News

A recent study published in Nature Communications by Professor Betty Chung uncovers an unexpected early-stage strategy used by Salmonella enterica to manipulate the host immune system.Researchers found that immediately upon contact with a macrophage, the bacterium’s injectisome triggers rapid reprogramming of the host’s protein-production machinery…

IntroductionIf you’ve ever watched two people tackle the same leg-day routine at the gym — maybe a guy and a girl doing identical sets of squats, lunges, and step-ups — you know that the results are rarely carbon copies. One person glides through the reps with perfect form while the other adapts, compensates, or only finds their rhythm halfway in. …

An extensive new study has identified a specific fault in the immune system of people with Alzheimer’s disease, pointing to a previously underexplored avenue for understanding – and potentially treating – the condition.Researchers used a “systems immunology” approach to analyse blood samples from 184 people with Alzheimer’s disease and 105 of their…

Lab-made organoids that mimic reproductive tissues could point to treatments for common conditions such as pre-eclampsia and endometriosis.In 2017, Ashley Moffett, a reproductive immunologist, walked to the pharmacy near her laboratory at the University of Cambridge in the UK to buy a pregnancy test. But it wasn’t for Moffett. Her postdoc, Margheri…

Professor Brian Ferguson has firmly rejected claims made at a Reform UK health conference suggesting Covid-19 vaccines could be linked to cancers in the royal family.Dr Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist and guest speaker at the “Make Britain Healthy Again” event in Birmingham, alleged that mRNA vaccines may have been a factor in the diagnoses of King …

Researcher Professor Stephen Graham has helped develop a suite of powerful protein-based tools that could transform the detection, study, and treatment of the Oropouche virus (OROV), a neglected tropical pathogen now linked to severe outbreaks and even fatalities.The study, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, reports the purification of two key v…

A new study co-led by Pauline Pfuderer has revealed that extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) — rogue circular DNA fragments that fuel cancer growth and therapy resistance — replicate in a disorganised manner, leaving them vulnerable to agents that induce DNA replication stress.The research, published this month in Nucleic Acids Research by scientists from…

In recent years, exosome therapy has emerged as a hot trend in the world of aesthetic medicine.Marketed as a regenerative, cutting-edge solution for anti-ageing, skin rejuvenation, hair restoration, and even scar reduction, exosome treatments are often pitched as a safer, more effective alternative to traditional cosmetic procedures.But beneath the…

What if the immune system’s long-standing guards weren’t as stationary as we assumed?A groundbreaking new study by researchers from the University of Cambridge, Babraham Institute, and partners across Europe redefines our understanding of how immune cells inhabit our tissues—and challenges the idea of lifelong immune memory in tissues.The Tradition…

On Friday, 27th June 2025, a unique and powerful gathering took place in Cambridge. For the first time, mothers, researchers, and a young adult patient—who had long supported each other online—came together in person to focus on a shared mission: improving the understanding and treatment of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL).This emotionally cha…

Scrub typhus, a severe and often life-threatening disease transmitted by mites, is caused by the intracellular bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi. It's a major public health concern in parts of Asia, but despite its significance, the science behind why some strains cause deadly infections while others don’t has remained murky—until now.A new study pu…

Spoiler: It’s complicated—but we're getting closer.A new study published in NPJ Vaccines by the Liston-Dooley Group took a deep dive into how solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients respond to COVID-19 mRNA vaccines—and what their immune systems might be telling us before they even get the shot.Why this matters: People who’ve had a kidney or lung …

Cervical cancer is a global health threat, and at the heart of its origin lies a microscopic agent: high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs). But how do these viruses hijack our cells, and what causes their gene expression to spiral into cancer-causing chaos? Let’s explore the molecular tug-of-war between virus and host as revealed by new researc…

A recent study published by the Koronakis Lab has revealed an unexpected finding. We usually think of proteins as little machines that need to be “switched on” to work. But in our recent study, we found something unexpected—some proteins can still affect cell behaviour even when they’re turned off. PAK proteins regulate how cells grow, move, and d…

Celebrating Professor Ming Du’s 2025 Doniach LectureLast week, pathologists across the UK and Ireland gathered for the annual Doniach Lecture, one of the Pathological Society of Great Britain & Ireland’s flagship events. This year, we were honoured to welcome Professor Ming‑Qing Du as the distinguished recipient and speaker.According to the Society…