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People from diverse backgrounds must be included in the development of healthcare policies to ensure all groups' needs are met, finds a new study led by UCL researchers into palliative care for the Muslim community. The study, published in BMJ Open , investigated the experience of British Muslim people and their families who were accessing palliative care services during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The number of people with food allergy in the UK has more than doubled since 2008, with the largest increase seen in young children. In a new analysis, researchers from Imperial College London estimate that the number of people living with food allergies in England has increased significantly between 2008 and 2018.

More people in the UK are at risk of a hereditary form of cardiac amyloidosis, a potentially fatal heart condition, than previously thought, according to a new study led by researchers at UCL and Queen Mary University of London. The study, published in JAMA Cardiology , used data from the UK Biobank to analyse the genes of 469,789 people in the UK and found that one in 1,000 possessed genetic variants with a likely link to cardiac transthyretin (ATTR) amyloidosis.

The RVC has undertaken the world's largest study into the health of designer crossbreed dogs and revealed that the overall health of three common designer crossbreeds (Cockapoo, Labradoodle and Cavapoo) is largely similar to their parent purebred breeds. These findings debunk common public beliefs about the superior health of these designer crossbreed dogs and provide vital information to assist potential dog owners when deciding which type of dog to acquire.

The anti-obesity medication semaglutide may help to prevent heart attacks and other major adverse cardiac events among overweight people who have cardiovascular disease, whether or not they also have heart failure, according to a new study led by UCL's Professor John Deanfield. The results follow previous research* from the same international team finding that weekly injections of semaglutide were linked to a 20% reduction in major adverse cardiac events (MACE) such as heart attacks and strokes for people with obesity or who were overweight and had cardiovascular disease.

New research reveals how short bursts of daily mindfulness can boost wellbeing, combat depression and anxiety, and inspire healthier lifestyle choices. In a new study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, researchers from the Universities of Bath and Southampton have unveiled how just 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practice can improve wellbeing, ease depression and anxiety, and help people to be more motivated to improve their lifestyle - including healthier exercise, eating and sleeping habits.

A ground-breaking study involving Kenyan sex workers has shone a light into the immune response to gonorrhoea, paving the way for more effective vaccines. Carried out by scientists at the Universities of Manchester and Oxford working in collaboration with the KEMRI/Wellcome Trust Unity in Kenya, The findings come amid recent reports showing Gonorrhoea - a sexually transmitted disease - is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics and could become untreatable in the future.

Children who experienced inflammation at a young age at higher risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases. Children who have persistently raised inflammation are at a higher risk of experiencing serious mental health disorders including psychosis and depression in early adulthood, according to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry.

A higher incidence of mental illnesses persists for up to a year following severe Covid-19 in unvaccinated people, according to a new study involving UCL researchers. The study, looking at health data from 18 million people and published in JAMA Psychiatry , investigated associations of Covid-19 with mental illnesses according to time since diagnosis and vaccination status.

A study in mice has found that the bacteria Bifidobacterium breve in the mother's gut during pregnancy supports healthy brain development in the fetus. Researchers have compared the development of the fetal brain in mice whose mothers had no bacteria in their gut, to those whose mothers were given Bifidobacterium breve orally during pregnancy, but had no other bacteria in their gut.

Meat consumption, particularly consumption of processed meat and unprocessed red meat, is associated with a higher type 2 diabetes risk, an analysis of data from almost two million participants has found. Our research supports recommendations to limit the consumption of processed meat and unprocessed red meat to reduce type 2 diabetes cases in the population Nita Forouhi The findings are published today in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology .

Scientists have discovered how the hospital superbug C.diff rapidly evolves resistance to the frontline drug used for treatment in the UK. Clostridioides difficile (C. diff), a type of bacteria which often affects people who have taken antibiotics, is responsible for approximately 2,000 deaths annually in the UK.

Perimenopausal women are more likely to experience bipolar and major depressive disorders, according to new research by Cardiff University. In a study of 128,294 female participants from the UK, a team from the University's School of Medicine and Bipolar UK investigated whether perimenopause - the years surrounding the final menstrual period - is associated with an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders for the first time.

Researchers have discovered a way to extend the shelf life of blood stem cells outside the body for use in gene therapy, providing patients with better options and improving their outcomes. We were able to identify a key molecular pathway..that can be targeted by a drug which is already in use and is safe to use.

A special type of MRI scan where patients inhale 100% oxygen could result in lower radiotherapy doses for some cancer patients. The study led by scientists at The University of Manchester and The Institute of Cancer Research, London, could potentially benefit patients by using a technique called Oxygen-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (OE-MRI).

New study reveals need for greater One Health understanding in antimicrobial resistance management A new study from researchers at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC); Massey University; and AgResearch, a leading agricultural research institution in Aotearoa New Zealand, has found a need for greater engagement and collaboration between veterinarians, farmers and regulators to improve understanding and management of antimicrobial resistance and One Health amongst Aotearoa New Zealand dairy farmers.

The discovery of new regulator-affecting immune cells could lead to novel treatments to reduce inflammation in diseases, including arthritis and severe COVID-19. The new research, carried out by a large collaboration including researchers at the University of Glasgow, focused on how immune cells sense their environment -activity that triggers responses which are finely balanced, to protect against disease and infection, and to reduce cell-damaging inflammation.

New analysis shows birds living near humans had up to three times more antimicrobial resistant bacteria in their gut than those living in more remote areas. Research led by scientists at the Universities of Bath and Oxford has found that wild birds such as ducks and crows living close to humans, for example in cities, are likely to carry bacteria with antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Researchers from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) and UCL have uncovered anatomical differences between species of frogs specialising in different locomotor styles. Jumping, swimming, burrowing, walking and climbing frogs were all found to differ significantly in the size of their small hip and shank muscles.

Multiple biological pathways involving organs and the brain play a key part in physical and mental health, according to a new study from UCL, the University of Melbourne and the University of Cambridge. The study, published in Nature Mental Health , analysed UK Biobank data from more than 18,000 individuals.