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Scientists find that sex is the leading factor explaining differences in hearing sensitivity, with women having significantly more sensitive hearing than men. Hearing problems are on the rise worldwide, and whilst hearing sensitivity is well known to decrease with age, little research has been done on the other biological and environmental factors that influence it, such as sex, ear side, language, ethnicity and local environment.

Researchers have developed an irreversible inhibitor of the transcription factor cJun, which drives certain difficult-to-treat cancers. For the first time scientists have identified promising drug candidates that bind irreversibly with a notoriously "undruggable" cancer protein target, permanently blocking it.

The parts of the brain that are needed to remember words, and how these are affected by a common form of epilepsy, have been identified by a team of neurologists and neurosurgeons at UCL. The new study, published in Brain Communications , found that shrinkage in the front and side of the brain (prefrontal, temporal and cingulate cortices, and the hippocampus) was linked to difficulty remembering words.

Modern humans descended from not one, but at least two ancestral populations that drifted apart and later reconnected, long before modern humans spread across the globe. Our history is far richer and more complex than we imagined Aylwyn Scally Using advanced analysis based on full genome sequences, researchers from the University of Cambridge have found evidence that modern humans are the result of a genetic mixing event between two ancient populations that diverged around 1.5 million years ago.

People with favourable socioeconomic conditions, such as high incomes or education levels, face a reduced risk of age-related diseases and show fewer signs of biological ageing than peers of the same age, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. Social inequalities appear to have a direct impact on the biological ageing process, according to the authors of the Nature Medicine paper.

Our brains use basic 'building blocks' of information to keep track of how people interact, enabling us to navigate complex social interactions, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. For the study, published in Nature , the researchers scanned the brains of participants who were playing a simple game involving a teammate and two opponents, to see how their brains were able to keep track of information about the group of players.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have discovered genes linked to obesity in both Labradors and humans. They say the effects can be over-ridden with a strict diet and exercise regime. Dogs at high genetic risk of obesity showed signs of having higher appetite, as has also been shown for people at high genetic risk of obesity.

Circuits in the brain that are crucially involved in implementing decisions by directing between perseverance, exploration and disengagement have been identified by a UCL-led research team, in a new study in mice. The neural circuits found in the brainstem may help to further understand a number of neuropsychiatric conditions including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), autism and major depressive disorder.

Our organs age at different rates, and a blood test determining how much they've each aged could predict the risk of conditions like lung cancer and heart disease decades later, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The findings, published in The Lancet Digital Health , show how accelerated ageing in specific organs can predict not only diseases affecting that organ, but diseases across the rest of the body as well.

A landmark study, involving UCL researchers, has found 69 previously unidentified genetic determinants of rare disease, including uncommon forms of epilepsy and schizophrenia. The research, published in Nature and led by Queen Mary University of London, uses a new analytical approach for identifying the genetic basis of rare diseases, which could diagnose more cases and help develop new treatments for patients.

Enhancing levels of 'healthy fats' like omega-3s in the brain could be beneficial in motor neurone disease (MND) finds a new study in fruit flies and brain cells, led by UCL researchers. Previous epidemiological studies have linked high dietary levels of omega-3 fatty acids - like those found in oily fish, nuts and seeds - with a lower risk of developing MND, and longer survival in people affected by the disease.

The immune systems of cancer patients are highly disrupted, with those who have a higher number of immune cells in their blood having a better survival rate, finds a new study that uses a pioneering technique developed by researchers at UCL and the Francis Crick Institute. The tool, described in Nature Genetics , is called Immune Lymphocyte Estimation from Nucleotide Sequencing (ImmuneLENS).

Researchers have decoded the signals between hand movements and the brain, paving the way for more natural-feeling prosthetics. In the study, published in Science Robotics , researchers unpicked the connections between hand movement patterns and the control patterns from motoneurons in the spinal cord.

Researchers have made the surprising discovery that a type of gut bacteria has evolved to use one of their enzymes to perform an important function after death. Darwin's theory of natural selection provides an explanation for why organisms develop traits that help them survive and reproduce. Because of this, death is often seen as a failure rather than a process shaped by evolution.

Historical inhabitants of the region that is now Ukraine have had diverse European, Asian and Middle Eastern ancestry for thousands of years, finds a new study co-led by UCL researchers. The analysis of ancient DNA shows the genetic imprint of Ukraine's history as a crossroads of human migrations, connecting people from the vast Eurasian steppe with central Europe.

The precise brain mechanisms that enable animals to overcome instinctive fears have been unveiled by researchers at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre at UCL. , the study in mice could have implications for developing therapeutics for fear-related disorders such as phobias, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

An international team of researchers, led by the University of Glasgow, hopes to find new ways to target opioid addiction. Supported by a £5m award from the Wellcome Trust, the ground-breaking new project will use genetic and drug-discovery techniques to try to answer the longstanding question: can we have the pain-relief of opioids without the addiction risk?

Scientists have created the most detailed map to date of the human hypothalamus, a crucial brain region that regulates body weight, appetite, sleep, and stress. HYPOMAP confirms the critical role of the hypothalamus in body-weight regulation and has already allowed us to identify new genes linked to obesity Giles Yeo Published today in  Nature , this comprehensive resource, called HYPOMAP, provides an unparalleled view of the brain's appetite centre and promises to accelerate the development of treatments for obesity and diabetes.

From the crossbow-like tactics used by bacteria, to top marks for homework and a research mystery solved, here is some quick-read news from Imperial. Bacterial survival tactics Bacteria constantly compete with other bacteria for space and nutrients, often by killing others. Researchers from Imperial, Kiel University and the Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Biology analysed the DNA of Pseudomonas aeruginosa , an opportunistic pathogen responsible for 600,000 deaths annually.

Researchers from our top-rated Biosciences department have made an exciting discovery that could revolutionise how scientists design and engineer biological systems. Their new study reveals a way to predict and control how proteins inside cells bind to metals - an essential process for life. Revealing secrets of protein metalation Metals such as iron, manganese, and cobalt are crucial for many biological processes, helping proteins carry out vital functions in cells.