news 2017

Research led by scientists at the University of Birmingham has revealed a new cause of high blood pressure which could lead to major changes in managing the disease. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, often goes unnoticed but if left untreated can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Less than one per cent of UK children born with congenital heart disease are enrolled in clinical trials looking to improve treatments, research funded by the British Heart Foundation and led by the University of Birmingham and Birmingham Children's Hospital has found. The study, published in the European Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery today, is the first systematic review of its kind into clinical trials in children's heart surgery.

Researchers are calling for a randomised clinical trial to investigate the potential role of vitamin D supplementation in improving live birth rates following assisted reproduction treatment (ART). This follows a review and meta-analysis published today in Human Reproduction, which shows a strong link between low vitamin D concentrations in women and lower live birth rates after ART compared to women who have the right amount of vitamin D in their bodies.

Researchers at the University of Birmingham have identified new mechanisms used by bacteria to resist infection-fighting antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the drugs which are used to treat infections. The team of experts at the University's Institute of Microbiology and Infection focussed their research on E. coli, which can cause urinary and blood stream infections.

One of the UK's leading microbiologists is concerned that confusing language and a lack of specific objectives are hampering the global fight against antibiotic-resistant infections. Professor Laura Piddock , of the Institute of Microbiology and Infection, at the University of Birmingham, and her collaborators have written a report for the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Antibiotics.

Charity Cancer Research UK has awarded the University of Birmingham £1.5 million to fund a five-year research programme aimed at finding new treatments for bowel cancer. The pioneering research, the first of its kind in the UK, will see scientists taking samples of 200 patients' bowel cancer in order to then grow avatars - or mini tumours - in the laboratory.

A delayed neurological response to processing the written word could be an indicator that a patient with mild memory problems is at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, research led by the University of Birmingham has discovered. Using an electroencephalogram (EEG) - a test that detects electrical activity in a person's brain via electrodes attached to their scalp - researchers studied the brain activity of a group of 25 patients to establish how quickly they processed words shown to them on a computer screen.

Adopting a lying down position rather than being upright in the later stages of labour for first-time mothers who have had a low dose epidural leads to a higher chance of them delivering their baby without any medical intervention, a study has found.

New novel smartphone and tablet apps for patients with atrial fibrillation and healthcare professionals have been launched by heart experts in collaboration with the University of Birmingham. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder and significantly increases the risk of stroke and death.

Scientists have found a way of mimicking our body's natural healing process, using cell derived nano-sized particles called vesicles, to repair damaged tissue. The paper, published in Scientific Reports , describes a new approach to bone regeneration; stimulating cells to produce vesicles which can then be delivered to facilitate tissue regeneration.

A genetic fault has been identified in people with an aggressive type of leukaemia that can significantly affect how they respond to treatment. The findings come from a clinical trial led by the University of Birmingham that examined whether survival times for people with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) could be improved by adding a biological drug called vorinostat to the current standard treatment, a drug called azacitidine.

Lung cancer survivors who quit smoking within a year of diagnosis will live for longer than those who continue to smoke, according to new research led by the Universities of Birmingham and Oxford. The findings also revealed that general practitioners are comparatively less likely to intervene and offer stop-smoking support to cancer patients, than they are to people diagnosed with coronary heart disease.

A Scientist at the University of Birmingham has received a £1.4 million award from Cancer Research UK to carry out pioneering research that may discover how cancer 'steals the keys' from the body's locksmiths, disrupting healthy cell growth and function. Dr Mathew Coleman , of the Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences at the University of Birmingham, is set to receive £1.4m over six years from Cancer Research UK to find out more about three specific proteins that are thought to have a role in cancer.

A new study has identified novel mechanisms whereby T cells may be able to distinguish an emerging class of targets specifically increased on cancer cells. The study, carried out by researchers from the University of Birmingham and the University of Virginia, and published today in Oncotarget, focuses on how the immune system recognises protein targets that are modified by phosphorylation, a process that is known to be commonly increased in cancer cells.

Rugby players from Aviva Premiership Rugby and Greene King IPA Championship are to take part in a major study led by the University of Birmingham as part of its work to develop a ground-breaking pitch-side test to diagnose concussion and brain injury. The study, being carried out in collaboration with the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players' Association, will run throughout the 2017/18 rugby season and is the biggest of its kind to take place in the history of UK sport.

Research led by the University of Birmingham, published today in Science Translational Medicine, has discovered that a drug commonly used to treat patients with either obesity or Type II diabetes could be used as a novel new way to lower brain pressure. Raised brain pressure is common in emergency situations such as traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus and stroke, and is also the cardinal feature of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH).

Common anti-allergy medicines could prove to be an effective treatment for potentially fatal blood clots in the legs, according to new research by the University of Birmingham The research, funded by the British Heart Foundation , could lead to new treatments that prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) - a health issue that can be a particular problem on long-haul flights or other situations related to long-term immobilization.

A team of researchers at the Universities of Birmingham, Plymouth, and Exeter carried out a study as to whether virtual reality experiences could reduce anxiety in patients undergoing dental procedures such as fillings and tooth extractions. Patients from at a dental practice took part in the study, which saw them being randomly selected to have standard care as normal, or instead be given technology which would see them experience either a 'walk' around a virtual reality city or a walk around a virtual version of Wembury beach in Devon.

A study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, describes a new treatment pathway for antibiotic resistant bacteria and infectious diseases with benefits for patients and healthcare providers. Researchers from the University of Birmingham and Newcastle University found that the unusual approach of removing antibodies from the blood stream reduced the effects of chronic infections, the requirement for days spent in hospital and the use of antibiotics.

Research led by University of Birmingham scientists has found that people suffering from the adrenal disorder known as Addison's disease suffer from an immune system defect which makes them prone to potentially deadly respiratory infections. The study, published online in the European Journal of Endocrinology, shows for the first time that patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) have natural killer immune cells (NK) - providing frontline protection against invading pathogens - which are not functioning properly.