The NIHR Oxford BRC has announced the appointment of its latest group of Senior Research Fellows – the third cohort of emerging research leaders to receive the accolade. Like in 2020, this year’s selection process was a coordinated effort by the Oxford BRC and its partners in the NIHR Oxford Health BRC, which focuses on mental health … Read more
News for Neurological Conditions
Having a healthier heart associated with better problem-solving and reaction time
People with healthier heart structure and function appear to have better cognitive abilities, including increased capacity to solve logic problems and faster reaction times, according to a study involving University of Oxford and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) researchers. The study, which included researchers supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, was published … Read more
Oxford BRC researchers named among new Academy of Medical Sciences fellows
A number of leading researchers supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre are among 50 prominent biomedical and health scientists elected to the Academy of Medical Sciences’ respected and influential Fellowship. The new Fellows include Oxford BRC experts who have spearheaded the COVID-19 response, such as Professor Sarah Gilbert, who led the team developing … 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 explores effects of COVID-19 on sleep
Oxford researchers have launched a study investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sleep and daily rhythms in adults. The UK arm of the International COVID-19 Sleep Study (ICOSS) is led by Professor Colin Espie from the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Oxford and is funded by the NIHR Oxford … Read more
Social disconnection worsens mental health after a loss
Keeping grief hidden can be a survival strategy after suffering a bereavement. However new research shows that the social disconnection caused by concealing feelings of loss can increase psychological distress. After bereavement people can feel afraid of opening up about their grief to others. Fear of becoming overwhelmed by feelings in front of friends and … Read more
Researchers identify a new blood-based test to help predict Parkinson’s disease
Research carried out in Oxford has led to the development of a new way to test for Parkinson’s disease before the main symptoms occur. This could allow clinicians to identify patients who would benefit from precision therapies that are currently at clinical trial stage. Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, affecting 10 … Read more
Seven new Senior Fellows named
The Oxford BRC is delighted to announce the appointment of seven new Senior Research Fellows, the second cohort of emerging research leaders to receive the accolade. The selection process was a coordinated effort by the Oxford BRC and its partners in the NIHR Oxford Health BRC, which focuses on mental health and dementia, and the … Read more
New stroke research centre opens in Oxford
Research into strokes and vascular dementia took a major step forward on Thursday (5th March) with the official opening of the Wolfson Centre for the Prevention of Stroke and Dementia (CPSD) in Oxford, based at the new Wolfson Building at the John Radcliffe Hospital. The new centre is the only purpose-built clinical research centre looking … Read more
Severe reactions to grief can be predicted and treated in the first months following a bereavement
Memory, coping strategies and resilience immediately following a loss have been shown to predict the path of a bereaved person’s grief according to new research. The study, published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, also suggested that clinical intervention in the first months following a loss may help individuals to better adapt to their … Read more
International students learn about Oxford’s neuroscience and diabetes research
Around 50 international students interested in a career in medicine or science have visited Oxford BRC-funded research facilities. Half the students, who are taking part in the London International Youth Science Forum (LIYSF), visited the John Radcliffe Hospital’s Neuroscience department, while the rest spent the day at the Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism … Read more
Smartphone test predicts how symptoms develop in Parkinson’s
Researchers in Oxford have found that a simple test carried out on a smartphone can help to accurately predict future change in people in the early stages of Parkinson’s, helping to determine the support they may need. This study, supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and funded by the Monument Trust Discovery … Read more
NIHR Oxford BRC Senior Research Fellows named
The Oxford BRC is delighted to announce the appointment of seven new Senior Research Fellows. They were chosen from an extremely strong field of 47 applicants from across the scientific and clinical community because they demonstrated that their research was high impact and of high quality . They were also able to demonstrate leadership, independence … Read more
Event showcases BRC work tackling chronic diseases
Around 170 people attended a BRC event on Tuesday (26 March) that provided an opportunity to network and to hear about the breadth of research taking place in Oxford to combat chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and dementia. The Chronic Disease Cluster, which brings together six research themes – Obesity, Multimorbidity, Diabetes, … Read more
New research to investigate role of blood-brain barrier in neurological conditions
A new consortium of 27 international partners from academia, industry, and small and medium enterprises, aims to tackle the unmet challenge of discovery and characterisation of blood-brain barrier targets and transport mechanisms for brain delivery of therapeutics to treat neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases. The new funding builds on previous research funded by the NIHR Oxford … Read more
Over half of former ICU patients report symptoms of psychological disorders
Patients in the UK who have survived critical illnesses requiring care in an intensive care unit (ICU) frequently report symptoms of anxiety, PTSD and/or depression. Researchers at the University of Oxford investigated psychological disorders in a cohort of 4,943 former ICU patients. They found that 46% of patients reported symptoms of anxiety, 40% symptoms of … Read more
Smartphone insomnia treatment rolled out to NHS patients in South East
People across the South East of England are to be given access to a new digital treatment for insomnia as an alternative to sleeping pills. The Sleepio app, a digital cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based programme that can be accessed via smartphone or the web, is to be made available later this month in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire … Read more
New research on recovery following intensive care treatment
Out-of-hours discharge from intensive care is strongly associated with both in-hospital death and ICU readmission, according to a study supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre. The systematic review and meta-analysis by researchers from the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences and the Kadoorie Centre, based at the John Radcliffe Hospital, covered … Read more
Study launched to investigate link between sleep problems and Parkinson’s
Researchers in the Oxford Parkinson’s Disease Centre have launched a new five-year study looking at the links between a condition known as Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behaviour Disorder (RBD) and Parkinson’s. Supported by the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, the study seeks to improve the remote diagnosis and monitoring of sleep problems at home. Sleep … Read more
Record high for Oxford University Hospitals research studies
The number of medical research studies at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has hit a record high, new figures show. The number of studies active in May 2016 was 1,786, up seven per cent from 1,664 in May 2015. The figures – up 222 per cent from 554 in May 2008 – show … Read more