鈥淭he other circumstance for unwanted behaviour was while they were working in their first part-time job as a teenager, with adult male customers making sexual or otherwise inappropriate comments to them while they were working. A young girl working her first job probably isn鈥檛 going to feel able to challenge this behaviour or speak to someone about it.鈥�

Ms McFalone also carried out interviews with affected women. One told her she was 13 years old when she first was 鈥渃at-called in a school uniform鈥� by 鈥渇ully grown men.鈥� Another said: 鈥淚 worked for a pizza place as my first job 鈥� surprisingly the worst sort of male attention I got, which was borderline illegal, was when I was 15.鈥�

The Breakthrough Prize 鈥� popularly known as the 鈥淥scars of Science鈥� 鈥� honours scientists driving remarkable discoveries. 

CERN鈥檚 four major LHC experiment collaborations 鈥� , , , and  鈥� have been recognised for testing the modern theory of particle physics 鈥� the Standard Model 鈥� and other theories describing physics that might lie beyond it to high precision.

In particular, the team have been awarded for discoveries made during the LHC Run-2 data up to July 2024, including detailed measurements of Higgs boson properties, the discovery of new particles, matter-antimatter asymmetry and the exploration of nature at the shortest distances and most extreme conditions.

The University of 水多多导航 researchers are involved in two of the four projects, ATLAS and LHCb. ATLAS is designed to record the high-energy particle collisions of the LHC to investigate the fundamental building blocks of matter and the forces governing our universe in order to better understand building blocks of life, while LHCb focuses on investigating the slight differences between matter and antimatter.

Professor Chris Parkes, Head of Physics and Astronomy at The University of 水多多导航 and former leader of the LHCb experiment explained that for his experiment 鈥渢he department constructed a silicon pixel based 鈥榗amera鈥� for the new version of the experiment that takes images 40 million times per second. Members played significant roles in the discovery of new matter antimatter differences and the discovery of new particles鈥�.

The four LHC experiment collaborations involve thousands of researchers from over 70 countries. The $3M award was collected at a ceremony in LA by Parkes鈥� successor as leader of the experiment along with the leaders of the other three experiments.

Following consultation with the experiments鈥� management teams, the Breakthrough Prize Foundation will donate the $3 million Prize to the . The Prize money will be used to offer grants for doctoral students from the collaborations鈥� member institutes to spend research time at CERN, giving them experience in working at the forefront of science and new expertise to bring back to their home countries and regions.

Going forward, the LHC experiments will continue to push the boundaries of knowledge of fundamental physics to unprecedented limits. The upcoming upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider, the High-Luminosity LHC, which many of The University of 水多多导航鈥檚 physicists and engineers are involved in, aims to ramp up the performance of the LHC, starting in 2030, in order to increase the potential for discoveries.

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

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

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

The lead researcher is Dr Michael Anderson, an NIHR Clinical Lecturer at The University of 水多多导航 and practicing GP.

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

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

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

Key Findings also included:

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

Professor Matt Sutton from The University of 水多多导航, senior author of the study, added: 鈥淭hough deprived populations have higher needs for GP services, we know these areas have the most difficulty recruiting and retaining GPs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The study, funded by the Jon Moulton Charity Trust, found that a dose of inhaled beclomethasone -  known as Clenil Modulite庐 or the 鈥榖rown鈥� steroid inhaler in the UK- could lead to better clinical outcomes if taken between 3pm and  4pm.

The study was carried out in the Medicines Evaluation Unit (MEU) at Wythenshawe Hospital with support from both the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) 水多多导航 Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and the NIHR Oxford Health BRC.

It is the first to show the effect of coordinating a commonly used asthma treatment with the body's circadian rhythms 鈥� or body clock-  on daily physiological and immunological changes.

It follows on from a 2023 by the research team which  demonstrated enhanced steroid sensitivity in immune cells at 4PM compared to 4AM.

It also supports the theory that the onset of the inflammatory cascade  - a complex series of chemical reactions occurring  within the body leading to inflammation and healing - begins  in the mid-afternoon.

According to Asthma +Lung UK, around 7.2 million Brits have asthma or 8 in every 100 people.

People with asthma suffer from wheezing, breathlessness, and a cough or a tight chest  which are triggered by things like exercise, allergens or changes in weather.

At the moment there is no cure for asthma, though most people with asthma can control their symptoms using asthma inhalers and other medicines.

The study, published in Thorax (16/04/25), was led by Dr Hannah Durrington, Senior Clinical Lecturer and MRC Clinician Scientist at The University of 水多多导航 and honorary consultant physician at 水多多导航 University NHS Foundation Trust , along with Dr Ran Wang, an NIHR Clinical Lecturer, also at the University of 水多多导航.

Dr Durrington said: 鈥淯p to three quarters of patients experience worsening symptoms overnight and up to 80% of fatal asthma attacks occur at night.

鈥淭his study shows that aligning the timing of beclomethasone 鈥� 鈥榯he brown inhaler鈥� a commonly taken asthma treatment  - with the body clock could have significant impacts on treatment outcomes.

鈥淎nd this occurred without any of the associated adverse effects or costs of taking higher doses of steroids.

鈥淥ur findings warrant further validation in a larger clinical trial to establish clinical feasibility in a real-life setting and to evaluate the health and economic impacts.鈥�

The 21 patients in this cross-over study received the 400碌g dose once-daily between 8AM and 9AM; once-daily between 3PM and 4PM; and 200碌g twice-daily between 8AM and 9AM and between 8PM and 9PM- the 鈥榰sual鈥� pattern of dosing in the UK.

All patients received the three regimes in a randomized order for 28 days, with a 2-week washout period between treatment periods.

The scientists tested lung function and blood eosinophil counts -a key biomarkers for airway inflammation - and serum cortisol levels to assess health outcomes.

The mid-afternoon dose resulted in the largest increase in overnight lung function and a significant  overnight suppression in blood eosinophil counts compared to once-daily morning and standard twice-daily dosing regimes.

Dr Durrington added: 鈥淥ur findings provide key opportunities for novel chronotherapeutic development in asthma, leading to the possibility of tailored therapy based on individuals鈥� preference in timing of drug administration and their biological rhythm in disease.鈥�

The paper The impact of dosage timing for inhaled corticosteroids in asthma: a randomised 3-way crossover trial is published in , DOI/10.1136/thorax-2024-222073

Between 2011 and January of this year, 114 spinout companies were tracked for The University of 水多多导航 in data produced by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Beauhurst.   

There has been a significant rise (32.6%) in the number of 水多多导航 spinouts since the last report, jumping from 86 to 114. Eight additions were due to the revised HESA definition of what constitutes a spinout.  

The University鈥檚 Technology Transfer Office, The University of 水多多导航 , has been at the forefront of spinout generation at the University, helping to bring ideas to life by licensing intellectual property (IP) and making an impact on industry.  

Catherine Headley, CEO of the Innovation Factory, said: 鈥淲ith many years of experience delivering commercialisation from The University of 水多多导航鈥檚 research and intellectual property, we are proud to play a key role in the University鈥檚 impressive ranking as a top-tier institution for spinout generation.  

鈥淭he Innovation Factory is excited to build on the success of the more than 100 existing spinout companies we have created from the University鈥檚 academic research, driving further innovation and impact for the region and beyond.鈥�   

The report highlighted how the 鈥楪olden Triangle鈥� of Oxford, Cambridge and London, the UK鈥檚 research and development (R&D) cluster, accounts for 27.7% of the total spinout population.   

The University of 水多多导航 fell just behind Imperial College London (132) for number of spinouts, with the University of Cambridge (175) and University of Oxford (225) taking the second and first spots respectively.  

The report also highlighted the top sectors by number of spinouts, with pharmaceuticals (399), data provision and analysis (282) and electronics hardware (269) making up the top three. The highest emerging sectors in this report include artificial intelligence (214), software-as-a-service (180) and CleanTech (169).  

In keeping with 水多多导航鈥檚 innovation drive, the University of 水多多导航 recently established its new innovation capability, , to connect and catalyse the innovation ecosystem in 水多多导航 and the wider region.  

By making the University鈥檚 world-class research, innovation assets and talent more accessible to all, Unit M is attracting and growing innovation-intensive businesses in the region. It is designed to address all aspects of the innovation challenge 鈥� from R&D and innovation adoption through to talent and skills 鈥� creating an economy that creates good jobs, higher pay, and improved productivity, alongside supporting and nurturing spinout talent.  

Professor Lou Cordwell OBE, CEO of Unit M, said: 鈥淭he University of 水多多导航 has long been the innovation engine of the city, making it no surprise that it has ranked so highly for spinout generation.  

鈥淭his stellar track record has paved the way for Unit M to drive a more inclusive model of innovation-led growth, bridging the gap with other participants in the innovation economy. This outward facing ethos will make the innovation assets and talents of the University more accessible to all - enabling 水多多导航 to fulfil its economic potential and supercharge growth both regionally and nationally.鈥� 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This research was published in the journal Nature Communications.

Full title: Quantifying hydrogen bonding using electrically tunable nanoconfined water

DOI: 

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

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

The University and the Santa Clara-based company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking a strategic partnership aimed at leveraging the strengths of both organisations to drive advancements in AI applications across multiple sectors, including healthcare, social care, education, and sustainability. 

This collaboration will provide a foundation for joint research projects, academic exchange programs, and curriculum development initiatives that will shape the future of AI-driven solutions.  

Under the terms of the MoU, the partnership will focus on key initiatives, including:  

Research and Development in AI, Robotics, and Automation 鈥� Exploring applications of AI in healthcare, education, and sustainability, including the development of AI-powered robotic solutions such as Fari for elderly care and Senpai for special needs education.   

AI for All Initiative 鈥� Facilitating upskilling and workforce development programs in AI and robotics for healthcare, social care, and education professionals.  

Joint Degree Programs and Curriculum Development 鈥� Establishing specialized programs in AI, robotics, and automation, incorporating theoretical and practical components with hands-on experience using InGen Dynamics鈥� technologies, including Fari, Senpai, and Origami AI.  

Social Care Testbed Collaboration 鈥� Deploying and evaluating AI-driven robotics solutions in real-world environments to improve care delivery and assess the impact of AI in social care settings.  

AI Ethics and Responsible AI Initiatives 鈥� Promoting transparency, accountability, and ethical AI development through collaborative research and policy discussions.  

Global Exchange Programs 鈥� Enabling international knowledge-sharing by connecting students and researchers from the University of 水多多导航 with InGen Dynamics鈥� Futurenauts initiative in India and beyond.  

The collaboration will be overseen by a Steering Committee co-chaired by Professor Andrew Weightman, Professor of Medical Mechatronics the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Arshad Hisham, Founder & CEO of InGen Dynamics. The committee will meet biannually to define strategic roadmaps and identify new areas of mutual interest.  

Mr Hisham, said: 鈥淭his partnership with The University of 水多多导航 is a significant step toward advancing AI and robotics research that has real-world impact.

鈥淏y combining our industry expertise with the academic excellence of 水多多导航, we aim to accelerate innovation and create transformative AI solutions for global challenges.鈥�  

Professor Weightman added: 鈥淲e are excited to collaborate with InGen Dynamics to drive forward research and education in AI and automation.

鈥淭his MoU will enable us to integrate cutting-edge technology into our programs while fostering innovation that benefits society.鈥�  

#BeeWell is a youth-centred programme led by The University of 水多多导航, The Gregson Family Foundation and Anna Freud. The #BeeWell survey listens to the voices of thousands of young people in secondary schools every year to understand and improve their wellbeing.

China recently of the world鈥檚 largest hydropower dam, across the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet. When fully up and running, it will be the world鈥檚 largest power plant 鈥� by some distance.

Yet many are worried the dam will displace local people and cause huge environmental disruption. This is particularly the case in the downstream nations of India and Bangladesh, where that same river is known as the Brahmaputra.

The proposed dam highlights some of the geopolitical issues raised by rivers that cross international borders. Who owns the river itself, and who has the right to use its water? Do countries have obligations not to pollute shared rivers, or to keep their shipping lanes open? And when a drop of rain falls on a mountain, do farmers in a different country thousands of miles downstream have a claim to use it? Ultimately, we still don鈥檛 know enough about these questions of river rights and ownership to settle disputes easily.

The Yarlung Tsangpo begins on the Tibetan Plateau, in a region sometimes referred to as the world鈥檚 third pole as its glaciers contain the largest stores of ice outside of the Arctic and Antarctica. A series of huge rivers tumble down from the plateau and spread across south and south-east Asia. Well over a billion people depend on them, from Pakistan to Vietnam.

Yet the region is already under immense stress as global warming melts glaciers and changes rainfall patterns. Reduced water flow in the dry season, coupled with sudden releases of water during monsoons, could intensify both water scarcity and flooding, endangering millions in India and Bangladesh.

The construction of has historically disrupted river flows, displaced people, destroyed fragile ecosystems and increased risks of floods. The Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Dam will likely be no exception.

The dam will sit along the tectonic boundary where the Indian and Eurasian plates converge to form the Himalayas. This makes the region particularly vulnerable to earthquakes, , and .

Downstream, the Brahmaputra is one of south Asia鈥檚 mightiest rivers and has been integral to human civilisation for thousands of years. It鈥檚 one of the world鈥檚 most sediment-rich rivers, which helps form a huge and fertile delta.

Yet a dam of this scale would trap massive amounts of sediment upstream, disrupting its flow downstream. This could make farming less productive, threatening food security in one of the world鈥檚 most densely populated regions.

The Sundarbans mangrove forest, a Unesco World Heritage Site that stretches across most of coastal Bangladesh and a portion of India, is particularly vulnerable. Any disruption to the balance of sediment could accelerate coastal erosion and make the already low lying area more vulnerable to sea-level rise.

The Brahmaputra eventually flows into a region of fertile fields and mangrove forests. Sk Hasan Ali / shutterstock

Unfortunately, despite the transboundary nature of the Brahmaputra, there is no comprehensive treaty governing it. This lack of formal agreements complicates efforts to ensure China, India and Bangladesh share the water equitably and work together to prepare for disasters.

These sorts of agreements are perfectly possible: 14 countries plus the European Union are parties to a , for instance. But the Brahmaputra is not alone. Many transboundary rivers in the global south face similar neglect and inadequate research.

Researching rivers

In our recent study, colleagues and I analysed . We wanted to assess how much academic research there was on each, what themes it focused on, and how that varied depending on the type of river. We found that, while large rivers in the global north receive considerable academic attention, many equally important rivers in the global south remain overlooked.

What research there is in the global south is predominantly led by institutions from the global north. This dynamic influences research themes and locations, often sidelining the most pressing local issues. We found that research in the global north tends to focus on technical aspects of river management and governance, whereas studies in the global south primarily examine conflicts and resource competition.

In Asia, research is concentrated on large, geopolitically significant basins like the Mekong and Indus. Smaller rivers where water crises are most acute are often neglected. Something similar is happening in Africa, where studies focus on climate change and water-sharing disputes, yet a lack of infrastructure limits broader research efforts.

Small and medium-sized river basins, critical to millions of people in the global south, are among the most neglected in research. This oversight has serious real-world consequences. We still don鈥檛 know enough about water scarcity, pollution, and climate change impacts in these regions, which makes it harder to develop effective governance and threatens the livelihoods of everyone who depends on these rivers.

A more inclusive approach to research will ensure the sustainable management of transboundary rivers, safeguarding these vital resources for future generations.

, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, Geography,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

The finding, from CERN's LHCb experiment, which includes scientists at The University of 水多多导航, provides new understanding of the 鈥榮tandard Model鈥� of particle physics and a new piece in the puzzle to explain how and why matter ended up dominating over antimatter after the big Bang to form the Universe we see today.

The finding was presented at the Rencontres de Moriond conference in La Thuile, Italy, on 24 March and posted on .

Scientists have known since the 1960s that particles have a distinct asymmetry and can behave differently from their antimatter counterparts 鈥� a phenomenon called "CP violation." While this effect has been seen before in the break-up of certain particles, known as mesons,  this is the first time it has been definitively observed in particles similar to those of ordinary matter, known as baryons. Baryons, which include protons and neutrons, make up most of the visible matter in the Universe and consist of three quarks.

LHCb spokesperson Vincenzo Vagnoni, said: 鈥淭he reason why it took longer to observe CP violation in baryons than in mesons is down to the size of the effect and the available data.

鈥淲e needed a machine like the Large Hydron Collider (LHC) capable of producing a large enough number of beauty baryons and their antimatter counterparts, and we needed an experiment at that machine capable of pinpointing their decay products. It took over 80 000 baryon decays for us to see matter鈥揳ntimatter asymmetry with this class of particles for the first time.鈥�

Every particle has an antimatter counterpart with the same mass but an opposite charge. Normally, these pairs should behave like perfect mirror images of each other. However, when particles break down or transform, such as during radioactive decay, this symmetry can be slightly distorted (CP violation). This means that matter and antimatter particles don鈥檛 always decay at the same rate. Scientists can detect and measure this tiny difference using advanced detectors and powerful data analysis techniques.

The LHCb collaboration observed CP violation in a particle called the beauty-lambda baryon (螞b), a heavier, short-lived cousin of the proton. They analysed data from millions of particle collisions collected during two runs of the LHC between 2009 and 2018 in search of a certain decay.

The team discovered that the 螞b and its antimatter partner do not decay into other particles at exactly the same rate 鈥� a difference of about 2.45%. The difference is large enough to exceed the threshold physicists use to confirm an observation of CP violation. Physicists calculate that the odds of such a discrepancy occurring by chance is less than one in three million.

Chris Parkes, Professor of Experimental Particle Physics at The University of 水多多导航 and the former leader of the LHCb collaboration, said: 鈥淲ithout a difference in the behaviour of matter and antimatter there would be not matter in the universe. All the matter and antimatter would have annihilated and the universe today would be made only of light. The LHCb experiment is specifically designed to look at differences between matter and antimatter in the break-up of particles. This is a landmark discovery in these studies, as it is the first time a difference is seen in particles similar to heavy versions of the proton or neutron.鈥�

 The CP violation predicted by the Standard Model is far too small to explain the matter鈥揳ntimatter asymmetry observed in the Universe. This suggests that there may be additional, unknown sources of CP violation that scientists have yet to discover. Finding these is a key goal of research at the Large Hadron Collider and will remain a focus for future experiments.

 LHCb spokesperson Vincenzo Vagnoni, said: 鈥淭he more systems in which we observe CP violations and the more precise the measurements are, the more opportunities we have to test the Standard Model and to look for physics beyond it.

鈥淭he first ever observation of CP violation in a baryon decay paves the way for further theoretical and experimental investigations of the nature of CP violation, potentially offering new constraints for physics beyond the Standard Model.鈥�

The LHCb Collaboration is continuing its studies with the second generation version of the large experimental apparatus, key elements of which were built in the Physics and Astronomy department at the University of 水多多导航.

Along with Anglia Ruskin University, Birmingham City University, the University of East London and the University of Warwick, The University of 水多多导航 will help with the adaptation of the EmilyTest GBV Charter framework for the English education system and its alignment with the new Office for Students Condition of Registration around harassment and sexual misconduct, which comes into effect as of 1 August 2025.

The Charter has already proved successful in Scotland, with 13 institutions actively engaging and 6 officially awarded.

The Charter is based on five principles: open and learning, educated and empowered, comprehensive and connected, equal and inclusive, and safe and effective.

EmilyTest was founded by Fiona Drouet after the tragic loss of her 18-year-old daughter, Emily, a law student who died by suicide following physical and psychological abuse by a fellow student while living in halls of residence.

Determined that no other victims and survivors are left under supported and at risk, Fiona established the EmilyTest charity which developed the first of its kind GBV Charter for universities and colleges. The Charter sets minimum standards in gender-based violence prevention, intervention and support, and assists institutions in asking if their policies, practices and procedures would have saved Emily鈥檚 life: 鈥榃ould they pass the Emily test?鈥�.

Dr Simon Merrywest, Executive Director for the Student Experience at The University of 水多多导航 said: 鈥淲e are proud to be one of the first English universities taking part in the EmilyTest pilot following its successful run in Scotland.

鈥淯nfortunately, gender-based violence remains a prevalent issue throughout the UK higher education system today, and we will continue to do whatever it takes to keep all of our students safe and protected both on campus and in their residences. Having got to know Fiona through a shared interest in suicide prevention, and hearing her give powerful voice to Emily鈥檚 experiences and the aims of EmilyTest, I had no hesitation in us signing up. 

鈥淲e look forward to taking part in this very worthy initiative, learning from it, and making impactful changes over the next six months and beyond.鈥� 

The University of 水多多导航 has an existing specialist safeguarding team, , who provide holistic, trauma-informed support to students who have experienced any form of gender-based violence, harassment or hate. The Advice and Response team is made up of specialist caseworkers who provide confidential, practical, and emotional support to students directly and signposting to statutory and other services.

The University has made campus safety a key priority, adopting the SafeZone app in recent years to allow for faster potential response times when urgent help is required on campus or in the city. The SafeZone app can be used to 鈥榗heck in鈥� at any time of the day, quickly and discreetly call for assistance, and get medical help quickly.

The University of 水多多导航 has also partnered with its Students鈥� Union to provide sexual violence support drop-in sessions which are open to anyone looking for support.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Professor Cinzia Casiraghi has been appointed as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) at the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC), bringing with her more than two decades of pioneering research experience in graphene and 2D materials.

Since the early 2000s, Professor Casiraghi has been at the forefront of the graphene journey. From identifying the optical fingerprint of graphene to engineering ink-jet printable 2D materials for use in electronics and biomedical applications, her work has paved the way for the development of functional, scalable applications that are now becoming reality across industries.

Casiraghi鈥檚 appointment marks a new chapter for the GEIC, which sits at the heart of the Graphene@水多多导航 ecosystem. As CSO, she will provide strategic scientific leadership to strengthen the Centre鈥檚 role as a world-leading facility for the translation of 2D materials research into commercial products and technologies. 

She will play a key role in connecting academic expertise with industrial needs, supporting collaborative research at higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), and steering the scientific direction of GEIC projects.   

Her research group at The University of 水多多导航 has led groundbreaking work in Raman spectroscopy of carbon-based nanomaterials, and 2D material ink formulation, with an emphasis on industry-funded projects. Her contributions to printable electronics, ranging from photodetectors, transistors and memories printed onto low-cost and biodegradable substrates, such as paper, have significantly advanced the field. Casiraghi is also a prominent advocate for cross-disciplinary research, building bridges between chemistry, physics, materials science, and engineering.

Professor Casiraghi said:

鈥淚t is an exciting time for 2D materials. I am honoured to take on the role of Chief Scientific Officer at the GEIC. For the past 20 years, I have been dedicated to graphene and 2D materials research, witnessing remarkable progress along this journey. Two decades ago, I was looking at tiny graphene flakes, produced by mechanical exfoliation, with the aim to identify their optical fingerprint.

鈥淭oday, academics and companies regularly use this framework to identify graphene. Today, we have graphene and 2D material inks that can be printed onto paper and plastic to create functional devices, or can be combined with other materials to enhance specific properties. Today, we have well-established methods for large-area deposition of graphene and 2D materials, paving the way for their integration into next-generation electronics.

鈥淚 look forward to driving innovation, advancing our research capabilities, and working alongside the team at the GEIC and the academic community to develop cutting-edge solutions. By fostering collaboration between academia and industry, we aim to demonstrate the value of 2D materials and their transformative potential.鈥�

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@水多多导航, said:
鈥淐inzia has been a driving force in the field of graphene and 2D materials research for over two decades, and her appointment as Chief Scientific Officer marks a significant development opportunity for the GEIC. Her depth of expertise, combined with a passion for innovation and collaboration, will ensure we continue to bridge the gap between fundamental science and real-world application.

鈥淎s the GEIC evolves to meet the challenges of a fast-moving innovation landscape, Cinzia鈥檚 leadership will help accelerate our mission to deliver sustainable, scalable technologies that make a meaningful impact across industry sectors.鈥�

As CSO, Professor Casiraghi will work across the GEIC鈥檚 ecosystem 鈥� including academic departments, the National Graphene Institute (NGI), and the wider university research community 鈥� to ensure alignment of scientific vision with industrial ambition. She will lead a team of Theme Leads, drawn from disciplines including materials science and physics, to guide project direction, advise on research outcomes, and lower the barrier between industry and academia.

The role also includes high-level engagement with strategic partners and national innovation stakeholders, helping to position the GEIC as a key player in addressing global challenges around clean growth, mobility, and sustainable development. Casiraghi will support the evaluation of major project proposals, mentor scientific staff, and champion excellence in research infrastructure, collaboration, and impact.

Professor Casiraghi has held academic roles at The University of 水多多导航 since 2010 and currently serves as Chair of Nanoscience and Head of Materials Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry. She previously held research fellowships in Berlin and Cambridge and holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Cambridge.

With this appointment, The University of 水多多导航 continues to reinforce its commitment to translating cutting-edge research into real-world impact, supporting the advancement of graphene and 2D materials through collaborative innovation and industrial engagement.

For years, nature has been blamed as a blocker of economic growth. After some ministerial about not letting get in the way of growth ambitions, the UK government released more details of its plans to .

The centrepiece of its aspirations to balance both nature and economic growth is a , to be set up in England through changes to habitat regulations. This should allow developers to stay within their legal obligations towards nature through a payment scheme without delaying their projects.

The is that, as an alternative to relocating important species or improving habitats on the site of a proposed development, a developer could pay into the nature restoration fund. This would pay for larger, more strategically located schemes to protect the species in question.

The fund simplifies and streamlines the regulations while collecting funds to promote more, bigger, better and increasingly .

Protecting nature is not just about bats and newts. According to trade association the Home Builders Federation (HBF), there are 160,000 homes being delayed by what are known as measures. These rules were a response to growing public concerns about land and water pollution caused by nutrient loads 鈥� pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus 鈥� associated with livestock farming and spillages from sewage works.

Government agency 74 local authorities that they should not allow any more house building in their areas unless this pollution could be mitigated. But this has led to lengthy and expensive project-by-project reviews to identify potential damage.

How will a fund help?

The fund will build on some schemes that are already known to work. One such scheme works for the protection of . Another successful scheme is project, working to protect and enhance heathland sites where rare birds such as nightingales breed. Crucially, this scheme allows new development to go ahead in adjacent areas.

The fund will be run by Natural England, which aims to draw on these experiences to unblock development at a large scale rather than at single-site level, pooling contributions from developers to pay for mitigation measures when there is a risk to nature.

If a particular 鈥渂locking鈥� issue is identified, experts from Natural England will produce a plan, which must be approved by the environment secretary. A levy on developers will then pay for mitigation measures 鈥渋n perpetuity鈥� (often 30 years), allowing the development to get under way.

Environmental experts have the general principles and approach of the nature restoration fund. But there has also been about whether the plan is well enough thought through. There are also questions on how well it will integrate with other schemes.

A widespread worry is for the future of 鈥� which includes measures for creating and improving using biodiversity units, effectively a form of 鈥渘ature market鈥�. This approach sets a target of 10% for biodiversity improvement based upon the combined distinctness, condition and significance of affected habitats over the lifetime of the development. But these measures are only just .

The concern is that providers of sites for these habitat banks 鈥� which might be councils, landowners, charities or private businesses, for example 鈥� might get cold feet and if they can鈥檛 be certain that their plans will be compatible with the nature restoration fund.

There is concern, too, about how payments from the nature restoration fund would be calculated. These will need to be locally appropriate and not pit nature restoration and biodiversity net gain against each other if, for example, landowners are forced to choose a particular scheme for their land that they are then . With two parallel systems in play, the relationship between them must be crystal clear, otherwise shared goals could be missed.

Another question is whether Natural England can be both regulator and financial beneficiary of the new scheme. There have been calls from some of those already involved in nature markets for some form of .

And it will also be vital that the new scheme respects what鈥檚 known as the 鈥渕itigation hierarchy鈥�. This hierarchy aims to avoid, reduce and then mitigate any impacts on nature on-site in that order. Then developers should consider off-site measures in areas where there could be greater .

But a danger here is that this could disconnect people from nature even further by mitigating ecological loss miles away from the site of the damage. This disconnection is considered to be a critical underlying cause of .

There is much to like about the nature restoration fund, but there is a risk that little will be achieved without the government showing genuine ambition and allocating enough money and staff to properly monitor and enforce it over the long term. Only time will tell whether it achieves the government鈥檚 goal of speeding up development.

At the moment, it is not clear how the fund will complement similar schemes and there is a danger of creating a complex patchwork in nature restoration funding. But if it works well, it could provide a richer funding ecosystem for nature recovery 鈥� a much-needed boost for England鈥檚 nature-depleted landscape.

, Professor, Urban and Environmental Planning and , Senior Lecturer in Planning and Environmental Management
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

The findings, published in the journal ,  show that these powerful flows could be capable of traveling at speeds of up to eight meters per second, carrying plastic waste from the continental shelf to depths of more than 3,200 meters.

Over 10 million tonnes of plastic waste enter the oceans each year. While striking images of floating debris have driven efforts to curb pollution, this visible waste accounts for less than 1% of the total. The missing 99% 鈥� primarily made up of fibres from textiles and clothing 鈥� is instead sinking into the deep ocean.

Scientists have long suspected that turbidity currents play a major role in distributing microplastics across the seafloor 鈥� The University of 水多多导航 were among the first to demonstrate this through their research on 鈥楳icroplastic Hotspots鈥� in the Tyrrhenian Sea, published in the journal . However, until now, the actual process had not been observed or recorded in a real-world setting.

The latest study conducted by The University of 水多多导航, the National Oceanography Centre (UK), the University of Leeds (UK), and the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research provides the first field evidence showing the process.

The findings pose a significant threat to marine ecosystems and highlight the urgent need for stronger pollution controls.

Dr Peng Chen, lead author on the study at The University of 水多多导航, said 鈥淢icroplastics on their own can be toxic to deep-sea life, but they also act as 鈥榗arriers鈥� transferring other harmful pollutants such as PFAS 鈥榝orever chemicals鈥� and heavy metals, which makes them an environmental 鈥榤ultistressor鈥� which can affect the entire food chain.鈥�

The research focused on Whittard Canyon in the Celtic Sea, a land-detached canyon over 300 km from the shore. By combining in-situ monitoring and direct seabed sampling, the team were able to witness a turbidity current in action, moving a huge plume of sediment at over 2.5 metres per second at over 1.5 km water depth. The samples directly from the flow revealed that these powerful currents were not only carrying just sand and mud, but a significant quantity of microplastic fragments and microfibres.

Further analysis found that the microplastics on the seafloor are mainly comprised of fibres from textiles and clothing, which are not effectively filtered out in domestic wastewater treatment plants and easily enter rivers and oceans.

, Geologist and Environmental Scientist at The University of 水多多导航, who designed and led the research, said: 鈥淭hese turbidity currents carry the nutrients and oxygen that are vital to sustain deep-sea life, so it is shocking that the same currents are also carrying these tiny plastic particles.

鈥淭hese biodiversity hotspots are now co-located with microplastic hotspots, which could pose serious risks to deep-sea organisms.

鈥淲e hope this new understanding will support mitigations strategies going forward.鈥�

Dr Mike Clare of the , who was a co-lead on the research, added: 鈥淥ur study has shown how detailed studies of seafloor currents can help us to connect microplastic transport pathways in the deep-sea and find the 鈥榤issing鈥� microplastics. The results highlight the need for policy interventions to limit the future flow of plastics into natural environments and minimise impacts on ocean ecosystems.鈥�

The study team are now focussing on efforts to better understand the effect that microplastics have on marine organisms, for example sea turtles and deep-sea fauna.

This research was published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology.

Full title: Direct evidence that microplastics are transported to the deep sea by turbidity currents

DOI:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lead authors are  Professor Tjeerd van Staa and Dr Ali Fahmi, from The University of 水多多导航. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gerry鈥檚 story

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

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

Following a number of CT scans at 水多多导航 Royal Infirmary, it was confirmed that there is a small tumour on the upper part of his liver, which he has now had removed and remains cancer free.

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

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

How the technology works

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

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

Principal Investigator for the study, Dr Varinder Athwal, Consultant Hepatologist at MFT and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of 水多多导航, said: 鈥溗喽嗟己� has some of the highest rates of liver disease and liver cancer in the UK and far too many people are diagnosed when curative treatment is not possible.

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

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

Vic鈥檚 story
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ali Oliver MBE, Chief Executive at Youth Sports Trust said:  
 
"At the Youth Sport Trust, we know a child's wellbeing is the foundation for their success, both in and out of the classroom, and physical activity including PE, sport and play is vital to their physical, social, and emotional development. When children are healthy and happy, they are ready to learn. It鈥檚 encouraging to see through these results more parents are recognising the critical link between wellbeing and academic and personal development, with many now prioritising it when choosing a secondary school. We believe measuring wellbeing can help track progress as well as ensuring support is targeted towards those with the greatest needs. 

鈥淭hrough our development of the Well School and Well School Trust movement, a growing collection of schools and trusts taking positive action to improve education outcomes by supporting the health and happiness of their staff and pupils, we are committed to helping make this a reality. In June, we鈥檙e introducing a free Well check service for schools which will help parents easily identify schools committed to nurturing wellbeing, while also supporting schools in creating environments where every young person can thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally."  

Ben Levinson OBE, executive headteacher at Kensington Primary School and chair of the Well school collective, said:

"As a parent, headteacher and chair of the Well School Collective, I have always been a strong advocate for prioritising children's wellbeing within schools. Supporting positive mental and physical health has been at the heart of my approach at Kensington Primary School, and I鈥檓 proud to say that this focus has played a key role in our Outstanding Ofsted grade. By establishing strong wellbeing practices in primary schools, we help parents see the importance of continuing this focus as they look ahead to secondary education. Wellbeing and school excellence are not competing priorities; they are complementary, essential elements that drive success. That is why it鈥檚 so encouraging to see more parents recognising this; when we support wellbeing, we鈥檙e creating the conditions for every young person to flourish, and it鈥檚 vital that schools and parents work together to make this a priority." 

The experts also say that investing in wellbeing is not just a moral imperative - it also makes economic sense. They point to research from  which highlights the substantial financial benefits of prioritising wellbeing, estimating that tackling low wellbeing among young people could deliver billions  
 
To find out more about the national wellbeing measurement programme campaign, visit .  

Led by Health Innovation 水多多导航, the University of 水多多导航 and 水多多导航 University NHS Foundation Trust, this collaborative project has helped bridge the gap between research and clinical implementation of advanced diagnostic technologies.

ADA is one of ten projects funded within the Greater 水多多导航 portfolio of the Innovation Accelerator (IA) programme, which is transforming the innovation landscape in the UK and paving the way for the future of place-based research and development (R&D) investment.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By enhancing early diagnosis, boosting business sustainability, and tackling health inequalities, Advanced Diagnostic Accelerator is contributing to increased productivity, reduced economic inactivity due to poor health, and longer life expectancy for Greater 水多多导航 residents and created multiple high value jobs.

Building on this momentum, Health Innovation 水多多导航, the University of 水多多导航, 水多多导航 University NHS Foundation Trust and the industry partners have together secured a further 拢1.6 million Innovate UK grant for the Advanced Diagnostic Accelerator in Greater 水多多导航.

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

鈥淕reater 水多多导航鈥檚 Advanced Diagnostics Accelerator鈥檚 work to support early disease detection and targeted care will support our NHS and with further investment is driving up local jobs, benefiting the local economy and helping to deliver our Plan for Change.鈥�

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

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

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

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

Published in the journal, , scientists have developed an advanced sensor that can detect volcanic gases with rapid speed and precision.

Using the sensor mounted on a helicopter, the research team measured emissions at Soufri猫re Hills Volcano on the Caribbean Island of Montserrat, revealing that the volcano emitted three times more CO₂ than earlier studies had estimated.

Scientists typically monitor volcanic emissions by focusing on hot vents, known as fumaroles, which release high concentrations of easily detectable acid gases like sulphur dioxide (SO鈧�) and hydrogen chloride (HCl). However, many volcanoes also have cooler fumaroles, where water-rich hydrothermal systems on the volcano absorb the acidic gases, making them harder to detect. As a result, CO鈧� emissions from these cooler sources are often overlooked, leading to significant underestimations in volcanic gas output.

The new technology exposes those hidden emissions, offering a more accurate quantification of the volcanoes gas output.

The findings also have significant implications for volcano monitoring and eruption forecasting.

, lead researcher from The University of 水多多导航, said: 鈥淰olcanoes play a crucial role in the Earth's carbon cycle, releasing CO鈧� into the atmosphere, so understanding the emissions is crucial for understanding its impact on our climate. Our findings demonstrate the importance of fast sampling rates and high precision sensors, capable of detecting large contributions of cooler CO₂-rich gas.

鈥淗owever, it鈥檚 also important to realise that despite our findings that CO₂ emissions could be around three times higher than we expected for volcanoes capped by hydrothermal systems, volcanoes still contribute less than 5% of global CO₂ emissions, far less than human activities such as fossil fuel combustion and deforestation.鈥�

and co-author, added: 鈥淒evelopment of high-sensitivity high-frequency magmatic gas instruments opens up a new frontier in volcanological science and volcano monitoring. This work demonstrates the new discoveries which await us. By capturing a more complete picture of volcanic gas emissions, we can gain deeper insights into magma movement, observe potential signs of impending eruptions and signs that an ongoing eruption might be ending. For the people living near active volcanoes, such advancements could enhance early warning systems and improve safety measures.鈥�

The research was carried out in collaboration with Montserrat Volcano Observatory and the National Institute of Optics, Firenze, Italy. Now, the study team are searching for funding to make this instrument suitable for unmanned aerial vehicle platforms, opening up new opportunities for performing delicate gas measurements in challenging and hazardous environments.  

This research has been published in the journal Scientific Advances. 

Full title: Quantification of Low-Temperature Gas Emissions Reveals CO鈧� Flux Underestimates at Soufri猫re Hills Volcano, Montserrat.

DOI:

鈥淭hrough her work, Jackie has foregrounded disability inclusion, ensuring that disabled staff and students have a voice in shaping a more inclusive culture,鈥� said Vicki Baars, Head of Culture Transformation at Culture Shift. 鈥淪he truly leads by example and lives the principle of 鈥楴othing about us without us鈥� -  her work remains a vital force for creating lasting change at the university.鈥�

New findings from the latest #BeeWell survey highlight the importance of ensuring every young person has access to everyday support in their wider community. This supports the broader Live Well commitment which seeks to tackle inequalities and improve wellbeing for all residents across the city-region.

Since launching in 2021, the #BeeWell programme, a partnership between Greater 水多多导航 Combined Authority (GMCA), the Gregson Family Foundation, The University of 水多多导航 and Anna Freud, has engaged almost 100,000 young people in Greater 水多多导航 to listen to their needs, understand their wellbeing, and drive action to ensure they receive the support they need.

The report highlights areas where Live Well, Greater 水多多导航鈥檚 innovative vision for a shift in how public services and community organisations collaborate, will play a crucial role in ensuring no young person is left behind.

One of the key findings in this year鈥檚 report identified urgent challenges around food insecurity, with one in ten young people reporting that on most days, food in their house didn鈥檛 last and there wasn鈥檛 enough money to buy more.  The survey also found that only one in ten young people are consuming the recommended 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

The #BeeWell Youth Steering Group highlighted the need for greater awareness of how nutrition affects energy levels and wellbeing, alongside increased support for families to make healthy choices.

Mayor of Greater 水多多导航, Andy Burnham, said:

鈥淭he #BeeWell findings make it clearer than ever why our Live Well ambition is so important. We are listening to young people, and they are telling us that access to support in their neighbourhoods, safe spaces to go, and someone to talk to are vital to their wellbeing.

鈥淭hrough Live Well, we are ensuring that every young person, regardless of their background, can get the help they need to thrive. Wellbeing is everybody鈥檚 business, and Greater 水多多导航 is leading the way in putting young people at the heart of this mission.鈥�

Physical activity among girls also remains a concern with the trend continuing from previous years, with just one in four girls meeting the Chief Medical Officer鈥檚 guideline of one hour of activity per day.

Young people raised concerns about the sports offered in PE, gendered PE kits that make participation uncomfortable, and a lack of access to free and enjoyable activities in the community.

Live Well will work alongside GM Moving, local councils, and community partners to address these challenges, removing barriers to participation and increasing opportunities for young people to stay active.

Hayley Lever, CEO of Greater 水多多导航 (GM) Moving said:

鈥淢ovement, physical activity, and sport is fundamental to young people鈥檚 mental wellbeing.

鈥淭he #BeeWell findings highlight the urgent need to accelerate our collective efforts to make physical activity more accessible, inclusive, and enjoyable for all young people.

鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of #FeelGoodYourWay and how it shines a light on how movement, physical activity, and sport is changing young lives for the better.

鈥淭he right opportunities to move can transform a young person鈥檚 life.鈥�

The survey also identified that while 60% of young people feel like they belong at school, the report found lower levels of school belonging reported among girls and LGBTQ+ young people. It also showed lower scores for Year 10 pupils in metrics including sense of school belonging and feeling hope and optimism, when compared to Year 7s.

This drop-off in wellbeing and hope has been a large driver in the development of the Greater 水多多导航 Baccalaureate (MBacc) which launched this year. The MBacc is transforming technical education in our city-region, supporting all our young people to fulfil their potential and help give them hope for the future.

This year鈥檚 survey introduced new measures on access to trusted adults, revealing that while 75% of young people say they have someone to talk to about their worries, boys are less likely to feel that they have someone to confide in than girls.

The #BeeWell Youth Steering believes that improving feelings of school belonging would have a positive impact on overall wellbeing, including increasing hope and optimism for the future.

Saint, from the #BeeWell Youth Steering Group, said:

鈥淚t is incredibly important that we run #BeeWell surveys so we can accurately determine where young people need more support.

鈥淏y analysing these key headlines, we can target the most significant factors impacting the mental wellbeing of young people and aim for improvements within those areas.

鈥淓very young person should be given the opportunity to flourish and succeed and ensuring this not only provides an environment of safety and belonging for the individual, but will collectively help us progress into a more cohesive and compassionate society in the long run.鈥�

The Live Well ambition aims to tackle these disparities head-on by ensuring every young person has somewhere to go and someone to talk to.

Councillor Mark Hunter, GMCA Portfolio Lead for Young People, said:

鈥淓very young person in Greater 水多多导航 deserves access to great everyday support. The #BeeWell data provides us with the evidence we need to take action鈥攚hether that鈥檚 tackling inequalities in school belonging, increasing access to healthy food, or ensuring young people feel safe and supported in their communities.

鈥淲e want to bring services and communities together to make our vision for Greater 水多多导航 a reality, and we are committed to making a real difference to young people鈥檚 lives across our city region.鈥�

In response to the findings, #BeeWell will work with Greater 水多多导航鈥檚 ten local authorities to support the development of an action plan to improve young people鈥檚 wellbeing across the city-region.

An event will be held in the coming weeks bringing together young people, schools, and community partners to co-design a plan for action based on the #BeeWell insights.

The Summit reinforced that tackling the inequalities that shape how we age, linked to place, gender, class, race, disability and migration, must be central to age-friendly work. MUARG's ongoing work is crucial in driving research and collaboration to improve the experience of ageing and to build fairer, more inclusive and connected cities for all. 

Learn more about the 水多多导航 Urban Ageing Research Group鈥檚 work in building an age-friendly future by .

Also named as a Fellow is Professor Toni Haastrup, a leading expert in feminist international studies. Her work has explored contemporary Africa-EU relations, feminist foreign policy and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. With over 80 published works, her work seeks to bridge theory and practice, which has led to collaborations with UN agencies and EU institutions. Passionate about inclusion in the sector, Toni is currently chair of the . Her contribution to feminist knowledge in Europe was recognised with an Emma Goldman Award in 2022. She is also a mid-career fellow of the Independent Social Research Foundation.

鈥淚 am deeply honoured to be recognised by the Academy of Social Sciences,鈥� Toni said. 鈥淭his recognition further validates the importance of feminist perspectives within the humanities and social sciences, at a time we are increasingly seeing a backlash within and outside the academy. Yet, this work is essential to addressing some of the most pressing challenges of our time, and I am grateful to the colleagues and collaborators who have supported my work over the years.鈥�

Our final new Fellow is Professor Sophie Woodward, a distinguished sociologist who carries out research into material culture, consumption and everyday life. Sophie is the author of several books including Why Women Wear What They Wear (2007), Blue Jeans: The Art of the Ordinary (2012), Birth and Death: experience, ethics and politics (2020) and Material Methods: Researching and Thinking with Things (2019) who co-directs the , as well as serving as Vice-Director of the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM). She is also one of the founding editors of the new Journal of Creative Research methods. 

鈥淚 am delighted to be made a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences - it is wonderful to receive recognition like this,鈥� said Sophie. 鈥淚 look forward to working with other fellows at a time when the world needs social science methods, perspectives and critiques more than ever. I look forward to continuing to develop critical engagements with methods and the data they can generate and my research into everyday lives.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to welcome these outstanding social scientists to the Academy鈥檚 Fellowship, whose research and practice are helping to develop solutions to pressing societal issues,鈥� said Will Hutton, President of the Academy. 鈥淲e look forward to working with them to further promote the vital role the social sciences play in all areas of our lives.鈥�

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lead author Leah Costello, a PhD researcher from The University of 水多多导航 was funded under a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Doctoral Training Studentship. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Co-author Professor Holly Shiels from the University of 水多多导航  added: 鈥淢icroplastic accumulation is likely to be associated with organ damage and toxicity in these incredible marine reptiles that can live for 70 years.

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

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

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

Working in partnership with 水多多导航 University NHS Foundation Trust and Roche, the team developed the project - REVISE-HCC.

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

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

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

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

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

Programme Manager  Oliver Street said:  鈥溗喽嗟己� has some of the highest rates of liver disease and liver cancer in the UK and is a significant healthcare and societal burden. Far too many people are diagnosed too late when curative treatment is not possible.

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

Opening remarks were delivered by Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of 水多多导航, who spoke about the devolution model in 水多多导航 and how the city is reimagining the architecture of the British state.

The discussion between the Mayor and Mark Morrin from thinktank ResPublica, which launched the pivotal report Devo Max 鈥� Devo Manc in 2014 and organised the event with the University鈥檚 Policy@水多多导航 team, explored the origins of the role of Mayor of Greater 水多多导航.

Mr Burnham outlined the initial blueprint for the position and how the role has evolved since he took office. He highlighted how homelessness was one of his priority issues from the outset, and how dealing with these forefront problems paved the way to looking at bigger picture, longer-term issues in the region.

He compared the Greater 水多多导航 Combined Authority (GMCA) to a unified government department and criticised the siloed nature of certain national government institutions. He credited the powerful 鈥榩lace first鈥� nature of 水多多导航鈥檚 political structure and the abundance of community-led initiatives in the region like Live Well, which focuses on health and wellbeing.

During the discussion, Mr Burnham outlined his bold ambitions for skills development in Greater 水多多导航 and highlighted a wider need to link local labour markets to schools. He also discussed his ultimate aim for an employer-driven, all-age, integrated technical education system and his personal pursuit of a Greater 水多多导航 Baccalaureate qualification.

During the conversation, Mr Burnham noted the contribution universities make to Greater 水多多导航 and how The University of 水多多导航鈥檚 research helps to influence strategies and policies that make a real difference in people鈥檚 lives.

He also cited the wave of innovation the University has catalysed through initiatives like Unit M, which aims to connect the innovation ecosystem in 水多多导航 and the wider region to accelerate inclusive growth. He also mentioned the University of 水多多导航鈥檚 partnership with the University of Cambridge, and how 水多多导航 can catalyse economic growth through research and innovation.

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor at The University of 水多多导航 said: 鈥淚t was a pleasure to welcome Mayor Andy Burnham for this timely conversation on the future of devolution in Greater 水多多导航.

鈥淎ndy鈥檚 vision for the region is inspiring and highlights continuing opportunities to work together - whether that鈥檚 equipping our future workforce with essential skills, or driving inclusive growth through initiatives like Unit M. As we continue developing the University's 2035 strategy, these discussions remind us of the power of collaboration and the positive impact we can make together for our communities.鈥�

Mr Burnham noted how the education system underserves people who choose not to go to university. He appealed to all local businesses and institutions in the region to prepare 45-day work placements for young people, citing how 50% of young people given these placements go on to work for the employer.

Reflecting on the event, Mr Burnham said: 鈥淚t has been a rollercoaster for Greater 水多多导航 over the last 10 years in a really positive way. I believe the changes we will see over the next decade will be even more dramatic than the last, and the architecture of the British state will seismically change too. We are looking back at a decade of above-average growth, and across the city we have worked collaboratively to get to the great place we are now.

鈥淯niversities have been some of our most instrumental partners over the years, helping us to build an intellectual case for our strategy. I look forward to our continued work with The University of 水多多导航 as we look to upskill and develop our talent across the city-region.鈥�

Mark Morrin, Head of Research at ResPublica said: 鈥淕reater 水多多导航 has been at the vanguard of place-based devolution since securing its first breakthrough deal over 10 years ago. Progress has been incremental and there is still some way to go before the depth of powers outlined in our Devo Max 鈥� Devo Manc report are realised; not least fiscal devolution. But the devolution revolution is clearly under way and mayoral authorities are set to be the strategic place makers and power brokers of the future.鈥�

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The study also found that:

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

Dr Patrick Burch is an academic clinical lecturer at The University of 水多多导航 and a practising GP.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To secure the future of bus services, the expert panel has put forward a series of recommendations including investment in more frequent and reliable buses, long-term funding settlements, a new statutory requirement to provide socially necessary services and continued support for affordable fares.

The panel urged the Transport Select Committee to ensure their report to the Government includes a focus on the 鈥榝our As鈥� - Availability, Accessibility, Affordability, and Acceptability. Without addressing these key issues, they point out that millions of people will continue to face transport-related exclusion.

鈥淏uses are an essential public service, yet too many communities are cut off from the bus network - this needs to change,鈥� said Silviya Barrett from Campaign for Better Transport. 鈥淭he Government must identify gaps in the current network, provide targeted funding to plug those gaps and introduce of a 鈥榖us service guarantee鈥� to ensure all communities have access to a good, affordable and reliable bus service in the future.鈥�

鈥淭here is an urgent need for reform,鈥� added Professor Lucas. 鈥淚f the Government takes action now, we can create a sustainable, well-connected bus network that benefits communities, the economy, and public health.鈥�

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The application sets out detailed proposals relating to the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of the scheme, which covers Owens Park, Oak House and Woolton Hall.

It builds on the Outline Planning Permission granted in January 2024.  

The application will now be evaluated by 水多多导航 City Council鈥檚 planning department.

A five-week consultation and engagement exercise was completed throughout December 2024 and early January 2025 to ensure the views of the local community informed the proposals.

The ambitious redevelopment plans include the creation of 3,300 modern, high-quality student bedspaces, along with dedicated amenity space, ancillary residential dwellings and greenspaces. Five distinct neighbourhoods that celebrate local history and character, and a central hub as an anchor and heart of the campus, are features of the scheme.

Commenting on the submission of the Reserved Matters Planning Application, Dr Simon Merrywest, Director for the Student Experience, University of 水多多导航, said: 鈥淭his is an important milestone in realising our vision for the Fallowfield Campus. The plans and proposals within the Reserved Matters Application reinforce our commitment to providing new and returning students with modern, high-quality accommodation, and will help us to meet the future needs of our student population.鈥�

The project is being delivered by the Viridis Consortium - a partnership consisting of GRAHAM, Equitix and Derwent FM.

The demolition of the Owens Park Tower and surrounding buildings is ongoing.

Enabling works are progressing in preparation for the main construction programme, which will commence in 2026. The phased handover of buildings will allow students to move into their new homes at different points from 2027 through to 2030.

GRAHAM has led the planning process in collaboration with the University of 水多多导航, architects, Sheppard Robson, and planning consultants, Deloitte.

Neil McFarlane, GRAHAM Project Director for the Fallowfield Campus, said: 鈥淭he planning submission is a further important milestone for the Fallowfield Campus project. It is the culmination of months of challenging work and an intensive programme of engagement with the University, staff, students and the local community. We believe the submitted plans will create an exemplar sustainable campus that will enhance the experience of the University鈥檚 next generation of students.鈥�

Sustainable design and construction are embedded within the proposals. The development will be one of the largest Passivhaus developments in the world 鈥� meaning the buildings will use less energy, promote good indoor air quality and maintain comfortable temperatures year-round.

The development is also targeting BREEAM Excellent certification, a further independent sustainability assessment. The preservation of the mature landscape and enhanced green spaces are embedded within the plans.

Natalia Maximova, Associate Partner at Sheppard Robson Architects, who has managed the design process, said: 鈥淥ur designs are inspired by the site's layers of history and its unique character, providing high-quality student homes and amenities in a rich parkland setting. The proposals rebuild the student community at Fallowfield and create a new generation of sustainable student homes."

Tristan Meredith, Equitix Development Director, added: 鈥淓quitix is committed to delivering best in class solutions with a core focus on sustainability. The submitted plans demonstrate our commitment to sustainable development while providing a world-class living experience for the University of 水多多导航鈥檚 future students.鈥�

For more information on the Fallowfield Campus redevelopment, please visit: /about/governance/corporate-documents/campus-masterplan/fallowfield-consultation 

A University of 水多多导航 academic has been selected as a member of the UK Young Academy - an interdisciplinary network of early-career professionals and researchers working together to tackle pressing global and local challenges and promote lasting change.

is among 42 emerging leaders from across the UK named as the newest members of the UK Young Academy, who come from a wide range of sectors, with backgrounds in political science, engineering, government, communications and the creative and performing industries, and more.

As a member of the UK Young Academy, will have the opportunity to take action on both local and global issues. Through interdisciplinary projects and working across sectors, the members will bridge gaps, drive innovation, and develop the solutions needed to address critical challenges 鈥� all while advancing their professional development and contributing to a global network of Young Academies focused on achieving positive outcomes.

鈥檚 expertise is in nuclear reaction theories and is particularly interested in working on projects related to physics education, science communication, and supporting early-career researchers from at-risk or underrepresented backgrounds. 

For the first time, a select group of emerging leaders have been chosen for membership in the UK Young Academy through a dedicated route in collaboration with the Council of At-Risk Academics (Cara). At-risk academics from Cara鈥檚 network were invited to apply for membership as part of a UK Young Academy member-led project focused on supporting at-risk early-career researchers across the UK. 

Next week, the newest members of the UK Young Academy will come together for their Induction Day, where they will learn about the UK Young Academy鈥檚 activities and programmes. This will be followed by the third annual All Members鈥� Meeting, marking the first opportunity for this new group to connect with the wider membership. 

Speaking on behalf of the UK Young Academy Membership Selection Committee, Alistair McConnell, said: 鈥淭he solutions to the world鈥檚 most pressing challenges won鈥檛 come from a single field or perspective. We need to bring together expertise and insights from a range of disciplines.

鈥淭oday, we are delighted to welcome our newest members, whose diverse backgrounds and expertise will bring fresh perspectives to the UK Young Academy. These members will have the opportunity to challenge boundaries, make new connections, and work together to develop innovative solutions to the challenges that matter most.

鈥淎s we enter our third year as an organisation, the new members will be able to contribute right from the outset. Through involvement in innovative projects, work programmes, or by ensuring that early-career voices are part of key global and local debates, they鈥檒l be positioned to make a meaningful contribution.鈥� 

The new members take up their posts from 1 April 2025, and membership runs for five years.  

As the honorary chair of creative writing, Lemn will joined by fellow judges John McAuliffe, Professor of Poetry at The University of 水多多导航 and 水多多导航-based poet and critic, Maryam Hessavi.

The theme for 2025 is 鈥楥onnections鈥� and the challenge is simple - write a 鈥榤icro poem鈥� of no more than 280 characters, and submit using the official competition entry form.

Lemn said: 鈥淭he Micropoetry Competition sets a wonderful yet challenging task of translating a theme into a short work of art. It鈥檚 a craft to tell a story in such a manner and I鈥檓 looking forward to reading the 2025 entries, centred around the chosen theme. As someone who published a book of tweets in the form of quatrains, I urge you to pen your poem and enter the competition.鈥�

Entries must be submitted by 23:59 on Saturday 21 June 2025, with winners to be announced by Friday 25 July 2025.

Prizes will be awarded for first place (拢500) and the two runners-up (拢250), with a 拢25 book token for winner of the under-18s category.

Professor of Poetry at The University of 水多多导航, John McAuliffe, said: "World Poetry Day celebrates all that is fascinating about poetry and its manifold forms. Our Micropoetry Competition explores the art of translating a set theme into a condensed poem that captures attention and shares a story.鈥�

For the full entry details as well as the terms and conditions, 

Catherine steps into the role full-time, having served as Interim CEO over the past year, while also fulfilling her responsibilities as Director of Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange at The University of 水多多导航. With a wealth of experience in working with businesses, technology transfer and innovation, she brings a deep commitment to advancing UoMIF鈥檚 mission of identifying and commercialising groundbreaking research to drive social, environmental and economic impact. 

Catherine will be succeeded in her previous role as Director of Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange by Dr Louise Bates, who joins from her position as Head of Strategic Partnerships at The University of 水多多导航.

鈥淚 am thrilled to take on this role at such an exciting time for the Innovation Factory,鈥� said Catherine. 鈥溗喽嗟己� has a proud and established legacy of pioneering innovation that shapes the world and I am eager to build on that tradition. My goal is to strengthen our partnerships, empower our academics, inventors and researchers, and accelerate the journey from discovery to real-world solutions that benefit society and bolster the UK鈥檚 position as a global leader in innovation.鈥�

The appointment comes at a time when technology transfer offices (TTOs) across the UK are increasingly recognised for their economic contributions. 

A 2023 report highlighted that university spinouts in the UK employ tens of thousands and generate billions in revenue annually, underscoring the critical role of organisations like UoMIF in fostering innovation ecosystems. UoMIF plays a critical role in supporting growth in the region through its spinouts and innovation, and is now perfectly placed to grow and increase the environmental, societal and economic impact that it contributes.

Over the past several years, UoMIF established itself as a vital bridge between academic research and commercial application, supporting the University鈥檚 ambition to create impact through translation of world-class research. Catherine aims to build on this foundation, driving UoMIF towards ambitious goals while reinforcing 水多多导航鈥檚 historic role as a hub of technological advancement.

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of 水多多导航, welcomed the appointment, saying: 鈥淚鈥檓 delighted Catherine is stepping into the role of CEO at the Innovation Factory. Her leadership, creativity, and commitment to bringing our research to life exemplify exactly what we're about as a University. 

"Her appointment will help us accelerate the journey from discovery to real-world impact, ensuring our ideas make a meaningful difference - not just here in 水多多导航, but nationally and globally. It's an exciting step forward as we continue to push boundaries in research and innovation, and I'm truly looking forward to seeing what she'll achieve.鈥�

Professor Richard Jones, Vice-President, Regional Innovation and Civic Engagement at The University of 水多多导航, said: 鈥淐atherine鈥檚 leadership comes at a pivotal moment for the Innovation Factory as we seek to amplify 水多多导航鈥檚 position as an innovation powerhouse for the region and the nation. Her appointment signals our commitment to transforming bold ideas into tangible solutions, fostering a vibrant ecosystem where research fuels regional growth and global breakthroughs. 

"The Innovation Factory, under her guidance, will be a valuable asset to support the University鈥檚 world-class innovators and transformative technologies.鈥�

For more information about the University of 水多多导航 Innovation Factory and its work, please visit www.uominnovationfactory.com.

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

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

is Professor in Health Economics, Lead for the 水多多导航 Centre for Health Economics (MCHE), an applied health economist, and a UK-registered pharmacist.  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See the full list of NIHR Senior Investigators .

Read NIHR's news story .

The NGI opened in 2015 and became the home of research into the world鈥檚 thinnest, strongest, and most conductive material. Since then, the institute has established itself as a global leader in the research and development of graphene and other advanced 2D materials.  

Through the translation of graphene science into tangible, real world applications, the NGI has provided the opportunity for researchers and industry to work together on a variety of potential applications. The institute has been at the forefront of numerous pioneering projects that have reshaped industries and set new benchmarks for innovation. 

The NGI鈥檚 community of leading academics has played a pivotal role in advancing 2D material research, producing some of the most influential and highly cited studies in the field. Their pioneering work has accelerated the transition of graphene from the laboratory to real-world applications, driving innovation at an unprecedented pace. This collective expertise has cemented 水多多导航鈥檚 position as the global home of graphene, ensuring it remains at the forefront of discovery and innovation. 

One of the many groundbreaking innovations from the NGI is the recent advancement of graphene-based neural technologies, now entering the first phase of human trials. is using graphene-based brain-computer interface therapeutics to improve precision surgery for diseases such as cancer. 

The NGI has also seen the establishment of many high-profile collaborations and spinouts founded by its academics, or as a result of NGI-based research: 

• A collaboration between Inov-8 and the University led to the development of the world鈥檚 first graphene-enhanced running shoes, proven to be 50% stronger and more durable than other running shoes. This demonstrates the potential of graphene to revolutionise performance sportswear. 
• seeks to increase accessibility to clean water and air through 2D-enhanced membranes.  
• is using breakthrough technology to control infrared thermal radiation, which could have applications in aerospace engineering. 
• are designing and building mineral recovery systems from various sources, such as brines, industrial wastewater, and used batteries. 

At the heart of the National Graphene Institute鈥檚 pioneering research is its state-of-the-art 1,500m虏 nanofabrication facility, featuring ISO Class 5 and 6 cleanrooms spread across two floors. This advanced facility is dedicated to the fundamental research of graphene and 2D materials, and the development of cutting-edge devices that harness their exceptional properties. By providing such unique environment for precision research and innovation, the NGI continues to drive breakthroughs that push the boundaries of material science. 

Reflecting on the anniversary, Professor Vladimir Fal鈥檏o, Director of the National Graphene Institute said: 鈥淭his 10-year milestone is a testament to the NGI鈥檚 relentless pursuit of excellence and the collaborative spirit that has defined our journey. 

鈥淲e are immensely proud of the tangible impact our research has had across multiple sciences and industries and remain excited about harnessing 2D materials鈥� potential to address some of the world鈥檚 most pressing challenges.鈥�  

Looking ahead, the NGI is committed to furthering its legacy of groundbreaking research and sustaining the pipeline of innovation together with its sister institute, the (GEIC), and the nurturing of the next generation of 2D materials scientists with the PhD programme. 

Innovative research remains at the forefront of the NGI鈥檚 mission, with the Institute currently exploring green hydrogen technologies, next-generation batteries and supercapacitors for faster AI and machine learning, advanced quantum electronics, and the continued development of research into nanofluidics, nanocomposites, and van der Waals materials.  

The most recent statistics show that violence against women and girls affects one in 12 women in . A quarter of domestic abuse incidents reported to police involve known, repeat perpetrators. But despite being to identify and control the most serious perpetrators, police do not currently have systems good enough to do that.

Currently, police forces use an algorithm to determine which offenders pose the greatest risk to women and girls. This is known as the 鈥� perpetrators are propelled up or down a list based on the recency, frequency, gravity (seriousness) of reported incidents, and the vulnerability of the victim.

The gap in this approach is that it largely treats incidents as isolated, when they should be looked at as a whole. Research has also found it is used between forces.

Most police perpetrator lists contain hundreds or even thousands of people, making them difficult tools to use. They also do not seem to be able to distinguish who the most serious offenders are, with men with very similar profiles near the top, middle and bottom of the lists.

We propose an , which would assess the whole of a perpetrator鈥檚 record of incidents. This would allow police to identify not only the most dangerous perpetrators, but also opportunities to better address their offending earlier on. This might be with diversion to programmes designed to support better choices and rehabilitation, or arrest and incarceration to prevent them harming other people.

By joining together incidents recorded by police for individual perpetrators, we constructed detailed case studies using police officer鈥檚 notes. Here is a summary of two people who appear in one force鈥檚 perpetrator list.

1. Male born mid 1980s, involved in 340 incidents over 20 years

His offending begins with an indecent assault on a young teenage girl when he is 19. He is increasingly involved in drug-related offending in his 20s. He is later sentenced to six years in jail for arson endangering life. Released on conditional licence, he is re-convicted of the harassment of his ex-partner and recalled to prison.

Release is followed by further offences until the mid-2010s when he is imprisoned again. When released, his offending is erratic (low-level public order, violence, threats, drug-related offending).

Throughout his 30s, he frequently victimises partners and ex-partners. He has no settled address and is homeless at various points of his life. He is still subject to frequent mental health episodes.

2. Male born early 1980s, involved in 396 incidents over 25 years

In his teens he was involved in low-level thefts, criminal damage and breaches of an antisocial behaviour order. He was also suspected of selling drugs to schoolchildren, and imprisoned, aged 18, for drug-related violence.

In his 20s he 鈥渁ssociates with鈥� children and is found with a missing vulnerable schoolgirl hiding in his house. He continues to commit offences of criminal damage, drug dealing, and stealing vehicles. Another missing teenage girl is found to be living with him.

In his early 20s he very violently assaults and harasses much younger partners. He continues to commit public order offences and to threaten, harass, and assault current and ex-partners, kicking his pregnant partner in the stomach.

In the early 2020s, police attend his ex-partner鈥檚 house following abandoned 999 calls 鈥� they find him with his hand over her mouth to stop her calling out to the police. He continues to be violent to ex-partners and his involvement in drug-related offending deepens. He is currently in prison for a violent offence.

Who is the danger?

Both men pose a real and severe threat of violence to women and girls as well as the public. But the RFGV algorithm places the first man more than a thousand places higher than the second. Clearly treating the offences they commit in isolation is not sufficient to distinguish which man poses the greatest risk.

A life-course approach, which takes into account the type and pattern of offending as it develops over time, is less susceptible to fluctuations which move an offender rapidly up or down the priority lists. Therefore, it more reliably reflects who poses the greatest risk.

A better ranking system is clearly required. The RFGV algorithm provides a 鈥渟core鈥�, but a more sophisticated system would also evaluate the direction of offending of individuals 鈥� is it escalating, more frequent, more serious?

A life-course approach could be used separately or together with RFGV to allow police analysts to identify the most serious perpetrators. It may also be possible to use artificial intelligence to identify trends in offending and escalation of risk through analysis of thousands of police incident reports in real time.

The system could then identify opportunities for which have been shown to be effective in reducing re-offending against current and future victims. It could also automatically trigger warnings to neighbourhood officers, specialist domestic abuse-trained officers, mental health services and so on.

We won鈥檛 really know the full capability until new systems are tried, and evaluated. This also means including the voices of survivors and focusing on the lives of persistent perpetrators 鈥� often substance use, homelessness, estrangement, imprisonment and mental health problems are at play. The possibilities of learning from artificial intelligence or other technology should not be privileged over the very sources of the data such intelligence relies upon: victims鈥� experiences.

, Professor of Criminology, and , Professor of Social Justice,  
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

The UK government has published its , a cornerstone of its strategy for growth. The bill aims to and includes the hugely ambitious target of building in England over this parliament.

The bill is ambitious in scope 鈥� 160 pages long and very technical. But what does it promise exactly?

On , it outlines reforms to limit vexatious repeat use of judicial review to block development. There are also some measures for a stronger electricity grid to ease the move towards renewable energy. While the plan to reward people living with 拢250 off their bills grabbed headlines, just as important are measures for energy storage to level out peaks in demand and supply.

On the side, planning departments will be allowed to charge more to those making applications. This should speed up decisions by funding more planning officer roles. But there are no measures to increase funding for drawing up local plans. This is important because councils often fall behind schedule in producing these. And where there is no up-to-date plan, there is a danger that developers will push through controversial proposals.

The bill also provides for more decisions to be delegated to planning officials rather than planning committees 鈥� this means council staff rather than elected representatives. This already happens for smaller planning applications, so is not entirely new. But it does raise concerns about democratic scrutiny.

The government argues that local democracy will not be undermined, as planning officers will be making their decisions in the context of democratically approved local plans as well as national legislation. But this could be misleading, unless planning authorities have the funds to update local plans regularly.

There are also changes to existing legislation, to support the building of new towns. Particularly welcome is the responsibility on development corporations 鈥� government organisations dealing with urban development 鈥� to consider climate change and design quality. This is in order to hit net-zero targets and avoid cookie-cutter housing estates.

Other measures are aimed at ensuring appropriate infrastructure is built to serve these new towns.

There are changes planned too on when orders can be used to buy sites that are broadly to be used for the public good. This could be for affordable homes, health or education facilities, for instance. It would work by reducing payments to the actual value of the land rather than its 鈥渉ope value鈥� (when landholders hold out for price rises once planning permission is granted).

There is also a commitment to creating a fund, which the government hopes will overcome some of the delays to approving new housing caused by potential threats to wildlife.

The fund will aim to unblock development in general rather than specific sites, as happens at the moment, and will pool contributions from developers to fund nature recovery. Where there are concerns for wildlife, experts will develop a long-term mitigation plan that will be paid for by the fund while allowing the development to go ahead in the meantime.

Will it work?

As a professor of urban and environmental planning, the question for me is will the bill encourage development to progress more speedily? Almost certainly 鈥� probably mostly in terms of bringing forward improvements to critical national infrastructure schemes such as the electric grid. For residential development, some incremental speeding up is likely as developers crave certainty in planning decisions.

But on their own, these measures are unlikely to be enough to provide the 1.5 million new homes set out in the government鈥檚 target. They offer nothing to tackle critical bottlenecks in terms of both . It is also difficult to see the target being met without much more government involvement 鈥� by building social housing in particular.

Will the bill result in better quality development? There is surprisingly little in the plans about improving design quality, other than in areas. This is disappointing, and a missed opportunity to ensure that developers raise their game in residential building and neighbourhood quality.

And might it override local democracy? Arguably yes, but in practice not as much as some critics might argue. Most of the reforms are finessing existing practices, such as delegated powers to planning officers. Much depends on what the national government guidance turns out to be.

The biggest concern is that it might increase invisible political pressures on planning officers by councillors and senior officials. It would have been good to have seen more measures to protect their independence and professional judgement.

Hopefully the bill will speed up delivery of nationally important schemes for critical infrastructure. This means things like modernising the electricity grid and removing repeated use of judicial review to block a development. These elements should create jobs sooner and support economic growth.

Where the bill will make absolutely no difference is in improving living standards for people with older homes. This bill is focused on new builds and has little to offer those hoping for support in retrofitting ageing housing stock with more energy-efficient features or creating green spaces in areas where new development is increasingly in demand.

Despite some of the ministerial bluster about , much of the content of this bill is not about removing planning regulations. It is much more about improving them. Some measures will work better than others, but overall, given the government鈥檚 electoral mandate to deliver growth and protect the environment, this is a reasonable balancing act.

It鈥檚 unlikely to deliver much growth in its own right, but as an enabler of growth, it is promising. More worrying is whether it will lead to poor-quality housing built at pace and massive scale to inadequate energy-efficiency and design standards. This would fail to deliver on net-zero and biodiversity ambitions. It is very much a minor win for facilitating growth, but for nature it is nothing more than maintaining the status quo.

, Professor, Urban and Environmental Planning,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

The Euclid space telescope, launched by the European Space Agency (ESA), is designed to create the most detailed map of the night sky ever made, helping scientists understand the evolution of our Universe and mysterious forces like dark matter and dark energy.

Researchers at The University of 水多多导航 have played a key role in leading the Euclid scientific mission and preparing for publication the papers in this new release.  This includes a preview of Euclid's deep fields, showing the capability of the mission with less than 1% of the data. These new images showcase hundreds of thousands of galaxies in various shapes and sizes 鈥� most never seen before - highlighting their expansive arrangement within the cosmic web.

Euclid Science Coordinator, Chris Conselice, Professor of Extragalactic Astronomy at the University of 水多多导航, said: 鈥淭he Euclid telescope and mission has exceeded our expectations and has produced a slew of new science investigating galaxies, stars, and the large-scale structure of the universe in a way that has never been done before.  This release is only a very tiny fraction of the survey and it is a preview of things to come whereby Euclid will solve many of the existing problem in astronomy from the nature of the universe to the formation, the evolution of galaxies, and properties of extrasolar planets.鈥�

This first set of data released in this Quick Release 1 (Q1) covers approximately 63 square degrees of the sky - the equivalent area of more than 300 times the full Moon 鈥� making it the largest area of sky ever observed with an optical/near-infrared space telescope to such depth and resolution.

Euclid鈥檚 extraordinary insights into the huge variety of shapes and the distribution of billions of galaxies are made using its visible instrument (VIS) is essential for measuring their distances and masses.

Among the discoveries reported today are vast thread-like structures known as galaxy filaments that form the backbone of the cosmic web. Scientists have also identified more than 500 strong gravitational lens candidates鈥攔are cosmic phenomena where massive galaxies bend and magnify light from more distant sources, revealing hidden details about the distribution of dark matter.

This release represents just 0.45% of Euclid鈥檚 full survey. Over the course of the mission, the telescope is expected to capture more than 1.5 billion galaxies, transmitting nearly 100GB of data each day.

To make sense of this enormous dataset, scientists, including those at The University of 水多多导航, are using cutting-edge AI and the power of citizen science. Nearly 10,000 volunteers helped train an AI system called 鈥榋oobot鈥� to classify galaxies based on their features, such as spiral arms or evidence of past collisions. Their work has resulted in the first detailed catalogue of over 380,000 galaxies鈥攁n essential resource for future discoveries.

These results are described in a series of 27 scientific publications alongside seven technical reports detailing how the data is processed by Euclid鈥檚 expert teams.

The scientific papers which have not yet been through the peer-review process, but which will be submitted to the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. .

The River Rescue Kit is designed to support individuals and grassroots organisations in holding polluters and policymakers accountable. It offers guidance on gathering water quality data, lobbying decision-makers and raising public awareness.

Professor Woodward highlights the impact of groups like Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP), whose campaigning efforts have brought national attention to the issue and helped shift public and political discourse. 鈥淐ommunity activism works,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e need more people to step up, challenge the status quo, and demand urgent action to clean up our rivers.鈥�

River Action and Professor Woodward urge the public to engage with the River Rescue Kit and join the fight against river pollution. By equipping communities with specialist knowledge and tools, this initiative aims to drive meaningful change and restore the UK鈥檚 rivers to health.

For more information and to access the River Rescue Kit, visit . 

In addition to her fiction, Sarah frequently publishes journalistic reviews, op-eds and provocations; she has written feature length radio plays and scripts and adapted her own work for radio. She commentates for culture programmes including primetime shows on BBC Radio 3 and 4 and has presented radio and television documentaries for the BBC and Sky Arts. Currently, Sarah is working on a film adaptation of The Wolf Border with AC Chapter One/Climate Spring and an original TV series concept for Bonafide Films.

Sarah was previously Professor of Practice at the University of Cumbria, and has taught masterclasses and workshops for The Arvon Foundation, The Faber Academy, The Guardian, and universities including Cambridge and St. Andrews.

The telescope joins the observatory鈥檚 three Small Aperture Telescopes (SAT) at the site and  of the universe鈥檚 oldest light 鈥� the cosmic microwave background 鈥� to help determine what happened just after the universe鈥檚 birth.

The University of 水多多导航 is a key partner in SO, playing a leading role in the SO:UK project, which is funded by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI). SO:UK is currently constructing two additional SATs for the observatory, significantly enhancing its observational capabilities. The University also hosts a major data centre dedicated to processing the wealth of data generated by all four SO telescopes.

Professor Michael Brown, Head of Cosmology at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics and Principal Investigator of the SO:UK project, said: 鈥淎fter eight years of design and construction work, first light for the SO LAT telescope is a major milestone for SO and paves the way for a huge range of exciting science to come over the next decade. Together with data from the first three SO SATs, we are excited to start searching the first LAT observations to reveal new secrets of the Universe.鈥�

The LAT receiver camera, measuring 2.4 by 2.6 metres, was carefully installed last year, with the final step being the placement of its two six-metre mirrors. Shortly after completion in late February 2025, the telescope obtained its first celestial image鈥攁n observation of Mars. With this successful test, the LAT is set to begin collecting observations in the coming months.

SO Co-Director Mark J. Devlin, said: 鈥淭his work is the culmination of eight years of effort by dozens of SO researchers to make the world鈥檚 most capable ground-based cosmology telescope.

鈥淎t the moment the second mirror went in, we moved to make the first observations with the telescope, and all initial indications point to a huge success.鈥�

SO Co-Director Suzanne Staggs, added: 鈥淚n the space between design and proof of success, there are many sleepless nights, so the LAT鈥檚 first light observations are a highly satisfying first step toward proof of the remarkable design.鈥�

鈥淭o achieve the gamut of the SO science objectives, the SO team designed the LAT and its camera to have unprecedented sensitivity and excellent optical quality.鈥�

The LAT and the three SATs will closely measure the cosmic microwave background, which is essentially the afterglow of the Big Bang, as well as observe other targets such as the universe鈥檚 most massive black holes and our solar system鈥檚 asteroids.

鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful to have this last major piece of our observatory in place,鈥� says SO Spokesperson Jo Dunkley, the Joseph Henry Professor of Physics and Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University. 鈥淲e are excited to find out what the suite of SO telescopes will reveal to us about the universe.鈥�

With all four telescopes now online, the software behind SO is now hard at work operating the observatory鈥檚 mechanics and managing the influx of data.

鈥淭he LAT coming online means so is the software that runs it,鈥� says SO Data Manager . 鈥淭he software is now controlling the movements of the telescopes, analysing the incoming data and backing everything up to two sites in North America and another in the UK.鈥�

Future upgrades to the Simons Observatory are already in the works, including enhancing the sensitivity of the LAT and adding new SATs. These upgrades come thanks to funding from the National Science Foundation, U.K. Research and Innovation, and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

The new milestone coincides with the launch of , which will help communicate the project鈥檚 incredible science and technological advances to the public. The SO team also  chronicling the SO progress through March 2025.

For more information about the centre, please visit  

The programme will be jointly led by five leading research institutions in the UK: the Universities of Dundee, 水多多导航, Nottingham, Swansea and West of England, and will address challenges associated with enhancing data access and analysis within TREs 鈥� secure environments where approved researchers can access sensitive data for research to benefit the public, such as national public health and population-level surveys.

The in the Department of Computer Science at The University of 水多多导航 is leading the TREvolution approach to (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and transparent analysis of sensitive data. The eScience Lab is expanding on its effort in the programme in , building on two decades of experience providing computational analysis and data infrastructure to internationally support open research practices in life sciences and other disciplines.

The programme was awarded 拢4.94 million from under the .

TREs in the UK are internationally renowned for establishing the, but they have some limitations for researchers. The manual application processes and disclosure checks make it challenging to keep up with today's scientific needs, like federated learning, analysis across sectors and research domains, and large-scale correlation studies.

TREvolution will address these challenges to evolve UK TRE capabilities across three themes:

• TRE reference architecture and implementations: Standardising UK TRE architectures to enable seamless interoperability.
• AI and semi-automated output checking: Enhancing research output review processes to ensure non-disclosure of personal information.
• Federated analysis: Enabling secure analysis of datasets stored in multiple TREs located across the UK.

The work will be delivered in collaboration with NHS Scotland, Lancashire Teaching Hospital, Durham University, Lancaster University, University College London, University of Queensland, University of Basel and University of Cape Town.

It builds on existing work done by the delivery partners, with experience across the themes, as well as the , which developed initial versions of some of the key components of TREvolution.

In the first collaboration, The University of 水多多导航 established : a mechanism of structurally documenting the evidence of computational processes, along with the chain of human reviews for legally accessing sensitive data. Five Safes RO-Crate is based on open Web standards and wider community efforts and has been adopted by several research projects in the European Open Science Cloud () including , and forms the basis for the common metadata standard of TREvolution.

TREvolution is the first of three initiatives under the DARE UK (Phase 2) Transformational Programme, advancing the further development and testing of core TRE components and capabilities developed in the first phase of the DARE UK programme.

Further funding will also be provided to support the early adoption of these capabilities by UK TREs and data services and to demonstrate their application through real-world research exemplars. The goal is to showcase the potential for a connected and efficient national network of secure data infrastructures.

DARE UK Interim Director, Professor Emily Jefferson, said: 鈥�TREvolution marks a step change in our efforts to transform the UK鈥檚 secure data research ecosystem. This important work will ensure that key capabilities鈥攕uch as federated analysis and enhanced output checking supporting the training of AI models鈥攁re not just theoretical advancements but practical, real-world solutions that enhance the UK鈥檚 ability to do impactful research. We look forward to working closely with the TREvolution team to advance these innovations and drive meaningful progress in how sensitive data is accessed and used for the public good."

The TREvolution team will work closely with the DARE UK Delivery Team and early adopter TREs, fostering stronger collaboration and synergy as these critical capabilities are integrated into the UK鈥檚 secure data research infrastructure ecosystem.

Follow DARE UK on and , and to follow TREvolution鈥檚 progress.

The chances of a dental appointment resulting in an antibiotic prescription increased dramatically during the pandemic, and new led by Dr Wendy Thompson from The University of 水多多导航 shows prescribing levels across each of the UK鈥檚 four nations have been slow to return to where they would have been if the pandemic hadn鈥檛 happened.

Though the Government has begun commissioning 700,000 urgent appointments, the British Dental Association says the total unmet need is far higher.

Dr Thompson also leads on antimicrobial stewardship for the College of General Dentistry and chairs the FDI World Dental Federation's Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Infections task team.

She said: 鈥淭oo many people have been unable to access urgent dental treatment for toothache, and have ended up with antibiotics. The best way to protect us all from the existential threat of antibiotic resistance is to ensure patients have timely access to urgent care.

鈥淓ven before the COVID-19 pandemic, we knew that dentistry was responsible for around 10% of antibiotic prescriptions and that rates of unnecessary use were high. During the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount of antibiotic prescribing by NHS dentists

鈥淥ur research has shown how were at this situation which UK Health Security Agency researchers have linked to the use of , where care is given remotely. Our latest shows just how slowly antibiotic prescribing in NHS dentistry is returning to its pre-pandemic pattern.

鈥淎ntibiotics don't cure toothache although our research shows that many people wrongly believe they are necessary. Unnecessary use puts patients and the public at risk from the spread of infections which don't respond to antibiotics. The for toothache and dental infections is generally a procedure rather than a prescription, although sometimes antibiotics are vital. found that appointments where dentists provide procedures take more time than just giving antibiotics.鈥�

鈥淭hat is why FDI World Dental Federation argues that to the right oral health care at the right time to prevent and treat toothache and dental infection should be an essential part of national efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance by reducing the unnecessary use of antibiotics.鈥�

She added: 鈥淩outine monitoring of antibiotic prescribing by dentists providing care to NHS patients is key, but until prescribing by dentists is digitised, this will be impossible. Integrating high-street dentistry into NHS digital systems will be an important part of national efforts to help keep patients safe by ensuring antibiotics are only prescribed when strictly necessary.鈥�

The new project, POUNDS (Prediction Of UnqualifieD losseS from offshore wind farm wakes), aims to provide a national-scale assessment of interactions between wind farms, supporting policymakers and industry leaders to optimise offshore wind energy production in the drive to net zero.

The UK government has set a target to reach 43-50 GW of offshore wind by 2030. Rapid progress has already been made with 16 GW now in operation and further projects are ongoing development under the recent Contract for Difference Allocations. Nevertheless, achieving the 2030 target requires an up to three-fold increase of capacity, potentially reaching over 100 GW installed capacity by 2050. 

Such substantial expansion of offshore wind farms means they must be built closer together, making it crucial to understand how this affects predictions of annual energy production.

When large groups of turbines are built in close proximity, they create 鈥榳akes鈥� where wind slows down behind them. and are increasingly impacting the performance of neighbouring farms, reducing the efficiency of the turbines in producing energy and causing conflicts between wind farm operators.

Project Lead , Research Fellow in the Department of Civil Engineering and Management at The University of 水多多导航, said: 鈥淎chieving the target of 43-50 GW of deployed offshore wind farms by 2030 is crucial for NetZero and energy security, but reduction in energy prediction due to wind farm wakes must be addressed.鈥�

鈥淥ur POUNDS project is key to overcoming these challenges, informing policy makers and project developers about strategies to better quantify these losses. Similar initiatives of national importance have been developed in Germany, The Netherlands and the US, and our project aims to support the whole UK offshore wind industry.鈥�

POUNDS, funded by Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) Supergen Offshore Renewable Energy Impact Hub, will be carried out in partnership with the UK鈥檚 leading Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) institutes, industry experts, and policymakers, including ORE Catapult, Arup, EDF, RWE, and The Crown Estate.

The project鈥檚 key aims include:

• Assessing how offshore wind farms affect each other鈥檚 energy production, and the revenue implications of these impacts.
• Helping to identify the best locations for future offshore wind farms to minimise these losses and ensure the UK鈥檚 renewable energy targets are met.
• Validating modelled performance data against operational data.
• Improving model accuracy in forecasting wind farm energy production.

As for its methodology, POUNDS will use state-of-the-art mesoscale models 鈥� a type of advanced numerical weather forecasting model 鈥� to model the performance of wind farms spanning UK waters at a resolution of 1 km. It will assess both the wind farms operational in 2023, and the thousands more wind turbines that are planned by 2030.

The analysis will evaluate accuracy of the model relative to real-world data and quantify the effects of inter-farm wakes on predicted energy yield. It will also capture wind-farm wakes and wind-farm performance in comparison to energy export grid data.

This combination of advanced modelling and collaboration with leading stakeholders is designed to support delivery of the UK鈥檚 target to become NetZero by 2050.

, Energy Economist with Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, said: "The UK Government's recent   identification of inter-farm wind wakes as an area of focus highlights this issue's importance. This study could make important contributions towards better understanding and planning around them."

, Wind Skills Leader, UKIMEA, Arup, added: "As the UK continues to expand its offshore wind capacity, balancing the need for security and affordability of supply is becoming increasingly complex. To ensure a just transition, which balances private and public interests, it is critical that we take a collaborative approach to advance our scientific understanding of inter-farm wakes and our ability to quantify the impacts."

By modelling the interactions between wind farms more precisely, the team hopes to provide better guidance for developers and policymakers, reduce investment risks, and resolve conflicts between wind farm operators.

POUNDS could ensure that both the UK鈥檚 offshore wind expansion, and 2030 target, remain on track.

The project POUNDS will be officially launched at the , which will be held at The University of 水多多导航 on 15th April 2025 and is open to academic colleagues.

Further information on the Supergen ORE Impact hub is available .

The University of 水多多导航 has been ranked in the top 40 in the broad subject rankings in this year's measurements. Four out of five broad subjects fell from last year鈥檚 position, while Natural Sciences showed resilience, improving by two places to 31 globally.  

The University鈥檚 Nursing and Petroleum Engineering courses both earned their places in the top 10 globally as significant areas of impact among the ranked subjects. Meanwhile, 水多多导航 School of Architecture, a collaboration between The University of 水多多导航 and 水多多导航 Metropolitan University (MMU), also held on to its spot as the fifth best architecture school in the world. 

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: "While some of our subject rankings have declined slightly, we continue to have a strong performance across a wide range of disciplines. Our focus remains on enhancing student experience, improving teaching and learning environments and fostering innovative research to enable us to further our reputation as a leading global institution.鈥� 

The QS World Subject Rankings highlight the world鈥檚 top performing universities across 55 narrow subjects and five broad subject areas. The rankings are a key measure of global success for higher education and in 2025 involved an analysis of the reputation and research output of over 5,200 institutions. 

Professor Colette Fagan, Vice-President for Research, said: 鈥淒espite fluctuations in rankings, The University of 水多多导航 remains committed to delivering world-class education, research and positive societal impact. The latest rankings highlight both areas of strength and opportunities for our continuing future growth.鈥� 

Performance at the Detailed Subject Level 

• Three subjects ranked in the top 10 globally. 
• 31 subjects ranked in the top 50 globally. 
• 11 subjects ranked between 50-100. 
• A total of 44 subjects ranked in the top 100 worldwide.  

Top 10 Subjects 

The University continues to hold a strong position in the top 10 for three subjects: 

• Nursing 鈥� ranked 10 (down four places from last year). 
• Petroleum Engineering 鈥� ranked =10 (down one place). 
• Architecture 鈥� ranked 5 (Collaboration with MMU) 

Subjects Ranked 11-25 

The University has maintained 11 subjects in this range, with some fluctuations: 

• Development Studies 鈥� 11 (down one place). 
• Chemical Engineering 鈥� 16 (down two places). 
• English Language & Literature 鈥� 18 (up one place). 
• Geography 鈥� 18 (up one place). 
• Library & Information Management 鈥� 20 (up three places). 
• Sociology 鈥� 20 (down four places). 
• Materials Science 鈥� 21 (down two places). 
• Anthropology 鈥� 21 (up eight places). 
• Chemistry 鈥� =22 (down three places). 
• Accounting & Finance 鈥� 23 (down one place). 
• Pharmacy & Pharmacology 鈥� 25 (down eight places). 

Subjects Ranked 26-50: The University has maintained a strong presence in the top 50, with 18 subjects ranked between 26 and 50 globally. 

Subjects Ranked 50-100: Beyond the top 50, 11 subjects are ranked between 50 and 100 in the world, reinforcing the University's broad academic excellence. 

Published annually, the QS World Subject Rankings are compiled according to academic reputation, employer reputation and research impact and help prospective students to identify leading universities in particular subjects. 

The University of 水多多导航 is also ranked at number 34 in the world in the and is in the top ten globally in the , placing at number 9. 

Find out more about The University of 水多多导航鈥檚 current rankings. 

A highlight of the life sciences calendar, the awards dinner was held at the Concorde Conference Centre on 6 March, with over 340 attendees gathering for an evening of celebration and achievement.

The University and Saraco Industries received the Project of the Year Award in recognition of taking a major step forward in the area of research, by demonstrating an innovative and novel approach for a collaborative project - marking a breakthrough in sustainable healthcare products.

An interdisciplinary team from 水多多导航 comprising of materials science, biological physics and microbiology experts collaborated with Saraco Industries, a UK-based SME wet wipe manufacturer, to achieve a breakthrough first 鈥� a plastic-free wet wipe meeting EN standards against bacteria, yeast, and viruses under dirty conditions with a 1-minute contact time. This innovative clinical disinfection wipe has now been commercialised and submitted against an NHS tender.

The collaborative partnership has continued to develop and grow, including securing a 3-year Centre for Doctoral Training PhD project in Advanced Biomedical Materials, a follow-on UKRI IAA Advance Fund project to further optimise the existing wipe formulation, and a recent second Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) submission to develop bacteriophage-infused wipes for healthcare applications.

Sarah Cartmell, Professor of Bioengineering, The University of 水多多导航 said: 鈥淲e are so proud to be recognised for our achievements in this important interdisciplinary project. Our progress is a result of the synergy of University and industry collaboration. We look forward to building on our success with our continuing teamwork.鈥�

Andrew McBain, Professor of Microbiology at The University of 水多多导航 said: 鈥淜TP has enabled The University of 水多多导航 to make a tangible, positive contribution to a highly dynamic local business. It has been so rewarding to see the KTP Associate, Carolina Angulo Pineda, develop through considerable talent and tenacity, into a mature scientist who is now employed full-time as a Senior R&D Materials Scientist at Saraco.鈥�

Dr Carolina Angulo Pineda, KTP Associate and now Senior R&D Materials Scientist, Saraco Industries, commented: 鈥淚 will always be honoured and grateful to have been part of this fantastic KTP Team. This opportunity allowed me to grow both personally and professionally, and I look forward to continuing to work together on innovative solutions for real-life challenges.鈥�

Idris M Bapu, Managing Director, Saraco Industries, added: 鈥淭his is a wonderful honour and acknowledgment of all the hard work put in by the KTP team, the Academics at The University of 水多多导航 and our Saraco team members. This award will be prominently displayed in our offices with great pride.鈥�

The project was funded through an Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership; celebrating its 50th year in 2025 of bringing together forward-thinking businesses and organisations, academics, and graduates to solve complex innovation challenges which help our economy, society, and environment. Delivered through the Knowledge Exchange Partnerships team, part of Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange, The University of 水多多导航 has collaborated on more than 300 KTPs and in the last five years alone, has supported 42 KTPs with a total research value of 拢11 million.

If you would like to discuss how KTP can help your business innovate for growth, please contact collaborate@manchester.ac.uk.