Cambridge University Botanic Garden launches new Flower Power Family Trail
A new Flower Power Trail opens soon at Cambridge University Botanic Garden. The new trail, to be launched on Saturday (22nd July), is aimed at families with primary school aged children and will take visitors around the Garden to meet fabulous flowers and find out about the groovy creatures that pollinate them.
Snip, snip, cure: correcting defects in the genetic blueprint
Gene editing using ‘molecular scissors’ that snip out and replace faulty DNA could provide an almost unimaginable future for some patients: a complete cure. Cambridge researchers are working towards making the technology cheap and safe, as well as examining the ethical and legal issues surrounding one of the most exciting medical advances of recent times.
Vice-Chancellor’s awards recognise the difference researchers make to society
An open source, 3D-printable microscope that forms the cornerstone of rapid, automated water testing kits for use in low and middle-income countries, has helped a Cambridge researcher and his not-for-profit spin-out company win the top prize in this year’s Vice-Chancellor’s Impact Awards at the University of Cambridge.
Cambridge becomes global hub for improving care of head injured patients
A new research group focused on improving the care of patients with traumatic brain injury in low- and middle-income countries is to be established at the University of Cambridge. The University's Division of Neurosurgery and Addenbrooke’s Hospital has been funded with £1.78 million to establish the NIHR Global Health Research Group on Neurotrauma.
Common strength ‘genes’ identified for first time
Common genetic factors that influence muscle strength in humans have been identified for the first time in a study led by researchers from the University of Cambridge, just published in Nature Communications.
Smallest-ever star discovered by astronomers
A star about the size of Saturn – the smallest ever measured – has been identified by astronomers.
Major funding announced for new crop sciences research centre
Over £30m has been announced for a new Cambridge Centre for Crop Science that will focus on linking with farming and food industries to translate research into real world impact.
Green method developed for making artificial spider silk
Researchers have designed a super stretchy, strong and sustainable material that mimics the qualities of spider silk, and is ‘spun’ from a material that is 98% water.
Science fiction vs science fact: world’s leading AI experts come to Cambridge
Some of the world’s leading thinkers and practitioners in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will gather in Cambridge this week to look at everything from the influence of science fiction on our dreams of the future, to ‘trust in the age of intelligent machines’.
Supercar displayed at Caius in honour of Professor Malcolm Smith
The latest McLaren supercar was displayed at Gonville & Caius College in Cambridge last week in honour of a professor whose research helped revolutionise suspension systems in motorsport.
Cambridge’s Dr Jenni Sidey selected as Canada’s newest astronaut
Dr Jenni Sidey has been recruited to the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) following a year-long evaluation.
Cambridge young engineer wins Academy Award
Cambridge engineer Dr Jenni Sidey has received a prestigious award at the Royal Academy of Engineering Awards Dinner. She was one of five winners of the RAEng Engineers Trust 'Young Engineer of the Year' competition.
Professor Andrea Ferrari receives Knighthood from the Italian Republic
Professor Andrea Ferrari, founding Director of the Cambridge Graphene Centre at the University of Cambridge, has been awarded the decoration of Knight Officer of the Order of the Star of Italy.
‘Bulges’ in volcanoes could be used to predict eruptions
A team of researchers from the University of Cambridge has developed a new way of measuring the pressure inside volcanoes, and found that it can be a reliable indicator of future eruptions.
Milner Therapeutics Institute: a drug discovery ecosystem
Tony Kouzarides is passionate about ecosystems: well-balanced communities that flourish on mutual and dynamic interactions. But the ecosystems that excite him are not made up of plants, animals and environments. They’re made up of experts.
Cambridge museums recognised with substantial Arts Council England funding
Cambridge’s reputation as a centre of excellence for museums and culture in the UK has received a vital boost. Arts Council England (ACE) has awarded University of Cambridge Museums (UCM) more than £4.8m and National Portfolio Organisation status from 2018-2022.
Drugs: how to pick a winner in clinical trials
When a drug fails late on in clinical trials it’s a major setback for launching new medicines. It can cost millions, even billions, of research and development funds. Now, an ‘adaptive’ approach to clinical trials and a genetic tool for predicting success are increasing the odds of picking a winner.
Study reveals mysterious equality with which grains pack it in
For the first time, researchers have been able to test a theory explaining the physics of how substances like sand and gravel pack together, helping them to understand more about some of the most industrially-processed materials on the planet.
How to train your drugs: from nanotherapeutics to nanobots
Nanotechnology is creating new opportunities for fighting disease – from delivering drugs in smart packaging to nanobots powered by the world’s tiniest engines.
University of Cambridge Honorary Degrees 2017
At a ceremony held yesterday (Weds) in Senate House, the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge awarded Honorary Degrees to eight distinguished individuals in recognition of their achievements in academia, philanthropy and public service
The bug hunters and the microbiome
Trevor Lawley and Gordon Dougan are bug hunters, albeit not the conventional kind. The bugs they collect are invisible to the naked eye. And even though we’re teeming with them, researchers are only beginning to discover how they keep us healthy – and how we could use these bugs as drugs.
Apollo's mission to drive therapeutic innovation
The stirrings of a revolution are starting to ripple through hundreds of laboratories. It’s a revolution that aims to result in new medicines – faster and with fewer failures – and it’s being led by three UK universities and three global pharmaceutical companies.
Return of the Titan
Cambridge University Botanic Garden is awaiting the Return of the Titan. One of the two Titan Arums held in the Garden’s collection of plants will very soon produce another huge, magnificent flower along with the noxious smell that accompanies it.
Cambridge academics recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours
The University of Cambridge is celebrating the recognition of four of its most distinguished female academics in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Patching up a broken heart
It is almost impossible for an injured heart to fully mend itself. Within minutes of being deprived of oxygen – as happens during a heart attack when arteries to the heart are blocked – the heart’s muscle cells start to die. Sanjay Sinha wants to mend these hearts so that they work again.