Students curate exhibitions at Theatre Collection
Two new exhibitions have gone on display at the University of Bristol’s Theatre Collection, curated by History of Art students.
News in May
French Ambassador visits the South West Nuclear Hub
The French Ambassador to the UK, Jean-Pierre Jouyet, visited the South West Nuclear Hub recently for the signing of a strategic partnership agreement between the University of Bristol and the École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts et Métiers (Arts et Métiers).
Scientists use a photonic quantum simulator to make virtual movies of molecules vibrating
Scientists have shown how an optical chip can simulate the motion of atoms within molecules at the quantum level, which could lead to better ways of creating chemicals for use as pharmaceuticals.
Scientists discover world’s oldest lizard fossil
An international team of paleontologists, which includes the University of Bristol, have identified the world’s oldest lizard, providing key insight into the evolution of modern lizards and snakes.
University of Bristol continues to climb The Guardian’s University Guide league table
The University of Bristol has been ranked 20th in The Guardian’s University Guide 2019 – a rise of seven places on last year.
Professional award for Social Sciences cleaner
Ji Ji Kurian, Cleaning Operative at the University’s Social Sciences Complex, was runner-up in the ‘Cleaning Operative of the Year’ awards at the annual British Association of Cleaning in Higher Education (BACHE) conference in May.
Mongooses remember and reward helpful friends
Dwarf mongooses remember previous cooperative acts by their groupmates and reward them later, according to new work by University of Bristol researchers, published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.
University of Bristol climbs 54 places in global league table
The University of Bristol has climbed to 65th in the world and 7th in the UK, according to a new league table published today [28 May].
Exploring the role of Indian suffragettes
In a year when the UK celebrates the centenary of women first getting the right to vote, a new book will look at the role of Indian women in the global suffrage movement.
Dino-bird dandruff research head and shoulders above rest
Palaeontologists from University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland have discovered 125 million-year-old dandruff preserved amongst the plumage of feathered dinosaurs and early birds, revealing the first evidence of how dinosaurs shed their skin.
Weeding out childhood leukaemia – fighting cancer with nature
New research, led by cancer biologists from the University of Bristol, has shown that bone marrow cells can protect cancer cells from a plant derived anti-cancer agent called Parthenolide.
Genetic variations in DNA could help improve efficacy of clinical trials
The evolution of medicine relies heavily on the results of clinical trials, which while essential, are extremely costly and carry the potential of unintended adverse consequences. Now researchers from the University of Bristol have devised a new DNA-based method that could better predict whether clinical trials will be effective, potentially saving millions of pounds and ultimately improving the lives of patients.
Bumblebees confused by iridescent colours
A new study published today by the University of Bristol shows for the first time that dazzling iridescent colours in animals can act as camouflage.
Major disabilities research project highlights need for change
The daily lives of disabled people are impacted by ‘unhelpful, exclusionary or downright abusive’ practices, according to a major research project looking at issues facing those with disabilities in the UK today.
Polymer crystals hold key to record-breaking energy transport
Scientists from the universities of Bristol and Cambridge have found a way to create polymeric semiconductor nanostructures that absorb light and transport its energy further than previously observed.
Bristol Professor awarded £1.5 million to look deeper into our cell’s quality control mechanism
Professor Christiane Berger-Schaffitzel from the School of Biochemistry has won a £1.5 million Wellcome Trust Investigator Award in Science Application to study an essential quality control mechanism in our cells. The mechanism, known as ‘nonsense-mediated mRNA decay’ (NMD) is of fundamental importance for cellular function in health and disease.
Bath geriatrician leads £2.1m trial into Parkinson’s disease at the University of Bristol
A UK-wide trial into Parkinson’s disease led by Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol is set to go ahead, thanks to a £2.1 million grant from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
Liz Roberts, 1979-2018
Liz Roberts, Graduate Administration Manager, has passed away at the age of 38. Caroline Falzon, School Education Manager and Emma Dowman, PGCE Administration Manager, offer a remembrance.
Student-invented app offers digital detox with a heart
University of Bristol students have created a procrastination-busting app with a conscience, which sends a ‘penalty’ charity donation when the user succumbs to their phone during digital down-time.
Bristol presenting environmental solutions at EU conference
Bristol will be building on its legacy as European Green Capital 2015 this week at the high-profile EU Green Week conference (22-24 May), as progress continues to ensure the city is carbon neutral by 2050.
Autism is not linked to eating fish in pregnancy
A major study examining the fish-eating habits of pregnant women has found that they are not linked to autism or autistic traits in their children.
Voucher scheme shown to improve poor families’ diet
A scheme providing fruit and veg vouchers to low-income families with young children has brought about significant nutritional improvements in families’ diets, new research has shown.
Great George to chime for anniversary of University’s Royal Charter
Bristol’s largest bell will ring out across the city today [23 May] as the University of Bristol celebrates the anniversary of its charter being granted.
Ethnically mixed schools better for social cohesion, says new study of teenagers’ attitudes
Pupils from schools with greater ethnic diversity have more positive feelings towards pupils of different ethnicities, according to a new study of attitudes in English secondary schools from the University of Bristol and the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Universities team up to create new programme which helps to power high-growth UK companies
The University of Bristol in collaboration with the universities of Bath, Exeter, Southampton and Surrey have launched Scale-up; a new programme to enable the UK’s best tech SMEs to access university expertise and resources.
Giraffes surprise biologists yet again
New research from the University of Bristol has highlighted how little we know about giraffe behaviour and ecology.
African conference confirms growing strength of plant disease research network
A plant science conference in Uganda which drew together dozens of world-class researchers from across Sub-Saharan Africa and the UK this month has confirmed the growing strength of a network whose collaborations promise to deliver solutions to devastating crop diseases in the years ahead.
Pig immunology comes of age: killer T cell responses to influenza
Researchers from The Pirbright Institute, University of Bristol, Cardiff University and University of Oxford have generated tools that allow scientists to understand a vital area of the pig immune system which was previously inaccessible.
How Nagana is carried by tsetse flies
Researchers at the University of Bristol have revealed new details on how the animal disease Nagana is spread by tsetse flies in Africa.
Exhibition to mark 200th anniversary of London Old Vic
An exhibition has opened at the University of Bristol’s Theatre Collection to mark the 200th anniversary of the first public performance at one of the UK’s most prestigious theatres, the Old Vic in London.
How do you build a house on Mars?
A group of academics from across the university are working with artists Ella Good and Nicki Kent to share ideas on how to build a Martian house.
New evidence on link between obesity and smoking behaviour from genetic data: obese people at higher risk of smoking
A study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) provides new evidence that increased weight and obesity may result in increased smoking. The Cancer Research UK (CRUK)-funded study, involving University of Bristol researchers and published today in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), found that increased body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, and waist circumference were associated both with a higher risk of being a smoker and with greater smoking intensity, measured by the number of cigarettes smoked per day. These results were consistent in both men and women.
Senior leadership appointments in the Faculty of Arts
The Faculty of Arts at the University of Bristol is delighted to announce the appointment of a number of eminent academics to key senior leadership roles.
Pass the toothpick! Feeding habits of ancient elephant relatives uncovered from grass fragments stuck in their teeth
A new study, led by scientists at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) in Beijing, China, including University of Bristol PhD student Zhang Hanwen, examined the feeding habits of ancient elephant relatives that inhabited Central Asia some 17 million years ago.
Hundreds of visitors get hands-on with pioneering postgraduate research at Research without Borders festival
More than 750 visitors attended the series of festival events, including an interactive exhibition of postgraduate research in Colston Hall.
Minority children develop implicit racial bias in early childhood
New research from the University of Bristol and York University in Canada suggests that minority children as young as six years old show an implicit pro-white racial bias when exposed to images of both white and black children.
Find out how flowers attract pollinators at the Botanic Garden NGS Open Day
The University of Bristol Botanic Garden will hold its National Garden Scheme (NGS) Open Day this Sunday [20 May]. Visitors to the Garden will be able to hear how flowers use a variety of features to attract pollinators.
Bristol students excel in Royal Academy of Engineering Leadership Awards
Eight University of Bristol engineering students and recent alumni have achieved outstanding success in several prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) schemes designed to promote innovation and leadership.
Special issue of Royal Society magazine highlights scale of oceanic change
The seas around the West Antarctic Peninsula have experienced some of the fastest global warming in recent decades, increasing the rate and richness of biological activity in the region. Innovative analytical techniques and collaborative research projects involving scientists from around the world are helping to improve our understanding of the causes and consequences of environmental change.
Bristol and TM Forum form Digital Futures partnership
TM Forum, the industry association driving digital business transformation, has announced [Tuesday 15 May] a partnership with the University of Bristol that will help the University to develop its Institute of Digital Futures with industry-endorsed technical specifications using TM Forum's Open Digital Architecture, APIs and Lab.