The report, was partly based on research evidence submitted by  the University of ԰������’s  .

Cited in the report, Professor of Primary Care and Community Health  at the University of ԰������ told the Committee: “Evidence-based exercise programmes, particularly resistance training, could both prevent frailty from developing and reverse it. Exercise programmes to prevent frailty could decrease the risk factors linked to developing conditions associated with ageing, including dementia.”

Boosting resilience to illness, frailty and falls through physical activity will be key to keeping the country’s ageing population healthy and living independently for longer., the MPs said.

This change will be fundamental to the Government’s objective of switching the NHS’s focus from treating illness to preventing it 

The report follows the cross-party Committee’s and recommends:

• Advice and social prescribing of physical activity should become a core, routine offering to older people from their GPs and other clinicians.
• Stronger links between local NHS services with leisure providers and community groups to make exercise more accessible.
• The Care Quality Commission should be charged with checking that exercise programmes are being provided to residents in care homes. 

The Committee also called for a national conversation and a cultural shift in the way that ageing is perceived and talked about in society. Negative stereotypes can leave older people feeling resigned to becoming inactive, at the point in their lives when a sedentary lifestyle can have serious consequences, including increasing risk of falls.

Health and Social Care Committee Chair, Layla Moran MP, said: “Healthcare experts and the Government are all agreed that staying physically active can help older people to live not just longer, but healthier, happier, more sociable lives.

“Promoting active lifestyles among older people would also tackle two policy objectives at once – shifting the NHS’s focus to prevention, and bringing services closer to home, not the nearest hospital. Experts told us that exercise can be more effective than medication, and these changes would also cut the NHS’s vast expenditure on drugs. It’s a win-win, and this report sets out how the Government can make it happen.

Key facts

• Being physically active cuts the risk of dementia, cardiovascular disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes, musculoskeletal conditions, and some cancers.
• By 2035, 68% of people aged over 65 are expected to have two more serious health conditions, up from 54% in 2015. This causes lower quality of life, increases the chance of hospital admission and creates more complex care needs.
• In 2022, there were around 12.7 million people in the UK aged 65 or over, approximately 19% of the population. This is expected to rise to 22.1 million people (27% of the population) by 2072.
• The ONS and Health Foundation have shown that the average healthy life expectancy of children born in the most deprived areas of England is around 18 years lower than those born in the most affluent.
• In the UK, physical inactivity is associated with one in six deaths and is estimated to cost £7.4 billion annually.

Led by The University of ԰������ and The University of Huddersfield, they combined traditional EEG brain‑wave analysis with cutting‑edge machine‑learning tools to probe how people with a history of alcohol dependence learn from rewards and punishments.

The researchers used a reward-learning game – which they asked 20 abstinent alcohol-dependent and 26 healthy volunteers to complete while their brain activity was recorded.

The team found that both groups performed the task just as well as each other, however their brain signals told a different story.

A key brain response called feedback‑related negativity (FRN)- which reflects how we react to mistakes or bad outcomes - was reduced in people with a history of alcohol dependence.

This blunted signal appeared after both good and bad outcomes and did not vary with how long someone had been abstaining from alcohol.

The scientists say this could be a stable trait of alcohol dependence, reflecting underlying reward processing differences in people who are at risk of alcohol problems.

The study also looked at another signal, the feedback‑P3, which shows how strongly your mind reacts when you get important feedback and starts updating what you’ve learned.

Overall, it did not differ between the groups, but for people recovering from alcohol dependence, this signal was largest in the early stages of abstinence, and after many years appeared more similar to that of healthy people.

Researchers say this may reflect a brain change linked to abstinence itself.

To dig deeper, the team used a machine learning method called tensor decomposition to uncover hidden patterns in the EEG signals.

In the people with alcohol dependence, this revealed unusually early and strong activity in centro‑frontal brain regions near the top and front of the head.

This early surge was most pronounced in those in the earlier stages of recovery and could reflect, the scientists say, heightened sensitivity to feedback or a compensatory mechanism helping people maintain performance despite alcohol‑related brain changes.

They also found that healthy volunteers showed a different pattern, with a later burst of activity in the brain’s parietal lobe, linked to processing sensory information before evaluating reward value.

The researchers used unsupervised machine learning - a method that finds patterns without being told what to look for - to break down the large amounts of EEG data.

This helped discover overlapping brain signals would have been difficult to spot using traditional methods alone.

Lead author from The University of ԰������, who is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) ԰������ Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) as part of its , said: “Alcohol dependency is a complex and challenging health condition, and many people have difficulties maintaining recovery despite treatment and support.

“We believe our findings offer fresh insight into how alcohol dependence can influence the brain systems involved in learning and reward.

“Larger, long‑term studies are now needed to understand if the EEG markers we identified here could one day help track recovery or identify those people who might need extra support.

Researchers conducting the study are funded by the is UKRI Future Leaders Fund, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, and the National Institute for health and Care Research (NIHR) ԰������ Biomedical Research Centre. It is published in the journal Clinical Neurophysiology.

• The paper Altered EEG markers of reward learning during abstinence in alcohol dependence: a probabilistic reversal learning study is available hereDOI

Professor of Psychiatry at the University of ԰������, he is one of 60 exceptional biomedical and health scientists, the latest cohort of Fellows have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to advancing medical science, through discovery research, translational work and the application of scientific knowledge in ways that deliver tangible benefits for patients and the wider public.

This year’s cohort reflects the Academy’s continued focus on evolving its Fellowship to be diverse, relevant and representative of the biomedical and health research community. Of the 60 new Fellows elected in 2026, 42% are women (25 Fellows) – the highest proportion ever elected in a single year.

The new Fellows are drawn from 28 institutions and represent eight nationalities, with representation from across the UK. The cohort includes three new Fellows from Wales, the first elected in four years, including the first Fellow ever from Bangor University, as well as the first new Fellow elected from Northern Ireland since 2021.

The new intake spans a wide range of sectors, disciplines and research pathways. It includes five new Fellows elected from industry, alongside recognition of expertise in traditionally under‑represented areas such as speech and language therapy, medical ethics, traumatic brain injury and the application of artificial intelligence in healthcare.

The Fellows elected this year join an esteemed Fellowship of over 1,500 researchers who are at the heart of the Academy’s work to nurture scientific talent and shape research and health policy in the UK and worldwide.

Professor Appleby was elected for his pioneering work in suicide prevention and mental health. An epidemiologist and psychiatrist, his research has brought new rigour to the study of suicide through innovative study designs that have demonstrated how targeted interventions can reduce suicide rates. His work has directly informed national policy, including the most recent suicide prevention strategy, and he has played a central role in advising the NHS and government on mental health for more than two decades.

He  said: “I’m delighted to become a Fellow of the Academy. I see it as recognition of the field I work in - suicide prevention - which not long ago was seen as a difficult subject, as bereaved families can tell us. At a time when people are exposed to an overload of health information online, the Academy has a vital role in setting the standards of evidence on which the public can rely.”

Professor Andrew Morris CBE FRSE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences: “It is a privilege to welcome this outstanding new cohort to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Each of our new Fellows has been recognised by their peers for exceptional achievement for the influence their work has had in advancing medical science and improving health.

“The diversity of disciplines represented this year reflects the richness of modern medical science and the value of collaboration across fields. At a time when health challenges are increasingly complex, the Academy’s Fellowship provides a trusted, independent platform for scientific leaders to work together, champion excellence, and help ensure research delivers real benefits for people and communities.”

The new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy at a ceremony on Tuesday 30 June.

The population-based study of more than two million people showed individuals with an intellectual disability are more likely to develop bowel cancer, especially before the age of 50.

Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Greater ԰������ Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GM PSRC), the study is published in (20/05/26). The research team is supported by both the NIHR GM PSRC and the NIHR ԰������ Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).

People with an intellectual disability present to their GP more often with symptoms linked to bowel cancer, but are less likely to receive key investigations such as stool tests, urgent referrals, or endoscopy the team show.

They were less likely to be diagnosed through screening programmes and more likely to be diagnosed in emergency settings or even on the date of death.

And they were also more likely to be diagnosed at stage IV, when the cancer has already spread.

Among those with early-stage disease, rates of curative surgery were similar, but survival remained significantly worse for people with an intellectual disability.

For advanced bowel cancer, individuals with an intellectual disability were far less likely to receive systemic anticancer therapy, which may contribute to poorer outcomes.

The findings highlight multiple missed opportunities for earlier diagnosis, including lower use of stool tests used to check for early signs of bowel cancer and fewer urgent suspected cancer referrals.

The researchers used anonymised GP records from a large UK database containing information on about 50 million people.

The records were linked with national data on deaths, cancer, hospital care, ethnicity and deprivation to support the research.

The study also raises concerns that current screening programmes, which often begin at age 50, may not adequately protect people with an intellectual disability, given their higher risk at younger ages.

They also highlight that emergency diagnoses can limit the time available for coordinated treatment planning, which may contribute to poorer survival even when surgery is offered.

However, lifestyle factors linked to early-onset bowel cancer—such as obesity, diet, and physical inactivity—may be more common among people with an intellectual disability, potentially amplifying their risk.

And distinguishing concerning symptoms may be more challenging for people with learning disabilities, though the researchers caution that this does not fully explain the scale of under-investigation.

Lead author Clinical Lecturer at The University of ԰������ and The Christie said: “Our findings show clear and avoidable inequalities in bowel cancer diagnosis and treatment for people with an intellectual disability, and they underline the urgent need for earlier screening and more proactive investigation of symptoms.”

Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive of learning disability charity Mencap, said: “This study lays bare the stark truth that people with a learning disability are being diagnosed with bowel cancer too late, too often, and are missing out on chances for earlier treatment that could save lives. We need the NHS, government and cancer services to join us in making inclusive health a priority, acting on these findings and putting the right support in place at every stage of the cancer pathway.”

Claire Coughlan, Clinical Lead at Bowel Cancer UK, said: “Bowel cancer is treatable and curable, especially if it is diagnosed early. However, this study makes clear that people with an ID are not only at increased risk of developing bowel cancer; they also face considerable barriers which can lead to later diagnosis and treatment.”

Lisa Every and her niece Chloe’s story

Chloe Every died aged 27 in 2019, not long after being diagnosed with an advanced form of bowel cancer. She had a learning disability and myotonic dystrophy, a muscle condition known to affect the heart and breathing.

For Chloe’s family, the fact that her cancer was only identified at such a late stage is central to everything that followed. Like many people with a learning disability, Chloe was diagnosed when the disease was already advanced, limiting treatment options and reducing her chances of survival. Her family believe there were missed chances to investigate symptoms earlier and to take her health concerns seriously before her condition deteriorated.

Once Chloe was admitted to Queen’s Hospital in Romford, those missed chances continued. Her aunt Lisa Every says that Chloe’s learning disability and underlying condition were not properly considered when decisions were made about her care. Despite the seriousness of her diagnosis, there was no clear, coordinated plan that took account of her complex needs.

Chloe was left in the hospital’s initial assessment unit for six days, far longer than was appropriate. This delay meant she did not receive consistent care under one consultant at a critical point in her illness and contributed to a lack of joined up decision making. At a time when urgent, proactive care was needed, Chloe’s treatment drifted.

Her pain was not adequately managed, and she was given medication without a clear clinical reason. Despite her myotonic dystrophy and the known cardiac risks associated with it, staff did not contact Chloe’s specialist, who had treated her for many years. This was another missed opportunity to ensure her cancer treatment was informed by her wider health needs.

During her hospital stay, Chloe suffered two cardiac arrests. Before the first, she was not observed in line with her needs by nursing staff. An irregular heartbeat was noted shortly before she was given an enema, but this was not escalated to a doctor. After she was transferred to a general ward, Chloe was again not properly monitored. She later experienced a second cardiac arrest. The causes of either cardiac arrest were never investigated.

Mencap supported Lisa to fight for an inquest into Chloe’s death and forced the NHS to revisit a request that had previously been ignored. The subsequent A Level 3 Serious Untoward Investigation by the NHS Trust identified a series of serious failings in Chloe’s care. These included poor pain management, lack of specialist input, failures in observation and monitoring, and the fact that the Trust’s Learning Disability Admission Pathway was not properly followed when Chloe was admitted.

For Lisa, the experience is marked by repeated moments where earlier action could have made a difference, from diagnosis through to end-of-life care.

‘I was told by the head of palliative care not to be distressed if Chloe was not in ITU because she was being moved to a ward, which I assumed would be a palliative ward,’ Lisa said.

‘When I arrived, Chloe was not on any medical support at all. The nurse in charge did not know Chloe had a learning disability until I told her.

‘I was told to go home because the nurse had “11 patients to look after” and that Chloe was “fine”. Chloe was then left unmonitored until she was found unresponsive.’

Chloe died shortly afterwards.

Her story reflects wider evidence showing that people with a learning disability are more likely to be diagnosed with bowel cancer late, more likely to experience delays and missed chances for investigation, and more likely to face fragmented care once diagnosed. For Lisa, speaking out is about showing the consequences of those missed chances.

‘Chloe was young and she was loved,” she said.

‘She should have had the same chance as anyone else to be diagnosed earlier and to have her needs properly understood and acted on.’half goes here

• the paper Bowel Cancer Care in Individuals with an Intellectual Disability: A Population-Based Cohort ԰������ of Symptoms, Diagnostic Pathways, Treatment and Survival is available DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-026-04906-9

The launch event introduces Jay’s Personalised Safety Planning Toolkit, a co‑designed set of materials created with researchers, people with personal experience of suicide and self-harm, and healthcare professionals.

Inspired by the family of Jaymie Mart, known as Jay, who died by suicide in 2012 at the age of 32, the toolkit -which was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) -  offers clear, practical guidance to help adults create and review personalised safety plans.

Jay’s mother Paula’s experiences have formed a key part of research looking at how better to support people at times of acute mental crisis and prevent deaths from suicide.

She said: “The toolkit helps as a guide in understanding and setting up an individualised safety plan for people in difficult times. They  can help to change a mindset during times of crisis, that will hopefully keep them safe until they can get help,  if needed, from family, friends or mental health professionals.”

Safety plans are structured tools that support people experiencing self‑harm or suicidal thoughts by helping them identify strategies to stay safe during a crisis.

The resource is designed for families, friends, wider support networks, individuals themselves, and health and social care professionals.

The event is open to anyone interested in suicide prevention and safety planning, including practitioners, people who use safety plans, and those who support them.

The free full‑day programme runs from 9:30am to 3:30pm at the Whitworth Art Gallery on Oxford Road in ԰������.

The day features interactive sessions and workshops designed to introduce the toolkit and demonstrate how it can be used in real‑world settings, and includes a live performance about safety plans for suicide, from an theatre-arts company run by people with learning difficulties.

The event aims to strengthen community understanding of personalised safety planning and improve access to supportive, evidence‑based resources.

, Professor of Psychiatry and Population Health at the University of ԰������ is also Mental Health Theme co-lead at the NIHR Greater ԰������ Patient Safety Research Collaboration

He said: “Safety Plans can be a vital component of mental health care but it’s really important they meaningfully involve the person themselves.

“I am delighted to be part of this important event which will have co-production at its heart”

• The toolkit was funded by the , and supported by the , and NIHR Applied Research Collaboration North East and North Cumbria. The research is a collaboration between the University of ԰������, Northumbria University, Newcastle, and Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR GM PSRC, NIHR ARC North East and North Cumbria, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Publishing in one of the world’s leading scientific journals Cell, the researchers analysed 322 healthy people from Europe, East Asia and South Asia to build the most detailed picture yet of how genetic ancestry and environment shape our biology.

They used a sweeping “multiomics” approach, measuring everything from genes and proteins to gut bacteria, metabolic chemicals and metals to understand how ethnicity and geography shape our biology.

By recruiting people of the same genetic ancestry living on different continents, the scientists were able to separate the effects of DNA from the influence of environment with unprecedented clarity.

Genetic ancestry refers  to the estimation of where your ancestors came from based on patterns in your DNA, inherited across generations.

They found that your ethnic background leaves a deep mark on your immune system, metabolism and gut bacteria no matter where you move.

South Asian volunteers showed signs of higher exposure to pathogens across multiple biological layers.

European participants had richer gut microbial diversity and higher levels of chemicals tied to heart disease risk.

But geography also rewired key molecular networks involved in cholesterol, inflammation and energy processing.

Moving continents was enough to shift major metabolic pathways and alter the balance of gut microbes.

The most dramatic finding was that geography appears to change biological age — the molecular measure of how old your cells look.

East Asians living outside Asia were biologically older than those who stayed in Asia.

Europeans showed the opposite pattern, appearing biologically younger when living outside Europe.

The researchers say this suggests environment and genetic ancestry interact in surprising ways that could speed up or slow down ageing.

The study also uncovered a never-before-seen link between a telomerase gene involved in cellular ageing and a specific gut microbe, connected through a lipid molecule called sphingomyelin.

This unexpected three-way link hints at a molecular chain reaction through which gut bacteria may influence how quickly our cells age.

The findings create a powerful new resource for precision medicine, highlighting the need for healthcare tailored to genetic ancestry and environment rather than a one-size-fits-all model.

The researchers say their open-access dataset will help scientists and clinicians develop more accurate diagnostics, treatments and prevention strategies tailored to genetic ancestry, environment and individual biology.

“What this study shows, more clearly than ever before, is that our biology is shaped by a combination of both our genetic ancestry and the places we live,” said co‑author Professor from The University of ԰������.

԰������ carried out analysis of biological metals alongside the international groups looking at proteins, the immune system, metabolism and microbiomes to generate a massive integrated picture of human variability.

Professor Unwin added: “We were struck by how consistently ethnicity influenced immunity, metabolism and the microbiome, even when people moved thousands of miles away.

“However, it is equally clear that where we live can have substantial impacts on nudging key molecular pathways — even how our cells appear to age — in different directions depending on who you are. It proves that precision medicine must reflect real global diversity, not a single population.”

Michael Snyder, Professor of Genetics at the Stanford School of Medicine who led the study said: “Our study is special because for the first time we have deeply profiled people from around the world, including Asia, Europe and North America. This enables us to see what properties such as metabolites and microbes are associated with ethnicity and which ones with geography.

“One interesting finding is the association of age with geography. East Asians that live outside of Asia have a higher biological age than those residing in Asia. For Europeans, those residing outside of Europe are younger.”

• The paper A Comparison of Deep Multiomics Profiles Across Ethnicity, Geography, and Age is available DOI

According to The University of ԰������ researchers, medication can be disrupted at the point of release, especially when people are discharged at short notice or outside normal working hours, when services are least able to coordinate care.

The study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Greater ԰������ Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GM PSRC), is published in the journal Health Expectations today(insert date).

It paints a picture of a system which needs to better coordinate to keep people safe during one of the most vulnerable moments in their lives.

Healthcare staff interviewed by the researchers described delays in transferring medical records between prison and community GPs, confusion over who is responsible for discharge planning, and staffing pressures that can leave little time to prepare people for release.

They also highlighted the lack of integrated IT systems, meaning important information can fail to follow people out of the prison gates, which can lead to missed doses, interrupted treatment, and increased risk of harm.

Lead author Research Associate at The University of ԰������ said: “There are clear opportunities to reduce medication-related risks at the point of discharge. Discharge planning interventions developed collaboratively with prisoners and relevant services and which prioritise coordination and informational continuity are needed.”

Co-author , Professor of Health Services and Mental Health at The University of ԰������ added: “Medication safety breaks down at one of the most vulnerable points in care—when people leave prison. Our findings show that with better coordination, earlier planning, and improved information sharing, many of these risks are preventable.”

The research team interviewed 12 professionals including GPs, pharmacists, and prison officers, analysing their insights using the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety framework (SEIPS) .

SEIPS is a model used in healthcare to understand how different parts of a work system affect patient safety and care outcomes.

They identified five major factors driving unsafe medication transitions: unpredictable release practices, poor communication between services, staffing shortages, outdated or incompatible IT systems, and patient-level challenges such as low health literacy, substance use, and unstable housing.

The study warns the pressures are intensified by the high turnover in prisons, with nearly half of all sentenced admissions in 2023 lasting under 12 months, and by the complex health needs of people in custody, who experience far higher rates of mental illness, chronic conditions, and substance dependence than the general population.

The researchers call for earlier discharge planning beginning at prison entry, electronic prescribing to ensure timely access to medication, better continuity of medical records, dedicated transitional discharge teams, and multi‑disciplinary meetings to coordinate complex cases.

Dr Planner added: “These findings show that safer medication management is achievable but will require coordinated action across prison and community healthcare systems.

“Improving communication, clarifying responsibilities, and strengthening processes could significantly reduce avoidable harm for thousands of people leaving prison each year.”

• The paper Exploring medication safety in transitions from prison to community: a qualitative study is available . DOI  

• Traditional consent models often rely on adult “proxies” such as parents and schools

• Children and young people’s ability to make informed decisions is frequently underestimated

• Complex, legalistic consent documents can discourage participation

• Schools play a central but under-recognised role in shaping access to research

• Current systems can create “epistemic injustice”, limiting whose voices are heard

• A more flexible, participatory and culturally sensitive approach is needed

Why consent isn’t working for children

The paper argues that gaining consent in studies involving children is often treated as a legal formality, rather than a meaningful process.

Current systems tend to prioritise institutional requirements such as ethics approvals and documentation over children’s own understanding and experiences.

Children are frequently positioned as needing protection, but this can come at the cost of recognising their competence. Evidence shows that many children and adolescents are capable of understanding research and making informed choices, particularly as digital literacy increases.

The hidden role of schools

Schools play a crucial role in research, acting as gatekeepers between researchers, children and families.

They are often responsible for sharing information, managing communication and enabling access - but their capacity to do this varies widely depending on time, resources and infrastructure.

In many cases, researchers have little direct contact with parents, relying instead on school systems to distribute information. While this helps with logistics, it can dilute communication and affect how well families understand what participation involves.

When paperwork puts people off

The article highlights how long, complex consent forms, often shaped by legal and data protection requirements, can discourage participation.

For families, particularly those from diverse linguistic or cultural backgrounds, these documents can be difficult to understand and may even create unnecessary concern about risk.

This can lead to what researchers describe as “epistemic injustice”, where children and young people are effectively excluded from contributing to knowledge because the process itself is inaccessible.

Children as active participants - not passive subjects

The researchers argue that children should be recognised as capable social actors, able to express views and make decisions about research participation.

Rather than relying solely on parental consent, approaches should support children’s own understanding, including their right to agree - or refuse - to take part.

This aligns with wider principles that children have the right to be heard in decisions affecting them.

What needs to change

The paper proposes a shift towards a more flexible and inclusive model of consent, built around real-world relationships and contexts.

Changes researchers are calling for

• Consent as an ongoing process

• Consent should be revisited throughout a study, not treated as a one-off decision

• Better communication

• Materials should be clearer, shorter and accessible to both children and families

• Schools as partners

• Schools should be supported as collaborators, not just intermediaries

• Children’s voices at the centre

• Processes should actively include children’s views, including opportunities to dissent

• More culturally sensitive approaches

• Consent models should reflect diverse social and cultural contexts

Why this matters now

The researchers argue that improving consent processes is not just an ethical issue - it directly affects the quality, inclusivity and impact of research.

When children and young people are excluded or disengaged, important perspectives are lost, particularly from underrepresented groups.

More inclusive approaches could help build trust, improve participation and ensure research better reflects the realities of children’s lives.

What the researchers said

“Current consent processes often prioritise systems and structures over the children they are designed to protect,” said lead author Dr Sarah MacQuarrie.

They add that consent should be seen as “an ongoing, relational process” rather than a one-time administrative step.

Final word

The article concludes that traditional, standardised models of consent are no longer fit for purpose in research with children and young people.

Instead, it calls for a reimagining of consent as a flexible, inclusive and participatory process - one which ensures that children’s voices are not just heard, but are central to research itself.

Publication details

The article is a part of a special issue within the Methods in Psychology journal.

DOI:

The research partially answers a quandary puzzling scientists for decades on why squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) in the mouth, lungs, and skin often look similar under the microscope, but vary dramatically in how aggressively they grow and spread. Squamous cell carcinomas are a type of epithelial cancer.

Co-author from The University of ԰������ says the key to the difference lies not in the cancer cells themselves, but in the fibroblasts—supporting cells in the surrounding tissue—that send powerful biochemical signals shaping how the cancer behaves.

The translational study published in Nature Metabolism is funded by Cancer Research UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) ԰������ Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Cancer Research.

According to the study, fibroblasts from the mouth and lungs have strikingly different patterns of fat metabolism, producing and transferring different types of fats to nearby cancer cells.

The transferred fats act as molecular cues that push SCC cells to become more invasive through a process known as epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition, a change that allows cancer cells to move more freely and spread.

In oral cancers, fibroblasts supply cancer cells with sphingomyelins, a type of fat that activates the ceramide/S1P/STAT3 pathway, a chain of molecular events known to drive cancer cell migration and invasion.

In lung cancers, fibroblasts instead transfer another type of fat called triglycerides, which stimulate cholesterol production inside the cancer cells and fuel a highly invasive behaviour associated with poorer patient survival.

By contrast, fibroblasts in the skin contain far fewer fats, and as a result, cutaneous SCC tends to be less invasive than its oral or lung counterparts.

Dr Viros said: “These findings highlight that the tumour microenvironment—particularly the fibroblasts and the fats they produce—plays a decisive role in determining how dangerous a particular SCC will become.

“It suggests several promising therapeutic strategies, including blocking fat production in fibroblasts, preventing cancer cells from taking up these fats, or disrupting the pathways that break them down once inside the tumour. It is encouraging that many drugs that already exist approved for lipid disorders, like statins, can potentially be repurposed to prevent aggressive epithelial cancers”.

Co-author Dr Timothy Budden from the University of Liverpool said: “Targeting these fat‑driven interactions could slow or even halt the spread of oral and lung SCC, offering new hope for patients with these aggressive cancers.

“So we think this work opens the door to more personalized cancer treatments based on the biology of the tissue where the tumour arises, rather than treating all SCCs as a single disease.”

• The paper Tissue-specific fibroblast lipid cues impose the rate of epithelial cancer invasion is available DOI:

The partnership will build  an  interdisciplinary team focused on the links between domestic violence, family courts and women’s health in South India.

That, they say,  will generate early frameworks that can inform future reforms, judicial training and survivor‑centred practice, laying the foundation for long‑term community partnerships and multi‑country research.

Domestic violence is widespread in India, with national surveys showing that almost half of Indian women have faced some form of spousal abuse.

The southwestern state  Karnataka alone recorded more than seventeen thousand cases in 2022.

Lead researcher from The University of ԰������ said: “Although India handles well over a million family disputes each year, there is still no systematic research on how these legal journeys shape women’s long‑term wellbeing.

“And there is some evidence which shows that court processes can sometimes prolong stress, fear and control.”

The project will initially focus on assessing the feasibility of the study and map how family court procedures actually work for the women who go through the system.

The team will also map key organisations in Karnataka, from women’s police stations to community health workers, to understand where survivors seek help and where systems may be falling short.

“This groundwork matters because India needs its own evidence base to make sure women are supported, not harmed, when they turn to the courts,” added Dr Dalgarno.

The collaboration will provide opportunities for students in ԰������ and Karnataka interested in understanding   the intersection of law, health and gender‑based violence

is Clinical Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology and Head of the Division of Population Health, Health Services Research and Primary Care.

She said: “This  partnership aligns closely with both our universities’ commitments to tackling inequality, strengthening international collaboration and improving outcomes for marginalised communities.

“By focusing on women’s health, domestic violence and legal systems, the project speaks directly to shared priorities around gender equality, prevention of harm and access to safe, trauma‑informed services.”

Professor Arathi Rao from the Manipal Academy of Higher Education said: “Family courts are often a crucial point of contact for women seeking protection from domestic violence. Legal processes, while designed to deliver justice, can also impact women’s health, safety, and well-being.

“By examining these intersections, we aim to inform more responsive, survivor-centred systems that truly protect and support women during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.”

The findings - published in the International - emerge against a backdrop of rising mental health needs.

The researchers analysed Annual Population Survey data from more than 535,000 working‑age adults between 2015 and 2020 to examine whether regional differences in the supply of NHS Talking Therapies were linked to labour force participation.

They found that people reporting long‑term mental health problems were less likely to be in the labour force than otherwise similar adults without such conditions: a participation gap of 36% in the analysis sample.

After adjusting for a wide range of personal and local factors, the researchers found that increasing the volume of supply of talking therapies by one additional appointment offered per referral in the average region, equivalent to about 22% more appointments, was associated with a 0.92‑percentage‑point reduction in the labour force participation gap.

The association was strongest among people aged 45 to 65, those not claiming benefits, and men.

The researchers highlight how decades of evidence show that pharmacological and psychological therapies can reduce symptoms and improve productivity, absenteeism and labour force participation.

The NHS Talking Therapies programme, launched in England 18 years ago, is considered to be the first large‑scale programme of its kind.

It was designed to expand the supply of evidence‑based psychological treatments, reduce stigma, and make it easier for people to seek help.

The service offers assessment appointments, tailored treatment plans and session‑by‑session monitoring.

Although previous studies have shown these sorts of impacts in individual patients, this study examined the impact of differences in therapy provisions across areas.

The authors argue that the supply of therapy services may have indirect effects on economic activity by improving help‑seeking behaviour, reducing stigma, and influencing how GPs manage mental health problems in primary care.

They note that only around one‑fifth of working‑age adults with a mental health diagnosis receive a course of NHS Talking Therapies, suggesting that wider community‑level effects may be important.

Lead author is, a PhD researcher from The University of ԰������.

He  said: “Our findings suggest that improving access to psychological therapies doesn’t just support people’s wellbeing — it may also help close the long‑standing labour market gaps experienced by those with mental health problems.

“As governments look for ways to boost labour force participation, mental health policy should be part of that conversation.

“Policymakers should consider the indirect economic effects of expanding psychological therapy services when designing future mental health strategies.”

• The study was funded by Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP) and supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation.
• The paper Availability of psychological therapies and workforce participation of individuals with long-term mental health problems: a retrospective observational study” is available DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-026-00706-z

Fifty researchers from institutions  around the world -  including the University of ԰������ - have issued the alert in calling for urgent action to stop fungal infections becoming untreatable.

They say fungi in soil, crops and hospitals are increasingly resistant to the medicines used to control them.

For most healthy people this poses little danger, but for patients with weakened immune systems the infections can be deadly.

Global strategies to tackle antimicrobial resistance have focused too heavily on bacteria and viruses while largely overlooking fungi, they argue.

To combat it, they have produced a five‑step plan to improve awareness, surveillance, infection control, responsible drug use and investment in new treatments.

The plan is intended to help shape the World Health Organization’s updated Global Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance later this year.

Scientists warn that several dangerous fungi are already spreading, including Trichophyton indotineae, which causes severe skin infections that are increasingly hard to treat.

Hospitals are also battling Candida auris, a fungus that can trigger life‑threatening bloodstream infections and kills around a third of those affected.

Another concern is Aspergillus fumigatus, a common mould that has developed resistance to widely used azole drugs in many countries.

Experts say much of this resistance begins not in hospitals but in the environment.

Fungicides used in agriculture are chemically similar to antifungal medicines used in human healthcare, allowing resistant strains to evolve in fields before reaching patients.

This link between environmental, agricultural and medical use — known as One Health — means resistance in crops can undermine treatments for people.

Researchers say coordinated action across science, farming, healthcare and policy is now essential to protect both global food supplies and patient safety.

They point to early initiatives, including the WHO’s fungal priority pathogen list and new One Health working groups, but warn these efforts must be embedded in global antimicrobial resistance policies.

The authors are urging governments and international bodies to prioritise antifungal resistance before more infections become untreatable.

“Farmers use huge amounts of fungicides to protect crops, and some of these chemicals stay in the environment for decades,” said Professor from the University of ԰������.

“There is now clear evidence these chemicals are helping fungi evolve into strains that can no longer be treated in people, plants or animals.”

“If we don’t act, we will see more infections that simply can’t be cured, which puts lives and food supplies at risk,” he added.

Professor Paul Verweij from Radboud University Medical Center in the natherlands, said: “We are already seeing a quiet rise in dangerous fungi, from Candida auris in intensive care units to moulds in the community that no longer respond to standard medicines.

“Unless antifungal resistance is included in the WHO’s 2026 global plan with proper funding and targets we risk repeating the same mistakes made with antibiotic resistance.

“Using the same types of antifungal chemicals in both farming and medicine is speeding up resistance, and what happens in the fields is now affecting what happens in hospital wards,” added  Professor Michaela Lackner of the Medical University of Innsbruck.

• Image: aspergillus fumigatus. Credit Isabelle Storer
• Closing the gap on fungal resistance is published in  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-026-04334-5

The initiative, called KOKU Bladder, brings together evidence‑based education, pelvic floor muscle training, behaviour change techniques and gamification to support engagement and long‑term adherence.

The programme is designed for people to use independently at home while also complementing face‑to‑face care delivered by healthcare professionals.

Pelvic health plays a vital role in healthy ageing, helping people maintain mobility, dignity, independence and overall quality of life.

Urinary incontinence affects more than 14 million people in the UK and between 55 and 60 million across Europe.

Around one in three adults over 60 experience urinary incontinence, rising to nearly half of those aged 80 and above.

Despite its scale and impact, incontinence remains one of the most under discussed and under treated health conditions, often hidden due to stigma, embarrassment and fragmented services.

Professor  Javier Jerez‑Roig from the University of Vic, Principal Investigator, said: “KOKU Bladder is not just another digital tool; it is a solution shaped directly by the people who will use it and the professionals who support them.”

Professor  Emma Stanmore from The University of ԰������ is CEO of KOKU Health, a UK digital health company which originated as a research project at the University of ԰������ 

As a university spin-out, KOKU translates academic research into a practical tool designed to reduce falls, improve mobility, and support people to live healthier, more independent lives at home.

She added: “By embedding gamification within a clinically credible framework, we aim to make self‑management both motivating and meaningful.”

Although several digital pelvic health tools already exist, a recent review identified only four evidence‑based solutions that include people over 50, and none have been genuinely co‑designed with end users and professionals.

In 2025, a total of 54 people across Spain, Lithuania and the UK contributed to the co‑design of KOKU Bladder, including 31 potential users, 15 healthcare professionals and eight experts in pelvic health and ageing.

Participants highlighted the need for clinically trustworthy content, adaptive pelvic floor training, meaningful personalisation, multimedia guidance and embedded behaviour change techniques such as goal setting, self‑monitoring and feedback.

KOKU Bladder is now in its pilot phase, with 75 participants testing the platform across English, Spanish and Lithuanian versions.

The next stage of the project will be an experimental study beginning this summer in ԰������, led by The University of ԰������ to formally evaluate feasibility, engagement and user experience.

• More information about the project is available at , where you can also register interest via the Contacts section

The study, published in PLOS Mental Health comes as Colombia has taken steps to expand healthcare access to some of the 2.86 million Venezuelans in the country, including offering temporary protection status.

However large numbers of the migrants are ineligible for protection, particularly those with irregular status who can only access emergency services or limited humanitarian programmes while discrimination and administrative barriers persist.

Led by GP Dr John Fitton, the study was adapted from his Master of Public Health dissertation at The University of ԰������. He is now a PhD student at University College London.

Nariño, on the Ecuadorian border, is a major crossing point for Venezuelan migrants fleeing economic collapse, political instability, food insecurity, and breakdown of health and social services.

That and the physical and emotionally exhausting nature of the journey itself contributed to their poor psychological condition.

Dr Fitton also says substance abuse-  particularly  among unaccompanied men in transit -  may be seen as self‑medication for hunger, exhaustion and distress.

The drugs, he says, are cheap, widely available along routes, and may even be more accessible than food when resources are scarce.

The researcher interviewed frontline community workers, who explained how recent cuts in international aid to NGOs working in Colombia have intensified gaps in care.

The community workers reported that mental health services for irregular migrants in Nariño are now almost entirely provided by dwindling numbers of humanitarian and community organisations.

As the organisations start to withdraw through lack of funding, irregular migrants are likely to be left with no mental health support at all.

The community workers described how poverty, unstable housing, lack of transport and the pressures of constant movement make it nearly impossible for migrants to seek ongoing mental health treatment.

And there was, said Dr Fitton, confusion among some healthcare staff about migrants’ legal rights and documents conflicting views on whether discrimination affects access to care.

“Our findings show that community workers are doing everything they can, but the system in Colombia is simply not built to meet the mental health needs of people in constant transit,” said Dr Fitton.

“We show a system under strain with community workers struggling to fill widening gaps in support.

“Caught between hunger, exhaustion and exclusion, some migrants slide into a brutal spiral: substances numb pain but deepen isolation, bar them from shelter, fracture their dignity, and leave a mental health crisis untouched.

“What begins as a will to survive has become a sorry tale of abandonment by systems and services.”

• The paper Barriers to access and unmet needs in mental health care for Venezuelan migrants in a southern border region of Colombia: the experiences of community workers is available . DOI:
• Image: John Fitton at the Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia in Pasto, Nariño who hosted him.

Published in Science, the team demonstrated the first atomic‑resolution imaging of atomic behaviour at solid–liquid interfaces in a broad range of non‑aqueous (organic) solvents. Previous high‑resolution liquid imaging techniques were largely limited to water, but the new technique works with a wide range of liquids beyond water, dramatically expanding the range of chemical processes that can be studied at the atomic scale, including key enabling technologies for the green energy transition.

Transmission Electron Microscopy is one of the only techniques that can image individual atoms, using a highly focused electron beam to probe inside structures, but it requires a high vacuum – making it impossible to study liquid processes. The ԰������ team overcame this long‑standing challenge by building “nano‑aquariums”: nanoscale liquid cells made by sealing tiny pockets of test liquids, each just 100 attolitres, a billion times smaller than a raindrop, between ultra‑thin graphene windows just a few atoms thick. The graphene is strong enough to protect the liquid from the vacuum, yet almost completely transparent, allowing the electron beam to pass through.

Using an advanced electron microscope at the electron Physical Science Imaging Centre (ePSIC) national facility, the team captured videos of gold atoms at the graphene–liquid interface to compare five industrial solvents. The resulting videos show individual atoms hopping between sites, pairing up into groups of two and three, and clustering into larger nanoparticles with the measured behaviour sensitive to the choice of liquid. An AI‑enabled automated analysis workflow allowed the researchers to individually “track” more than a million gold atoms across the five solvents, enabling extraction of truly statistically significant information – a far cry from most atomic‑resolution imaging papers, which typically draw conclusions by observing only tens or hundreds of atoms.

“Watching individual atoms move in liquids is incredibly exciting, like having a front‑row seat to chemistry in action,” said Sam Sullivan‑Allsop, postdoctoral researcher at ԰������ and first author. “By tracking more than a million atoms, we can move beyond isolated snapshots and finally see how liquids shape atomic behaviour.”

Our images are clear enough to resolve both the gold atoms and the graphene lattice beneath them,” he added. “That lets us understand not just where the atoms move, but why: how they interact with the surface and why they tend to “pair up” into small clusters during their random motion.”

A key innovation was sealing the cells while fully submerged in liquid using a thin ceramic cantilever to manipulate the graphene crystals. Previous approaches suffered from significant evaporation during the sealing step, causing huge fluctuations in the concentrations of test liquids. The new technique enables precise control of what goes inside – essential for making fair comparisons between liquids.

, who developed the fabrication process, explained, “The trick is sealing the cells while they are submerged within the liquid itself. Doing it this way means you know exactly what sample you are looking at – and it works for nearly every solvent, not just water.”

Individual gold atoms are a promising catalyst for green chemistry but preventing them “clustering” into bigger particles has always been challenging. Using their new platform, the team investigated how both the choice of solvent (which controls dispersion in the liquid) and the drying kinetics (which lock in the final structure) together determine whether the final catalyst contains the individually separated gold atoms required for high performance. In particular, acetone – a common solvent – combined low polarity with a low boiling point and surface tension, helping gold atoms remain separated during both the liquid phase and drying, whereas higher‑boiling solvents (e.g., cyclohexanone) and water tended to yield larger particles. The structural findings were confirmed by catalyst testing by collaborators at the University of Cardiff’s Catalysis Institute.

However, the new technique has potential for significant impact in fields outside catalysis. Many crucial processes, from fuel cells and batteries to filtration and precious‑metal recovery from e‑waste, happen at solid–liquid interfaces. Until now, scientists mostly relied on ensemble measurements that can obscure atomic‑scale complexity; watching individual atoms in liquids changes that.

, who led the research, commented, "It's remarkable how much we still don't understand about how atoms behave at solid‑liquid interfaces, given how fundamental these processes are to modern technology. Now we can watch what's actually happening, understand why, and use that insight to design better materials and processes."

The research involved collaboration between The University of ԰������, Cardiff University, Sheffield University, and the ePSIC national microscopy facility at Diamond, combining expertise in electron microscopy, 2D materials fabrication, catalysis, and computational modelling. With the platform now established, the team is already applying it to questions in clean energy technologies and recovery of metals from e‑waste.

This research was published in the journal Science.

Full title: Atomic-resolution imaging of gold species at organic liquid-solid interfaces.

DOI:

The new grant funded by an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Health Technologies Connectivity Award will assess the benefit and suitability of the software for use within the NHS.

The researchers hope the software, called (In Silico Assessment of pregnancy via Digital Integrated Environments) will help doctors tackle the stubbornly high prevalence of stillbirths. Late-term losses are especially hard to foresee, as clinicians continue to lack an accurate means of assessing a baby's oxygen supply before birth.

Around half of stillbirths are associated with fetal growth restriction (FGR), a condition caused by impaired placental function that limits the baby’s growth. Current ultrasound tools detect only around half of FGR cases, and even when identified, there is no treatment. Clinicians must instead make complex decisions about the timing of birth, balancing the risks of premature delivery against the danger of waiting too long.

from The University of ԰������ said: “Today’s clinical decision-making relies on indirect indicators such as Doppler ultrasound, fetal movements and heart rate patterns. While umbilical artery Doppler has helped reduce stillbirth risk in premature babies, most stillbirths still occur in pregnancies where Doppler results appear normal. Crucially, no existing clinical test can directly assess fetal oxygenation – the primary driver of stillbirth risk.”

Dr Michele Darrow from the Rosalind Franklin Institute said: “By integrating computational physics-based modelling, imaging science and physiological insights, the software we have developed is able to generate real-time, actionable information.”

The researchers are working with international partners at the University of Auckland to address the gap by rethinking how routinely collected clinical data are interpreted. The Auckland team’s work focuses on integrating physiological understanding with advanced physics-based modelling. This approach underpins the development of SADIE, which uses existing ultrasound technology and clinical data to predict fetal oxygen status in under 30 seconds. 

Dr Darrow added: “While the proof-of-principle results are promising, further work is needed before SADIE can be tested in large‑scale clinical trials. This new funding aims to ensure the models can run reliably in real time and produce predictions that clinicians can rely on.”

Working with clinicians and health system leaders, the team will also assess where SADIE will fit within current NHS care pathways. This step is essential to designing future clinical trials that can demonstrate whether smarter use of ultrasound data can reduce stillbirth while avoiding unnecessary early intervention.

By combining imaging science, computational modelling and clinical insight, this work reflects the researcher’s mission to develop transformative technologies that improve human health.

Published in the journal , the study shows that SAFER‑Dem is highly inclusive and has the potential to provide safer, more coordinated transitions from hospital to community care, which supports the goals of the NHS 10‑Year Health Plan for England.

The study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Three Schools Dementia Career Development Award and the .

Care bundles are a set of practical, evidence‑based interventions designed to improve the quality and safety of care for patients. The NHS Improvement SAFER patient flow bundle, for example, is a practical tool designed to reduce delays and improve patient safety in adult inpatient wards. The research team had already developed a care bundle called SAFER‑Mental Health (SAFER‑MH), which is an adapted version of the NHS SAFER patient flow bundle tailored to the specific needs of mental health settings.

By applying a co-designing approach, researchers worked with participants to redesign SAFER‑MH into a clearer, simpler, and more dementia‑inclusive version, the SAFER-Dem.  

, Research Fellow at the University of ԰������, who led the study, said: “People with dementia often have difficult experiences when discharged from mental health hospitals. Many feel confused, unheard, or not involved in decisions about their own care. Staff also report challenges, such as lack of time, unclear communication and busy ward environments.

“We worked directly with people living with dementia, unpaid carers, and healthcare professionals to help improve the discharge process from hospital to community for people with dementia. Our study participants took part in workshops and interviews, where they tried out early versions of the SAFER‑Dem materials and gave feedback. Altogether, 29 people participated.”

Participants agreed that current discharge processes are often poor. Common problems included unclear communication, not receiving enough information, difficulty navigating busy environments, and a lack of involvement in planning. Medication information was a particular concern. As a result of the workshops and interviews, key changes were proposed to refine the dementia-inclusive discharge care bundle.

Overall, participants felt that SAFER-Dem could help improve conversations, support shared decision‑making, and make the discharge process feel more person‑centred. However, they noted that people with more severe dementia may need more support or may not always be able to use the materials independently.

Co-author Professor Maria Panagioti from The University of ԰������ said: “Our study shows that by improving the quality and consistency of discharge planning, SAFER-Dem has the potential to enhance patient safety, strengthen system resilience, and support more timely discharges where appropriate. It may also help reduce avoidable readmissions by ensuring that patients leave hospital with the right support in place.

“The SAFER-Dem intervention is not just about speeding up discharge, but about improving how discharge is delivered—making it safer, more personalised, and more effective for both patients and the wider health system.”

The researchers concluded that SAFER‑Dem shows real promise for making discharge from mental health inpatient care safer, clearer, and more inclusive for people living with dementia. Further evaluation and testing will help determine how SAFER‑Dem can be scaled across mental health services.

• The paper SAFER-Dem: generating co-designed adaptations to a discharge care planning bundle for people living with dementia, published in the BMJ Open is available . DOI: 

During an emotional visit to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in ԰������ and the ԰������ Cancer Research Centre, Kimberley met with scientists and researchers and witnessed first-hand how The Christie Charity Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal, set up at Sarah’s request and supported by the bandmates, is transforming lives.

At the heart of that impact is Annette Illing, a mum of three who had no symptoms, no family history of breast cancer, and no reason to suspect anything was wrong. But after taking part in a groundbreaking study to identify which women are most at risk of developing breast cancer in their 30s and backed by the Appeal, Annette received news that would change everything.

What began as a simple decision — “Why not?” — led to an early diagnosis that may ultimately have saved her life.

Annette’s dad and sister are both GPs, and the opportunity to better understand her breast cancer risk while contributing to vital research felt like a positive step. “I couldn’t really see any negatives,” she recalls. “It would either be ‘I’m fine’ and carry on as I am, or ‘I’m at increased risk’ and might need to make some lifestyle changes.”

At just 39 years old, and with no family history of breast cancer, Annette wasn’t overly concerned about having a genetic risk factor.

After researching the (Breast Cancer Risk Assessment in Young Women) study and learning it was supported by The Christie Charity Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal, () Annette decided to take part. The BCAN-RAY study is also funded by Cancer Research UK with support from the Shine Bright Foundation.

It was a decision that proved life-changing as in June 2025, after Annette had been identified as being at increased risk by the BCAN-RAY study, she had her first mammogram and was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.

She says: “It was a huge shock as I don’t have a family history of breast cancer. It was scary to hear the word ‘cancer,’ but there was hope. I’d rather know and have choices than not know. It was caught early, meaning it could be removed, and preventive treatment was available.”

Without the BCAN-RAY study, Annette would have waited another decade for her first routine mammogram. “When the mammogram picked up my cancer, it was undetectable by any other means. If I’d waited, it would have grown and changed my prognosis. It could have been a completely different story,” she says.

Dr from The University of ԰������, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and ԰������ University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), leads the BCAN-RAY study and said: “This study was designed to identify women at increased risk of breast cancer. Annette’s experience shows exactly why this is so important. By detecting breast cancers at the very earliest stages, treatment is more straight forward and survival outcomes much better. We can also offer women approaches to prevent breast cancer to stop them developing the disease at all. Early detection may have saved Annette’s life, and we want to offer that same chance to many more women.”

Annette from Withington, ԰������, underwent two surgeries at Wythenshawe Hospital, part of ԰������ University NHS Foundation Trust, followed by radiotherapy at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, and is now on preventive hormone therapy for five years. She will also have annual mammograms for peace of mind. She says: “I feel very hopeful for the future. My cancer has been removed, and I’m in the best possible position to move forward.”

As a mum to three daughters aged 13, 11 and 8 yrs old, Annette is particularly thankful to have been part of the BCAN-RAY study. She says: “I am so grateful for this study and future studies like it, so that I know my daughters will be well looked after by the Breast Cancer Family History Risk and Prevention Clinic when the time comes.”

She adds: “I could not have got through the last six months without the support of my husband Mark, my daughters and my faith. To my family and friends who have picked me up when needed, listened to me and allowed me an outlet to process each step; to my group of ladies who I met during surgery and physio  sessions, who I have shared experiences with and understand what it's like to go through the treatment; to my employer and class team who have been incredibly supportive, I thank each and every one of them.”

Annette now encourages others to take part in studies like BCAN-RAY and to perform regular breast checks. “Many women I’ve met found their cancers by noticing changes. Please check your breasts regularly,” she says.

Dr Dani Skirrow, Science Engagement Manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “Even in the darkest days of her cancer journey, Sarah Harding was a fearless advocate for research. She bravely faced up to the pain the cancer caused her, undergoing treatment whilst thinking of ways to help other women in a similar position.

“It is a fitting tribute to Sarah that the study supported by her legacy has taken us towards smarter ways to identify women who have a high risk of getting breast cancer when they’re young. We’re getting promising insights into how we could provide tailored support to these women in their thirties, offering them access to early screening and prevention opportunities. Annette’s story illustrates the powerful impact this could have in the future.

“Further research will be needed to refine the tools created as part of this study before they can be rolled out more widely. But the progress made by the BCAN-RAY study moves us closer to a world where people can live longer, better lives, free from the fear of breast cancer.”

Research such as the BCAN-RAY study is central to The Christie Charity's commitment to supporting The Christie hospital’s vision of ‘learning from every patient’ and trebling the number of patients participating in research by 2030. Studies have shown that cancer patients treated at research-intensive hospitals have better outcomes than those treated in hospitals with little or no research activity. The Charity has pledged to support and fund this goal with £30m over the next five years to accelerate research and innovation in ԰������, with the ultimate aim of bringing tomorrow’s treatments to patients faster.

• Find out how you can support innovative cancer research at The University of ԰������ here: Challenge Accepted
• Picture caption: Kimberley with members of the BCAN-RAY research team

A team of cancer genomics* scientists from The University of ԰������ and The Institute of Cancer Research, London, forensically examined the genetic make-up of tumours in 16 different cancers. Their findings, which have been published in , are the culmination of six years’ of research and could significantly increase the number of cancer patients eligible for targeted and immune-based treatments. 

This landmark study was co-led by Professor David Wedge at the ԰������ Cancer Research Centre and Professor Richard Houlson from The Institute of Cancer Research. It used whole-genome sequencing data from nearly 11,000 NHS patients with cancer, and is part of Genomics England’s 100,000 Genomes Project, which is the largest single genomics study for cancer ever to be undertaken worldwide. 

The researchers analysed hundreds of millions of mutations in 11,000 tumours which covered the whole genome of a human being which consists of more than three billion bases and includes around 20,000 genes. From this they were able to identify the most comprehensive map to date of genetics ‘scars’ left behind in cancer DNA. 

In total the team of ‘data detectives’ catalogued 370 million mutations and assigned them to 134 distinct mutational ‘signatures’ which are patterns of DNA damage that act like fingerprints of the processes that caused the cancer. Of these, 26 signatures were not previously included in the database of known signatures used by many scientists. 

The most significant finding was that many more patients may benefit from precision therapies than currently recognised. The study identified large numbers of tumours with evidence of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) which is a weakness in DNA repair that makes cancers vulnerable to PARP inhibitors and platinum-based chemotherapy. HRD was identified in 16% of breast cancer tumours and 14% of ovarian cancer tumours, so based on UK figures, researchers estimated that more than 7,700 breast cancer patients and over 1,000 ovarian cancer patients in the UK could benefit from HRD-targeted therapies which is much greater than are currently identified through standard genetic testing for mutations in genes such as BRCA1/BRCA2 alone. 

This study also supports the growing theory that toxins produced by particular strains of E. coli in the gut could be the potential cause of the rise in early-onset bowel cancer in younger people. The team found this signature occurs more in younger patients than older patients, in contrast with several other signatures that tend to increase with a patient’s age. 

, professor of cancer genomics and data science at The University of ԰������ said: “Every cancer develops because DNA is damaged over time. Different causes such as ultraviolet light, tobacco smoke or inherited gene faults leave different patterns in the genome. By reading these patterns we can now understand, in a larger proportion of cancers, what caused the cancer, when key mutations occurred, and which treatments are most likely to work.

“Until now, most testing has focused on mutations of a single base (or ‘letter’) in a cancer’s DNA. By analysing the entire genome and examining more complex mutations that affect multiple bases, I hope our research contributes to better predictions of which treatment might benefit specific patients. This could enable better targeting of treatment to those patients most likely to benefit, given the genetic make-up of their tumours.”

Professor Richard Houlston, head of cancer genomics at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said: “The scale of this study was very large, as we analysed samples from almost every tumour type. The quantity of data was enormous, and although laborious to work through, we have been rewarded with a very exciting outcome. This study provides one of the clearest demonstrations yet that reading the full genetic history of a tumour can unlock clues to better patient care.  The future of cancer treatment lies not just in finding mutations, but in understanding the story they tell.”

Professor , Director of the ԰������ Cancer Research Centre, a partnership formed in 2006 by The University of ԰������, Cancer Research UK and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust said: “This remarkable and comprehensive study demonstrates how ԰������ is leading the charge in the field of big data genomics. The world-class research coming out of the Wedge lab is pioneering, and will transform our understanding of the human genome and the potential for better cancer treatments for our patients.”

The study is supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) ԰������ Biomedical Research Centre. 

* cancer genomics is the study of genetic changes in cancer cells to understand tumour development, progression and to guide personalised treatment.

• The study a Comprehensive repertoire of the chromosomal alteration and mutational signatures across 16 cancer types is published in https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02474-x

The recovery plan launched in January 2023 after one of the most testing years in NHS history with a perfect storm of pressures resulting in overwhelmed A&E departments, and significant numbers of patients waiting over 12-hours for beds.

Using national performance data, the ԰������ team show that initial improvements in the 4-hour and 12-hour waiting time targets and in the category two ambulance response times were achieved in the 12 months after the plan was announced. These initial performance improvements have since plateaued.

said: “A core aim of the recovery plan was to bring people together to coordinate a unified whole system response to tackle urgent and emergency care performance. This has happened – though the complexity of meeting national targets, addressing local challenges and responding to rising demand means that many systems have been running to stand still.”

The recovery plan set out a number of ambitions, including:

• Improve to 76% of patients being admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours by March 2024.

• Improve ambulance response times for Category 2 incidents to 30 minutes on average over 2023/24.

During the period the recovery plan was implemented, the trend of declining performance for 4-hour waits and 12-hour waits was arrested, and performance improved across 4-hour waits, 12-hour waits and Category 2 ambulance response time between February and September 2023.

However, following September 2023, initial rates of improvement were not maintained across the different indicators, and performance plateaued. The findings demonstrate that meaningful improvement towards the set targets takes time to deliver, especially in the context of rising volumes in ED, experienced over this period.

The ԰������ team found that successful and sustainable change depends not only on service developments but also on three broad enablers - improved communication, partnership working, and visible and present leadership - identified via in-depth key informant interviews conducted as part of the evaluation.

said “Our real-time evaluation of the impact of the 2023 recovery has provided crucial insights that have informed current and future winter planning. This demonstrates the value of NIHR’s investment in independent, rapid and responsive evaluation to inform decision-making and future service delivery.”

The report Independent evaluation of the 2023-2025 NHS Delivery Plan for Recovering Urgent and Emergency Care Services, including prioritisation of the high-impact initiatives is available .

The agreement to house the memorial at the University follows a commitment by Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater ԰������, to find a permanent and fitting home for it within the city-region. The memorial will now become part of the University’s collections, where it will be cared for as a place of remembrance, reflection and learning for generations to come.

Developed in collaboration with Inquiry participants, the memorial contains bottles with a message in each one written by someone affected by the scandal.

On display at the Infected Blood Inquiry until the publication of the Inquiry Report in May 2024, the memorial has been sited  in the . Its presence at the University will support research, teaching and public engagement, particularly in areas relating to patient safety, ethical practice in healthcare, trust, and health inequalities.

As a civic university rooted in ԰������, the University is committed to working alongside communities to acknowledge difficult histories and to create spaces where reflection and learning can take place with care and respect. Through exhibitions, teaching programmes and public events including the annual Universally ԰������ Festival, the memorial will remain accessible to the public, helping to ensure that the experiences of those affected continue to be heard and understood. 

By providing a permanent home for the Infected Blood Inquiry Memorial, the University hopes to honour those whose lives were changed forever, while supporting ongoing dialogue, understanding and learning that can help shape a more compassionate and responsible future in healthcare and public life.

Christine Burney, the widow of Peter Burney, who died of hepatitis following a blood transfusion said: “I lost my husband Peter Burney in 2019 to liver cancer, after being given hepatitis C following a blood transfusion. The inquiry memorial holds deep personal significance. As I live on the outskirts of ԰������ I have visited it numerous of times since its arrival on the university grounds, finding solace in its presence.

It serves as a vital, permanent reminder of this tragedy for the medical professionals of tomorrow. My hope is that by including this history in their curriculum we ensure that the lessons of the past directly inform the care and ethics of the future.”

Sir Brian Langstaff, Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry, said: “We must never forget the devastating effects of what happened. Foremost among them is the anguish, suffering and profound loss, so eloquently highlighted by the messages carefully placed in this Memorial by people infected and affected.  I wish to thank the University of ԰������ for providing a permanent home for the Memorial. It stands now, and for the future, as a testament to all of those who fought so long to be heard.  The infected blood disaster was not an accident and its like must never happen again.” 

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater ԰������, said: "This memorial is a powerful way to honour those thousands of people and their family members who suffered so much and those whose lives continue to be blighted by the infected blood scandal.  I hope this memorial provides some closure, and a place for reflection for all people fighting injustice.

“I pay tribute to the campaigners like Fred and Eleanor Bates from Wythenshawe who never gave in and helped me understand the scale of the injustice. I am proud that the memorial will be based here, in the centre of ԰������, and I know they would be too.”

Professor Stephanie Snow, Professor of Health, History and Policy and Academic Lead for Public Engagement who is based at The University’s  Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine said: “Our stewardship will honour the Inquiry’s intention that the Memorial will be a permanent symbol of the human suffering and loss caused by the contaminated blood scandal.

“Many thousands of NHS patients were infected after being given contaminated blood in what has been called the biggest treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.

“According to the inquiry, the victims had been failed "not once, but repeatedly", since 1948, the date when the risk of viral infections in blood products originated. This memorial is a fitting tribute and a powerful reminder of their story. We are honoured it is to become part of the University’s collections.

John McAuliffe, Associate Vice President (Cultural Portfolio) at The University of ԰������ and Director of was also part of the team who helped to bring the monument to ԰������.

He said: “Our collections inspire and nurture world-class research, teaching and learning and this memorial will be of huge interest to writers, historians, social scientists, clinicians and scientists,  and others connected to the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, and to the University’s research platforms, Creative ԰������ and Healthier Futures, which support interdisciplinary research, as well as to colleagues and students attached to the Justice Hub, the Centre for New Writing and the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology.

Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President for Social Responsibility at The University of ԰������ said: “As a civic university, we believe it is important to remember difficult histories with honesty, compassion and respect. The Memory Bank Memorial gives powerful voice to those affected by the contaminated blood scandal and stands as a reminder of the human impact behind it. 

“It is a privilege for the University to become its custodian, and we hope it will support reflection, learning and dialogue for generations to come, reflecting our commitment to social responsibility and to serving our communities in ԰������ and beyond.”

• Image from left to right: Sir Brian Langstaff, Andy Burnham, Stephanie Snow, Christine Burney, Nalin Thakkar

Poorer communities often face additional difficulties to accessing consistent, proactive and clearly defined dementia support within general practice.

Based on 20 in‑depth interviews with people with dementia and their carers, the researchers highlight how socioeconomic disadvantage  adds additional  complexity to their healthcare.

Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR ) School for Primary Care Research, the study is published in the .

Participants were recruited from areas ranked in the lowest two quintiles of the ensuring that voices often absent from dementia research were highlighted.

The researchers analysed the interviews using reflexive thematic analysis, a qualitative research method used to identify, analyse, and interpret patterns of meaning.

It revealed four interconnected themes that shaped participants’ experiences:

• Proactive continuity of care is essential to helping people with dementia retain a sense of identity as the condition advances.
• Formal support often falls away just as care needs escalate, leaving families feeling abandoned at the most critical stages.
• Widespread difficulty navigating what respondents see as a fragmented and often bewildering primary care system.
• Uncertainty across general practice about who is responsible for ongoing dementia support, with many patients and carers unclear about where the condition sits within routine care.

While views varied, some participants felt local resources and individual social networks influenced the quality of care they received.

The findings suggest that clearer communication, proactive follow‑up and more consistent relationships with primary care professionals could significantly improve the experiences of people with dementia.

The study also emphasises the need for a clearer definition of primary care’s role in dementia management, particularly as policy discussions increasingly point toward primary care‑led post‑diagnostic support.

Lead researcher Dr from The University of ԰������ said: “It was a real privilege to interview the people with dementia and the carers for this study, and I’m very grateful to them all.

“Our work shows that people with dementia in disadvantaged areas are navigating a system that often feels fragmented, reactive and unclear, at a time when stability and continuity matter most.”

“By strengthening proactive contact and clarifying who is responsible for dementia care, primary care services can make a profound difference to patients and families.

“Addressing these gaps is essential to ensuring equitable, person‑centred dementia care across the UK.”

Co-author , director of the NIHR Greater ԰������ PSRC and professor at The University of ԰������, added: “The themes we identified are an important insight into how people with dementia feel about the healthcare they receive from their primary care teams.

“Understanding this is an important step to improving the post-diagnostic healthcare we offer for people with dementia in the community.”

• The paper Experiences of primary care for people with 2 dementia from socio-economically 3 disadvantaged areas: a qualitative study, published in the British Journal of General Practice is available DOI: https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGP.2025.0407

Delivered collaboratively by the Universities of ԰������, Bristol and Liverpool, the new PhD Programme will train 40 of the UK’s most promising scientists to move beyond disciplinary boundaries and adopt integrated approaches to heart–brain health.  Together, they will uncover the biological and societal drivers that link heart and brain diseases, develop new tools for early detection, create predictive digital models for personalised care, and design therapies that target shared pathways across both organ systems. This integrated approach reflects the growing need for preventative, system-level solutions as populations age and multimorbidity rises.

 Recognising the need for integrative research linking heart and brain diseases, the programme is centred on the principles of multidisciplinary. Students will work on ambitious cross-disciplinary projects spanning discovery bioscience, engineering, data science, imaging, epidemiology and behavioural science. Bringing these different perspectives together will enable new insights into complex disease processes and help drive innovative solutions to some of the biggest challenges in cardiovascular and neurological health.

Cohort-based training across all three universities, alongside strong industry partnerships and access to world-leading infrastructure, will provide students with a rich and collaborative research environment. Together, these opportunities will equip them with the skills, networks and experience needed to become the future leaders driving innovation in cardiovascular and neurological research, with real impact for patients and health systems alike.

The programme application was led by Dr Gina Galli (University of ԰������), Professor Deirdre Lane (University of Liverpool) and Professor Alastair Poole (University of Bristol), who will be Directors of the new programme. For ԰������, this sees a continuation of our sustained BHF-funded PhD programme that has been running successfully since 2009, training present and future generations of cardiovascular researchers.

Professor Ashley Blom, Vice President and Dean of Biology, Medicine and Health at The University of ԰������ said: “We are delighted to be part of this national training programme which looks at  the links between heart and brain diseases, an important yet under-researched area of  cardiovascular medicine.”

According to The University of ԰������ led on mice, published in the American Heart Association Stroke journal today (insert date) and funded by the Medical Research Council, the timing of anakinra must be adjusted to avoid reducing the benefits of the clot‑busting therapy known as tissue plasminogen activator(tPA).

Stroke is the second leading cause of death and disability worldwide; experts estimate the number of people affected could rise by more than 80% over the next 25 years.

But despite decades of research and thousands of experimental drugs, the only approved medicines for treating the most common type of stroke — ischemic stroke — are clot‑busting drugs known as plasminogen activators, like tPA.

Though tPA can be lifesaving for acute ischemic stroke, about 2–6% of treated patients develop potentially fatal brain bleeding, according to the ECASS III trial of the early 2000s.

Though it must be given within 4.5 hours of symptom onset, many patients arrive too late or don’t know when symptoms started.

Scientists now know that inflammation plays a major role in worsening brain injury after a stroke, mostly driven by a molecule called interleukin‑1 (IL‑1).

Anakinra  - an interleukin‑1 receptor antagonist (IL‑1Ra) -  blocks IL‑1 and has shown promise in reducing inflammation in both laboratory and early clinical studies of stroke.

However, a  phase II clinical trial known as SCIL‑STROKE based at The Northern care Alliance NHS foundation Trust found that IL‑1Ra did not improve patient recovery overall.

“The findings of SCIL‑STROKE raise questions about whether the drug might interact negatively with standard clot‑busting treatment, “ said lead author , based at the University of ԰������.

Because nearly three‑quarters of patients in the SCIL‑STROKE trial received the clot‑busting drug tPA before IL‑1Ra, the researchers set out to investigate whether the two treatments might negatively interact  with each other.

They re‑examined data from the SCIL-STROKE trial and discovered that patients who received tPA before IL‑1Ra had significantly lower levels of IL‑1Ra in their blood, suggesting the drug was being broken down.

Laboratory research confirmed that IL‑1Ra can be cut apart by plasmin, an enzyme produced during tPA treatment, meaning the anti‑inflammatory drug may be degraded before it can work.

Researchers then tested the interaction in a mouse model of stroke, using dosing schedules that matched those used in the clinical trial.

When IL‑1Ra was given after tPA, no harmful interaction was seen, and the protective effects of tPA were preserved.

However, when IL‑1Ra was given at the same time as tPA — during the clot‑busting process — the benefits of tPA were dramatically reduced, with brain damage shrinking by only 15% compared to 68% with tPA alone.

The mice receiving both drugs together also showed poorer blood flow in the brain, more inflammatory immune cells entering damaged tissue, and higher levels of harmful structures called neutrophil extracellular traps. This indicates that the drug interaction is also detrimental to the anti-inflammatory effect of IL-1Ra.

Dr Mosneag added: “Our findings suggest that IL‑1Ra can interfere with tPA’s ability to dissolve clots when the two drugs are present in the bloodstream at the same time.

“The results also help explain why IL‑1Ra levels were lower in patients who received tPA first, as plasmin generated during clot‑busting appears to break down IL‑1Ra.

”However, the  effect of tPA on IL-RA -  the opposite order -  isn’t necessarily a problem  as IL-1RA was still active in reducing IL-6 in the SCIL-STROKE study, but this needs further evaluation.”

Co-author Professor from The University of ԰������ said: “This study  shows that timing is very likely to be a critical factor in the efficacy of  IL‑1Ra, which  will be beneficial if given after tPA rather than alongside it.

“We also need to test whether similar interactions occur with other clot‑busting drugs such as tenecteplase, which may be less likely to break down IL‑1Ra due to its greater specificity.”

Co-author from the University of ԰������ said: “This study has important implications for further development of IL-1Ra as a treatment for ischaemic stroke, where there remains a focus on maximising delivery of thrombolysis drugs to eligible patients as quickly as possible in clinical care.  Future studies will need to investigate the timing and effectiveness of IL-1Ra treatment after receiving tPA.”

• The paper Timing-dependent cleavage of Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist by alteplase impairs neuroprotection in ischemic stroke is available

This pioneering study, led by scientists at the University of ԰������ and involving teams in Denmark, has been published in

In what is considered a major breakthrough in the battle against brain cancer, scientists have found early evidence that a pair of proteins in the blood may help identify glioblastoma with high accuracy and provide insights into how the disease responds to treatment.

Glioblastoma is notorious for late diagnosis, rapid progression, resistance to treatment and extreme biological complexity. At present, diagnosis and follow-up rely largely on MRI scans and invasive surgical biopsies, which can miss early changes and cannot be repeated frequently. As a result, clinicians often struggle to determine in real time whether a treatment is working or whether the tumour is beginning to return.

The new research shows that two blood-borne proteins – coagulation factor IX (F9) and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) – form a powerful “dual-marker” signature that distinguishes patients with glioblastoma from healthy individuals with high accuracy (more than 90%). In samples taken from patients during surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the markers showed dynamic changes, reflecting treatment response and disease progression.

Professor, The Brain Tumour Charity chair of Translational Neuro-Oncology at The University of ԰������, who led the study, said: “Glioblastoma is one of the most devastating cancers we face. Late detection is among the contributing factors to poor outcomes and a source of anxiety our patients face leading up to their diagnosis. The lack of reliable tests has been a major barrier to earlier diagnosis and treatment response monitoring. What is remarkable about our findings is that, despite these tumours being very different in genetic make-up, and constantly evolving, the signal in the blood is stable, robust and highly informative. We hope that once validated, this simple blood test may pave the way for earlier diagnosis and more precise monitoring of patients during and after therapy.

 “Our dual-marker blood test achieved diagnostic accuracy greater than 90 percent and continued to perform just as well when the disease returned. This opens the door to a future where we can follow the tumour’s behaviour through a simple blood sample, complement brain scans, and potentially recognise when the treatment isn’t working and the cancer returns much earlier than is currently possible. We still have a long way to go before we would see this used in clinic, but it’s a very promising and exciting development in neuro-oncology research.”

Dr Simon Newman, Chief Scientific Officer at The Brain Tumour Charity, said: “We are immensely proud to support Petra’s role as The Brain Tumour Charity’s Chair of Translational Neuro-Oncology through a grant worth £1.35 million. Early and accurate diagnosis is absolutely critical for people with brain tumours, yet current tools are limited and often invasive. This research therefore marks a significant step towards a simple blood test that could help clinicians detect glioblastoma and monitor how patients are responding to treatment in real time.”

Professor Hamerlik, who is also the brain tumour lead for concluded: “While validation of this finding is ongoing with the generous contribution of UK patients who kindly donated their blood for this research, our results strongly support the development of a clinically accessible blood test for glioblastoma. Ultimately, this could help doctors make more informed treatment decisions, reduce the need for repeated invasive procedures, and, most importantly, give patients and families clearer, earlier answers.”

The study was co-funded by The Brain Tumour Charity and conducted at The University of ԰������ and the ԰������ Cancer Research Centre (MCRC), reinforcing ԰������’s leading role in translational neuro-oncology research. The Danish Cancer Society and NovoNordisk Foundation in Denmark also part-funded this study.

• The paper Non-Invasive Detection and Monitoring of Glioblastoma Subtypes via Dual-Marker Plasma Proteomics DOI
• Philanthropic support has been central to enabling this research. The University is proud to partner with the Brain Tumour Charity and a number of individual donors who support Petra and her team's work. Find out more about how supporting ԰������ drives impact across our research here: Challenge Accepted

The research, published in is part of the Stroke IMPaCT study (Stroke – Immune Mediated Pathways and Cognitive Trajectory), a network of European and North American researchers who are working to discover how inflammation and immune responses contribute to post-stroke cognitive decline.

The team followed patients treated for an ischaemic stroke at Salford Royal Hospital, part of Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust. They measured levels of a protein called interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the days after stroke and again at both 6-9 and 18-21months. Participants also completed detailed tests of memory and thinking.

Interleukin-6 levels increased soon after stroke and, in most people, fell back to typical levels within 6-9 months. But in some patients, levels stayed high or rose again. These individuals were about eight times more likely to develop difficulties with thinking ability.

The researchers also saw differences between smokers and non-smokers. Smokers showed a different pattern of IL-6 change after stroke, with signs of longer-lasting inflammation. This ongoing inflammation was more strongly linked to problems with thinking and memory.

Lead author an MBPhD researcher at The University of ԰������, said: “Inflammation after stroke doesn't just happen once and disappear. By tracking this protein over time, we may be able to identify patients at greater risk of cognitive problems and eventually tailor support or treatments to them.”

Professor Craig Smith, Professor of Stroke Medicine at The University of ԰������ and Consultant at Salford Royal, said: “Our findings suggest it's not just the initial spike in inflammation that matters- it's whether it properly settles down after the stroke. Smoking appears to interfere with this recovery, leaving people more vulnerable to memory and thinking problems.

Professor Stuart Allan added: “When the immune system's recovery after stroke doesn't occur as expected, patients appear more likely to experience cognitive difficulties. If future studies confirm interleukin-6 is the cause, we might one day use medications that block it to protect brain health.”

Co-lead author Harry Deijnen from the University of ԰������ added: “Though it is clear that more research is needed, these results point towards new opportunities to improve long-term brain health by focusing on the body’s inflammatory recovery after stroke.”

• The work  was funded by the Leducq Foundation, Kennedy Trust, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the British Heart Foundation. Philanthropic support has also been central to enabling this research. The University is proud to partner with donors in support of this work, including Louis and Amy Wong. Find out more about how supporting ԰������ drives impact across our research here: Challenge Accepted. It was supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) ԰������ Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)’
• The paper Longitudinal Plasma IL-6 and Post-Stroke Cognitive Outcomes: The Stroke-IMPaCT ԰������ is available DOI:

The findings partly explain why around 70% of rare diseases go undiagnosed, even in the UK, which arguably has the worlds most advanced genomic medicine service.

Led by a geneticist from The University of ԰������, the findings are published by the Editorial team at the Genetics in Medicine Journal (GIM)-  considered a world-leading clinical genetics journal -  in

It is frustrating news for the parents of the a year with rare genetic diseases, most of whom never receive a diagnosis, and many dying without the underlying cause being determined.

Correct nomenclature - as it is known- could also reduce the to the NHS of pursuing avoidable lengthy diagnostic journeys into rare genetic diseases -  thought to be over  £3 billion per decade.

Miscommunication caused by inconsistent genetic naming has, over time, led to documented cases of incorrect clinical management.

The researchers found that every manuscript submitted to the Genetic in Medicine Journal (the journal of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), who develop global professional standards in Clinical Genomics),  contained one or more errors.

That, they say, substantially reduced the probability of finding variants during routine searches. Such searches are required to gather diagnostic evidence, but if the evidence cannot be found due to findability issues, then a diagnosis may be missed.

The research is being incorporated into a new ACMG-led professional standard, which is being collaboratively developed with all the major professional societies and quality assurance bodies across the US, EU, UK and Canada, to be announced later this year.

The standard will govern the minimal acceptable standards for variant data in clinical reporting, databases and literature.  

Such standards have been legally binding in the United States but there is no indication yet that the UK will follow suit; however, the quality bodies that control UK genomic medicine standards are part of the ACMG-led coalition.

Dr Freeman, formerly of the University of Leicester, and now based at The University of ԰������ devised a tool called to give each variant a standardised name, allowing diagnostic evidence to be shared and found.

Working with the , the Genetics in Medicine (GIM) editors assembled a technical editing team led by Dr Freeman to develop instructions for authors on proper variant reporting.

Hospital geneticists rely on published evidence to make diagnoses, but because of inconsistent variant naming, say the authors, they are often unable to locate relevant information, even if it exists.

Many geneticists, they say, are using simpler but less accurate nomenclature, preventing databases like ClinVar and the Leiden Open Variation Database (LOVD), and widely used AI discovery tools from identifying critical evidence and adding literature to ClinVar and LOVD records.

Dr Freeman, whose son has an undiagnosed genetic disorder, said: “The language of genomics, which guides everything from discoveries of gene-disease associations to rare disease diagnosis, relies on an established standardized system of naming genomic variants.

“This study has revealed a shocking level of inaccuracy in the naming of genetic variants-  which has real-world consequences. Me and my team have yet to find a journal article which uses the correct nomenclature and did not require intervention.”

He added: “Doctors almost always describe DNA variants using various outdated or non-standard naming systems, or fail to accurately apply the current standard. This means they are publishing data which is less findable, so may be missed by others in the field attempting to reach a diagnostic decision, denying the possibility of treatment.

“But even more importantly, for children like my son, not having a diagnosis means they cannot access the support services they desperately need to support their wellbeing and development.

“Nomenclature should accurately describe the changes in DNA sequencing observed when there is a genetic variant. But in many cases, this is simply not happening and is part of a complex set of problems that is causing miss or missed diagnoses.”

The team recommend:

• Universally adopting gene/variant nomenclature guidelines within published works.
• Implementing robust peer review processes to enforce gene/variant nomenclature standards.
• Supporting automated submission of structured variant and classification data into publicly available repositories
• Work with publishers to educate production and copyediting teams.

What misnaming means for patients

In an infamous example over decades, laboratories and clinicians used conflicting naming systems for Factor V Leiden, a common inherited genetic mutation that causes ,

That resulted in misinterpretation of patients’ thrombosis risk and inappropriate treatment decisions.

In another example, inconsistent reporting of variants of the gene CFTR in cystic fibrosis  has contributed to misunderstandings of carrier status and disease risk, leading to errors in family‑planning counselling for affected couples.

• The paper Universal Presence of Gene/Variant Nomenclature Errors in Journal Manuscript Submissions is available   

The team found that growing a widely used magnetic alloy, permalloy, on ultra‑thin MoS₂ alters the film’s internal crystal structure, changing how and where energy is lost as magnetic spins move. By separating energy losses that occur at the surface of the film from those arising within its internal structure, the researchers provide new design insights for devices that use two‑dimensional (2D) materials to control magnetism more efficiently.

Crucially, the work uses large‑area, manufacturing‑compatible MoS₂, showing that these effects are not confined to laboratory‑scale samples but are relevant for real, scalable spintronic technologies.

The study, published in , demonstrates that transition‑metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) can alter the fundamental properties of magnetic films. The results highlight the importance of careful comparison with control materials when assessing the impact of 2D layers on magnetic behaviour.

Spintronics is an alternative to conventional electronics that uses not only the charge of electrons, but also their spin, to store and process information. This approach underpins emerging technologies for magnetic memory and has potential applications in energy‑efficient, high‑speed computing. A major challenge in spintronics, however, is energy loss: as magnetic spins move, some energy is inevitably dissipated as heat, limiting device speed and efficiency.

In this work, the researchers studied thin films of permalloy grown on top of large‑area MoS₂ produced using industry‑compatible chemical vapour deposition. They found that the ultra‑clean interface between permalloy and MoS₂ reduces energy loss at the surface of the magnetic film. At the same time, subtle changes within the film’s crystal structure slightly increase internal energy loss.

By clearly separating these two effects, the team was able to explain why previous studies of 2D materials and magnetism have sometimes produced conflicting results.

To reach these conclusions, the researchers used ferromagnetic resonance, a technique in which a high‑frequency magnetic field causes spins inside a magnetic material to wobble, similar to a spinning top slowing down due to friction. By measuring how quickly this wobble fades, the team could determine how and where energy is dissipated. Varying the thickness of the magnetic layer allowed them to distinguish losses occurring at the surface from those within the bulk of the film.

The results point to new routes for designing lower‑power, faster spintronic memory, where material interfaces are engineered to minimise unwanted energy loss without sacrificing performance.

“This work is exciting because the fundamental effects a two‑dimensional material can have on magnetic thin films are still largely unexplored,” said , lead author of the study and Research Associate in THz Spintronics at the University of ԰������. “We’ve shown how these changes affect energy loss, which is a crucial property for next‑generation memory technologies.”

The study shows that 2D materials do not always increase energy loss and that, with the right interface, they can reduce it.

This research was published in the journal .

Full title: Separation of bulk and surface contributions to the damping of permalloy on large-area chemical-vapor-deposited �Ѵ�⁢S₂.

DOI:

The National Graphene Institute (NGI) is a world-leading graphene and 2D material centre, focussed on fundamental research. Based at The University of ԰������, where graphene was first isolated in 2004 by Professors Sir Andre Geim and Sir Kostya Novoselov, it is home to leaders in their field – a community of research specialists delivering transformative discovery. This expertise is matched by £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.

Professor Ruth Itzhaki from The Universities of ԰������ and Oxford, reveals how for many woman and girls, extreme violence, sexual attacks, killings tied to the honour of a family or clan, and female genital mutilation are a common reality.

A  leading neurovirologists who is known for her pioneering research into the role of viruses in Alzheimer’s disease, her book is the culmination of years of work published by World Scientific.

She was inspired to turn her hand to global women’s rights after reading harrowing  news reports-  and a shocking TV documentary showing Dalit women in India forced to remove human waste by hand using only straw brushes and pans.

Drawing on authoritative sources from the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and under researched government surveys, she presents a comprehensive and troubling picture of women’s rights in low and middle income countries (LMIC).

The book draws on extensive evidence from LMICs where data is available, showing abuses are widespread but nearly always under‑reported.

In some LMICs, even if the crimes are punishable by law, public opinion in general tolerates or even condones the crimes.

Professor Itzhaki said: “For millions of women and girls, their value is frequently measured solely by their ability to produce sons, forcing many into repeated pregnancies regardless of age or health.

“An innocent glance at a man can lead to punishment; dishonour can lead to violent retribution or even death, inflicted by male relatives -  sometimes, with the assent of female relatives-  who believe they are restoring family pride.

“Girls can be married long before adolescence; their education restricted or banned entirely in some countries.

“Widows can be blamed for their husbands’ deaths, accused of witchcraft, dispossessed of their homes, and forbidden to remarry.

“In one country – Afghanistan - women are even banned from speaking audibly in public.”

The book also offers practical guidance on how individuals and communities can help combat gender‑based violence and discrimination.

It emphasises the importance of supporting organisations that protect survivors, promote equal rights, and work to end violence against women.

And it urges parents and educators to help shaping children’s understanding of equality, respect, and human rights, calling for conversations that help young people reject rigid expectations of how men and women should behave.

She added: “I hope this book will inspire readers to take action, advocate for justice, and support initiatives that empower women through education, healthcare, and economic opportunity.

“It shows these abuses are not isolated incidents but systemic crimes affecting vast numbers of girls and women simply because of their sex.

“But despite that,  public awareness remains dangerously low; silence allows these injustices to persist.

“Especially pertinent on international women’s day, this book is an attempt to redress that balance.”

Self-harm has become increasingly common among young people in the UK. It can be a significant concern for young people themselves, their families, and the services that support them, and is associated with a range of other psychological difficulties in both the short and long term. This trial follows previous research suggesting that CAT may show promise in helping adults who self-harm.

Dr Peter Taylor, from The University of ԰������ and co-lead of the trial, said: “We know that difficulties with self-harm often begin during adolescence, and for some people they can have a lifelong impact. Talking therapies can help. We believe CAT has potential here, but further research is needed.”

Professor Stephen Kellett, from Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust and the other co-lead, added:“CAT is different from many therapies currently used for self-harm, as it focuses more on the relationships young people have with others and with themselves, and how these patterns can contribute to self-harm.”

RELATE-YP is a feasibility trial, meaning it is an early step in testing whether CAT is a suitable treatment for young people who self-harm. The study will explore whether young people find CAT helpful and whether a larger trial would be appropriate.

The trial is currently running across three NHS Foundation Trusts:

1.                  Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust

2.                  Greater ԰������ Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

3.                  Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust

The study is recruiting young people through Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Cameron Latham, a co-investigator who also has personal experience of self-harm, commented on why this research is needed: “Self-injury affects the lives of so many people and a brief, effective, available therapy for young people would be a valuable addition to treatment. Throughout this trial part of my role is to further ensure the well-being of those who self-injure and through PPI involvement ensure the voices of patient, parents and carers are heard.”

Published in , the study was mainly funded by the Medical Research Council. Respondents were members of a long-term project on police health at Imperial College London, which also provided infrastructure support for the survey. 

Most UK police officers wear an ear-piece in one ear. The devices are capable of high sound levels so that they can be heard over background noise. Past reports have emphasised that officers must choose low volume-control settings to protect their hearing. 

Until now, there has been no research into the volume settings actually used, or their effects on hearing health. 

The University of ԰������ researchers asked 4,498 UK police personnel about their volume-control settings, patterns of ear-piece use, immediate after-effects, and long-term hearing symptoms. 

Over 45% of ear-piece users reported experiencing signs of temporary hearing loss (muffled hearing or ringing in their ear) immediately after using an ear-piece. These after-effects were more common in police who used higher volume-control settings. 

Even more important were links to long-term hearing problems. Ear-piece use accompanied by immediate after-effects more than doubled an officer’s risk of having tinnitus (spontaneously ringing ears, which can indicate permanent hearing damage). It also raised the risk of having diagnosed hearing loss by 93%. 

Crucially, symptoms were much more common in the ear with the ear-piece than the opposite ear, increasing the likelihood that hearing problems were directly linked to ear-piece use. 

The project’s senior advisor, Professor Chris Plack of The University of ԰������, said: “It’s not unusual to experience signs of temporary hearing loss after being in extremely noisy environments, such as nightclubs or concerts. For police to experience these after-effects in the workplace is concerning.” 

The lead researcher, of The University of ԰������, said: “We were surprised that ear-piece use with after-effects was so strongly linked to long-term hearing symptoms. And the fact that symptoms tended to appear in the exposed ear, rather than the opposite ear, is a particularly telling finding.”

But Dr Guest cautioned: “It’s important not to over-interpret our results, since they are based on survey responses. Going forward, laboratory hearing tests are needed to confirm whether ear-piece users have measurable differences between their ears.

“These should include standard clinical hearing tests, like those used by NHS audiologists, but also tests that are sensitive to the early warning signs of hearing damage.”

Professor Plack said: “We also need to understand why officers choose such high volume-control settings. This knowledge could help us find ways to reduce risks to police hearing, such as improved ear-piece technology, training for officers on safe use, and increased monitoring of hearing health.

“Our data aren’t the final word, but they are a notable discovery that warrants further investigation. They point to the need not only for follow-up laboratory testing but also for practical steps to reduce long-term risk.”

Dr Guest added: “We are pleased that key groups within UK policing - including the Disabled Police Association and the Police Chief Medical Officer - have been open to discussing our findings and are keen to explore measures to protect police hearing.”

• The paper, Leveraging monaural exposures to reveal early effects of noise: Evidence from police radio ear-piece use, is published at
• Simple visualisations of the key study findings are available for media professionals and the public at

The researchers found the same pattern of seasonal variation in the highest quality sperm in two very different climates— Denmark and Florida— suggesting that seasonality affects male fertility more than temperature alone.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal and has practical implications for male fertility care.

Understanding seasonal patterns, for example, could help clinics optimise the timing of treatment and fertility testing to provide better guidance to couples trying to conceive.

Though scientists have long known that many human biological processes change with the seasons, previous studies on the quality of semen at different times of the year have provided conflicting results due to small sample sizes or differences in climate and laboratory methods from study to study.

To address that, this new study analysed semen samples from 15,581 men applying to be sperm donors between 2018 and 2024.

The men were aged 18 to 45 and lived near Cryos International clinics in Denmark and Florida.

All samples were analysed within an hour using the same computer assisted system to ensure consistent measurement.

The team examined sperm concentration, sperm motility (how well sperm can swim and move forward), and ejaculate volume across all months of the year.

They also looked at outdoor temperatures during the month the sperm was collected and two months earlier, when early sperm development begins.

Advanced statistical models were used to identify seasonal trends while accounting for the man’s age, outdoor temperatures, and long-term changes across the study period.

The results revealed strong and consistent seasonal variation in the concentration of progressively motile sperm.

Fast‑moving sperm were most abundant in June and July in both Denmark and Florida.

Levels were lowest in December and January, even though Florida remains warm year round.

The study found no seasonal changes in total sperm concentration or ejaculate volume, suggesting the number of sperm produced does not vary by season, though their ability to move effectively does.

The number of motile sperm per ejaculate also followed a seasonal pattern, even after accounting for temperature, indicating that factors other than heat—such as variation in lifestyle, daylight, or environmental exposures—may influence sperm motility.

Co-author P from The University of ԰������ said: “We were struck by how similar the seasonal pattern was in two completely different climates.

“Even in Florida, where temperatures stay warm, sperm motility still peaked in summer and dipped in winter, which tells us that ambient temperature alone is unlikely to explain these changes.”

He added: “Our study highlights the importance of considering seasonality when evaluating semen quality. It also shows that seasonal variation in sperm motility occurs even in warm climates. These findings deepen our understanding of male reproductive health and may help improve fertility outcomes.”

Medical director at Cryos international, Anne-Bine Skytte said: “These data suggest that the month of the year when a man first attends a clinic to be evaluated as a sperm donor, will impact on the quality of the sample he produces and therefore may influence the chances of him being accepted as a donor.

“Having an ejaculate that contains a high number of swimming sperm is one of the main characteristics we look for when deciding whether he is suitable or not.

• The paper Seasonal trends in sperm quality in Denmark and Florida is available https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-026-01537-w

The University of ԰������ and Calgary researchers publish their study today in the Journal of Health Economics amid a backdrop of dwindling numbers of GPs practice owners-known as partners.

That, say the researchers, puts the managerial and financial burden of operating a practice on increasingly smaller numbers of GPs, with a heightened consequential risk of burnout and stress.

It is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Unit (PRU) in Health and Social Care Systems and Commissioning.

Practices in the UK are generally owned and operated by one or more self-employed independent contractors referred to as partners.

Under most general practice contracts with the NHS, there must be at least one General Practitioner (GP) partner at a practice; however, not all partners need to be GPs.

One potential way to provide a sustainable alternative structure for general practice they say, could be non-clinical ownership with practice managers as partners.

The managers, responsible for administration, HR, and financial management, typically handle the business and operational aspects of the practice and do not usually have medical training.

By 2022, the number of practices reporting they had a manager partner had grown to 335, from 0 in 2015, serving 7% of patients registered at general practices in England.

Based on analysis of data from England’s 37,660 practice-years from 5,026 general practices between 2015 and 2023, the researchers use a range of sources to investigate the impact of non-clinical ownership stakes on key primary care outcomes.

They found that appointing a manager partner leads to significant increases in full-time equivalent (FTE) direct patient care staff, excluding GPs and nurses, as well as administrative staff numbers and total patient list size.

Practices that appoint a manager partner were found to be more sustainable because they were less likely to subsequently merge or close.

There were no significant impacts on numbers of GP or nurse staff, GP turnover, quality of care, patients’ satisfaction and access. And income from reimbursement for non-core services, such as local or direct enhanced service, quality outcome framework payments, and medication administration payments,  were higher following appointment of a practice manager as a partner.

Co -author from The University of ԰������ said: “Our study shows shared GP and manager partnership has the potential to reduce risk of closure of practices while easing GP partners financial and administrative burden.”

“This ownership model is feasible within many other healthcare systems, where physicians may seek to share with non-clinical colleagues the financial and administrative burden associated with operating practices.”

Co-author Dr Sean Urwin from The University of ԰������, said: “As the number of GP partners continues to decrease, the managerial and financial burden of operating a practice is placed upon an increasingly smaller number of GPs.

“While not a like-for-like substitute for GPs, we argue that non-GP partners can alleviate some partnership burdens and offer additional managerial skills.

“Our analysis also indicates that manager partners offer a potential route for smaller practices to retain their independence rather than being integrated into larger organizations.”

Co-author Dr Ben walker from the University of Calgary, Canada, said: “The appointment as of practice managers as partners may offer a number of benefits.

“The increase in direct patient care staff in practices that appoint manager partners could be indicative of the manager’s efforts to improve the organisational efficiency and performance of the practice.

“With expertise in business planning, they may be better placed and more incentivised to maximise income, leaving more time for GPs to concentrate ion patient care and even potentially slowing the decline in GP partner retention.

“But also, manager partners’ skills in HR and financial planning may improve staff organisation and recruitment.”

• The paper Shared Stakes in English General Practice: The Impact of Practice Managers as Partners on Outcomes is available  

In a new study by University of ԰������ scientists published in , researchers aimed to uncover why these treatments fail for some individuals. To do this, the team analysed blood samples from people living with MG and compared them to those of healthy volunteers to understand the underlying cellular differences that drive standard therapy resistance.

A Pattern of Immune Imbalance
The study revealed distinct immune system abnormalities in patients with refractory MG. These patients showed an overactive adaptive immune response, specifically involving increased numbers of memory B cells.

At the same time, the researchers found that regulatory T cells—which normally act as a ‘braking system’ to suppress excessive inflammation—were markedly reduced. This combination of an overactive attack and a weakened braking system contributes to significant immune dysregulation.

The research also identified changes in the innate immune system, including reduced dendritic cells and increased monocytes, along with heightened activity of the complement system, all pointing to ongoing immune-mediated damage at the neuromuscular junction.

Predicting Treatment Response
The team also examined a small group of refractory patients treated with rituximab, a drug designed to remove B cells. Although B cells were successfully reduced in all patients, only some showed meaningful clinical improvement.

The study found that those who did not respond appeared to have a version of the disease driven by long-lived plasma cells and particularly high complement activity. This discovery suggests that these specific patients may benefit more from therapies that target the complement pathway rather than just B cells.

“For patients whose symptoms do not improve with existing treatments, the lack of clear answers can be incredibly frustrating,” said , Neurology Consultant at ԰������ Centre for Clinical Neuroscience. “Our findings help explain why some therapies work for certain patients but not others, and point toward more personalised approaches that could improve outcomes in the future.”

“Our study identifies a distinct immune signature associated with treatment-resistant myasthenia gravis,” said , UKRI Future Leaders Fellow at the  and lead author of the paper. “Understanding these immune differences brings us closer to predicting how patients will respond to therapy and to developing more targeted, personalised treatment approaches.”

• Lymphocyte alterations and elevated complement signaling are key features of refractory myasthenia gravis published in . DOI: 

The second half goes here

Published in the journal European Urology Oncology today (20/02/26), the researchers show men with learning disabilities are 35% more likely than similar aged men without learning disabilities to have prostate cancer symptoms but 34% less likely to have a diagnostic PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) test. 

The study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Greater ԰������ Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GM PSRC). The research team is supported by both the NIHR GM PSRC and the NIHR ԰������ Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). 

Following an elevated PSA, referrals are 17% less likely, biopsies 46% less likely and prostate cancer diagnoses 49% less likely. 

They were almost six times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer on the date of death, 79% more likely to present with metastatic disease at an advanced stage and had a two-fold increased risk of death following diagnosis. 

And they were also 61% more likely to have missing Gleason scores, the grading system used to evaluate prostate cancer based on how cancer cells look under a microscope. 

However, when prostate cancer was diagnosed at a localised stage and deemed to require treatment, men with learning disabilities received curative therapies at similar rates to those without. This suggests that the benefits of early diagnosis apply equally to this group.

The study population comprised 29,554 men with a learning disability compared to 518,739 men with no recorded diagnosis of a learning disability, linked to hospital, mortality, and cancer registry data. 

Lead author Dr Oliver Kennedy a clinical lecturer from The University of ԰������ and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust said: “Learning disabilities are increasingly recognised as a hidden driver of cancer mortality. However, evidence on prostate cancer care in this population is limited. 

“This study is the first to identify specific points along the prostate cancer diagnostic and treatment pathway that may contribute to poorer outcomes for patients with a learning disability.” 

And co-author , director of the NIHR Greater ԰������ PSRC and professor at The University of ԰������, said: “Learning – or intellectual - disability is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition characterised by significant impairments in intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour, with onset in childhood. 

“In the UK, 1.5 million people have a learning disability. This group frequently encounters barriers within healthcare services, including communication difficulties, not doing enough to remove barriers, and the overshadowing of new symptoms on existing  health conditions. 

“Men with a learning disability face disparities across the prostate cancer care pathway, from investigation of relevant symptoms to survival after diagnosis. Targeted interventions are needed to address these inequities.”

Dr Kennedy added: “Addressing these health disparities has been recognised as a priority by the NHS Long Term Plan, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance, and the Learning from Lives and Deaths programme in England.

“We hope our study provides strong evidence that prostate cancer should be part of that conversation

Jon Sparkes OBE, Chief Executive of learning disability charity Mencap, said: “Too many men with a learning disability are being let down by a health system that doesn’t spot their cancers early enough or support them to navigate complex treatments.

“This important research into what is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK should be a wake-up call: with the right reasonable adjustments, accessible information and specialist support, these inequalities are not inevitable.

“T����dzܲ��� we’re working with health partners across the UK to get more people on the Learning Disability Register. Being on the register means they’ll receive free annual health checks and support in the way they need it, so health problems can be spotted and treated earlier.

“But we can’t do this alone. We need the NHS, government and cancer services to join us in making inclusive health a priority – acting on this evidence and putting the right support in place at every stage of the cancer pathway.”

Natalia Norori, Head of Data & Evidence at Prostate Cancer UK, said: "The results of this paper are deeply concerning. It sheds light on the stark inequalities men with learning disabilities face at every stage of the pathway - from diagnosis, to treatment and even death.

"This issue goes beyond prostate cancer, but by understanding the impact of these inequalities in the most common cancer in the UK, we can begin to tackle it.

"More work now needs to be done to understand more about why these men are facing so many obstacles to accessing care and how to prevent them. That's why Prostate Cancer UK's TRANSFORM screening trial has been specifically designed to evaluate the impact of screening in all men, including those with learning disabilities, to ensure no man is left behind."

• The paper Prostate Cancer Care in Men with an Intellectual Disability: A Population-Based Cohort ԰������ of Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment and Survival is  available DOI : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euo.2026.01.004

From the 23rd to the 27th February 2026, a new exhibition will showcase the exciting work of ' and its' digital research activity.

Focusing on its five research themes - Digital Cultures, Digital Economy, Digital Health, Digital Society and Digital Worlds, and two capability themes - Digital Skills and AI@԰������, the exhibition will present a series of posters and the existing multidisciplinary strengths at The University of ԰������.

The exhibition will be at based in space B2 on the Ground Floor of The Nancy Rothwell Building all week. Visit us to learn more and explore new ways to shape our digital future!

The briefing – drawing on research and insights from academics at The University of ԰������– finds that healthcare in prisons is fragmented across the health and justice departments, with responsibility split between multiple agencies and service providers and no single body in charge. Poor coordination between the Department of Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Justice and healthcare providers continues to undermine the quality and continuity of care available to prisoners.

This lack of joined-up working is compounded by severe pressures in the prison system itself. Overcrowding, staff shortages and an ageing, crumbling prison estate are making it harder to deliver basic healthcare and are contributing to poor health outcomes among prisoners. On average, people in prison have a life expectancy more than 20 years lower than the general population. While around 70% of prisoners are estimated to need mental health support, only around 10% are recorded as receiving treatment.[1]

Supporting people’s underlying health needs has been identified as a critical component of reducing reoffending. Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, highlighted offending and reoffending are strongly linked to health, with the greatest risks occur at moments of transition: entry into prison, transfers between facilities, and after release.[2]

The pressures within the system are only set to get worse, due to an ageing prison population. Nearly 1 in 4 prisoners is now aged 50 or over, a group with complex and chronic health needs that prisons were never designed to meet.[3] Deaths from natural causes among older prisoners have increased over the past decades, yet access to appropriate care, including palliative and end-of-life support, remains inconsistent.

The SMF warns that without reform, the prison health system will continue to miss the chance to break cycles of ill health, disadvantage and crime.

To address these challenges, the Social Market Foundation sets out four key priorities for government, including:

• establishing a sustainable, long-term funding settlement for prison healthcare;
• improving coordination and integration between health services, justice agencies and service providers;
• prioritising prevention and early intervention; and
• strengthening cross-government oversight of prisoner health.

Jake Shepherd, Senior Researcher at the Social Market Foundation, said: "Healthcare is a human right – that includes people in prison. Many prisoners enter custody in poor health, and weaknesses in the system mean health outcomes in prison are consistently worse than in the wider population. While investing in prison health may not be politically popular, it brings wider public health benefits and can help reduce reoffending, leading to long-term savings. Prison health is therefore not just a moral issue, but a practical one”.

“The Government should start by investing more, focusing on prevention, and improving how organisations work together on prisoner healthcare, to make prisons safer places that support healthy lives and rehabilitation.”

, Senior Research Fellow in Social Care and Society at The University of ԰������ said: “This report from Policy@԰������ and the Social Market Foundation identifies the systemic barriers that prevent people living in prison from accessing the health and social care they need. Health and social care in prisons should be on an equivalent footing to services provided in the community, but research at The University of ԰������ shows this is consistently not the case. 

“Poor health amongst people living in prison is the product of overstretched systems, deteriorating environments, and long‑standing inequalities that follow people into prison. Crucially, this work highlights the growing health needs of older people and women of all ages living in prison. Addressing these issues will deliver benefits far beyond the prison walls, and policymakers should act on the evidence-led recommendations this report provides.” 

• The SMF report will be published at   

[1] Mental Health in Prison.

[2] The Health of People in Prison, on Probation, and in the Secure NHS Estate in England (Department of Health and Social Care and Ministry of Justice, 2025).

[3] ^cx The Health of People in Prison, on Probation, and in the Secure NHS Estate in England.

The test, say the researchers, could identify individuals at risk of the condition which is typified by loss of muscle mass and strength as well as an overall poorer quality of life. 

The study, published in the journal PLOS Med today (12/02/26) and  funded by Kidney Research UK and the Donal O'Donoghue Renal Research Centre”, is the first large scale study to demonstrate the viability of the test -  called  creatinine muscle index (CMI) in CKD. 

The researchers created CMI by combining two routine blood tests, creatinine and cystatin C. 

While both tests used to assess kidney function, creatinine levels are influenced by how much muscle a person has, whereas cystatin C is not. 

By comparing the two, the researchers were able to use this difference to estimate a person’s risk of muscle loss and therefore sarcopenia. 

Because kidney disease affects how creatinine is processed, scientists did not know if CMI would work well in people with CKD. 

However, the study shows that CMI remains independently associated with both muscle function and survival. 

The test could enable earlier detection of sarcopenia, allowing patients to start proven interventions—such as resistance exercise training and protein supplementation—sooner, and potentially lower their risk of death.

The study included 2,930 adults with non-dialysis CKD from 16 kidney centres across the UK  between July 2017 and September 2019.

Participants had their CMI and muscle function in terms of grip strength and walking speed measured and were followed up for a median of 50 months.

In both men and women, lower CMI  - indicating lower muscle mass-   was linked to weaker hand grip strength, slower walking speed and a higher risk of sarcopenia.

Higher CMI was also linked to a lower risk of death. The average CMI in men and women was 864 mg/day and 704 mg/day. For every 100 mg/day per 1.73 m² increase in CMI The risk of death fell by 15% in men and 23% in women.

And CMI outperformed other cystatin C–creatinine–based measures in predicting mortality and sarcopenia.

Lead author Dr is both a researcher at The University of ԰������ and a kidney doctor at Salford Royal Hospital, part of Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust.

He said: “Sarcopenia, in people with chronic kidney disease is  associated with increased mortality, poorer self-reported health-related quality of life, and reduced functional status.

“Simple identification of sarcopenia should be routinely undertaken in people with CKD, not only because of its association with adverse outcomes but also due to the availability of interventions that can reverse it in people with CKD.

“That could have significant implications on patient wellbeing.

“Our findings also highlight CMI’s superiority over alternative tests, and provides exciting evidence for  its potential as a blood-based biomarker of sarcopenia and mortality risk.”

NURTuRE-CKD is a prospective, multicentre cohort study of people with non-dialysis CKD in the U.K

The paper Associations of Creatinine Muscle Index with Markers of Sarcopenia and Mortality in 1 Chronic Kidney Disease: A Prospective Cohort ԰������ is available

The discovery, published in the journal eLife today (insert date), sheds light on how animals integrate sensory information to guide reproduction and has, say the researchers, general implications on understanding the brains’ role in reproduction. 

When male fruit flies mate, they transfer a molecule called sex peptide (SP) to the female. 

This molecule triggers two key changes: females reject courting males who want to mate again, and they lay more eggs. 

Although scientists have known about SP for years, until now the precise neurons in the female nervous system that respond have remained a mystery. 

The  findings suggest that the brain allows females to fine‑tune their responses to mating depending on their internal state and environmental conditions — helping them maximise the chances of reproductive success. 

Lead author, Dr Mohanakarthik Nallasivan, from the University of Birmingham said: “Reproductive behaviours are hardwired in the brain, rather than learned. So if we can understand this behavioural pathway, we may be able to influence it. 

“Knowing the exact nerve cells that drive key behavioural changes in female fruit flies after they mate is a very important step along that path. 

“This knowledge could, for example,  help develop methods to restrict the ability of malaria carrying female Anopheles mosquitoes to mate, which precedes the blood-meal.”

԰������-lead from The University of ԰������ added: “The fruit fly was the first organism with a fully sequenced genome. Now, in 2022, it is the first brain to have all its neurons catalogued and synaptic connections mapped”.

“We now have the resources available to learn how behaviour is encoded in the brain and influenced by decision making processes”.

“This pioneering work has implications for increasing our understanding of how our own brains work, particularly those behaviours that are ‘hard wired’, or built into our neural circuitry.”

To identify the neurons, the research team attached the sex peptide pheromone, that normally circulates in the insects’ blood after mating, to the cell-membrane on the outside of neurons.

When such membrane-tethered sex-peptide is expressed in the same nerve cell as its receptor, post-mating behaviours will be triggered.

To understand how the brain responds to the sex peptide, the scientists explored the complex genetic framework of key reproductive genes involved in sex determination, resulting in male or female offspring.

By combining genetic tools that mark a handful of neurons controlled by reproductive genes, the scientists identified two distinct sets of interneurons — one in the brain and one in the abdominal nerve centre — that regulate the behaviours.

The approach allowed them to pinpoint the neurons that detect the sex peptide, which they named Sex Peptide Response‑Inducing Neurons (SPRINz).

Further mapping of the neural circuits showed that SPRINz receive signals from sensory‑processing neurons and send outputs along two separate pathways.

Artificially activating SPRINz in the brain induced post‑mating behaviours, effectively mimicking a command. This demonstrates that sex‑peptide‑responsive neurons act as central hubs, integrating sensory cues and coordinating the female’s behavioural decisions after mating.

• A draft of the paper, Sex-peptide targets distinct higher order processing neurons in the brain to induce the female post-mating response  is available

Researchers at The University of ԰������'s have now achieved the first atomic‑resolution imaging of monolayer transition metal diiodides, made possible by creating graphene‑sealed TEM samples that prevent these highly reactive materials from degrading on contact with air. The study, published in , demonstrates that fully encapsulating the crystals in graphene preserves atomically clean interfaces and extends their usable lifetime from seconds to months. This capability arises from refinements to an inorganic stamp transfer approach the team previously developed and reported in , which provided the basis for producing stable, hermetically sealed samples.

“Working with these materials felt impossible at first as they are completely destroyed after a few seconds air exposure, preventing traditional fabrication approaches.” explained Dr Wendong Wang who has worked on developing the transfer technique and fabricated the samples in question. “Our approach protects samples r without any unnecessary transfer stages. Being able to make samples that can survive not just hours but months, and for international transfer between facilities, solves a major bottleneck in 2D materials research.“

“Once we were able to make stable samples, we were able to make several interesting observations about these materials, including identifying extensive local structural variations for the thinnest samples, atomic defect dynamics and edge structure evolution”, states Dr Gareth Tainton who conducted the TEM imaging and analysis as part of this work. “The structures of 2D materials are closely linked to their properties, and so being able to directly observe not only the structures of the different crystals, from monolayers up to bulk thicknesses, but also defect behaviour will hopefully inform further work on these materials to unlock their potential in technology”

“What excites me most is how this opens up previously inaccessible scientific territory. We've known theoretically that many reactive 2D materials have exceptional properties for electronics, optoelectronics, and quantum applications, but we couldn't get stable samples into the lab to test those predictions", commented Prof Roman Gorbachev of the National Graphene Institute, who led the investigation. 

This research was published in the journal ACS Nano.

Full title: Atomic Imaging of 2D Transition Metal Diiodides

DOI:

Professor Roman Gorbachev is available for interview on request.

The study, led by the University of Aberdeen in collaboration with colleagues from the University of ԰������, University College Cork and University of Birmingham, was funded by Tommy’s, the pregnancy and baby charity, and published in .

Led by Dr Andrea Woolner, Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Aberdeen and Honorary Consultant Obstetrician & Early Pregnancy Lead at NHS Grampian, the team looked at survey responses from 116 healthcare professionals working in maternity services in the UK and Ireland.

Second trimester pregnancy loss (STPL) usually refers to pregnancy loss, or miscarriage after 12 or 13 weeks' gestation. It is estimated to occur in around 3 to 4% of pregnancies. However, this study showed the definition used to describe STPL in healthcare settings varies considerably within the UK and Ireland.

Findings revealed that there is inconsistency and uncertainty around medications used following second trimester pregnancy loss (STPL), which the authors state reflects the lack of research into this devastating type of loss.

For example, almost two thirds of healthcare professionals surveyed (63%) acknowledged they were uncertain about the optimal dosage of misoprostol - a drug that can be given following STPL to induce birth - that should be used, likely due to a lack of research in this area, according to the authors.

Researchers also found that care was given in different hospital wards and not always within maternity settings in different parts of the UK and Ireland.  The authors say this highlights the need to consider how hospitals are set up for couples experiencing STPL, and to consider what the optimal referral pathways and infrastructure needs are.  The team intends to carry out further research exploring views of those with lived experience of STPL.

Following treatment in hospital, fewer than half (45%) of respondents reported that follow-up appointments took place in a dedicated pregnancy loss clinic. Many women were offered follow up in preterm birth clinics, though the research team notes this wasn’t always universal either as not every STPL involves a preterm labour.

There is a growing body of evidence that shows structured care in a dedicated pregnancy loss clinic is the best option for couples who have experienced a stillbirth (when a baby sadly dies after 24 weeks of pregnancy), and researchers say the findings of the study underline the inconsistencies faced by families who lose a baby at different stages of pregnancy.

They also noted there was variation in the investigations and care offered in the next pregnancy after a second trimester loss.

Researchers say more work is needed to understand what the best treatments are and what universal provisions should be made for couples facing the devastation of second trimester pregnancy loss

The team is planning to gain insight from those with lived experience, with the aim of developing a clear view of what is needed to improve care for the future and understanding what research is needed urgently to address these gaps.

Dr Andrea Woolner said: “Pregnancy loss at any stage is devastating. This study showed that there is a lack of research and evidence–based clinical practice around STPL in particular.

“In this survey, we wanted to hear from the people on the ground who work with bereaved parents, to find out exactly where the disparities lie from a healthcare professional perspective and what we need to do to improve things.

“Our findings highlight the lack of standardised care – this is important because we know that pregnancy loss at any stage of pregnancy has a profound impact on couples and on their next pregnancies.

“Ensuring that evidence-based and universal recommendations for birth, bereavement and future antenatal care are offered to all couples after pregnancy loss is vital, and akin to the recommendations for care after stillbirth, we hope that this work highlights clinicians, policy-makers and researchers need to also focus on care for second trimester pregnancy loss.

Professor Alex Heazell, one of the co-authors from the University of ԰������ and Director of Tommy’s Maternal and Fetal Health Research Centre in ԰������, said: “ which showed fragmented and inconsistent care provisions but also highlighted the number of women who present to hospital in the second trimester with various symptoms including those that may be a sign of pregnancy loss.

“We urgently need better quality data to help us provide the best care.”

Dr Jyotsna Vohra, Director of Research, Programmes and Impact at Tommy’s, said: “Losing a baby is devastating at any stage of pregnancy. When the loss happens after 12 weeks – the stage at which people are often encouraged to believe they are ‘safe’ – it can be particularly traumatic for women and families.

“This study shows we need more research and better standardised care across the NHS so that anyone experiencing symptoms of loss at any stage of pregnancy knows they will receive the most effective care, treatment and support.”

The research – funded by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Greater ԰������ (ARC-GM) - explores how being unable to attend healthcare appointments during normal working hours affects the health and wellbeing of employees.

It found that jobs lacking flexibility for workers to attend healthcare appointments are linked with significantly lower health-related quality of life. This was driven mainly by effects on physical health rather than mental health, with workers who have long-term conditions being the most affected.

In the UK, there is no statutory requirement to allow employees to attend healthcare appointments during working hours, however some employers choose to allow this type of flexibility.

The research team, led by academics from The University of ԰������, suggest that to move towards a more prevention focused health system, people need to be able to access routine GP appointments and cancer screening before the point of serious illness.

, Research Fellow in Health Economics at The University of ԰������, said: “Working full time presents challenges for many workers whose jobs don’t offer the flexibility needed to take time away to attend healthcare appointments. This has significant implications for early diagnosis and management of long-term conditions.

“The findings of our research make it clear that population health could be significantly improved by removing barriers during typical working hours to allow workers to access primary care services, such as GP and screening appointments.

“While positive steps have been taken to address this access issue through the offer of out-of-hours appointments, there’s a wider discussion to be had about the role employers can play in supporting their employees’ health by permitting flexibility around healthcare appointments – without having to take paid leave or forego income.”

Dr , Deputy Theme Lead for Economic Sustainability at ARC-GM, and Senior Lecturer in Health Economics at The University of ԰������, said: “Work shouldn’t be a barrier to remaining healthy. But this research shows that for some people working in inflexible jobs where they aren’t able to attend healthcare appointments during the typical working day, it can have an impact on their physical health. These challenges are particularly pressing in the context of our ageing population and the more frequent need for routine healthcare among older age groups.

“We’d welcome further investigation into the impact of this barrier to accessing healthcare, and the cost-effectiveness of different policy approaches.”

Researchers used data from the National General Practice Patient Survey in England, which is a large national survey targeting random samples of individuals registered with each general practice. Data from six waves of the survey (2013-2017) was used in which a measure of health-related quality of life was collected. The measurement of health-related quality of life covers five domains: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression.

The sample used was restricted to individuals aged between 18 and 64 years and only included those in full-time employment.

• The full study - ‘Impact of Constrained Access to Primary Care on Health-Related Quality of Life’ - has been published by the Value in Health journal. You can read the report and its results DOI

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Read the full paper in

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Researchers at The University of ԰������, working with the UK’s National Physical Laboratory and 15 international partners, have developed a robust protocol using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results, published in , will underpin a new ISO technical specification for graphene.

“To incorporate graphene and other 2D materials into industrial applications, from light-weight vehicles to sports equipment, touch screens, sensors and electronics, you need to know you’re working with the right material. This study sets a global benchmark that industry can trust,” said , who worked on the research during his PhD.

“Electron diffraction has long been used to distinguish monolayer from few‑layer graphene, but it’s often applied without a full treatment of uncertainties. By collaborating across 15 leading labs. including the original pioneers, we’ve mapped the pitfalls and shown how to get reliable results” added Dr Evan Tillotson.

“We’ve designed this protocol so it works in real labs, not just in specialist centres. And for organisations without TEM capability, we can provide measurements commercially through our partnership with the ,” said , Professor of Materials.

The findings are used directly within the  international standard, currently in press and expected to be published in 2026. “This work builds on the NPL Good Practice Guide 145 'Characterisation of the Structure of Graphene’ developed in partnership with the University of ԰������, and one of NPL's most downloaded guides.", notes , Principal Scientist of the Surface Technology Group and Advanced Materials Strategy Lead at NPL.

This research was published in the journal 2D Materials.

Full title:

DOI: 10.1088/2053-1583/ae2ca1

Professor Sarah Haigh is available for interview on request.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dr Arash Angadji, CEO of ORUK, said, ‘We are delighted to be supporting this research project that promises to address many of the issues surrounding the collection of accurate and timely patient data. This is especially important at a time when the effective use of AI analytics tools requires high quality data. We are also excited by the potential, longer-term application of this automated approach to other areas of MSK health in which regular measurement and reporting are required.’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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