UK’s leading surgeons mark official launch of £21m NIHR Biomedical Research Centre 1 February 2018Almost a third of hospital admissions involve a surgical procedure and with 4.7 million operations carried out in the UK each year and numbers rising year on year, surgery is one of the most important life-saving treatments offered to patients. Innovative surgical procedures are continually being developed but how are they tested to ensure they are safe? Two of the UK’s leading academic surgeons will answer these questions at a public lecture and debate on Thursday 1 February 2018 to mark the official launch of the £21 million National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Bristol Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).
Postnatal depression has greater impact on children’s development when it is persistent and severe.31 January 2018Postnatal depression which persists beyond 6 months after birth and is severe, increases the risk of children exhibiting behavioural problems, achieving lower GCSE mathematics grades at 16 years and having depression at 18 years of age. Postnatal depression which is persistent (whether moderate or severe) increases mothers’ risk of continuing to experience depressive symptoms beyond the postnatal year, with high levels found up until 11 years after childbirth.
Discover LGBT+ history during February31 January 2018The University and Bristol Students’ Union are marking LGBT+ History Month with a range of events, including panel discussions, invited speakers, displays and social events.
Alternatives to face-to-face GP consultations unlikely to deliver hoped-for benefits in practice30 January 2018The realities of implementing alternatives to face-to-face GP consultations, such as telephone, email, online and video consultations, mean that hoped-for reductions in GP workload and increases in available appointments for patients might not be realised. This is the finding of a study by led by researchers at the University of Bristol, published in the British Journal of General Practice today.
Scientists grapple with worms to improve co-existence with wildlife in Africa29 January 2018Farming at the border of National Parks in Africa can lead to conflict with wildlife, due to the belief that wild animals bring disease, prey upon livestock, and damage crops. In an unexpected twist, research conducted by the University of Bristol and Queen’s University Belfast with the charity ‘Elephants for Africa’ and the University of Pretoria has found that grazing livestock with wildlife may benefit farmers by reducing parasitic disease.
Sharing learning stories for National Storytelling Week 201829 January 2018The University of Bristol is celebrating National Storytelling Week by joining Bristol Learning City’s campaign ‘#ThisChangedMyLife’. The campaign aims to inspire others to learn something new, presenting Bristol’s diverse range of learning opportunities befitting a city with UNESCO Learning City status.
New algorithm for simulating the structure of quantum systems on a quantum photonic chip26 January 2018An international collaboration of quantum physicists from the University of Bristol, Microsoft, Google, Imperial College, Max Planck Institute, and the Sun Yat-sen University have introduced a new algorithm to solve the energy structure of quantum systems on quantum computers.
Petra Armitage-Smith, 1951-201725 January 2018Petra Armitage-Smith, former Assistant Registrar, passed away on 26 December at the age of 66. Lynn Robinson, Deputy Registrar, and Shirley Harrison, Students’ Health Service and former University Examinations Officer, offer a remembrance.
Study of 3,000 drinkers' attempts to cut down produces sobering results25 January 2018January is a popular month for people trying to reduce their alcohol intake but how successful are they in doing so? A new study by the University of Bristol that assessed data on the drinking patterns of nearly 3,000 drinkers who reported that they were planning to reduce their alcohol consumption found that very few managed it when followed up six months later.
£400,000 funding boost to teach skills of the future24 January 2018Two exciting projects to equip students and retrain current workers with the skills to tackle future technology and engineering challenges have been awarded £200,000 each.
Anthony Ferris, 1953-201824 January 2018Tony Ferris, a popular member of the Site Services team, passed away on 9 January 2018. His colleague Sue Morgan offers a tribute.
Gut instinct makes animals appear clever24 January 2018Animals, including humans, can make surprisingly good decisions just based on the food in their stomach, new research suggests.
Singing for breathing 23 January 2018As part of a research project exploring breathing and breathlessness, a new singing group has been set up in Bristol for anyone who is living with a lung condition and their families and carers.
The world’s most powerful acoustic tractor beam could pave the way for levitating humans22 January 2018Acoustic tractor beams use the power of sound to hold particles in mid-air, and unlike magnetic levitation, they can grab most solids, liquids or even small insects and food. For the first time University of Bristol engineers have shown that it is possible to stably trap objects larger than the wavelength of sound in an acoustic tractor beam. This discovery opens the door to the manipulation of drug capsules or micro-surgical implements within the human body. Container-less transportation of delicate larger samples is now also a possibility and who knows, this could be a step towards levitating humans.
Immediate breast reconstruction after mastectomy does not delay start of chemotherapy or radiotherapy – but may increase risk of complications and readmission19 January 2018Having immediate reconstruction following a mastectomy does not delay the start of a patient’s adjuvant breast cancer therapy but may increase the likelihood of complications requiring hospital readmission in the first six weeks after surgery, according to new research led by researchers at the University of Bristol and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital presented at the UK Interdisciplinary Breast Cancer Symposium (UKIBCS) in Manchester – hosted by leading charity Breast Cancer Now.
New fleet takes to the road17 January 2018The University of Bristol and First West of England have launched a new fleet of buses for students, staff and the Bristol public.
The early bits of life17 January 2018How can life originate before DNA and genes? One possibility is that there are natural processes that lead to the organisation of simple physical objects such as small microcapsules that undergo rudimentary forms of interaction, self-organisation and information processing.
Could re-designing supermarkets, bars and restaurants "nudge" us towards healthy habits?16 January 2018Behavioural and cognitive scientists at the Universities of Cambridge and Bristol today launched a new four year programme of research funded by a prestigious Wellcome Collaborative Award in Science to investigate ways to 'nudge' people towards healthier behaviour.
Engineering innovations to blow your mind in 201815 January 2018Bristol has a proud history of engineering innovations, from Brunel’s iconic suspension bridge to the technology behind mobile phones in the 70s. 2018 is the Year of Engineering – a national campaign to inspire the next generation of engineers and widen the pool of young people who join the profession.
Churchill: film about former Chancellor hits UK screens12 January 2018As the new Winston Churchill biopic ‘Darkest Hour’ hits UK screens today [12 January], the University of Bristol looks back at the wartime leader’s time as its Chancellor.
Bristol to lead revolutionary research into 'self-healing' materials11 January 2018A consortium of seven institutions led by the University of Bristol, has received a grant of £2.7m to undertake ground-breaking research into manufacturing new materials which have the ability to self-heal or regenerate.
Professor Philip Pettit, 1925-201710 January 2018Philip Pettit, former Dean of the Faculty of Law and Pro-Vice Chancellor, passed away on 28 November at the age of 92. His son, Charles Pettit, offers a remembrance.
Fire in the University’s Fry Building6 January 2018A fire broke out in our Fry Building at just after 5pm this evening [Saturday 6 January]. The building is currently undergoing refurbishment and was due to reopen in summer 2018.