Bristol team gains unprecedented access to Chornobyl’s Reactor 47 October 2021Researchers from the University of Bristol are leading activities with Ukrainian researchers and engineers at the Chornobyl (Chernobyl) Nuclear Power Plant (ChNPP) to carry out pioneering radiation mapping research.
It is safe for people to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and influenza at the same time, study shows30 September 2021Research has found that it is safe for people to receive a flu vaccine at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine. Reported side effects were mainly mild to moderate, and there were no negative impacts on the immune response produced by either vaccine when both were given on the same day, in opposite arms.
Bristol retains Strategic Partnership with the BBSRC and ranks fourth for bioscience research funding 30 September 2021The BBSRC, one of the UK’s largest UK bioscience funders, has announced Bristol will retain its Strategic Partnership (SP) status. The decision was announced this month following BBSRC’s SP member triannual review. Bristol is one of only ten top-funded university partners with this status – which it has retained since 2012 recognising the University’s long-term record for excellence in biosciences research.
Tobacco and alcohol may increase likelihood of using illegal drugs, new study shows30 September 2021The use of legal drugs (tobacco and alcohol) may lead to the use of cannabis, a new study led by the University of Bristol and published in the journal Addiction has found. The study also found evidence that cannabis use may lead to smoking initiation, and opioid dependence could lead to increased alcohol consumption. Additionally, there might be shared risk factors that influence the use of multiple substances.
Staying on long-term antidepressants reduces risk of relapse29 September 2021When people stop taking antidepressants after a long period of use, just over half (56 per cent) experience a relapse within a year, compared to 39 per cent of those who stay on medication, finds a new study led by UCL and involving researchers from the universities of Bristol, Southampton, York and McMaster University in Canada.
Photonic chip is key to nurturing quantum computers 29 September 2021A team of researchers from Bristol’s Quantum Engineering and Technology Labs (QETLabs) has shown how to protect qubits from errors using photons in a silicon chip.
Largest trial of antibiotic amoxicillin for treating chest infections in children finds little effect28 September 2021The largest randomised placebo-controlled trial of the antibiotic amoxicillin for treating chest infections in children - one of the most common acute illnesses treated in primary care in developed countries, has found it is little more effective at relieving symptoms than the use of no medication. The study, published in The Lancet and funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), was led by researchers from the University of Southampton and supported by centres at the Universities of Bristol, Oxford and Cardiff.
Race against the virus: the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine journey28 September 2021In late December 2019, a cluster of unusual pneumonia cases - now known to be the first human cases of COVID-19 - were reported in Wuhan, China. Thanks to the quick action of an Oxford scientist and her team, work on the response to the new virus began. Members of the public have the opportunity to hear the story of the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at a free online event next month.
Funding boost will help deliver low-carbon fusion energy27 September 2021Bristol researchers will lead one of six new projects looking at novel ways to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, by advancing tritium technology for fusion power stations.
Senate House refurbishment nominated for five awards24 September 2021The refurbishment that transformed Senate House from ‘60s admin building to modern bar/restaurant, co-working space and student hub has been nominated for five awards.
SETsquared Bristol’s Breakthrough Bursary returns to support BAME tech founders22 September 2021World leading technology incubator SETsquared Bristol, led by the University of Bristol, is relaunching its Breakthrough Bursary for the third year, continuing its commitment to promoting inclusion and equal opportunities in tech.
Professor John Pickard wins top music award22 September 2021A recording of seven compositions by John Pickard, Professor of Composition in Bristol’s Department of Music, has won the Contemporary category of this year’s Gramophone Awards.
History student uncovers new details about 17th century plague hospital in Bristol 21 September 2021An undergraduate History student from the University of Bristol has uncovered previously unknown details about one of the worst-named, but possibly most successful, quarantine hospitals in English history: Bristol’s ‘Forlorn Hope Pesthouse’.
Feeling a spark: flowers release their perfume in response to electricity of a bee's touch 21 September 2021New research has found that the electrical charge created by visiting bumblebees stimulates some flowers to release more of their sweet-smelling scent. This is the first time a plant has been shown to use the presence of pollinators as a cue to emit more of its attractive perfume - increasing its chances of being visited.
Major advance in race for SARS-CoV-2 inhibitor drugs20 September 2021A new advance towards the development of drugs specifically designed to inhibit a key SARS-CoV-2 enzyme is reported in the Royal Society of Chemistry's leading journal, Chemical Science. The international team, led by scientists from the Universities of Oxford and Bristol, has designed new peptide molecules and shown that they block (inhibit) the virus’s main protease [Mpro] - a prominent SARS-CoV-2 drug target.
Tireless PhD student walked 8 hours a day for primary school17 September 2021She walked without shoes for eight hours a day to go to school and studied by the light of grass fires. But Bongai Munguni’s implacable spirit - along with the kindness of friends and strangers - led her on, and she is now studying for a joint PhD at the University of Bristol.
Research reveals drug targets for memory enhancement16 September 2021Bristol-led research has identified specific drug targets within the neural circuits that encode memories, paving the way for significant advances in the treatment of a broad spectrum of brain disorders.
Bristol Composite Institute welcomes new co-directors16 September 2021Bristol Composites Institute at the University of Bristol has appointed two new co-directors, Professor Ole Thomsen and Professor Stephen Hallett, to succeed founding director, Professor Michael Wisnom.
During the pandemic two thirds of bereaved people report experiencing social isolation and loneliness 14 September 2021New research shows impact of grief during the pandemic as two thirds of bereaved people report experiencing social isolation and loneliness. Those bereaved due to COVID-19 were also less likely to be involved in care decisions and be well supported by healthcare professionals after the death of their loved one.
Shop displays of e-cigarettes and smoking paraphernalia could undermine effectiveness of banning tobacco displays13 September 2021Efforts to discourage people from smoking by banning tobacco retail displays in shops and supermarkets could be weakened by prominent displays of electronic (e) cigarettes and smoking paraphernalia, suggests new research led by the universities of Bristol and Cambridge and published today [13 September] in the journal Tobacco Control.
COVID-19 vaccine efficacy does not support boosters for general population, expert review concludes13 September 2021An expert review by an international group of scientists, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the University of Bristol, concludes that, even for the Delta variant, vaccine efficacy against severe COVID is so high that booster doses for the general population are not appropriate at this stage in the pandemic.
SARS-CoV-2 transmission model suggests primary school infection could be greater this autumn than in 202013 September 2021The SARS-CoV-2 epidemic has already had a major impact on children's education, with schools having been required to implement infection control measures that have led to long periods of absence and classroom closures. With the new school year underway, risk modelling specialists at the University of Bristol have developed a new epidemiological model for SARS-CoV-2 transmission that forecasts primary school infection outbreaks could be more frequent and possibly substantially larger this autumn than in 2020, due to the more transmissive and infectious Delta variant and projected increase in community infection.
Major funding boost for UK’s open research agenda13 September 2021A consortium of 18 universities – members of the UK Reproducibility Network – has received significant funding to drive uptake of open research practices across the sector, furthering the UK’s position at the forefront of rigorous and reproducible research.
Fat matters more than muscle for heart health, research finds9 September 2021New research has found that changes in body fat impact early markers of heart health more than changes in body muscle, suggesting there are greater benefits to be expected from losing fat than from gaining muscle.
Major international study reports the impact of genetics on epigenetic factors9 September 2021Understanding what causes epigenetic variation could be a step closer thanks to a new atlas of genetic effects on epigenetic factors. The atlas, which has been established by an international consortium led by the University of Bristol, will enable scientists to learn more about the mechanisms underpinning gene regulation.