News

DNA sequencing method lifts ‘veil’ from genome black box

24 January 2023

Many life-saving drugs directly interact with DNA to treat diseases such as cancer, but scientists have struggled to detect how and why they work – until now. In a paper published in the journal Nature Biotechnology , University of Cambridge researchers have outlined a new DNA sequencing method that can detect where and...

Technique for tracking resistant cancer cells could lead to new treatments for relapsing breast cancer patients

4 January 2023

Cambridge scientists have managed to identify and kill those breast cancer cells that evade standard treatments in a study in mice. The approach is a step towards the development of new treatments to prevent relapse in patients. Tumours are incredibly complex, made up of many different types of tumour cells – and some of...

Blood thinning drug to treat recovery from severe COVID-19 is not effective

30 November 2022

A drug used to reduce the risk of blood clots does not help patients recovering from moderate and severe COVID-19, despite this approach being offered to patients, a UK-wide trial, led by Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the University of Cambridge has found. This finding is important because it will prevent unnecessary harm...

Clinical trial for new stem cell-based treatment for Parkinson’s disease given go ahead

9 November 2022

Cambridge researchers will play a key role in clinical trials of a new treatment that involves transplanting healthy nerve cells into the brains of patients with Parkinson’s disease. This could transform the way we treat Parkinson’s disease Roger Barker The Swedish Medical Products Agency has granted approval for the trial...

Set up reserve lab capacity now for faster response to next pandemic, say researchers

12 October 2022

Researchers say a ‘human bottleneck’, due to historical cuts in public health funding, delayed the UK’s scale-up of COVID-19 testing in the early stages of the country’s pandemic response. A pandemic like COVID-19 is guaranteed to happen again at some point. Jordan Skittrall The researchers, who were on the front line of...

Cambridge researchers elected as members of European Molecular Biology Organisation

7 September 2022

Five Cambridge researchers join the community of more than 1,900 leading life scientists in Europe and beyond today as the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) announces its newly-elected Members. EMBO Members are recognised for their outstanding achievements in the life sciences. The newly elected members reside...

AstraZeneca to fund a further 55 PhD studentships with University of Cambridge

20 July 2022

The University of Cambridge has formed a new agreement with AstraZeneca for the global biopharmaceuticals company to fund 55 additional PhD studentships over the next five years, starting in October 2022. Over the last 20 years, AstraZeneca has funded more than 100 PhD students from the University as part of a longstanding...

"There isn’t anything like it in the UK" The new institute tackling some of the world's biggest killers

20 July 2022

A major new institute opens today, bringing together the largest concentration of scientists and clinicians in heart and lung medicine in Europe. On 18 August 1979, Keith Castle – despite being described by surgeon Sir Terence English as "not an ideal patient from a medical point of view" – made history, becoming the first...

Drug incorporated into silicone coating reduces ‘foreign body reaction’ to implants

28 April 2022

Long term use of implantable medical devices- such as pacemakers and cochlear implants- is hampered by the body's reaction to foreign bodies. now, in a study in mice, a team led by scientists at the University of Cambridge has shown that this reaction can be dramatically reduced by incorporating an anti-inflammatory drug...

Cambridge spin-out receives European Innovation Council grant to develop cancer imaging technologies

23 February 2022

Spin-off company Cambridge Raman Imaging Ltd. and the Cambridge Graphene Centre will lead ‘CHARM’ project, recently awarded with €3.2 million Funding from the European Union is an integral part of the Cambridge Graphene Centre’s success Andrea Ferrari The European Innovation Council (EIC) has awarded the first Transition...