News 2010

Damage caused by MS could be reversed using stem cells that repair injury in the central nervous system, a study shows.

A scholarship has been launched to mark the 70th anniversary of the Polish School of Medicine.

The College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine’s online MSc in Surgical Sciences - run jointly with The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh - has just scooped the Gold Award for The Best Online or Distance Learning Programme at the 2010 e-Learning Awards in London.

Professor Raj Bhopal’s study investigating the links between ethnicity and health in Scotland has received a significant funding boost.

Five University of Edinburgh scientists were honoured in the 2010 Nexxus Life Sciences Awards.

Scientists have developed a genetic test that reveals how diverse a person’s ancestors were.

Tiny particles used in a range of everyday products from computers to shampoo can adversely affect the lungs in very different ways

The University and the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh were together awarded gold in the 2010 E-learning Awards.

A new drug could significantly reduce the risk of strokes and blood clots in patients with irregular heartbeats.

A family has pledged a six-figure sum to increase understanding of a genetic condition that affects their son.

A leading anti-tobacco campaigner is to pay public tribute to a doctor who developed a cure for tuberculosis (TB).

A unique imaging facility will help researchers and doctors improve diagnosis and treatments for a range of illnesses.

A new dog ward for canine cancer patients has been officially opened at the University’s Hospital for Small Animals by Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal.

Climbers scaling Africa’s highest peak need to be more aware of the risks associated with high altitude, researchers warn.

Researchers have discovered a compound that could be used to create drugs to help prevent memory loss linked to ageing.

Stroke patients will be helped by new funding to test the effectiveness of using brain scans to diagnose their condition.

IVF pioneer and University graduate Robert Edwards has won the 2010 Nobel Prize for Medicine.

Scientists have discovered why women who smoke have a higher risk of developing ectopic pregnancies.

Treating patients with thigh-length surgical stockings, instead of knee-high socks, can reduce blood clots, a study says.

Native Scots are more than twice as likely to die of alcohol-related causes as Scottish residents born south of the border, a study suggests.

A research clinic for multiple sclerosis patients is being set up with a £10 million donation from author J K Rowling.

Exposure to stress in the womb could be more harmful to males after birth than females, researchers have found.

Scientists have reprogrammed stem cells from a key organ in the immune system, which could have implications for tissue regeneration.

Improving the well-being of animals worldwide and challenging what is currently acceptable in the the way animals are used and treated will be the focus of a new centre of excellence.

Scientists have found new genes linked with high cholesterol, a study has shown.

An even all-over tan may be unattainable as some body areas are more resistant to tanning than others, a study has found.

Professor Sir John Savill, head of the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, is to become chief executive of the Medical Research Council

University scientists are at the forefront of research using stem cells to understand degenerative conditions and diseases.

Scientists have developed a new way to target viruses which could increase the effectiveness of antiviral drugs.

University scientists have found a gene that may trigger the spread of an aggressive form of breast cancer.

Organ transplant patients who develop cancer may be helped by a treatment that uses blood cells to attack their tumour.

Footballers in the World Cup final could see their exercise capacity reduced by five per cent because of the altitude.

Methadone treatment improves long-term survival of drug users and reduces mortality, a study has shown.

A simple DNA test could pinpoint a person’s geographical roots to within a few miles, a study suggests.

Thousands of Labrador Retriever owners are being asked to help find out how a dog’s lifestyle affects its health.

A major funding award will enable researchers to tackle some of the most difficult challenges facing medical science.

Researchers at the University have helped to identify 12 new genes associated with late-onset diabetes.

Members of the public can see their own blood cells move on screen with an interactive exhibit which explains how stem cells can be turned into blood.

Applications are invited for a number of Full Studentships and part-funded Bursaries for BBSRC-supported Masters, commencing September 2010.

A protein that controls brain activity may offer hope of new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and epilepsy, a study has found.

Fresh understanding of the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles may lead to improved vaccines and diagnostic tests.

New insight into what stem cells are and how they behave could help scientists to grow cells that form different tissues.

University researchers are leading a study that will enable them to model motor neurone disease in the laboratory.

New insights into how malaria parasites survive and thrive may help to explain how they resist the effects of drugs.

People with hepatitis C are being offered hope by a new screening system that helps target drugs to individual patients.

Nearly 9 million children die each year before the age of five, according to a new study.

Ensuring future food security is just one of the global challenges scientists are looking into at The Roslin Institute.

Female students who catch glandular fever suffer a greater loss of study time than male students, a study has found.

Scientists have discovered 20 genes that could help explain the causes of kidney disease and ‘revolutionise’ treatments.

Television viewers will get a glimpse of life behind the scenes at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.

Scientists have found a way to identify which breast cancer patients are likely to respond to a type of chemotherapy.

Pneumonia is the leading cause of death amongst Chinese children, according to a new study.

A laboratory manager who helped establish a centre of excellence for research has received a prestigious award.

University researchers have discovered why some chickens are male on one side of the body and female on the other.

A puzzle that has baffled scientists for centuries - why some birds appear to be male on one side of the body and female on the other - has been solved by researchers.

African farmers will benefit from a £2 million grant awarded to the University to help combat poverty in Africa.

A DNA test that reveals a person’s risk of certain diseases could be developed with technology created at the University.

Girls are more likely to skip breakfast than boys, a survey of schoolchildren’s eating habits reveals.

A new University study has revealed how abnormalities in brain development may lead to autism and behavioural disorders.

Women lose almost 90 per cent of the eggs in their ovaries before the age of 30, a new study has shown.

Researchers have taken a major step forward in understanding the causes of late-onset diabetes.

Dr Maria Dlugolecka-Graham has been recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List 2010.

The University’s medical research has received a major boost from a record financial donation.