University of Manchester scientists have successfully pioneered a way to create functioning human spinal discs, aiming to revolutionise our understanding of back pain and disc degeneration in a leap for medical science. 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.

A new study led by our Earth Sciences department has made a surprising discovery about a mysterious fossil from the Cambrian period - over 500 million years ago. The fossil, Shishania aculeata , was originally thought to be an early mollusc, a group that includes snails and clams. But new research shows that it is actually a sponge-like animal known as a chancelloriid.

Why do cats generally live longer than dogs? New research shows cats' longer lifespans could be linked to their bigger brains and more complex immune systems. Why do cats generally live longer than dogs? New research suggests that longer livespans of mammals like cats could be linked to their bigger brains and more complex immune systems.

Writing in The Conversation, Professor Ravi Das and PhD Candidate Rebecca Harding (UCL Division of Psychology and Language Sciences) explores whether a fast-acting psychedelic can help people reduce alcohol consumption. Psychedelics like LSD  and psilocybin  (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) are gaining  increasing attention in psychiatry.

Why do cats generally live longer than dogs? New research shows cats' longer lifespans could be linked to their bigger brains and more complex immune systems. Why do cats generally live longer than dogs? New research suggests that longer livespans of mammals like cats could be linked to their bigger brains and more complex immune systems.

Researchers at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB) have demonstrated how genetically engineered enzymes can harness visible light to drive highly selective chemical reactions. This breakthrough could lead to cleaner, more efficient ways of making medicines and other important chemicals, all while reducing the need for harsh chemicals and harmful ultraviolet (UV) light.

Results from a long-term field experiment shed new light on how grasslands can be restored for nature, the environment, and for farmers. From richer biodiversity and benefits for pollinators, to carbon storage in soils, while balancing hay yields for grazing livestock, the study published in Nature Communications by researchers at The University of Manchester and Lancaster University, in collaboration with the Universities of Yale and Bergen, shows that using combinations of different restoration techniques can markedly enhance the restoration of grasslands.

Adolescents with mental health conditions use social media differently than their peers, study suggests One of the first studies in this area to use clinical-level diagnoses reveals a range of differences between young people with and without mental health conditions when it comes to social media - from changes in mood to time spent on sites.

Treatment with gabapentinoids, a class of epilepsy and anxiety drug, is not directly associated with an increased risk of self-harm, finds a study led by UCL researchers. However, rates of self-harm were higher before and shortly after treatment, highlighting the need for close monitoring of patients throughout their treatment journey, say the authors of the new study.

Scientists from The University of Manchester have changed our understanding of how cells in living organisms divide, which could revise what students are taught at school. In a Wellcome funded study published today (01/05/25) in Science - one of the world's leading scientific journals - the researchers challenge conventional wisdom taught in schools for over 100 years.

The intensification of existing farmland can sometimes be more harmful to local biodiversity than expanding the area covered by agricultural land, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. They showed that neither expansion nor intensification is consistently better for biodiversity, as it varies by factors including region, crop type and local vegetation.

The 'cell of origin' of the second most common lung cancer and the way that it becomes dominant in the lung have been discovered, in a new study in mice and humans from researchers at UCL, the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the University of Cambridge. The study, published in Science , found that a population of basal cells found in the trachea (windpipe) outcompetes other cell types and becomes dominant, eventually invading and occupying large areas of the lung.

Childhood trauma raises the risk of harmful alcohol use, smoking, and drug use by age 18, according to a new study from the Department of Psychology. A new study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry reveals that childhood trauma significantly increases the likelihood of engaging in risky behaviours, including harmful alcohol consumption, smoking and illicit drug use, by the age of 18.

A recent analysis of the SURPASS-3 trial unravels the impact of treatment with the drug tirzepatide on muscle volume and fat infiltration in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes. Published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, the study is the result of a research collaboration lead by Professor Naveed Sattar from the University of Glasgow, alongside colleagues from University Hospitals Cleveland, AMRA Medical and Eli Lilly and Company.

A new clotbusting drug tested on mice has been shown by University of Manchester scientists to be significantly better at treating ischemic stroke than existing therapies. 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.

Researchers at UCL have uncovered why individuals who experience anxiety and depression often struggle with persistent low self-belief in their abilities. A new study, published in Nature Communications , examined two large groups of people (230 and 278 participants) to measure their "confidence" when doing individual jobs and their "self-belief" when judging their overall performance of these individual jobs collectively.

Ketamine addiction is linked to high levels of physical health problems and psychological consequences, with nearly half of those affected not seeking support or treatment, reports a new study by UCL and University of Exeter researchers. The study, published in Addiction , is the largest to date to explore the experience of people currently living with ketamine addiction in-depth.

Scientists have developed a new technique to screen engineered enzyme reactions, which could lead to faster and more efficient creation of medicines and sustainable chemicals. Enzymes are proteins that catalyse chemical reactions, turning one substance into another. In labs, scientists engineer these enzymes to perform specific tasks like the sustainable creation of medicines, and materials.

Research published in the journal Human Reproduction reveals that women with endometriosis are at a significantly higher risk for developing a range of autoimmune, autoinflammatory, and mixed-pattern diseases. The new study, of unprecedented scale, examines not only clinical associations, but also for the first time the biological basis for these comorbidities - through genetics.

There is no difference over time in the spatial working memory of older people who have autistic traits and those who are neurotypical, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The new research, published in The Gerontologist , is the first study to explore age-related rate of decline in spatial working memory in older people who may be autistic.