News

Running on autopilot: scientists find important new role for ‘daydreaming’ network

A brain network previously associated with daydreaming has been found to play an important role in allowing us to perform tasks on autopilot. Scientists at the University of Cambridge showed that far from Read more

Restless legs syndrome study identifies 13 new genetic risk variants

A new study into the genetics underlying restless legs syndrome has identified 13 previously-unknown genetic risk variants, while helping inform potential new treatment options for the condition.
As many as one in ten Read more

Blood donors could give blood more often

New research shows that blood donors could safely give blood more frequently than is allowed at present. At the moment in the UK men can give blood every 12 weeks, women every 16 Read more

Genome editing reveals role of gene important for human embryo development

Researchers have used genome editing technology to reveal the role of a key gene in human embryos in the first few days of development in a study supported by NIHR Cambridge BRC. This Read more

The fight to beat Alzheimer’s disease

As we live longer our chances of being diagnosed with a brain conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease increases. September the 21st is World Alzheimer’s day, and Cambridge researchers are taking the opportunity to Read more

Older transplant kidneys could be given a new lease of life

Researchers from the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre are investigating whether performing biopsies of older kidneys can help transplant patients and reduce waiting lists.
Kidney Research UK reports that in the UK there Read more

‘Fat but fit’ are at increased risk of heart disease

Carrying extra pounds could raise your risk of heart attack by more than a quarter, even if you are otherwise healthy.
Researchers have found that being overweight or obese increases a person’s risk Read more

Cambridge welcomes next generation of scientists

On Thursday 3rd August, we welcomed the London International Youth Science Forum. Entering its 59th edition, the two week trip for young scientists aged between 16-21 from over 70 different countries, got to visit Read more

NIHR global health brain injury centre to open in Cambridge

A new research group to help improve the care of patients with traumatic brain injury in low and middle-income countries has been announced at the University of Cambridge and Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Over 3,400 Read more

Cambridge researcher tackles the health stories

NIHR Cambridge BRC researcher, Dr James Rudd, has been on secondment as one of 13 British Science Association Media Fellows at The Guardian.

In his Read more

Concerns over side effects of statins stopping stroke survivors taking medication

Negative media coverage of the side effects associated with taking statins, and patients’ own experiences of taking the drugs, are among the reasons cited by stroke survivors and their carers Read more

‘Brain training’ app found to improve memory in people with mild cognitive impairment

A ‘brain training’ game developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge could help improve the memory of patients in the very earliest stages of dementia, suggests a study published Read more

New research to help prevent older patients losing strength and function while in hospital

Research to find ways to improve frail older patients’ strength after a period in hospital will be carried out at the University of Cambridge by Addenbrooke’s Hospital physiotherapist, Peter Hartley, pictured.
After a Read more

Cambridge researcher gets major award to take prostate biopsy device into clinical application

Researchers in Cambridge have secured funding of nearly £800,000 from the NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) programme to take a novel test for prostate cancer from a Read more

Cambridge CRF nurses come out on top 

Two of our NIHR Cambridge CRF nurses have won top prizes at a research conference in Cambridge. 
The Cambridge Research Conference is an annual event organised by Professor Christi Deaton to support the sharing Read more

Cambridge celebrates International Clinical Trials Day

The NIHR BRC staff hosted a day of events on Thursday 18th May, to celebrate International Clinical Trials Day (ICTD) at Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH).
ICTD is part of a national campaign Read more

Results of public research awareness survey from CUH

Results from the public research awareness survey conducted at Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) have now been released.
The survey was conducted in April until mid May 2017, and was led by the UKCRF Network Read more

NIHR Cambridge BRC Deputy Scientific Director is elected to Royal Society Fellowship

Krishna Chatterjee (Professor of Endocrinology), Deputy Scientific Director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), Director of the NIHR/ Wellcome Trust Cambridge Clinical Research Facility (CRF) and Read more

Rare “knockout” gene mutations in humans help scientists determine gene function

Identifying the function of every human gene is a key goal in medicine to understand health and what goes wrong in disease, but scientists still only know what a fraction of the estimated Read more

Improved imaging of vascular inflammation: CHAI and VISION studies

Dr James Rudd, Dr Elizabeth Warburton, Dr Anthony Davenport, and others have published two studies on the imaging of vascular inflammation.
The first study – CHAI – was funded by the British Heart Read more