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News archive 2015

Student study centre opens at St Luke’s

A high quality new student study centre is now in use in Giraffe House, part of the ongoing South Cloisters redevelopment.

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New study will examine environmental antibiotic resistance

A new £1.2million grant from the Natural Environment Research Council is hoping to boost our understanding of how pollution can promote antibiotic resistance.

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Professor Steve Field becomes Honorary Graduate

The University of Exeter has awarded an honorary degree to Professor Steve Field, Chief Inspector of General Practice at the Care Quality Commission and Chairman of the National Inclusion Health Board.

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Negative patient-doctor communication could worsen symptoms

Doctors who unintentionally communicate to patients that they do not believe or understand them could actually make their symptoms worse, a new study suggests.

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Hydrogen sulfide could help lower blood pressure

A gas that gives rotten eggs their distinctive odour could one day form the basis of new cardiovascular therapies.

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Genomic differences between developing male and female brains in the womb

New research by scientists at the University of Exeter and King’s College London has made significant progress towards understanding the complex process of prenatal human brain development.

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Alzheimer’s Society & University of Exeter join forces in fight against dementia

Alzheimer’s Society has announced the launch of a new dementia-focussed Doctoral Training Centre at the University of Exeter. The centre will support eight PhD students to investigate the effect of dementia on the brain’s neural networks.

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Sunlight and vitamin D levels higher for coastal populations

People living close to the coast in England have higher vitamin D levels than inland dwellers, according to a new study published in the journal Environment International.

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New research finds rivers can be a source of antibiotic resistance

 Rivers and streams could be a major source of antibiotic resistance in the environment.

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Join Dementia Research launched

A new nationwide online and telephone service that helps people in the South West of England to take part in dementia research studies is now live.

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Black men less willing to be investigated for prostate cancer

The incidence of prostate cancer among men of Afro-Caribbean origin is higher than in white men, they are more likely to be diagnosed as emergencies and their mortality rates are higher. Until now it has been unclear why these disappointing outcomes exist.

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PhD research celebrated at Medical School showcase

The wide range of research projects undertaken by PhD students at the University of Exeter Medical School was celebrated at a dynamic showcase and networking event.

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Prestigious award for Exeter genomic medicine expert

A leading light in genetic diabetes research has been awarded a prestigious national award for outstanding scientists.

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Devon school children solve genetic riddle

Scandal has erupted on Devon’s sporting scene as previously unknown athletes smash all known records. Police call on the only team who can scrutinise the mysterious yeast found in their bags: The X-Men in White.

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Fellowship awards for two outstanding scientists

Two rising research stars at the University of Exeter Medical School have been awarded prestigious Sir Henry Dale Fellowships.

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Antibiotic resistance risk for coastal water users

Recreational users of coastal waters such as swimmers and surfers are at risk of exposure to antibiotic resistant bacteria, according to new research published this week.

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Discover breadth of health services research at Medical School

An insight into the wide range of research taking place at the University of Exeter Medical School’s Institute of Health Research will be on offer at a series of inaugural lectures which are open to all.

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Conference helps health community wake up to sleep disorders

Sleep disorders are common and fascinating – but neglected. Having a sleep disorder can affect every aspect of life. Now a conference will give an insight into what causes these disorders and how they can be treated.  

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Scientists urge public to take part in final part of health survey

Scientists in Cornwall are making a final appeal for people to take part in research that will shed light on the health effects of marine pollution.

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New £10.5 million facility upgrades St Luke’s Campus

A dramatic overhaul to a former hall of residence at St Luke’s has created a modern, high quality research and education facility on the University’s campus.

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Persistent swollen neck glands could indicate cancer

Referring patients with unexplained swollen neck glands for specialist investigations could help to avoid some of the thousands of deaths each year from lymphoma, a type of cancer.

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University adds to its Athena SWAN awards in 2015

The University added an additional award to its Athena SWAN tally this year with a Bronze for the Biosciences department at Exeter.

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Family becomes first in South West to take part in ground-breaking DNA research

A six-year-old boy and his mum and dad today became the first family in the South West to take part in ground-breaking DNA research at the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust (RD&E), with support from the University, to help fight rare health conditions.

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Childhood Obesity – One Epidemic or Two?

New research has indicated that obesity in children has quite different causes at different ages.

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Top 10 UK and best in the South West - University of Exeter subjects on the rise in Complete University Guide 2016

The University of Exeter has reinforced its position as one of the leading universities in the country, according to an influential league table.

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Commercial out-of-hours care providers score on average lower with patients

Patients receiving care from commercial providers of out-of-hours care report poorer ratings of care when compared with not-for-profit or NHS providers, a new study has shown.

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£3 million research centre will target disease

A new research centre will bring together experts in a diverse range of fields to tackle some of the greatest health issues of our time – and the public are being invited to get involved.

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Mine’s a pint…. Of science

A festival which pulls science out of the lab and into the pub is coming to Exeter for the first time.

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Sign up for health research on Clinical Trials Day

The public will be invited to get involved with medical research and show their love for scientific advances during an event in Exeter to mark International Clinical Trials Day.

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New camera technology reveals body's hidden secrets

A dramatic way of seeing magnified parts of the human body is now possible through cutting edge filming technology. The BREATH project uses extreme slow motion and close up filming techniques to explore the ageing human body as a new landscape.

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More than £500,000 to fund dementia research at Exeter

More than half a million pounds of new cutting-edge research which aims to advance us towards a dementia cure and improve dementia care has been awarded to the University of Exeter Medical School by Alzheimer’s Society.

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Musical microbes to form part of permanent exhibition at Eden

A unique soundscape created through interpreting the sounds of bacterial molecules in the human body will form part of a new exhibition at the Eden Project.

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Asian family research answers questions on fatty acid in brain

New research conducted in a rural community in Pakistan highlights the crucial role that essential fatty acids play in human brain growth and function.

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Guardian ranks Medical School best in South West

The University of Exeter Medical School has been ranked best in South West England in the influential Guardian University Guide 2016, which saw the University as a whole ranked at number nine.

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Scientists and Surfers team up to assess antibiotic resistance risk

World Ocean’s Day --- Scientists in Cornwall are about to begin an innovative study that will shed light on how surfers exposed to human sewage and diffuse pollution in seawater might be affected by antibiotic resistant bacteria.

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From Cornwall to Ethiopia: Medical school link enhances knowledge

Students and staff have returned from the first of a series of six trips to Ethiopia, in a scheme designed to share knowledge and experience.

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Exeter expertise helps underpin new cancer guidelines

Research by the University of Exeter has helped underline new national guidelines to help GPs diagnose cancer earlier, and save lives.

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Awards recognise Medical School researchers among UK’s best

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has recognised researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School as being among the most outstanding health researchers in the UK.

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Simple classroom measures may reduce the impact of ADHD

But more robust research is needed to identify best approach.

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Devon pupils lead citizen science on plastic

Young people will take part in a unique outreach project in which they will lead and participate in a scientific research project on chemicals in plastic food packaging.

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Royal College of Physicians honour Medical School Academic

Professor Michael Depledge, one of the University’s leading academics, will be elected as an Honorary Fellow to the Royal College of Physicians later today [8th July 2015], at a special ceremony in London.

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Royal College of Physicians honour scientist’s work in South West

Professor Michael Depledge, one of the University of Exeter’s leading academics, has been elected as an Honorary Fellow to the Royal College of Physicians at a special ceremony in London.

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Large-scale trial will assess effectiveness of teaching mindfulness in UK schools

A major Wellcome Trust study to assess whether mindfulness training for teenagers can improve their mental health launches today.

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University of Exeter’s inaugural Technical Services conference is a great success

On the 13th July, technical staff from all over the University gathered for our first ever technical services conference. This was designed with a particular focus on staff development and offered short training sessions in everything from wellbeing to research sustainability.

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School scheme inspires next generation of healthcare professionals

Pupils from across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset have gained a valuable insight into medical education in a scheme which aims to boost university applications.

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Prestigious award for world-leading diabetes professor

An outstanding diabetes expert at the University of Exeter Medical School has been recognised through a prestigious Royal Society prize.

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New research finds aquariums deliver health and wellbeing benefits

People who spend time watching aquariums and fish tanks could see improvements in their physical and mental wellbeing, according to new research published in the journal Environment & Behavior.

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New partnership will help manage Cornwall’s environment

An exciting new partnership in Cornwall is hoping to use academic research to inform the management of the county’s world-class natural habitats.

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Genomic testing triggers a diabetes diagnosis revolution

Over a 10 year period, the time that babies receive genetic testing after being diagnosed with diabetes has fallen from over four years to under two months.

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Police and University join forces to harness research potential

A new research project will unite police and researchers to increase evidence-based knowledge, skills and problem solving approaches within policing.

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Can’t count sheep? You could have aphantasia

If counting sheep is an abstract concept, or you are unable to visualise the faces of loved ones, you could have aphantasia – a newly defined condition to describe people who are born without a “mind’s eye”.

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Scientists in Cornwall turn to seaweeds in search for new drugs

Pioneering research in Cornwall is hoping to discover new ways of searching for antibiotics – from the seaweeds found along the county’s coastline.

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Eminent healthcare leader to reveal vision for future of the NHS in the South West

Professor Sir John Tooke presents a future vision for healthcare in the 2015 Duchy Health Charity President’s Lecture.

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Dr Hadwen Trust (DHT) announces funding to University of Exeter Medical School’s Professor Lorna Harries for diabetes research project

The Dr Hadwen Trust (DHT) has announced funding for a diabetes research project to be led by University of Exeter Medical School’s Professor Lorna Harries.

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Beetroot juice improves sprinting and decision-making during exercise

Rugby players take note: drinking high nitrate beetroot juice improves both sprint performance and decision-making during prolonged intermittent exercise such as rugby and football, according to scientists from the University of Exeter.

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Cancer paper wins “Research Paper of the Year”

A research paper published in 2014 by the University of Exeter, working with researchers from the University of Bristol’s Centre for Academic Primary Care and Cambridge University, has won Research Paper of the Year Award 2014 from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).

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Research is transforming treatment of long-term conditions

South West patients with long-term health conditions are getting to see health experts when they need to, in an exciting project driven by research.

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Maintaining healthy DNA delays menopause

An international study of nearly 70,000 women has identified more than forty regions of the human genome that are involved in governing at what age a woman goes through the menopause.

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Cornwall “in the vanguard” for radical UK healthcare reform

Cornwall’s Unitary Authority status and potential for devolved budgetary powers puts it in prime position to make the radical and urgent changes required to make healthcare sustainable and fit for purpose in the 21st Century.

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Insight into hypoglycaemia funded by Diabetes UK

Diabetes UK funds research into insulin awareness to help diabetes suffers better recognise hypos

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National Genetic Diabetes Nurse project wins Diabetes Quality in Care Award

A nurse training initiative developed by a team at the University of Exeter Medical School and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital to improve diagnosis of monogenic diabetes has won a national award for its contribution to diabetes care.

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Signs of faster ageing process identified through gene research

New research has shed light on the molecular changes that occur in our bodies as we age.

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Professor Fleming receives prestigious award

Professor Lora Fleming received the prestigious Bruun Medal last week, recognising her outstanding work in the field of oceans and human health.

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Exeter climbs up global 100 for Life Sciences

The University of Exeter has cemented its position among the very best universities in the world for Life Sciences.

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New guidelines hope to improve decision making

New guidance released this week aims to help authorities make better evidence-based decisions about health and social care.

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Exeter Professor wins prestigious global award

A leading Professor at the University of Exeter has been recognised by receiving the most prestigious European award in her field.

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World-leading researcher appointed first Director of University of Exeter Living Systems Institute

One of the world’s most pioneering and influential developmental geneticists has been appointed as the inaugural Director of the University of Exeter’s Living Systems Institute.

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Obesity conference aims for better weight loss management in the South West

Experts from across the South West will come together to discuss issues around weight loss management in the region.

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Improving the mental health of children and young people with long term conditions

A team from the University of Exeter and PenCLAHRC have been awarded a grant of £285,000 to carry out a study aiming to improve ways to support children. 

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Children’s mental health survey launched

The first report on the mental health of young people between the ages of two and 19 will involve an expert researcher from the University of Exeter Medical School.

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'Global Conversation' takes key issue of tackling dementia to San Francisco

The crucial issue of how to tackle the challenge of dementia across the global community will be discussed by leading experts in the field, at a special event in San Francisco.

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Researchers devise new diabetes diagnostic tool

Researchers at University of Exeter have developed a new test to help diagnose diabetes, which they say will lead to more effective diagnosis and patient care.

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Exeter student secures placement at world renowned pharmaceutical company

A budding student researcher is among the first from Exeter to secure a prestigious undergraduate placement at the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company.

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World-leading molecular genetics at Exeter celebrates 20 years

The University of Exeter Medical School has celebrated 20 years of molecular genetics research.

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Medical School awards student excellence

The University of Exeter Medical School has recognised some of its most outstanding students for their commitment and academic excellence at its annual Prizes and Awards ceremony.

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Schizophrenia-associated genetic variants affect gene regulation in the developing brain

An international research collaboration has shed new light on how DNA sequence variation can influence gene activity in the developing human brain.

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Scientists and fiction writers unite for sleep anthology

Scientists from the University of Exeter have joined forces with storytellers to explore the link between sleep and fiction in a new book about the science of sleep.

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Free online course: how genomics are transforming diabetes care

A free online course led by world-renowned experts at the University of Exeter will offer participants the opportunity to explore how developments in the field of genomics are transforming knowledge and treatment of conditions such as diabetes.

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Exeter leads the way in prevention of suicides

Researchers at the University of Exeter have developed a new practice resource for local authority public health teams in England, which will help them take action to prevent suicides in public places.

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Study uses ‘evidence maps’ to signpost conservation research

Researchers have used a new technique to ensure research findings in the field of nature conservation are more visible and accessible.

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MPs and peers live far longer than UK average

Members of Parliament and Lords are likely to live far longer than the UK average, according to research involving the University of Exeter.

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Outstanding researcher recognised through fellowship

A Senior Research Fellow at the University of Exeter Medical School has been awarded a Fellowship from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy in recognition of her excellence in research, education and partnership working.

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Exeter scientist secures prestigious award for mental health research

A University of Exeter scientist has been awarded a Distinguished Investigator Award by the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, a US charity that funds research into the causes of mental illness.

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Depression therapy research makes waves in top 100

A University of Exeter- led study has been ranked as among the most shared and discussed academic research of 2015.

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World-leading Medical research in UK top ten

Research at the University of Exeter Medical School has ranked in the UK top ten, for demonstrating world-leading impact on health and wellbeing across the globe.

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Exeter academics make world’s best list

Six University of Exeter academics appear on a list of the world’s most influential scientific minds that is published this week.

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