Research
First volunteers to receive blood cultured from stem cells in 2016
The first human volunteer will receive red blood cells cultured in the laboratory within the next three years, as part of a long-term research programme funded by the Wellcome Trust.
Study finds people with learning disabilities are more likely to have a premature death compared with general population
A three-year study into the extent of premature death in people with learning disabilities has found that those with learning disabilities are more likely to have a premature death compared with individuals in the general population. The findings, published in a Department of Health report, have made a series of recommendations aimed at improving the quality of healthcare that people with learning disabilities receive.
Scientists identify brain’s ‘molecular memory switch’
Scientists have identified a key molecule responsible for triggering the chemical processes in our brain linked to our formation of memories. The findings, published in the journal Frontiers in Neural Circuits, reveal a new target for therapeutic interventions to reverse the devastating effects of memory loss.
New approach needed to deal with increased flood risk
Considering the impacts of climate change on flood risk may not be effective unless current risk is managed better, according to new research from the University of Bristol published today in the Journal of Hydrology.
Father absence in early childhood linked to depression in adolescent girls
New research from the Children of the 90s study at the University of Bristol shows that girls whose fathers were absent during the first five years of life were more likely to develop depressive symptoms in adolescence than girls whose fathers left when they were aged five to ten years or than boys in both age groups (0-5 and 5-10), even after a range of factors was taken into account.
Efficient distributed quantum computing
A quantum computer doesn't need to be a single large device but could be built from a network of small parts, new research from the University of Bristol has demonstrated. As a result, building such a computer would be easier to achieve.
Study finds that maternal vitamin D levels in pregnancy do not affect children's bone health
A study of nearly 4,000 pairs of mothers and their children in the Children of the 90s study at the University of Bristol has shown that maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy are not associated with the child's bone health in later life. The research, published online first in The Lancet, is the largest ever observational study of the effects of mothers' vitamin D levels in pregnancy on their children's bone health, and suggests that UK health guidelines may be overstating the importance of vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy.
Bristol Professors elected to Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowships
Two Professors in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry have been recognised for their contributions to medical science with their election to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
Sixteen new genetic regions for allergies discovered
In two of the largest genetic studies ever conducted on common allergies, including pollen, dust-mite and cat allergies, 16 new genetic regions related to the condition have been discovered. Together they are responsible for at least 25 per cent of allergy in the population. Eight of the genetic variations have previously been associated with asthma. The discoveries, published today in Nature Genetics, are a major step towards understanding the biological basis of common allergies.