News in January
- PHD student wins British Pharmacological Society poster prize 29 January 2016 Gerda Gasiunaite, a PhD student in the University of Bristol’s School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience (Faculty of Biomedical Sciences), has been awarded a British Pharmacological Society (BPS) Poster Prize.
- HEA Fellowships for Biomedical Sciences staff 29 January 2016 Dr Ann Pullen and Dr Gus Cameron from the University of Bristol’s Faculty of Biomedical Sciences have been made Senior Fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) in recognition of their established record in teaching and learning.
- ACCIS CDT triumphs for third consecutive year in best student paper awards 28 January 2016 Eric Eckstein, a PhD student in the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Composites for Innovation and Science (ACCIS CDT), has won the prestigious Jefferson Goblet award for overall best student paper at the 57th AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference. Held this year in San Diego, USA, in conjunction with the SciTech Forum and Exposition, this event is the largest aerospace gathering in the world.
- Bristol SU wins Students’ Union of the year 28 January 2016 The University of Bristol Students' Union (Bristol SU) has won Students' Union of the year at the National Centre for Diversity Awards.
- Bristol dominates international geochemistry awards 27 January 2016 Dr Kate Hendry and Professor Jon Blundy – both members of the University of Bristol’s Cabot Institute and School of Earth Sciences – have won two of the three awards bestowed this year by the European Association of Geochemistry (EAG).
- Students challenged to ‘build something cool in 24 hours’ 27 January 2016 Students from the University of Bristol have been challenged to build anything using development boards during a 24-hour hackathon this weekend.
- Slow progress on stillbirth prevention leaves parents of 2.6 million babies suffering in silence each year 27 January 2016 More than 2.6 million stillbirths continue to occur globally every year with very slow progress made to tackle this ‘silent problem’, according to new research published in The Lancet.
- Stress from noise can be short-lived 27 January 2016 Underwater noise can negatively impact anti-predator behaviour in endangered eels and increase stress in both eels and European seabass, a new study published in Royal Society Open Science confirms.
- Wills Memorial Building welcomes visitors all the way from China 26 January 2016 Over 100 students from China, interested in studying in the UK, have travelled to Bristol for special tours of the Wills Memorial Building. The youngsters, aged 14 to 16, were given a guided look inside the iconic building owned by the University of Bristol.
- Delivering the internet of the future - at the speed of light and open sourced 26 January 2016 New research has found, for the first time, a scientific solution that enables future internet infrastructure to become completely open and programmable while carrying internet traffic at the speed of light.
- Global security experts call for comprehensive debate ahead of Trident replacement decision 26 January 2016 The UK Government should use the current decision on replacing Trident to encourage a serious public debate about the UK’s nuclear status, leading academics have said. Researchers from the universities of Bristol and Birmingham, and King’s College London, argue in a new report that a decision to go ahead with replacing Trident would commit the UK to nuclear weapons for the foreseeable future, at a time when anti-nuclear voices in mainstream British politics are at their strongest in a generation.
- Open networking solutions company receives major investment 25 January 2016 Zeetta Networks, which focuses on the design, development and marketing of open networking solutions, has received funding of £1.25 million to commercialise the University of Bristol’s software-defined networking technology to smart enterprises and Internet of Things (IoT).
- Professor Syed Hamid Hussain, 1981 to 2016 25 January 2016 A chemistry professor formerly associated with the University of Bristol was killed trying to protect students in a suspected Taliban attack on Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, Pakistan, on 20 January 2016.
- Heritage Lottery Fund boost for historic garden transformation 25 January 2016 A historic garden in the heart of Clifton has received a £35,000 funding boost from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to be returned to its former Georgian glory. Clifton Hill House, steeped in history since it was completed in 1750, has been owned by the University of Bristol for more than 100 years.
- 1 in 50 16-year-olds affected by chronic fatigue syndrome 25 January 2016 In what is believed to be the biggest study of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) – also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) – in children to date, researchers at the University of Bristol have found that almost two per cent of 16-year-olds have CFS lasting more than six months, and nearly three per cent have CFS lasting more than three months (the UK definition). Those with CFS missed, on average, more than half a day of school every week.
- South West teacher training programme rated outstanding by Ofsted 21 January 2016 A programme to support people with leadership potential to become inspirational teachers in schools in low income communities, run jointly by the University of Bristol and Bath Spa University, has been rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. The Teach First South West Leadership Development Programme, which combines teacher training and a fully-funded PGCE with one-to-one coaching, enables trainees to develop the skills and qualities to be inspirational teachers. It aims to ensure no child’s success is limited by their socio-economic background.
- Embark on a cultural adventure at the University of Bristol 21 January 2016 Ever questioned whether freedom is therapeutic? Or wondered what it would be like to venture into the nine circles of Hell? Or fancied belly dancing to the Marseillaise? A team of experts on language and culture from the University of Bristol has put together a free, four-week course – ‘Cultural Studies and Modern Languages: An Introduction’ – which takes learners on a cultural adventure across the world.
- Quantum computing is coming – are you prepared for it? 20 January 2016 Quantum computing will change lives, society and the economy and a working system is expected to be developed by 2020 according to a leading figure in the world of quantum computing, who will talk tomorrow [21 January 2016] at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
- New Alzheimer’s disease drug trial opens more sites across the South West 18 January 2016 People with Alzheimer’s disease are helping with a ground-breaking government-funded trial but with new sites recently opened in the South West more people are being asked to take part in the study led by academics from the Universities of Bristol, Cambridge, Queen’s University Belfast and University College London, and hosted by North Bristol NHS Trust.
- It’s a 3D printer, but not as we know it 18 January 2016 3D printing techniques have quickly become some of the most widely used tools to rapidly design and build new components. A team of engineers at the University of Bristol has developed a new type of 3D printing that can print composite materials, which are used in many high performance products such as tennis rackets, golf clubs and aeroplanes. This technology will soon enable a much greater range of things to be 3D printed at home and at low-cost.
- Breakthrough in human cell transformation could revolutionise regenerative medicine 18 January 2016 A breakthrough in the transformation of human cells by an international team led by researchers at the University of Bristol could open the door to a new range of treatments for a variety of medical conditions. Their paper, published today in Nature Genetics, demonstrates the creation of a system that predicts how to create any human cell type from another cell type directly, without the need for experimental trial and error.
- University of Bristol 4th most targeted university by top UK employers 18 January 2016 A major new report out today [18 January] has revealed that students at the University of Bristol are among the most targeted by Britain’s top 100 employers. Bristol has been ranked ahead of Oxford and Cambridge at 4th in the table, which was compiled as part of the ‘Graduate Market in 2016’ study.
- Funding the future: new investment fund to help drive innovation 15 January 2016 Investors are being urged to fund the next generation of science and technology companies being created by the University of Bristol.
- Research project looking for mums-to-be with family history of eczema 14 January 2016 Researchers at the University of Bristol are looking for pregnant women to take part in a study into preventing babies developing eczema. The study, called Barrier Enhancement for Eczema Prevention (BEEP), aims to recruit 1,300 babies and find out if the application of non-cosmetic moisturisers, along with best practice skin care advice, could prevent the onset of eczema in high-risk babies.
- Study by Bristol researchers to examine obesity treatment 14 January 2016 Clinical researchers at the University of Bristol are studying treatment options for obesity, after a survey on behalf of National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) found more than four in 10 people in the West have noticed an increase in local obesity levels in the last five years. Despite the findings, the same survey shows that around three-quarters of the public in this region have a clear understanding of the most important causes of obesity: overeating and lack of exercise. This suggests that with obesity levels in the UK having almost trebled in the last 30 years, public understanding is not solving the problem.
- Scientists call for more open research practices through peer review 14 January 2016 Peer reviewers should provide complete reviews only for scientific papers that share data and materials, or where the authors explain why sharing is impossible, an international group of scientists, including Professor Stephan Lewandowsky of the University of Bristol, argue in a paper published today in Royal Society Open Science.
- Pilot programme helps new mums with learning difficulties 13 January 2016 New mothers with learning difficulties have benefited from a pilot programme that helped them learn to care for and interact with their babies, an evaluation by University of Bristol experts has found.
- How drugs can help your brain encode memories 13 January 2016 Medical researchers at the University of Bristol have uncovered a fundamental mechanism that explains the interaction between brain state and the neural triggers responsible for learning. The discoveries, made by researchers in collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly & Co., could lead to new ways of boosting cognitive function to counteract the effects of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, as well as enhancing memory in healthy people.
- Common dementia drug found to improve Parkinson’s symptoms 13 January 2016 Scientists in Bristol have discovered that a commonly prescribed dementia drug could hold the key to helping prevent debilitating falls for people with Parkinson’s. The research, published today in The Lancet Neurology, shows people with Parkinson’s who were given the oral drug rivastigmine were 45% less likely to fall and were considerably steadier when walking, compared to those on the placebo.
- Ants respond to social information at rest, not on the fly 13 January 2016 Ants don’t get easily distracted by social information when on the move, only fully responding to it when at rest, a new study from the University of Bristol indicates. Such sporadic monitoring of the social environment may reduce information overload and enhance the robustness of complex societies, the researchers suggest.
- Grazing towards sustainability 12 January 2016 The first international Global Farm Platform conference hosted by the University of Bristol this week [12 to 15 January] will highlight the benefits of utilising pasture and robust cows over high-yield, intensive systems.
- David John Saunders, 1963-2015 11 January 2016 David Saunders, an Estates Assistant with Site Services, died last month. His colleague Matt Davies, Assistant Site Services Manager, offers this tribute.
- Dr Richard Bolster, 1937-2015 11 January 2016 Dr Richard Bolster, Lecturer in French (then Senior Research Fellow) at Bristol from 1965 to 2005, died late in 2015.
- South West Nuclear Hub and National Nuclear Laboratory sign a Memorandum of Understanding 11 January 2016 The University of Bristol’s South West Nuclear Hub has entered into a strategic relationship with the National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL), who undertake applied nuclear research and development with a key role in supporting government and industry in strategic nuclear programmes.
- Can computer games improve the ability to study? 8 January 2016 Computer-based games can have a beneficial effect on learning, according to ground-breaking new research from the University of Bristol. The brain-imaging study shows that – contrary to popular belief - technological game-playing can involve brain activity that positively supports learning. The research, with students at Bristol, is linked to a bigger classroom study which will involve 10,000 secondary school pupils across the UK – and for which participants are currently being recruited.
- Study finds CBT offers long-term benefits for people with depression 7 January 2016 People with depression that has not responded fully to treatment with antidepressants benefit long-term from receiving a type of talking therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), given in addition to their usual treatment that includes antidepressant medication, a new study has found.
- NHS reorganisation and workload pressures causing GP retention crisis 7 January 2016 NHS reorganisation, coupled with increased GP workload and reduced time for patient care, are combining to force many doctors to leave general practice early, according to a significant new study published today (Thursday 7 January 2016). The findings, published in the British Journal of General Practice by researchers from the Universities of Bristol, Bath and Staffordshire, also highlight how nearly half (45.5 per cent) of all GPs leaving the profession in England between 2009-14 were under 50.
- ‘Superdeep’ diamonds provide new insight into earth’s carbon cycle 7 January 2016 Researchers at the University of Bristol have discovered new insights into previously hidden parts of the earth’s carbon cycle. The team found that carbon recycling extends into the deep mantle by plate subduction, but is still primarily constrained to upper mantle depths, above 700km. The researchers made the discovery that certain rare diamonds are formed when carbon that was sequestered from seawater into the Earth’s shifting tectonic plates reacts with the mantle after the plate is subducted – a process by which it moves under another tectonic plate and sinks into the mantle as the plates converge.
- How can livestock produce food that is better for the people and the planet? 6 January 2016 An internationally renowned panel of speakers will share their perspectives on what role livestock can and should play in ensuring global food security and answer audience questions at a free event next week [Tuesday 12 January].
- People face subconscious urges to over-eat at this time of year, study finds 6 January 2016 People have evolved to have subconscious urges to over-eat, and limited ability to avoid becoming obese, especially in winter, a study by the Universities of Bristol and Exeter has found. There is not yet an evolutionary mechanism to help us overcome the lure of sweet, fatty and unhealthy food and avoid becoming overweight for understandable and sensible reasons, according to researchers.
