����Vlog�ٷ� project has been awarded the grant through the NHS Cancer Programme Innovation Open Call with support from SBRI Healthcare (Small Business Research Initiative) as part of a new, unique national partnership which could save lives and improve quality of life.

Researchers in Manchester will implement an innovative lung cancer risk assessment tool and an adapted care pathway for Hodgkin lymphoma survivors, supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).

The new multi-centre study started in June 2025 and will be running for two years within the existing NHS Lung Cancer Screening Programme at 10 Cancer Alliances across England, including Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance leading the initiative.

Every year, around 2,100 people in the UK are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer that develops in the lymphatic system (part of the immune system).

Although it is a highly curable cancer, treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy to the chest and lungs increase the risk of second cancers occurring in later life. This risk increases further for people who smoke.

Survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma are six times more likely to develop lung cancer than the general population.

Study lead Dr Kim Linton, Senior Lecturer at ����Vlog�ٷ� and Living With and Beyond Cancer Co-Theme Lead at Manchester BRC, said: “It is crucial that Hodgkin lymphoma survivors can access screening to detect lung cancer at an early stage, when it is more treatable.”

Developed in Manchester, the new UK-wide programme aims to screen 500 Hodgkin lymphoma survivors over two years, which could detect early lung cancer in an estimated 10-12 people.

Joanne Murray, from Didsbury in Manchester, was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 1997 at the age of 29 and received successful treatment at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.

She took part in the pilot study in 2022 which helped Manchester researchers design the new national programme. Despite having no symptoms, the study found Joanne had stage 1 lung cancer.

Now 56 and living in North Wales, Joanne said: “I feel exceptionally lucky that this research has saved my life. I had no symptoms of lung cancer and had I not taken part in this study, it might have been too late for me once symptoms had appeared.”

Through the study, Joanne had a CT scan at The Christie in Manchester which revealed a ‘fluffy’ and opaque nodule (small lump) on her right lung. Following surgery to remove part of her lung, a biopsy revealed it was stage 1 cancer.

Joanne, who works for North Wales Police, explained: “After my scan, doctors closely monitored me through ‘watch and wait’, with regular check-ups to determine if the nodule grew or if I developed symptoms. In November 2023, after I had moved to Wales, a follow-up scan at my local hospital showed that the nodule had grown by 1mm. After discussing my treatment options, I decided to have surgery to remove part of my right lung.”

Joanne had the surgery in January 2024 at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital. She said: “I was absolutely terrified of having the surgery, but it was fine, and all the staff were fantastic. I had video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery [a form of keyhole surgery] which was less invasive, and I was back home in two days to recover.

“When I found out from the biopsy that it had been stage 1 cancer, I was in complete shock. I’m a positive person and thought I had just been overthinking it. I am so thankful for this vital research and the team at The Christie.”

Now 18 months later, Joanne has had two clear scans, with the next one due in early 2026.

On taking part in research, Joanne said: “When I read the letter asking me if I wanted to be part of research I thought, ‘there’s nothing wrong with me, but I’ll do it.’ You never know what’s around the corner.

“Without doubt, I would urge other cancer survivors to take part in screening. It might take 10 or 15 minutes out of your day, but it could save your life.”

Hodgkin lymphoma can develop at any age, but it mostly affects people between 20 and 40 years of age and those over 75. The most common symptom is a painless swelling in a lymph node, usually in the neck, armpit or groin.

Second cancers, such as lung cancer or breast cancer, can develop more than 10 years after treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma. Survivors can help to reduce their risk of a second cancer by adopting a healthy lifestyle through not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight with a balanced diet, and getting regular exercise.

Dr Linton, who is also an Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Most Hodgkin lymphoma survivors do not meet current lung cancer screening criteria, so we hope the success of this study will support an application for routine adoption across England and Wales.

“In Manchester, we have been working on a lung cancer screening programme for Hodgkin lymphoma survivors for many years, including a pilot screening study at The Christie where we detected 3 lung cancers in 102 people who had showed no symptoms.

“This research helped us to design the national programme and confirmed that our proposed study meets the needs of this high-risk patient group. This work also builds on Manchester’s previous track record of successfully implementing breast cancer screening for Hodgkin lymphoma survivors within the national breast cancer screening programme.”

The new study will be open to Hodgkin lymphoma survivors aged between 45 and 74 who smoke or have previously smoked.

It will have an embedded programme to identify and tackle health inequalities, including people where their risk of lung cancer is highest, such as those with lower socioeconomic status, men and older people.

It will help address barriers to screening participation, such as fear of cancer diagnosis, low perceived risk of cancer and issues of cost, travel and time off work.

Screening will take place at convenient community-based settings to encourage participation, including in mobile clinics at supermarket car parks.

Researchers will actively promote screening participation for people with the highest smoking prevalence.

Participants will be offered health education and stop smoking advice to encourage supported self-management to prevent lung cancer, cardiovascular disease and other significant illnesses, which could lead to improved survivorship and reduced healthcare costs.

The Manchester-based project is part of the NIHR Manchester BRC’s , which aims to transform the detection of cancer recurrence and second cancers to improve quality of life and treatment outcomes for survivors.

Researchers will also be collaborating with the NIHR Manchester BRC’s , which aims to reduce cancer burden across society through implementing prevention and early detection strategies.

The project will be supported by the NIHR Oncology Translational Research Collaboration, Lymphoma Action charity and patient partners.

Health Innovation Manchester will work with Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance to support local adoption and run patient focus groups to understand barriers to engagement and develop solutions to improve uptake.

• images: Dr Kim Linton and  Joanne and Rob

By carefully monitoring the level of cancer activity in the blood, doctors can identify the best time to start and stop the drugs to give treatment breaks, which it is hoped will prevent resistance to treatment developing and also reduce side effects. This experimental blood test could help people with stage 4 melanoma, a type of skin cancer, live longer. 

The ground-breaking approach looks for tiny fragments of DNA coming from the cancer, which can be found in the patient’s blood. 

Dr Rebecca Lee, consultant oncologist and clinician scientist at The Christie and a senior lecturer in Medical Oncology at ����Vlog�ٷ� is leading on the DyNAMIc trial.She said: “Cancer treated with targeted therapy can be thought of as two armies of cells; those that are sensitive to the treatment and those that are resistant, which fight for nutrients in order to grow. A patient does not want either cell army to win as that means their cancer will get worse. Although the targeted therapy can kill the sensitive cells, over time the resistant ones grow through. However, if treatment breaks are given, it is thought that the growth of these resistant cells can be suppressed by the sensitive cells. 

“This blood test enables us to develop a new approach to overcome resistance to targeted therapy treatment. The DyNAMIc trial is really at the forefront of precision medicine. We can adapt the treatment in response to the patient’s melanoma activity levels in real-time and therefore reduce the chance of the cancer becoming resistant in the long term.  This could be a real game-changer in how we treat melanoma and other patients with cancer undergoing similar treatments in the future.” 

Professor Paul Lorigan, consultant oncologist at The Christie and chief investigator for the DyNAMIc trial said: “Evaluating new biomarker in clinical trials such as DyNAMIc allows us to personalise treatment decisions and continue to improve outcomes for patients with melanoma and other cancers.  The close collaboration between The Christie and the National Biomarker Centre has allowed us to take this from concept to clinical trial.  The study is now open in ten centres in the UK, led by the Manchester team. This would not be possible without support from the patients and their families, The Christie and The Christie Charity, Jon Moulton Charity Trust, Cancer Research UK and many other colleagues.” 

Dr Dominic Rothwell, the Deputy Director of the Cancer Research UK National Biomarker Centre and one of the team who helped develop the test said: “The DyNAMIc trial is a great example of how cutting-edge research, funded by the Jon Moulton Charity Trust and CRUK can lead to the development of exciting new tests and how, in close collaboration with our clinical colleagues, these tests can be transferred to the clinic and lead to the potential improvement of treatments for cancer patients.” 

The first patient to join this clinical trial was a supermarket worker from Stockport in Greater Manchester. Jan Smith (64) had been working on the shop floor at her local superstore in November 2022 when she started to experience severe pain and was rushed to A&E. A scan revealed kidney stones which doctors were able to treat successfully.  However, the scan also showed a shadow near her left kidney which was far more serious. It was a 12-inch-deep mass around her adrenal gland at the top of her kidney and a biopsy confirmed she had stage 4 (the most advanced stage) melanoma in December 2022. 

The self-confessed ‘crazy cat lady’, who shares her home with five much-loved moggies, was referred to The Christie. 

“I hadn’t had any symptoms and never take time off sick at work. The pain I had with the kidney stones was unbelievable. Like nothing I’d known before. But in a strange way they saved my life.” Jan explained: “It was good news to be told that they had managed to clear the stones but a real shock to discover I had cancer. My local hospital said they couldn’t remove the tumour as it was too big, so I was referred to The Christie for more specialist treatment.” 

In January 2023 Jan began a course of immunotherapy, which uses the body’s own immune system to fight the cancer. Unfortunately, within weeks her condition worsened, and she developed speech difficulties and weakness on one side of her body. Jan was given the devastating news that she had developed two brain tumours and needed emergency life-saving surgery to remove part of the tumour in the right side of her head. 

Unfortunately a scan in October 2024 found a new growth near Jan’s liver so she was offered the chance to participate in research at the ) at in Manchester. Jan was told in the November she was eligible for DyNAMIc, a clinical trial which aims to improve how well the treatment works for patients whose melanoma can’t be removed by surgery or has spread. 

Jan was prescribed two targeted drugs, encorafenib and binimetinib which is an approved treatment in patients with melanoma. They suppress a protein called BRAF, which causes melanoma cells to survive and grow. Around half of people with melanoma have a BRAF mutation which can become overactive.  

These drugs stop the cancer growing and can shrink the tumour by killing off the cells with the abnormal gene. But the cancer can fight back and develop more changes and become resistant to the treatment. Therefore, a sensitive blood test which precisely measures the amount of circulating DNA from the cancer enabling treatment can be turned on and off as required could be very beneficial to patients. 

Talking about her experience of being on the clinical trial, Jan Smith said: “This has been quite a journey with one thing after another, and my battle with cancer is certainly not over yet.  Despite numerous setbacks and changing treatments, I’ve tried to always stay positive and I’m glad to be benefiting from this trial.

“I am pleased to take part in research. If we don’t try new treatments, then we’ll not get the answers and make the medical advancements we need.”

The DyNAMIc study is open for recruitment with the aim of recruiting 40 participants.  The trial is funded by the Jon Moulton Charity Trust, sponsored by The Christie and run by the Liverpool Clinical Trials Centre.  

According to Cancer Research UK, new treatments for melanoma have improved outcomes in recent years. Around half of people with stage 4 melanoma can now survive for 10 years or more.

Dr Rebecca Lee is a senior lecturer in Medical Oncology at ����Vlog�ٷ� and her post at The Christie is funded by .

Any patients interested in taking part in clinical trials should discuss this option with their consultant or GP. Not all patients will fit the criteria for a specific trial. While clinical trials can be successful for some patients, outcomes can vary from case to case. More information about taking part in clinical trials can be found .

To date, over 2000 patients have consented to be part of the ID LIVER study, with more than 600 assessed in community settings across Greater Manchester over the last year, as part of the . 

This research project is delivered as part of a series of projects that looks to address Greater Manchester’s major diseases for the Advanced Diagnostics Accelerator (ADA), part of the . The Accelerator has been established to rapidly improve the diagnosis and treatment of disease across the 2.8m Greater Manchester population.

Stephanie Landi, Clinical Research Hepatology Fellow at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), said: “ID LIVER is shifting the focus of liver disease care towards early detection and intervention. By bringing liver health assessments directly into communities, we are removing barriers to access and reaching people who might otherwise present much later with advanced disease. We also know that liver disease disproportionally impacts those living in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation, so by targeting these communities, we are ensuring care reaches those who need it the most. Early detection empowers individuals to understand their liver health and make informed decisions before complications develop.”


Health Innovation Manchester met with Tony, aged 68 from Greater Manchester, who attended the Early Detection of Liver Disease (ID LIVER) health check in his locality, following a referral from his General Practitioner (GP). 

Tony decided to act on this referral after meeting the criteria for the screening opportunity and followed up before an appointment was made for him. He explained that he was pleasantly surprised that the health-check was so easily accessible for him:

“An appointment was made for me… I turned up and it was all very pleasant, there was no stress, no worry – I just turned up, did the test which was a scan, and that was it. The opportunity is there and there are people out there who want to help you, it’s all being done to help you. It’s all about you, the patient.

“The thing for me, is that it’s done in my locality, it’s within walking distance… the way this is being done, this is the beauty of it, you’re just there and it’s all about you. It’s intimate really and it makes life easier. If you take the opportunity to get screened and get looked at, you’re cutting out a load of possible aggravation in the future.”

ID Liver participants are benefiting from state-of-the-art Greater Manchester Research Van - operated by MFT. The purpose-built vehicle is unique to the region with the goal of widening opportunities for people to be part of research in easy-to-reach locations, improving the relevance and quality of the research. as well as being more inclusive for members of the public.

Oliver Street, Programme Manager, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Gastroenterology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health at ����Vlog�ٷ�, said: “Early detection and prevention of liver disease is extremely important because often symptoms do not present until the disease is advanced and damage to the liver is irreversible. By identifying and assessing patients at increased risk of liver disease we are supporting patients in receiving the right treatment at the right time and developing improved pathways of care.”

Daniel Zamora, Programme Director – Health Innovation Accelerator at Health Innovation Manchester, said: “This project is another fantastic example of how a targeted approach for early detection and community screening is having a lasting positive impact on the treatment of disease for people across Greater Manchester. Through the Accelerator we’ve now seen a considerable number of patients tested and screened for some of our region’s most prevalent diseases. This work will continue to help us shape how we can identify and treat patients moving forward with the use of innovative solutions across primary, secondary and community care settings

The event is a joint collaboration between the University of Manchester, Athlete’s Journey Home and Drug Science and is supported by the British Association for Psychopharmacology. 

The event will feature world experts in the psychedelics field:  Prof David Nutt from Imperial College London and Prof Sara Tai from ����Vlog�ٷ�. 

Three elite athletes: former professional rugby player, Rory Lamont; former professional ice hockey player, Daniel Carcillo; and former mixed martial artist, Ian McCall will talk about their own healing experiences. 

Organised by Jo Neill Professor of Psychopharmacology, from ����Vlog�ٷ�, the event will explore scientific and real world evidence to show that psychedelic assisted therapy (PAP) may be able to alleviate some harmful effects of trauma in elite athletes. 

Clinical studies, fieldwork and personal accounts from across the world are now finding that PAP can induce neuroplasticity - the ability of the brain to reorganise and make new connections throughout life. 

And that may treat the cognitive decline, early dementia, severe headache and pain which are so common in brain injuries. 

Prof Neill said “This is particularly relevant to elite athletes in sports such as rugby, football, ice hockey, horse riding, mixed martial arts and boxing. 

“In addition to injury, athletes experience emotional trauma from the high pressure environment of competitive sport, and gruelling training regimes, most evident when they leave that sport. 

“B�ܳ� psychedelic assisted therapy is known to reduce the emotional and physical impact of these forms of trauma and is even starting to be used by elite athletes for their mental and physical health in countries where it is legal. 

“PAP is increasingly being recognised as a safe treatment though patients must always adhere to the law, and be well prepared in a very safe setting when taking the psychedelic medicines. They must also receive appropriate and extensive integrative therapy afterwards.” 

The event takes place at the University’s Nancy Rothwell Building on Wednesday 2nd July at 2PM. 

Dr Grace Blest-Hopley and Nige Netzband, experts on Traumatic Brain Injury who work with psychedelics will also speak to the conference. 

Professor Neill added: “While most people find it extremely beneficial and indeed life-changing, PAP can be a very challenging and difficult experience for many. It is not be a medicine to be taken lightly. The treatment paradigm is 1-3 high doses in combination with therapy. Some people may not need to take this treatment again. This is very different from the current approach where people need to take a medicine every day which can have a significant side effect burden. 

“In spite of all the clinical and scientific evidence for their medicinal properties, particularly for disorders where nothing else works, they remain illegal Class A, Schedule 1 drugs in the UK. 

“The law is not evidence based and it enacts the harshest penalties for unlicensed manufacture, possession and supply. 

“Clinicians and scientists who want to conduct research require a controlled drugs licence from the Home Office, an expensive, bureaucratic and extremely time-consuming process. This must change.” 

Tickets available here, free for BAP members.

CurrentBody Skin, one of the three innovative beauty technology brands owned by TBTG, has been at the forefront of home-use beauty technology globally since 2009 and is a pioneer in bringing LED light therapy to the home. CurrentBody Skin’s LED Light Therapy Face Mask uses 236 LEDs to emit the three most clinically recognised wavelengths for anti-ageing: red light, near-infrared and deep near-infrared. The efficacy and safety of the technology is underpinned by hundreds of clinical studies, alongside being endorsed by Doctors, dermatologists and aestheticians.

As awareness for our products grows, so does the desire for both education and science-backed beauty technology solutions. We are therefore investing heavily in clinical research for the future as the beauty technology market increasingly becomes a part of people’s skincare routines.

Home to one of the most active and comprehensive centres for dermatology research in the UK, ����Vlog�ٷ� was an obvious partner for our next clinical study. The 12-week clinical study will commence in September 2025 and will be led by Dr. Abigail Langton, PhD, who has an established record of internationally-recognised original research in the field of skin health and ageing.

The study will see a minimum of 20 healthy adult volunteers use the CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Face Mask Series 2  for 10 minutes, five times per week for a 12-week period. In conjunction with the mask, a bespoke LED device for use on the forearm has been designed and manufactured to the same specification as the face mask. This bespoke device will be used on the volunteers’ forearms for the same duration as the face mask to support the clinical study. Participants will undergo non-invasive assessments of their face at the beginning, the halfway point and at the end of the study. In addition, small forearm skin biopsies will be taken at the start and at the end of the 12-week period.

The results from this new study will deepen our knowledge of our technology even further, leveraging pioneering techniques including biopsies of the skin to assess the extent of skin ageing and repair. It will evaluate the technology’s impact on photoaged skin, which is the result of long-term sun exposure over the years, often characterised by wrinkles, uneven skin tone, and dull appearance. It will focus on the impact on skin health and function on the face and forearm, including measures such as elasticity and hydration, as well as microscopic features of the forearm skin, such as epidermal thickness.

Laurence Newman, CEO of The Beauty Tech Group, commented: “As the use of LED light therapy and other beauty technologies becomes increasingly commonplace in people’s lives, so has the increase in demand for education and proof of results. Unfortunately, imitation products, where the accuracies of wavelengths cannot be proven, have entered the beauty technology market and this is subsequently leading to confusion and misinformation. The need to validate and prove our technology is therefore more important than ever.

“We are addressing these challenges by ensuring each device that we produce can be traced back to its manufacturing to show the exact wavelengths in our CurrentBody Skin LED Face Mask Series 2. Partnering with one of the biggest faculties for skin in the country, and in our home city, will support our continuing journey in expanding the clinical aspect of the use of LED light therapy.

“This partnership not only demonstrates our commitment to leading the way in product design and development, but also shows our commitment to raise the standards across the industry. Most importantly, it aims to ensure that customers purchase high quality aesthetic products that are proven to work and are safe to use. I am proud of the work we are doing to innovate and progress the beauty technology industry, and look forward to publishing the results once the clinical trial is completed.”

Dr. Abigail Langton added: "We’re thrilled to be collaborating with The Beauty Tech Group on this pioneering study into the effects of LED light therapy on skin ageing. By harnessing cutting-edge technology and combining it with our expertise in dermatological science, we have a unique opportunity to uncover how targeted light wavelengths influence the biology of photoaged skin. This research will generate powerful new insights into skin structure and function, helping to shape the future of science-backed, at-home skin treatments."

The White Paper takes recommendations from research carried out by University of Manchester researchers based at the Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness (ManCAD), funded by the Alzheimer’s Society and supported by the  National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre.

They found that unaddressed hearing loss is highly prevalent in care homes, impacting on residents’ quality of life.

The research identified several barriers relating to caregivers’ knowledge of hearing loss and opportunities for care homes to work with audiologists. Unclear responsibilities relating to hearing care and residents’ difficulties adapting to, or being comfortable wearing, hearing aids were also identified.

Titled “Hearing Loss in Care Homes – A Call to Action”, the paper brings together nearly a decade of practical experience from Engage’s work across over 35 care homes, alongside extensive research and insights from Nightingale Hammerson, where the Engage project has been running for over three years.

With at least 80% of residents in older people’s care homes living with hearing loss, the paper highlights the widespread impact of unaddressed hearing needs – from increased risks of dementia and falls, to social isolation, depression, and avoidable distress.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said: “Hearing loss has long been overlooked in care settings, despite its profound impact on wellbeing, safety, and social connection. This white paper, developed jointly with Engage and Nightingale Hammerson, is a timely and vital resource for the sector. It provides practical, evidence-based recommendations that care providers can implement to deliver more compassionate, inclusive and effective care.”

The paper sets out a comprehensive set of evidence-informed recommendations including:

• Conducting environmental audits to reduce noise and improve lighting;
• Implementing clear protocols for hearing aid support and maintenance;
• Providing experiential hearing loss training for staff;
• Appointing Hearing Loss Champions to embed best practice;
• Ensuring access to personal amplifiers when hearing aids are not tolerated or unavailable;
• Improving access to audiology services and earwax removal;
• Supporting residents and families to explore and use assistive hearing technologies;
• Embedding person-centred communication, particularly for people living with dementia.

Dr Hannah Cross, Research Associate, Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness (ManCAD) at ����Vlog�ٷ�, said: “Hearing care that is personalised, provided consistently and dementia appropriate can make huge changes to residents’ quality of life, wellbeing, independence and functioning.

"Meeting the hearing needs of care home residents with dementia is vital in maintaining their communication abilities, independence, and quality-of-life. 

"My PhD work outlined just how complex providing hearing care can be and how much needs to change. This White Paper will help to guide care homes in supporting their residents, and boost the priority of hearing loss within Social Care policy and regulation.”

Padraic Garrett, Head of Engage and Andrew Goodwin, Service Manager for Engage, said: “When residents with hearing loss are not adequately supported, it leads to increased anxiety, depression, and social isolation, with higher risks to physical health issues including falls. From our many years of successfully collaborating with homes, our motivation for this Paper is to share what we have found works to address the suffering of residents with hearing loss.”

Nuno Santos Lopes, Director of Research and Innovation at Nightingale Hammerson, added: “Hearing loss is common to the vast majority of older people with care needs and the levels of knowledge of the care givers remains very low. From creating the right environment to get staff, managers and relatives knowledgeable about how to engage with someone with hearing loss, there is a lot of work to do and this document works as an easy to access guidance to help improving the hearing care standards.”

The paper not only outlines an ethical and clinical imperative but also makes a compelling financial case: improved hearing care can reduce falls, mitigate cognitive decline, and enhance resident and staff wellbeing—ultimately supporting occupancy, reputation, and staff retention.

Care England urges all care providers to read the paper and implement its recommendations, using it as a foundation for improving practice and a platform to advocate for better audiology provision within local health systems.

Triangle CERSI is one of five Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-funded centres across the US, designed to promote innovation in regulatory science and accelerate access to complex emerging technologies. Located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, Triangle CERSI is a partnership between University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University, in collaboration with North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University, and the Burroughs Welcome Fund.

UK CEiRSI, jointly funded by InnovateUK and the Medical Research Council (MRC), operates under the leadership of the Christabel Pankhurst Institute in partnership with Unit M. This pioneering consortium has established a comprehensive national network that unites elite academic institutions—including University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University College London (UCL), University of Edinburgh, University of Strathclyde, Queens University of Belfast and Swansea University—with key regulatory bodies such as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Health Research Authority (HRA). With participation from 85 additional national and international stakeholders spanning academia, industry, and regulatory affairs, UK CEiRSI represents an unprecedented collaborative effort to integrate robust in-silico evidence into medical product development and regulatory decision-making pathways.

Professor Alejandro Frangi, Executive Director of UK CEiRSI, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration: “This partnership represents a strategic milestone in global regulatory harmonisation. Triangle CERSI's pioneering work in virtual imaging trials and pharmaceutical regulatory science perfectly complements our comprehensive in silico capabilities across drugs and medical devices. By synchronising our regulatory approaches across continents, we're not simply sharing knowledge—we're building a unified scientific foundation that will accelerate innovation, reduce redundancy, and ultimately deliver safer, more effective medical technologies to patients worldwide. Together, we're transforming regulatory barriers into bridges.”

Christin Daniels, Executive Director of Triangle CERSI, highlighted the importance of the partnership: "Partnering with UK CEiRSI creates a synergistic alliance to modernize regulatory science. Ensuring faster, safer solutions for patients worldwide requires a unified regulatory language. By combining Triangle CERSI’s expertise in pharmaceutical evaluation and safety, clinical trial optimization, in silico models and other New Approach Methodologies with UK CEiRSI’s impressive national network focused on comprehensive in silico technologies, we aim to close the gap between the pace of innovation and speed of adoption along the regulatory pathway on both sides of the Atlantic."

The MOU sets the stage for a series of joint initiatives, including workshops, training programs, and collaborative research projects. These efforts will not only advance regulatory science but also contribute to the development of a skilled workforce capable of navigating the complexities of modern healthcare. 

• "In-Silico"  is a term used to describe experiments or studies that are performed using computer simulations or software. 
• For more information visit: UK CEiRSI LinkedIn ; UK CEiRSI ;  InSilicoUK ; UK CEiRSI | InSilicoUK ; In Silico Trials, Real Impact! ; Triangle CERSI

The fellowship is the College’s highest award for non-GPs and previous fellows include Sir Chris Whitty, Sir Michael Marmot, three former presidents of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the TV chef Jamie Oliver. 

 Nav who is also Director of the UK’s National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust said: 

“I’m delighted to be awarded the Fellowship.  At medical school I only really considered two career paths – psychiatry and general practice – and it could have gone either way!  So to be recognised by the Royal College of General Practitioners feels really special.  I’m very grateful to them and the people who nominated me.  

“I would like to thank all my colleagues, patients, carers and others who have helped with our research.  I also want to thank my family, especially my big brother Sanj, a fantastic GP who retired recently and without whom I would never have become a doctor.” 

The fellowship means that Nav now has the letters FRCGP (Hon)’ after his name. 

The citation for the Fellowship from the Royal College of General Practitioners highlighted Nav’s world leading suicide prevention research as well as his work for NICE, the UK Department of Health, and health services.  

The citation went on to say: “All of his research has had a clinical real-world focus and much of it is relevant to primary care. His work has identified suicide prevention as a core safety responsibility of health and social care services.  He has been a long-standing friend of general practice and his work has most certainly led to enhanced GP care for people presenting with mental health concerns”

The University tops both the global league table of publications and citations at 177 and 12,313 respectively. 

The output was predominantly driven by Professor David Denning from The Manchester Fungal Infection Group (MFIG) at the ����Vlog�ٷ�, the most published and most cited author at 89 papers and 9850 citations.

 He was followed by Thomas J. Walsh from the United States at 72 papers and 6,036 citations, and Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis also from the United States ranking third at 66 papers, 6404 citations. 

Invasive aspergillosis a potentially lethal infection, usually of the lungs, is thought to affect over 2 million people each year. 

According Professor David Denning, one of the world’s leading experts on fungal disease, global outcomes for patients with invasive aspergillosis have improved markedly in recent years.

The success, he argues, is partly down to the huge amount of research activity devoted to the topic in Manchester and at centres across the globe. Professor Mike Bromley, Head of MFIG said: “We have made significant inroads to improving outcomes for patients suffering from the devastating diseases caused by Aspergillus, but much more needs to be done.”

MFIG have recently worked with the WHO to highlight the need for additional efforts in antifungal drug and

However the disease still has a high mortality rate, particularly in immunocompromised people and those in intensive care, who can experience severe complications including bleeding and spread from the lungs to the brain.

Professor Denning said: ‘Since I first encountered invasive aspergillosis as a trainee doctor in the mid 1980’s when it was poorly understood, my clinical and research focus has been focussed on improving what was then a dismal outcome for these patients.

“Great strides in both diagnosis and treatment have been made since 2002, with what was almost a universally fatal disease before the millennium to around 30% in the best performing hospitals.

“The improvement is down to major studies, agreed diagnostic criteria and application of accepted guidelines for caring for patients.

“However there continues to be a desperate need to build on these gains in every hospital globally so we can continue to improve the outlook for these often complex and vulnerable patients.

“Working with major pharmaceutical companies on the clinical development of key antifungal drugs voriconazole, caspofungin, and micafungin and the preclinical development of anidulafungin, posaconazole and isavuconazole has been an extraordinary journey.”

The figure of 177 papers dwarfs the others in the top 4:  Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands published 92 papers, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston 90 papers, and the University of Texas 81 papers.

This research is supported by three major units at ����Vlog�ٷ�:  the Manchester Fungal Infection Group (MFIG), the National Aspergillosis Centre and the Manchester Mycology Reference Centre.

MFIG has recently been awarded some significant research grants: Prof Bromley, Dr Bertuzzi and Dr Bottery of MFIG have recently received 3 awards, totalling over £2 million from the Wellcome Trust to explore new ways of combatting fungal infection.

Professor Turajlic has been an independent research group leader at the Francis Crick Institute since 2019 and is a consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. She is expected to take up her new position in September 2025.

Welcoming the appointment, Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “Professor Turajlic is an outstanding clinician scientist with a remarkable track record in cancer research.

“Her leadership will enable the Manchester Institute to continue to grow as a place where world-class clinicians and scientists work alongside one another to better understand the fundamentals of cancer and apply that knowledge to transform cancer treatment in the future.” 

Professor Turajlic’s work spans basic, translational and cancer research, and she has led numerous pioneering studies that have significantly advanced our understanding of cancer biology and treatment.

Her work on the TRACERx Melanoma and TRACERx Renal projects has provided groundbreaking insights into the genomic signatures of cancer progression and the response and resistance to targeted therapies. Such studies are pivotal in understanding how we bring new therapies from the lab to the clinic and how we tailor personalised treatment plans for cancer patients, improving outcomes and quality of life.

Since 2024, Professor Turajlic has led the UK consortium MANIFEST, which aims to understand how patients respond to immunotherapy, making treatments both safer and more effective – a major unmet scientific and clinical need.

Research at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute spans the spectrum of cancer research, including tumour-host interactions, microenvironment, biophysical regulation of tumour function, genetic and non-genetic drivers of tumour evolution, and response to therapy. 

Professor Turajlic said: “I’m honoured to be taking on the role of Director of the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute and look forward to working alongside such a talented community of scientists and clinicians.

“Together with its partners, the institute is poised to deliver transformational cancer research in the coming years. I am excited to lead the institute in its mission to deliver for people with cancer.”

Professor Turajlic’s contributions to the field have been recognised with numerous awards, including the ESMO Society Award for Translational Research for her work in cancer science and translational medicine. She received the UK COVID Cancer Pandemic Prize for her work on cancer and COVID-19, which informed health policy for patients. In 2018, Professor Turajlic was named as one of the “50 Movers and Shakers in BioBusiness” by life sciences network BioBeat. [HP4] 

It's an exciting moment to join the institute less than 12 months on from the official opening of the state-of-the-art new Paterson Building.  Located in Withington, South Manchester, the site hosts 700 researchers, clinicians, and operations staff, and directly connects a research facility with The Christie, one of Europe’s largest cancer hospitals. It houses the facilities and expertise to be one of the world’s leading comprehensive cancer centres, helping scientists get new treatments from bench to bedside.

Professor Turajlic will take over from Professor Caroline Dive, who has been interim director for four years, providing exceptional scientific leadership during the pandemic and the move to the Paterson Building. Professor Dive continues as director of the Cancer Research UK National Biomarker Centre and co-lead of the Cancer Research UK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence, supported by ScottishPower. 

President and Vice-Chancellor of ����Vlog�ٷ�, Duncan Ivison, said: “It is fitting that the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, a world-leading cancer research centre focusing on a wide range of research areas from basic science to clinical trials, is to be led by a world-leading clinician scientist , Professor Samra Turajlic.

“Professor Turajlic’s contributions to the study of cancer have been recognised around the world and I am delighted to welcome her to the Manchester family.”

Chief Executive of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Roger Spencer, said: “We are very excited to welcome Samra Turajlic at this significant moment in our history as we embark on a new era of cancer research in the Paterson Building.

“I know Samra’s outstanding leadership and expertise will benefit the unique collaboration of Manchester’s ‘Team Science’ and keep our city at the forefront of new innovations in cancer treatment, bringing therapies from the bench to the bedside to benefit our patients now and in the future.”

The research, which included more than 270,000 people, found no such link between asthma and working nightshifts in men.

The study was by Dr Robert Maidstone from the University of Manchester, UK, and colleagues. He said: “Asthma disproportionately affects women. Women generally have more severe asthma, and higher rate of hospitalisation and death from asthma compared to men.

“In our previous research we found a higher risk of moderate or severe asthma in nightshift workers, so we wanted to see whether there were further differences between the sexes.”

The researchers used data from the UK Biobank. They included a total of 274,541 working people and found that 5.3% of these had asthma, with 1.9% suffering with moderate or severe asthma (meaning they were taking an asthma preventer inhaler and at least one other asthma treatment, such as an oral steroid). They categorised these people according to whether they worked only during the day, only nightshifts, or a combination of the two.

Their analysis revealed that, overall, women who work shifts are more likely to have asthma. Women who only work nightshifts are around 50% more likely to suffer with moderate or severe asthma compared to women who only work in the daytime.

The risk of asthma in men did not alter according to whether they worked days or nights.

Dr Maidstone said: “This is the first study to evaluate sex differences in the relationship between shift work and asthma. We found that permanent night shift-workers had higher odds of moderate-severe asthma when compared to corresponding day workers.

“This type of research cannot explain why shift work and asthma are linked; however, it could be because shift work disrupts the body clock, including the levels of male and female sex hormones. High testosterone has previously been shown to be protective against asthma, and so lower testosterone in women could play a role. Alternatively, men and women work different types of shift jobs, and this could be a factor.”

In postmenopausal women, the risk of moderate or severe asthma was almost doubled in night workers, compared to day workers, in those not taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Dr Maidstone added: “Our results suggest that HRT might be protective against asthma for nightshift workers, however further research is needed to test this hypothesis in prospective studies and randomised controlled trials.”

The researchers plan to study whether sex hormones play a role in the relationship between shift work and asthma by using data from the UK Biobank and from Our Future Health, a new health research programme in the UK population. 

Professor Florence Schleich from the European Respiratory Society’s expert group on airway diseases, asthma, COPD and chronic cough, based at the University of Liège, Belgium, and was not involved in the research. She said: “Asthma is a common, long- term condition that affects millions of people worldwide. We know that women are more likely to have asthma, to have worse asthma and more likely to die from asthma, but we do not fully understand why.

“This research suggests that working nightshifts could be a risk factor for asthma in women, but not in men. The majority of workers will not have an easy option of switching their shift pattern, so we need further research to verify and understand this link and find out what could be done to reduce the risk for women who work shifts.”

Maidstone RJ, Ray DW, Liu J, et al. Increased risk of asthma in female night shift workers. ERJ Open Res 2025; in press .

The report is the first to analyse the impact of the Government’s 2019 drive to increase the numbers of these workers, who connect patients to activities and support in their communities which boost health and well-being.

The 2019 NHS Long-term Plan pledged NHS England funding to provide 1,000 trained social prescribing link workers in place by the end of 2021 - and to ensure that every patient in England could access the service by 2022.

This National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded study - led by researchers from ����Vlog�ٷ� and co-authored with the University of Edinburgh, Newcastle University and University of Bristol- indicates that the scheme has led to improved outcomes and experience of and or both patients with long-term conditions and mental health needs. However, researchers were unable to pinpoint any noteworthy impact on loneliness and isolation.

The study combined administrative workforce data and information from the General Practice Patient Survey between 2018 and 2023, which includes more than 4.1million responses in total. It calculated the impact of adding one full-time equivalent (FTE) link worker per 50,000 patients to assess whether the NHS’ aims for the rollout were fulfilled. The outcomes from the survey assessed for this study were:

o   Increasing the patient’s confidence in managing their long-term condition

o   Making them feel more supported by local services and organisations

o   Making them feel less isolated from others

o   Improving their experience with their GP

o   An increased feeling that their mental health needs were understood

The study found that for those with one or more long term conditions, patient confidence in managing their long-term condition increased, as well as feeling more supported by local services and in their overall experience with general practice.

Similar improvements were seen for those with mental health needs and in feeling that their needs were understood. However, no evidence of benefit was found for those experiencing loneliness and social isolation.

The results indicate that an increase in social prescribing provision has had a positive effect on the population level. While the figures appear low, only 3.2% of the registered GP population had actually been referred to a social prescribing service by March 2023, so being able to detect an impact of this size at the population level is “clinically significant”.

The researchers estimated the population effects, and the findings suggest that an additional FTE social prescribing link worker per 50,000 population in all Primary Care Networks (PCNs)  - which equates to approximately one extra link worker per average PCN - was associated with an increase nationally in approximately 47,000 people reporting confidence in managing their long-term conditions and 132,000 people reporting having had a good GP experience.

However, the authors suggest that more work needs to be done to establish whether the rollout has any impact on use of hospital services, and whether there has been an impact on known health inequalities.

They also note that the initiative cost the NHS an estimated £130million in 2022/23, without taking onward referral costs into account. They conclude that further research is required to determine “whether the scheme is financially sustainable as a whole”.

, Professor of Implementation Science at ����Vlog�ٷ�, said: “The Government’s plan to increase the provision of social prescribing was an attempt to tackle crucial challenges, including helping patients feel more supported, empowered, and positive about the health services available to them.

“As such, it is important that studies such as this exist, to assess whether initiatives have the desired effect, and that they provide the right assistance to people who are most in need of care and connection.

“Our results indicate that the Government’s focus on link worker provision has had a positive effect, and that social prescribing can help patients feel more supported by healthcare services and professionals.

“However, we would welcome future research into the sustainability and cost-efficiency of the scheme, particularly when more is known about its full cost including referrals.”

, Research Fellow in Health Economics at ����Vlog�ٷ�, said: “This report provides useful food for thought for policymakers assessing this scheme, and other similar initiatives designed to improve the health of the country.

“Considering the service has been used by a relatively small percentage of the population, the results seem to indicate that social prescribing has a notable effect on a patient’s GP experience and their sense that their needs are understood.

“However, there is still much work to do before we can determine the impact and sustainability of schemes such as this one. There is definite scope for future studies which determine whether such referrals have an effect on unplanned hospital admissions, and whether the current approach offers the best possible care for the country at an optimal cost.”

Charlotte Osborn-Forde, Chief Executive of the National Academy for Social Prescribing, said: “This is an important and groundbreaking piece of research. There is already a wide range of evidence demonstrating that social prescribing is highly impactful and can save the NHS money, but this is the first time research has been published showing statistically significant improvements for the whole population. It’s simple: the more Link Workers that are employed, the more likely it is that patients are able to manage their own health, and have a good experience of their GP. 

“This is because Link Workers get to know patients, supporting them step by step to access local services, tackling issues like housing, debt, food or fuel poverty, loneliness and unemployment - the issues that matter to people and can have a big impact on our health. This vital research further supports the case for the expansion of social prescribing in the NHS so that is available to more patients who could benefit.”

The full study - entitled ‘Impact of the rollout of the national social prescribing link worker programme on population outcomes: evidence from a repeated cross-sectional survey’ has been published in The British Journal of General Practice. You can read the report and its results here:

The study is published today (Wednesday) in ERJ Open Research [1]. Carbon can enter the lungs via cigarette smoke, diesel exhaust and polluted air.

The cells, called alveolar macrophages, normally protect the body by engulfing any particles or bacteria that reach the lungs. But, in their new study, researchers found that when these cells are exposed to carbon they grow larger and encourage inflammation.

The research was led by and from ����Vlog�ٷ�, UK, and funded by the North West Lung Centre Charity and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).

Dr Baker, Research Associate within the NIHR Manchester BRC’s Respiratory Theme said: “COPD is a complex disease that has a number of environmental and genetic risk factors. One factor is exposure to carbon from smoking or breathing polluted air.

“We wanted to study what happens in the lungs of COPD patients when this carbon builds up in alveolar macrophage cells, as this may influence the cells’ ability to protect the lungs.”

The researchers used samples of lung tissue from surgery for suspected lung cancer. They studied samples (that did not contain any cancer cells) from 28 people who had COPD and 15 people who were smokers but did not have COPD.

Looking specifically at alveolar macrophage cells under a microscope, the researchers measured the sizes of the cells and the amount of carbon accumulated in the cells.

They found that the average amount of carbon was more than three times greater in alveolar macrophage cells from COPD patients compared to smokers. Cells containing carbon were consistently larger than cells with no visible carbon.

Patients with larger deposits of carbon in their alveolar macrophages had worse lung function, according to a measure called FEV1%, which quantifies how much and how forcefully patients can breathe out.

When the researchers exposed macrophages to carbon particles in the lab, they saw the cells become much larger and found that they were producing higher levels of proteins that lead to inflammation.

Dr Lea, Investigator within the NIHR Manchester BRC’s Respiratory Theme said: “As we compared cells from COPD patients with cells from smokers, we can see that this build-up of carbon is not a direct result of cigarette smoking. Instead, we show alveolar macrophages in COPD patients contain more carbon and are inherently different in terms of their form and function compared to those in smokers.

“Our research raises an interesting question as to the cause of the increased levels of carbon in COPD patients’ macrophages. It could be that people with COPD are less able to clear the carbon they breathe in. It could also be that people exposed to more particulate matter are accumulating this carbon and developing COPD as a result.

“In future, it would be interesting to study how this carbon builds up and how lung cells respond over a longer period of time.” 

Professor Fabio Ricciardolo is Chair of the European Respiratory Society’s group on monitoring airway disease, based at the University of Torino, Italy, and was not involved in the research. He said: “This set of experiments suggest that people with COPD accumulate unusually large amounts of carbon in the cells of their lungs. This build-up seems to be altering those cells, potentially causing inflammation in the lungs and leading to worse lung function.

“In addition, this research offers some clues about why polluted air might cause or worsen COPD. However, we know that smoking and air pollution are risk factors for COPD and other lung conditions, so we need to reduce levels of pollution in the air we breathe and we need to help people to quit smoking.”

[1] Baker J, Booth S, Dungwa J, et al. Alveolar macrophage carbon is associated with COPD severity. ERJ Open Res 2025; in press (https://doi.org/10.1183/23120541.00933-2024).

The paper is available here: 

Funding: the North West Lung Centre Charity and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).

The charity Versus Arthritis has awarded £3m to bring world-leading experts from five UK universities together to accelerate clinical epidemiology research, which will help answer pressing questions from those living with arthritis. 

Professor Kimme Hyrich, Director of ����Vlog�ٷ� Centre for Musculoskeletal Research will co-lead the consortium with Professor Christian Mallen, Executive Dean and Professor of General Practice and Public Health at Keele University. 

Professor Hyrich, a leading clinical epidemiologist and consultant rheumatologist, highlights the advantages of team science in epidemiological research: “This award represents an exciting step-change in the way musculoskeletal epidemiology research is conducted in the UK, breaking down traditional research siloes and uniting minds, data and expertise to generate the evidence needed to support people living with arthritis and other painful musculoskeletal conditions."  

The new research consortium is part of the charity’s drive to harness ‘team science’ to better understand the causes and risk factors for arthritis and improve treatment options. Epidemiology – the study of how diseases occur in different people and why - is critical to designing better and targeted interventions using data.   

The consortium, made up of experts from the Universities of Manchester, Keele, Oxford, Nottingham and Aberdeen, aims to close five gaps in our understanding of the debilitating disease and related conditions. They will consider menopause in relation to musculoskeletal health, inequalities in access to care, risks of long-term pain medications and determine the optimum levels of monitoring for those receiving immune drugs.  The researchers will also aim to identify those at higher risk of chronic pain sooner, given painful musculoskeletal conditions often begin in childhood. This holds the potential to explore ways to prevent or reduce persistent pain.  

Lucy Donaldson, Director of Research at Versus Arthritis, said: “The Versus Arthritis Research Consortium: Musculoskeletal Epidemiology - Better lives, Safer journey is a major step forward in tackling the everyday realities faced by people living with arthritis and other painful musculoskeletal conditions.  

“This consortium will bring together leading researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience from across the UK in a team science approach. Their aim - to find real, practical solutions to the problems faced by people with arthritis.”  

The consortium will employ cutting edge analysis techniques on existing datasets to fill the identified gaps in our knowledge of arthritis and MSK conditions. Its findings will help to arm those living with arthritis to have informed conversations with clinicians about their care. It will also seek to improve clinical practice and policy around diagnosis, prevention and treatment.  

Professor Mallen, Keele University, said: "The new Versus Arthritis Research Consortium is an exciting new programme that will have a major impact on the lives of people living with painful conditions by uniting world-leading clinicians, academics, patients and policy makers.  

“It is a privilege to co-lead the consortium with Professor Hyrich and having strong representation from Keele University highlights the importance of primary care in improving outcomes for people living with arthritis and chronic musculoskeletal pain." 

The results will be shared through a broad range of partners including government, the NHS, clinicians and patient networks.  

More than 20 million people, of all ages, in the UK have problems with their joints, bones and muscles, which cause pain and impact all aspects of life including work and school.  

The Versus Arthritis Research Consortium: Musculoskeletal Epidemiology - Better lives, Safer journey is the first of six consortia to be announced by Versus Arthritis which is awarding £18 million of funding to this initiative over the next three years. 

The new Fellows have been recognised for their remarkable contributions to advancing medical science, groundbreaking research discoveries and translating developments into benefits for patients and the wider public. Their work exemplifies the Academy’s mission to create an open and progressive research sector that improves health for everyone.

The expertise of Fellows elected spans a wide range of clinical and non-clinical disciplines, from infectious disease and stem cell biology to veterinary medicine and dementia research. They join an esteemed Fellowship of 1,450 researchers who are at the heart of the Academy’s work, which includes nurturing the next generation of scientists and shaping research and health policy in the UK and worldwide.

This year’s cohort reflects the Academy’s ongoing commitment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion within its Fellowship. Among the new Fellows, 41% are women – matching last year’s intake. Black, Asian and minority ethnic representation has reached 20% as the Academy continues working on improving the diversity of its Fellowship.

Professor Abel joins the Fellowship following groundbreaking research on the effects of maternal condition and fetal environment on offspring outcomes, with a particular focus on children living with parental mental illness, who face multiple disadvantages. In this growing group of children at risk, her work highlights when, and in which children, interventions are most likely to improve outcomes. This allows policy makers and service planners to optimise the value of limited resources for a growing population in need.

She said: “Nearly half of UK children will experience a parent with significant mental illness by the age of 16 and, as a result, will have worse physical and mental health, lower educational attainment and reduced quality of life. We can now harness the UK’s fantastic data resources and, along with novel imaging and clinical prediction models, support families most in need in this growing at-risk group. I am truly delighted to be elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences – a uniquely effective platform through which I can continue to advocate for this vulnerable and hidden group of children.”

Professor Tony Day, a member of the Manchester Cell-Matrix Centre, is a world leader on glycosaminoglycan-protein interactions, which he has explored in the context of both physiological and inflammatory processes. For example, Tony has pioneered research on proteins that bind the polysaccharide hyaluronan, a central component of the mammalian extracellular matrix. Tony’s work has provided insights into the molecular basis of cumulus expansion, a process essential for ovulation, including the biochemistry of how the TSG-6 protein mediates the covalent modification of hyaluronan to form ‘HC•HA’ complexes. Formation of these complexes also represents a novel pathway in inflammation, with important implications for ongoing work by Tony and colleagues on virus/parasite-induced lung pathologies.

Underpinned by his 30 years of research on TSG-6, Tony has developed a biological drug, ‘Link_TSG6’, that has wide applicability for inflammatory and tissue-degenerative diseases. To take this forward, he co-founded Link Biologics, a University of Manchester spin out company that is developing treatments for dry eye disease and osteoarthritis, conditions that each affect ~350 of million individuals worldwide.

Professor Day said: "I am absolutely delighted to be elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and get recognition for my team’s research in the fields of matrix and glycosaminoglycan biology”.

Professor Matt Sutton is an internationally-renowned health economist at the forefront of providing real-time, economic evidence to inform critical health policy choices. He has produced a body of highly-influential and practical work on payment methods and financial incentives in health care. He shows how these can improve the quality of care given to patients, increase system efficiency and reduce inequalities, but may also have unintended consequences.

He has demonstrated socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities are pervasive even in a national universal coverage system like the NHS and has helped improve fairness in the health sector across the United Kingdom by leading multiple reviews of the formulae used to direct additional resources to the areas of highest need. 

Professor Sutton works closely with policy advisors and analysts in national organisations to ensure research reaches decision-makers. At critical points in policymaking, he produced evidence to challenge the presumption that the “weekend effect” in hospital mortality was caused by inadequate staffing, generated real-time findings on the effectiveness of the COVID vaccination programme, and demonstrated the effectiveness of the national diabetes prevention programme.

He said:  “Being elected a Fellow is great honour as it is a one of the highest recognitions of excellence in the field of biomedical and health research in the UK.  It will be  a crucial aid in contributing to  national health policy discussions and provide  a platform to influence decisions that shape healthcare.”

Professor Andrew Morris CBE FRSE PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: “It is a privilege to welcome these 54 exceptional scientists to our Fellowship. Each new Fellow brings unique expertise and perspective to addressing the most significant health challenges facing society.

“The breadth of disciplines represented in this year’s cohort – from mental health and infectious disease to cancer biology and respiratory medicine – reflects the rich diversity of medical science today. Their election comes at a crucial time when scientific excellence and collaboration across disciplines are essential for addressing global health challenges both now and in the future. We look forward to working with them to advance biomedical research and create an environment where the best science can flourish for the benefit of people everywhere.”

The new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy at a ceremony on Wednesday 9 July 2025.

Officially known as Leader in Openness, the award, which needs to be renewed every three years, is given by Understanding Animal Research, a key body which promotes understanding of the humane use of animals in medical, veterinary, scientific and environmental research in the UK.

'Leaders in Openness' status - first awarded to Manchester six years ago - recognises organisations who dedicate significant resources to embedding best practice throughout their organisation, ensuring that transparency is not just an aspiration but a reality at every level.

The University's Biological Services Facility has long been a leading university for openness about the work it carries out with animals - which includes mice, rats, frogs, fish and sheep.

Manchester was one of the original signatures of the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research, a set of four commitments to help organisations which carry out animal research to communicate openly about their work and the reasons why they do it.

 Dr Maria Kamper Biological Services Facility Director at ����Vlog�ٷ� said: "The University's commitment to the Concordat on Openness in Animal Research drives our transparency in animal studies. 

"With just a few clicks, the public can access details about our research methods, animal species, numbers, and ethical frameworks. We offer virtual tours, participate in science fairs, and host various public events. School groups, journalists, and community members also regularly visit our facilities. 

"This recognition of the efforts of the BSF staff is gratifying, and we enthusiastically pledge to continue advancing this important transparency agenda."

It has been shown that greater openness on how and why animals are used enables the public to consider both the potential benefits and the ethical considerations, fostering informed discussion and trust.

Hannah Hobson, Head of Communications and Engagement at Understanding Animal Research said: "Each year, the Concordat recognises institutions that consistently meet the highest standards for openness and transparency in their animal research communications. These organisations excel in internal communications, public-facing websites, social media, media engagement, and public outreach, setting a benchmark for the sector and leading by example.

"For 2025–2028, a select group of research organisations has once again demonstrated outstanding commitment in all these areas, earning the 'Leaders in Openness' title for three years. This recognition reflects the energy, thoughtfulness, and courage they show in making information about animal research accessible and understandable to the public on a subject that is often complex and misunderstood."

• For more details about leader in openness, visit the website
• If you have any questions about animal research at Manchester, email animal research communications lead Mike Addelman and Communications and 3Rs manager at the BSF Dr Jo Stanley  at animal.research@manchester.ac.uk

New analysis from Health Equity North, Newcastle University, and the University of Manchester has shown that availability of community pharmacy services in England has reduced, particularly in deprived areas.

Researchers investigated how access to community pharmacies changed from 2014 to 2023, examining relationships between pharmacy availability and factors such as how urban the area is, and socioeconomic deprivation.

In England, more than 90% of people live within a 20-minute walk of a community pharmacy. However, overall availability of pharmacies has decreased with the number dropping from 1.6 pharmacies per 10,000 people to 1.5. The most deprived areas were 65% more likely to lose a pharmacy compared to the least deprived areas.

Pharmacies are an important part of the healthcare system and are well placed to reach those most in need. They deliver a range of public health and clinical services, such as smoking cessation advice and support, emergency hormonal contraception, hypertension screening and ‘flu’ vaccination programmes.

Recent funding cuts and closures of community pharmacies prompted health inequalities researchers to explore whether the ‘positive pharmacy care law’ – which means people in more deprived areas have better access to pharmacies - is still in operation, and the implications of this on commissioning of future services.

It found that the positive pharmacy care law remains in place but has eroded over time. Pharmacy availability is decreasing, especially in poorer areas, meaning more people must rely on each remaining pharmacy.

The research team says that due to the nature to the NHS Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework in England and the tiered levels of services, “there is potential that there will be less capacity to provide the additional enhanced clinical services for community pharmacies located in the most deprived areas”.

The study showed:

• In 2014, the most deprived areas had 2.28 pharmacies per 10,000 people compared to 1.37 per 10,000 people in the least deprived areas; by 2023, this dropped to 2.01 and 1.33 per 10,000 people, respectively.
• The decline in pharmacy availability per 10,000 people was most severe in the most deprived areas (-0.27 per 10,000 people or an 11.8% reduction between 2014 and 2023)
• Urban areas experienced a significant decline in pharmacy availability - an 8.2% reduction (from 1.81 to 1.66 pharmacies per 10,000 people) between 2014 and 2023.

The academics behind the analysis say reinvestment in the community pharmacy network will help address challenges within the sector and reduce inequalities in access to health care.

Lead author Eman Zied Abozied, Research Associate at Newcastle University, said: “Pharmacies are one of the only healthcare options available on the high street where people can be seen without an appointment. They play an important role in helping people access the care they need, especially in the most disadvantaged areas where there might be fewer GPs. Funding cuts across the sector have seen many community pharmacies close, which could fuel inequalities in healthcare access.

“While it is encouraging that our analysis shows that most people still live close to a pharmacy, the reduction in the number of community pharmacies is a cause for concern. Pharmacies are serving a higher number of people, with the biggest decline in availability in communities that have the greatest health needs, leading to immense pressure on services and staff. Pharmacies in the most disadvantaged areas may not be able to offer the full range of clinical services due to funding cuts and staffing pressures.

“If community pharmacies are required to deliver more clinical services to support other primary care organisations, it is important that they have the appropriate funding to be able to achieve this.”

Dr Luke Munford, Health Equity North Academic Co-Director and Senior Lecturer in Health Economics at ����Vlog�ٷ�, said: “There needs to be more investment in community pharmacies if they are to effectively deliver the vital public health services they provide to people across England. Our study shows that more pressure is being placed on pharmacies with this being felt more keenly in deprived communities where health outcomes tend to be worse. 

“The implications of inaction could see less capacity to provide much need services to those most in need and further widening of existing health inequalities.” 

The study has been published in BMJ Open. Read the full paper - "The Positive Pharmacy Care Law Revisited: an area-level analysis of the relationship between community pharmacy distribution, urbanity and deprivation in England"

The  groundbreaking research, led by Dr Matthew J. Kibble, used a state-of-the-art 3D printing technique called bioprinting to replicate the complex structure and environment of human spinal discs. 

In a study published in the journal today, they reveal tissue stiffness and oxygen levels significantly impact the production of vital biological materials, including collagen and hyaluronic acid, by human disc cells. 

The insights could ultimately lead to new treatments for back pain, a condition affecting hundreds of millions of people across the world. 

Bioprinting is a cutting-edge technique that uses living cells and biological materials to create complex 3D structures that accurately mimic the structure of human organs. 

The new bioprinted discs will allow scientists to study how different conditions affect disc cell behaviour and contribute to tissue degeneration and back pain.

Most bioprinters work in a similar way to plastic 3D printers, extruding material through a nozzle under pressure to build structures.

However, rather than printing plastic, bioprinters use cells and gel-like inks made from cell-friendly materials such as collagen, cellulose or gelatin.

The scientists prepared the cells and materials needed for bioprinting and designed a digital model of a human spinal disc. For this study, the bioprinted discs were made from gels containing collagen combined with alginate, a protein derived from seaweed.

They used state-of-the-art 3D bioprinters capable of depositing multiple types of cells and materials, layer-by-layer, to create sophisticated models where the different biological, chemical, and mechanical characteristics of the human disc could be modelled.

The bioprinted tissues were then stored in controlled conditions so they could grow, mature, and develop their biological functions.

Dr Stephen M. Richardson, from ����Vlog�ٷ�, corresponding author of the study said: “This work represents a step towards the automated creation of realistic whole organ models and brings us closer to understanding the root causes of disc degeneration.”

“Our findings provide important insights into the factors driving disc degeneration and pave the way for the development of more effective regenerative therapies, for example through incorporation of stem cells.”

Bioprinting has been used to fabricate models of different tissues including skin, brain, nerve and heart, kidney and tumour.

However, fully functional tissue engineered organs are still  decades away; current models are mostly used for investigating biological processes in the lab but may act as replacements for lab animals.

As part of his PhD research at ����Vlog�ٷ�, Dr Kibble developed the bioprinted discs to explore the impact of tissue stiffness on the two cell types that inhabit different parts of the adult spinal discs:  nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus cells.

In future disc models the scientists plan to incorporate cells found in healthy, young developing discs, alongside stem cells or gene-edited cells to create even more advanced models of health and disease. This will enable them to understand how healthy tissue is formed and whether stem cells can be used to produce healthy tissue and treat back pain.

Dr Kibble said: “Over 600 million people worldwide suffer from lower back pain. Our bioprinted intervertebral disc models are an exciting opportunity to inform better regenerative therapies.

Our research has shown that tissue stiffness and oxygen levels have a significant impact the production of vital biological materials.

There have been many attempts to engineer discs so that we can understand their biology and develop models for testing different therapies or transplanting them into animals. But as well as being very difficult to do, this is also extremely time consuming.

Our work allows us to produce biologically functional disc models at scale and will allow us to make desperately needed advances in our understanding  of disc disease.”

The study was funded by the UKRI EPSRC/MRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Regenerative Medicine, the Wellcome Institutional Strategic Support Fund, and the Medical Research Council.

The authors also acknowledge the support of the national Henry Royce Institute EPSRC grants and the Bioprinting Technology Platform.

A video of the bioprinted in action is available, as are images of the bioprinted discs, and graphics.

The paper,  Suspension bioprinted whole intervertebral disc analogues enable regional stiffness- and hypoxia-regulated matrix secretion by primary human nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus cells is published in Acta Biomaterialia and is available.

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Less climate mitigation will increase the spread of fungal pathogens in certain areas, putting more people at risk.

• Novel projections show that in 15 years, if we rely on fossil fuels instead of clean power (scenario of *), we are likely to see the significant spread of certain fungal pathogens in Europe
• Under this scenario, the spread of Aspergillus flavus, for example, could increase by about 16%, putting 1 million more people at risk of infection in Europe. Infections affect the respiratory system, and this fungus infects a broad range of agricultural crops
• The predictions also show that the spread of another fungus, Aspergillus fumigatus, could increase by 77.5% and potentially expose 9 million people in Europe
• This is a concerning trend due to a rise in antifungal resistance and a severe lack of diagnostics and treatment options for fungal infections

In a new study, published on  and funded by , the effects of rising temperatures on infection-causing fungi have been mapped under different climate change mitigation scenarios until the year 2100. Using climate modelling and forecasts, at the University of Manchester and colleagues have mapped how the global distributions of three fungal pathogens (Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus niger) could be expected to change as a result.

The rise of pathogenic fungi is a real concern and is being driven by climate change. Fungi are incredibly adaptable organisms, with large, malleable genomes that allow them to colonize new geographies and survive as their environment changes.

Dr. Norman van Rhijn said: “Changes in environmental factors, such as humidity and extreme weather events, will change habitats and drive fungal adaptation and spread.

“We’ve already seen the emergence of the fungus Candida auris due to rising temperatures, but, until now, we had little information of how other fungi might respond to this change in the environment.  Fungi are relatively under researched compared to viruses and parasites, but these maps show that fungal pathogens will likely impact most areas of the world in the future. Raising awareness and developing effective interventions for fungal pathogens will be essential to mitigate the consequences of this.”

The maps show that in a fossil fuel dependent economy, as outlined in the IPCC scenario of , the climate will change to become suitable for fungal pathogens to spread to new geographies, with a marked increase in Europe.

The spread of Aspergillus flavus could increase by about 16%, putting 1 million more people at risk of infection from this deadly fungal pathogen in Europe. This fungus is known to cause severe infections and is resistant to many antifungals available.

This is an especially concerning trend as many fungal infections have high mortality rates, partly because of the lack of diagnostics, vaccines and treatment options as well as a lack of awareness of fungal infections. Additionally, as fungi are more similar to humans than other pathogens, developing anti-fungal treatments without toxic side effects is challenging.

The predictions also show that the spread of Aspergillus fumigatus could increase by 77.5% and potentially expose 9 million people in Europe. This is one of the most common fungal pathogens responsible for life-threatening infections in humans and affects the lungs.

Whilst the rise in global temperatures will increase the spread of fungi in Europe, temperatures in Africa could become so high that some fungi will not be able to survive on the continent. Fungi are an essential component to a functioning ecosystem, decomposing plant and animal matter to reintroduce nutrients into the soil. They also contribute to the carbon cycle which regulates the global climate and temperatures.  

Antifungal resistance is also being driven by the use of fungicides in agriculture, which are used to protect crops and support food production. The researchers also looked at the how the changing environment impacts our use of fungicides.

Viv Goosens, Research Manager at Wellcome said: “Fungal pathogens pose a serious threat to human health by causing infections and disrupting food systems. Climate change will make these risks worse. To address these challenges, we must fill important research gaps. By using models and maps to track the spread of fungi, we can better direct resources and prepare for the future." 

Fungal infections are transmitted through fungal spores in the air we breathe. People with weakened immune systems, co-morbidities and other risk factors are most vulnerable to infections, although fungi could adapt to become more pathogenic due to rising temperatures and could result in more infections in healthy people.

Despite this mounting threat, fungal infections receive little attention or resources. Less than 10% of an estimated 1.5 to 3.8 million species have been described, and a tiny fraction has had their genome sequenced. Wellcome is awarding over £50mn in funding towards fungal research over the next year. 

The study has been published on preprint platform Research Square, available here

The compound, developed by the scientists and known as caADAMTS13, could be a breakthrough for patients who have brain blood clots with an overabundance of platelets-  the tiny cell fragments that help form clots and are often not treatable by existing therapies. 

The study, funded by a British Heart Foundation 4-Year PhD Studentship Program and ����Vlog�ٷ� Innovation Factory is published in the leading journal in the field, Stroke. 

It is the first potential new treatment for stroke in the UK since the clotbusting drug recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) was licensed in September 2002. 

According to existing research, rtPA is only effective in as few as 10% to 35% of patients and is associated with a significant risk of bleeding. 

Another clotbuster called Tenecteplase (TNK), a variant of rtPA, was recently approved for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke in the United States but has similar limitations to rtPA. 

Both rtPA and TNK have similar efficacy and risk of haemorrhage. 

Von Willebrand Factor (VWF), a protein involved in blood clotting, helps platelets stick to damaged blood vessels and form the structure of blood clots. 

The greater the proportion of platelet and VWF components in a clot, the less effective rtPA is in dissolving it. 

The scientists investigated an alternative strategy which utilises caADAMTS13, an enzyme that reduces the size of VWF and helps break down blood clots. 

In previous mouse studies they have already shown that caADAMTS13 improves cerebral blood flow, reduces damage in the brain, reduces the depositing of both platelets and a clot promoting protein called fibrin, as well displaying anti-inflammatory properties. 

However, until now, a head to head comparison with the existing therapies of rtPA and  TNK had not been carried out. 

The scientists directly compared caADAMTS13 with rtPA and TNK in mice with a cerebral artery blockage from platelet and VWF rich clots, to mimick rtPA-resistance. 

They found that the restoration of cerebral blood flow 1 hour after treatment was the greatest in the mice treated by caADAMTS13 and that at 24 hours the caADAMTS13 mice had reduced brain damage.

Lead author Lucy Roberts, from ����Vlog�ٷ�, said: “When someone has an acute ischemic stroke, doctors need to quickly remove the clot blocking cerebral arteries in the brain.

“To avoid  severe and potentially life-threatening complications, the need to act fast is acute. Unfortunately, current treatments are only sometimes effective.

“However, our findings show that the compound we developed, called caADAMTS13, is more effective than current stroke treatments

“That is why it is tremendously exciting that this compound could one day meet an unmet clinical need for stroke patients.”

Co-author and principle investigator Professor Stuart Allan from ����Vlog�ٷ� said: “We know that removing blood clots can improve outcomes in stroke and that current treatments don’t always work.

“Therefore, the approach is proven to work and we just need better drugs that can break down all types of blood clots. We think caADAMTS13 may allow this to happen.”

Professor Bryan Williams, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at the British Heart Foundation, said: "A stroke is a medical emergency. For every minute blood flow to the brain is disrupted during a stroke, millions of nerve cells can become damaged and die. Stroke remains the single biggest cause of severe disability in the UK and we urgently need new treatments.

“More research will be needed to understand how these early results in mice can be translated to humans, but this study gives us a promising glimpse into a future where the compound caADAMTS13 could potentially be developed as a new therapy to safely and effectively dissolve blood clots in the brain.”

The paper Comparison of the Novel Thrombolytic Constitutively Active ADAMTS13 With Clinical Thrombolytics in a Murine Stroke Model , DOI: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.125.050848, is available

• The  video animation  illustrates the formation of a clot. Please credit the .
• For the image of the brain, please credit the .

The researchers suggest that policymakers should increase funding so that deprivation is taken into account as a factor in general practice funding to address income disparities between GPs in more deprived and less deprived areas.

Published in the today (22/04/25) and funded by the , the researchers analysed data from over 8,500 GPs between 2015 and 2021 in the GP work life

They looked at the relationship between deprivation of practice population and job pressures, job satisfaction, reported income, working hours, and intentions to leave direct patient care.

The lead researcher is , an NIHR Clinical Lecturer at ����Vlog�ٷ� and practicing GP.

He said: “This study shows how the socioeconomic deprivation of practice populations in England is adversely linked to the working conditions of the GPs that work there.

“We highlight a clear and persistent challenge in ensuring equitable healthcare provision.

“Without targeted investment and policy interventions, the difficulties faced by GPs in deprived areas will only continue to worsen, exacerbating health inequalities.”

Key Findings also included:

• GPs in the most deprived areas earn less than those in wealthier areas with an average difference of £5,525 less per year.
• Despite higher job pressures, there were no differences in overall job satisfaction, hours worked per week, or intentions to leave patient care between GPs working in more deprived and less deprived areas.

from ����Vlog�ٷ�, senior author of the study, added: “Though deprived populations have higher needs for GP services, we know these areas have the most difficulty recruiting and retaining GPs.

“Our study is the first to examine how working in deprived areas affects the working lives of GPs. Addressing their concerns about increased job pressure and decreased resources would help reduce health inequalities.”

According to the researchers, the findings explain why working in areas of greater deprivation is less attractive to GPs, exacerbating workforce recruitment and retention issues.

Dr Anderson added: “Alongside financial incentives, non-financial incentives such as enhanced career development opportunities including fellowships that incorporate time for additional training, research, and leadership responsibilities could be a useful lever to promote GP recruitment and retention in areas of greater deprivation”.

“We also think it’s important to acknowledge we find no differences in hours worked per week, job satisfaction, and intention to quit direct patient care in more deprived and less deprived areas.

“Despite the challenges experienced by GPs working in areas of greater deprivation, this suggests that there are many rewarding aspects of working in areas of greater deprivation.  A broader recognition by the GP community of the potential advantages of working in areas of greater deprivation would therefore be helpful to promote recruitment and retention.”

This article reports the findings from independent research commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care and carried out by the Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Systems and Commissioning (PRUComm). The research was conducted by the Health Organisation, Policy, and Economics (HOPE) group within the Centre for Primary Care & Health Services Research at ����Vlog�ٷ�. The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Programme. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Policy Research Programme, NIHR, or the Department of Health and Social Care

• Deprivation and General Practitioners’ working lives: Repeated cross-sectional study is published in the  Journal of the , DOI: JRSM-24-0273.R2 and is available here.

The study of 15.7 million patient records, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research and published in the prestigious Journal of the R, implies there could be scope to prescribe far fewer antibiotics. 

The researchers found the probability of being prescribed antibiotics for a lower respiratory tract or urinary tract infection was unrelated to hospital admission risk. 

And the probability of being prescribed an antibiotic for an upper respiratory tract infection was only weakly related to hospital admission risk. 

The study also showed that patient characteristics such as age and the presence of other health problems were only weakly associated with the probability of being prescribed an antibiotic treatment of common infection. 

The most elderly patients in the sample were 31% less likely than the youngest patients to receive an antibiotic for upper respiratory infections. 

That inevitably means, say the researchers, that because many younger people are being prescribed antibiotics, even though they are often fit enough to recover without them, potentially  leading to resistance. 

Conversely,  many older people may not be able to deal with infections without antibiotics are not  receiving them, with the potential of complication and hospital admissions. 

Patients with combinations of diseases were 7% less likely than people without major health problems  to receive an antibiotic for upper respiratory infections. 

Lead authors are  Professor Tjeerd van Staa and Dr Ali Fahmi, from ����Vlog�ٷ�. 

Professor Tjeerd van Staa said: “Antibiotics are effective in treating bacterial infections, but they carry the risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and loss of effectiveness when used inappropriately. 

“That is why AMR to antibiotics has been recognised as one of the biggest threats to global public health. 

“Given the threat of resistance, there is a need to better target antibiotics in primary care to patients with higher risks of infection-related complications such as sepsis. 

“B�ܳ� this study finds that antibiotics for common infections are commonly not prescribed according to complication risk and that suggests there is plenty of scope to do more on reducing antibiotic prescribing.” 

The study also showed that the probability of being prescribed an antibiotic for lower respiratory infections was even more unrelated to complication risk during the pandemic, however they were only minor changes for urinary tract infections. 

The research team accessed anonymised patient-level electronic health records of primary care data from The Phoenix Partnership (TPP) through OpenSAFELY, a secure platform for electronic health records in the NHS. 

They included adults registered at general practices in England from January 2019 to March 2023 diagnosed with upper respiratory, lower respiratory and urinary tract infections. 

Patient-specific risks of infection-related hospital admission were estimated for each infection using risk prediction scores for patients who were not prescribed an antibiotic. 

Dr Ali Fahmi added: “Rather than imposing targets for reducing inappropriate prescribing, we argue that it is far more viable for clinicians to focus on improving risk-based antibiotic prescribing for infections that are less severe and typically self-limiting. 

“Prognosis and harm should explicitly be considered in treatment guidelines, alongside better personalised information for clinicians and patients to support shared decision making.”

“A Knowledge Support (KSS) led by Professor Tjeerd van Staa, which provides personalised information to clinicians is  now being tested in the North-West England

“We hope it could provide a workable solution to the problem of untargeted antibiotic prescribing.”

Antibiotics for common infections in primary care before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: cohort study of extent of prescribing based on risks of infection-related hospital admissions  is published in  DOI: 10.1177/01410768251328997

The study team at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and ����Vlog�ٷ� (UoM) implemented the new technology across MFT hospitals in December 2023, which provides specialist liver care to the Greater Manchester region. The technology aims to improve early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) – the most common cancer affecting the liver and the third most common cause of cancer death.

Developed by Roche Diagnostics, the pioneering test, known as Elecsys®GAAD, combines blood tests with gender and age, which can increase the detection rate of HCC at an early, curable stage. This is being used alongside routine surveillance tests to see how it can benefit patients, so they have the best chance of surviving this type of cancer.

One of the risks for developing HCC is a pre-existing liver disease and scarring of the liver, known as cirrhosis. Approximately 3,000 people are found to have HCC in the UK every year. Less than 1,000 are identified at a stage when they can have curative treatment, leaving over 2,000 people per year with a cancer that cannot be cured.

More than 600 patients with cirrhosis have been tested using Elecsys®GAAD within clinics at Manchester Royal Infirmary, Wythenshawe Hospital and North Manchester General Hospital, all part of MFT, and four patients have been detected with early-stage liver cancer at a treatable stage, which would not have been found without the new technology.

Gerry’s story

Father of three, Gerry, 67 was diagnosed with hemochromatosis approximately 15 years ago, a hereditary condition where the body stores too much iron, which has led to scarring on his liver, cirrhosis.

Whilst attending his routine screening appointment at Wythenshawe Hospital, Gerry joined the research trial using the Elecsys®GAAD technology, which detected the early stages of liver cancer.

Following a number of CT scans at Manchester Royal Infirmary, it was confirmed that there is a small tumour on the upper part of his liver, which he has now had removed and remains cancer free.

Gerry said: “I was shocked to find out that I had liver cancer, but also relieved that it had been found early and it hadn’t spread any further. I didn’t have any symptoms that would make me think that there was anything wrong, so I am grateful that the cancer has been caught early, where a number of treatment options are available to me.

“It isn’t until you’re in this position, that you truly realise how cancer can affect anyone, and detecting it early can save your life. I would encourage others to take part in this research trial, if given the opportunity, as this new technology will save lives. I am grateful to be in a position where curative treatment is available and I am now cancer free.”

How the technology works

In early, curable stages, HCC can have no symptoms and so it is recommended that everyone with known cirrhosis is tested every six months which involves an ultrasound scan and a blood test (alpha fetoprotein – AFP) to screen for primary liver cancer – HCC.

The new test is an algorithm used in addition to the current standard of care, which uses the AFP information alongside another blood test (Elecsys®PIVKA-II), age and gender to calculate a risk score. Data suggests that this test increases the likelihood of detecting liver cancer at an earlier stage where curative treatments are far more likely. 

Principal Investigator for the study, Dr Varinder Athwal, Consultant Hepatologist at MFT and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester, said: “Manchester has some of the highest rates of liver disease and liver cancer in the UK and far too many people are diagnosed when curative treatment is not possible.

“This innovation is a non-invasive test that easily fits into our current pathway. Early results from the project are very promising and show we are able to detect more cases of HCC at earlier, treatable stages which would have been missed by standard routine care – so it truly has the potential to save lives.

“Using this new test and with additional improvements to the surveillance pathway, we believe more than 1,000 people per year could be additionally detected at an earlier stage when their cancer is potentially curable. This number could be increased if more people are offered the test and stay in surveillance, which is something we are addressing in this project.”

Vic’s story
 

Vic joined the research trial at MFT and was detected in the early, curable stages of liver cancer and despite not being fit enough for common therapies to cure his cancer, Vic has since received a treatment called transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE) which cuts off the tumour’s blood supply with little or no effect to liver functioning.

Detecting his cancer early through Elecsys®GAAD means that it has prevented the spread of his cancer and there is currently no sign of his cancer on repeat scans.

He said: “When I agreed to join the trial, I had been being monitored routinely because of the presence of liver disease but the last thing that I thought I would ever develop was cancer. I had been stable for some years and had not experienced any new symptoms to suggest anything had changed.

“The GAAD test changed all that. The results were high and detected that I had a primary liver cancer which turned out to be a Stage 2 liver cancer. I had no symptoms. I was referred immediately for expert treatment.

“Because the GAAD test detected the cancer early I have been able to access one of several treatment options quickly, before the cancer had the chance to spread outside the liver. Early diagnosis and treatment has meant that I can also benefit from the care and support of an amazing multidisciplinary team.

“It has also meant that I have been given time to involve my family, especially my children, to navigate this journey together. Without the GAAD test, the diagnosis of cancer may have come too late for all of us.”

Through the study, researchers aim to find out if the Elecsys®GAAD test reduces unnecessary further scans and if it improves earlier detection of HCC. They will also investigate if a six-monthly ultrasound adds any further benefit to Elecsys®GAAD to detect HCC – or if Elecsys®GAAD could be used on its own, which would provide a considerable cost saving to the NHS and a significant improvement to current standard of care. 

Director of Access and Innovation at Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland, Chris Hudson said: “Roche Diagnostics is committed to early disease diagnosis and to ensuring our innovations reach the people who need them. Working with the team in Manchester, we are taking the learnings from this hugely successful trial to help other NHS Trusts implement the Elecsys®GAAD digital diagnostic solution and enable more patients with liver cancer to access timely diagnostics and potentially curative treatments.”

Dr Katherine Boylan, Director of Innovation at MFT said: “As one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, MFT is uniquely placed to test the innovation, which brings together the knowledge and expertise of academic, medical and industry partners – strengthening our position as a leader in research and innovation in the UK. We are proud to partner with Roche Diagnostics to address this unmet clinical need for the benefit of our patients, which has the potential to revolutionise early cancer diagnosis for HCC.”

Elecsys®GAAD was fast-tracked into the NHS at MFT, following £1million funding from NHS England, to test the accuracy and benefits of technology over a two-year period.

Project Managers at NHS England visited MFT alongside Roche Diagnostics, to see the progress of the project and how we are utilising the test alongside current pathways.

Dr Michael Gregory, Regional Medical Director for NHS England – North West, said: “This is a great example of how the NHS can transform health outcomes and save lives through the use of cutting-edge technology and a greater focus on prevention.

“The stories of the patients who have already benefited from this new test highlight why it is so important that we diagnose and treat cancers at the earliest possible opportunity and I’m excited to see how it could be made more widely available in the future.

“In the meantime, I would continue to encourage people with potential signs of cancer to come forward and speak to their general practice as soon as possible.”

The study is running until April 2025, recruiting more than 600 patients to the research project. Findings from the implementation at MFT will be used to co-develop a plan for the national roll out within the NHS.

This work is supported by Imperial College London who are observing the economic impact of the new technology on the NHS, and Unity Insights who are carrying out an independent evaluation of the findings across the project.

Photo: Photo: Patrick Ezean (NHS England Cancer Programme Manager), Emily Corser (NHS England Cancer Programme Manager), Dr Varinder Athwal (Principal Investigator for the study), Darren Banks (MFT Interim Deputy Trust Chief Executive), Chris Hudson (Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland), Delphine Scokaert (Roche Diagnostics UK and Ireland), Oliver Street (Programme Manager, ����Vlog�ٷ�), Dr Katherine Boylan (Director of Innovation at MFT), Laura Tornatore (Senior Programme Manager, LGC).

Led by Health Innovation Manchester, the University of Manchester and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, this collaborative project has helped bridge the gap between research and clinical implementation of advanced diagnostic technologies.

ADA is one of ten projects funded within the Greater Manchester portfolio of the Innovation Accelerator (IA) programme, which is transforming the innovation landscape in the UK and paving the way for the future of place-based research and development (R&D) investment.

Since its launch, the IA programme has invested £100m in 26 transformative R&D projects between 2022-25, focusing on high-potential innovation clusters across three UK regions - Greater Manchester, West Midlands and Glasgow City Region and has been extended by £30m for 2025/26. The programme builds on regional cluster strengths and brings together the innovation ecosystem, to drive economic growth and technological advancement.

The programme is led by Innovate UK, on behalf of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and co-created in Greater Manchester with regional leadership to ensure it is locally led and focused on harnessing the region’s strengths in high performance materials, health innovation, advanced manufacturing and digital technology.

The IA programme in Greater Manchester provided a unique opportunity to test hypotheses in real-world settings, and those projects emerging from the programme have made significant impacts in just two years. The programme has supported more than 500 businesses to take forward innovations, while over 1000 Greater Manchester residents have accessed skills support – to either upskill or begin their journey to a career in a high-growth sector.

The work delivered has been highly output-focused, resulting in the creation of meaningful networks and lasting relationships. Partners and stakeholders have embarked on a collective learning journey, creating something new that they can be proud of whilst adding tangible value to a new paradigm shift in ways of working. An approach that has proven to be highly effective in bringing together diverse stakeholders, while strengthening key relationships.

Two years since its launch the projects are demonstrating globally competitive research and development that is putting the region’s innovation strengths on the map including Advanced Diagnostic Accelerator (ADA)..

ADA has various work streams from public and patient involvement through focus groups to the development of data-driven advanced diagnostics, point-of-care testing and rapid, cost-effective diagnostic tests for conditions like heart failure and lung cancer. By utilising Greater Manchester’s academic and industry excellence from frontier sectors of Bioinformatics and Genomics, and AI, the project builds on assets already in existence within the city-region’s ecosystem, including validating and translating biomarkers and therapeutic assets into clinical use.

Key achievements include attracting £2.7m in co-investment to date, the development of a new MedTech product, deployment of new engagement techniques, alongside the identification and creation of at least three new products and services. The programme has strengthened Greater Manchester’s research, innovation, and data landscape through four submitted grants, two network events, and 26 digital communications assets. It has also expanded access to screening and diagnostic services, engaging over 1200 patients in treatment or research activities, while fostering greater research participation and early diagnosis for underserved communities, with over 400 patients engaged in community events.

By enhancing early diagnosis, boosting business sustainability, and tackling health inequalities, Advanced Diagnostic Accelerator is contributing to increased productivity, reduced economic inactivity due to poor health, and longer life expectancy for Greater Manchester residents and created multiple high value jobs.

Building on this momentum, Health Innovation Manchester, the University of Manchester, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and the industry partners have together secured a further £1.6 million Innovate UK grant for the Advanced Diagnostic Accelerator in Greater Manchester.

Science Minister, Lord Vallance, said: “The Innovation Accelerator programme is unlocking new opportunities for growth in regions across the UK and this £30m investment backs further collaboration between business, academia and government to build on local innovation that can improve lives across the country.

“Greater Manchester’s Advanced Diagnostics Accelerator’s work to support early disease detection and targeted care will support our NHS and with further investment is driving up local jobs, benefiting the local economy and helping to deliver our Plan for Change.”

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, added: “It’s fantastic to see the innovation happening in Greater Manchester having such a wide-ranging impact. The Advanced Diagnostics Accelerator is improving the diagnosis and treatment of diseases while also delivering a significant economic boost, creating high-value jobs, driving investment, and encouraging closer collaboration between industry and academia. It is also doing great work in getting more of our residents involved in supporting medical trials, and speeding up access to the newest treatments and diagnostics being developed in our universities and research hospitals.

“The wider Innovation Accelerator programme has been an important catalyst for locally led innovation, and we’ve seen that translate into business growth, new jobs and investment, and advances in technology across a range of sectors. The extension of funding for Greater Manchester’s 10 projects will help them build on the success they’ve already achieved.”

Professor Ben Bridgewater, Chief Executive at Health Innovation Manchester, commented: “The investment we have received from the Innovation Accelerator programme for Advanced Diagnostic Accelerator was a catalyst to progress in our mission for improved population health. For each of our focus areas from liver disease and lung cancer to heart failure and chest pain we had a shared ethos to reduce inequalities, build on assets in existence and drive productivity through collaboration. To reach over 1,200 patients, create high-value jobs and establish a spin out in just two years shows the potential of projects like ours to make a meaningful impact on health outcomes.”

The Innovation Accelerator programme has helped to catalyse transformative innovation projects and bolster the UK’s global competitiveness. For more information and find out about other projects that have been funded through the programme, visit the website.

Working in partnership with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Roche, the team developed the project - REVISE-HCC.

The REVISE-HCC project, funded by SBRI Healthcare /NHS England, was established to explore the use of an innovative test for liver cancer, which will help patients access earlier care and potentially save lives.

This project focused on implementing an improved strategy for liver cancer surveillance in patients who are at high risk by using the GAAD algorithm developed by Roche.

GAAD is an accurate test that combines blood tests with gender and age to indicate the presence of HCC (Hepatocellular carcinoma), which is the most common cause of cancer affecting the liver and a leading  cause for cancer-related deaths worldwide. The test is used alongside routine HCC surveillance tests to see how it can benefit patients.

With the  combined purpose to improve the detection rate for this deadly cancer at curable stages and improve the quality of life for these patients, we’re thrilled to receive this recognition.

Healthcare is rapidly shifting, towards more personalised care that’s more in tune with patients, embracing digital technologies that enable new possibilities. We’re excited to be at the forefront of this new class of diagnostic algorithms that our teams are helping to shape.

Programme Manager  Oliver Street said:  “Manchester has some of the highest rates of liver disease and liver cancer in the UK and is a significant healthcare and societal burden. Far too many people are diagnosed too late when curative treatment is not possible.

“We were thrilled to be recognised at this year’s HSJ Partnership Awards for our partnership with Roche and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust that implemented this innovative technology at MFT and allows for more patients with liver cancer to be detected an early stage when their cancer is potentially curable.”

According to their study published today (25/03/25), satisfaction levels were lower in practices that rely more both on telephone appointments and consultations with non-GP staff.

Advanced nurse practitioners, physician associates, practice-based pharmacists and even paramedics, are among the roles who over the past few years have increasingly worked in place of GPs.

The study also theorises that patient satisfaction could increase by 1% when 10 additional face to face GP appointments per 1000 patients per month are added.

The findings are released amid recent changes to Government policy which aims to place more emphasis on non-GP roles to fill gaps in primary care provision.

However, critics of the policy argue that the new roles can be a cheap substitute which blur the lines between doctors and non-doctors.

The study is the first to use national appointment data to investigate the complex relationships between patient satisfaction, access, preference for a specific GP, and support for managing long-term conditions against appointment volume, modality (telephone or face-to-face), and practitioner type.

The data set of over half a million English patients from 5,500 practices was taken from the General Practice Patient Survey (GPPS) and  NHS Digital's practice level appointment data, covering August 2022 to March 2023.

The study found that 69.5% of appointments were face-to-face and 27.2% were on the telephone. Only 29.6% of appointments were face-to-face with a GP and 18.4% were GP telephone appointments.

The researchers also found that practices with a larger amount of telephone consultations had less satisfied patients. This dissatisfaction was still present and decreased only slightly when telephone calls were carried out by GPs, rather than non-GP staff.

The  correlation coefficient between face-to-face appointments and overall satisfaction was 0.096, showing that  practices with a greater percentage of face-to-face appointments were  more likely to have patients with higher overall satisfaction.

However the figure for GP face-to-face appointments was 0.167 showing that GP face-to-face appointments have an even stronger correlation.

The study also found that:

• Practices offering more on the day appointments had reduced satisfaction with access compared to practices that offered appointments days or weeks in advance.
• Greater numbers of appointments of any type with any staff member overall resulted in improved patients satisfaction.
• Greater numbers of GP appointments at a practice were associated with reduced unmet health needs.

Dr Patrick Burch is an academic clinical lecturer at ����Vlog�ٷ� and a practising GP.

He said: “This study of appointments from over 5,500 practices showed that more appointments, particularly with face-to-face with GPs, tended to be associated with more satisfied patients who were better able to meet their health needs.

“While telephone and IT assisted appointments have an important role to play in general practice, we would cautiously welcome an overall increase in the proportion of face-to-face consultations.

“Until recently, simply employing more GPs was not seen as feasible. However, given six out of 10 job-seeking GPs have to find a vacancy to apply for over the past year, this may now be a potential option.

“We would also welcome measures that free up GP time to enable more patient appointments.”

He added: “A greater proportion of telephone appointments were associated with decreased satisfaction in general, especially when provided by non-doctor roles.

“Non-GP clinicians employed in primary care since 2019 has increased by 21,600 full time equivalent staff members.

“As primary care funding has not gone up significantly, arguably this cash is now being used to pay other less expensive clinicians rather than GPs.

“The reasons for the findings behind this study are likely to be complex, but there is undoubtedly an important role for non-GP clinicians in primary care.

“Patient satisfaction is not the only measure of success in general practice but it is important that policy makers take note of the link between patient satisfaction and numbers of appointments with GPs.”

In the paper, appointments were only divided into GP or non-GP, with no other categories used. As a proportion, if one goes up, the other goes down.

The paper What is the relationship between the volume and type of appointments in general practice and patient experience? An observational study of general practice in England is published in the British Journal of General Practice . DOI:

The chances of a dental appointment resulting in an antibiotic prescription increased dramatically during the pandemic, and new led by Dr Wendy Thompson from ����Vlog�ٷ� shows prescribing levels across each of the UK’s four nations have been slow to return to where they would have been if the pandemic hadn’t happened.

Though the Government has begun commissioning 700,000 urgent appointments, the British Dental Association says the total unmet need is far higher.

Dr Thompson also leads on antimicrobial stewardship for the College of General Dentistry and chairs the FDI World Dental Federation's Preventing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Infections task team.

She said: “Too many people have been unable to access urgent dental treatment for toothache, and have ended up with antibiotics. The best way to protect us all from the existential threat of antibiotic resistance is to ensure patients have timely access to urgent care.

“Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, we knew that dentistry was responsible for around 10% of antibiotic prescriptions and that rates of unnecessary use were high. During the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount of antibiotic prescribing by NHS dentists

“Our research has shown how were at this situation which UK Health Security Agency researchers have linked to the use of , where care is given remotely. Our latest shows just how slowly antibiotic prescribing in NHS dentistry is returning to its pre-pandemic pattern.

“Antibiotics don't cure toothache although our research shows that many people wrongly believe they are necessary. Unnecessary use puts patients and the public at risk from the spread of infections which don't respond to antibiotics. The for toothache and dental infections is generally a procedure rather than a prescription, although sometimes antibiotics are vital. found that appointments where dentists provide procedures take more time than just giving antibiotics.”

“That is why FDI World Dental Federation argues that to the right oral health care at the right time to prevent and treat toothache and dental infection should be an essential part of national efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance by reducing the unnecessary use of antibiotics.”

She added: “Routine monitoring of antibiotic prescribing by dentists providing care to NHS patients is key, but until prescribing by dentists is digitised, this will be impossible. Integrating high-street dentistry into NHS digital systems will be an important part of national efforts to help keep patients safe by ensuring antibiotics are only prescribed when strictly necessary.”

Researchers at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and ����Vlog�ٷ�, with colleagues in Newcastle, Germany and the USA, collaborated with clinicians across the world to identify changes in two different genes, that both result in Perrault syndrome.

Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), Action Medical Research, The Royal National Institute for Deaf people (RNID) and the Medical Research Council, the results from two separate studies, which identified changes to the DAP3 and MRPL49 genes, have been published in the American Journal of Human Genetics.

Professor Bill Newman, Consultant in Genomic Medicine at MFT, and Rare Conditions Co-Theme Lead at the NIHR Manchester BRC, who co-led the research, said: “Finding the causes of rare conditions like Perrault syndrome are the first steps in understanding why people are affected, providing clearer diagnosis, and developing novel treatments.

“Previously up to half of all people with Perrault syndrome could not have this diagnosis confirmed by a genetic test. These new discoveries through this research will provide an accurate diagnosis to more affected people.”

Initial research into the condition began in 2011 at The Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, Saint Mary’s Hospital, part of MFT, when researchers led by Professor Newman undertook genetic studies on a local family with Perrault syndrome. Their research identified a novel gene and changes within the gene which led to the diagnosis of the syndrome. Further studies by the Manchester group and other researchers around the world have found eight different genes that cause Perrault syndrome.

Sam’s story

56-year-old Sam was diagnosed with Perrault syndrome when she was 28 years old, after being under the care of various hospitals to diagnose her rare genetic condition. 

Sam is profoundly deaf and was fitted with hearing aids before the age of one, which is a common feature of the condition. Other symptoms that led to her diagnosis include short stature, very small ovaries and the absence of periods.

 Sam was identified with a DAP3 genetic change through this research in August 2024.

DAP3 is found in every cell of the body and is important in a part of the cell called the mitochondria, often referred to as the powerhouses of the cell. Some tissues in the body are very susceptible to when the mitochondria do not work properly, and it is why researchers believe hearing and ovarian problems occur in Perrault syndrome.

Sam said: “When I was told I had DAP3 gene changes I was pleased as it helped me make sense of my symptoms and better understand Perrault syndrome.  

“This research is incredible and will help others who are in a similar position to me. I struggled for years not knowing what was wrong with me so, I hope it will help others too – especially those who are younger so they can get an earlier diagnosis and access to the help they need. 

“I would advise anybody who is concerned to get advice as soon as possible. Thanks to this research, family members will also be tested which will provide an early diagnosis for more people potentially affected by the condition.”

This research will now be used globally to provide an accurate diagnosis for those at risk or undiagnosed with the condition.

Professor Ray O’Keefe, Professor of Molecular Genetics at ����Vlog�ٷ� co-led the work. Professor O’Keefe said: “Genetic testing helps families to get diagnosed earlier and to access the right care and support sooner.

“When patients – particularly children, are presenting with hearing loss or changes on their brain scan, they can be genetically tested to see if their health problems are caused by changes in these genes.

“Genetic testing removes the need for unnecessary investigations, allows closer monitoring to spot problems earlier and enables accurate genetic counselling for other family members who may be at risk.”

Dr Ralph Holme, Director of Research at RNID said: “We are delighted to have been able to support this important research.

“As ovarian problems are a key feature of the diagnosis, men are rarely diagnosed even though they have the same risk of being affected. Early, accurate diagnosis can result in improved hearing outcomes.

“Understanding rare types of hearing loss, such as Perrault Syndrome, also gives us important insights that may be relevant to more common forms of hearing loss.”

Professor Newman, who is also Professor of Translational Genomic Medicine at The Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine at ����Vlog�ٷ�, added: “Although genetic research into Perrault syndrome is complex, this new information provides important pieces in the jigsaw. We are continuing to look at all the genes that cause Perrault syndrome as understanding how these genes are all linked together means that perhaps it would be possible to create a treatment that would work for all of them.

“We have also started to make hearing nerve cells from skin cells of individuals with Perrault syndrome. This is exciting as testing the cells that are actually affected by the condition will help us to develop treatments targeted to the correct cell type.” 
 

Both research papers are available to read in the American Journal of Human Genetics:

(published 2 January 2025).

Published 4 March 2025).

These body ideals continue to be influenced by visual exposure to different body weights into adulthood, the research also found.

The results show that people’s perceptions of body weight are flexible and adult-like from seven years of age onwards and have implications for our understanding of body size and the perceptions, and possible misperceptions, of weight in health and wellbeing.

Professor Lynda Boothroyd, from Durham University’s Department of Psychology, carried out a first-of-its-kind study to examine the flexibility of body weight perceptions in children and young adults.

The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, found that children as young as seven years old adjust how heavy or light they rate other people’s bodies after seeing a series of pictures of low or high weight bodies.

The analysis uncovered a significant shift in weight perceptions after exposure to images depicting various body weights. The results showed that the manner in which our brains represent what constitutes “heavy” or “light” develops at a very young age.

The research, which involved more than 200 individuals aged seven through to adulthood, also indicated that media influences known to shape adult body perceptions can almost certainly impact children to the same degree, starting from early childhood and continuing to evolve into adulthood.

Lead author, Professor Lynda Boothroyd said: “It has been clear for many years that we need to be wary about visual media which present only a narrow range of bodies, because this affects adults’ body perceptions. 

“Now we know that’s true for children, too. Even very neutral images can adjust their ideas about what is heavy or thin if they see enough of the same kind of body.” 

C-author Dr Amelia Parchment from ����Vlog�ٷ� said: “This was such an interesting study to work on and highlights that body-weight perceptions are shaped early on in life and continue into adulthood. Our findings have important implications, including the potential impact of unrealistic body weights, typically seen in visual media, on the lifelong body weight perceptions of children as young as 7-years old. “

Professor Boothroyd’s team at Durham has previously shown that adults’ ideas about what is an ‘attractive’ body weight or muscle mass are affected by visual experience. This includes the effect of television access on body perceptions among remote communities in Latin America and, in a separate study, finding that White Western women have lower body appreciation and experience greater pressure from the media to be thin compared to Black Nigerian and Chinese women across all ages.

Looking ahead, the team is now investigating how best to address body image concerns in young adults across the globe in a major £2 million (€2.5M) research project and developing novel play-based techniques to investigate children’s understandings of body weight and body ideals from a younger age.

Professor Boothroyd added: “Researchers often assume that children’s body perceptions and their ideas about body image work the same way as adults. We’ve shown that that’s true, down to seven years, for basic perceptual impacts on body weight perception. But there’s more to explore in how that converts into their own body image and their own feelings about weight.”

This new study included data gathered during the University’s ‘Junior Scientist’ event, which actively involves families from the local communities around Durham, UK, in various research and educational activities.

Additionally, the research involved stimuli provided by Northumbria University and contributions from a Post-doctoral Research Associate at the University of Manchester.

Dr Lucy Buckley, a leading figure in the Greater Manchester business community, will start the Royal Society , part of its , on 1 March 2025. 

Dr Buckley, who has over 20 years of experience in business across diverse sectors of healthcare, will spend one day a week at the university, developing bespoke projects with university staff and students. 

Her career spans the healthcare system from academic drug discovery to all aspects of the product life cycle in the pharmaceutical industry. 

Latterly, she has turned her hand to digital health, launching a Care Quality Commission-registered online fertility clinic. She has also held clinical roles in both the NHS and private sector. 

Throughout her professional life, Lucy has been committed to her values of strong governance, ethics and compliance and has experience of a wide range of regulations across healthcare and data security. 

She will provide support and expert advice on promoting innovation and the translation of research, as well as research and development. 

And she will pass on her extensive knowledge on the scientific challenges faced by industry in the health sector. 

After qualifying as a pharmacist at Cardiff University, and working in community and hospital pharmacy, she went on to take a PhD in drug discovery at ����Vlog�ٷ�’s for applied pharmacokinetic research in 2006.

 The PhD was sponsored by a major pharmaceutical company which meant she spent time in their labs, her first taste of working across academic and industry.

 From 2014, she worked at a major pharmaceutical company and built relationships with both clinical and academic key opinion leaders and worked with them as advisors to help drive scientific projects and improve patient outcomes. 

Soon, she was in a position to set up her own business, called Dr Fertility, the first online primary care provider for fertility to be registered with the Care Quality Commission. 

The company raised over two-and-a half million pounds to make the transition from ecommerce into a digital health provider for fertility. Dr Fertility provided fertility care delivered by both Doctors and nurses for anyone trying for a baby. 

Her new venture, The was launched in November 2023 to improve quality of care in digital health while supporting businesses to grow and scale.

The company has brought together a diverse range of experts and healthcare professionals with experience in academia, the pharmaceutical industry and the private and public healthcare sector.

Dr Buckley said: “I have experienced the roller coaster of raising venture capital and the challenges of being an executive.”

“So, I have lots of experience to pass on to the scientific community in the Faculty of biology, medicine and health.”

She added: “Scientists are sometimes regarded by investors as not having commercial acumen. Many often undersell themselves.”

“Academics have many transferable skills that are essential in business such as identifying problems, developing innovative solutions, testing hypotheses, gathering and analysing data and making evidence-based decisions’

“One of my key aims of this role is to help bridge that gap between academia and industry.

“If your business idea is strong, I passionately believe there are always opportunities to make that dream happen.”

Professor Allan Pacey, Interim Dean and Vice President of the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health said “It is very exciting to welcome Lucy to the Faculty though this prestigious Royal Society scheme”

“I first met Lucy over 10 years ago when I helped with the first start-up company Dr Fertility. It’s been great to see her go from strength to strength and be recognised by The Royal Society by being awarded this prestigious Royal Society scheme

“����Vlog�ٷ� is a global leader in Digital Health, being ranked by the Times Higher Education as first in the UK and fourth in the world.

“I hope that Lucy will be able to help us capitalise on this and held our researchers to navigate the tricky path of commercialisation.”

University of Manchester Scientists are among the researchers at the Cancer Research UK National Biomarker Centre in Manchester have developed a simple blood test which can tell doctors at a very early stage if the melanoma is back even if a scan looks normal.

The test is now being used as part of a Cancer Research UK funded clinical trial, led by researchers at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, for patients across the region which could mean quicker diagnosis for people at risk of a relapse.

Among those taking part is mum of two Karen Dickinson, who was at a routine appointment for her arthritic knee, when her osteopath pointed out an irregular looking mole on her lower back.

The next day, the 57-year-old IT manager, now living in Lancaster, went to see her GP, who referred her for tests which revealed that Karen had melanoma – the most serious form of skin cancer.

Unfortunately, she was also told that the melanoma – which affects 2,200 people in the North West every year* - had spread to her lymph nodes.

Karen had surgery to remove the mole including a wider area of skin as well as the affected lymph nodes and she was unable to work for a month.

She said: “It was such a shock. I had noticed the mole one day getting out of the shower and wondered if it was slightly darker. I thought it may have been due to the fact we’d been on holiday, even though it had been covered up. So, I had decided to keep an eye on it, but when my osteopath pointed it out and said I should get it checked sooner rather than later, I went straight to my GP. Then it all just happened so fast. They had removed it and diagnosed me with melanoma skin cancer all within a few weeks.

“I had no idea how serious melanoma was, and you do worry that you could die. Telling my husband Stephen and my two girls Chelsea and Alex was hard. Having cancer has changed my outlook on life. You do worry it might come back, but it absolutely doesn’t define who I am. It’s made me prioritise my time and not take my health for granted anymore. My time is precious, and I value what is most important to me more than ever.”

Now Karen is one of 50 people to sign up to the DETECTION-2 clinical trial which aims to prevent people from having unnecessary treatment if their cancer is unlikely to return.

For most people who are diagnosed with melanoma at an early stage, the cancer will be successfully removed by surgery. But in a small percentage of patients the cancer will come back.

On the NHS, patients are currently offered a one-year preventative drug treatment aimed at reducing the risk of recurrence. But with this new blood test, it could be possible to identify patients most at risk, so that further treatment is only given to those who really need it. 

The blood test spot can spot small fragments of DNA shed by cancer cells - known as circulating tumour DNA or ctDNA.

The trial, which launched last month, is led by teams of researchers from ����Vlog�ٷ�, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit.

Consultant medical oncologist at The Christie, Professor Paul Lorigan is leading on the trial. He said: “While immunotherapy or targeted therapy after surgery can help to prevent cancer returning, the majority of patients do not need this.  Giving this treatment to everyone means that many patients may unnecessarily receive additional treatment, which can have serious and long-term side effects. Ideally, only patients likely to have the melanoma return would receive the additional treatment and we therefore want to see if we can use a simple blood test to spot those patients who are most at risk.”

Senior Lecturer in medical oncology at ����Vlog�ٷ� and Principal Investigator on the trial, Dr Rebecca Lee added: “If ctDNA is detected, then we can fast-track patients on to treatment and this would mean that only those patients who really need drug treatment receive it.”

The research team, which is working closely with the charity Melanoma Focus and its patient groups, has recently begun recruiting patients at eight hospitals across the UK, including The Royal Preston Hospital where Karen had her first blood test which has shown no signs of melanoma.

Patients who decide to take part will be randomly assigned to one of two groups, half will receive the standard NHS care and the other half will have regular ctDNA blood tests following surgery instead. The results will be compared at the end of the study and if successful, the trial will be expanded to more hospital sites and more patients.

All patients will continue to have regular scans and skin checks and will be followed up for 5 years.

Karen added: “The benefit for me of this brand-new trial is that I don’t need to go on medication, that could make feel very ill, if I don’t need it. Also, I have that reassurance that alongside the regular scans and checks, I will have these fantastic blood tests every three months that show up signs of the cancer coming back up to 12-months earlier than a scan. So for me it’s hugely beneficial both mentally and physically.”

Analysis by Cancer Research UK showed that rates of melanoma have increased by almost a third over the past decade with around 16,000 people diagnosed with melanoma every year in the UK.**

With melanoma cases in the UK on the rise, this clinical trial has come at a crucial time according to Cancer Research UK’s Executive Director of Research and Innovation Dr Iain Foulkes. He said: “Cancer Research UK is dedicated to discovery science while ensuring our findings in the laboratory have patient benefit. This project is an important step towards ensuring that our understanding of cancer can provide more personalised treatment for people diagnosed with melanoma, whilst sustaining their quality of life."

Melanoma Focus CEO Susanna Daniels added: “It’s hoped that by using these ctDNA blood tests, doctors will be able to identify very early on which patients have a high chance of the melanoma returning and treat those patients accordingly. Doctors will also be able to provide reassurance to those patients that do not have ctDNA in their blood that their melanoma is not returning, and therefore avoid unnecessary treatment and potential side effects for many patients.”

Image: Karen Dickinson

The  guideline establishes new standards for managing fungal infections, which affect millions of people worldwide every year, and was recently published in Lancet Infectious Diseases. 

The new guideline contains detailed recommendations on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of various forms of candidiasis – from superficial infections to life-threatening invasive infections – for clinicians, including innovative diagnostic procedures and the latest therapeutic approaches. 

Particular attention is paid to new challenges such as resistance to common antifungals and the increasing spread of Candida auris, a multiresistant pathogen 

“With this guideline, we have taken an important step towards improving treatment for patients worldwide,” said Professor Cornely, head of the global initiative. Co-lead Dr Sprute added: “Our aim was to pool the expertise of a global network to provide doctors and healthcare professionals with a practical and scientifically sound tool. 

The document is the result of four years of intensive collaboration among more than one hundred experts from 35 countries. Supported by the expert associations ECMM (European Confederation of Medical Mycology), ISHAM (International Society for Human and Animal Mycology) and ASM (American Society for Microbiology).

Dr Cornely invited potential authors for the guideline based on speciality, geography, and gender. Six coordinators were appointed to ensure the structure of the guideline, assign topics, identify missing aspects and monitor progress.

The guideline has been endorsed worldwide by seventy six international expert associations as an important guide for practising physicians and meets the highest standards of quality and relevance to clinical care.

“Our compilation is unprecedented and provides a basis for improving the treatment and chances of survival of affected patients worldwide,” said Cornely, underlining the significance of the work.

Dr Riina Rautemaa-Richardson, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Infectious Diseases and Medical Education at ����Vlog�ٷ� said: “"It was a mammoth project to bring practically the world together to agree how to diagnose and manage the most common invasive fungal disease. For the first time, all continents are represented and all aspects of Candida infections covered, including the very common superficial ones (thrush).”

"It was amazing to see how much more evidence there is to support the recommendations made compared to the previous European guideline 10 years ago. Although we had over 100 expert authors in the group it was easy to agree on the recommendations.”

Published in the and led by David Denning, Professor of Infectious Diseases in Global Health at ����Vlog�ٷ�, the team analysed fungal infection management policies from the Netherlands,Italy, South Korea, China, and India. 

The contrast between the countries gives a representative picture of policies around the world according to Professor Denning. 

The research focussed on recognition and prioritization, awareness and education, prevention and monitoring, diagnosis and coordinated care, access to appropriate treatment, and diagnostic and treatment innovation. 

They also found worrying gaps in policy coverage, including low prioritization of diagnostics and omission of fungal pathogens from antimicrobial resistance policies.

There was also a general lack of awareness, poor healthcare professional training on optimal management of the potentially deadly infection which often presents with minimal, vague, or nonspecific symptoms.

Professor Denning said: “Development of efficient and coordinated national systems to reduce avoidable deaths from fungal diseases has lagged behind other infectious diseases.

“A key element is timely and appropriate use of antifungal agents, based on diagnostic results, prevailing resistance trends and stewardship.

“We hope this article will provide a stimulus for all countries to put in place comprehensive plans for fungal diseases and monitor their implementation.”

The policy framework that was developed is summarised in 6 areas: policy recognition, awareness and education, prevention and monitoring, diagnosis and coordinated care, access to appropriate treatment and innovation.

Each item in each country was scored using a traffic light system.

A £1m funding award from the Medical Research Council in collaboration with Innovate UK will accompany £1.2 million of in-kind support from 85 partners to fund the pilot phase of the UK Centre of Excellence on In-Silico Regulatory Science and Innovation (UK CEiRSI). This Centre will collaborate globally to address some of the sector's most pressing challenges and target unmet patient outcomes and safety needs. 

The consortium will work with computational modelling and simulation and AI techniques—all of which are poised to revolutionise the healthcare landscape. The UK CEiRSI will contribute to making the UK the best milieu for delivering medical innovations using in silico evidence and regulatory science. 

The Centre will consist of leading universities from the UK’s four nations, world-class companies, and health systems and regulatory bodies, including the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Health Research Authority (HRA) but will also collaborate with colleagues in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US, and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in mainland Europe.

Professor Alex Frangi, Bicentennial Turing Chair in Computational Medicine at ����Vlog�ٷ�, will direct the Centre.

He said: “Human and animal trials often face high failure rates resulting in delays, increased costs, and potential risks to patients.

“On average, pharmaceutical products take 12  years to develop, with testing consuming up to 30% of costs.

“However, we will seek to address these critical inefficiencies by developing in-silico technologies that produce digital evidence for the digital age. Our aim is to reflect engineering practices in other sectors where physical testing is complemented by virtual testing and product optimisation. This will result in improved medical products (drugs or devices), faster and more affordable lifesaving therapies for patients, and innovative regulatory approval processes.”

He added: “These cutting-edge tools can greatly enhance reliability in testing, while substantially reducing development time and costs, as well as improving the diversity of testing conditions, leading to more equitable care.”

“And that will benefit patients through reduced failure rates and recalls, while fostering economic growth by driving innovation in pharmaceuticals and medical technologies.”

However, despite their transformative potential, a regulatory deadlock for in-silico technologies means the technologies face barriers to adoption. Regulators lack frameworks to assess in-silico evidence, while developers hesitate to invest without clear pathways to approval.

The UK CEiRSI aims to break the deadlock and position in-silico technology and virtual trials as a mainstream approach to eliminate risk from future medical and pharmaceutical innovation developments. To tackle this impasse, the Pilot phase will implement an In Silico Airlock Initiative where actors from industry, academia and regulatory bodies will explore 10 industry-led pre-commercial regulatory pilots and assess the opportunities and limitations of current credibility frameworks.

Building on the success of a six-month discovery phase, UK CEiRSI will bring together industry leaders, regulators, Health Technology Assessment (HTA) and standardisation bodies, academics, and patient representatives - to test and refine frameworks for assessing in-silico evidence.

Reports from the project will address key issues such as regulatory frameworks, legal and ethical implications, and patient risk reduction, paving the way for in-silico technologies to make a real impact on our lives.

• "in silico"  is a term used to describe experiments or studies that are performed using computer simulations or software. 

For more information visit:

• UK CEiRSI LinkedIn
• InSilicoUK
• InSilicoUK
• InSilicoUK
• InSilicoUK L 

Alex Theodossiadis, 25, died five years ago on 28 January 2020, after struggling to get a GP appointment. 

Reception staff had failed to realise  that the DJ’s symptoms needed urgent evaluation and offered him an appointment in three weeks. 

Alex had developed a severe and debilitating headache, and felt so ill and weak he was unable to eat properly or go out, which can be symptoms of meningitis in which the three thin layers of tissue that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord become inflamed, usually by an infection. 

Symptoms also include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, confusion and drowsiness muscle pain, stomach cramps and fever with cold hands and feet, and a rash, though they may appear in any order. Some may not appear at all. 

Alex was taken by a friend to Leeds General Infirmary and then transferred across the city to St James' Hospital where he stopped breathing after falling from his hospital bed and banging his head on the floor.

 An inquest heard he was likely to have already succumbed to the infectious disease, which was complicated by the head injury. 

His mother, Professor Sue Astley Theodossiadis, a medical imaging expert at ����Vlog�ٷ�, has been working with the charities Meningitis Now and the PSHE Association to develop the resources. 

They consist of two lessons which teach 16 to 18-year-olds  how to recognise serious illness in themselves and others, and to have the confidence and knowledge to navigate the healthcare system. One section includes role playing on how to get a doctor’s appointment. 

The pack was part-funded by the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health  at ����Vlog�ٷ� and part-funded by Meningitis Now. 

She said: “We strongly feel Alex’s care could have been better, and that his death might have been preventable. 

“He was told he had to wait for three weeks for a GP appointment. But after becoming progressively unwell, he went to a walk-in clinic where the first words written by the nurse at the appointment were 'cough and cold' symptoms, despite his most concerning symptoms including a new, debilitating headache. 

“He was so ill he couldn't even climb the stairs to his bedroom, but the duration and severity of his symptoms wasn’t discussed at the appointment. 

“It's likely that his inexperience in presenting his symptoms contributed to a presumption of a flu type viral infection; he left the surgery with painkillers for the headache.”

A record of his Facebook messages to his friends and family, compiled by Professor Astley Theodossiadis, reveals the heartbreaking progression of the symptoms caused by the disease.

After posting one message to a friend in Germany which said he was 'in and out of naps', another friend took him to hospital, where he died three days later.

She added: "The coroner picked up the need for GP receptionists to ask questions and help people to be clearer about their symptoms so they can triage them more appropriately to get urgent appointments.

"This resource pack draws on Alex’s experience to help young people recognise serious illness in themselves and others, and to have the confidence and knowledge to navigate the healthcare system.

“Until the time of his illness, Alex’s interactions with the NHS had mainly been for sports injuries, and many of those were when he was young, so I was there with him.

“My hope is that this will help prevent others dying in a similar way.  All healthcare professionals, including receptionists, need to be aware of the difficulties young people have in explaining themselves. The resources also highlight when to seek help urgently, either for yourself or for someone else”

Director of Meningitis Now Dr Tom Nutt said: “We welcome this valuable resource and thank Alex’s mother Sue for her tireless efforts to raise awareness and fight back against the disease that sadly took her son’s life.

“Young people are an at-risk group of meningitis and research tells us that up to a quarter of 15 to 24-year-olds carry the bacteria that cause meningococcal meningitis in the back of their throats, compared with one in 10 of the general population.

“Common complaints such as a hangover and Freshers’ Flu are often given as reasons for a person not feeling too well – but we are asking young people not to simply assume this is the case. A headache and fever are also common signs of meningitis.

“It’s important that young people have the confidence and the knowledge to understand what may be happening to them when they are unwell and to know when to seek medical help or the help of others. This means taking a few minutes to learn the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia, and to know that it’s OK to seek urgent medical help if you are concerned that someone maybe unwell and getting worse.  This new resource will give young people the knowledge and confidence on how best to go about this.”

Monica Perry from PSHE Association said: “These lessons will help students to develop responsibility for monitoring and maintaining their health and wellbeing; learning how to access reliable health information, recognising when to seek medical care, and rehearsing communication with healthcare professionals.

“Young adults have an increased risk of contracting meningitis or meningococcal disease – this resource will support students to be aware of vaccinations available, common signs and symptoms of the disease and what to do if someone is seriously unwell.”

The HDRC is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It will connect the Council, University of Manchester researchers and other academic institutions to give local people an equal say in research and the ability to influence decisions made from that research, using both real-life experiences and building on current ways of doing things, to make sure the benefits last long after the programme ends.

The funding approval given today  follows last year’s submission to the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

The collaboration, led by Manchester City Council, University of Manchester and partner organisations, is a significant step in uniting Manchester academic institutions and residents with other key players including voluntary and faith organisations, and public and private sector partners.

It aims to enhance better understanding of the factors affecting health and health inequalities, increase research capacity and use this evidence to inform future policy and planning and improve health outcomes in areas of high deprivation.

Councillor Thomas Robinson, Executive Manchester for Healthy Manchester and Adult Social Care said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for Manchester to lead the way in tackling health inequalities by ensuring that local people’s voices are at the heart of shaping policy. By building our research capacity and working closely with partners and local people across the city we can develop a deeper understanding of the challenges our communities face and create evidence-based solutions that will have a real and lasting impact on people’s lives.

"This collaboration allows us to continue to shape the future of health and wellbeing in our city which is the central tenet of our Making Manchester Fairer Programme to address health inequity and preventable deaths by looking at all the social factors that mean that some people in the city die earlier than others.”

Professor Arpana Verma from ����Vlog�ٷ�, Academic Lead for the HDRC, said: “We are so proud that Manchester has been awarded full HDRC status. This is a testament to our communities and public contributors who have helped us as the HDRC team create a plan of work that will strengthen our partnership. The HDRC will ensure we continue to hear the voices of the unheard, make the invisible, visible and making sure that we don’t leave anyone behind.

“Putting people at the heart of this exciting initiative is vital for inclusive research and improving health and wellbeing. As we look to the next 5 years, we will continue to build our research-active communities and research-responsive policies to tackle inequalities together."

This commitment to addressing health inequalities across Manchester is echoed in the University's recent investment in interdisciplinary research focused on delivering fairer health outcomes for all through its  research platform.

The study of special bacteria, which have evolved nanoscopic syringes –Type 6 Secretion Systems (T6SSs) – that inject cocktails of deadly toxins into rival microorganisms, is published today in the journal PNAS. 

Microbes been fighting their own wars on germs for Millions of years  – battling for survival against each other.

The new Wellcome Trust-funded research shows that toxin cocktails used in these fights have a highly valuable property – they limit resistance evolution to T6SS attacks.

In both computer simulations and lab experiments, the researchers found that microbes readily evolved resistance to individual T6SS toxins, but that resistance did not occur when the toxins were injected together.

That means multi-toxin T6SSs might be ideal candidates for resistance-busting antimicrobials of the future.

T6SS-armed bacteria are already being harnessed as antimicrobials, with applications in crop protection or aquafarming.

Attacker bacteria could also be engineered as “living biotherapeutics”, targeting drug-resistant bacteria or fungi inside hosts. 

The new results could now be used to improve these technologies,using toxin combinations to limit resistance evolution and extend their lifespan.

The work also suggests that microbes themselves might have much to teach us when it comes to overcoming resistance.

While the idea of combination therapy – using multiple toxins together to prevent resistance – dates from the 1950s, bacteria seem have been beaten humans to the discovery.

“Bacteria have been using T6SSs to attack other microbes for millions of years, and have developed their own type of combination therapy – injecting a range of toxin types together ,” said Lead author, Dr Will Smith, from the University of Manchester.

“It’s possible this evolved to limit resistance in competitors. If so, what other mechanisms might microbes have to do this?”

“It’s an exciting prospect that we might make better antimicrobial therapies by consulting our top microbial assassins: the germs themselves”

• Video shows attacker and target bacteria. The dead bacteria is stained pink

Led by researchers at ����Vlog�ٷ� and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), alongside researchers in Australia and United States, the study will enable researchers to track changes in brain structure over time in children and young people with NF1.

The research is funded by a £2.2 million award from the US Department of Defence and is the largest investigation into brain development in NF1 to date. Using advanced machine-learning techniques, the team will analyse the brain structure of over 10,000 MRI scans, comparing them to healthy individuals of the same age.

By doing that, they will shine a light on how specific genetic changes affect the brain and how alterations in brain structure may predict learning difficulties outcomes.

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the Murdoch Research Institute in Melbourne and the Complex NF1 Service hosted by the Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine at Saint Mary’s Hospital, part of MFT, which is a world leading centre for clinical care and research in NF1, have all signed up to the project.

NF1 affects approximately 1 in 2,500 children. Although the severity of the condition varies from person to person, about half of all children affected by the condition may have difficulties with learning, autism or ADHD.

Dr Shruti Garg, Senior Lecturer at ����Vlog�ٷ� and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) Mental Health Theme Capacity Development Lead, is leading the international research.

Dr Garg, who is also Honorary Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, part of MFT said: “Learning and behavioural difficulties in NF1 can profoundly impact the quality of lives of affected children and young people. This funding provides a crucial opportunity for researchers to deepen our understanding of how changes in the NF1 gene impact brain development.

“Just like ‘growth-charts’ are widely used to monitor children’s physical growth, our research will enable us to create NF1-specific ‘brain charts’ to serve as a reference for age-related changes in brain structure.”

Dr Nils Muhlert, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and Neuroanatomy at the University of Manchester said: “This project is a powerful illustration of collaboration across the world, and we are tremendously excited about what it might achieve.”

Karen Cockburn, Charity Director of Nerve Tumours UK, said: "We fully endorse this extremely important global project, and the work of Dr Shruti Garg, who is also a member of the charity's Medical Advisory Board. This research and its potential findings will be of huge benefit for the NF1 community.”

Dr Grace Vassallo, Consultant Paediatric Neurologist and Clinical Lead for the Complex NF1 Service at the Manchester Centre for Genomic Centre for Medicine at Saint Mary’s Hospital, said: “We are incredibly grateful for this unique opportunity to collaborate in cutting edge research into the developing NF1 Brain charts which will in future improve the clinical care for children and young people with NF1.”

The new suggests that repeated head injuries, such as concussions, a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), may reactivate a common dormant virus in the brain, increasing the risk of AD and other neurodegenerative conditions. Researchers found that even mild brain trauma can trigger this chain reaction, leading to harmful changes associated with memory loss and cognitive decline.

, the researchers demonstrated the roles that common viruses, such as herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) (the so-called cold sore virus) and varicella zoster virus (VZV) (which causes chickenpox and shingles) play in the development of AD. HSV-1 can lie dormant in human cells for a lifetime, but when it re-awakens it can cause changes that resemble changes observed in AD patients’ brains - amyloid plaque-like formations (PLFs), gliosis, neuroinflammation, and decreased functionality.

In the latest study, published today in Science Signaling, the researchers once again used their small, 3D, bioengineered human brain tissue model to test the effects of physical trauma on the brain cells. When the brain tissues were exposed to repeated "mild blows," similar to concussions, the previously dormant HSV-1 virus became active. This reactivation triggered inflammation, beta-amyloid plaque build-up, and the formation of harmful tau proteins, which can damage brain cells and impair memory.

Importantly, the researchers also found that blocking an inflammatory molecule called Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) prevented many of these harmful effects in lab models, opening the door to potential new treatments for those at risk. 

Professor Ruth Itzhaki, who led the research with Drs Cairns and Kaplan at Tufts, has been researching the potential role of HSV-1 in AD for more than 30 years, beginning at the University of Manchester, where her team discovered HSV-1 DNA is present in the human brain in a high proportion of older people - the first microbe to be detected definitively in normal human brains. 

Professor Itzhaki, Visiting Professorial Fellow at the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing and Emeritus Professor at the University of Manchester, said: “Head injuries are already recognised as a major risk factor, as are the cumulative effect of common infections, for conditions such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, but this is the first time we have been able to demonstrate a mechanism for that process.

“What we’ve discovered is that in the brain model these injuries can reactivate a dormant virus, HSV1, setting off inflammation which, in the brain, would lead to the very changes we see in Alzheimer’s patients.

“Understanding both the risk factors for dementia and Alzheimer’s, and the mechanism by which they develop, is important in being able to target treatment and prevention at as early a point as possible.”

The researchers hope their work will pave the way for new treatments to protect against neurodegeneration, particularly for those at high risk due to repeated concussions.

The full paper, ‘Repetitive injury induces phenotypes associated with Alzheimer’s disease by reactivating HSV-1 in a human brain tissue model’, is published in.

The English Language Support Academy for Medics will work with the gynaecologists, surgeons, paediatricians, emergency medical doctors and GPs in 2025.

The Belfast programme is supported by REACHE, a 21-year-old medical education programme funded by NHS England that in 2024 has helped 123 health professionals, mainly doctors and nurses on their journey to regain their professional registrations in England.

The programme is being led by Dr Aisha Awan, Director of REACHE at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, and a clinical lecturer at ����Vlog�ٷ�. 

Dr Awan said: “REACHE offers an excellent return on investment. Its nearly six times cheaper and takes half the time of training medical students in the UK.

“The fall of the Assad regime in Syria brings the plight of refugees and asylum seekers sharply into focus.

“B�ܳ� rather than wasting the experience of these skilled medical professionals when we need doctors and nurses desperately, REACHE supports them to be part of the solution to our national challenges.”

She added: “Refugee doctors have an average of seven years post-registration experience under their belt.

“With specialist language and acculturation training alongside strong pastoral support, they are well able  to fill the estimated shortfall of around 50,000 doctors in the NHS.”

According to REACHE, the recruitment of refugees and asylum-seeking doctors and nurses prevents them from becoming deskilled through inactivity in their host country.

That way they can then return to their nations after conflicts end and provide health services to traumatised citizens and rebuild their country.

• Image 1 : the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray welcomes a refugee group of doctors at the opening of the programme. From L to R they are  Dr Ghaleb Daher,  Lord Mayor, Dr Yasmeen Ahmed and Dr Mohameden Omer 
• Image 2: From Left to right they are: Jennifer Taggart, NHS service manager; Councillor Micky Murray; Aisha Awan; Dr Kathy Cullen, interim Centre Director, Queen's University

The study - led by two University of Manchester researchers and published in Nature Communications - significantly advances our understanding of how Aspergillus fumigatus rapidly develops drug resistance.

 The mould, found in soil, composts, and decaying vegetation, is potentially deadly to people with a range of health conditions including those with weakened immune systems and respiratory problems.

Millions of people develop invasive and chronic aspergillosis infections around the world every year, with mortality rates ranging between 30% to 90%.

Only three classes of antifungal drugs available to treat disease, and only one class, the azoles, is suitable for long-term oral administration.

Resistance to azoles is spreading due to the use of a class of fungicides in agriculture, known as the DMIs. Resistance can double the risk of mortality from invasive aspergillosis.

According to the study funded by The Wellcome Trust, strains resistant to azoles are over five times more likely to acquire resistance to new treatments currently in clinical trials. 

The study follows previous research by the team showing how an agricultural fungicide called ipflufenoquin- currently under consideration by authorities worldwide - could have a devastating effect on a new drug, olorofim, currently being trialled to treat Aspergillus fumigatus infections. 

F2G Ltd – a spin out company from ����Vlog�ٷ� – invested more than £250 million over 20 years in the development of olorofim, which is in late-stage clinical trials and aims to be clinically deployed within the next few years. 

Because olorofim works against azole resistant infections, it could save many lives of affected patients. 

However, ipflufenoquin, could severely impact the new drug because it has the same biological target and kills the fungi the same way as olorofim. 

Co-author Dr Michael Bottery from ����Vlog�ٷ� said: “Our discovery, coupled with our previous research on the impact of an agrochemical on antifungal resistance, highlights the urgent need for innovative strategies to combat the growing public health threat of antifungal resistance. 

“Aspergillus fumigatus produces billions of spores. Even slightly elevated rates of mutation mean it is highly likely resistant mutants will arise.” 

By exposing billions of spores from genetically different natural strains of Aspergillus fumigatus to a range of drugs they accelerated evolution in the lab to predict how likely it was for resistance to evolve. 

Strains that evolve faster, they found,  were also the ones already resistant to azoles. These strains had genetic changes in genes that control the fungus’s system which repairs mutated DNA  -  known as the mismatch repair system. 

By using CRISPR-Cas9 to reproduce these variants in the lab, they were able to directly link the changes in the mismatch repair system with the ability of Aspergillus fumigatus to evolve resistance to new drugs. 

Co-author Prof. Michael Bromley from ����Vlog�ٷ� said: “Specific strains of Aspergillus fumigatus are resistant to azoles, the only effective long-term treatment for chronic aspergillosis.

“B�ܳ� these strains also have elevated mutation rates due to changes in their DNA mismatch repair system - the fungus’s system which repairs errors in its DNA.

“This means that isolates that are already resistant to our first line treatments could develop resistance to new drugs 5 times faster than drug resistant isolates, potentially leading to strains that are resistant to all antifungal medications.”

The  paper "Elevated mutation rates in multi-azole resistant Aspergillus fumigatus drive rapid evolution of antifungal resistance," to be published in in Nature Communications, is published in Nature Communications.

The duration reduction of around 10% could provide significant cost savings to health systems, limit unwanted drug side-effects, reduce overtreatment and reduce the development of antimicrobial resistance in individuals, across communities and internationally.

The study was commissioned and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and its leading partners were ����Vlog�ٷ�, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust and Warwick Medical School’s Clinical Trials Unit,  who specialise in research in emergency and critical care.

Chief investigator Paul Dark, Professor of Critical Care at the University of Manchester will present the findings to a global online audience at the prestigious this week (10/12/24), where it will be scrutinised and debated by some of the world’s leading experts in the field.

The research team are also to publish their peer reviewed findings in JAMA-  one of the world’s leading medical  journals today

According to the charity Sepsis Research FEAT, around 50,000 people are estimated to die of sepsis in the UK each year, which develops when the body's immune system overreacts to an infection and starts attacking its own tissues and organs.

Accounting for 100,000 hospital admissions a year in the UK, it is estimated that there are 49 million cases and 1 million deaths a year globally.

Recognising sepsis and starting antibiotics  early are crucial but until now the recommended duration of such treatment has been uncertain.

The only available option recommended for doctors currently is to use their judgement  to decide when to discontinue the potent  broad spectrum antibiotics, usually reserved to treat the condition.

The new decision support system is based on a simple blood test, carried out daily and available in most  NHS hospital laboratories.

It tests for levels of a circulating protein called procalcitonin (PCT), which is produced as part of the body’s immune system responses to bacterial infections.

Higher levels indicate a greater likelihood of bacterial infection and sepsis, with subsequent falling levels indicating favourable responses to treatments

A computer automated response, based on the PCT levels from the blood test,    advises doctors whether to discontinue antibiotic treatment or not.  A further commonly measured circulating inflammation protein (C-reactive protein or CRP) was also tested.

The randomized controlled trial was based at 41 intensive care units across the UK, involving 2,760 adults from January 2018 to June 2024.

It compared 918 patients on a  PCT protocol with 924 patients on a  C-reactive protein (CRP) and 918 patients on current standard care.

Clinicians responsible for managing patients received daily standardized written advice on either standard care or on PCT or CRP biomarker-guided antibiotic discontinuation.

The protocols in the study were uniquely designed to  conceal laboratory test results  from clinical  staff to reduce potential bias and patients were randomly assigned to one of the three groups.

The team found that a PCT protocol reduced total antibiotic duration by 10% and all-cause mortality, a key patient safety measure, was the same as standard care .

There was no difference in total antibiotic duration between standard care and CRP protocols..

Professor Dark, who is also an NHS Consultant in Critical Care Medicine at Salford Royal, said: “This simple protocol, if implemented, could significantly change the way sepsis is treated and safely help to combat antimicrobial overuse and resistance-  one of the world’s leading health challenges.

“It is also a powerful illustration of how precision medicine can make a real difference to patient care  when treatment is tailored to  individual test results  of each patient.

“It’s also important to acknowledge that this study would not have been possible without the generous contribution  of patients with this life threatening condition who like all of us, are committed to finding better ways to deal with sepsis.”

He added: “Sepsis has been at the forefront of policy makers minds ever since the publication of 2013 Health Service Ombudsman report which focused on sepsis patients who were not treated urgently enough.

“Ever since then, developing better diagnostics and treatment guidance for GPs and hospital clinicians to help them recognise sepsis at an early stage has been a national priority.

“This trial has been planned to address NICEs recommendations so that its results will inform their future guidance on antibiotic duration in sepsis.”

Sepsis Research FEAT trustee Beth Budgen developed sepsis as a result of a seemingly innocuous Strep A infection on Christmas Day 2022, resulting in quadruple amputations.

She said: “Within 24hrs I was fighting for my life and have been left with life changing injuries as a result. If this can happen to me, it really can happen to anyone. It really is that scary

“����Vlog�ٷ� study is one of several significant projects currently being undertaken in the UK in the field of antibiotic treatment for sepsis patients - an extremely important area of research which Sepsis Research FEAT fully endorses.

“The priority setting partnership exercise that the charity recently completed with the James Lind Alliance will also now be crucial in ensuring that the best research into sepsis takes place UK-wide.”

Professor Gavin Perkins, Warwick CTU Trial Lead said: “Sepsis claims tens of thousands of lives each year in the UK.  The findings from ADAPT-sepsis will help doctors ensure that critically ill patients with severe infections get the right duration of treatment with life-saving antibiotics.”

• Critically ill patients recruited to the trial had already commenced antibiotics for sepsis, so the study does not provide evidence for biomarker use in initiating antibiotic therapy.
• ����Vlog�ٷ�, University of Warwick and Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust researchers would like to thank the NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) for help delivering the study in the NHS and the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme for funding the trial.  The collaborative  co-investigator  funded team  in this national study are linked here    .  We would also like to thank Abbott and Roche Diagnostics for their contracted support to assist NHS laboratories participate in the study. 
• Beth’s story is available to read in full and she also appears on the Sepsis Research FEAT  . The PSP outcomes page on their  website can be found .

Professor Adam Greenstein, Professor of Medicine at the University of Manchester, said: “The team and I are delighted to have been chosen as the winners of the British Heart Foundations Research Story of the Year award. Our research marks a revolutionary step forward in understanding the vascular causes of dementia by uncovering new routes for drugs which could slow the progression of  this devastating condition.

The British Heart Foundation has been funding my work for the last 12 years, and it has been the privilege of a lifetime. None of these breakthroughs would exist if it wasn’t for their unwavering and continuous support. Dementia in the over 65’s is largely a vascular illness – together with the British Heart Foundation we are going to stop it in it’s tracks”

The Research Story of the Year category invites the public to vote for their favourite BHF-funded research project addressing some of the biggest challenges in cardiovascular disease.

The Manchester team, co led by Professor Greenstein and Dr Harry Pritchard won for their study that unmasked the hidden dangers of even slightly high blood pressure, revealing how it disrupts communication between the cells that make up the arteries in the brain.

Blood flow in the brain is regulated by two cell structures. When blood pressure increases, these structures help to transmit messages that tell arteries to dilate, allowing more blood to flow through them.

But the researchers found that, when blood pressure remains consistently high, these two structures move further apart. This stops messages reaching their target, causing arteries to remain permanently constricted and limiting blood flow to the brain.

Brain cells that don’t receive enough blood are starved of oxygen and nutrients, causing them to become damaged over time and die. This can lead to lack of concentration and poor memory, both symptoms of dementia.

These results in mice still need to be confirmed in humans, but the team are already looking at potential drugs that could restore this communication. They hope that this could improve blood supply to affected areas in the brain, slowing the progression of all dementia syndromes.

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation, said:

 “Cardiovascular disease affects the lives of too many families, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. But, thanks to the incredible commitment and generosity of our BHF supporters and researchers, there is hope on the horizon.

“This study is just one example of the incredible research happening in labs and hospitals across the UK. Every day, our awe-inspiring BHF-funded researchers bring us one step closer to the next breakthrough that will save and improve lives of people affected by cardiovascular disease.”

2025 will mark two decades since the partnership between ����Vlog�ٷ� and Mansoura University was forged, a relationship which led to the development of Egypt’s first international medical programme.

In 2006 an initial cohort of 60 students were welcomed on to the scheme. Today the programme takes on just under 400 trainees annually, with 50% of these being international students. These students to date have hailed from 45 different countries, including students from neighbouring countries in crisis who receive their medical education through scholarships in Mansoura.

With many medical schools closed in these regions, Mansoura is helping to ensure a medical service can continue in these countries and is playing an instrumental role in educating the next generation of doctors, while helping to meet the urgent global need for an increased health workforce.

Professor Keith Brennan, Vice Dean for Internationalisation, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, at ����Vlog�ٷ� said: “As we continue to celebrate our 200th year anniversary and the impact of our teaching and research partnerships, we can also see how our international partnerships are directly contributing to meeting global need and the huge difference they are making towards meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly Goals 3 Good Health & Wellbeing and 4, Quality Education”.

Additionally, The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that there will be a global deficit of 10-14.5 million healthcare workers by 2030, 6.1 million of this deficit will be in Africa and a further 1.7 million will be in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East.

The Mansoura Manchester Medical Program directly addresses this deficit, providing training for the next generation of doctors in the region. As the programme provides an integrated training, graduates are able to work in any healthcare system globally.

The programme takes the best approaches to medical education seen globally, which put the patient first and emphasise competencies meaning graduates are in a better place to diagnose and treat patients.

Professor Ashraf Shoma, Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University said: “International partnerships such as this brings enormous benefits for our students, staff and local populations. Our graduates are able to join a global workforce that can meet patient needs, both here in Egypt and overseas”.

Professor Lucie Byrne-Davies, Associate Dean for Internationalisation, Teaching & Learning Partnerships, Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health at ����Vlog�ٷ� said: “The Mansoura Manchester Medical Program is a truly collaborative initiative that combines ����Vlog�ٷ�’s holistic curriculum with the quality teaching delivered by our colleagues in Egypt. Our programme provides healthcare education that will equip students with the lifelong learning and research skills they need to thrive in their future careers.”

Attending the latest cohort’s graduation were Professor Keith Brennan, Professor Lucie Byrne-Davis and Professor Joanne Hart.

The first Whitworth debate in November 2023, called Culture of care or culture of concern - let’s debate animal research, received the accolade on Monday at a ceremony at the Crick Institute in London. 

Wendy Jarrett CEO of Understanding Animal Research (UAR), Penny Hawkins Head of the Animals in Science Department, RSPCA Science and Policy Group and  Celean Camp CEO of the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME) took questions from students and staff at the event. 

The event kicked off with Dr Maria Kamper, Director of the University's Biological Services Facility signing a public pledge to uphold a culture of care within the unit. 

The University, a winner of two other openness awards over the past 7 years, is a signatory of the Concordat on openness on animal research, a set of commitments to enhance animal research communications. 

It has been recognised internationally as a leading exponent of openness in animal research. 

The judges, who included senior figures from science, academia and the RSPCA, praised the event as a space for people to come together to ask questions and hear issues around animal testing. 

They particularly recognised the efforts that would have been needed to obtain the necessary internal support for holding such an event. 

“We hope its success inspires other signatories [of the Concordat] to hold similar events, with a continuing broadening of the perspectives represented on the stage, and of those attending,”  they added. 

Dr Kamper said: “We are so proud to be recognised as a leading exponent in openness by our distinguished peers. 

“There is absolutely no doubt that openness reaps huge rewards for science, scientists-  and ultimately the public who are the beneficiaries of new medical treatments and procedures. 

“And shining a light on animal research, also ensures that the highest standards of care and welfare are adhered to by those who work in the sector.” 

The debate was chaired by communications lead for animal research Mike Addelman, from the Directorate  of communications, marketing and student recruitment. 

He said: “This event was conducted in the best possible way. Though our panellists covered many of the hotly debated areas in animal research, they were constructive in what they had to say, and engaged a lively and appreciative audience. 

“It was clear that audience members went home feeling as though they had learned something - and that they understood where people with differing views were coming from."

• Image  from left to right:  Mike Addelman, animal research comms lead University of Manchester, Val Summers, Regulatory Affairs Manager at Envigo who presented the award, Dr Jo Stanley,  Named Training and Competency Officer and 3Rs manager at The Biological Services Facility, University of Manchester

The review also finds that 15% of people with chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) die in the first year following other lung diseases.

The international study of CPA - which kills 340,000 people a year around the world - is  led by Professor David Denning from ����Vlog�ٷ� and published today in the leading journal Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Though still high, CPA patients with prior tuberculosis (TB) had a lower overall 5 year mortality of 25%, according to the study.

Though patients with TB tend to be younger, a multivariable analysis showed prior TB was 24% less lethal than other lung conditions, even accounting for age, though the reason for the difference in outcome was not identified.

Being older than 60, having interstitial lung disease, current cancer and smoking-related lung disease carried worse outcomes.

Co-authors Dr Abinhav Sengupta and Dr Animesh Ray from All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi examined the death rates in 8,778 patients described in the literature from all continents except Antarctica.

CPA, in which lungs gradually scar over months and years, is a debilitating condition which causes severe tiredness, weight loss, breathlessness and coughing up blood.

Caused by exposure to airborne spores of the mould Aspergillus, it is harmless to most people, but not to those with lung damage.

A small group of patients with disease in only one lung have it removed surgically have a much lower mortality.

In contrast, very ill patients tend to be treated with the antifungal drug voriconazole and had a significantly higher mortality.

David Denning, Professor of Infectious Diseases in Global Health at ����Vlog�ٷ� who led the study said: “This truly international collaboration highlights the poor outcome of diagnosed and treated patients with CPA.

“Many are not diagnosed or misdiagnosed as having TB, and then not treated with antifungal agents.

“Treatment with antifungal drugs or surgery improves symptoms and probably reduces deaths from this truly disabling disorder, although as this study shows new strategies to reduce deaths are required, especially straight after diagnosis.”

Earlier in 2024, Professor Denning that CPA developed in 1.8 million people each year, leading to 340,000 deaths (18%), taking into account diagnosed and undiagnosed patients.

Of the deaths, an estimated 204,000 were directly attributable to CPA. This new research takes the CPA mortality down and consequently the number of patients living with CPA up. The last figure (prevalence) was estimated by Denning at over 6 million.

The paper Mortality in chronic pulmonary aspergillosis: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis is available

In a position statement published today, British Society of Audiology, the British Academy of Audiology and the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists say the misinformation is promoting a sense of alarm and stigma around hearing loss, and may discourage people experiencing hearing difficulties from seeking help.

They also argue the focus on what causes the co-occurrence of hearing loss and dementia could inadvertently distract from much needed research on how to assess and help people who live with both conditions.

The statement published by the organisations, provides a more balanced view of the link between the two, arguing there is no evidence to support or refute either of the claims.

Factors which are predictive of dementia include depression, traumatic brain injury, diabetes, lower levels of education, and social isolation. Hearing loss comes much further down the ranking and has a clear but weak association.

The lead author Kevin Munro, Professor of audiology at ����Vlog�ٷ�, said: “It is true that hearing loss and dementia both increase with age. But it does not follow that one causes the other.

“Social responsibility is paramount, and any misleading negative messaging may distract from the importance of good hearing in its own right.

“Hearing loss is a huge challenge because it ranks third in terms of years lived with a disability.“

There is clear evidence that treating adult-onset hearing loss facilitates an active, engaged, independent, and healthy older age, and that could be good for people with or without dementia.

“The topic of dementia raises considerable fear and alarm because of the potential devastating consequences for individuals, with a significant impact on families and carers, as well as the health and care system.”

Siobhan Brennan, Chair of the British Society of Audiology said: “While the nature of the link has yet to be determined, it is a mistake to think that if two things co-occur, one must have caused the other.

“We can say with certainty that just because someone experiences age-related cognitive change, and changes in their hearing, this does not mean that they will go on to develop dementia.”

Listening and trying to communicate with others when you have a hearing loss can be a challenge. Hearing aids have proven benefits for improving communication and this helps to keep the user cognitively and socially active.

Professor Munro added: “If hearing aids help you to hear more easily, this means your brain probably doesn’t have to work so hard. That could free up your brain to do other things. This is a simple and clear message: hearing better can help you to live better.”

Claire Benton, President of the British Academy of Audiology said: “We need to change the narrative, so society appreciates the importance of healthy hearing. We are in an ageing society and the more people who enter older age in good health, the better. Healthy hearing is an important component of healthy ageing.”

Michael Marchant, Vice President of the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists, said: “This document is designed to reassure our members and help them navigate any concerns. Since causation between hearing loss and dementia has not been proven, it’s essential that our members approach this topic with sensitivity, ensuring patients feel informed and supported rather than alarmed.”

The authors of the report stress that the content is specific to adult-onset hearing loss. It does not apply to people who identify as being Deaf and are members of a vibrant community that uses sign language to communicate.

The position statement and clinical guidance is called: The link between adult-onset hearing loss and dementia. It is published this week by the British Society of Audiology, the British Academy of Audiology and the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists.

The full mission statement is  available  

Developed by researchers at Saint Mary’s Hospital, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and ����Vlog�ٷ�, in collaboration with Manchester-based firm genedrive Plc, the rapid bedside test could save the NHS £5 million every year by reducing the need for interventions, such as cochlear implants.

The innovative test was first piloted at Saint Mary’s Hospital and Liverpool Women’s Hospital, in 2020 as part of the Pharmacogenetics to Avoid Loss of Hearing (PALOH) study. Following its success, the test was implemented into routine clinical practice at Saint Mary’s Hospital in 2022 and extended to all three maternity units at MFT, Saint Mary’s Hospital, Wythenshawe Hospital, and North Manchester General Hospital, in 2023.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) conditionally recommended the genedrive test for use in the NHS last year. It has since been implemented into routine clinical practice at all eight Greater Manchester neonatal units, with funding from Health Innovation Manchester (HInM). So far, the test has prevented the hearing loss of 11 babies at MFT and across Greater Manchester, with 4,000 babies tested to October 2024.

As part of its recommendation, NICE identified areas requiring more information to determine whether the test should be recommended for use at all neonatal sites across the NHS. This includes how the test impacts the time it takes for a baby to be given antibiotics, how the results affect antibiotic prescribing decisions, and the technical performance and accuracy of the test.

Now, having successfully received £1.4m funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Office for Life Sciences, researchers at MFT will lead PALOH-UK, a new two-year study across 14 neonatal units, from large intensive care units to small special care baby units.  

Dr John McDermott, Clinical Geneticist at MFT and joint lead for the PALOH-UK study said: “We are incredibly proud to be leading this research at MFT, having already seen the difference this new genetic test has made across Greater Manchester. We are excited to explore how it can be used effectively at other neonatal units across the UK.  

“The PALOH-UK study will demonstrate how the test can be used in a timely way to ensure babies get a safe, effective antibiotic without affecting normal clinical practice, on a much larger scale.”

Using a cheek swab, the test can identify in 26 minutes whether a critically ill baby admitted to intensive care has a gene change that could result in permanent hearing loss if they are treated with a common antibiotic, gentamicin.

While gentamicin is used to safely treat approximately 100,000 babies a year, one in 500 babies carry a gene change that can result in permanent hearing loss when given the drug.

The test replaces a previous method that traditionally took several days and is the first use of a rapid point of care genetic test in acute neonatal care. Babies found to have the genetic variant can be given an alternative antibiotic within the NICE recommended ‘golden hour.’

The 24 month, PALOH-UK study, due to start in November 2024 will be co-led by Professor Bill Newman, Consultant in Genomic Medicine at the Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, Saint Mary’s Hospital and Professor of Translational Genomic Medicine at ����Vlog�ٷ�.

Professor Newman, who is also Rare Conditions Co-Theme Lead at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), said: “While we were delighted that NICE recommended the use of the genetic beside test, we understand that evidence is needed to understand implementation in smaller centres and in more diverse populations, which is what this study will do.

“We are looking forward to working with partners across the NHS to take this research to the next level and hopefully bring this test closer to implementation across every NHS neonatal unit in the UK.”

Dr Gino Miele, Chief Executive, genedrive plc, said: “We are delighted with the successful funding award to MFT, to address the areas where NICE has identified a need for further information.  We are proud to be at the forefront of pharmacogenetic testing in emergency care settings and look forward to working with all partners across the UK to progress implementation of this worlds-first rapid genetic test in neonatal settings, positively impacting patient outcomes and healthcare finances.”

Dr John McDermott, who is also a NIHR Fellow at ����Vlog�ٷ� added: “It’s fantastic to see this research moving forward and highlights how genomic medicine can be integrated into routine clinical practice to improve healthcare outcomes. Most importantly, having this test available nationally will ensure no baby will go deaf unnecessarily.”

• Image: using the genetic test