Cambridge alumna could be the first woman to walk on the Moon
Gates Cambridge Scholar and NASA astronaut Kayla Barron has been selected for the Artemis Team, making her eligible for the next astronaut missions that could see her become the first woman to walk on the Moon.
Quantum projects launched to solve universe’s mysteries
Researchers will use cutting-edge quantum technologies to transform our understanding of the universe and answer key questions such as the nature of dark matter and black holes.
Cambridge Foundation Year offers new route to undergraduate study for disadvantaged students
A Foundation Year offering talented students from backgrounds of educational and social disadvantage a new route to undergraduate study has been launched by the University of Cambridge.
Family court decisions distorted by misuse of key research, say experts
Family courts are misunderstanding and misusing research around how children form close relationships with their caregivers, say an international group of experts.
Asymptomatic screening and genome sequencing help Cambridge understand spread of SARS-CoV-2 among students
Since the start of the academic year in October 2020, the University of Cambridge has been offering regular SARS-CoV-2 tests to all students living in its Colleges, even if they show no symptoms. Initial results suggest that the screening programme, together with the University’s public health measures and responsible student behaviour, has helped limit the spread of the virus.
Research in sustainable energy awarded Helios prize
The winners of Cambridge University Department of Engineering’s Helios Prize – awarded for graduate research in sustainable energy or energy efficiency – have been announced.
Funding secured for major digital overhaul of European road network
Researchers from Cambridge’s Construction Information Technology (CIT) Laboratory will lead on the digitalisation of the European road network as part of a collaborative project to improve road safety, increase capacity and reduce maintenance costs.
Heritage science investment to unveil secrets of Cambridge University collections
The University of Cambridge has been awarded £3m from the AHRC's Capability for Collections Fund to invest in equipment and refurbishment that will enable researchers from across the UK and worldwide to undertake new research into its heritage collections.
‘Virtual biopsies’ could replace tissue biopsies in future thanks to technique developed by Cambridge scientists
A new advanced computing technique using routine medical scans to enable doctors to take fewer, more accurate tumour biopsies, has been developed by cancer researchers at the University of Cambridge. This is an important step towards precision tissue sampling for cancer patients to help select the best treatment. In future the technique could even replace clinical biopsies with ‘virtual biopsies’…
Coronavirus: few vaccines prevent infection – here's why that's not a problem
Vaccines are a marvel of medicine. Few interventions can claim to have saved as many lives. But it may surprise you to know that not all vaccines provide the same level of protection. Some vaccines stop you getting symptomatic disease, but others stop you getting infected too. The latter is known as “sterilising immunity”. With sterilising immunity, the virus can’t even gain a toehold in the body…
Cooperation is key to success in microbial communities
New research from the University of Cambridge and European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) shows how cooperation among bacterial species allows them to thrive as a community.
Cambridge academics recognised in 2021 New Year Honours
Researchers from the University of Cambridge have been recognised in the 2021 New Year Honours, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to society.
Cambridge COVID-19 Testing Centre passes 2 million tests milestone
The Cambridge COVID-19 Testing Centre, set up in April in response to the urgent need to boost the UK’s testing capabilities, has processed two million tests.
DeepMind partners with Cambridge to tackle underrepresentation through postgraduate scholarships
Four MPhil scholarships and one PhD will be available to qualifying Cambridge students for study in autumn 2021.
Muddying the waters: rock breakdown may play less of a role in regulating climate than previously thought
The weathering of rocks at the Earth’s surface may remove less greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than previous estimates, says new research from the University of Cambridge.
One in three adults drank more alcohol during first lockdown
COVID-19 and lockdown measures drove some individuals more than others to use alcohol to cope with stress, a new study has revealed. While overall alcohol consumption appeared to fall, a study published in BMJ Open found that more than one in three adults (36%) increased their consumption during the first lockdown.
Cambridge launches Regulatory Genome Project
The University of Cambridge has launched the Regulatory Genome Project, a transformational initiative to sequence the world’s vast amount of regulatory text to create a comprehensive open repository of machine-readable regulatory information for use by regulatory agencies and businesses around the world.
AI-enabled low-cost digital stethoscope wins innovation award
An artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled low-cost digital stethoscope – invented during the COVID-19 pandemic by University of Cambridge engineering department alumna Dr Ruodan Lu – has won an industry innovation award.
Driving force behind cellular ‘protein factories’ could have implications for neurodegenerative disease
Researchers have identified the driving force behind a cellular process linked to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s and motor neurone disease.
Aroma diffuser and plastic bag offer inexpensive method to test fit of face masks at home
Researchers have developed a way to use a simple home aroma diffuser to test whether N95 and other types of sealing masks, such as KN95 and FFP2 masks, are properly fitted, a result which could be used to help protect healthcare workers and the public from contracting or transmitting COVID-19.
Apathy could predict onset of dementia years before other symptoms
Apathy – a lack of interest or motivation – could predict the onset of some forms of dementia many years before symptoms start, offering a ‘window of opportunity’ to treat the disease at an early stage, according to new research from a team of scientists led by Professor James Rowe at the University of Cambridge.
Remdesivir likely to be highly effective antiviral against SARS-CoV-2 for some patients
The drug remdesivir is likely to be a highly effective antiviral against SARS-CoV-2, according to a new study by a team of UK scientists.
No deal Brexit could have detrimental impact for four million people in UK living with a rare disease
Experts have warned that a ‘no deal’ Brexit will result in the exclusion of the UK from the 24 European Reference Networks (ERNs) that were established to improve the care of patients bearing the lifelong burden of a rare disease, which require highly specialised diagnosis and treatment.
EU funding secured for new generation of brain-computer interfaces
Researchers from the University of Cambridge Department of Engineering’s Bioelectronics Laboratory have won investment from the European Innovation Council (EIC) to develop modern microelectronics to enhance the signal quality of a new generation of less invasive brain-computer interfaces (BCIs).
Gene therapy injection in one eye surprises scientists by improving vision in both
Injecting a gene therapy vector into one eye of someone suffering from LHON, the most common cause of mitochondrial blindness, significantly improves vision in both eyes, scientists have found.