News

Oxford space lab experiment heads to International Space Station

admn4008@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 05:56:13 +0000

The first human tissue samples from Oxford's Space Innovation Lab (SIL) have been launched and are on their way to the International Space Station, where they will be used to study the effects of space microgravity on the human ageing process.

Five candidates in the final round of University of Oxford’s Chancellor election

admn5458@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 09:50:31 +0000

Five candidates have now progressed to the second and final round of the election for the University of Oxford’s next Chancellor’s election.

Oxford welcomes Colombian universities to the Nature Positive Universities Alliance

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 12:32:34 +0000

This week, as part of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16), Oxford University and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) welcomed a new group of 16 Colombian universities to the Nature Positive Universities Alliance. This global network, coordinated by Oxford University, unites higher education institutes across the world who have committed to advance efforts to halt, prevent, and reverse nature loss through addressing their own impacts and restoring ecosystems harmed by their activities. Within two years, the Alliance has rapidly expanded to engage over 700 universities, translating into demonstrable impacts.

Work with nature to unlock economic prosperity, says major Oxford study

bsog0503@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 14:11:21 +0000

A comprehensive review of the economic impacts of nature-based solutions (NbS), led by the University of Oxford and published this week in PLOS Climate, concludes they can unlock prosperity by boosting local economies, increasing agricultural productivity and creating jobs.

Spectacular new fossil arthropod discovered preserved in fool’s gold

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 11:41:19 +0000

A team of researchers led by Associate Professor Luke Parry, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, have unveiled a spectacular new 450-million-year-old fossil arthropod (the group that contains spiders, centipedes, and insects). Besides being an extraordinary-looking new scientific species, the specimens are entirely preserved by fool’s gold.

Expert Comment: Key takeaways from the Budget 2024

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 16:09:31 +0000

Michael McMahon, Professor of Economics at the University of Oxford, outlines the key points from the UK Government’s Autumn Budget 2024, announced today.

New study confirms beehive fences are highly effective in reducing human-elephant conflict

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 14:03:40 +0000

A ground-breaking, nine-year study has revealed that elephants approaching small-scale farms in Kenya avoid beehive fences housing live honey bees up to 86% of the time during peak crop seasons, helping to reduce human-elephant conflict for local farmers and boost income. The findings, published in the journal Conservation Science and Practice, offer promising insights into using nature-based solutions to protect both livelihoods and wildlife.

New guidance on conservation and human rights launched today at United Nations biodiversity conference COP16

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 12:48:04 +0000

A major new publication on conservation and human rights cowritten by conservation researchers at the University of Oxford’s Department of Biology and human rights experts at Forest Peoples Programme will be launched today at the United Nations biodiversity conference in Colombia, CBD COP16.

Discovery of key mechanism in Huntington’s Disease could pave the way for early detection and treatment

admn4008@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 08:56:07 +0000

Researchers from the University of Oxford have identified a key biochemical mechanism relevant to the development of Huntington’s Disease. This discovery opens up the possibility of studying the disease before its clinical onset and eventually stopping its progression.

Study finds that better ocean connectivity boosts reef fish populations

bsog0503@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 11:04:51 +0000

Research led by the University of Oxford has found that oceanographic connectivity (the movement and exchange of water between different parts of the ocean) is a key influence for fish abundance across the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). The findings have been published in the ICES Journal of Marine Sciences.

Stephen Fry appointed as Visiting Professor of Creative Media

bsog0503@ox.ac.uk — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 10:58:45 +0000

The actor, writer and presenter Stephen Fry has been appointed as Visiting Professor of Creative Media in the University of Oxford’s Faculty of English.

New study reveals a global consensus on what democracy means

bsog0503@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 22 Oct 2024 09:00:52 +0000

Researchers have carried out a new comprehensive assessment on how different people around the world understand the concept of 'democracy'. The results, published by the leading journal Science, demonstrate that -overwhelmingly- people in diverse countries agree that two factors are the most important for democratic societies: competitive elections and strong protections for civil liberties.

New legal research on Gaza war urges immediate action

bsog0503@ox.ac.uk — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 14:02:03 +0000

New paper argues international community must refocus on restraining Gaza war in the present, not just debating whether the thresholds for war crimes have been met.

Oxford University academics to advocate for ambitious nature recovery actions at UN biodiversity conference

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 15:13:11 +0000

Launching today, the United Nations Conference of the Parties for Biodiversity (COP16) will bring together governments from nearly 200 countries to decide on actions to meet the agreed target to halt and reverse the loss of nature by 2030. A delegation of more than thirty University of Oxford researchers will be following the proceedings, both in-person and online, contributing their expertise to the discussions. The conference takes place from 21 October – 1 November in Cali, Colombia.

Four Oxford researchers win prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prizes

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 10:38:51 +0000

Awarded by the Leverhulme Trust, Philip Leverhulme Prizes recognise the achievement of outstanding research scholars whose future career is exceptionally promising, and whose work has made original and significant contributions to knowledge as well as shown sustained international impact.

Only 30 prizes are awarded throughout the UK each year, with the 2024 prizes covering the following subject areas: Classics, Earth Sciences, Physics, Politics and International Relations, Psychology, Visual and Performing Arts. Each prize winner receives £100,000 which can be used for any purpose related to the advancement of their research. The University of Oxford was the only institution this year to have four award winners.

Pioneering digital technology to examine musical themes of England’s most celebrated composer

bsog0503@ox.ac.uk — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 12:20:45 +0000

Experts from the University of Oxford and Birmingham City University’s Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) will use pioneering new technology to analyse the themes of classical music titan, Sir Edward Elgar, and understand its meanings.

Novel computational method could prove a game-changer in tracking down river polluters

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 14:00:53 +0000

A new computational method developed by researchers at Oxford University and Imperial College London uses an innovative new technique to track down the sources of river pollutants. In a case study, the model identified the source of a harmful neonicotinoid pesticide – banned for agricultural use- in a rare chalk stream habitat.

Global inequities in maternal health risks across a woman’s life

admn4008@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 11:30:56 +0000

New findings published in The Lancet Global Health expose substantial global and regional disparities in the cumulative burden of life-threatening maternal morbidity across the female reproductive life span.

Research finds 1.1 billion people in multidimensional poverty, with nearly half a billion in conflict settings

bsog0503@ox.ac.uk — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 14:01:57 +0000

New research from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) has found that poverty rates in conflict-affected nations are almost three times higher than in countries free from conflict.

Candidates running for University of Oxford’s next Chancellor announced

admn5458@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 13:59:48 +0000

Oxford University can today confirm that 38 candidates have successfully submitted applications for the role of Chancellor.

Oxford alumnus awarded 2024 Nobel Prize in Economics

otss1579@ox.ac.uk — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 08:28:20 +0000

Oxford alumnus Professor Simon Johnson has been awarded this year’s Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, for research on global inequality. Professor Johnson shares the award with Professor James A Robinson and Professor Daron Acemoğlu, who was a visiting Professor to Oxford last year.

Football-based social intervention found to improve chances of rehabilitation for prisoners

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 14:19:30 +0000

A ground-breaking study, led by Oxford University researchers Dr Martha Newson and Professor Harvey Whitehouse, has unveiled compelling evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of a football coaching intervention to engage people in prison. The results offer hope for new ways to improve rehabilitation programmes with the aim of reducing high rates of reoffending.

Oxford Cultural Programme launches new season Adventures in Consciousness

bsog0503@ox.ac.uk — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 08:32:35 +0000

Featuring over 20 public events throughout October and November, Adventures in Consciousness is an inspiring season that explores consciousness and what it means to be human. Produced and curated by The Cultural Programme in partnership with Medical Humanities academics across the University of Oxford, events occur at various locations throughout Oxford until 1 December.

Researchers show accelerating carbon dioxide release from rocks in Arctic Canada with global warming

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 11:12:27 +0000

Researchers from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Oxford have shown that weathering of rocks in the Canadian Arctic will accelerate with rising temperatures, triggering a positive feedback loop that will release more and more CO2 to the atmosphere. The findings have been published this week in the journal Science Advances.

Typhoid vaccine trial confirms sustained protection for older children

admn4008@ox.ac.uk — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 06:56:14 +0000

A single dose of typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) offers safe, effective protection against typhoid two years after vaccination in all children, and sustained protection for older children at three to five years post immunisation, according to a report by researchers at the Oxford Vaccine Group and the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b). But it also shows a decline in protection at the later timepoints among children vaccinated at younger ages.

Major investment to boost Oxford’s heritage science capability

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 10:26:08 +0000

The University of Oxford is to play a leading role in a major £80m research and innovation investment to harness the latest technology to safeguard heritage for future generations. The funding, from the UKRI Arts & Humanities Research Council, will support a new nationwide Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science (RICHeS) programme.

New research network unites Oxford University’s global fight against antimicrobial resistance

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 13:58:44 +0000

A new University-wide network on antimicrobial resistance aims to generate novel research and collaborations to tackle one of the most urgent global health threats.

Oxford named best university in the world for a record ninth consecutive year

admn5034@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 10:25:59 +0000

Oxford University has been world number one in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings since 2017 - the longest time any university has held the position in the 21 annual editions of the rankings.

New report spotlights urgent issues faced by mobile indigenous populations

bsog0503@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 12:41:16 +0000

Researchers from the University of Oxford have collaborated with the United Nations (UN) on a new report that focuses on the legal recognition, land rights and mobility (including transboundary movement) of Mobile Indigenous Peoples.

Vice-Chancellor's Oration 2024

admn5458@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 09:36:28 +0000

Professor Irene Tracey CBE FRS FMedSci has delivered her annual Oration to the University in the Sheldonian Theatre. Here is the full text of the speech:

Professor Ian Shipsey FRS

otss1579@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 08 Oct 2024 12:37:47 +0000

The University is saddened to convey the news of the death of Professor Ian Shipsey, Head of the Department of Physics.

Study shows how international student mobility can reduce poverty in low and middle-income countries

admn4008@ox.ac.uk — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 14:34:40 +0000

A new study exploring the effects of international student mobility has found that foreign-educated graduates reduce extreme poverty in low and middle-income countries.

New Report: For-profit social care provision has drastically increased despite concerns over quality

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 11:51:54 +0000

A new study by the Department of Social Policy and Intervention at Oxford University, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, has shed new light on the extent and impact of outsourcing in England's adult and children's social care sectors.

Oxford researchers secure funding for world's first ovarian cancer prevention vaccine

admn4008@ox.ac.uk — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 08:32:30 +0000

Researchers have been awarded funding from Cancer Research UK to create the world’s first vaccine to prevent ovarian cancer.

US adults in worse health than British counterparts at midlife

admn4008@ox.ac.uk — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 08:52:03 +0000

American adults have significantly worse health in midlife compared to their British peers, especially in markers of cardiovascular health, according to a new study involving researchers from Oxford’s Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

Oxford researchers record wettest month in 250 years

bsog0503@ox.ac.uk — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 09:50:27 +0000

Oxford University researchers have recorded the wettest month in Oxford in 250 years at the Radcliffe Meteorological Station. Data from the station this week confirmed that September 2024 saw an extraordinary 193.3 mm of rainfall, making it Oxford’s wettest month since 1774 and the second wettest of any month since rainfall records began in 1767.

Oxford University launches new institute to tackle contemporary ethical issues

admn5458@ox.ac.uk — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 08:38:13 +0000

A new institute with a philosophical focus on contemporary ethical issues has launched today at the University of Oxford. The institute has been made possible by a transformative gift from the Uehiro Foundation on Ethics and Education, which has generously supported the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics since 2003.

Expert Comment: Three key pillars to tackle antimicrobial resistance effectively

ctsu0664@ox.ac.uk — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 08:55:20 +0000

Timothy Walsh, Director of Biology at the Ineos Oxford Institute for antimicrobial research outlines three priorities that global leaders must consider at the UN High-Level Meeting on AMR held today.

Oxford Vaccine Group marks 30 years battling ‘deadly six’ diseases with major art installation

bsog0503@ox.ac.uk — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 09:20:10 +0000

A major art installation featuring dramatically upscaled bacteria, viruses and a parasite will be unveiled on 26 September at Oxford University’s Museum of Natural History to celebrate 30 years of vaccine development at the Oxford Vaccine Group (OVG) - tackling some of the world’s most deadly diseases.

New study reveals positive mood changes during video game play

admn5076@ox.ac.uk — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 08:38:06 +0000

Playing video games can be good for your mood, according to a new international study from researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute, part of the University of Oxford.