Skip to site navigation

Research headlines

Saffron Walden Castle had foundations plundered

Publication date:

"Once the building became a ruin it becomes like a standing stone quarry," said Trevor Ennis (UCL Institute of Archaeology). Read: BBC News

Funding freeze is hitting hard, say UK researchers

Publication date:

“We were quite frankly surprised by just how much scientists are struggling to cope in the current climate of managed decline in funding," said Dr Jennifer Rohn, a biologist at UCL and founder of Science is Vital. Read: Nature More: THE (£)

Scientists uncover clues to cancer's spread

Publication date:

"(This) suggests an alternative way in which cancer treatments might work in the future if therapies can be targeted at the process of interaction between malignant and healthy cells," said Prof. Roberto Mayor (UCL Cell & Developmental Biology). Read: Telegraph More: UCL News Daily Mail Mirror

Half of prostate cancer cases may be missed

Publication date:

"At UCLH we have been using MRI, followed by a guided biopsy for several years, but there are only a handful of hospitals in this country which currently do this, and that needs to change,” said Professor Mark Emberton (UCL Research Department of Urology). Read: Telegraph More: Daily Mail Independent Telegraph (2)

Scientists challenge patent ban for embryonic stem cell research

Publication date:

Professor Pete Coffey (UCL Institute of Ophthalmology) joins calls by scientists and lawyers in Britain challenging a European ban on the patenting of embryonic stem cells. Read: Independent

Having low levels of vitamin D could raise your risk of high blood pressure

Publication date:

"Our study strongly suggests that some cases of cardiovascular disease could be prevented through vitamin D supplements or food fortification," said Dr Vimal Karani (UCL Institute of Child Health). Read: Daily Mail More: Express Mirror

Wrist sensor may be better measure of blood pressure

Publication date:

"(Blood) pressure when someone is asleep is a strong predictor of heart disease. This (device) almost certainly gives a better measure than blood pressure in the arm," said Prof. Bryan Williams (UCL Cardiovascular Science). Read: BBC More: On Medica

Bacterial apocalypse – the bugs are getting cleverer, and we are doing little to stop them

Publication date:

The time is now to develop new antibiotics, but serious barriers stand in our way, said Dr Jenny Rohn (UCL Clinical Physiolog). Read: Guardian

Speed cameras cut number of serious road crashes

Publication date:

"There has been controversy about interpreting this data, and that made me get down to it," said Professor Richard Allsop (UCL Engineering). Listen: BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast (from 22 mins) More: BBC Radio Northampton Breakfast (from 1 hour, 20 mins)

Injured Scottish children dying needlessly

Publication date:

Dr Pia Hardelid (UCL Institute of Child Health) said: “What we found was, particularly for children aged ten to 18, increasing differences in injury deaths between the countries,” she said. “England was consistently the lowest, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland significantly higher.” Read: Scotsman

Nine ways the sunshine can boost our health

Publication date:

Researchers from the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London recently did tests on mice that showed improved vision and fewer signs of aging in eyes after the mice had been given vitamin D supplements. Read: Mirror

How binge drinking when young can cause heart disease in middle age

Publication date:

Surveys show that university students aged between 18 and 25 have the highest rates of binge drinking, with more than half indulging on a regular basis, according to a recent study by University College London. Read: Mirror

Gender disorder affects girls too

Publication date:

Similar numbers of boys and girls appear to be affected by Gender Identity Disorder (GID), according to a study led by Dr Sophie Khadr (UCL Institute of Child Health). Read: Australian

Study calls for proper reporting of experiments

Publication date:

“Social and psychological research should help us change people’s lives. To do that, the scientific record needs to be both accurate and complete,” said Dr Evan Mayo-Wilson (UCL Psychology). Read: THE

Growing inequality in children's health

Publication date:

Poor children are now four times more likely to be unhealthy than richer children after the "health gap" increased seven fold in a decade, according to a new study from UCL. Read: Telegraph More: Evening Standard BMJ The Conversation Western Daily Press

'Avatars' help patients with schizophrenia banish their demons

Publication date:

"The patient essentially has a therapist in their pocket which they can listen to at any time when harassed by the voices," said Professor Julian Leff (UCL Mental Health Sciences). Read: Evening Standard More: UCL News Guardian BBC Bloomberg New Scientist Medical Daily E&T Mirror The Conversation Daily Mail Business Standard Listen: BBC's World Service The Science Hour Time New Scientist (1) New Scientist (2)

Everest scientists' feat of endurance for critically ill patients

Publication date:

Professor Monty Mythen and Dr Dan Martin (both UCL Institute of Child Health) discuss the Xtreme Everest team's search for a breakthrough in critical care. Watch: Guardian (1) and (2) More: North-West Mail

Autopsies using MRIs in babies and infants could help improve uptake rates

Publication date:

A large study carried out by University College London and Great Ormond Street Hospital has found that postmortem examinations in foetuses and infants using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and blood tests are as accurate as conventional methods. Read: BMJ More: UCL News

Nanocrystal Filmed At 1 Billion Frames Per Second

Publication date:

Dr Jesse Clarke (UCL London Centre for Nanotechnology) comments on how he helped film a nanometer-sized gold crystal at a billion frames per second. Read: Discovery News More: The Engineer

New opportunities for radar research

Publication date:

"Shock interference is just a reflection of a transmitted signal, and yes if you do it properly you can, for example, detect and track aircraft 100 kilometers away," said Professor Hugh Griffiths (UCL Electronic & Electrical Engineering). Listen: BBC Radio 4's Material World (from 24 mins)

Beating cancer doesn’t make you kick habit

Publication date:

“Anecdotally, we often hear that a cancer diagnosis is a ‘wake-up call’, but the results from our large study show that this is not the general rule,” said Professor Jane Wardle (UCL Epidemiology & Public Health). Read: Times (£)

Greater access to genetic testing in NHS will help cancer fight

Publication date:

The outlook for women with BRCA genes will improve, with greater access to genetic testing and screening and risk reducing surgery for women who have not yet developed cancer, says Dr Lucy Side (UCL Women's Cancer). Read: The Conversation

One in ten teenage girls has an eating disorder

Publication date:

Up to one in ten teenage girls has an eating disorder, and increasing numbers of boys are also at risk, according to a new study from the UCL Institute of Child Health. Read: Daily Mail More: Times (£) Scotsman Mirror BMJ Guardian GP Online Nursing Times Nursing in Practice The Australian Belfast Telegraph Health Canal Listen: BBC Radio Bristol Breakfast show

Diabetes drug to significantly help Parkinson's sufferers

Publication date:

Doctors believe a drug used to treat diabetes could significantly help people suffering from Parkinson's Disease. "We've got enough evidence to move forward," said Dr Thomas Foltynie (UCL Institute of Neurology). Watch: ITV News

Climbing Everest for a high chance of survival

Publication date:

Dr Dan Martin (UCL Centre for Altitude, Space and Extreme Environment Medicine), and Xtreme Everest researchers are currently packing up their equipment and sending it and the collected data back to the UK, where the results will be assessed. Read: Scotsman Irish Examiner

Search UCL News