UCL School of Life and Medical Sciences

A number of UCL academics and students are taking part in the Cheltenham Science Festival, which starts today.

The Festival, which runs 12-17 June, is co-directed for the seventh consecutive year by Dr Mark Lythgoe, Director of the UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging (CABI).

In June 2011 the UCL Institute for Global Health was selected to host the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD) Secretariat, working to curb chronic diseases such as stroke, diabetes, chronic lung disease and heart disease throughout the world.

Professor Pete Coffey (UCL Institute of Ophthalmology) talks about stems cells, and how he’s developing his own therapy for age-related macular degeneration, which affects about a quarter of the over-60s in the UK. Read: Guardian

Drs Sven Bestmann (UCL Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders) and Jenny Crinion (UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience) talk about new techniques in electrical stimulation of the brain that could soon be treating a range of conditions. Read: Guardian

Consultant neurologist and director of the UCL Institute of Neurology Professor Mike Hanna, led a team of colleagues in a fundraising race to boost research into muscle wasting diseases. Running alongside him was one of his grateful patients. 

Alissa Goodman has been appointed as Professor of Economics and Deputy Director of the UK Birth Cohort Study at UCL, a post which has been created jointly by the university and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

The UCL News podcast gives you the opportunity to listen to the latest news and research from around UCL every fortnight. Split up into three parts, you can either listen to the podcast all in one go, or save features for later listening. 

Counting the number of tumour cells in blood samples taken before and after treatment for advanced neuroendocrine tumours could provide a ‘snapshot’ of how well patients are responding within weeks of starting treatment, according to results from a study being presented at the American Society for Clinical Oncology cancer conference today (Monday).

An innovative strategy for regenerating skeletal muscle tissue using cells derived from the amniotic fluid is outlined in new research published by scientists at the UCL Institute of Child Health.