News in April
- Scientists repurpose gene editing tool to help uncover hidden microbial diversity 24 April 2025 Pioneering research has repurposed a gene editing tool to help shed light on the true biodiversity present in natural environments.
- New UK Centre hopes to change public attitudes towards grief 24 April 2025 Grief affects everyone but is still very much a taboo subject in the UK. A new Centre - the first of its kind in the UK - hopes to shift public attitudes towards grief and create communities that are compassionate and connected in their support of people who are bereaved. The Centre for Grief Research and Community Engagement (Grief Centre) at the University of Bristol is launched today [24 April].
- What research needs to be prioritised in global burns – results from a project spanning 88 countries 24 April 2025 Each year, more than 11 million people worldwide suffer serious life-changing burns, affecting both adults and children. The largest-ever project of its kind — the Priorities in Global Burns Research partnership, led by the University of Bristol — has identified the top 10 priorities in burns care research from 88 countries. The findings are published today [23 April] in The Lancet Global Health.
- Research examines how aerial robots could revolutionise the construction industry 23 April 2025 New research led by Imperial College London and co-authored by the University of Bristol, has revealed that aerial robotics could provide wide-ranging benefits to the safety, sustainability and scale of construction.
- Research reveals ‘brinkmanship’ between genes may determine survival of unborn mammals 23 April 2025 A study has shown that a dangerous game of ‘brinkmanship’ between rival genes in mammals could help explain why many fertilised eggs don’t result in a new life.
- University of Bristol academic awarded OBE 23 April 2025 A University of Bristol professor who has played a pivotal role in advancement of telecommunications research has received an OBE in the honorary awards to foreign nationals announced last week.
- Applications open for Kevin Elyot Award 2025 23 April 2025 The University of Bristol’s Theatre Collection is welcoming applications for the Kevin Elyot Award 2025, created in memory of the acclaimed actor and writer.
- Analysis of letter fragment may reveal new details about William Shakespeare’s marriage 23 April 2025 Fresh analysis and interpretation of a letter fragment from the early 17th century by an academic from the University of Bristol has revealed possible intriguing new details about the marriage of William Shakespeare and his wife Anne Hathaway.
- National accreditation recognises University support for care experienced and estranged students 23 April 2025 The University of Bristol is celebrating after its support for students who are care experienced and estranged from their parents was recognised by a national charity.
- Graduate entrepreneurs release period cup cleaning case 17 April 2025 Bristol graduates who won funding from the University to launch their startup have today released their portable period cup cleaning and sterilisation case.
- Bristol and South West success in first Immersive Arts funding round 16 April 2025 Almost £1.2 million has been allocated to 83 artist-led projects across the UK, including several in the Bristol and South West region, in the first round of Immersive Arts funding - a scheme supporting artists of all backgrounds and experience to work with immersive technologies.
- University of Bristol academic’s Radio 4 drama Man Friday wins prestigious award 16 April 2025 University of Bristol lecturer Dr Edson Burton has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Tinniswood Award which recognises the best audio drama script of the year.
- World of art and nature on show at the Botanic Garden 15 April 2025 Art and nature will be on display this weekend at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden annual Easter Sculpture and Arts Festival. The event will also celebrate 20 years of the garden being at The Holmes in Stoke Bishop.
- Study looks at impact of COVID-19 pandemic on rates of congenital heart disease procedures among children 14 April 2025 Major reallocation of healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic meant that elective surgery in children with congenital heart disease (CHD) was significantly reduced, so that those needing urgent, lifesaving and emergency surgery could be treated. However, this prioritisation of the most severely ill children did not increase overall post-operative complications rates or death, a study led by the University of Bristol has shown.
- Pioneering research reveals Arctic matter pathways poised for major shifts amidst climate change 14 April 2025 A new study has shed unprecedented light on the highly variable and climate-sensitive routes that substances from Siberian rivers use to travel across the Arctic Ocean. The findings raise fresh concerns about the increasing spread of pollutants and the potential consequences for fragile polar ecosystems as climate change accelerates.
- Study estimates proportion of adolescents living with overweight and obesity in England has increased by 50% between 2008 and 2023 12 April 2025 The proportion of adolescents living with overweight or obesity in England has increased by 50% from 2008-2010 (22%) to 2021-2023 (33%) according to two new studies involving University of Bristol researcher, Dr Dinesh Giri. The research is being presented at next month's [11-14 May] European Congress on Obesity (ECO).
- Researchers study for the first time how children’s thinking skills change alongside brain development during first 5 years of life 11 April 2025 Why do some children struggle when starting school whilst others flourish? A new University of Bristol-led research project will investigate how a child’s brain develops, allowing them to learn new things, and how new experiences might shape brain changes during the first 5 years of their life. This is the first time changes in the brain and children's developing skills have been studied in a lab-based setting across early childhood in the same group of children.
- Landmark study identifies new genetic cause of neurodevelopmental disorders, bringing long-awaited answers to families 10 April 2025 A new genetic cause of neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) has been uncovered by an international team of researchers. The discovery, published in Nature Genetics [10 Apr] and led by the University of Bristol, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York and KU Leven in Belgium, offers diagnostic certainty and hope to potentially thousands of families worldwide who have long been searching for answers.
- Students' AI football footage innovation wins share of £72,000 startup funding 10 April 2025 An invention that enables smartphones to film grassroots football matches by automatically following the play has won a share of £72,000 at a University of Bristol pitching competition.
- Study finds 'optimistic' medical detection dogs excel in tasks, while 'pessimistic' dogs shine in scent specificity 9 April 2025 A new study into medical detection dogs — which use their scent detection abilities to detect diseases or assist individuals with chronic health conditions — reveals that dogs displaying more "optimistic" responses in judgment bias tests tend to perform better overall in detection tasks. In contrast, "pessimistic" dogs exhibit greater scent detection specificity. The University of Bristol-led study, published in PLOS One, could offer valuable insights for improving the training, selection, and support of medical detection dogs.
- Relaxation techniques may help lower high blood pressure—at least in the short term 8 April 2025 Relaxation techniques may help lower high blood pressure—at least in the short term—but the longer term effects are unclear, finds a pooled data analysis of the existing research. The study, led by the Universities of Bristol and Exeter and published in BMJ Medicine, is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
- Scientists make water-repellent breakthrough to replace toxic ‘forever chemicals’ 8 April 2025 A team of international scientists has invented a substitute for synthetic chemicals, called PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances), which are widely used in everyday products despite being hazardous to health and the environment.
- Bristol quantum start-up developing next generation motion sensing technology secures £4m funding 8 April 2025 Bristol-based start-up, Zero Point Motion, has successfully closed a £4m funding round to develop their advanced sensor technology which will underpin the next generation of positioning and navigation equipment.
- Bristol scientist awarded £125,000 from Academy of Medical Sciences for mitochondria and nerve cells research 8 April 2025 A University of Bristol academic is one of over 50 scientists to be awarded funding through the Academy of Medical Sciences Springboard programme. In its largest-ever funding initiative for early-career researchers, the Academy is investing £7.6 million to tackle urgent health challenges from Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and obesity to addiction and climate change impacts on health.
- Research to receive £7m grant from EPSRC to develop sustainable electrification 8 April 2025 Researchers from the Universities of Nottingham, Newcastle and Bristol are to receive a £7 million grant from a funding council to develop sustainable technologies to reduce energy wastage.
- Researchers demonstrate the UK’s first long-distance ultra-secure communication over a quantum network 8 April 2025 Researchers have successfully demonstrated the UK’s first long-distance ultra-secure transfer of data over a quantum communications network, including the UK’s first long-distance quantum-secured video call.
- Dancing with the cells – how acoustically levitating a diamond led to a breakthrough in biotech automation 4 April 2025 Engineers at a University of Bristol spin-out company have created a new technology that can move cells without touching them, enabling critical tasks that currently require large pieces of lab equipment to be carried out on a benchtop device.
- Scientists use the Great Oxidation Event and how organisms adapted to it to map bacterial evolution 3 April 2025 Microbial organisms – particularly Bacteria – dominate life on Earth, yet tracing their early history and how they have developed over time has long eluded scientists because they rarely fossilize.
- Island life 200 million years ago 2 April 2025 Two Palaeontology and Evolution students from the University of Bristol have undertaken the first ever study which describes the incredible range of fossils which were sucked into a Neptunian dyke, a deep, fissure like cave on the ancient coastline.
- Art commission led by local children will explore natural ecologies at new University campus site 2 April 2025 An independent artists’ studio co-run by children from Hareclive Primary School in Hartcliffe has been chosen by the University of Bristol to create a series of artworks that investigate the natural ecologies around the site of the new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus [TQEC].
- Smartwatch technology could help with future alcohol interventions, new study finds 2 April 2025 Alcohol harm costs NHS England £3.5 billion annually, with 70 people dying every day from alcohol-related causes in the UK (1). According to new University of Bristol-led research smartwatches could provide a more accurate picture of people’s daily drinking habits than current methods. The technology could be a key element for future alcohol interventions.
- Research reveals even cool, wet Northern Ireland is feeling strain of climate change 2 April 2025 Northern Ireland is known for its cool, wet weather – but a new study has shown warmer temperatures and erratic rainfall due to climate change are taking a toll on the nation’s health and farming industry.
- Mammals were adapting from life in the trees to living on the ground before dinosaur-killing asteroid 2 April 2025 More mammals were living on the ground several million years before the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs, new research led by the University of Bristol has revealed.
- National study shows what university students think about their higher education choices 2 April 2025 New research reveals undergraduates and graduates overwhelmingly believe in the importance of getting a degree, but a high proportion think with the benefit of hindsight they would have made a different decision about what or where to study.
- University of Bristol academics become Academy of Social Sciences Fellows 1 April 2025 The Academy of Social Sciences has announced its most recent cohort of outstanding social scientists to join its esteemed Fellowship this spring.
- Bristol BRC to host new translational research collaboration in surgery and perioperative care 1 April 2025 The NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) - hosted by the University of Bristol and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) - is bringing together 12 other BRCs to host a translational research collaboration focusing on surgery and perioperative care.
- Outstanding students celebrated at University awards ceremony 1 April 2025 Students tackling period poverty and promoting LGBTQ+ creatives were among those celebrated at the 2025 Outstanding PLUS Awards.
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