‘Groundbreaking’ dementia trial starts in Surrey
- A “groundbreaking” trial exploring the potential of blood tests to diagnose dementia is under way in Surrey, a charity says.
- Alzheimer’s Society said the initiative, led by a research team at Dementias Platform UK (DPUK), hoped to address gaps in diagnosis and enhance early detection of dementia.
- The trial is part of the Blood Biomarker Challenge, which aims to see if a panel of blood tests can complement existing diagnostic pathways in NHS memory clinics.
Pandemics, pathogens and being prepared: why the work to identify emerging threats never stops
- As the UK Pandemic Sciences Network conference kicks off in Glasgow, virus expert Prof Emma Thomson says new technologies are boosting science’s ability to fight novel strains of infectious diseases
City region leading fight against deadly diseases
- Liverpool City Region is set to become a global powerhouse in tackling deadly diseases and improving wellbeing.
- Over £1 million of Life Sciences Innovation Zone funding will support the creation of a Microbiome and Infectious Disease Innovation Hub (MaID), leveraging the University of Liverpool’s expertise in this rapidly expanding field.
There are no quick fixes for the UK’s growth prospects
- Professor Sarah Hall, from UK in a Changing Europe, examines the government’s plans for growth through investment in life sciences, infrastructure, and housing and the challenges that they present.
UK research network to unlock gut, immune and brain health links
- A groundbreaking UK research network has been launched to uncover how gut health influences the brain, immune system and mental wellbeing.
- The research network’s work could potentially lead to new treatments for conditions like anxiety, depression and dementia.
- The UK Gut-Immunology-Brain Axis Network+ will be the first in the UK to unite experts from across research disciplines to investigate how lifestyle factors such as diet, sleep and stress influence the gut-immune-brain axis.
WHO calls for revitalised efforts to end malaria
- On World Malaria Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for revitalized efforts at all levels, from global policy to community action, to accelerate progress towards malaria elimination.
- In the late 1990s, world leaders laid the foundation for remarkable progress in global malaria control, including preventing more than 2 billion cases of malaria and nearly 13 million deaths since 2000.
- To date, WHO has certified 45 countries and 1 territory as malaria-free, and many countries with a low burden of malaria continue to move steadily towards the goal of elimination. Of the remaining 83 malaria-endemic countries, 25 reported fewer than 10 cases of the disease in 2023.
