Novel host cell pathway hijacked during COVID-19 infection uncovered by Bristol researchers14 June 2022An international team of scientists, led by the University of Bristol, has been investigating how the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, manipulates host proteins to penetrate into human cells. After identifying Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) as a host factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, new findings published in the journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) today [14 June] describe how the coronavirus subverts a host cell pathway in order to infect human cells.
Professor Imre Berger elected Fellow of prestigious Academy of Medical Sciences 11 May 2022Imre Berger, Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry and Director of Bristol’s Max Planck Centre for Minimal Biology has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences for his outstanding contributions to biomedical science and notable discoveries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
People were hesitant rather than opposed to the COVID-19 vaccine, study finds 10 May 2022A study that explored the attitudes of vaccine hesitant adults in the UK towards uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine found that participants were hesitant rather than opposed to the vaccine. They had questions about their need for, and the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Concerns were exacerbated by a lack of trust in government and misunderstanding of science, the University of Bristol-led study found.
Aspirin may improve 3-month survival for patients critically ill with COVID-1922 March 2022Antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin have little effect on the need for life support in COVID-19, but they may improve survival in the following months according to a new international study led in the UK by researchers at the University of Bristol and Imperial College London.
Superior Covid protection from better face masks, research shows3 March 2022New research from the universities of Surrey and Bristol and ESPCI Paris has shown that FFP2 (filtering facepiece) respirator masks are five times more efficient at filtering particles which carry the Covid-19 virus than cloth masks.
New study of 46-million adults in England confirms blood clot risk with COVID-19 vaccine is very small22 February 2022The risk of blood clots after COVID-19 vaccinations is very low finds a new study of 46-million adults in England. The research, which involved University of Bristol academics, showed that people vaccinated with Oxford-AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech had a lower risk of all venous clots (such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism) and all arterial clots (such as strokes and heart attacks), particularly in people over 70 years.
SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein binds to heart’s vascular cells potentially contributing to severe microvascular damage3 February 2022A new study has shown how SARS-CoV-2 may contribute to severe microvascular damage seen in severely-ill COVID-19 patients by transforming human heart vascular cells into inflammatory cells, without infecting them. The University of Bristol-led research, published in Clinical Science, indicates blocking antibodies could represent a new treatment to alleviate cardiovascular complications.
New environment-friendly shield could offer better protection during dental surgery17 January 2022Dental patients and practitioners could be better protected from COVID-19 and other airborne viruses and bacteria thanks to the development of a new environment-friendly shield by a multidisciplinary team from the University of Bristol and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW). The shield could also increase the number of patients seen by dentists and help reduce procedure wait times.
Bristol’s pioneering COVID-19 research prompts French Embassy visit10 December 2021Representatives from the French Embassy visited University labs today [10 December] to see some of the innovative COVID-19 research being undertaken at Bristol, including work on ADDomer™, a thermostable vaccine platform being developed by Bristol scientists to combat emerging infectious diseases.
Early warning signals could help monitor disease outbreaks
8 December 2021New research suggests early warning signals (EWSs) could help in the monitoring of disease outbreaks, such as COVID-19. The study, led by the University of Bristol, found warnings could be detected weeks earlier than any rapid increase in cases. The findings could help governments and policy makers improve the accuracy of their decisions and allow timely interventions if needed.
Child deaths during pandemic lowest on record for England7 December 2021The number of children in England who died fell to 3,067 between April 2020 – March 2021. This is 356 fewer deaths than were recorded in the preceding 12 months (April 2019 – March 2020), and likely represents the lowest level of child mortality on record, according to a new study by researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Cardiff and published today [7 December] in Archives of Disease in Childhood.
COVID-19 studies should record women’s menstrual changes, recommend researchers2 December 2021Large scale COVID-19 studies and clinical trials should collect data on menstrual changes, according to new research which evaluated current evidence. The findings, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology and led by University of Bristol researchers, say there is an important public health imperative for accurate scientific investigation of menstrual changes in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Study aims to understand why COVID-19 vaccines can lead to very rare blood clotting with low platelets30 November 2021A group of 11 institutions, led by the University of Liverpool and including the University of Bristol, is seeking to understand the very rare, but very serious, condition of blood clotting with low platelets in the general population, in COVID-19 infection, and potentially following vaccination.
School staff not at higher risk of death from COVID-19 than other occupations, study finds24 November 2021Primary and secondary school staff were not at greater risk of death from COVID-19 in 2020 compared to other professions in England and Wales, new research has found. The study, by researchers at the University of Bristol, analysed data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) national death register for school staff and working adults aged between 20- to 64-years-old.
Novel host cell pathway hijacked during COVID-19 infection uncovered by Bristol researchers
14 June 2022
An international team of scientists, led by the University of Bristol, has been investigating how the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, manipulates host proteins to penetrate into human cells. After identifying Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) as a host factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, new findings published in the journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) today [14 June] describe how the coronavirus subverts a host cell pathway in order to infect human cells.
Professor Imre Berger elected Fellow of prestigious Academy of Medical Sciences
11 May 2022
Imre Berger, Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry and Director of Bristol’s Max Planck Centre for Minimal Biology has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences for his outstanding contributions to biomedical science and notable discoveries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
People were hesitant rather than opposed to the COVID-19 vaccine, study finds
10 May 2022
A study that explored the attitudes of vaccine hesitant adults in the UK towards uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine found that participants were hesitant rather than opposed to the vaccine. They had questions about their need for, and the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Concerns were exacerbated by a lack of trust in government and misunderstanding of science, the University of Bristol-led study found.
Amounts of aerosol from vigorous exercise and conversational speaking are similar, finds first study to examine exhaled aerosol emission rates during exercise
19 April 2022
Vigorous exercise does not produce significantly more respiratory particles than speaking, but high-intensity exercise does, finds new University of Bristol-led research. The study, published in Communications Medicine, is the first to measure exhaled aerosols generated during exercise, to help inform the risk of airborne viral transmission of SARS-CoV-2 for indoor exercise facilities and sporting and physical group activities.
Aspirin may improve 3-month survival for patients critically ill with COVID-19
22 March 2022
Antiplatelet drugs such as aspirin have little effect on the need for life support in COVID-19, but they may improve survival in the following months according to a new international study led in the UK by researchers at the University of Bristol and Imperial College London.
Superior Covid protection from better face masks, research shows
3 March 2022
New research from the universities of Surrey and Bristol and ESPCI Paris has shown that FFP2 (filtering facepiece) respirator masks are five times more efficient at filtering particles which carry the Covid-19 virus than cloth masks.
New research shows virus plays ultimate game of ‘hide and seek’ with immune system
1 March 2022
SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals could have different variants hidden in different parts of the body.
Researcher awarded ‘Unsung COVID Heroes’ award for outbreak control work across schools
28 February 2022
Dr Amy Thomas, a Research Associate at Bristol Medical School, has been awarded an ‘Unsung COVID Heroes’ award from WISE, an organisation that promotes women in science, maths and engineering (STEM), for her work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
New study of 46-million adults in England confirms blood clot risk with COVID-19 vaccine is very small
22 February 2022
The risk of blood clots after COVID-19 vaccinations is very low finds a new study of 46-million adults in England. The research, which involved University of Bristol academics, showed that people vaccinated with Oxford-AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech had a lower risk of all venous clots (such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism) and all arterial clots (such as strokes and heart attacks), particularly in people over 70 years.
SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein binds to heart’s vascular cells potentially contributing to severe microvascular damage
3 February 2022
A new study has shown how SARS-CoV-2 may contribute to severe microvascular damage seen in severely-ill COVID-19 patients by transforming human heart vascular cells into inflammatory cells, without infecting them. The University of Bristol-led research, published in Clinical Science, indicates blocking antibodies could represent a new treatment to alleviate cardiovascular complications.
New environment-friendly shield could offer better protection during dental surgery
17 January 2022
Dental patients and practitioners could be better protected from COVID-19 and other airborne viruses and bacteria thanks to the development of a new environment-friendly shield by a multidisciplinary team from the University of Bristol and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW). The shield could also increase the number of patients seen by dentists and help reduce procedure wait times.
Research reveals 'ugly truth' faced by doctors responding to COVID-19 on the frontline
13 December 2021
Frontline healthcare workers say they are angry at being treated as 'COVID cannon fodder, not COVID heroes' after responding to the virus for nearly two years and working at full capacity, reveal the findings of new research.
Bristol’s pioneering COVID-19 research prompts French Embassy visit
10 December 2021
Representatives from the French Embassy visited University labs today [10 December] to see some of the innovative COVID-19 research being undertaken at Bristol, including work on ADDomer™, a thermostable vaccine platform being developed by Bristol scientists to combat emerging infectious diseases.
Early warning signals could help monitor disease outbreaks
8 December 2021
New research suggests early warning signals (EWSs) could help in the monitoring of disease outbreaks, such as COVID-19. The study, led by the University of Bristol, found warnings could be detected weeks earlier than any rapid increase in cases. The findings could help governments and policy makers improve the accuracy of their decisions and allow timely interventions if needed.
Eating disorder symptoms and self-harm linked to higher levels of depression and anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic
7 December 2021
Young adults who have previously experienced self-harm or eating disorders reported higher levels of depression and anxiety during the pandemic, even when restrictions had eased, according to new research.
Child deaths during pandemic lowest on record for England
7 December 2021
The number of children in England who died fell to 3,067 between April 2020 – March 2021. This is 356 fewer deaths than were recorded in the preceding 12 months (April 2019 – March 2020), and likely represents the lowest level of child mortality on record, according to a new study by researchers at the Universities of Bristol and Cardiff and published today [7 December] in Archives of Disease in Childhood.
COVID-19 studies should record women’s menstrual changes, recommend researchers
2 December 2021
Large scale COVID-19 studies and clinical trials should collect data on menstrual changes, according to new research which evaluated current evidence. The findings, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology and led by University of Bristol researchers, say there is an important public health imperative for accurate scientific investigation of menstrual changes in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Study aims to understand why COVID-19 vaccines can lead to very rare blood clotting with low platelets
30 November 2021
A group of 11 institutions, led by the University of Liverpool and including the University of Bristol, is seeking to understand the very rare, but very serious, condition of blood clotting with low platelets in the general population, in COVID-19 infection, and potentially following vaccination.
New study suggests asymptomatic testing and vaccination are critical for controlling COVID-19 at universities
25 November 2021
Reducing the transmission of COVID-19 in universities is heavily dependent on vaccination and asymptomatic testing uptake, new research by academics at the University of Bristol has found.
School staff not at higher risk of death from COVID-19 than other occupations, study finds
24 November 2021
Primary and secondary school staff were not at greater risk of death from COVID-19 in 2020 compared to other professions in England and Wales, new research has found. The study, by researchers at the University of Bristol, analysed data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) national death register for school staff and working adults aged between 20- to 64-years-old.
