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Researchers have achieved the most detailed view yet of how DNA folds and functions inside living cells, revealing the physical structures that control when and how genes are switched on. Using a new technique called MCC ultra, the team, including researchers from the University of Cambridge, mapped the human genome down to a single base pair, unlocking how genes are controlled, or, how the body decides which genes to turn on or off at the right time, in the right cells.

A message from the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research The University of Cambridge is committed to achieving excellence in research and scholarship. The pursuit of excellent research and the fulfilment of our responsibilities to participants in research, research users and the wider community require the maintenance of the highest standards of integrity and ethics.

The earliest evidence of an internal 'GPS' system in an animal has been identified by researchers, which could help explain how some modern birds and fish evolved the ability to use the Earth's magnetic field to navigate long distances. The tiny magnetic fossils - dating from 97 million years ago - were buried in ancient seafloor sediments, left behind by a mysterious, unidentified organism.

Deep brain stimulation - implants in the brain that act as a kind of 'pacemaker' - has led to clinical improvements in half of the participants with treatment-resistant severe depression in an 'open label' trial. Our study hasn't just highlighted this promise, it's given us a potential and much-needed objective marker to say which patients will respond best Valerie Voon Significantly, the study, led by researchers in the UK and China, identified a telltale signature of brain activity that predicted how well individual patients responded to the treatment.

Researchers have achieved a new level of control over the atomic structure of a family of materials known as halide perovskites, creating a finely tuned 'energy sandwich' that could transform how solar cells, LEDs and lasers are made. Due to their remarkable ability to absorb and emit light, and because they are cheaper and can be configured to convert more of the solar spectrum into energy than silicon, perovskites have long been touted as a potential replacement for silicon in solar cells, LEDs and quantum technologies.

Cambridge researchers have discovered why living in a disadvantaged neighbourhood may be linked to an increase in an individual's risk of dementia. Where you live clearly plays an important role in your brain health and risk of dementia, putting people living in deprived neighbourhoods at a serious disadvantage John O'Brien In research published today, they show how it is associated with damage to brain vessels - which can affect cognition - and with poorer management of lifestyle factors known to increase the chances of developing dementia.

Cambridge researchers have discovered why living in a disadvantaged neighbourhood may be linked to an increase in an individual's risk of dementia. Where you live clearly plays an important role in your brain health and risk of dementia, putting people living in deprived neighbourhoods at a serious disadvantage John O'Brien In research published today, they show how it is associated with damage to brain vessels - which can affect cognition - and with poorer management of lifestyle factors known to increase the chances of developing dementia.

Researchers have developed an AI-powered 'scientific assistant' designed to accelerate the scientific process by helping them identify new research questions, analyse and interpret data, and produce scientific documents. The tool, called Denario , uses large language models to help scientists with tasks from developing new hypotheses to compiling manuscripts.

Is your ultra-high-definition television really worth it? Do you need a 4K or an 8K screen to get the best viewing experience at home? According to researchers at the University of Cambridge and Meta Reality Labs, the human eye has a resolution limit: in other words, there are only so many pixels the eye can see.

A test deployed in many fertility clinics to assess the viability of embryos for use in IVF is likely to overestimate the number of embryos with abnormalities, suggests a study published today. Most embryos fail to develop or to implant, and even those that are good quality may not be transferred.

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have captured the most detailed look yet at how galaxies formed just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang - and found they were far more chaotic and messy than those we see today. The team, led by researchers at the University of Cambridge, analysed more than 250 young galaxies that existed when the universe was between 800 million and 1.5 billion years old.

Researchers have found a new way to produce human blood cells in the lab that mimics the process in natural embryos. Their discovery holds potential to simulate blood disorders like leukaemia, and to produce long-lasting blood stem cells for transplants. It was an exciting moment when the blood red colour appeared in the dish - it was visible even to the naked eye.

When Bifidobacterium breve, widely available in probiotic drinks, is present in the gut of pregnant females it boosts the placenta's production of pregnancy hormones to reduce the likelihood of complications like preeclampsia and miscarriage. Our results open up an entirely new way to assess the health of a pregnant mother and her developing fetus by looking at the mother's gut microbiome.

When Bifidobacterium breve, widely available in probiotic drinks, is present in the gut of pregnant females it boosts the placenta's production of pregnancy hormones to reduce the likelihood of complications like preeclampsia and miscarriage. Our results open up an entirely new way to assess the health of a pregnant mother and her developing fetus by looking at the mother's gut microbiome.

Study reveals genetic and developmental differences in people with earlier versus later autism diagnosis Researchers find different genetic profiles related to two trajectories that autistic children tend to follow. One linked to early diagnosis, and communication difficulties in infancy. The other linked to later diagnosis, increased social and behavioural difficulties in adolescence, and higher rates of conditions like ADHD, depression, and PTSD.

Scientists have, for the first time, directly visualised and quantified the protein clusters believed to trigger Parkinson's, marking a major advance in the study of the world's fastest-growing neurological disease. These tiny clusters, called alpha-synuclein oligomers, have long been considered the likely culprits for Parkinson's disease to start developing in the brain, but until now, they have evaded direct detection in human brain tissue.

People who care informally for sick or disabled friends and relatives often become invisible in their own lives. Focusing on the needs of those they care for, they rarely get the chance to talk about their own emotions or challenges, and this can lead to them feeling increasingly stressed and isolated.

Britain's industrial economy did not collapse when the Romans left and went on to enjoy a Viking-age industrial boom, a new study finds, undermining a stubborn 'Dark Ages' narrative. It has significant implications for our wider understanding of the end of Roman Britain Professor Martin Millett The Romans have long been credited with bringing industry to Britain involving large-scale lead and iron production.

A University of Cambridge study of adult mammary gland development has revealed new genes involved in breastfeeding, and provided insights into how genetic changes may be associated with breastfeeding disorders and postpartum breast cancers. This work provides many potential new ways of transforming maternal and infant health, by using genetic information to both predict problems..and to tackle them further down the line.

Researchers have developed a material that can sense tiny changes within the body, such as during an arthritis flare-up, and release drugs exactly where and when they are needed. The squishy material can be loaded with anti-inflammatory drugs that are released in response to small changes in pH in the body.