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« Back to NewsThe latest news, updates and announcements from the Nuffield Department of Medicine.
New study to improve vaccines and therapeutics development
1 May 2024
A first-of-its-kind study led by the University of Oxford has successfully investigated human immunity against COVID-19 in people who already have antibodies against it.
Forecasting how best to control and eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases
26 April 2024
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a major cause of death, disability, and economic hardship worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. While many of these diseases are targeted for control, elimination, or eradication by 2030, achieving those targets will be challenging due to disruptions to programmes related to the COVID-19 pandemic and differences in disease transmission across regions, which requires tailoring interventions to local settings.
Significant global variation in national COVID-19 treatment guidelines
23 April 2024
A new study, led by researchers at the Infectious Diseases Data Observatory (IDDO) and the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) at NDM, found that a large number of national guidelines recommend at least one treatment proven not to work.
New study highlights Indian regions with treatment-resistant malaria parasites
17 April 2024
A new study by researchers from the Infectious Diseases Data Observatory, and collaborating organisations, has identified areas in central, eastern and north-eastern India where treatment-resistant malaria parasites could be more prevalent.
Aerosol human infection model gives hope for TB vaccine development
16 April 2024
University of Oxford researchers have for the first time established a controlled human infection model for tuberculosis (TB) that infects people via the lungs – the way TB enters the body.
Novel biomarker’s accuracy for predicting preterm births confirmed
11 April 2024
A recent study by the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit and collaborators has validated a novel biomarker that accurately predicts preterm births. The research published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine represents an important advancement in the early detection and management of preterm labour risks, with potential implications for improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes in the Southeast Asian region.
Rapid diagnostic test offers cost-effective solutions for non-malarial febrile illness
10 April 2024
New research by the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, explores the potential benefits of a presumptive lateral flow rapid diagnostic test in managing acute non-malarial febrile illness (NMFI) patient care in rural areas of Southeast Asia.
Novel pairing of proteins controls tumour growth
3 April 2024
New research by the CAMS Oxford Institute, the MRC Translational Immune Discovery Unit and the Kennedy Institute researchers describes a novel pairing of integrins which could improve T cell control of cancer.
Early changes after a gene inactivation shape kidney cancer initiation
2 April 2024
A study from the Ratcliffe research group of NDM’s Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research has demonstrated the early events defining the cell-type specificity of the development of a tumour, providing a focus for mechanistic understanding and therapeutic targeting.
OUCRU researchers contribute to WHO’s diagnostic handbook on TB
28 March 2024
Members of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit’s Tuberculosis group have contributed to the World Health Organization's latest edition of the tuberculosis (TB) diagnostic handbook. The "WHO operational handbook on tuberculosis" is an important resource for the rapid detection and diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB).
New rapid melioidosis test could save lives
27 March 2024
A new test diagnoses patients with melioidosis within hours, rather than days, meaning they can receive the correct antibiotics faster.
Antimalarial treatments more likely to fail in children with acute malnutrition
13 March 2024
A new study led by researchers from NDM’s Infectious Diseases Data Observatory (IDDO) analysed data from over 11,000 young children, and found that children with acute malnutrition across Africa and Asia have a higher risk of treatment failure and malaria reinfection, despite getting the best currently available and recommended malaria treatment.
FIH deficiency is found to be tumour-promoting
4 March 2024
A collaborative study by the Lu and Ratcliffe research groups has found that the tumour-promoting immune microenvironment can be created by a deficiency in factor-inhibiting hypoxia-inducible factor (FIH).
Blog: Fitness compensation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
29 February 2024
Viktoria Brunner, a PhD student at NDM, takes us behind the scenes of their latest publication 'Compensatory mutations are associated with increased in vitro growth in resistant clinical samples of Mycobacterium tuberculosis' published in Microbial Genomics.
Ludwig Oxford researchers identify a crucial factor for neurodevelopment
23 February 2024
Work from Professor Yang Shi’s research team both in the Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Oxford has shed new light on KDM5C mutation-associated intellectual disability and advanced the general understanding of memory and anxiety formation with the identification of Wnt functioning in a transient nature to impact long-lasting cognitive function.
Study finds high number of persistent COVID-19 infections
22 February 2024
A new study led by the Big Data Institute at NDM has found persistent COVID-19 infections are surprisingly common, with around one to three in every 100 infections lasting a month or longer.
Determining the origins of falsified antimalarials using isotope mass spectrometry
21 February 2024
In a recent study, the Medicine Quality Group at the Infectious Diseases Data Observatory (IDDO) and Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) at NDM used stable isotope mass spectrometry to estimate where falsified antimalarials and their components come from.
Repurposed tests can detect falsified vaccines
19 February 2024
Researchers have found that widely available rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), typically used for common infections, can be repurposed to detect substandard and falsified (SF) vaccines, a significant but overlooked issue in global public health. Preliminary data suggests RDTs could be utilized by international organizations and regulators to screen vaccine supply chains for counterfeit products. This innovative approach addresses the urgent need for affordable tools to combat the threat of SF vaccines.
Rising antimicrobial resistance in enteric fever across 75 countries
16 February 2024
Recent findings by the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance Project at NDM's Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health revealed the resistance patterns for a priority pathogen--also known as typhoid fever--with high mortality and morbidity in resource-constrained settings.
Study provides framework for optimising the design of antibody therapeutics
15 February 2024
New research by NDM, the Radcliffe Department of Medicine, the MRC Translational Immune Discovery Unit and University of Cambridge research groups, has uncovered how antibodies trigger immune receptors in T cells. This breakthrough provides an improved framework for designing therapeutic antibodies, which could be used in new and better therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases.