This site has been optimized to work with modern browsers and does not fully support your version of Internet Explorer.

News Articles

Virtual reality tool developed to untangle genes

Researchers from Oxford have been using virtual reality software to compile genetic data to create models which explain how genes are controlled within their natural chromosomal environments. A team from the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine (WIMM) have been working in collaboration with physicists from Universita’ di Napoli and software developers and artists at […]

Blood donors could give blood more often

New research shows that blood donors could safely give blood more frequently than is allowed at present. At the moment in the UK men can give blood every 12 weeks, women every 16 weeks. The new research demonstrates that in certain situations and for certain donors, shortening the donation interval is a viable approach for […]

Home blood pressure monitoring for hypertension works best when combined with intensive support

People who monitor their own blood pressure at home are most likely to see a benefit if they combine it with individually tailored intensive support, according to a new systematic literature review and meta-analysis published this week in PLOS Medicine by an international group led by researchers in Oxford University’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences. […]

Genes linked with education and fertility depend on when and where you live

Different genes affect educational attainment and fertility in different times and places, according to new research from the University of Oxford. This means we could be missing important variations when we try to draw conclusions about the influence of genes on human behaviour, because combining data sets from vastly different countries and historical periods could […]

How Britain can build a world-leading life sciences strategy

The UK is in the midst of a wide-ranging national industrial strategy which will influence the country’s future role in the global economy. The latest proposals look at the life sciences and healthcare sectors, perhaps the areas of this grand plan which will affect most people, including through the successful development – or otherwise – […]

Cancer survivors who quit smoking sooner can live longer.

GPs are comparatively less likely to intervene and offer stop-smoking support to cancer patients, than they are to people diagnosed with coronary heart disease. Lung cancer survivors who quit smoking within a year of diagnosis will live for longer than those who continue to smoke, according to new research led by the Universities of Oxford […]

The hospital costs of self-harm

A new study from Oxford reveals the health service costs for hospital care of people who self-harm, emphasising the need for effective clinical services and prevention initiatives. Self-harm by intentional poisoning or self-injury is a very common reason for presentation to hospital, especially in young people. It is often repeated and carries a significant risk […]

New sensor to improve intensive care monitoring of breathing

An innovative new sensor could improve how hospital staff monitor patient breath rates and stability, according to new Oxford University research. It is commonly understood that in both healthy animals and humans, arterial blood oxygen levels stay constant as we breathe. However, until now, the technology available has not been fast enough, or small enough, […]

£1.24 million for new medical diagnostics hub

University of Oxford researchers have been awarded £1.24 million to lead a medical diagnostics co-operative that will drive forward the development, evaluation and uptake of new medical diagnostic technologies to improve outcomes for patients in the community. For the full story on Oxford Diagnostic Evidence Co-operative website

GP practices prescribing ‘low priority’ treatments identified

A new tool developed by Oxford University researchers has been launched to identify which GP practices are prescribing ineffective and wasteful treatments. The tool is found on the OpenPrescribing.net, the first website of its kind to enable health professionals, patients and the public to easily explore patterns of prescribing nationally, in CCGs and by individual GP […]