news

Scientists have developed a new method to separate cells, which could lead to more efficient medical research. In a new paper published in the Royal Society of Chemistry's journal Lab on A Chip, University of Glasgow researchers outline how they have used moving acoustic waves to very gently separate clinically useful cells from cellular debris.

Scientists have taken an important step towards the possibility of creating synthetic life with the development of a form of artificial evolution in a simple chemistry set without DNA. A team from the University of Glasgow's School of Chemistry report in a new paper today (Monday 8 December) on how they have managed to create an evolving chemical system for the first time.

Related links: Dr Ingrid Young researcher profile Prof Paul Flowers researcher profile MRC/CSO SPHSU TasP research PrEP research New research findings recommend further measures should be put in place to make the best use of two new HIV prevention options. Research published by the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit offers new insights into the barriers to effective uptake and use of two new HIV prevention options that use antiretrovirals (ARVs), currently used in existing HIV treatment.

A report, published today by the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR), highlights a correlation between the occurrence of certain football matches and increased reports of domestic abuse. The report, which was commissioned by the Scottish Government and carried out by academics at the University of Glasgow and Glasgow Caledonian University, found an increase in recorded domestic violence incidents on the day that football matches were played.

Regular consumption of olive oil can drastically improve heart health - especially in people who do not normally eat a Mediterranean diet. Researchers at the Universities of Glasgow and Lisbon and Mosaiques Diagnostics in Germany teamed-up to study the effect of olive oil, an ingredient central to the Mediterranean diet, on heart health in a group of non-consumers.

Neuroscientists have discovered an unexpected benefit of getting older - a more nuanced understanding of social signals, such as the age of others. In a new study published today (Friday 14 November) in the journal Current Biology , University of Glasgow researchers show that older people have richer mental representations of the ageing process.

Related links: Full article available online MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit A new study, published today, reveals a significant drop in the number of young people taking up smoking over the last 20 years, as the UK has introduced a range of tobacco controls. However research findings also show inequalities in starting smoking across different economic backgrounds, despite these regulations.

Displaying the calorie content of meals in canteens and restaurants could significantly reduce weight-gain in customers, a new study shows. Researchers conducting the first long-term study of the effects of labeling meals in a university's students' residence canteen over the course of two 36-week academic years found students had reduced weight gain by an average of 3.5kg.

Astrophysicists have developed a new way to use gravitational waves to measure the expansion rate of the universe. In a paper published in the journal Physical Review X, the international research team outline how they have developed highly advanced computer simulations to use special types of neutron stars to learn more about the fabric of the Universe.

Scientists have identified chemicals that could protect vital organs from long-term damage following a heart attack or stroke. The researchers now hope the chemicals will provide a starting point for developing new injectable drugs that could be used to prevent some of the long-term damage caused by heart attack and stroke.

Teenagers are much more likely to take up smoking if they live in neighbourhoods with a large number of shops that sell tobacco products, a study suggests. Adolescents with the most tobacco outlets in their neighbourhood are almost 50% more likely to smoke than those with no outlets nearby, researchers say.

The University of Glasgow and AstraZeneca have officially launched the GLAZgo Discovery Centre which will focus on understanding more about immunological disease processes. Following an agreement to develop the Centre, signed just under a year ago, the launch highlighted what can be achieved when two parties share a common philosophy on how academic medicine and a pharmaceutical company should combine forces to drive forward the creation of future medicines.

Cancer Research UK scientists have shown that a fat molecule found in the body directs the most serious type of skin cancer to spread, according to research published in PLOS Biology . The team at the Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute at the University of Glasgow, revealed that melanoma cells give themselves the 'green light' to move using a naturally-occurring fat molecule, called lysophosphatidic acid (LPA).

A new study has shown that older people living in towns and cities in Northern Ireland are a quarter more likely to be admitted to care homes than people living in rural areas. Researchers from the University of Glasgow found that rural dwellers had greater access to informal networks of care, such as family, friends and neighbours, which decreased their reliance on the care system.

New research has shown current practices for treating stroke victims may be leaving patients overburdened by their treatment plans putting them at risk of adverse side effects. A study led by researchers from University of Glasgow found most stroke patients are dealing with several other health conditions, leaving them with a considerable 'treatment burden'.

A team of psychologists and psychiatrists are beginning research on a brainwave 'fingerprint' which could identify young people at risk of developing serious mental illness. Researchers from the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh are looking to recruit 100 volunteers aged between 16 and 35 for a new £1m project which will measure their brain activity and examine changes in their mental state for a period of up to two years.

Including seaweed in the diet could help reduce iodine insufficiency, a current problem in the UK population, according to a new study. A lack of iodine in the diet across the UK population and around the world is now a prominent health issue, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), due to low intakes of dairy and sea food where the nutrient is typically found.

Trafficking Culture Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research Simon Mackenzie Tess Davis In the first ever empirical study of a statue trafficking network, researchers at the University of Glasgow have unveiled the structure of the network of criminals needed to illegally traffic antiquities from ancient archaeological sites to museums and collections around the world.

New BMI thresholds suggested for ethnic minorities to recognise increased obesity and diabetes risk, say researchers. Health researchers have suggested new body mass index (BMI) thresholds for defining overweight and obese individuals in ethnic communities. Being overweight or obese increases the risk diabetes.

Violence against women: effective interventions and practices with perpetrators: A literature review The Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research Whilst there are a range of good practices in criminal justice responses to violence against women, there is limited evidence when it comes to effective interventions to reduce reoffending by perpetrators, a literature review has found.