2010
Preventing brain injury in newborns
Work by Professor Marianne Thoresen contributes to important breakthroughs in neonatal research at Bristol. Her years of work culminate in the success of a technique to mitigate brain damage caused by lack of oxygen at birth. Professor Thoresen's development of mild cooling treatment, in combination with xenon gas, is shown to reduce or prevent brain injury in newborns.
RAG goes all out
Student raising and giving (RAG) activities during 2009/10 raise a remarkable £252,446 through a varied programme that includes street collections, sponsored activities such as skydiving, trekking and 'jailbreaking', and the annual RAG procession.
New Institute for uncertain times
The University's new Cabot Institute opens, bringing together world-leading researchers in science, engineering, social sciences and law to tackle some of the major issues that threaten the world today, from climate change and population growth to social injustice, economics and national security.
Theatre Collection becomes major player
It is announced that the world-renowned Mander & Mitchenson Theatre Collection is to transfer to the University of Bristol Theatre Collection - creating one of the world's largest theatre history collections. The combination of artwork, recordings, props, photography, costumes and ceramics with a vast array of archival material will provide a comprehensive record of British professional theatre.
Walking towards a quantum computer
An international group led by Bristol's Centre for Quantum Photonics developed a new approach to quantum computing that could represent a faster route to a quantum computer - a powerful type of computer that uses quantum bits (qubits) and can therefore hold and process a much larger amount of information at a greater rate. The technique developed in Bristol uses two identical particles of light (photons) moving along a network of circuits in a silicon chip to perform an experiment known as a quantum walk. A quantum computer based on a multi-photon quantum walk could be used to simulate processes which themselves are governed by quantum mechanics, such as superconductivity and photosynthesis.
Wheat genome sequenced
Professor Keith Edwards and Dr Gary Barker in the School of Biological Sciences were part of a UK team who released a draft sequence of the wheat genome (which is five times larger than the human genome). Understanding the genetic differences between varieties will enable development of new types of wheat better able to cope with unfavourable conditions and to deliver higher yields.
