An international study led by researchers at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has shown that patients with cirrhosis are at increased risk of dying as a result of COVID-19. The study, published in the Journal of Hepatology, found that mortality from COVID-19 was particularly high among patients with more advanced cirrhosis (called Childs-Pugh B … Read more
News for Gastroenterology and Mucosal Immunity
Persistent immune memory of COVID-19 found in recovered patient T cells
Oxford University researchers have found that infection with COVID-19 produces a robust T cell response, including inducing T cell ‘memory’ to potentially fight future infections. The results, published in Nature Immunology, are a joint effort from the Oxford COVID-19 immunology group, led by the Medical Research Council Human Immunology Unit at the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine … Read more
Eight BRC projects get RCF funding
Eight Oxford BRC proposals, many covering a number of themes, have been awarded NIHR Research Capability Funding (RCF) funding to take forward key areas of research. The selected projects that will be supported include: Developing a research centre devoted to urgent and acute care The creation of a state-of-the-art imaging centre; and of a new … Read more
Study maps role CD8 T cells play in IBD
Researchers in Oxford using an ‘atlas’ of immune cells in the human colon have found evidence of the role of CD8 T cells in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The findings could lead to a better understanding of how cells behave and interact in people with IBD, and could pave the way for more targeted treatments … Read more
BRC funds three further COVID-19 studies
Three more studies are being funded by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) to look at the way the body interacts with COVID19; these include assessing the safety of a new vaccine; the role that antibodies might play in plasma therapy; and blood biomarkers that determine adverse reactions in those that have been infected. … Read more
Common antibody test can be adapted for COVID-19, study finds
Research led from Oxford has found that an immunological assay commonly used to measure antibodies, antigens and proteins in biological samples can be specifically adapted to detect and quantifying COVID-19 antibodies. The investigations by the National COVID Testing Scientific Advisory Panel were co-ordinated by Prof Derrick Crook at the University of Oxford. The trial involved researchers at … Read more
Oxford researchers to play key role in fight-back against COVID-19
Researchers supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre will play a crucial role in tackling the current COVID-19 pandemic, ranging from the development of a new vaccine to developing the most effective drug treatments for people who have contracted the virus. A team from the Oxford Vaccine Group and the University of Oxford’s Jenner … Read more
Oxford professors appointed NIHR Senior Investigators
Four leading healthcare academics in Oxford have received a prestigious national award. The University of Oxford professors were named National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Senior Investigators in recognition of being “among the most prominent and prestigious researchers funded by the NIHR and the most outstanding leaders of patient and people-based research within the NIHR research community and … Read more
Researchers identify link in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease
A new study involving Oxford researchers has revealed how the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and lipid mediator prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) work together to prevent inflammatory tissue damage and maintain a healthy gut balance. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which include Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are chronic painful inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, which … Read more
Researchers find new cells that repair tissue
Researchers at Oxford University have discovered that a newly discovered group of cells can help repair tissues in the body. The researchers, who are supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, say these cells, which are abundant in our bodies, could be harnessed to help heal tissues and treat diseases such as infections of … Read more
Oxford patients take part in study to understand role of stress in managing Crohn’s disease
Around 60 Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) NHS Foundation Trust patients are to take part in a study to look at how wearable and mobile devices can help us to understand the relationship between stress and the symptoms of Crohn’s disease, and help to improve management of the condition. The research is part of a larger … Read more
BRC researchers elected Fellows of Academy of Medical Sciences
Three Oxford BRC-supported researchers are among eight University of Oxford scientists elected to join the prestigious Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) this year. The BRC researchers among the new Fellows are: Professor Helen McShane, Professor of Vaccinology in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, Deputy Director of the Medical Sciences Division and Director … Read more
Research identifies how the gut loses protective barrier function in IBD
A University of Oxford research team has used single-cell technology to identify new players in the gut epithelial barrier, the single-cell layer that forms the lining of the small and large intestine. The team from the MRC Human Immunology Unit (HIU), whose paper was published in the journal Nature, were supported by the NIHR Oxford … Read more
Study suggests immune system plays key role in survival after pancreatic cancer surgery
Researchers in Oxford have found that an individual’s immune system – and in particular the presence of T-cells amongst tumour cells – may play an important role in survival after surgery to remove pancreatic cancer. The study by the University of Oxford’s Department of Oncology and Kennedy Institute, supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research … Read more
Oxford researcher gets additional prize for his research into immunology of asthma
A University of Oxford researcher has been awarded a top scientific prize to add to a prestigious fellowship he was given in June. Dr Tim Hinks was awarded the £25,000 Wellcome-Beit Prize for his research into the immunology of lung diseases, including asthma. The prize is given to four outstanding scientists each year by the Wellcome … Read more
Stem cell transplants to be used in treating Crohn’s disease
A new clinical trial has begun which will use stem cell transplants to grow a new immune system for people with untreatable Crohn’s disease. Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the centres where the trial will be conducted, and where patients will be recruited. Research at Oxford into Crohn’s disease and other … Read more
Oxford researcher gets £1m boost to study immunology of asthma
A University of Oxford researcher has received a £1m grant to expand his research into the immunology of lung diseases, including asthma. Dr Tim Hinks has been awarded a Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Career Development Fellowship. The funding that comes with the award will allow Dr Hinks, who is also supported by the NIHR Oxford … Read more
Online tool allows patients with ulcerative colitis to manage condition
An online tool that allows people with a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to manage their own condition and reduce hospital visits is being rolled out to more patients in Oxford. The decision to expand use of the True Colours platform for people with ulcerative colitis follows a successful six-month trial involving around 60 … Read more
Killer T cells show their kinder side, BRC researchers reveal
The immune system protects the body by responding to invading organisms, but how is an attack on useful resident microbes prevented? Two NIHR Oxford BRC researchers have identified a pathway that allows immune cells to sense and respond to beneficial bacteria. The article by the Oxford BRC’s Co-theme Lead for Gastroenterology and Mucosal Immunity Prof … Read more
Oxford medical researchers win prestigious national awards
Leading health researchers in Oxford have been recognised in a prestigious national competition. Eight professors have been named National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Senior Investigators in recognition of their “outstanding contribution to clinical and applied health and social care research”. The successful candidates are all prominent researchers in the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre … Read more