Researchers report new gene associated with thyroid levels6 March 2015Thyroid hormones have important and diverse roles in human health and regulate metabolic rate. Thyroid disease is common (affecting 5-10 per cent of the population) and synthetic thyroid hormones are one of the commonest drug therapies prescribed worldwide. A new study, published in Nature Communications involving University of Bristol academics, reports a new gene called SYN2 associated with thyroid levels.
£1.4 million to investigate best practice for improving rights of disabled people6 March 2015Disabled people in the UK face a variety of barriers to equality including poverty, poor access to health services, unequal access to the law and poor support services in everyday, family and higher educational settings, as shown by previous research. A new three-year study has been awarded £1.4 million from the ESRC to understand what is needed to tackle these barriers and develop strategies to overcome them.
New virtual research centres to break new ground in cystic fibrosis science and care6 March 2015The development of new drugs to treat the most common cause of cystic fibrosis, a genetic defect (or mutation) carried by around 90 per cent of people living with the disease in the UK, will be helped by the creation of a new virtual Strategic Research Centre (SRC) led by the University of Bristol.
In a spin: acrobatic feats of praying mantises revealed5 March 2015To watch a young, wingless praying mantis jump is a remarkable thing. The jump from take-off to landing lasts less than a tenth of second – faster than the blink of a human eye. During a jump, the insect’s body rotates in mid-air at a rate of about 2.5 times per second and yet, according to new research from the Universities of Bristol and Cambridge, when mantises jump, they land on target every time.
Moderate alcohol consumption increases attractiveness5 March 2015Consuming alcohol (equivalent to about a glass of wine) can make the drinker appear more attractive than when sober, according to new research from the University of Bristol. However, the effect disappears when more is consumed.
Study to use ‘peer power’ to address low physical activity rates in teenage girls5 March 2015A new study aiming to tackle low-levels of physical activity among adolescent girls by introducing peer-influences has been awarded £528,000 from the National Institute of Health Research [NIHR]. The project, led by Dr Simon Sebire at the University of Bristol, will assess whether a peer-led intervention could address the steep reduction in teenage girls doing physical activity by the time they start secondary school.
Bristol backs new university in Hereford5 March 2015The first new ‘greenfield’ university in Britain was launched today with the support of a strong coalition of leading universities – including the University of Bristol – and engineers, businesspeople and politicians. It will open its doors to the first 300 students at its city centre campus in Hereford in September 2017.
How big data can be used to understand major events4 March 2015With the most unpredictable UK general election looming in modern times, how can big data be used to understand how elections are covered by the media? New research by the University of Bristol has for the first time analysed over 130,000 online news articles to find out how the 2012 US presidential election played out in the media.
Bristol PhD students take science to Parliament4 March 2015PhD students from across the University are attending Parliament to present their science to a range of politicians and a panel of expert judges, as part of SET for Britain on Monday 9 March.
Lichen to thrill as rare Golden-eye is discovered in South Wales4 March 2015A rare, bright yellow lichen, which until recently was believed to be extinct in the UK, has been found by University of Bristol postgraduate students during a recent field trip to South Wales.
Black men less willing to be investigated for prostate cancer
2 March 2015The incidence of prostate cancer among men of Afro-Caribbean origin is higher than in white men, they are more likely to be diagnosed as emergencies and their mortality rates are higher. Until now, it has been unclear why these disappointing outcomes exist. Researchers at the Universities of Exeter, Bristol and College London studied the preferences and choice of more than 500 men who were presented with a realistic hypothetical prostate cancer investigation scenario while attending general practices in Bristol.
BBC debate programme to be broadcast live from Bristol26 February 2015Political heavyweights will be in Bristol this week as BBC Radio 4’s topical debate programme Any Questions? is broadcast live from the University of Bristol.
Management consultants “only partly successful” in improving the quality of NHS commissioning
26 February 2015The NHS uses an increasing number of commercial and not-for-profit management consultancies in healthcare commissioning but there are concerns about whether knowledge and expertise they generate is of benefit to commissioners and whether it improves the quality of commissioning. In the largest study of its kind in the UK, researchers from the Universities of Bristol and Southampton have for the first time observed this processes of knowledge exchange and assessed the perceived impact on commissioning decisions.
Bristol medics receive NICE Scholarships25 February 2015Two trainees in the School of Clinical Sciences have been awarded a prestigious scholarship by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
BHF funds renewed study of screen-viewing and physical activity in children25 February 2015Researchers from Bristol, with colleagues from the University of Birmingham, have been awarded funding from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to continue their study of children’s physical activity and screen-viewing patterns.
Move over Wallace and Gromit - it’s the right trousers24 February 2015With an ageing UK population, older people could have the opportunity to stay independent for longer thanks to a pioneering project announced today [Tuesday 24 February]. New research, led by the University of Bristol, will develop smart trousers using artificial ‘muscles’ in its soft fabric to help disabled and older people move around easily and unaided.
Save lives - be a brain tumour tissue donor24 February 2015Brain tumour tissue is removed everyday by surgeons but very few patients know they can donate brain tumour tissue to research. A new national campaign launched today [Tuesday 24 February] at the University of Bristol seeks to raise awareness for patients and healthcare professionals about donating brain tumour tissue and helping researchers find a cure for this disease. The campaign is led by leading medical researchers and the charity, brainstrust.
Crucial quarter final tie for University Challenge team23 February 2015The University of Bristol’s quiz team faces a crucial quarter final tie against Oxford Brookes on University Challenge continues tonight [23 February]. After losing its first quarter final match against the University of Liverpool last month (175 to 115), the team must win to remain in the competition and be in with the chance of a semi-final place.
Sir Winston Churchill's legacy to Bristol23 February 2015A series of special events in Bristol will celebrate the life of Sir Winston Churchill - one of the greatest wartime leaders of the 20th century.
Managers risk threatening the future of management consultancy19 February 2015New research by academics from the Universities of Bristol and Sydney, and Oxford Brookes University, reveals that the future of the multi-billion dollar management consultancy industry may be threatened by the increasing trend of managers adopting consultancy practices as their own.
Bristol welcomes the Year of the Sheep18 February 2015People will be flocking to the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery this weekend for a cultural spectacular to welcome in the Year of the Sheep. Students and staff from the University of Bristol will be helping visitors to celebrate Chinese New Year in traditional style, with dancing dragon and lion performances, martial arts, traditional Chinese dances, storytelling, family trails, arts and craft activities, live music and much more on Saturday and Sunday [21 and 22 February].
Who cares? Why evolution suggests parenting responsibility is seldom equally shared18 February 2015Why is caring for young shared unequally between the sexes in so many animal species? Research from the University of Bristol suggests that small initial differences which predispose one sex to care more are exaggerated once the ability to care evolves. As a result, one sex evolves attributes – such as mammary glands in female mammals or increased brain size in some fish – that enhance the ability to care, and so this sex does most or all of the care.
Discover the best of Bristol with free lecture series16 February 2015The most inspiring lecturers at the University of Bristol, as voted by students, will be sharing their wisdom with the public in a series of free lunchtime and evening lectures.
Public inaugural lecture to address police accountability in relation to crimes of sexual violence 16 February 2015Over the last decade, repeated public concern has been expressed about the persistence of a low rate of conviction for rape relative to rising levels of reporting. Police attitudes and conduct towards such crimes have come under the public microscope as mounting evidence suggests that how the police handle and investigate rape complaints may be part of the problem rather than a solution. These important issues will be addressed at a free public inaugural lecture [19 Feb] given by Joanne Conaghan, Professor of Law and Head of School at the University of Bristol.
Estimating flood behaviour on a global scale12 February 2015Characterising flood behaviour for any river in the world is now becoming a possibility, according to new research from the University of Bristol published this month in Water Resources Research.
Plain packaging reduces ‘cigarette seeking’ response by almost a tenth 11 February 2015Plain tobacco packaging may reduce the likelihood of smokers seeking to obtain cigarettes by almost 10 per cent compared to branded packs, according to research from the Universities of Bristol and Exeter.
Transport Minister and Business Secretary launch VENTURER driverless car trial11 February 2015Transport Minister, Claire Perry and Business Secretary, Vince Cable will launch the VENTURER consortium’s driverless car trial today [Wednesday 11 February], giving the project the green light to test autonomous vehicles in the real world. The consortium includes the University of Bristol.
Large numbers of teenage girls experience sexual coercion in relationships11 February 2015More than four in ten teenage schoolgirls in England* have experienced sexual coercion, new research by University of Bristol academics launched today [11 February] reveals. Most were pressured to have sex or other sexual activity, and in some cases, this included rape. And many of the 13-17-year-olds had also suffered physical attacks, intimidation or emotional abuse from their boyfriends.
Honorary degrees awarded at the University of Bristol – Wednesday, 11 February11 February 2015The University of Bristol is awarding honorary degrees to Professor Russell Foster CBE and Professor David Clarke, plus an honorary fellowship to Professor Jeffrey Watkins, at degree ceremonies taking place today [11 February] in the Wills Memorial Building.
Study shows urban habitats provide haven for UK bees11 February 2015Urban environments might not seem the best habitat for pollinators at first glance but a new study, led by the University of Bristol, suggests that bees and other pollinating bugs actually thrive as well in towns and cities as they do in farms and nature reserves.
