news 2018

This year, researchers at Imperial made several important breakthroughs in understanding and potentially treating aggressive cancer types. The past few decades have seen remarkable progress in the survival rates of some cancers - particularly in the developed world, and particularly for cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and bowel.

Plant scientists at the Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham have unravelled a mechanism that enables flowering plants to sense and 'remember' changes in their environment. The research, published , reveals potential new targets that could support the development of new plant varieties, including cereals and vegetables, that can adapt to different environmental conditions.

Fossilised newborns, egg shells, and egg bursters preserved together in amber provide the first direct evidence of how insects hatched in deep time, according to a new article published today in the journal Palaeontology . One of the earliest and toughest trials that all organisms face is birth. The new findings give scientists evidence on how tiny insects broke the barrier separating them from life and took their first steps into an ancient forest.

There is growing evidence that lithium could be re-purposed as an anti-aging drug, and a new study from King's College London suggests that lithium's protective effects are due to a slowing down of the molecular aging process in cells. The research, published today in Neuropsychopharmacology , also finds some individuals may benefit from lithium's anti-aging properties more than others, depending on their genetics.

Researchers have found that gently stroking a baby seems to reduce activity in the infant brain associated with painful experiences. The results, published in the journal Current Biology , suggest that lightly brushing an infant at a speed of approximately 3cm per second could provide effective pain relief before clinically necessary medical procedures.

Smoking during pregnancy causes chemical changes to a baby's DNA that affect its risk of smoking-related conditions in adulthood, a study has found. The research, led by scientists at Imperial College London and the University of Oulu in Finland, analysed data from more than 18,000 people in several countries, including the UK, US and Australia, to study the impacts of maternal smoking on cardiovascular health.

New research from King's College London finds that an exaggerated immune response can trigger long-lasting fatigue, potentially explaining how chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) begins. The study is the most in-depth biological investigation yet into the role of the immune system in lasting symptoms of fatigue.

A study carried out in collaboration with the University of Birmingham has used an innovative approach to identify thousands of antibiotic resistance genes found in bacteria that inhabit the human gut. The human gut is home to trillions of microorganisms, mainly bacteria. Most of these are sensitive to antibiotics, but a significant number of bacteria in the human gut have mechanisms that make them resistant to antibiotics.

A simple compound found in our gut could help to stop dangerous bacteria behind severe, and sometimes fatal, hospital infections. Dr Ben Mullish understands more than most about the seriousness of gut bugs. Although many people will appear to have no more than an upset stomach for a couple of days, infections of the gut and intestines can prove deadly to vulnerable patients, such as the elderly or those undergoing cancer therapy.

The largest-ever genetic study of people with moderate-to-severe asthma has revealed new insights into the underlying causes of the disease which could help improve its diagnosis and treatment. Between 10-15% of individuals with asthma have the severe type of the condition which does not respond to conventional treatment.

Kidney dialysis can cause short-term 'cerebral stunning' and may be associated with progressive brain injury in those who receive the treatment for many years. For many patients with kidney failure awaiting a kidney transplant or those not suitable for a transplant, dialysis is a life-saving treatment.

New research, from scientists at Imperial College London, unravels how so-called bacterial persister cells manipulate our immune cells. The work potentially opens new avenues to finding ways of clearing these bacterial cells from the body, and stopping recurrence of the bacterial infection. The latest findings may help explain why some people suffer from repeated bouts of an illness, despite taking antibiotics.

Tonight the crowds will gather in Trafalgar Square to see the lights on the world's most famous Christmas tree switched on. But it's the bits we can't see that make the Norway Spruce ( Picea abies ) so magnificent. CT scanning - X-Ray Computed Tomography (X-Ray CT) - is an imaging technique originally developed by Sir Godfrey Hounsfield for medical application.

The largest study of genetic variation in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension has associated two important genes with the disease. In collaboration with institutes from Europe and Northern America, researchers from Imperial College London have conducted the largest genetic analysis to date of 2,000 patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and identified associations with two genes.

It's official, the humble gecko is the Maserati of reptiles. Despite being just a few centimetres long, the gecko is known for its superior acrobatic skills and ability to power through the most challenging terrain, such as, climbing the tallest trees and running across cold, slippery ice. Scientists have now cracked perhaps its most head-scratching talent of all: how it walks on water.

Scientists have uncovered an unexpected new role for a protein that may underlie rare diseases. A protein, called p62, is chopped by molecular scissors to help cells realise that they are 'hungry', encouraging them to break down and consume old material in the cell. This helps them to stay healthy and fight off infection.

'Anhedonia' (the loss of pleasure) is one of the key symptoms of depression. An important component of this symptom is an inability to feel excitement in anticipation of events; however the brain mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are poorly understood.

Scientists have discovered a fish species which significantly evolved and expanded its ecological toolset, after an effort was made to reduce pollution in its ecosystem. The study, led by the University of Glasgow and the University of Konstanz and published in Nature Ecology and Evolution , found that the gangfisch - a European whitefish subspecies - expanded its genetic diversity after habitat loss and hybridization with other whitefish subspecies during eutrophication.

Computer simulations of microscopic, protein-coated beads that block bacteria from binding to host cells suggest that the microbeads could help reduce or eliminate bacterial infections in burn wounds. Dr Paul Roberts from the University of Birmingham's School of Mathematics , UK., and colleagues present these new findings, funded by the BBSRC, in the journal PLOS Computational Biology.

PA 253/18 Scientists have turned to nature's own 'laboratory' for clues about how plants adapt in the environment to ensure their own survival. A study led by researchers at The University of Nottingham has suggested that while plants evolve to adapt to their conditions, they also maintain a small degree of diversity to stay one step ahead of changing conditions.