�     Older people living in the North East and North West are 1.61 and 1.33 times, respectively, more likely to be frail, 1.16 and 1.06 times more likely to have a fall that requires hospital treatment, and 1.14 and 1.12 times more likely to have a hip fracture compared to older people living in the South East

鈼�     The cost to the NHS of falls and hip fractures in the North is NHS 拢55.7 million and 拢258.8 million per year respectively

鈼�     1.47 million northern homes are considered non-decent, with over a third housing over-60s residents. This is costing the NHS approximately 拢588 million in treatment per year

鈼�     In the ten years from 2012 to 2022, the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber have seen the rates of poverty among people aged 65 and over rise by 10%

鈼�     People aged 65 or over are 5% more likely to be deprived in the North (68%) than in the South (63%)

鈼�     Between 2020-21 and 2022-23, pensioner couples in the North East had an average income 14% lower than the national average and 25% lower than those in the South East

鈼�     Men aged 65 and over in the North East are predicted to have the highest number of unhealthy years of life on average, at 20.2 years. Yorkshire and Humber have 19.1, while the South East has 16.6

鈼�     The number of unhealthy years of life for older women in the North East is 23.7 years, compared to 19.4 years in the South East

鈼�     There is a two-year life expectancy gap between the North and the rest of England, with premature death rates 20% higher for those in the North

鈼�     Arthritis is more common amongst 55-64 year olds in the North (28%) than in the South (23%). Just 51% of people in the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber are seen for treatment within the national three-week target, compared to 79% in the South West

鈼�     Physical inactivity in the North East among 55-74 year olds is at 31% compared to 22% in the South East

鈼�     Northern adults over 65 are 27% more likely to experience food insecurity than those in the South

鈼�     Cognitive frailty (cognitive impairment plus physical frailty) in old age is more common in the North than in the South, with 11.8% living with cognitive frailty in the North East compared to 7% in the South East.

鈼�     Older adults in the North are 23.3% more likely to experience loneliness compared to the South, with northern women 1.55 times more likely to be lonely than men

鈼�     The three northern regions have the highest proportion of people aged 65 and over living in care homes, costing an estimated 拢4.83 billion in care home fees

鈼�     Minoritised ethnic groups consistently report poorer self-rated health than White British peers. Self-rated health is generally poorer in the North than in London and the South.

The report is being launched at an event in Westminster today (Monday, June 23, 2025) hosted by MP for Shipley, Anna Dixon, who wrote the Foreword.

Anna Dixon, Member of Parliament for Shipley, said: "Where you live shouldn鈥檛 affect your experience of ageing. This report brings into sharp focus the reality of how unequal ageing is across England. If we want to create a society that supports everyone to live and age better, we need to tackle the wider societal issues that result in some people in some communities dying earlier and living longer in poor health. This needs a life course approach, from childhood to adulthood, that enables people to remain active, stay healthy and contribute to society for as long as possible.鈥�

Leading academics behind the report are now calling on the Government to recognise the  challenges faced by people in later life and to prioritise tackling the root causes of unequal ageing. The report includes evidence-based policy recommendations, which could go a long way to reversing the widening inequality gap between North and South.

These recommendations include:

鈼�     Adopting a cross-government approach to prevent unequal ageing, looking at themes such as education, housing, employment and health

鈼�     Strengthening place-based collaboration between local government, combined authorities, housing developers, the NHS, and older adult

鈼�     Developing and delivering a national housing strategy for older people that prioritises ageing in place and invests in age-friendly, accessible homes

鈼�     Significantly increasing investment in adult social care in the North of England

鈼�     Developing an NHS-led, UK-wide strategy to address physical inactivity as a key driver of later-life health inequalities

鈼�     Producing a national strategy to recognise and address cognitive frailty as a preventable condition distinct from dementia

鈼�     Identifying the regions most at risk of diseases such as arthritis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and adopting a proactive preventative strategy which expands community-based services and strengthens early intervention

鈼�     Expanding workplace health programmes and improving healthcare access disparities

鈼�     Developing tailored place-based strategies to reduce loneliness among older people, focusing on groups at highest risk, such as women, minoritised ethnic groups, people who are living alone, or with poor health

鈼�     Addressing food insecurity in later life through stronger national tracking and targeted local action

鈼�     Improving the collection and use of ethnicity and regional data across health and care systems to better understand and inform culturally-appropriate and regionally-sensitive responses

鈼�     Strengthening support for unpaid carers of older people by increasing carer鈥檚 allowance and carer-related benefits.

Emeritus Professor Alan Walker, from the University of Sheffield鈥檚 Healthy Lifespan Institute, said: 鈥淭his report paints an alarming picture of how inequality has eaten away at the quality of life of so many older northerners. In almost every aspect we investigated, there is a yawning gap between the North and the South - from their income and health to their housing, social care and sense of isolation.

鈥淭his gap is hardly new, but the most frustrating thing about it is that it is totally reversible - assuming that policymakers are willing to take decisive steps to address these issues, and provide a better life for our family members, friends, and neighbours as they age.鈥�

Professor Chris Todd, from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淭he country has faced several crises in recent years, from austerity to the COVID-19 pandemic. Older people in the North have carried more than their fair share of that burden.

鈥淭he reality is now stark. Older people in the North are more likely to be poorer, and to live shorter, less-healthy, more isolated lives in sub-optimal accommodation.

鈥淭he gap is growing every day. We need proactive policies - targeted at areas of greatest need - to reverse this trend and enable the North to age with hope, rather than inequality.鈥�

Professor Carol Holland, the Director of Lancaster University鈥檚 Centre for Ageing Research, said: 鈥淯nequal ageing is not inevitable. The gulf between North and South has been created and exacerbated by long-term national policies. And it can be reversed in the same way.

鈥淭he evidence presented in this report does not merely highlight all the ways that people experience ageing differently in the North and South. It offers a clear call to action, to make it a national priority to address this inequality - and vastly improve the lives of millions. We know a lot about prevention and risk reduction of later life difficulties such as frailty or cognitive impairment: it is not enough to claim that nothing can be done. It is time to be bold, and do better.鈥�

Professor Barbara Hanratty, Professor of Primary Care & Public Health at Newcastle University, said: 鈥淔or many, it is harder to grow old in the North than in the South. There are some deep-seated and long-term reasons for that. But we must also acknowledge that the situation is being influenced by decisions that are being made today.

鈥淎verage earnings in the North amongst those aged 65 and over are the lowest in England, and poverty has increased over the last ten years. People in the North are more likely than their neighbours to leave the workforce due to ill-health. We need real policy changes to tackle the root causes of this inequality, with more targeted initiatives to address the many disadvantages facing older people in the North.鈥�

Professor Charlotte Clarke, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Health) at Durham University, said: 鈥淭he factors that contribute to the struggles faced by older people make their presence felt far earlier - in childhoods and adulthoods where poverty, poor housing, ill-health and other disadvantages are all too common.

鈥淚t is absolutely essential that policymakers act to help our older citizens. But they must also recognise that these issues are the result of lifelong experiences and inequalities. To achieve real tangible change, we need policies that improve lives as a whole - and tackle these issues long before they escalate.鈥�

Hannah Davies, Chief Executive of the Northern Health Science Alliance and Executive Director of Health Equity North, said: 鈥淭he North is a beautiful place to grow old. We have some of the most breathtaking scenery in the country, as well as welcoming and tight-knit communities. And yet, the day-to-day reality of ageing for many northerners is far harder than it should be.

鈥淲e have often talked about the inequalities that exist in the North, and this report is a reminder of why the gap between North and South continues to widen. There is clear evidence of this on so many fronts - from poverty levels to housing quality, frailty, nutrition, and social support. The divide is particularly pronounced amongst older adults from diverse ethnic backgrounds, which highlights the need for culturally-sensitive solutions which recognise community needs.

鈥淚t is undeniable that we need to offer urgent help to older people who are dealing with these issues. It is also our responsibility to make sure that future generations do not have to go through the same challenges - with targeted, considered policies that address the lifelong issues that are so familiar to northern citizens.鈥�

Read the full 鈥淎geing in the North鈥� report here:

The University tops both the global league table of publications and citations at 177 and 12,313 respectively. 

The output was predominantly driven by Professor David Denning from The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Fungal Infection Group (MFIG) at the 黑料网吃瓜爆料, the most published and most cited author at 89 papers and 9850 citations.

 He was followed by Thomas J. Walsh from the United States at 72 papers and 6,036 citations, and Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis also from the United States ranking third at 66 papers, 6404 citations. 

Invasive aspergillosis a potentially lethal infection, usually of the lungs, is thought to affect over 2 million people each year. 

According Professor David Denning, one of the world鈥檚 leading experts on fungal disease, global outcomes for patients with invasive aspergillosis have improved markedly in recent years.

The success, he argues, is partly down to the huge amount of research activity devoted to the topic in 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and at centres across the globe. Professor Mike Bromley, Head of MFIG said: 鈥淲e have made significant inroads to improving outcomes for patients suffering from the devastating diseases caused by Aspergillus, but much more needs to be done.鈥�

MFIG have recently worked with the WHO to highlight the need for additional efforts in antifungal drug and

However the disease still has a high mortality rate, particularly in immunocompromised people and those in intensive care, who can experience severe complications including bleeding and spread from the lungs to the brain.

Professor Denning said: 鈥楽ince I first encountered invasive aspergillosis as a trainee doctor in the mid 1980鈥檚 when it was poorly understood, my clinical and research focus has been focussed on improving what was then a dismal outcome for these patients.

鈥淕reat strides in both diagnosis and treatment have been made since 2002, with what was almost a universally fatal disease before the millennium to around 30% in the best performing hospitals.

鈥淭he improvement is down to major studies, agreed diagnostic criteria and application of accepted guidelines for caring for patients.

鈥淗owever there continues to be a desperate need to build on these gains in every hospital globally so we can continue to improve the outlook for these often complex and vulnerable patients.

鈥淲orking with major pharmaceutical companies on the clinical development of key antifungal drugs voriconazole, caspofungin, and micafungin and the preclinical development of anidulafungin, posaconazole and isavuconazole has been an extraordinary journey.鈥�

The figure of 177 papers dwarfs the others in the top 4:  Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands published 92 papers, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston 90 papers, and the University of Texas 81 papers.

This research is supported by three major units at 黑料网吃瓜爆料:  the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Fungal Infection Group (MFIG), the National Aspergillosis Centre and the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Mycology Reference Centre.

MFIG has recently been awarded some significant research grants: Prof Bromley, Dr Bertuzzi and Dr Bottery of MFIG have recently received 3 awards, totalling over 拢2 million from the Wellcome Trust to explore new ways of combatting fungal infection.

Desalination of seawater and brackish water is one of the essential solutions to the increasing global challenge of water scarcity. Yet, widespread deployment of desalination technologies remains limited due to high upfront costs and intensive energy requirements. Moreover, current desalination systems use fossil fuels contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

To address these challenges, the EU-funded project AQUASOL brings together a multidisciplinary team of seven partners from six countries to explore and develop innovative solutions to facilitate green transition in desalination processes. To achieve this, the consortium will develop a technological platform that will enable the integration of renewable energy sources into desalination technologies and provide disruptive solutions for seawater and wastewater treatment.

, a researcher at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, will develop graphene-based membranes designed to treat seawater and brackish water more efficiently. The goal is to increase membrane durability and reduce energy demands, offering practical improvements over current desalination systems.

The partners, comprising of research institutions, universities and small and medium businesses, met in Barcelona to officially launch the project, which started earlier this month.

AQUASOL, which stands for Advanced Quality Renewable Energy-Powered Solutions For Water Desalination In Agriculture And Wastewater Recycling, has a total budget of over 鈧�3.6M and will run for 3 years. 黑料网吃瓜爆料 joins six other partners: Instituto Tecnol贸gico de Canarias (Spain), Strane Innovation (France), Ferr-Tech B.V. (Netherlands), farmB (Greece), and Aarhus University (Denmark).

Acknowledgements

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

The team designed a two-dimensional (2D) manganese-oxide/graphene superlattice that triggers a unique lattice-wide strain mechanism. This approach significantly boosts the structural stability of the battery鈥檚 cathode material, enabling it to operate reliably over 5,000 charge-discharge cycles. That鈥檚 around 50% longer than current zinc-ion batteries.

The research, published in , offers a practical route to scalable, water-based energy storage technologies.

Atomic-level control over battery durability

The breakthrough centres on a phenomenon called the Cooperative Jahn-Teller Effect (CJTE). A coordinated lattice distortion caused by a specific 1:1 ratio of manganese ions (Mn鲁鈦� and Mn鈦粹伜). When built into a layered 2D structure on graphene, this ratio produces long-range, uniform strain across the material.

That strain helps the cathode resist breakdown during repeated cycling.

The result is a low-cost, aqueous zinc-ion battery that performs with greater durability, and without the safety risks linked to lithium-ion cells.

鈥淭his work demonstrates how 2D material heterostructures can be engineered for scalable applications,鈥� said , lead and corresponding author from University of Technology Sydney and a Royal Society Wolfson visiting Fellow at 黑料网吃瓜爆料. 鈥淥ur approach shows that superlattice design is not just a lab-scale novelty, but a viable route to improving real-world devices such as rechargeable batteries. It highlights how 2D material innovation can be translated into practical technologies.鈥�

Towards better grid-scale storage

Zinc-ion batteries are widely viewed as a promising candidate for stationary storage, storing renewable energy for homes, businesses or the power grid. But until now, their limited lifespan has restricted real-world use.

This study shows how chemical control at the atomic level can overcome that barrier.

Co-corresponding author from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said, 鈥淥ur research opens a new frontier in strain engineering for 2D materials. By inducing the cooperative Jahn-Teller effect, we鈥檝e shown that it鈥檚 possible to fine-tune the magnetic, mechanical, and optical properties of materials in ways that were previously not feasible.鈥�

The team also demonstrated that their synthesis process works at scale using water-based methods, without toxic solvents or extreme temperatures - a step forward in making zinc-ion batteries more practical for manufacturing.

This research was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Full title: Cooperative Jahn-Teller effect and engineered long-range strain in manganese oxide/graphene superlattice for aqueous zinc-ion batteries

DOI: 

The is a world-leading graphene and 2D material centre, focussed on fundamental research. Based at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, where graphene was first isolated in 2004 by Professors Sir Andre Geim and Sir Kostya Novoselov, it is home to leaders in their field 鈥� a community of research specialists delivering transformative discovery. This expertise is matched by 拢13m leading-edge facilities, such as the largest class 5 and 6 cleanrooms in global academia, which gives the NGI the capabilities to advance underpinning industrial applications in key areas including: composites, functional membranes, energy, membranes for green hydrogen, ultra-high vacuum 2D materials, nanomedicine, 2D based printed electronics, and characterisation.

The research, which included more than 270,000 people, found no such link between asthma and working nightshifts in men.

The study was by Dr Robert Maidstone from the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, UK, and colleagues. He said: 鈥淎sthma disproportionately affects women. Women generally have more severe asthma, and higher rate of hospitalisation and death from asthma compared to men.

鈥淚n our previous research we found a higher risk of moderate or severe asthma in nightshift workers, so we wanted to see whether there were further differences between the sexes.鈥�

The researchers used data from the UK Biobank. They included a total of 274,541 working people and found that 5.3% of these had asthma, with 1.9% suffering with moderate or severe asthma (meaning they were taking an asthma preventer inhaler and at least one other asthma treatment, such as an oral steroid). They categorised these people according to whether they worked only during the day, only nightshifts, or a combination of the two.

Their analysis revealed that, overall, women who work shifts are more likely to have asthma. Women who only work nightshifts are around 50% more likely to suffer with moderate or severe asthma compared to women who only work in the daytime.

The risk of asthma in men did not alter according to whether they worked days or nights.

Dr Maidstone said: 鈥淭his is the first study to evaluate sex differences in the relationship between shift work and asthma. We found that permanent night shift-workers had higher odds of moderate-severe asthma when compared to corresponding day workers.

鈥淭his type of research cannot explain why shift work and asthma are linked; however, it could be because shift work disrupts the body clock, including the levels of male and female sex hormones. High testosterone has previously been shown to be protective against asthma, and so lower testosterone in women could play a role. Alternatively, men and women work different types of shift jobs, and this could be a factor.鈥�

In postmenopausal women, the risk of moderate or severe asthma was almost doubled in night workers, compared to day workers, in those not taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Dr Maidstone added: 鈥淥ur results suggest that HRT might be protective against asthma for nightshift workers, however further research is needed to test this hypothesis in prospective studies and randomised controlled trials.鈥�

The researchers plan to study whether sex hormones play a role in the relationship between shift work and asthma by using data from the UK Biobank and from Our Future Health, a new health research programme in the UK population. 

Professor Florence Schleich from the European Respiratory Society鈥檚 expert group on airway diseases, asthma, COPD and chronic cough, based at the University of Li猫ge, Belgium, and was not involved in the research. She said: 鈥淎sthma is a common, long- term condition that affects millions of people worldwide. We know that women are more likely to have asthma, to have worse asthma and more likely to die from asthma, but we do not fully understand why.

鈥淭his research suggests that working nightshifts could be a risk factor for asthma in women, but not in men. The majority of workers will not have an easy option of switching their shift pattern, so we need further research to verify and understand this link and find out what could be done to reduce the risk for women who work shifts.鈥�

Maidstone RJ, Ray DW, Liu J, et al. Increased risk of asthma in female night shift workers. ERJ Open Res 2025; in press .

Over 2000 scientists, veterinarians, technicians, and regulators from across Europe and beyond converged on Athens for the sixteenth FELASA Congress to hear BSF Director Dr Maria Kamper鈥檚 vision on transformational leadership. 

The Congress is held every three years in different European cities to advance excellence in laboratory animal science. 

FELASA - the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations - develops guidelines and policies on all aspects of laboratory animal science, including training programs, welfare standards, and scientific best practice. 

Representing professionals in over 28 countries across Europe, this year's Congress took place between June 2 and 5 at the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre. 

Dr Maria Kamper, Director of the BSF, spoke to a packed audience about how exceptional leadership creates excellence in laboratory animal science.

 Drawing from her philosophy that "people are the heart of our work," Dr Kamper challenged the traditional approach to facility management. 

"We don't just ask our staff to follow protocols," Dr Kamper told the Congress. "We inspire them to see themselves as guardians of breakthrough discoveries. 

鈥淓very refinement they create could spare suffering for thousands of animals. They go to work knowing they are advancing human knowledge while honouring every heartbeat in their care," she added. 

The BSF's Dr Jo Stanley and Mike Addelman from the University's Directorate of Communications, Marketing and Student Recruitment also addressed the Congress on the University's sector-leading openness agenda in animal research. 

The University - officially recognized as a Leader in Openness - has developed an award-winning website and engagement programme that has become a trailblazer for the sector, demonstrating how transparency fosters public trust, enhances research integrity, promotes collaboration, and exemplifies ethical rigor in the responsible use of animals in research. 

Dr Kamper said: "Being part of FELASA was an extraordinary privilege and represents the kind of strategic leadership that looks beyond daily operations toward future possibilities.

鈥淲e are proud of the culture of excellence we have cultivated at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 - where our teams don't just meet standards, they set new ones.

&苍产蝉辫;鈥淥ur hope is that the transformational approach we've developed here will inspire colleagues across Europe and beyond to lead their teams toward excellence that serves both scientific advancement and compassionate animal care.鈥� 

• Dr Stanley's attendance was supported by a LASA (Laboratory animal science association) bursary
• To view the presentation by Dr Kamper, click
• To view the presentation by Dr Stanley and Mike Addelman click

The report, presented in Helsinki on 6 June, addresses persistent barriers to public-private research and development (R&D) partnerships, and proposes a series of strategic reforms. Professor Georghiou chaired the international expert panel behind the study, commissioned as part of the EU鈥檚 Horizon Europe Policy Support Facility.

Speaking to an audience of 300 stakeholders from across Finland鈥檚 innovation ecosystem, Professor Georghiou outlined the report鈥檚 findings, which call for a cultural shift in academia, more robust incentives for collaboration, and streamlined government support systems. He later presented the final report personally to Finnish Prime Minister, Petteri Orpo, accompanied by cabinet ministers and business and research leaders - an indication of the importance attached to the recommendations at the highest level of government.

Professor Georghiou, part-time Associate Vice-President and Professor in AMBS, said: "While I hope that the report will be of general interest, the demonstrated importance which the Finnish government attach to the impact of university research is also significant. In a time of economic difficulty for Finland, they have nonetheless decided to increase research spending to 4% of GDP. The UK figure is currently 2.9%."

The report highlights the need to reinvigorate collaboration through long-term strategic partnerships, better incentives for researchers, and improvements to the visibility and accessibility of research infrastructure鈥攑articularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It also underscores the importance of building a skilled workforce and supporting scale-ups to remain rooted in the Finnish innovation ecosystem.

The significance of the work extends beyond Finland. The European Commission has invited Professor Georghiou to present the report at a meeting of research ministry heads from all EU and associated countries in Gda艅sk, Poland, later this month.

The full report, titled Support to Finland on improving R&D collaboration between research organisations and the private sector, is available for download from the .

The report is the first to analyse the impact of the Government鈥檚 2019 drive to increase the numbers of these workers, who connect patients to activities and support in their communities which boost health and well-being.

The 2019 NHS Long-term Plan pledged NHS England funding to provide 1,000 trained social prescribing link workers in place by the end of 2021 - and to ensure that every patient in England could access the service by 2022.

This National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded study - led by researchers from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and co-authored with the University of Edinburgh, Newcastle University and University of Bristol- indicates that the scheme has led to improved outcomes and experience of and or both patients with long-term conditions and mental health needs. However, researchers were unable to pinpoint any noteworthy impact on loneliness and isolation.

The study combined administrative workforce data and information from the General Practice Patient Survey between 2018 and 2023, which includes more than 4.1million responses in total. It calculated the impact of adding one full-time equivalent (FTE) link worker per 50,000 patients to assess whether the NHS鈥� aims for the rollout were fulfilled. The outcomes from the survey assessed for this study were:

o   Increasing the patient鈥檚 confidence in managing their long-term condition

o   Making them feel more supported by local services and organisations

o   Making them feel less isolated from others

o   Improving their experience with their GP

o   An increased feeling that their mental health needs were understood

The study found that for those with one or more long term conditions, patient confidence in managing their long-term condition increased, as well as feeling more supported by local services and in their overall experience with general practice.

Similar improvements were seen for those with mental health needs and in feeling that their needs were understood. However, no evidence of benefit was found for those experiencing loneliness and social isolation.

The results indicate that an increase in social prescribing provision has had a positive effect on the population level. While the figures appear low, only 3.2% of the registered GP population had actually been referred to a social prescribing service by March 2023, so being able to detect an impact of this size at the population level is 鈥渃linically significant鈥�.

The researchers estimated the population effects, and the findings suggest that an additional FTE social prescribing link worker per 50,000 population in all Primary Care Networks (PCNs)  - which equates to approximately one extra link worker per average PCN - was associated with an increase nationally in approximately 47,000 people reporting confidence in managing their long-term conditions and 132,000 people reporting having had a good GP experience.

However, the authors suggest that more work needs to be done to establish whether the rollout has any impact on use of hospital services, and whether there has been an impact on known health inequalities.

They also note that the initiative cost the NHS an estimated 拢130million in 2022/23, without taking onward referral costs into account. They conclude that further research is required to determine 鈥渨hether the scheme is financially sustainable as a whole鈥�.

, Professor of Implementation Science at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淭he Government鈥檚 plan to increase the provision of social prescribing was an attempt to tackle crucial challenges, including helping patients feel more supported, empowered, and positive about the health services available to them.

鈥淎s such, it is important that studies such as this exist, to assess whether initiatives have the desired effect, and that they provide the right assistance to people who are most in need of care and connection.

鈥淥ur results indicate that the Government鈥檚 focus on link worker provision has had a positive effect, and that social prescribing can help patients feel more supported by healthcare services and professionals.

鈥淗owever, we would welcome future research into the sustainability and cost-efficiency of the scheme, particularly when more is known about its full cost including referrals.鈥�

, Research Fellow in Health Economics at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淭his report provides useful food for thought for policymakers assessing this scheme, and other similar initiatives designed to improve the health of the country.

鈥淐onsidering the service has been used by a relatively small percentage of the population, the results seem to indicate that social prescribing has a notable effect on a patient鈥檚 GP experience and their sense that their needs are understood.

鈥淗owever, there is still much work to do before we can determine the impact and sustainability of schemes such as this one. There is definite scope for future studies which determine whether such referrals have an effect on unplanned hospital admissions, and whether the current approach offers the best possible care for the country at an optimal cost.鈥�

Charlotte Osborn-Forde, Chief Executive of the National Academy for Social Prescribing, said: 鈥淭his is an important and groundbreaking piece of research. There is already a wide range of evidence demonstrating that social prescribing is highly impactful and can save the NHS money, but this is the first time research has been published showing statistically significant improvements for the whole population. It鈥檚 simple: the more Link Workers that are employed, the more likely it is that patients are able to manage their own health, and have a good experience of their GP. 

鈥淭his is because Link Workers get to know patients, supporting them step by step to access local services, tackling issues like housing, debt, food or fuel poverty, loneliness and unemployment - the issues that matter to people and can have a big impact on our health. This vital research further supports the case for the expansion of social prescribing in the NHS so that is available to more patients who could benefit.鈥�

The full study - entitled 鈥業mpact of the rollout of the national social prescribing link worker programme on population outcomes: evidence from a repeated cross-sectional survey鈥� has been published in The British Journal of General Practice. You can read the report and its results here:

, Reader in Engineering for Net Zero, is one of ten finalists to be awarded 拢100,000 in seed funding to develop his solution for this year鈥檚 .  

In its second year, the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Prize is looking for researchers with the most impactful and innovative artificial intelligence (AI) solution enabling the UK to accelerate progress towards net zero.  

Although AI technologies are advancing rapidly, their adoption in clean energy systems has not kept pace. The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Prize aims to accelerate progress by encouraging the development of AI solutions that support the UK in achieving its ambition to lead the world in clean energy. 

Dr Papadopoulos鈥� solution, Grid Stability, uses AI to accelerate the analysis performed which ensures electrical power systems meet the specified stability, security and reliability criteria. 

Electrical power systems worldwide are going through unprecedented changes to achieve decarbonisation targets. This drive calls for new technologies, such as renewables, electric vehicles and heat pumps, which increases the complexity and uncertainty in power system operation. System stability is the cornerstone of power system operation, and if not carefully considered, it can lead to blackouts with high economic impact and fallout.  

The tool replaces slow, complex simulations with rapid, AI-driven assessments, enabling real-time monitoring, faster decision-making, and more confident planning. This helps grid operators maintain reliability while scaling up clean energy solutions and cutting emissions. 

Dr Papadopoulos aims to work closely with utility companies to enable safe and useful implementations of Grid Stability. 

Speaking about his solution, Dr Papadopoulos said: 鈥淕rid Stability uses machine learning to help bring lower, or zero, carbon technologies onto the grid faster and at the scale we need to hit net zero, but without compromising system stability.

鈥�Being named a finalist for the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Prize is a huge boost; it not only validates the impact of our work but also gives us a platform to accelerate progress and collaborate more widely across the energy sector.鈥�

Dr Papadopoulos recognised that the computational cost and complexity of assessing stability and security made it difficult to support real-time awareness, decision-making and optimisation. As a result, system dynamics are often neglected or oversimplified. Grid Stability, using machine learning, offers a promising solution to addressing this challenge. 

The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Prize will pick its winner in Spring 2026, and the winning innovator will receive a 拢1 million grand prize to continue developing their solution. The winning solution must demonstrate not only technical innovation, but also an evidenced road map to near-term (2030) adoption and scale.  

Announced and launched in 2023, the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Prize is multi-million-pound, multi-year challenge prize, which is funded by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology. The Prize seeks to reward UK-led breakthroughs in AI for public good and continues to secure the UK鈥檚 place as a global leader in cutting-edge innovation. 

The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Prize is named after the world鈥檚 first stored programme computer, nicknamed 鈥楾he Baby鈥�, which was built at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 in 1948. AI research at The University continues to build on this legacy, as shown by Dr Papadopoulos鈥� achievement. 

The study is published today (Wednesday) in ERJ Open Research [1]. Carbon can enter the lungs via cigarette smoke, diesel exhaust and polluted air.

The cells, called alveolar macrophages, normally protect the body by engulfing any particles or bacteria that reach the lungs. But, in their new study, researchers found that when these cells are exposed to carbon they grow larger and encourage inflammation.

The research was led by and from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, UK, and funded by the North West Lung Centre Charity and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).

Dr Baker, Research Associate within the NIHR 黑料网吃瓜爆料 BRC鈥檚 Respiratory Theme said: 鈥淐OPD is a complex disease that has a number of environmental and genetic risk factors. One factor is exposure to carbon from smoking or breathing polluted air.

鈥淲e wanted to study what happens in the lungs of COPD patients when this carbon builds up in alveolar macrophage cells, as this may influence the cells鈥� ability to protect the lungs.鈥�

The researchers used samples of lung tissue from surgery for suspected lung cancer. They studied samples (that did not contain any cancer cells) from 28 people who had COPD and 15 people who were smokers but did not have COPD.

Looking specifically at alveolar macrophage cells under a microscope, the researchers measured the sizes of the cells and the amount of carbon accumulated in the cells.

They found that the average amount of carbon was more than three times greater in alveolar macrophage cells from COPD patients compared to smokers. Cells containing carbon were consistently larger than cells with no visible carbon.

Patients with larger deposits of carbon in their alveolar macrophages had worse lung function, according to a measure called FEV1%, which quantifies how much and how forcefully patients can breathe out.

When the researchers exposed macrophages to carbon particles in the lab, they saw the cells become much larger and found that they were producing higher levels of proteins that lead to inflammation.

Dr Lea, Investigator within the NIHR 黑料网吃瓜爆料 BRC鈥檚 Respiratory Theme said: 鈥淎s we compared cells from COPD patients with cells from smokers, we can see that this build-up of carbon is not a direct result of cigarette smoking. Instead, we show alveolar macrophages in COPD patients contain more carbon and are inherently different in terms of their form and function compared to those in smokers.

鈥淥ur research raises an interesting question as to the cause of the increased levels of carbon in COPD patients鈥� macrophages. It could be that people with COPD are less able to clear the carbon they breathe in. It could also be that people exposed to more particulate matter are accumulating this carbon and developing COPD as a result.

鈥淚n future, it would be interesting to study how this carbon builds up and how lung cells respond over a longer period of time.鈥� 

Professor Fabio Ricciardolo is Chair of the European Respiratory Society鈥檚 group on monitoring airway disease, based at the University of Torino, Italy, and was not involved in the research. He said: 鈥淭his set of experiments suggest that people with COPD accumulate unusually large amounts of carbon in the cells of their lungs. This build-up seems to be altering those cells, potentially causing inflammation in the lungs and leading to worse lung function.

鈥淚n addition, this research offers some clues about why polluted air might cause or worsen COPD. However, we know that smoking and air pollution are risk factors for COPD and other lung conditions, so we need to reduce levels of pollution in the air we breathe and we need to help people to quit smoking.鈥�

[1] Baker J, Booth S, Dungwa J, et al. Alveolar macrophage carbon is associated with COPD severity. ERJ Open Res 2025; in press (https://doi.org/10.1183/23120541.00933-2024).

The paper is available here: 

Funding: the North West Lung Centre Charity and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).

Since the breakthrough, 18-year-old Rose Anderson from Stretford in 黑料网吃瓜爆料 has received a diagnosis of one of the newly discovered conditions.

Rose has been known to the team at the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Centre for Genomic Medicine at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) for nearly her whole life, although a precise diagnosis for her seizures and developmental delay has proved difficult to find.

On receiving the news from the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 research team last year, Rose鈥檚 mum Lyn said: 鈥淲e felt excited and relieved to finally receive Rose鈥檚 diagnosis. Rose is a very happy person, and with any diagnosis, she will always be Rose to us. This has helped us pinpoint what has caused her to be the way she is.鈥�

The study was supported by the MFT-hosted NIHR 黑料网吃瓜爆料 BRC, as part of its which aims to improve diagnosis of rare conditions.

Researchers from the NIHR 黑料网吃瓜爆料 BRC, MFT, and 黑料网吃瓜爆料 (UoM) collaborated with scientists globally to analyse the genetic data of thousands of individuals including those who took part in the a Genomics England initiative to sequence and study the role genes play in health and disease.

Genes are sections of our DNA and contain the instructions for building proteins, which are needed by the body for cell growth and repair.

Parts of our genes that do not make proteins have previously been dismissed as 鈥榙ark matter鈥� because they were not understood, or 鈥榡unk DNA鈥� because it was thought they were not essential.

Published in Nature Genetics today (date), 黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers have challenged these assumptions, showing that changes in these regions play a crucial role in brain development.

The team found that mutations in regions of the genome that form R-loops (special DNA-RNA structures that can influence genetic activity) are more common than previously thought.

This insight led them to uncover two new neurodevelopmental conditions:

• RNU2-2-related disorder, which is linked to developmental delays, intellectual disability, small head size (microcephaly), autistic traits and seizures.
• RNU5B-1-related disorder, associated with developmental delays, weak muscle tone (hypotonia), larger-than-average head size (macrocephaly), and poor growth.

Neurodevelopmental conditions 鈥� disorders that affect brain development 鈥� impact 2-5% of people worldwide.

For many families, these conditions remain a mystery, as current genetic tests often fail to find a cause.

The two new conditions, along with ReNU syndrome (a condition identified in 2024 which has an impact on learning, behaviour, speech and movement) account for more than 1% of all unsolved developmental cases.

This means the breakthrough could provide a genetic explanation for several thousands of people globally with these conditions.

Rose, who was diagnosed with RNU2-2-related disorder in October 2024, loves music, walking, swimming, visiting cafes and riding a tandem bike. She lives with her mum Lyn, dad Joe and younger sister, Lily.

At Lyn鈥檚 20-week pregnancy scan, it was first suspected that Rose may have a rare genetic condition. Despite undergoing extensive genetic testing at MFT and taking part in research, the team had been previously unable to find a specific cause for Rose鈥檚 symptoms.

Lyn said: 鈥淵ou wonder if it鈥檚 just a random thing that has happened or parents sometimes look to themselves for the cause. Rose first started experiencing seizures when she was a baby 鈥� she would become flushed, very vacant and would loll her head to one side. After a bad seizure when she was 2 and a half years old, Rose was diagnosed with epilepsy. She occasionally has seizures now, but these are better managed with medication.

鈥淲hen Rose went to nursery, younger children began overtaking her with early developmental milestones. Rose is non-verbal and is great at communicating using objects and symbols. She experiences hyperventilation (rapid breathing), can struggle with spatial awareness and needs support with eating and personal care.

鈥淭his breakthrough is fantastic, and we hope it will lead to more families receiving a diagnosis now and when early symptoms first appear. This could help improve quality of life for other children and young people and find out what it is that makes them unique.鈥�

Rose and her family are working with the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 team to help them better understand RNU2-2 related disorder. Rose has also taken part in more research at MFT since receiving her diagnosis, including donating skin cells to help the team produce brain stem cells for epilepsy research.

Study lead and first author of the paper Dr Adam Jackson, Academic Clinical Fellow at the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Centre for Genomic Medicine at MFT and 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and early career researcher in the NIHR 黑料网吃瓜爆料 BRC鈥檚 Rare Conditions Theme, said: 鈥淏y proving that non-protein coding genes play a key role in human health, this study challenges long-held assumptions about 鈥榡unk DNA鈥� and brings hope to many families searching for answers.鈥�

Dr Jackson, who is also part of the (MRCC), a virtual centre based at MFT which aims to improve the lives of people with rare conditions, explained: 鈥淚dentifying these genetic mutations was a one-year process. They are difficult to understand because they are in the 鈥榙ark matter鈥�, so we didn鈥檛 know what their effect would be when they don鈥檛 produce a protein. It was thought that one of the genes didn鈥檛 do anything at all, but our method of looking at R-loop forming regions has highlighted this region to be active.鈥�

15-year-old Noah from the Isle of Wight was diagnosed with RNU5B-1-related disorder by the team at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust this year, more than seven years after donating his DNA for the 100,000 Genomes Project.

His mum, Maria Villa Vine, said: 鈥淲e were blown away when we received the diagnosis and to find out it was rare. I always knew my boy was special, but this confirmed it! Having a diagnosis can help you understand yourself, so this will support Noah being able to do that.鈥�

Noah鈥檚 diagnostic journey began at around 15 months old when his family noticed he wasn鈥檛 reaching some milestones that are typically displayed at that age. At four years old, Noah was diagnosed with autistic traits and following a reassessment when he was 12, Noah was diagnosed as autistic.

Following extensive initial genetic investigations by clinicians in Southampton, Noah took part in the 100,000 Genomes Project. This did not find a diagnosis, but his data was entered into the research environment which resulted in the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 team鈥檚 discovery.

Maria said: 鈥淲e took part in the 100,000 Genomes Project because as a family we thought, what鈥檚 there to lose? If it can help your child or other children with disabilities in the community, why wouldn鈥檛 you? We didn鈥檛 expect to hear anything from it until we got the phone call.

鈥淣avigating early years as a parent can be difficult, it鈥檚 full of emotion and your brain blocks things out. You can feel self-blame and guilt, wondering if it鈥檚 something you did. It can also be a hard time for siblings 鈥� Noah鈥檚 sister was seven at the time of his autism diagnosis. It鈥檚 important to have a network of professionals around families to support them and put the children at the centre of conversations.鈥�

This study was supported by the , which facilitates research into the epigenomics of rare diseases and is part of the Medical Research Council and NIHR-funded Rare Diseases UK Platform.

Professor Siddharth Banka, senior author of the study who oversaw the research, is a Professor of Genomic Medicine and Rare Diseases at UoM, Consultant Clinical Geneticist at the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Centre for Genomic Medicine at MFT, and Clinical Director of the MRCC.

Discussing the next steps for the research, Professor Banka, who is also the Rare Conditions Co-Theme Lead at the NIHR 黑料网吃瓜爆料 BRC and Co-Lead for the EpiGenRare Node, said: 鈥淲e now want to understand these conditions better, such as how do their symptoms evolve over time, are there any associated complications and discover potential treatment options. We also need to understand the mechanism of the disease better 鈥� how exactly are these genetic mutations causing neurodevelopmental conditions? With this information, we hope to identify treatments and therapies, and make these available for patients.鈥�

The 黑料网吃瓜爆料-based team鈥檚 findings have also had a positive impact on patients and families worldwide.

In Australia, the breakthrough has meant that clinicians there were able to diagnose with RNU2-2-related disorder after a decade-long diagnostic journey.

Gitty鈥檚 mum, Miriam, said: 鈥淲e felt very relieved when we found out. The diagnosis didn鈥檛 change anything because Gitty was 10 years old at this stage and we鈥檝e lived through all these symptoms. But knowing that it won鈥檛 affect our other children and can鈥檛 be passed down by them was a big relief. Uncertainty can be very unnerving, so having a diagnosis gives us peace of mind.鈥�

Professor Marian Knight, Scientific Director for NIHR Infrastructure, said: 鈥淔or parents of children with neurodevelopmental conditions, understanding the cause of symptoms is an essential first step to getting the best help for their child. The experimental medicine championed by our NIHR Biomedical Research Centres which leads to important discoveries like this provides real benefits for real people like Rose. This exciting work has the potential to change the care of patients not only in the UK but around the world."

Dr Sarah Wynn, CEO of Unique, a charity which supports families affected by rare genetic disorders, said: 鈥淭his research study which has discovered two new frequent causes of neurodevelopmental conditions is incredibly important and valuable to patients and families, who have often been searching for a long time for the answer to their child鈥檚 developmental delays. Receiving a diagnosis like this can be life-changing for families, not only by providing the explanation they have been looking for but enabling them to connect to others and learn more about the condition resulting in improved care and support for their child. We are enormously grateful to research teams such as this, who work tirelessly to discover new gene associations and understand more about rare genetic conditions bringing benefit to people and families all over the world.鈥�

鈼�&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; Led by The University of Cambridge and 黑料网吃瓜爆料, and supported by the two Mayoral Combined Authorities, City Councils, alongside businesses and investors

A groundbreaking partnership between 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and The University of Cambridge has been awarded 拢4.8 million by Research England to accelerate inclusive growth and innovation collaboration. As the UK鈥檚 first cross-UK innovation partnership, it will pioneer a new model of place-to-place collaboration and help drive economic growth for the UK- setting an example for other cities to follow. With further investment from the two universities, the total funding for the partnership will be 拢6m.

The partnership will be led by Unit M and Innovate Cambridge - the universities鈥� respective innovation capabilities - with support from the two Mayoral Combined Authorities, City Councils, businesses and investors. It is a prime example of how a university-led, cross-UK innovation collaboration can enhance the UK's global competitiveness and foster innovation-driven growth.

This initiative responds directly to the UK government鈥檚 imperative for universities to support the delivery of the national Industrial Strategy and make a stronger contribution to economic growth.

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice Chancellor of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, commented: "Our partnership with Cambridge marks a new model of collaboration between UK universities. It brings together the distinctive strengths of each of our universities and cities, connecting two of the great innovation ecosystems to scale up what we can achieve. This new approach to innovation accelerates the time between discovery and impact, getting ideas into the real economy and our communities even more quickly to drive inclusive growth.鈥�

Professor Lou Cordwell, Chief Executive of Unit M, said: 鈥淯niversities are increasingly taking a lead in convening and catalysing their innovation ecosystems. By bringing together investors, businesses, entrepreneurs, academics, and public sector agencies, this partnership will create new opportunities and stimulate investment into the innovation economy. We are proud at Unit M to be part of such a pioneering partnership, and look forward to continuing to work with Cambridge.鈥�

Professor Deborah Prentice, University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor, commented: 鈥淭his pioneering initiative brings together the combined strengths of Cambridge and 黑料网吃瓜爆料 to create something that is truly ground-breaking. By connecting our cities, we鈥檙e helping to build a more collaborative and dynamic environment in which innovative research can connect with industry, venture capital and entrepreneurs to drive economic growth and deliver real benefits for people and places across the UK.鈥�

Science Minister and Oxford-Cambridge Growth Champion, Lord Vallance, said: 鈥淭his pioneering partnership is proof that our ambitions for the Oxford-Cambridge Corridor can and will fire up economic growth across the length and breadth of the UK, which is critical to our Plan for Change.

鈥淐ambridgeshire and Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 are forging a path I hope others will follow. Science is always stronger when we work together, and stronger research ties between the UK鈥檚 great regions will only lead to more investment, more opportunities, and more breakthroughs, from health to clean energy and beyond.鈥�

Jessica Corner, Executive Chair of Research England, commented: 鈥淭his investment underscores our commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration across England. By connecting the vibrant ecosystems of Cambridge and 黑料网吃瓜爆料, we aim to drive significant economic growth and create a model for place-based innovation that can be replicated nationwide."

At the core of the partnership is the exchange of complementary innovation assets to ensure real-world impact. Both cities already have strong R&D capabilities and strengths in leading-edge sectors such as AI, life sciences, and advanced materials. Cambridge has deep investor networks but experiences growth constraints due to its small scale, higher costs, and lack of development land. 黑料网吃瓜爆料 provides that scale, affordability for start-ups and scale-ups, and a large talent pool - but has a less mature support ecosystem.

The Research England funding will be used in three key areas: ecosystem activation and integration; growing investment; and testing and learning.

鈼�&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; Ecosystem activation and integration: It will strengthen relations within and between the innovation ecosystems of the two cities, to create a vibrant and ambitious cross-city innovation network. This aims to create progressive new approach inclusive growth.

鈼�&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; Growing investment: It will harness the combined strengths of both universities and partner cities to support start-ups and scale-ups to secure funding and grow, attract innovation-intensive FDI to the UK, and stimulate investment into R&D.

鈼�&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫; Testing and learning: It will pilot new approaches and share best practice for delivering ecosystem collaboration and inclusive growth. This will allow other cities, the wider higher education sector community, and local and national governments in the UK and internationally to learn from the partnership.

The charity Versus Arthritis has awarded 拢3m to bring world-leading experts from five UK universities together to accelerate clinical epidemiology research, which will help answer pressing questions from those living with arthritis. 

Professor Kimme Hyrich, Director of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Centre for Musculoskeletal Research will co-lead the consortium with Professor Christian Mallen, Executive Dean and Professor of General Practice and Public Health at Keele University. 

Professor Hyrich, a leading clinical epidemiologist and consultant rheumatologist, highlights the advantages of team science in epidemiological research: 鈥淭his award represents an exciting step-change in the way musculoskeletal epidemiology research is conducted in the UK, breaking down traditional research siloes and uniting minds, data and expertise to generate the evidence needed to support people living with arthritis and other painful musculoskeletal conditions."  

The new research consortium is part of the charity鈥檚 drive to harness 鈥榯eam science鈥� to better understand the causes and risk factors for arthritis and improve treatment options. Epidemiology 鈥� the study of how diseases occur in different people and why - is critical to designing better and targeted interventions using data.   

The consortium, made up of experts from the Universities of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, Keele, Oxford, Nottingham and Aberdeen, aims to close five gaps in our understanding of the debilitating disease and related conditions. They will consider menopause in relation to musculoskeletal health, inequalities in access to care, risks of long-term pain medications and determine the optimum levels of monitoring for those receiving immune drugs.  The researchers will also aim to identify those at higher risk of chronic pain sooner, given painful musculoskeletal conditions often begin in childhood. This holds the potential to explore ways to prevent or reduce persistent pain.  

Lucy Donaldson, Director of Research at Versus Arthritis, said: 鈥淭he Versus Arthritis Research Consortium: Musculoskeletal Epidemiology - Better lives, Safer journey is a major step forward in tackling the everyday realities faced by people living with arthritis and other painful musculoskeletal conditions.  

鈥淭his consortium will bring together leading researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience from across the UK in a team science approach. Their aim - to find real, practical solutions to the problems faced by people with arthritis.鈥�  

The consortium will employ cutting edge analysis techniques on existing datasets to fill the identified gaps in our knowledge of arthritis and MSK conditions. Its findings will help to arm those living with arthritis to have informed conversations with clinicians about their care. It will also seek to improve clinical practice and policy around diagnosis, prevention and treatment.  

Professor Mallen, Keele University, said: "The new Versus Arthritis Research Consortium is an exciting new programme that will have a major impact on the lives of people living with painful conditions by uniting world-leading clinicians, academics, patients and policy makers.  

鈥淚t is a privilege to co-lead the consortium with Professor Hyrich and having strong representation from Keele University highlights the importance of primary care in improving outcomes for people living with arthritis and chronic musculoskeletal pain." 

The results will be shared through a broad range of partners including government, the NHS, clinicians and patient networks.  

More than 20 million people, of all ages, in the UK have problems with their joints, bones and muscles, which cause pain and impact all aspects of life including work and school.  

The Versus Arthritis Research Consortium: Musculoskeletal Epidemiology - Better lives, Safer journey is the first of six consortia to be announced by Versus Arthritis which is awarding 拢18 million of funding to this initiative over the next three years. 

The research, funded by Forces in Mind Trust, was the first qualitative study with ex-Service personnel living with dementia in the community in the UK.

The study  found that having the dual identities of being someone with a dementia diagnosis, and also being ex-military, caused specific challenges in accessing and receiving appropriate support. The study highlighted that they are between two separate support systems, neither of which fully supports their needs, and between which communication can be poor.   

Ex-Service personnel living with dementia in their own homes are commonly referred to as 鈥榣iving in the community鈥�, as opposed to living in a care home or other supported accommodation. Although ex-Service personnel have been shown to have similar rates of dementia to the general population¹, they often have distinct support needs, that require specific understanding of their identity as an ex-Service person.

Though support is available for ex-Service personnel living with dementia through community-based support groups, initiatives were described as frequently short-term, with very few support groups that covered the dual identities of both being an ex-Service person and someone living with dementia. This led to this support not addressing their distinct support needs.

Interviews found that some ex-Service personnel were more willing to engage with services designed  specifically for the Armed Forces community.

Ex-Service personnel living with dementia also voiced concerns that support provision was not well advertised saying that services were not 鈥渏oined-up鈥� making it difficult to access the correct support.

The qualitative study was based on in-depth interviews with 15 care providers in the North-West of England, as well as 11 ex-Service personnel living with dementia and their care partners as well as two policy and practice workshops with stakeholders.

Although the research was an exploratory study, it outlines several recommendations to improve the support landscape for ex-Service personnel living with dementia, as well as areas that need to be better understood.

• Improving identification of ex-Service personnel at appropriate screening points in health and social care can assist with signposting. If identification was made by Memory Assessment Teams (who usually conduct dementia diagnoses) ex-Service personnel could be directly signposted to support available for them.
• Promoting joined-up working would reduce barriers in to accessing appropriate support, for example by training staff and volunteers supporting ex-Service personnel with dementia training or by ensuring those in dementia services are aware of ex-Service personnel-specific services.

Dr Lydia Morris, Division of Psychology and Mental Health at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淓x-Service personnel living with dementia in the community can be a group that falls through the cracks of support provision. We set out in this research to hear their lived experience for the first time in the UK. The dual identities of serving in the military and living with dementia create unique support needs that can make individuals feel like they have fallen between different support networks leading to confusion and poorer health outcomes.鈥�

Michelle Alston, Chief Executive of Forces in Mind Trust said: 鈥淓x-Service personnel living with dementia in the community can be a 鈥榟idden鈥� part of the Armed Forces community. This research allowed us to hear directly from those affected by dementia for the first time in research in the UK, and clearly outlines some of the barriers to them receiving support. We hope that this study can be translated to make more consistent and more accessible support for ex-Service personnel living with dementia."

The new Fellows have been recognised for their remarkable contributions to advancing medical science, groundbreaking research discoveries and translating developments into benefits for patients and the wider public. Their work exemplifies the Academy鈥檚 mission to create an open and progressive research sector that improves health for everyone.

The expertise of Fellows elected spans a wide range of clinical and non-clinical disciplines, from infectious disease and stem cell biology to veterinary medicine and dementia research. They join an esteemed Fellowship of 1,450 researchers who are at the heart of the Academy鈥檚 work, which includes nurturing the next generation of scientists and shaping research and health policy in the UK and worldwide.

This year鈥檚 cohort reflects the Academy鈥檚 ongoing commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion within its Fellowship. Among the new Fellows, 41% are women 鈥� matching last year鈥檚 intake. Black, Asian and minority ethnic representation has reached 20% as the Academy continues working on improving the diversity of its Fellowship.

Professor Abel joins the Fellowship following groundbreaking research on the effects of maternal condition and fetal environment on offspring outcomes, with a particular focus on children living with parental mental illness, who face multiple disadvantages. In this growing group of children at risk, her work highlights when, and in which children, interventions are most likely to improve outcomes. This allows policy makers and service planners to optimise the value of limited resources for a growing population in need.

She said: 鈥淣early half of UK children will experience a parent with significant mental illness by the age of 16 and, as a result, will have worse physical and mental health, lower educational attainment and reduced quality of life. We can now harness the UK鈥檚 fantastic data resources and, along with novel imaging and clinical prediction models, support families most in need in this growing at-risk group. I am truly delighted to be elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences 鈥� a uniquely effective platform through which I can continue to advocate for this vulnerable and hidden group of children.鈥�

Professor Tony Day, a member of the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Cell-Matrix Centre, is a world leader on glycosaminoglycan-protein interactions, which he has explored in the context of both physiological and inflammatory processes. For example, Tony has pioneered research on proteins that bind the polysaccharide hyaluronan, a central component of the mammalian extracellular matrix. Tony鈥檚 work has provided insights into the molecular basis of cumulus expansion, a process essential for ovulation, including the biochemistry of how the TSG-6 protein mediates the covalent modification of hyaluronan to form 鈥楬C鈥A鈥� complexes. Formation of these complexes also represents a novel pathway in inflammation, with important implications for ongoing work by Tony and colleagues on virus/parasite-induced lung pathologies.

Underpinned by his 30 years of research on TSG-6, Tony has developed a biological drug, 鈥楲ink_TSG6鈥�, that has wide applicability for inflammatory and tissue-degenerative diseases. To take this forward, he co-founded Link Biologics, a University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 spin out company that is developing treatments for dry eye disease and osteoarthritis, conditions that each affect ~350 of million individuals worldwide.

Professor Day said: "I am absolutely delighted to be elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and get recognition for my team鈥檚 research in the fields of matrix and glycosaminoglycan biology鈥�.

Professor Matt Sutton is an internationally-renowned health economist at the forefront of providing real-time, economic evidence to inform critical health policy choices. He has produced a body of highly-influential and practical work on payment methods and financial incentives in health care. He shows how these can improve the quality of care given to patients, increase system efficiency and reduce inequalities, but may also have unintended consequences.

He has demonstrated socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities are pervasive even in a national universal coverage system like the NHS and has helped improve fairness in the health sector across the United Kingdom by leading multiple reviews of the formulae used to direct additional resources to the areas of highest need. 

Professor Sutton works closely with policy advisors and analysts in national organisations to ensure research reaches decision-makers. At critical points in policymaking, he produced evidence to challenge the presumption that the 鈥渨eekend effect鈥� in hospital mortality was caused by inadequate staffing, generated real-time findings on the effectiveness of the COVID vaccination programme, and demonstrated the effectiveness of the national diabetes prevention programme.

He said:  鈥淏eing elected a Fellow is great honour as it is a one of the highest recognitions of excellence in the field of biomedical and health research in the UK.  It will be  a crucial aid in contributing to  national health policy discussions and provide  a platform to influence decisions that shape healthcare.鈥�

Professor Andrew Morris CBE FRSE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: 鈥淚t is a privilege to welcome these 54 exceptional scientists to our Fellowship. Each new Fellow brings unique expertise and perspective to addressing the most significant health challenges facing society.

鈥淭he breadth of disciplines represented in this year鈥檚 cohort 鈥� from mental health and infectious disease to cancer biology and respiratory medicine 鈥� reflects the rich diversity of medical science today. Their election comes at a crucial time when scientific excellence and collaboration across disciplines are essential for addressing global health challenges both now and in the future. We look forward to working with them to advance biomedical research and create an environment where the best science can flourish for the benefit of people everywhere.鈥�

The new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy at a ceremony on Wednesday 9 July 2025.

Officially known as Leader in Openness, the award, which needs to be renewed every three years, is given by Understanding Animal Research, a key body which promotes understanding of the humane use of animals in medical, veterinary, scientific and environmental research in the UK.

'Leaders in Openness' status - first awarded to 黑料网吃瓜爆料 six years ago - recognises organisations who dedicate significant resources to embedding best practice throughout their organisation, ensuring that transparency is not just an aspiration but a reality at every level.

The University's Biological Services Facility has long been a leading university for openness about the work it carries out with animals - which includes mice, rats, frogs, fish and sheep.

黑料网吃瓜爆料 was one of the original signatures of the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research, a set of four commitments to help organisations which carry out animal research to communicate openly about their work and the reasons why they do it.

 Dr Maria Kamper Biological Services Facility Director at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: "The University's commitment to the Concordat on Openness in Animal Research drives our transparency in animal studies. 

"With just a few clicks, the public can access details about our research methods, animal species, numbers, and ethical frameworks. We offer virtual tours, participate in science fairs, and host various public events. School groups, journalists, and community members also regularly visit our facilities. 

"This recognition of the efforts of the BSF staff is gratifying, and we enthusiastically pledge to continue advancing this important transparency agenda."

It has been shown that greater openness on how and why animals are used enables the public to consider both the potential benefits and the ethical considerations, fostering informed discussion and trust.

Hannah Hobson, Head of Communications and Engagement at Understanding Animal Research said: "Each year, the Concordat recognises institutions that consistently meet the highest standards for openness and transparency in their animal research communications. These organisations excel in internal communications, public-facing websites, social media, media engagement, and public outreach, setting a benchmark for the sector and leading by example.

"For 2025鈥�2028, a select group of research organisations has once again demonstrated outstanding commitment in all these areas, earning the 'Leaders in Openness' title for three years. This recognition reflects the energy, thoughtfulness, and courage they show in making information about animal research accessible and understandable to the public on a subject that is often complex and misunderstood."

• For more details about leader in openness, visit the website
• If you have any questions about animal research at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, email animal research communications lead Mike Addelman and Communications and 3Rs manager at the BSF Dr Jo Stanley  at animal.research@manchester.ac.uk

New analysis from Health Equity North, Newcastle University, and the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 has shown that availability of community pharmacy services in England has reduced, particularly in deprived areas.

Researchers investigated how access to community pharmacies changed from 2014 to 2023, examining relationships between pharmacy availability and factors such as how urban the area is, and socioeconomic deprivation.

In England, more than 90% of people live within a 20-minute walk of a community pharmacy. However, overall availability of pharmacies has decreased with the number dropping from 1.6 pharmacies per 10,000 people to 1.5. The most deprived areas were 65% more likely to lose a pharmacy compared to the least deprived areas.

Pharmacies are an important part of the healthcare system and are well placed to reach those most in need. They deliver a range of public health and clinical services, such as smoking cessation advice and support, emergency hormonal contraception, hypertension screening and 鈥榝lu鈥� vaccination programmes.

Recent funding cuts and closures of community pharmacies prompted health inequalities researchers to explore whether the 鈥榩ositive pharmacy care law鈥� 鈥� which means people in more deprived areas have better access to pharmacies - is still in operation, and the implications of this on commissioning of future services.

It found that the positive pharmacy care law remains in place but has eroded over time. Pharmacy availability is decreasing, especially in poorer areas, meaning more people must rely on each remaining pharmacy.

The research team says that due to the nature to the NHS Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework in England and the tiered levels of services, 鈥渢here is potential that there will be less capacity to provide the additional enhanced clinical services for community pharmacies located in the most deprived areas鈥�.

The study showed:

• In 2014, the most deprived areas had 2.28 pharmacies per 10,000 people compared to 1.37 per 10,000 people in the least deprived areas; by 2023, this dropped to 2.01 and 1.33 per 10,000 people, respectively.
• The decline in pharmacy availability per 10,000 people was most severe in the most deprived areas (-0.27 per 10,000 people or an 11.8% reduction between 2014 and 2023)
• Urban areas experienced a significant decline in pharmacy availability - an 8.2% reduction (from 1.81 to 1.66 pharmacies per 10,000 people) between 2014 and 2023.

The academics behind the analysis say reinvestment in the community pharmacy network will help address challenges within the sector and reduce inequalities in access to health care.

Lead author Eman Zied Abozied, Research Associate at Newcastle University, said: 鈥淧harmacies are one of the only healthcare options available on the high street where people can be seen without an appointment. They play an important role in helping people access the care they need, especially in the most disadvantaged areas where there might be fewer GPs. Funding cuts across the sector have seen many community pharmacies close, which could fuel inequalities in healthcare access.

鈥淲hile it is encouraging that our analysis shows that most people still live close to a pharmacy, the reduction in the number of community pharmacies is a cause for concern. Pharmacies are serving a higher number of people, with the biggest decline in availability in communities that have the greatest health needs, leading to immense pressure on services and staff. Pharmacies in the most disadvantaged areas may not be able to offer the full range of clinical services due to funding cuts and staffing pressures.

鈥淚f community pharmacies are required to deliver more clinical services to support other primary care organisations, it is important that they have the appropriate funding to be able to achieve this.鈥�

Dr Luke Munford, Health Equity North Academic Co-Director and Senior Lecturer in Health Economics at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淭here needs to be more investment in community pharmacies if they are to effectively deliver the vital public health services they provide to people across England. Our study shows that more pressure is being placed on pharmacies with this being felt more keenly in deprived communities where health outcomes tend to be worse. 

鈥淭he implications of inaction could see less capacity to provide much need services to those most in need and further widening of existing health inequalities.鈥� 

The study has been published in BMJ Open. Read the full paper - "The Positive Pharmacy Care Law Revisited: an area-level analysis of the relationship between community pharmacy distribution, urbanity and deprivation in England"

The  groundbreaking research, led by Dr Matthew J. Kibble, used a state-of-the-art 3D printing technique called bioprinting to replicate the complex structure and environment of human spinal discs. 

In a study published in the journal today, they reveal tissue stiffness and oxygen levels significantly impact the production of vital biological materials, including collagen and hyaluronic acid, by human disc cells. 

The insights could ultimately lead to new treatments for back pain, a condition affecting hundreds of millions of people across the world. 

Bioprinting is a cutting-edge technique that uses living cells and biological materials to create complex 3D structures that accurately mimic the structure of human organs. 

The new bioprinted discs will allow scientists to study how different conditions affect disc cell behaviour and contribute to tissue degeneration and back pain.

Most bioprinters work in a similar way to plastic 3D printers, extruding material through a nozzle under pressure to build structures.

However, rather than printing plastic, bioprinters use cells and gel-like inks made from cell-friendly materials such as collagen, cellulose or gelatin.

The scientists prepared the cells and materials needed for bioprinting and designed a digital model of a human spinal disc. For this study, the bioprinted discs were made from gels containing collagen combined with alginate, a protein derived from seaweed.

They used state-of-the-art 3D bioprinters capable of depositing multiple types of cells and materials, layer-by-layer, to create sophisticated models where the different biological, chemical, and mechanical characteristics of the human disc could be modelled.

The bioprinted tissues were then stored in controlled conditions so they could grow, mature, and develop their biological functions.

Dr Stephen M. Richardson, from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, corresponding author of the study said: 鈥淭his work represents a step towards the automated creation of realistic whole organ models and brings us closer to understanding the root causes of disc degeneration.鈥�

鈥淥ur findings provide important insights into the factors driving disc degeneration and pave the way for the development of more effective regenerative therapies, for example through incorporation of stem cells.鈥�

Bioprinting has been used to fabricate models of different tissues including skin, brain, nerve and heart, kidney and tumour.

However, fully functional tissue engineered organs are still  decades away; current models are mostly used for investigating biological processes in the lab but may act as replacements for lab animals.

As part of his PhD research at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, Dr Kibble developed the bioprinted discs to explore the impact of tissue stiffness on the two cell types that inhabit different parts of the adult spinal discs:  nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus cells.

In future disc models the scientists plan to incorporate cells found in healthy, young developing discs, alongside stem cells or gene-edited cells to create even more advanced models of health and disease. This will enable them to understand how healthy tissue is formed and whether stem cells can be used to produce healthy tissue and treat back pain.

Dr Kibble said: 鈥淥ver 600 million people worldwide suffer from lower back pain. Our bioprinted intervertebral disc models are an exciting opportunity to inform better regenerative therapies.

Our research has shown that tissue stiffness and oxygen levels have a significant impact the production of vital biological materials.

There have been many attempts to engineer discs so that we can understand their biology and develop models for testing different therapies or transplanting them into animals. But as well as being very difficult to do, this is also extremely time consuming.

Our work allows us to produce biologically functional disc models at scale and will allow us to make desperately needed advances in our understanding  of disc disease.鈥�

The study was funded by the UKRI EPSRC/MRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Regenerative Medicine, the Wellcome Institutional Strategic Support Fund, and the Medical Research Council.

The authors also acknowledge the support of the national Henry Royce Institute EPSRC grants and the Bioprinting Technology Platform.

A video of the bioprinted in action is available, as are images of the bioprinted discs, and graphics.

The paper,  Suspension bioprinted whole intervertebral disc analogues enable regional stiffness- and hypoxia-regulated matrix secretion by primary human nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus cells is published in Acta Biomaterialia and is available.

黑料网吃瓜爆料 is globally renowned for its pioneering research, outstanding teaching and learning, and commitment to social responsibility. We are a truly international university 鈥� ranking in the top 50 in a range of global rankings 鈥� with a diverse community of more than 44,000 students, 12,000 staff and 550,000 alumni from 190 countries.  Sign up for our e-news to hear first-hand about our international partnerships and activities across the globe. 

Less climate mitigation will increase the spread of fungal pathogens in certain areas, putting more people at risk.

• Novel projections show that in 15 years, if we rely on fossil fuels instead of clean power (scenario of *), we are likely to see the significant spread of certain fungal pathogens in Europe
• Under this scenario, the spread of Aspergillus flavus, for example, could increase by about 16%, putting 1 million more people at risk of infection in Europe. Infections affect the respiratory system, and this fungus infects a broad range of agricultural crops
• The predictions also show that the spread of another fungus, Aspergillus fumigatus, could increase by 77.5% and potentially expose 9 million people in Europe
• This is a concerning trend due to a rise in antifungal resistance and a severe lack of diagnostics and treatment options for fungal infections

In a new study, published on  and funded by , the effects of rising temperatures on infection-causing fungi have been mapped under different climate change mitigation scenarios until the year 2100. Using climate modelling and forecasts, at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and colleagues have mapped how the global distributions of three fungal pathogens (Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger) could be expected to change as a result.

The rise of pathogenic fungi is a real concern and is being driven by climate change. Fungi are incredibly adaptable organisms, with large, malleable genomes that allow them to colonize new geographies and survive as their environment changes.

Dr. Norman van Rhijn said: 鈥淐hanges in environmental factors, such as humidity and extreme weather events, will change habitats and drive fungal adaptation and spread.

鈥淲e鈥檝e already seen the emergence of the fungus Candida auris due to rising temperatures, but, until now, we had little information of how other fungi might respond to this change in the environment.  Fungi are relatively under researched compared to viruses and parasites, but these maps show that fungal pathogens will likely impact most areas of the world in the future. Raising awareness and developing effective interventions for fungal pathogens will be essential to mitigate the consequences of this.鈥�

The maps show that in a fossil fuel dependent economy, as outlined in the IPCC scenario of , the climate will change to become suitable for fungal pathogens to spread to new geographies, with a marked increase in Europe.

The spread of Aspergillus flavus could increase by about 16%, putting 1 million more people at risk of infection from this deadly fungal pathogen in Europe. This fungus is known to cause severe infections and is resistant to many antifungals available.

This is an especially concerning trend as many fungal infections have high mortality rates, partly because of the lack of diagnostics, vaccines and treatment options as well as a lack of awareness of fungal infections. Additionally, as fungi are more similar to humans than other pathogens, developing anti-fungal treatments without toxic side effects is challenging.

The predictions also show that the spread of Aspergillus fumigatus could increase by 77.5% and potentially expose 9 million people in Europe. This is one of the most common fungal pathogens responsible for life-threatening infections in humans and affects the lungs.

Whilst the rise in global temperatures will increase the spread of fungi in Europe, temperatures in Africa could become so high that some fungi will not be able to survive on the continent. Fungi are an essential component to a functioning ecosystem, decomposing plant and animal matter to reintroduce nutrients into the soil. They also contribute to the carbon cycle which regulates the global climate and temperatures.  

Antifungal resistance is also being driven by the use of fungicides in agriculture, which are used to protect crops and support food production. The researchers also looked at the how the changing environment impacts our use of fungicides.

Viv Goosens, Research Manager at Wellcome said: 鈥淔ungal pathogens pose a serious threat to human health by causing infections and disrupting food systems. Climate change will make these risks worse. To address these challenges, we must fill important research gaps. By using models and maps to track the spread of fungi, we can better direct resources and prepare for the future." 

Fungal infections are transmitted through fungal spores in the air we breathe. People with weakened immune systems, co-morbidities and other risk factors are most vulnerable to infections, although fungi could adapt to become more pathogenic due to rising temperatures and could result in more infections in healthy people.

Despite this mounting threat, fungal infections receive little attention or resources. Less than 10% of an estimated 1.5 to 3.8 million species have been described, and a tiny fraction has had their genome sequenced. Wellcome is awarding over 拢50mn in funding towards fungal research over the next year. 

The study has been published on preprint platform Research Square, available here

In a Wellcome funded study published today (01/05/25) in Science - one of the world鈥檚 leading scientific journals 鈥� the researchers challenge conventional wisdom taught in schools for over 100 years.

Students are currently taught that during cell division, a 鈥榩arent鈥� cell will become spherical before splitting into two 鈥榙aughter鈥� cells of equal size and shape.

However, the study reveals that cell rounding is not a universal feature of cell division and is not how it often works in the body.

Dividing cells, they show, often don鈥檛 round up into sphere-like shapes. This lack of rounding breaks the symmetry of division to generate two daughter cells that differ from each other in both size and function, known as asymmetric division.

Asymmetric divisions are an important way that the different types of cells in the body are generated, to make different tissues and organs.

Until now, asymmetric cell division has predominantly only been associated with highly specialised cells, known as stem cells.

The scientists found that it is the shape of a parent cell before it even divides that can determine if they will round or not in division and determines how symmetric, or not, its daughter cells are going to be.

Cells which are shorter and wider in shape tend to round up and divide into two cells which are similar to each other.  However, cells which are longer and thinner don鈥檛 round up and divide asymmetrically, so that one

daughter is different to the other.

The findings could have far reaching implications on our understanding of the role of cell division in disease. For example, in the context of cancer cells, this type of 鈥榥on-round鈥�, asymmetric division could generate different cell behaviours known to promote cancer progression through metastasis.

Harnessing this information could also impact regenerative medicine, enabling us to better manufacture the cell types needed to regenerate damaged tissues and organs.

Scientists may one day be able to influence the function of daughter cells by simply manipulating their parental cell shape.

Co-lead author Dr Shane Herbert, a senior research fellow at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淭he phenomenon of mitosis - or cell division - is one of the fundamentals of life and a basic biological concept which is taught from school age.

鈥淪tudents learn that when a cell divides, it will generate a uniform spherical shape. Our study, however, shows that in real living organisms, it is not as simple as that.

鈥淥ur research suggests that the shape of the cell before it divides can fundamentally direct whether a cell rounds, and importantly, if its daughters are symmetric or asymmetric both in size and function.鈥�

The scientists used real time imaging to study the formation of blood vessels in 1-day old transparent zebrafish embryos.

Growing blood vessels and other tissues are made of strands of collectively migrating cells.

Each new vessel is led by a special fast-moving cell at the front with slower cells following behind.

When the fast moving 鈥渢ip鈥� cell divided, the study showed, it didn鈥檛 鈥渞ound-up鈥� as expected. In doing so it was able to divide asymmetrically and generate the new fast 鈥渢ip鈥� cell at the front and a slower following cell behind it.

Co-lead author Dr Holly Lovegrove, a lecturer at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淯sing transparent 1-day old zebrafish embryos allows us to study a dynamic process like cell division inside a living organism.

鈥淲e are therefore able to make movies of this fundamental cell behaviour and in doing so reveal exciting new aspects of how tissues grow.鈥�

The team also used a technique using human cells called micropatterning.

Co-First author Dr Georgia Hulmes, a Postdoctoral Research Associate at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淢icropatterning allows us to generate specifically shaped microscopic patches of proteins that cells can stick to.

鈥淭he cells will then take the shape of the patch. This therefore allows us to change the shape of the cells and test how these shapes impact on the subsequent cell division.鈥�

The micropatterning system used by the scientists is called PRIMO by Alv茅ole. This system allowed the scientists  to manipulate cells into different shapes at tiny resolutions of less than a tenth of the width of a human hair. A UV laser is used to burn specific shapes onto a non-sticky surface. Cells are then seeded onto the surface and will only be able to stick down in areas where the UV laser has printed a shape. The cells then spread out into the laser patterned shape and this allowed the scientists to create the precise shape of cell they desire.

• Video shows cells with membrane and nucleus labelled undergoing division, copyright University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料
• The paper Interphase cell morphology defines the mode, symmetry, and outcome of mitosis, is published in Science.

黑料网吃瓜爆料 is globally renowned for its pioneering research, outstanding teaching and learning, and commitment to social responsibility. We are a truly international university 鈥� ranking in the top 50 in a range of global rankings 鈥� with a diverse community of more than 44,000 students, 12,000 staff and 550,000 alumni from 190 countries.  Sign up for our e-news to hear first-hand about our international partnerships and activities across the globe. 

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. 

The study, funded by a British Heart Foundation 4-Year PhD Studentship Program and 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Innovation Factory is published in the leading journal in the field, Stroke. 

It is the first potential new treatment for stroke in the UK since the clotbusting drug recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) was licensed in September 2002. 

According to existing research, rtPA is only effective in as few as 10% to 35% of patients and is associated with a significant risk of bleeding. 

Another clotbuster called Tenecteplase (TNK), a variant of rtPA, was recently approved for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke in the United States but has similar limitations to rtPA. 

Both rtPA and TNK have similar efficacy and risk of haemorrhage. 

Von Willebrand Factor (VWF), a protein involved in blood clotting, helps platelets stick to damaged blood vessels and form the structure of blood clots. 

The greater the proportion of platelet and VWF components in a clot, the less effective rtPA is in dissolving it. 

The scientists investigated an alternative strategy which utilises caADAMTS13, an enzyme that reduces the size of VWF and helps break down blood clots. 

In previous mouse studies they have already shown that caADAMTS13 improves cerebral blood flow, reduces damage in the brain, reduces the depositing of both platelets and a clot promoting protein called fibrin, as well displaying anti-inflammatory properties. 

However, until now, a head to head comparison with the existing therapies of rtPA and  TNK had not been carried out. 

The scientists directly compared caADAMTS13 with rtPA and TNK in mice with a cerebral artery blockage from platelet and VWF rich clots, to mimick rtPA-resistance. 

They found that the restoration of cerebral blood flow 1 hour after treatment was the greatest in the mice treated by caADAMTS13 and that at 24 hours the caADAMTS13 mice had reduced brain damage.

Lead author Lucy Roberts, from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淲hen someone has an acute ischemic stroke, doctors need to quickly remove the clot blocking cerebral arteries in the brain.

鈥淭o avoid  severe and potentially life-threatening complications, the need to act fast is acute. Unfortunately, current treatments are only sometimes effective.

鈥淗owever, our findings show that the compound we developed, called caADAMTS13, is more effective than current stroke treatments

鈥淭hat is why it is tremendously exciting that this compound could one day meet an unmet clinical need for stroke patients.鈥�

Co-author and principle investigator Professor Stuart Allan from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淲e know that removing blood clots can improve outcomes in stroke and that current treatments don鈥檛 always work.

鈥淭herefore, the approach is proven to work and we just need better drugs that can break down all types of blood clots. We think caADAMTS13 may allow this to happen.鈥�

Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, said: "A stroke is a medical emergency. For every minute blood flow to the brain is disrupted during a stroke, millions of nerve cells can become damaged and die. Stroke remains the single biggest cause of severe disability in the UK and we urgently need new treatments.

鈥淢ore research will be needed to understand how these early results in mice can be translated to humans, but this study gives us a promising glimpse into a future where the compound caADAMTS13 could potentially be developed as a new therapy to safely and effectively dissolve blood clots in the brain.鈥�

The paper Comparison of the Novel Thrombolytic Constitutively Active ADAMTS13 With Clinical Thrombolytics in a Murine Stroke Model , DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.125.050848, is available

• The  video animation  illustrates the formation of a clot. Please credit the .
• For the image of the brain, please credit the .

The researchers suggest that policymakers should increase funding so that deprivation is taken into account as a factor in general practice funding to address income disparities between GPs in more deprived and less deprived areas.

Published in the today (22/04/25) and funded by the , the researchers analysed data from over 8,500 GPs between 2015 and 2021 in the GP work life

They looked at the relationship between deprivation of practice population and job pressures, job satisfaction, reported income, working hours, and intentions to leave direct patient care.

The lead researcher is , an NIHR Clinical Lecturer at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and practicing GP.

He said: 鈥淭his study shows how the socioeconomic deprivation of practice populations in England is adversely linked to the working conditions of the GPs that work there.

鈥淲e highlight a clear and persistent challenge in ensuring equitable healthcare provision.

鈥淲ithout targeted investment and policy interventions, the difficulties faced by GPs in deprived areas will only continue to worsen, exacerbating health inequalities.鈥�

Key Findings also included:

• GPs in the most deprived areas earn less than those in wealthier areas with an average difference of 拢5,525 less per year.
• Despite higher job pressures, there were no differences in overall job satisfaction, hours worked per week, or intentions to leave patient care between GPs working in more deprived and less deprived areas.

from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, senior author of the study, added: 鈥淭hough deprived populations have higher needs for GP services, we know these areas have the most difficulty recruiting and retaining GPs.

鈥淥ur study is the first to examine how working in deprived areas affects the working lives of GPs. Addressing their concerns about increased job pressure and decreased resources would help reduce health inequalities.鈥�

According to the researchers, the findings explain why working in areas of greater deprivation is less attractive to GPs, exacerbating workforce recruitment and retention issues.

Dr Anderson added: 鈥淎longside financial incentives, non-financial incentives such as enhanced career development opportunities including fellowships that incorporate time for additional training, research, and leadership responsibilities could be a useful lever to promote GP recruitment and retention in areas of greater deprivation鈥�.

鈥淲e also think it鈥檚 important to acknowledge we find no differences in hours worked per week, job satisfaction, and intention to quit direct patient care in more deprived and less deprived areas.

鈥淒espite the challenges experienced by GPs working in areas of greater deprivation, this suggests that there are many rewarding aspects of working in areas of greater deprivation.  A broader recognition by the GP community of the potential advantages of working in areas of greater deprivation would therefore be helpful to promote recruitment and retention.鈥�

This article reports the findings from independent research commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care and carried out by the Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Systems and Commissioning (PRUComm). The research was conducted by the Health Organisation, Policy, and Economics (HOPE) group within the Centre for Primary Care & Health Services Research at 黑料网吃瓜爆料. The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Programme. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Policy Research Programme, NIHR, or the Department of Health and Social Care

• Deprivation and General Practitioners鈥� working lives: Repeated cross-sectional study is published in the  Journal of the , DOI: JRSM-24-0273.R2 and is available here.

Researchers at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 have developed a ground-breaking method to precisely measure the strength of hydrogen bonds in confined water systems, an advance that could transform our understanding of water鈥檚 role in biology, materials science, and technology. The work, published in , introduces a fundamentally new way to think about one of nature鈥檚 most important but difficult-to-quantify interactions.

Hydrogen bonds are the invisible forces that hold water molecules together, giving water its unique properties, from high boiling point to surface tension, and enabling critical biological functions such as protein folding and DNA structure. Yet despite their significance, quantifying hydrogen bonds in complex or confined environments has long been a challenge.

鈥淔or decades, scientists have struggled to measure hydrogen bond strength with precision,鈥� said , who led the study with and Dr Ziwei Wang. 鈥淥ur approach reframes hydrogen bonds as electrostatic interactions between dipoles and an electric field, which allows us to calculate their strength directly from spectroscopic data.鈥�

The team used gypsum (CaSO鈧劼�2H鈧侽), a naturally occurring mineral that contains two-dimensional layers of crystalline water, as their model system. By applying external electric fields to water molecules trapped between the mineral鈥檚 layers, and tracking their vibrational response using high-resolution spectroscopy, the researchers were able to quantify hydrogen bonding with unprecedented accuracy.

鈥淲hat鈥檚 most exciting is the predictive power of this technique,鈥� said Dr Yang. 鈥淲ith a simple spectroscopic measurement, we can predict how water behaves in confined environments that were previously difficult to probe, something that normally requires complex simulations or remains entirely inaccessible.鈥�

The implications are broad and compelling. In water purification, this method could help engineers fine-tune membrane materials to optimise hydrogen bonding, improving water flow and selectivity while reducing energy costs. In drug development, it offers a way to predict how water binds to molecules and their targets, potentially accelerating the design of more soluble and effective drugs. It could enhance climate models by enabling more accurate simulations of water鈥檚 phase transitions in clouds and the atmosphere. In energy storage, the discovery lays the foundation for 鈥渉ydrogen bond heterostructures鈥�, engineered materials with tailored hydrogen bonding that could dramatically boost battery performance. And in biomedicine, the findings could help create implantable sensors with better compatibility and longer lifespans by precisely controlling water-surface interactions.

鈥淥ur work provides a framework to understand and manipulate hydrogen bonding in ways that weren鈥檛 possible before,鈥� said Dr Wang, first author of the paper. 鈥淚t opens the door to designing new materials and technologies, from better catalysts to smarter membranes, based on the hidden physics of water.鈥�

This research was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Full title: Quantifying hydrogen bonding using electrically tunable nanoconfined water

DOI: 

The research was supported by the European Research Council and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The is a world-leading graphene and 2D material centre, focussed on fundamental research. Based at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, where graphene was first isolated in 2004 by Professors Sir Andre Geim and Sir Kostya Novoselov, it is home to leaders in their field 鈥� a community of research specialists delivering transformative discovery. This expertise is matched by 拢13m leading-edge facilities, such as the largest class 5 and 6 cleanrooms in global academia, which gives the NGI the capabilities to advance underpinning industrial applications in key areas including: composites, functional membranes, energy, membranes for green hydrogen, ultra-high vacuum 2D materials, nanomedicine, 2D based printed electronics, and characterisation.

Funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the study on mice shows that the brain鈥檚 hypothalamus controls how the immune system adapts during fasting, through a handful of highly specialized neurons responsible for making animals hungry.

Published today (04/04/25) in 鈥攐ne of the world鈥檚 leading immunology journals鈥攖he study shows the brain鈥檚 perception of hunger or fullness, rather than actual eating or caloric restriction, is enough to drive changes in the body鈥檚 immune cells.

The findings cast doubt on the current view that a lack of nutrients alone controls how the immune system responds to fasting, indicating the brain has a critical role, beyond the simple absence of food.

By artificially switching on specific brain neurons in mice鈥攚hich typically signal low energy levels鈥攕cientists induced a synthetic sense of hunger. Remarkably, within hours, they saw a fast reorganization of immune cells in the blood, with a noticeable drop in inflammatory monocytes. These artificially hungry mice looked, from an immune perspective, just like mice that had fasted for real.

This discovery could have important implications for developing new therapies to treat a range of inflammatory diseases as well as for treating wasting syndromes seen in cancer, in which individuals lose weight despite eating normally.

It may also explain why obesity often accompanies inflammatory conditions and why malnourished individuals are more prone to infections and inflammation.

The lead senior researcher, Dr Giuseppe D鈥橝gostino, who coordinated the study, said: 鈥淥ur perceptions can shape our bodies in ways we don鈥檛 always notice. It鈥檚 easy to see how thoughts guide our actions, but this study reminds us that even our internal body adjustments that are not under conscious control respond to the brain鈥檚 signals.

鈥淭his study underlines how important the brain is in regulating the immune system. But if internal or external factors alter the brain鈥檚 perception, these processes can go awry, reminding us how deeply the mind and body are鈥攁nd should remain鈥攃onnected.

"In addition to BBSRC who funded the work, we are grateful to the Medical Research Council for providing early-stage seed funding that helped the lab explore completely novel areas 鈥� a small but truly visionary contribution that still resonates today."

Collaborator and 黑料网吃瓜爆料 immunologist Professor Matt Hepworth added: 鈥淭his work challenges the long-standing view that fasting鈥檚 immunological impact is driven purely by nutrient levels. It highlights the nervous system鈥檚 profound influence on how the immune system adapts during fasting.鈥�

Lead author Dr Cavalcanti de Albuquerque said: 鈥淏y showing how the brain exerts top-down control over immune cells, we can further explore when and how fasting might deliver health benefits. It also opens up potential ways to treat infectious, inflammatory, metabolic, and psychiatric conditions.鈥�

The paper Brain Sensing of Metabolic State Regulates Circulating Monocytes   is available

The study of 15.7 million patient records, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and published in the prestigious Journal of the R, implies there could be scope to prescribe far fewer antibiotics. 

The researchers found the probability of being prescribed antibiotics for a lower respiratory tract or urinary tract infection was unrelated to hospital admission risk. 

And the probability of being prescribed an antibiotic for an upper respiratory tract infection was only weakly related to hospital admission risk. 

The study also showed that patient characteristics such as age and the presence of other health problems were only weakly associated with the probability of being prescribed an antibiotic treatment of common infection. 

The most elderly patients in the sample were 31% less likely than the youngest patients to receive an antibiotic for upper respiratory infections. 

That inevitably means, say the researchers, that because many younger people are being prescribed antibiotics, even though they are often fit enough to recover without them, potentially  leading to resistance. 

Conversely,  many older people may not be able to deal with infections without antibiotics are not  receiving them, with the potential of complication and hospital admissions. 

Patients with combinations of diseases were 7% less likely than people without major health problems  to receive an antibiotic for upper respiratory infections. 

Lead authors are  Professor Tjeerd van Staa and Dr Ali Fahmi, from 黑料网吃瓜爆料. 

Professor Tjeerd van Staa said: 鈥淎ntibiotics are effective in treating bacterial infections, but they carry the risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and loss of effectiveness when used inappropriately. 

鈥淭hat is why AMR to antibiotics has been recognised as one of the biggest threats to global public health. 

鈥淕iven the threat of resistance, there is a need to better target antibiotics in primary care to patients with higher risks of infection-related complications such as sepsis. 

鈥淏耻迟 this study finds that antibiotics for common infections are commonly not prescribed according to complication risk and that suggests there is plenty of scope to do more on reducing antibiotic prescribing.鈥� 

The study also showed that the probability of being prescribed an antibiotic for lower respiratory infections was even more unrelated to complication risk during the pandemic, however they were only minor changes for urinary tract infections. 

The research team accessed anonymised patient-level electronic health records of primary care data from The Phoenix Partnership (TPP) through OpenSAFELY, a secure platform for electronic health records in the NHS. 

They included adults registered at general practices in England from January 2019 to March 2023 diagnosed with upper respiratory, lower respiratory and urinary tract infections. 

Patient-specific risks of infection-related hospital admission were estimated for each infection using risk prediction scores for patients who were not prescribed an antibiotic. 

Dr Ali Fahmi added: 鈥淩ather than imposing targets for reducing inappropriate prescribing, we argue that it is far more viable for clinicians to focus on improving risk-based antibiotic prescribing for infections that are less severe and typically self-limiting. 

鈥淧rognosis and harm should explicitly be considered in treatment guidelines, alongside better personalised information for clinicians and patients to support shared decision making.鈥�

鈥淎 Knowledge Support (KSS) led by Professor Tjeerd van Staa, which provides personalised information to clinicians is  now being tested in the North-West England

鈥淲e hope it could provide a workable solution to the problem of untargeted antibiotic prescribing.鈥�

Antibiotics for common infections in primary care before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: cohort study of extent of prescribing based on risks of infection-related hospital admissions  is published in  DOI: 10.1177/01410768251328997

The study team at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and 黑料网吃瓜爆料 (UoM) implemented the new technology across MFT hospitals in December 2023, which provides specialist liver care to the Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 region. The technology aims to improve early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) 鈥� the most common cancer affecting the liver and the third most common cause of cancer death.

Developed by Roche Diagnostics, the pioneering test, known as Elecsys庐GAAD, combines blood tests with gender and age, which can increase the detection rate of HCC at an early, curable stage. This is being used alongside routine surveillance tests to see how it can benefit patients, so they have the best chance of surviving this type of cancer.

One of the risks for developing HCC is a pre-existing liver disease and scarring of the liver, known as cirrhosis. Approximately 3,000 people are found to have HCC in the UK every year. Less than 1,000 are identified at a stage when they can have curative treatment, leaving over 2,000 people per year with a cancer that cannot be cured.

More than 600 patients with cirrhosis have been tested using Elecsys庐GAAD within clinics at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Royal Infirmary, Wythenshawe Hospital and North 黑料网吃瓜爆料 General Hospital, all part of MFT, and four patients have been detected with early-stage liver cancer at a treatable stage, which would not have been found without the new technology.

Gerry鈥檚 story

Father of three, Gerry, 67 was diagnosed with hemochromatosis approximately 15 years ago, a hereditary condition where the body stores too much iron, which has led to scarring on his liver, cirrhosis.

Whilst attending his routine screening appointment at Wythenshawe Hospital, Gerry joined the research trial using the Elecsys庐GAAD technology, which detected the early stages of liver cancer.

Following a number of CT scans at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Royal Infirmary, it was confirmed that there is a small tumour on the upper part of his liver, which he has now had removed and remains cancer free.

Gerry said: 鈥淚 was shocked to find out that I had liver cancer, but also relieved that it had been found early and it hadn鈥檛 spread any further. I didn鈥檛 have any symptoms that would make me think that there was anything wrong, so I am grateful that the cancer has been caught early, where a number of treatment options are available to me.

鈥淚t isn鈥檛 until you鈥檙e in this position, that you truly realise how cancer can affect anyone, and detecting it early can save your life. I would encourage others to take part in this research trial, if given the opportunity, as this new technology will save lives. I am grateful to be in a position where curative treatment is available and I am now cancer free.鈥�

How the technology works

In early, curable stages, HCC can have no symptoms and so it is recommended that everyone with known cirrhosis is tested every six months which involves an ultrasound scan and a blood test (alpha fetoprotein 鈥� AFP) to screen for primary liver cancer 鈥� HCC.

The new test is an algorithm used in addition to the current standard of care, which uses the AFP information alongside another blood test (Elecsys庐PIVKA-II), age and gender to calculate a risk score. Data suggests that this test increases the likelihood of detecting liver cancer at an earlier stage where curative treatments are far more likely. 

Principal Investigator for the study, Dr Varinder Athwal, Consultant Hepatologist at MFT and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥� 黑料网吃瓜爆料 has some of the highest rates of liver disease and liver cancer in the UK and far too many people are diagnosed when curative treatment is not possible.

鈥淭his innovation is a non-invasive test that easily fits into our current pathway. Early results from the project are very promising and show we are able to detect more cases of HCC at earlier, treatable stages which would have been missed by standard routine care 鈥� so it truly has the potential to save lives.

鈥淯sing this new test and with additional improvements to the surveillance pathway, we believe more than 1,000 people per year could be additionally detected at an earlier stage when their cancer is potentially curable. This number could be increased if more people are offered the test and stay in surveillance, which is something we are addressing in this project.鈥�

Vic鈥檚 story
 

Vic joined the research trial at MFT and was detected in the early, curable stages of liver cancer and despite not being fit enough for common therapies to cure his cancer, Vic has since received a treatment called transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) which cuts off the tumour鈥檚 blood supply with little or no effect to liver functioning.

Detecting his cancer early through Elecsys庐GAAD means that it has prevented the spread of his cancer and there is currently no sign of his cancer on repeat scans.

He said: 鈥淲hen I agreed to join the trial, I had been being monitored routinely because of the presence of liver disease but the last thing that I thought I would ever develop was cancer. I had been stable for some years and had not experienced any new symptoms to suggest anything had changed.

鈥淭he GAAD test changed all that. The results were high and detected that I had a primary liver cancer which turned out to be a Stage 2 liver cancer. I had no symptoms. I was referred immediately for expert treatment.

鈥淏ecause the GAAD test detected the cancer early I have been able to access one of several treatment options quickly, before the cancer had the chance to spread outside the liver. Early diagnosis and treatment has meant that I can also benefit from the care and support of an amazing multidisciplinary team.

鈥淚t has also meant that I have been given time to involve my family, especially my children, to navigate this journey together. Without the GAAD test, the diagnosis of cancer may have come too late for all of us.鈥�

Through the study, researchers aim to find out if the Elecsys庐GAAD test reduces unnecessary further scans and if it improves earlier detection of HCC. They will also investigate if a six-monthly ultrasound adds any further benefit to Elecsys庐GAAD to detect HCC 鈥� or if Elecsys庐GAAD could be used on its own, which would provide a considerable cost saving to the NHS and a significant improvement to current standard of care. 

Director of Access and Innovation at Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland, Chris Hudson said: 鈥淩oche Diagnostics is committed to early disease diagnosis and to ensuring our innovations reach the people who need them. Working with the team in 黑料网吃瓜爆料, we are taking the learnings from this hugely successful trial to help other NHS Trusts implement the Elecsys庐GAAD digital diagnostic solution and enable more patients with liver cancer to access timely diagnostics and potentially curative treatments.鈥�

Dr Katherine Boylan, Director of Innovation at MFT said: 鈥淎s one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, MFT is uniquely placed to test the innovation, which brings together the knowledge and expertise of academic, medical and industry partners 鈥� strengthening our position as a leader in research and innovation in the UK. We are proud to partner with Roche Diagnostics to address this unmet clinical need for the benefit of our patients, which has the potential to revolutionise early cancer diagnosis for HCC.鈥�

Elecsys庐GAAD was fast-tracked into the NHS at MFT, following 拢1million funding from NHS England, to test the accuracy and benefits of technology over a two-year period.

Project Managers at NHS England visited MFT alongside Roche Diagnostics, to see the progress of the project and how we are utilising the test alongside current pathways.

Dr Michael Gregory, Regional Medical Director for NHS England 鈥� North West, said: 鈥淭his is a great example of how the NHS can transform health outcomes and save lives through the use of cutting-edge technology and a greater focus on prevention.

鈥淭he stories of the patients who have already benefited from this new test highlight why it is so important that we diagnose and treat cancers at the earliest possible opportunity and I鈥檓 excited to see how it could be made more widely available in the future.

鈥淚n the meantime, I would continue to encourage people with potential signs of cancer to come forward and speak to their general practice as soon as possible.鈥�

The study is running until April 2025, recruiting more than 600 patients to the research project. Findings from the implementation at MFT will be used to co-develop a plan for the national roll out within the NHS.

This work is supported by Imperial College London who are observing the economic impact of the new technology on the NHS, and Unity Insights who are carrying out an independent evaluation of the findings across the project.

Photo: Photo: Patrick Ezean (NHS England Cancer Programme Manager), Emily Corser (NHS England Cancer Programme Manager), Dr Varinder Athwal (Principal Investigator for the study), Darren Banks (MFT Interim Deputy Trust Chief Executive), Chris Hudson (Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland), Delphine Scokaert (Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland), Oliver Street (Programme Manager, 黑料网吃瓜爆料), Dr Katherine Boylan (Director of Innovation at MFT), Laura Tornatore (Senior Programme Manager, LGC).

Led by Health Innovation 黑料网吃瓜爆料, the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and 黑料网吃瓜爆料 University NHS Foundation Trust, this collaborative project has helped bridge the gap between research and clinical implementation of advanced diagnostic technologies.

ADA is one of ten projects funded within the Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 portfolio of the Innovation Accelerator (IA) programme, which is transforming the innovation landscape in the UK and paving the way for the future of place-based research and development (R&D) investment.

Since its launch, the IA programme has invested 拢100m in 26 transformative R&D projects between 2022-25, focusing on high-potential innovation clusters across three UK regions - Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料, West Midlands and Glasgow City Region and has been extended by 拢30m for 2025/26. The programme builds on regional cluster strengths and brings together the innovation ecosystem, to drive economic growth and technological advancement.

The programme is led by Innovate UK, on behalf of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and co-created in Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 with regional leadership to ensure it is locally led and focused on harnessing the region鈥檚 strengths in high performance materials, health innovation, advanced manufacturing and digital technology.

The IA programme in Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 provided a unique opportunity to test hypotheses in real-world settings, and those projects emerging from the programme have made significant impacts in just two years. The programme has supported more than 500 businesses to take forward innovations, while over 1000 Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 residents have accessed skills support 鈥� to either upskill or begin their journey to a career in a high-growth sector.

The work delivered has been highly output-focused, resulting in the creation of meaningful networks and lasting relationships. Partners and stakeholders have embarked on a collective learning journey, creating something new that they can be proud of whilst adding tangible value to a new paradigm shift in ways of working. An approach that has proven to be highly effective in bringing together diverse stakeholders, while strengthening key relationships.

Two years since its launch the projects are demonstrating globally competitive research and development that is putting the region鈥檚 innovation strengths on the map including Advanced Diagnostic Accelerator (ADA)..

ADA has various work streams from public and patient involvement through focus groups to the development of data-driven advanced diagnostics, point-of-care testing and rapid, cost-effective diagnostic tests for conditions like heart failure and lung cancer. By utilising Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 academic and industry excellence from frontier sectors of Bioinformatics and Genomics, and AI, the project builds on assets already in existence within the city-region鈥檚 ecosystem, including validating and translating biomarkers and therapeutic assets into clinical use.

Key achievements include attracting 拢2.7m in co-investment to date, the development of a new MedTech product, deployment of new engagement techniques, alongside the identification and creation of at least three new products and services. The programme has strengthened Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 research, innovation, and data landscape through four submitted grants, two network events, and 26 digital communications assets. It has also expanded access to screening and diagnostic services, engaging over 1200 patients in treatment or research activities, while fostering greater research participation and early diagnosis for underserved communities, with over 400 patients engaged in community events.

By enhancing early diagnosis, boosting business sustainability, and tackling health inequalities, Advanced Diagnostic Accelerator is contributing to increased productivity, reduced economic inactivity due to poor health, and longer life expectancy for Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 residents and created multiple high value jobs.

Building on this momentum, Health Innovation 黑料网吃瓜爆料, the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 University NHS Foundation Trust and the industry partners have together secured a further 拢1.6 million Innovate UK grant for the Advanced Diagnostic Accelerator in Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料.

Science Minister, Lord Vallance, said: 鈥淭he Innovation Accelerator programme is unlocking new opportunities for growth in regions across the UK and this 拢30m investment backs further collaboration between business, academia and government to build on local innovation that can improve lives across the country.

鈥淕reater 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 Advanced Diagnostics Accelerator鈥檚 work to support early disease detection and targeted care will support our NHS and with further investment is driving up local jobs, benefiting the local economy and helping to deliver our Plan for Change.鈥�

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料, added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 fantastic to see the innovation happening in Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 having such a wide-ranging impact. The Advanced Diagnostics Accelerator is improving the diagnosis and treatment of diseases while also delivering a significant economic boost, creating high-value jobs, driving investment, and encouraging closer collaboration between industry and academia. It is also doing great work in getting more of our residents involved in supporting medical trials, and speeding up access to the newest treatments and diagnostics being developed in our universities and research hospitals.

鈥淭he wider Innovation Accelerator programme has been an important catalyst for locally led innovation, and we鈥檝e seen that translate into business growth, new jobs and investment, and advances in technology across a range of sectors. The extension of funding for Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 10 projects will help them build on the success they鈥檝e already achieved.鈥�

Professor Ben Bridgewater, Chief Executive at Health Innovation 黑料网吃瓜爆料, commented: 鈥淭he investment we have received from the Innovation Accelerator programme for Advanced Diagnostic Accelerator was a catalyst to progress in our mission for improved population health. For each of our focus areas from liver disease and lung cancer to heart failure and chest pain we had a shared ethos to reduce inequalities, build on assets in existence and drive productivity through collaboration. To reach over 1,200 patients, create high-value jobs and establish a spin out in just two years shows the potential of projects like ours to make a meaningful impact on health outcomes.鈥�

The Innovation Accelerator programme has helped to catalyse transformative innovation projects and bolster the UK鈥檚 global competitiveness. For more information and find out about other projects that have been funded through the programme, visit the website.

The scientists also found slightly less, but still significant levels of microplastics in other organs of both male and female turtles, including the heart, kidney, liver and spleen, as well as skeletal muscle, subcutaneous fat, stomach and intestines.

They studied the bodies of 10 stranded loggerhead sea turtles, recovered by the Oceanogr脿fic Foundation of Valencia, that suffered drowning and exhaustion when they were accidently caught up in commercial fishing nets. 

The findings, published in the journal , could spell disaster for the majestic creatures already found in declining numbers in the world鈥檚 oceans.

It is the first study to show that microplastics from the gut can translocate in sea turtles, opening up the possibility of different organs  especially the reproductive system -  being directly affected.

The scientists believe microplastics may also lead to systemic inflammation  in the animals.

The largest median particle size  of around 25 microns was found in the intestines and fat, and the smallest median particle size  - of around 15 microns was found in the stomach and reproductive organs.

Lead author Leah Costello, a PhD researcher from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 was funded under a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Doctoral Training Studentship. 

She said: 鈥�Microplastics are a pervasive marine environmental pollutant, on a par with other global threats such as climate change and ozone depletion. 

鈥淥ur study is the first to show direct evidence of the presence of microplastics in the reproductive and other organs of loggerhead sea turtles.

鈥淪ea turtles already face many pressures from human activity and although we have been aware that they ingest plastic throughout their range, the finding of microplastics in almost every tissue sample was quite shocking.

鈥淭hese findings show that even seemingly healthy individuals could be under physiological stress, impacting the reproductive success of vulnerable and recovering populations.鈥�

Foreign microparticles were identified in 98.8% of all samples, of which around 70% were  microplastics. 

Analysis revealed that polypropylene, polyester fibres, and polyethylene were the most common microparticle types. 

Polypropylene is used in include food packaging, clothing, bottle caps, ropes, personal care products, fishing gear and twine. 

Loggerhead turtles are regularly reported to ingest plastic bags  - made from polyethylene -  who misidentify them as  jellyfish and algae. 

Polyester is another dominant microfiber releasing large numbers of microfibres into the oceans and seas. 

And further analysis provided direct visualisation of cotton microfibres embedded in loggerhead heart tissue.

 Three million tonnes of primary microplastics are released into environment every year, with a further 5.3 million tonnes of larger plastic items that can degrade into secondary microplastics over time.

Because plastics can remain in the gut for up to four months in sea turtles, the scientists speculate that microplastics can cross biological barriers from the gut to organs via the circulatory system contributing to a suite of adverse biological effects.

Co-author Professor Holly Shiels from the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料  added: 鈥淢icroplastic accumulation is likely to be associated with organ damage and toxicity in these incredible marine reptiles that can live for 70 years.

鈥淥f particular concern is the impact on reproduction, with implications on growth, development and viability of offspring which could spell trouble for the stability of these already vulnerable sea turtle populations. 

鈥�However, further studies are required to more broadly assess the biological and health impacts of microplastic on sea turtle reproduction.鈥�

• Images: fibre lodged in sea turtle heart; microplastics found in the turtles; drawing of sea turtle by Eve Boswell 
• Microplastics accumulate in all major organs of the Mediterranean loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) is published in Marine Environmental Research  

Working in partnership with 黑料网吃瓜爆料 University NHS Foundation Trust and Roche, the team developed the project - REVISE-HCC.

The REVISE-HCC project, funded by SBRI Healthcare /NHS England, was established to explore the use of an innovative test for liver cancer, which will help patients access earlier care and potentially save lives.

This project focused on implementing an improved strategy for liver cancer surveillance in patients who are at high risk by using the GAAD algorithm developed by Roche.

GAAD is an accurate test that combines blood tests with gender and age to indicate the presence of HCC (Hepatocellular carcinoma), which is the most common cause of cancer affecting the liver and a leading  cause for cancer-related deaths worldwide. The test is used alongside routine HCC surveillance tests to see how it can benefit patients.

With the  combined purpose to improve the detection rate for this deadly cancer at curable stages and improve the quality of life for these patients, we鈥檙e thrilled to receive this recognition.

Healthcare is rapidly shifting, towards more personalised care that鈥檚 more in tune with patients, embracing digital technologies that enable new possibilities. We鈥檙e excited to be at the forefront of this new class of diagnostic algorithms that our teams are helping to shape.

Programme Manager  Oliver Street said:  鈥� 黑料网吃瓜爆料 has some of the highest rates of liver disease and liver cancer in the UK and is a significant healthcare and societal burden. Far too many people are diagnosed too late when curative treatment is not possible.

鈥淲e were thrilled to be recognised at this year鈥檚 HSJ Partnership Awards for our partnership with Roche and 黑料网吃瓜爆料 University NHS Foundation Trust that implemented this innovative technology at MFT and allows for more patients with liver cancer to be detected an early stage when their cancer is potentially curable.鈥�

The breakthrough centres around an active spatial light modulator, a surface with more than 300,000 sub-wavelength pixels capable of manipulating THz light in both transmission and reflection. Unlike previous modulators, which were limited to small-scale demonstrations, the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 team integrated graphene-based THz modulators with large-area thin-film transistor (TFT) arrays, enabling high-speed, programmable control over the amplitude and phase of THz light across expansive areas.

, Professor of 2D Device Materials at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, commented, 鈥淲e have developed a new method to dynamically control THz waves at an unprecedented scale and speed. By integrating graphene optoelectronics with advanced TFT display technologies, we can now reconfigure complex THz wavefronts in real time.鈥�

The research demonstrates various capabilities, including programmable THz transmission patterns, beam steering, greyscale holography, and a proof-of-concept single-pixel THz camera. These functionalities are made possible through fine-tuned electrostatic gating of graphene, a material known for its unique electrical and optical properties at THz frequencies.

Co-author Dr M. Said Ergoktas, now a lecturer at the University of Bath, added, 鈥淥ur devices operate by adjusting local charge densities on a continuous graphene sheet, allowing for pixel-level control without the need for graphene patterning. This architecture allows for scalable fabrication using commercial display backplanes.鈥�

The team鈥檚 device architecture also supports dynamic beam steering and the generation of structured THz beams carrying orbital angular momentum, key features for advanced THz communication systems. One striking demonstration showed how a binary 鈥渇ork鈥� diffraction pattern generated donut-shaped beams with tunable vortex order, useful in multiplexed data transmission and beam shaping.

Beyond communications, the researchers showcased a single-pixel THz camera capable of imaging concealed metallic objects, representing a significant advance for non-invasive inspection in security, industrial monitoring, and medical diagnostics. This approach uses compressive sensing algorithms to reconstruct images from modulated THz patterns, highlighting the flexibility of their programmable platform.

鈥淯ntil now, THz modulators have struggled with scale and speed,鈥� Kocabas noted. 鈥淏y leveraging display technology, we demonstrate that it's possible to bring this field from lab-scale demonstrations to real-world applications.鈥�

Future directions

The authors indicate that the next steps involve enhancing modulation speeds and extending these systems to operate in reflection mode for full spectroscopic imaging. Future work may also focus on integrating this platform with advanced beamforming systems and next-generation 6G wireless technologies.

The is a world-leading graphene and 2D material centre, focussed on fundamental research. Based at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, where graphene was first isolated in 2004 by Professors Sir Andre Geim and Sir Kostya Novoselov, it is home to leaders in their field 鈥� a community of research specialists delivering transformative discovery. This expertise is matched by 拢13m leading-edge facilities, such as the largest class 5 and 6 cleanrooms in global academia, which gives the NGI the capabilities to advance underpinning industrial applications in key areas including: composites, functional membranes, energy, membranes for green hydrogen, ultra-high vacuum 2D materials, nanomedicine, 2D based printed electronics, and characterisation.

According to their study published today (25/03/25), satisfaction levels were lower in practices that rely more both on telephone appointments and consultations with non-GP staff.

Advanced nurse practitioners, physician associates, practice-based pharmacists and even paramedics, are among the roles who over the past few years have increasingly worked in place of GPs.

The study also theorises that patient satisfaction could increase by 1% when 10 additional face to face GP appointments per 1000 patients per month are added.

The findings are released amid recent changes to Government policy which aims to place more emphasis on non-GP roles to fill gaps in primary care provision.

However, critics of the policy argue that the new roles can be a cheap substitute which blur the lines between doctors and non-doctors.

The study is the first to use national appointment data to investigate the complex relationships between patient satisfaction, access, preference for a specific GP, and support for managing long-term conditions against appointment volume, modality (telephone or face-to-face), and practitioner type.

The data set of over half a million English patients from 5,500 practices was taken from the General Practice Patient Survey (GPPS) and  NHS Digital's practice level appointment data, covering August 2022 to March 2023.

The study found that 69.5% of appointments were face-to-face and 27.2% were on the telephone. Only 29.6% of appointments were face-to-face with a GP and 18.4% were GP telephone appointments.

The researchers also found that practices with a larger amount of telephone consultations had less satisfied patients. This dissatisfaction was still present and decreased only slightly when telephone calls were carried out by GPs, rather than non-GP staff.

The  correlation coefficient between face-to-face appointments and overall satisfaction was 0.096, showing that  practices with a greater percentage of face-to-face appointments were  more likely to have patients with higher overall satisfaction.

However the figure for GP face-to-face appointments was 0.167 showing that GP face-to-face appointments have an even stronger correlation.

The study also found that:

• Practices offering more on the day appointments had reduced satisfaction with access compared to practices that offered appointments days or weeks in advance.
• Greater numbers of appointments of any type with any staff member overall resulted in improved patients satisfaction.
• Greater numbers of GP appointments at a practice were associated with reduced unmet health needs.

Dr Patrick Burch is an academic clinical lecturer at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and a practising GP.

He said: 鈥淭his study of appointments from over 5,500 practices showed that more appointments, particularly with face-to-face with GPs, tended to be associated with more satisfied patients who were better able to meet their health needs.

鈥淲hile telephone and IT assisted appointments have an important role to play in general practice, we would cautiously welcome an overall increase in the proportion of face-to-face consultations.

鈥淯ntil recently, simply employing more GPs was not seen as feasible. However, given six out of 10 job-seeking GPs have to find a vacancy to apply for over the past year, this may now be a potential option.

鈥淲e would also welcome measures that free up GP time to enable more patient appointments.鈥�

He added: 鈥淎 greater proportion of telephone appointments were associated with decreased satisfaction in general, especially when provided by non-doctor roles.

鈥淣on-GP clinicians employed in primary care since 2019 has increased by 21,600 full time equivalent staff members.

鈥淎s primary care funding has not gone up significantly, arguably this cash is now being used to pay other less expensive clinicians rather than GPs.

鈥淭he reasons for the findings behind this study are likely to be complex, but there is undoubtedly an important role for non-GP clinicians in primary care.

鈥淧atient satisfaction is not the only measure of success in general practice but it is important that policy makers take note of the link between patient satisfaction and numbers of appointments with GPs.鈥�

In the paper, appointments were only divided into GP or non-GP, with no other categories used. As a proportion, if one goes up, the other goes down.

The paper What is the relationship between the volume and type of appointments in general practice and patient experience? An observational study of general practice in England is published in the British Journal of General Practice . DOI:

The research looks, for the first time, into how to assess the range of ongoing needs after having a brain tumour for young people between 16-39 year olds.

Using a questionnaire designed with the help of nearly 130 patients, detailed information is now going to be gathered from 100 brain tumour survivors as part of their follow-up consultation. Researchers will then assess the impact the survey has on providing personalised care to improve the long-term support after treatment. If this trial improves the experience for patients at The Christie, then the plan is to roll it out at to other hospitals around the UK.

Dr Kate Law, a research fellow and specialist nurse at The Christie and honorary research associate at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, who is leading on the research study known as YOU-CAN said: 鈥淎 third of all childhood cancers are brain tumours and survival is highest for 15 鈥� 39 year olds. Currently there is no assessment tailored specifically for young people with a brain tumour.  We have identified an unmet need, and want to address this to make life better for young brain tumour survivors in the future.

鈥淎t The Christie alone we see approximately 550 patients who were diagnosed with brain cancer as a child or young adult every year on long-term follow-up. What is fantastic is that people are living longer and recovering from brain tumours, but we are aware that often these very determined and resilient young people need help with independent living, forming relationships and friendships, starting a family and managing the emotions associated with the long-term effects of a brain tumour. They want to make the most out of life and we need to support them in doing this.

鈥淚t is hoped that the evidence gathered from the YOU-CAN study will be a step towards a change in clinical practice in the future where every young person has access to a multi-disciplinary team for on-going support after being treated for a brain tumour.

Claudia Laird (27), a children鈥檚 nurse from Burnley in Lancashire was diagnosed with a brain tumour in January 2022 when she was 24. Her tumour was 7cm by 5cm and doctors believed it had been growing in her head for 15 years. Claudia went to the GP several times due to headaches, fatigue, memory loss, hallucinations and sickness. She initially thought she had a virus, but a scan revealed she had an astrocytoma, a form of brain cancer.

鈥淚 was a healthy person, so it was hard at first to get a diagnosis. But when I did, from the scan to surgery was like a whirlwind and I had emergency neurosurgery.  Thankfully the surgeon believed he鈥檇 removed the whole tumour. Now I just go for six-monthly scans. While I feel well physically, and no longer on treatment, you鈥檙e left with psychological trauma and you worry about what will happen if the tumour grows back. You have to pick up your life where you left off but it鈥檚 a 鈥榥ew normal鈥�. Forming relationships is hard and I haven鈥檛 had a partner since all this happened. I鈥檓 not 100 per cent back to where I was, and have some short term memory loss and I can get overwhelmed easily.  Hopefully that will improve in time and the brain can re-learn things. It鈥檚 still quite early days and it鈥檚 still hard for me but I take it day by day.

鈥淚 was discharged two days after surgery and I didn鈥檛 even take any time off work. My mum has been a massive support system, and I don鈥檛 think I鈥檇 be here without her, but having a professional like a support worker you can go to with questions would be so useful. I鈥檝e been writing poetry which has been great therapy. I do a lot of charity work and fundraising to give back and next month I鈥檓 helping with a creative workshop for other young people who have brain injuries. I also do a lot of yoga, pilates and relaxation classes which really help. I鈥檓 enjoying life and see things differently now and appreciate everything so much more than before.鈥�

is Professor of Health Policy and is a GP by background. She leads a team of researchers in the Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care at 黑料网吃瓜爆料. Professor Checkland鈥檚 team researches the impact of changes to NHS policy, organisation and management, working closely with policy makers at the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to ensure that policy and organisational changes are based upon the best possible evidence.  

Professor Checkland has a particular interest in primary care workforce, working with colleagues across the and to develop an evidence base to support policy in this area. 

is Professor in Health Economics, Lead for the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Centre for Health Economics (MCHE), an applied health economist, and a UK-registered pharmacist.  

Professor Elliott applies an economics perspective to better understand complex healthcare themes (patient safety and adherence, primary care, digital interoperability, diabetes, antibiotic resistance, mental health and dementia) to design effective, sustainable solutions that improve health where there is the greatest unmet need. 

is a Professor of Health Psychology at the University as well as being President of the European Health Psychology Society. Professor French is a behavioural scientist who is interested in developing, evaluating and implementing complex interventions to improve health. His research focusses on cancer screening, prevention of diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease in high-risk populations, and effects of changing the built environment. 

The University also celebrates , Professor in Oncology, who has been reappointed as Senior Investigator by the NIHR. 

Professor Kath Checkland said: 鈥淚 was absolutely delighted to have my work for NIHR recognised by this award. My research has benefitted enormously from the financial and practical support provided by NIHR, and I am delighted to have this opportunity to contribute to further to its work.  

Professor Rachel Elliott said: 鈥淚 am very pleased and honoured to have been given the Senior Investigator award. As a Senior investigator, I will expand my leadership in research through continued development of the economics of safety work programme, augmented by my role in NIHR-Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料-Patient Safety Research Collaboration.  

鈥淚 will enhance public, patient, and community engagement in health economics through expanded training and funded projects, while promoting inclusion in the academic workforce by proactively reaching out to underrepresented professions, regions, and institutions, supported by my role as Post-doctoral Award Chair in the NIHR Academy.鈥� 

Professor David French said: 鈥淚 am delighted to be appointed as an NIHR Senior Investigator, and the opportunities this provides to provide leadership in developing and evaluating complex interventions to promote health, especially those with high reach.鈥� 

The NIHR funds Senior Investigators every year. Those appointed to the role help to guide research capacity development and play a leading role in guiding strategy and tackling challenges in the health and social care landscape.  

The position is awarded to those who make an outstanding leadership contribution to the work of the NIHR. All Senior Investigator appointees receive funding for 4 years to support their research activities while undertaking a senior leadership role for the NIHR. 

Working in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, and the public, the NIHR funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people鈥檚 health and well-being and promotes economic growth. 

See the full list of NIHR Senior Investigators .

Read NIHR's news story .

The team led by New York University Abu Dhabi and University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers show that fishes living in the Arabian Gulf reefs have - remarkably - adapted to extreme summer temperatures, which are akin to a hot bath.

When the researchers tested the difference in fish鈥檚 temperature tolerances compared to fishes from the nearby - more benign Gulf of Oman- the Arabian Gulf animals only partially compensated for their higher summer temperatures. 

The study is published in the journal Global Change Biology and supported by Mubadala and Tamkeen in the UAE, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council in the UK 

It  serves as a stark warning of what the future might look like for all tropical reef fishes across the world. 

鈥淥ur study suggests while these coral reef fishes have evolved a remarkable ability to cope with rising temperatures, it is still limited,鈥� said co-author Dr Daniel Ripley, a fish physiologist from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and New York University Abu Dhabi. 

鈥淪o, if the trends in rising global sea temperatures continue, at some point we anticipate these animals will start to struggle. 

鈥淭he resultant loss of biodiversity- and the impact that would have on things like tourism and fisheries could devastate coastal communities.鈥� 

Though the scientists studied three species, the Arabian Monocle Bream, Gulf Blenny and the Twospot Cardinalfish, most other species would be likely to be in a similarly precarious position, the scientists argue. 

Because the Arabian Gulf 鈥� also known as the Persian Gulf 鈥� is relatively shallow, averaging 35 metres deep, it heats up quickly in the hot summer months, with sea temperatures typically exceeding 36 Celsius. 

This makes it an ideal proxy for what the temperature ranges of tropical seas might look like in the future. 

Though the Gulf of Oman is nearby, it鈥檚 average depth of 2,700 metres means it doesn鈥檛 get as warm, with summer temperatures typically not exceeding 32 Celsius, - making it ideal for comparison. 

Changes and extremes in temperatures can have profound consequences for fishes, including displacing them to cooler waters, reducing their body sizes, and changing the time they reproduce. 

Co-author Professor Holly Shiels from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 added: 鈥淥ur research found that the ability for the three species we studied to survive and thrive is on the brink. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 impossible to know at what temperature they will cease to survive in these areas, but we can say with some certainty that they are edging closer to that situation.鈥� 

A past leading theory suggested that fishes had relatively fixed upper heat limits, but the new results suggest that they have more flexibility than previously appreciated

John Burt, Professor of Biology at New York University Abu Dhabi said: 鈥淭he Gulf is not only extremely hot, but also has high seasonal variability between winter and summer, and this exposure to dramatic temperature swings may promote improved flexibility of fish physiology than we had assumed.

鈥淎s our climate continues changing, climate variability will also increase, which suggests that the situation we see in Gulf fishes is likely to be seen more widely.鈥�

• Images and videos: Please credit Rebekka Pentti and Oliver Farrell from New York University Abu Dhabi.

Researchers at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and 黑料网吃瓜爆料, with colleagues in Newcastle, Germany and the USA, collaborated with clinicians across the world to identify changes in two different genes, that both result in Perrault syndrome.

Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), Action Medical Research, The Royal National Institute for Deaf people (RNID) and the Medical Research Council, the results from two separate studies, which identified changes to the DAP3 and MRPL49 genes, have been published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

Professor Bill Newman, Consultant in Genomic Medicine at MFT, and Rare Conditions Co-Theme Lead at the NIHR 黑料网吃瓜爆料 BRC, who co-led the research, said: 鈥淔inding the causes of rare conditions like Perrault syndrome are the first steps in understanding why people are affected, providing clearer diagnosis, and developing novel treatments.

鈥淧reviously up to half of all people with Perrault syndrome could not have this diagnosis confirmed by a genetic test. These new discoveries through this research will provide an accurate diagnosis to more affected people.鈥�

Initial research into the condition began in 2011 at The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Centre for Genomic Medicine, Saint Mary鈥檚 Hospital, part of MFT, when researchers led by Professor Newman undertook genetic studies on a local family with Perrault syndrome. Their research identified a novel gene and changes within the gene which led to the diagnosis of the syndrome. Further studies by the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 group and other researchers around the world have found eight different genes that cause Perrault syndrome.

Sam鈥檚 story

56-year-old Sam was diagnosed with Perrault syndrome when she was 28 years old, after being under the care of various hospitals to diagnose her rare genetic condition. 

Sam is profoundly deaf and was fitted with hearing aids before the age of one, which is a common feature of the condition. Other symptoms that led to her diagnosis include short stature, very small ovaries and the absence of periods.

 Sam was identified with a DAP3 genetic change through this research in August 2024.

DAP3 is found in every cell of the body and is important in a part of the cell called the mitochondria, often referred to as the powerhouses of the cell. Some tissues in the body are very susceptible to when the mitochondria do not work properly, and it is why researchers believe hearing and ovarian problems occur in Perrault syndrome.

Sam said: 鈥淲hen I was told I had DAP3 gene changes I was pleased as it helped me make sense of my symptoms and better understand Perrault syndrome.  

鈥淭his research is incredible and will help others who are in a similar position to me. I struggled for years not knowing what was wrong with me so, I hope it will help others too 鈥� especially those who are younger so they can get an earlier diagnosis and access to the help they need. 

鈥淚 would advise anybody who is concerned to get advice as soon as possible. Thanks to this research, family members will also be tested which will provide an early diagnosis for more people potentially affected by the condition.鈥�

This research will now be used globally to provide an accurate diagnosis for those at risk or undiagnosed with the condition.

Professor Ray O鈥橩eefe, Professor of Molecular Genetics at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 co-led the work. Professor O鈥橩eefe said: 鈥淕enetic testing helps families to get diagnosed earlier and to access the right care and support sooner.

鈥淲hen patients 鈥� particularly children, are presenting with hearing loss or changes on their brain scan, they can be genetically tested to see if their health problems are caused by changes in these genes.

鈥淕enetic testing removes the need for unnecessary investigations, allows closer monitoring to spot problems earlier and enables accurate genetic counselling for other family members who may be at risk.鈥�

Dr Ralph Holme, Director of Research at RNID said: 鈥淲e are delighted to have been able to support this important research.

鈥淎s ovarian problems are a key feature of the diagnosis, men are rarely diagnosed even though they have the same risk of being affected. Early, accurate diagnosis can result in improved hearing outcomes.

鈥淯nderstanding rare types of hearing loss, such as Perrault Syndrome, also gives us important insights that may be relevant to more common forms of hearing loss.鈥�

Professor Newman, who is also Professor of Translational Genomic Medicine at The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Centre for Genomic Medicine at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, added: 鈥淎lthough genetic research into Perrault syndrome is complex, this new information provides important pieces in the jigsaw. We are continuing to look at all the genes that cause Perrault syndrome as understanding how these genes are all linked together means that perhaps it would be possible to create a treatment that would work for all of them.

鈥淲e have also started to make hearing nerve cells from skin cells of individuals with Perrault syndrome. This is exciting as testing the cells that are actually affected by the condition will help us to develop treatments targeted to the correct cell type.鈥� 
 

Both research papers are available to read in the American Journal of Human Genetics:

(published 2 January 2025).

Published 4 March 2025).

These body ideals continue to be influenced by visual exposure to different body weights into adulthood, the research also found.

The results show that people鈥檚 perceptions of body weight are flexible and adult-like from seven years of age onwards and have implications for our understanding of body size and the perceptions, and possible misperceptions, of weight in health and wellbeing.

Professor Lynda Boothroyd, from Durham University鈥檚 Department of Psychology, carried out a first-of-its-kind study to examine the flexibility of body weight perceptions in children and young adults.

The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, found that children as young as seven years old adjust how heavy or light they rate other people鈥檚 bodies after seeing a series of pictures of low or high weight bodies.

The analysis uncovered a significant shift in weight perceptions after exposure to images depicting various body weights. The results showed that the manner in which our brains represent what constitutes 鈥渉eavy鈥� or 鈥渓ight鈥� develops at a very young age.

The research, which involved more than 200 individuals aged seven through to adulthood, also indicated that media influences known to shape adult body perceptions can almost certainly impact children to the same degree, starting from early childhood and continuing to evolve into adulthood.

Lead author, Professor Lynda Boothroyd said: 鈥淚t has been clear for many years that we need to be wary about visual media which present only a narrow range of bodies, because this affects adults鈥� body perceptions. 

鈥淣ow we know that鈥檚 true for children, too. Even very neutral images can adjust their ideas about what is heavy or thin if they see enough of the same kind of body.鈥� 

C-author Dr Amelia Parchment from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淭his was such an interesting study to work on and highlights that body-weight perceptions are shaped early on in life and continue into adulthood. Our findings have important implications, including the potential impact of unrealistic body weights, typically seen in visual media, on the lifelong body weight perceptions of children as young as 7-years old. 鈥�

Professor Boothroyd鈥檚 team at Durham has previously shown that adults鈥� ideas about what is an 鈥榓ttractive鈥� body weight or muscle mass are affected by visual experience. This includes the effect of television access on body perceptions among remote communities in Latin America and, in a separate study, finding that White Western women have lower body appreciation and experience greater pressure from the media to be thin compared to Black Nigerian and Chinese women across all ages.

Looking ahead, the team is now investigating how best to address body image concerns in young adults across the globe in a major 拢2 million (鈧�2.5M) research project and developing novel play-based techniques to investigate children鈥檚 understandings of body weight and body ideals from a younger age.

Professor Boothroyd added: 鈥淩esearchers often assume that children鈥檚 body perceptions and their ideas about body image work the same way as adults. We鈥檝e shown that that鈥檚 true, down to seven years, for basic perceptual impacts on body weight perception. But there鈥檚 more to explore in how that converts into their own body image and their own feelings about weight.鈥�

This new study included data gathered during the University鈥檚 鈥楯unior Scientist鈥� event, which actively involves families from the local communities around Durham, UK, in various research and educational activities.

Additionally, the research involved stimuli provided by Northumbria University and contributions from a Post-doctoral Research Associate at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料.

Innovative approach to spintronics

Spin transport electronics, or spintronics, represents a revolutionary alternative to traditional electronics by utilising the spin of electrons rather than their charge to transfer and store information. This method promises energy-efficient and high-speed solutions that exceed the limitations of classical computation, for next generation classical and quantum computation.

The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 team, led by , has fully encapsulated monolayer graphene in hexagonal boron nitride, an insulating and atomically flat 2D material, to protect its high quality. By engineering the 2D material stack to expose only the edges of graphene, and laying magnetic nanowire electrodes over the stack, they successfully form one-dimensional (1D) contacts.

Quantum behaviour and ballistic transport

The study explores the injection process via these 1D contacts at low temperatures (20 K), revealing that electron transport across the interface is quantum in nature. The contacts act as quantum point contacts (QPCs), commonly used in quantum nanotechnology and metrology.

First author of the paper, Dr Daniel Burrow, said 鈥渢his quantum behaviour is evidenced by the measurement of quantised conductance through the contacts, indicating that the energy spectrum of electrons transforms into discrete energy subbands upon injection. By adjusting the electron density in the graphene and applying a magnetic field, we visualised these subbands and explored their connection with spin transport.鈥�  

These QPCs, formed by using magnetic nanowires, avoid the need to engineer a physical constriction within the graphene channel, which makes their implementation more practical than previous approaches.

Implications for quantum nanotechnology

The state-of-the-art device architecture developed by the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 team offers a straightforward method for creating tuneable QPCs in graphene, overcoming fabrication challenges associated with other methods. The magnetic nature of the nanoscale contacts enables quantised spin injection, paving the way for energy-efficient devices in spin-based quantum nanotechnology.

Furthermore, the demonstration of ballistic spin injection presents an encouraging step towards the development of low-power ballistic spintronics. Future research efforts will focus on enhancing spin transport in graphene by leveraging the quantum nature of injection via the QPCs.

This research is part of the Horizon Europe Project "2D Heterostructure Non-volatile Spin Memory Technology" (2DSPIN-TECH), supported by a UKRI grant.

The is a world-leading graphene and 2D material centre, focussed on fundamental research. Based at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, where graphene was first isolated in 2004 by Professors Sir Andre Geim and Sir Kostya Novoselov, it is home to leaders in their field 鈥� a community of research specialists delivering transformative discovery. This expertise is matched by 拢13m leading-edge facilities, such as the largest class 5 and 6 cleanrooms in global academia, which gives the NGI the capabilities to advance underpinning industrial applications in key areas including: composites, functional membranes, energy, membranes for green hydrogen, ultra-high vacuum 2D materials, nanomedicine, 2D based printed electronics, and characterisation.

University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Scientists are among the researchers at the Cancer Research UK National Biomarker Centre in 黑料网吃瓜爆料 have developed a simple blood test which can tell doctors at a very early stage if the melanoma is back even if a scan looks normal.

The test is now being used as part of a Cancer Research UK funded clinical trial, led by researchers at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, for patients across the region which could mean quicker diagnosis for people at risk of a relapse.

Among those taking part is mum of two Karen Dickinson, who was at a routine appointment for her arthritic knee, when her osteopath pointed out an irregular looking mole on her lower back.

The next day, the 57-year-old IT manager, now living in Lancaster, went to see her GP, who referred her for tests which revealed that Karen had melanoma 鈥� the most serious form of skin cancer.

Unfortunately, she was also told that the melanoma 鈥� which affects 2,200 people in the North West every year* - had spread to her lymph nodes.

Karen had surgery to remove the mole including a wider area of skin as well as the affected lymph nodes and she was unable to work for a month.

She said: 鈥淚t was such a shock. I had noticed the mole one day getting out of the shower and wondered if it was slightly darker. I thought it may have been due to the fact we鈥檇 been on holiday, even though it had been covered up. So, I had decided to keep an eye on it, but when my osteopath pointed it out and said I should get it checked sooner rather than later, I went straight to my GP. Then it all just happened so fast. They had removed it and diagnosed me with melanoma skin cancer all within a few weeks.

鈥淚 had no idea how serious melanoma was, and you do worry that you could die. Telling my husband Stephen and my two girls Chelsea and Alex was hard. Having cancer has changed my outlook on life. You do worry it might come back, but it absolutely doesn鈥檛 define who I am. It鈥檚 made me prioritise my time and not take my health for granted anymore. My time is precious, and I value what is most important to me more than ever.鈥�

Now Karen is one of 50 people to sign up to the DETECTION-2 clinical trial which aims to prevent people from having unnecessary treatment if their cancer is unlikely to return.

For most people who are diagnosed with melanoma at an early stage, the cancer will be successfully removed by surgery. But in a small percentage of patients the cancer will come back.

On the NHS, patients are currently offered a one-year preventative drug treatment aimed at reducing the risk of recurrence. But with this new blood test, it could be possible to identify patients most at risk, so that further treatment is only given to those who really need it. 

The blood test spot can spot small fragments of DNA shed by cancer cells - known as circulating tumour DNA or ctDNA.

The trial, which launched last month, is led by teams of researchers from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit.

Consultant medical oncologist at The Christie, Professor Paul Lorigan is leading on the trial. He said: 鈥淲hile immunotherapy or targeted therapy after surgery can help to prevent cancer returning, the majority of patients do not need this.  Giving this treatment to everyone means that many patients may unnecessarily receive additional treatment, which can have serious and long-term side effects. Ideally, only patients likely to have the melanoma return would receive the additional treatment and we therefore want to see if we can use a simple blood test to spot those patients who are most at risk.鈥�

Senior Lecturer in medical oncology at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and Principal Investigator on the trial, Dr Rebecca Lee added: 鈥淚f ctDNA is detected, then we can fast-track patients on to treatment and this would mean that only those patients who really need drug treatment receive it.鈥�

The research team, which is working closely with the charity Melanoma Focus and its patient groups, has recently begun recruiting patients at eight hospitals across the UK, including The Royal Preston Hospital where Karen had her first blood test which has shown no signs of melanoma.

Patients who decide to take part will be randomly assigned to one of two groups, half will receive the standard NHS care and the other half will have regular ctDNA blood tests following surgery instead. The results will be compared at the end of the study and if successful, the trial will be expanded to more hospital sites and more patients.

All patients will continue to have regular scans and skin checks and will be followed up for 5 years.

Karen added: 鈥淭he benefit for me of this brand-new trial is that I don鈥檛 need to go on medication, that could make feel very ill, if I don鈥檛 need it. Also, I have that reassurance that alongside the regular scans and checks, I will have these fantastic blood tests every three months that show up signs of the cancer coming back up to 12-months earlier than a scan. So for me it鈥檚 hugely beneficial both mentally and physically.鈥�

Analysis by Cancer Research UK showed that rates of melanoma have increased by almost a third over the past decade with around 16,000 people diagnosed with melanoma every year in the UK.**

With melanoma cases in the UK on the rise, this clinical trial has come at a crucial time according to Cancer Research UK鈥檚 Executive Director of Research and Innovation Dr Iain Foulkes. He said: 鈥淐ancer Research UK is dedicated to discovery science while ensuring our findings in the laboratory have patient benefit. This project is an important step towards ensuring that our understanding of cancer can provide more personalised treatment for people diagnosed with melanoma, whilst sustaining their quality of life."

Melanoma Focus CEO Susanna Daniels added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 hoped that by using these ctDNA blood tests, doctors will be able to identify very early on which patients have a high chance of the melanoma returning and treat those patients accordingly. Doctors will also be able to provide reassurance to those patients that do not have ctDNA in their blood that their melanoma is not returning, and therefore avoid unnecessary treatment and potential side effects for many patients.鈥�

Image: Karen Dickinson

The Options Roundabout event on the 19^th February 2025 was the culmination of the which saw our researchers pitch to a panel of commercialisation experts, entrepreneurs and funders. The event was a resounding success and an opportunity for the cohort to network and celebrate their achievements with peers and supporters of the programme.

The programme aims to inspire and accelerate the translation of the knowledge created through academic research into products, services or processes to deliver tangible benefit through a series of bespoke workshops and mentoring opportunities. The workshops helped researchers articulate their ideas by taking them through a lean start-up pathway to explore the commercial potential of their research.

The Innovation Enabling Awards were granted to acknowledge the impact and growth potential with early career researchers receiving between 拢1000 to 拢8000 to further develop the commercial potential of their ideas and businesses.

Aline Miller, Professor of Biomolecular Engineering and Associate Dean for Business Engagement and Innovation, presented the Innovation Enabling Awards to the six winning projects.

Award Winners

Innovation Enabling Award: 拢8,000

Tiny Human Dramas 

Dr Meghan Rose Donnelly (School of Social Sciences)

鈥�The R2I programme provided me with the skills I needed to take my research out into the world and make a real impact: connecting with industry, refining ideas, building a plan for the future, pitching to potential investors, and much more. R2I absolutely brought me from researcher to innovator.鈥�

Innovation Enabling Award: 拢5,000

Antenatal Education

Dr Holly Reid (School of Medical Sciences)

"The programme and the award have meant that the little idea with which I started R2I, could now be a commercially viable business very soon and that's really exciting."

Innovation Enabling Awards: 拢3,000

Graphene Vision

Dr Rui Zhang and Dr Matthew Lindley (School of Natural Sciences)

"The R2I programme has equipped us with the skills and confidence needed to navigate the entrepreneurial journey. The Innovation Enabling Award will help accelerate the commercialization of our innovation and has given us even more motivation to succeed." 

AI- GPR

Dr Frank Podd (School of Engineering)

鈥淩2I was a fantastic way to learn about the best approach to starting a company, from the inception of an innovation through to the collaborative development of a product with customers鈥� 

Innovation Enabling Awards: 拢1,000

Green Terra Energy Storage

Camilo Salazar (School of Engineering)

&苍产蝉辫;鈥�R2I is a very user-friendly program that provides you with the fundamental tools to start becoming an entrepreneur. The key is to believe in your role, you are already the best.鈥�

Battery Waste Recycling

Dr Amal Nadri (School of Engineering)

The prize winners will also receive expert support and signposting to regional and national accelerator programmes and all the participants on the MEC R2I programme will be connected to the wider ecosystem for further support, mentoring and guidance in taking their research ideas forward.

The organisers wish to thank the  Fellowship for their sponsorship of the Innovation Enabling Awards.

Get Involved

If you are an early career researcher looking for an exciting opportunity to develop your innovative thinking and enhance your understanding of creating and developing impact join the next round of the R2I programme. Find out more .

The is supported by the University鈥檚 Innovation Academy. The Innovation Academy is a pan University initiative and joint venture between the , the and the Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team, bringing together knowledge, expertise and routes to facilitate the commercialisation of research.

The  guideline establishes new standards for managing fungal infections, which affect millions of people worldwide every year, and was recently published in Lancet Infectious Diseases. 

The new guideline contains detailed recommendations on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of various forms of candidiasis 鈥� from superficial infections to life-threatening invasive infections 鈥� for clinicians, including innovative diagnostic procedures and the latest therapeutic approaches. 

Particular attention is paid to new challenges such as resistance to common antifungals and the increasing spread of Candida auris, a multiresistant pathogen 

鈥淲ith this guideline, we have taken an important step towards improving treatment for patients worldwide,鈥� said Professor Cornely, head of the global initiative. Co-lead Dr Sprute added: 鈥淥ur aim was to pool the expertise of a global network to provide doctors and healthcare professionals with a practical and scientifically sound tool. 

The document is the result of four years of intensive collaboration among more than one hundred experts from 35 countries. Supported by the expert associations ECMM (European Confederation of Medical Mycology), ISHAM (International Society for Human and Animal Mycology) and ASM (American Society for Microbiology).

Dr Cornely invited potential authors for the guideline based on speciality, geography, and gender. Six coordinators were appointed to ensure the structure of the guideline, assign topics, identify missing aspects and monitor progress.

The guideline has been endorsed worldwide by seventy six international expert associations as an important guide for practising physicians and meets the highest standards of quality and relevance to clinical care.

鈥淥ur compilation is unprecedented and provides a basis for improving the treatment and chances of survival of affected patients worldwide,鈥� said Cornely, underlining the significance of the work.

Dr Riina Rautemaa-Richardson, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Infectious Diseases and Medical Education at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥�"It was a mammoth project to bring practically the world together to agree how to diagnose and manage the most common invasive fungal disease. For the first time, all continents are represented and all aspects of Candida infections covered, including the very common superficial ones (thrush).鈥�

"It was amazing to see how much more evidence there is to support the recommendations made compared to the previous European guideline 10 years ago. Although we had over 100 expert authors in the group it was easy to agree on the recommendations.鈥�

Published in the and led by David Denning, Professor of Infectious Diseases in Global Health at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, the team analysed fungal infection management policies from the Netherlands,Italy, South Korea, China, and India. 

The contrast between the countries gives a representative picture of policies around the world according to Professor Denning. 

The research focussed on recognition and prioritization, awareness and education, prevention and monitoring, diagnosis and coordinated care, access to appropriate treatment, and diagnostic and treatment innovation. 

They also found worrying gaps in policy coverage, including low prioritization of diagnostics and omission of fungal pathogens from antimicrobial resistance policies.

There was also a general lack of awareness, poor healthcare professional training on optimal management of the potentially deadly infection which often presents with minimal, vague, or nonspecific symptoms.

Professor Denning said: 鈥淒evelopment of efficient and coordinated national systems to reduce avoidable deaths from fungal diseases has lagged behind other infectious diseases.

鈥淎 key element is timely and appropriate use of antifungal agents, based on diagnostic results, prevailing resistance trends and stewardship.

鈥淲e hope this article will provide a stimulus for all countries to put in place comprehensive plans for fungal diseases and monitor their implementation.鈥�

The policy framework that was developed is summarised in 6 areas: policy recognition, awareness and education, prevention and monitoring, diagnosis and coordinated care, access to appropriate treatment and innovation.

Each item in each country was scored using a traffic light system.

A 拢1m funding award from the Medical Research Council in collaboration with Innovate UK will accompany 拢1.2 million of in-kind support from 85 partners to fund the pilot phase of the UK Centre of Excellence on In-Silico Regulatory Science and Innovation (UK CEiRSI). This Centre will collaborate globally to address some of the sector's most pressing challenges and target unmet patient outcomes and safety needs. 

The consortium will work with computational modelling and simulation and AI techniques鈥攁ll of which are poised to revolutionise the healthcare landscape. The UK CEiRSI will contribute to making the UK the best milieu for delivering medical innovations using in silico evidence and regulatory science. 

The Centre will consist of leading universities from the UK鈥檚 four nations, world-class companies, and health systems and regulatory bodies, including the UK鈥檚 Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Health Research Authority (HRA) but will also collaborate with colleagues in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US, and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in mainland Europe.

Professor Alex Frangi, Bicentennial Turing Chair in Computational Medicine at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, will direct the Centre.

He said: 鈥淗uman and animal trials often face high failure rates resulting in delays, increased costs, and potential risks to patients.

鈥淥n average, pharmaceutical products take 12  years to develop, with testing consuming up to 30% of costs.

鈥淗owever, we will seek to address these critical inefficiencies by developing in-silico technologies that produce digital evidence for the digital age. Our aim is to reflect engineering practices in other sectors where physical testing is complemented by virtual testing and product optimisation. This will result in improved medical products (drugs or devices), faster and more affordable lifesaving therapies for patients, and innovative regulatory approval processes.鈥�

He added: 鈥淭hese cutting-edge tools can greatly enhance reliability in testing, while substantially reducing development time and costs, as well as improving the diversity of testing conditions, leading to more equitable care.鈥�

鈥淎nd that will benefit patients through reduced failure rates and recalls, while fostering economic growth by driving innovation in pharmaceuticals and medical technologies.鈥�

However, despite their transformative potential, a regulatory deadlock for in-silico technologies means the technologies face barriers to adoption. Regulators lack frameworks to assess in-silico evidence, while developers hesitate to invest without clear pathways to approval.

The UK CEiRSI aims to break the deadlock and position in-silico technology and virtual trials as a mainstream approach to eliminate risk from future medical and pharmaceutical innovation developments. To tackle this impasse, the Pilot phase will implement an In Silico Airlock Initiative where actors from industry, academia and regulatory bodies will explore 10 industry-led pre-commercial regulatory pilots and assess the opportunities and limitations of current credibility frameworks.

Building on the success of a six-month discovery phase, UK CEiRSI will bring together industry leaders, regulators, Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and standardisation bodies, academics, and patient representatives - to test and refine frameworks for assessing in-silico evidence.

Reports from the project will address key issues such as regulatory frameworks, legal and ethical implications, and patient risk reduction, paving the way for in-silico technologies to make a real impact on our lives.

• "in silico"  is a term used to describe experiments or studies that are performed using computer simulations or software. 

For more information visit:

• UK CEiRSI LinkedIn
• InSilicoUK
• InSilicoUK
• InSilicoUK
• InSilicoUK L 

The May Davidson Award 2024 has been presented to Dr Sarah Parry by the British Psychological Society (BPS) for her exceptional early career achievements.

Dr Parry is a Senior Clinical Lecturer and Academic Director for the Clinical Psychology Doctorate at 黑料网吃瓜爆料. Her research focuses on young people鈥檚 mental health and advancing care for children and families.

Alongside this, Dr Parry co-leads a research centre at , where she works with young people and families to develop evidence-based improvements to mental health services.

Dr Parry鈥檚 current research studies include exploring joint responses for young people experiencing mental health crises, supporting young people with distressing sensory experiences, identifying and overcoming barriers to inclusive research, and developing a trauma-informed care approach for use in homes for cared for children.

Dr Sarah Parry said: 鈥淚 am truly grateful to receive the May Davidson Award, especially when I think of the inspiring previous recipients of the award, whose work I greatly admire.

The BPS seeks to represent psychology and psychological professions, with the aim of promoting the incredible impact the field can have on individuals and society.

The May Davidson Award is presented to clinical psychologists who have made an outstanding contribution to the development of clinical psychology within the first 10 years of their work as a qualified clinical psychologist. The late May Davidson was president of the BPS in 1976 and was actively involved in government discussions about the role of clinical psychologists.

The BPS said: 鈥淪arah has championed a reflective and compassionate approach to training in mental health and clinical psychology. She has pioneered leading on clinical research in under researched areas in the field of youth mental health using a collaborative approach in developing communities of support and co-creating research with experts by experience.

鈥淭he Award is in recognition of the dedication and thoughtfulness shown and the quality of the work in improving children and young people's mental health.鈥�

The Young People鈥檚 Research Centre at Pennine Care reports an increasing number of young people are reporting mental health concerns, with one in six 7-16 year-olds experiencing a mental health difficulty in 2022. The centre recognises that early access to support is crucial, as around 50% of mental health challenges emerge by the age of 14.

Through the vital research Dr Parry is championing, she hopes to learn how to improve the quality and accessibility of mental health services, to support and advocate for young people with a range of different needs.