̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - ̽��ֱ��Academy of Medical Sciences

Cambridge experts awarded 2024 Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowships

cjb250 — Mon, 20 May 2024 23:01:02 +0000

Professor Nita Forouhi from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit and Professor Susan Gathercole from the Department of Psychiatry and MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit join an esteemed Fellowship of over 1,400 researchers who have been recognised for their remarkable contributions to advancing biomedical and health sciences, ground-breaking research discoveries and translating developments into benefits for patients and wider society.

Professor Nita Forouhi is a clinical scientist whose research is focused on the link between diet, nutrition and the risk of diabetes, obesity and related disorders. She is Professor of Population Health and Nutrition and leads the Nutritional Epidemiology programme, which was awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s Best Impact Award in 2016. She frequently engages with the media to promote knowledge in the area of diet and health.

Professor Susan Gathercole is a cognitive psychologist with interests in memory and learning, including the causes of specific learning difficulties in children and how they might be overcome. Susan became a Fellow of the British Academy in 2014 and was awarded an OBE for services to psychology and education in 2016.

Professor Andrew Morris PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: “It is an honour to welcome these brilliant minds to our Fellowship. Our new Fellows lead pioneering work in biomedical research and are driving remarkable improvements in healthcare. We look forward to working with them, and learning from them, in our quest to foster an open and progressive research environment that improves the health of people everywhere through excellence in medical science.

“It is also welcoming to note that this year's cohort is our most diverse yet, in terms of gender, ethnicity and geography. While this progress is encouraging, we recognise that there is still much work to be done to truly diversify our Fellowship. We remain committed to our EDI goals and will continue to take meaningful steps to ensure our Fellowship reflects the rich diversity of the society we serve."

̽��ֱ��new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy at a ceremony on Wednesday 18 September 2024.

Two Cambridge Fellows are among the new Academy of Medical Sciences Fellows announced today.

Academy of Medical Sciences

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̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright © ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.

Yes

‘Wraparound’ implants represent new approach to treating spinal cord injuries

sc604 — Wed, 08 May 2024 18:01:25 +0000

A team of engineers, neuroscientists and surgeons from the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge developed the devices and used them to record the nerve signals going back and forth between the brain and the spinal cord. Unlike current approaches, the Cambridge devices can record 360-degree information, giving a complete picture of spinal cord activity.

Tests in live animal and human cadaver models showed the devices could also stimulate limb movement and bypass complete spinal cord injuries where communication between the brain and spinal cord had been completely interrupted.

Most current approaches to treating spinal injuries involve both piercing the spinal cord with electrodes and placing implants in the brain, which are both high-risk surgeries. ̽��ֱ��Cambridge-developed devices could lead to treatments for spinal injuries without the need for brain surgery, which would be far safer for patients.

While such treatments are still at least several years away, the researchers say the devices could be useful in the near-term for monitoring spinal cord activity during surgery. Better understanding of the spinal cord, which is difficult to study, could lead to improved treatments for a range of conditions, including chronic pain, inflammation and hypertension. ̽��ֱ��results are reported in the journal Science Advances.

“ ̽��ֱ��spinal cord is like a highway, carrying information in the form of nerve impulses to and from the brain,” said Professor George Malliaras from the Department of Engineering, who co-led the research. “Damage to the spinal cord causes that traffic to be interrupted, resulting in profound disability, including irreversible loss of sensory and motor functions.”

̽��ֱ��ability to monitor signals going to and from the spinal cord could dramatically aid in the development of treatments for spinal injuries, and could also be useful in the nearer term for better monitoring of the spinal cord during surgery.

“Most technologies for monitoring or stimulating the spinal cord only interact with motor neurons along the back, or dorsal, part of the spinal cord,” said Dr Damiano Barone from the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, who co-led the research. “These approaches can only reach between 20 and 30 percent of the spine, so you’re getting an incomplete picture.”

By taking their inspiration from microelectronics, the researchers developed a way to gain information from the whole spine, by wrapping very thin, high-resolution implants around the spinal cord’s circumference. This is the first time that safe 360-degree recording of the spinal cord has been possible – earlier approaches for 360-degree monitoring use electrodes that pierce the spine, which can cause spinal injury.

̽��ֱ��Cambridge-developed biocompatible devices – just a few millionths of a metre thick – are made using advanced photolithography and thin film deposition techniques, and require minimal power to function.

̽��ֱ��devices intercept the signals travelling on the axons, or nerve fibres, of the spinal cord, allowing the signals to be recorded. ̽��ֱ��thinness of the devices means they can record the signals without causing any damage to the nerves, since they do not penetrate the spinal cord itself.

“It was a difficult process, because we haven’t made spinal implants in this way before, and it wasn’t clear that we could safely and successfully place them around the spine,” said Malliaras. “But because of recent advances in both engineering and neurosurgery, the planets have aligned and we’ve made major progress in this important area.”

̽��ֱ��devices were implanted using an adaptation to routine surgical procedure so they could be slid under the spinal cord without damaging it. In tests using rat models, the researchers successfully used the devices to stimulate limb movement. ̽��ֱ��devices showed very low latency – that is, their reaction time was close to human reflexive movement. Further tests in human cadaver models showed that the devices can be successfully placed in humans.

̽��ֱ��researchers say their approach could change how spinal injuries are treated in future. Current attempts to treat spinal injuries involve both brain and spinal implants, but the Cambridge researchers say the brain implants may not be necessary.

“If someone has a spinal injury, their brain is fine, but it’s the connection that’s been interrupted,” said Barone. “As a surgeon, you want to go where the problem is, so adding brain surgery on top of spinal surgery just increases the risk to the patient. We can collect all the information we need from the spinal cord in a far less invasive way, so this would be a much safer approach for treating spinal injuries.”

While a treatment for spinal injuries is still years away, in the nearer term, the devices could be useful for researchers and surgeons to learn more about this vital, but understudied, part of human anatomy in a non-invasive way. ̽��ֱ��Cambridge researchers are currently planning to use the devices to monitor nerve activity in the spinal cord during surgery.

“It’s been almost impossible to study the whole of the spinal cord directly in a human, because it’s so delicate and complex,” said Barone. “Monitoring during surgery will help us to understand the spinal cord better without damaging it, which in turn will help us develop better therapies for conditions like chronic pain, hypertension or inflammation. This approach shows enormous potential for helping patients.”

̽��ֱ��research was supported in part by the Royal College of Surgeons, the Academy of Medical Sciences, Health Education England, the National Institute for Health Research, MRC Confidence in Concept, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Reference:
Ben J Woodington, Jiang Lei et al. ‘Flexible Circumferential Bioelectronics to Enable 360-degree Recording and Stimulation of the Spinal Cord.’ Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl1230

A tiny, flexible electronic device that wraps around the spinal cord could represent a new approach to the treatment of spinal injuries, which can cause profound disability and paralysis.

Because of recent advances in both engineering and neurosurgery, the planets have aligned and we’ve made major progress in this important area

George Malliaras

SEBASTIAN KAULITZKI/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

Illustration of spinal cord

Yes

Cambridge researchers elected to Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowship 2023

lw355 — Thu, 18 May 2023 08:00:52 +0000

̽��ֱ��new Fellows have been elected to the Academy in recognition of their exceptional contributions to the advancement of biomedical and health science, cutting-edge research discoveries and translating developments into benefits for patients and wider society.

They join a prestigious Fellowship of 1,400 esteemed researchers who are central to the Academy’s work. This includes providing career support to the next generation of researchers and contributing to the Academy’s influential policy work to improve health in the UK and globally.

Professor Dame Anne Johnson PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: “These new Fellows are pioneering biomedical research and driving life-saving improvements in healthcare. It’s a pleasure to recognise and celebrate their exceptional talent by welcoming them to the Fellowship.

“This year, we are celebrating our 25th anniversary. ̽��ֱ��Fellowship is our greatest asset, and their broad expertise and dynamic ability has shaped the Academy to become the influential, expert voice of health. As we look to the future, the collective wisdom our new Fellows bring will be pivotal in achieving our mission to create an open and progressive research sector to improve the health of people everywhere.”

̽��ֱ��new Cambridge Fellows are:

Professor Charlotte Coles FMedSci

Professor of Breast Cancer Clinical Oncology, Department of Oncology, NIHR Research Professor and Director of Cancer Research UK RadNet Cambridge

Professor Coles leads practice-changing breast radiotherapy trials, has influenced international hypofractionation policy and is addressing global health, gender and equity challenges within the Lancet Breast Cancer Commission.

“It’s an honour to be elected as a new Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences. This is a result of research collaborations in Cambridge, the UK and internationally and I’d like to thank these wonderful colleagues, especially patient advocates,” said Coles.

“I hope to contribute to the Academy’s work to increase equity, diversity and inclusion within leadership roles, including lower- and middle-income countries, to enrich research and improve the culture in Medical Sciences.”

Professor Emanuele Di Angelantonio FMedSci

Professor of Clinical Epidemiology and Donor Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, and Head of Health Data Science Centre, Human Technopole (Milan)

Professor Di Angelantonio’s research has focused on addressing major clinical and public health priorities in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and transfusion medicine. His election recognises his many contributions both in helping resolve important controversies in CVD prevention strategies and in improving the safety and efficiency of blood donation.

“I am delighted and honoured to be elected to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences, which I recognise is an outcome of the collaborations with many colleagues in UK and worldwide,” said Di Angelantonio.

“Research excellence across medical sciences and translation to health improvements has been at the centre of the Academy’s mission and I am very pleased to now be able to contribute to fulfilling this aim as a Fellow.”

Dr Rita Horvath FMedSci

Director of Research in Genetics of Rare Neurological Disorders in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Honorary Consultant in Neurology

Dr Horvath is an academic neurologist using genomics and biochemistry to diagnose rare, inherited neurological disorders, with a focus on mitochondrial diseases. Throughout her career she has combined fundamental experimental work with clinical studies. She pioneered the development and implementation of next generation sequencing in the diagnosis of rare neurogenetic diseases in the UK, leading to precision genetic approaches. She has established extensive international collaborations, having impact in Europe, but also for underserved groups in countries where such expertise is lacking.

“I am delighted and honoured to be elected to this Fellowship, which recognises the impact of my work. I would not have achieved it without the support of my excellent colleagues and research team, for which I give my sincere thanks,” said Horvath.

“As a Hungarian woman working in different countries before I arrived in the UK in 2007, I feel particularly proud of this award, which I recognise is an outcome of the open and fair research environment in Cambridge. This Fellowship enables me to further expand my research to develop effective treatments for patients with rare inherited neurological diseases.”

Professor Eric Miska FMedSci

Herchel Smith Chair of Molecular Genetics and Head of Department of Biochemistry, Affiliated Senior Group Leader at the Gurdon Institute, Associate Faculty at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and Fellow of St John’s College

Professor Miska is a molecular geneticist who has carried out pioneering work on RNA biology. His work led to fundamentally new insights into how small RNA molecules control our genes and protect organisms from selfish genes and viruses, and how RNA can carry heritable information across generations. Miska is Founder and Director of STORM Therapeutics Ltd, which creates novel therapies that inhibit RNA modifying enzymes for use in oncology and other diseases.

“Wonderful recognition of the work of an amazing team of researchers I have the pleasure to work with,” said Miska. “Most of our research has been done using the roundworm C. elegans. As Friedrich Nietzsche wrote in Thus Spoke Zarathustra: ‘You have evolved from worm to man, but much within you is still worm’.”

Professor Serena Nik-Zainal FMedSci

NIHR Research Professor, Professor of Genomic Medicine and Bioinformatics, Department of Medical Genetics and Early Cancer Institute, and Honorary Fellow of Murray Edwards College

Professor Nik-Zainal’s research is focused on investigating the vast number of mutations that occur in human DNA from birth, causing patterns called ‘mutational signatures’, and the associated physiological changes to cellular function, in progressive diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration. She uses a combination of experimental and computational methods to understand biology and to develop clinical tests for early detection and precision diagnostics. Her team also builds computational tools to enable genomic advances become more accessible across the NHS.

“What an honour it is to be elected to the Fellowship. This is a wonderful recognition of the work from my team,” said Nik-Zainal. “We are thrilled and hugely indebted to all our inspiring collaborators, supporters and patients, who have shared in our passion and joined us on our path, exploring biomedical science and translating insights into patient benefit.”

Professor Julian Rayner FMedSci

Director of the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, School of Clinical Medicine, Honorary Faculty at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and Director of Wellcome Connecting Science

Professor Rayner’s research has made significant contributions to our understanding of how malaria parasites recognise and invade human red blood cells to cause disease. His work has helped to identify new vaccine targets, such as a protein essential for red blood cell invasion that is now in early stage human vaccine testing, and inform antimalarial drug development, through co-leading the first ever genome-scale functional screens in malaria parasites. He collaborates closely with researchers in malaria-endemic countries and is strongly committed to engaging public audiences with the process and outcomes of science.

“Malaria is a devastating and too often forgotten disease that still kills more than half a million children every year. Tackling it requires deep collaboration and working across disciplines. I’m enormously honoured by this announcement, which reflects not my work but the work of all the talented people I’ve been lucky enough to host in my lab, and collaborations with friends and colleagues across the world,” said Rayner.

“I’m excited to become a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences because I strongly share their conviction that science is not just for scientists. I believe that dialogue, learning and public engagement are all fundamental and essential parts of the research process, and I look forward to contributing to their leading role in these areas.”

Professor James Rowe FMedSci

Professor of Cognitive Neurology, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, and MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit

Professor Rowe leads a highly interdisciplinary research team at the Cambridge Centre for Frontotemporal Dementia and at Dementias Platform UK to improve the diagnosis and treatment of people affected by dementia. His work integrates cognitive neuroscience, brain imaging, fluidic biomarkers, computational models and neuropathology for experimental medicine studies and clinical trials. He is motivated by his busy clinical practice and the need for better diversity and inclusivity throughout medical research.

“I am delighted and honoured to be elected to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences. It is a testament to the many wonderful colleagues and students I have been fortunate to work with, and to inspirational mentors,” said Rowe.

“Research excellence, and translation of research for direct human benefit, comes from innovation and collaboration in diverse cross-disciplinary teams. I believe in the vision and values of the Academy as the route to better health for all.”

In addition, two researchers from the wider community have also been elected:

Dr Trevor Lawley FMedSci, Senior Group Leader, Wellcome Sanger Institute and Chief Scientific Officer, Microbiotica

Professor Ben Lehner FRS FMedSci, Senior Group Leader, Human Genetics Programme, Wellcome Sanger Institute

Seven Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� researchers are among the 59 biomedical and health researchers elected to the Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowship.

As we look to the future, the collective wisdom our new Fellows bring will be pivotal in achieving our mission to create an open and progressive research sector to improve the health of people everywhere

Professor Dame Anne Johnson, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences

Clockwise from top left: E. Di Angelantonio, J. Rayner, J. Rowe, R. Horvath, S. Nik-Zainal, E. Miska, C. Coles

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright © ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – as here, on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.

Yes

Cambridge researchers recognised by 2022 Academy of Medical Sciences Fellowships

cjb250 — Wed, 11 May 2022 09:00:56 +0000

̽��ֱ��new Fellows have been recognised for their remarkable contributions to biomedical and health science and their ability to generate new knowledge and improve the health of people everywhere.

̽��ֱ��new Cambridge Fellows are:

Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge
Professor Andres Floto, Professor of Respiratory Biology, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge
Professor Fiona Gilbert, Head of the Department of Radiology, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge
Dr John Marioni, Senior Group Leader at the CRUK Cambridge Institute, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge
Professor Susan Ozanne, Professor of Developmental Endocrinology, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge
Professor Miles Parkes, Department of Medicine, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge
Professor Anna Philpott, Head of the School of Biological Sciences, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge
Professor David Savage, Professor of Molecular Metabolism, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

In addition, two researchers from the wider community have also been elected:

Dr Sjors Scheres FRS, Joint Head of Division and Programme Leader, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Professor Nicholas Thomson, Group Leader, Wellcome Sanger Institute

Professor Dame Anne Johnson PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences said: “It gives me great pleasure to welcome these 60 experts to the Fellowship to help to address the major health challenges facing society.

“Each of the new Fellows has made important contributions to the health of our society, with a breadth of expertise ranging from the physical and mental health of young people to parasitic diseases and computational biology.

“ ̽��ֱ��diversity of biomedical and health expertise within our Fellowship is a formidable asset that in the past year has informed our work on critical issues such as tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the health impacts of climate change, addressing health inequalities, and making the case for funding science. ̽��ֱ��new Fellows of 2022 will be critical to helping us deliver our ambitious 10-year strategy that we will launch later this year.”

̽��ֱ��new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy on Monday 27 June 2022.

Adapted from a press release by the Academy of Medical Sciences

Eight Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� researchers are among the 60 biomedical and health scientists elected by the Academy of Medical Sciences to its Fellowship programme.

Clockwise: Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, Andres Floto, Fiona Gilbert, John Marioni, Susan Ozanne, Miles Parkes, Anna Philpott and David Savage.

̽��ֱ��text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright © ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – as here, on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.

Yes

Hospital-acquired COVID-19 tends to be picked up from other patients, not from healthcare workers

cjb250 — Tue, 24 Aug 2021 07:00:25 +0000

̽��ֱ��study provides previously unprecedented detail on how infections might spread in a hospital context, showing that a minority of individuals can cause most of the transmission.

̽��ֱ��researchers analysed data from the first wave of the pandemic, between March and June 2020. While a great deal of effort is made to prevent the spread of viruses within hospital by keeping infected and non-infected individuals apart, this task is made more difficult during times when the number of infections is high. ̽��ֱ��high level of transmissibility of the virus and the potential for infected individuals to be asymptomatic both make this task particularly challenging.

Looking back at data from the first wave, researchers identified five wards at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, part of Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust, where multiple individuals, including patients and healthcare workers, tested positive for COVID-19 within a short space of time, suggesting that a local outbreak might have occurred.

Using new statistical methods that combine viral genome sequence data with clinical information about the locations of individuals, the researchers identified cases where the data were consistent with transmission occurring between individuals in the hospital. Looking in detail at these transmission events highlighted patterns in the data.

̽��ֱ��results of the study, published today in eLife, showed that patients who were infected in the hospital were mostly infected by other patients, rather than by hospital staff. Out of 22 cases where patients were infected in hospital, 20 of these were the result of the virus spreading from patients to other patients

Dr Chris Illingworth, a lead author on the study, who carried out his research while at Cambridge’s MRC Biostatistics Unit, said: “ ̽��ֱ��fact that the vast majority of infections were between patients suggests that measures taken by hospital staff to prevent staff transmitting the virus to patients, such as the wearing of masks, were likely to have been effective.

“But it also highlights why it is important that patients themselves are screened for COVID-19 regularly, even if asymptomatic, and wear face masks where possible.”

̽��ֱ��study found contrasting results among healthcare workers, who were almost as likely to be infected by patients as they were by other healthcare workers. This was one piece of evidence that motivated the decision to upgrade the respiratory protection worn by healthcare workers in COVID-19 wards at CUH. A recent Cambridge study indicated that this resulted in staff being better protected against catching COVID-19.

̽��ֱ��researchers also found a trend towards individuals either infecting no one else, or infecting multiple other people – just over a fifth of patients (21%) caused 80% of the infections. This phenomenon is sometimes called ‘superspreading’ and can make infection control very challenging. Whether or not an individual can be identified in advance as being more or less likely to pass on the virus is an ongoing topic of research.

Dr William Hamilton, an infectious diseases clinician at CUH and co-lead author on the study said: “Preventing new cases of hospital-based infection is a critical part of our work. Here we have shown that analysing clinical and viral genome sequence data can produce insights that inform infection control measures, which are so important for protecting patients and healthcare workers alike.”

̽��ֱ��research was funded by COG-UK, Wellcome, the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Health Foundation and the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre.

Reference
Illingworth, CJR & Hamilton, WL et al. Superspreaders drive the largest outbreaks of hospital onset COVID-19 infections. eLife; 24 Aug 2021; DOI: 10.7554/eLife.67308

̽��ֱ��majority of patients who contracted COVID-19 while in hospital did so from other patients rather than from healthcare workers, concludes a new study from researchers at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and Addenbrooke’s Hospital.

̽��ֱ��fact that the vast majority of infections were between patients suggests that measures taken by hospital staff to prevent staff transmitting the virus to patients, such as the wearing of masks, were likely to have been effective

Chris Illingworth

Preventing hospital acquired Covid-19 infection | Estée Torok

outsideclick

Coronavirus

Yes

Licence type:

Public Domain

̽��ֱ��Academy of Medical Sciences announces election of new Fellows 2021

cg605 — Wed, 12 May 2021 09:39:48 +0000

̽��ֱ��Academy of Medical Sciences has elected 50 prominent biomedical and health scientists to its respected and influential Fellowship. ̽��ֱ��new Fellows have been selected for their exceptional contributions to the advancement of medical science through innovative research discoveries and translating scientific developments into benefits for patients and the wider society.

Professor Dame Anne Johnson, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: “I am truly delighted to welcome these 50 new Fellows to the Academy’s Fellowship, and I offer my congratulations to each of them on their exceptional contribution to biomedical and health science. ̽��ֱ��knowledge, skill and influence that each brings to the Fellowship is the Academy’s most powerful asset.

“ ̽��ֱ��last year has clearly demonstrated the power and prowess of UK biomedical science, and I am proud of how many Fellows, new and old, have been at the forefront of the COVID-19 response in the UK and globally.

“Although it is hard to look beyond the pandemic right now, I want to stress how important it is that the Academy Fellowship represents the widest diversity of biomedical and health sciences. ̽��ֱ��greatest health advances rely on the findings of many types of research, and on multidisciplinary teams and cross-sector and global collaboration.”

Professor Franklin Aigbirhio FRSC

Professor of Molecular Imaging Chemistry, Department of Clinical Neurosciences and the Department of Chemistry, Senior Research Fellow, Magdalene College

Professor Aigbirhio’s research focuses on the development and application of new biomedical imaging technologies for clinical research in areas such as dementia, acute brain injury and hypertension. His research seeks to enable earlier detection and a greater understanding of the disorders, thereby aiding the development of new treatments. A further objective of Professor Aigbirhio’s work is to enable these new imaging technologies to be more accessible and widely applied throughout the NHS.

“It’s a pleasure and honour to be elected to this Fellowship, which I recognise is an outcome of the collaborations with many talented colleagues at Cambridge and further afield, for which I give my sincere thanks,” said Aigbirhio.

“Going forward my election to the Fellowship provides a platform to highlight the role of black researchers and participants in biomedical and health research and to increase their involvement.”

Professor Ravindra Gupta

Professor of Clinical Microbiology at the Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Fellow, Homerton College

Professor Gupta has worked extensively in HIV, both at molecular and population levels, and his work demonstrating escalating global resistance led to change in WHO treatment guidelines for HIV. He led the team that demonstrated HIV cure in the ‘London Patient’ – only the second in history.

In 2020 he was named as one of the 100 most influential people worldwide by TIME Magazine. Gupta deployed his expertise in RNA virus genetics and biology during the COVID-19 pandemic to report the first evidence for immune escape of SARS-CoV-2 within an individual, defining the process by which new variants likely arise, and also reporting the first data on Pfizer BioNTech vaccine-induced antibody responses against the B.1.1.7 ‘Kent UK’ variant.

“I am honoured to have been elected to Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences,” said Gupta. “ ̽��ֱ��COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the importance of cross-disciplinary science. Research excellence across medical sciences and translation to health improvements has been at the centre of the Academy’s mission and I am very pleased to now be able to contribute to fulfilling this aim as a Fellow.”

Professor Brian Huntly

Head of the Department of Haematology and Professor of Leukaemia Stem Cell Biology, Group Leader at the Wellcome – MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute

Professor Huntly’s research focuses on the stem cell aspects of the evolution of haematological malignancies, in particular acute myeloid leukaemia and lymphoma. His election recognises his many contributions to the understanding and treatment of blood cancers.

“I am delighted and honoured to be elected to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences,” said Huntly. “ ̽��ֱ��Academy’s aims of bringing the best minds in biomedical research together, supporting talent, asking challenging questions and sharing our work so that all can benefit from it mirror very much our own aims here in Cambridge. Biomedical research is a hugely collaborative endeavour and I see my election as recognition of the hard work of many people who have contributed to my research and also highlighting the tremendous work we are doing at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge Department of Haematology.”

Professor Adrian Liston

Senior Group Leader, Babraham Institute, Senior Research Fellow, Churchill College

Professor Adrian Liston works in the field of immunology, based around the question of the biological checkpoints that restrain immune activation. His research investigates the basis for pathological immune activation in the contexts of autoimmune diseases, primary immunodeficiencies and neuroinflammation. By understanding the genetic, molecular and cellular basis of immune checkpoint failure in these conditions, the rationale selection of therapeutics can help prevent or treat pathologies.

“This is a really wonderful recognition of the work from my team”, Liston said. “I’ve been lucky to work with an outstanding team of scientists, able to work on immune pathology from different angles – from the clinic or the lab, as an immunologist or a neuroscientist, in advanced techniques ranging from cytometry through to computational modelling. ̽��ֱ��curiosity and interdisciplinarity of the team are what has let us explore new fields and push the boundaries forwards.”

Professor Benjamin Simons FRS

Royal Society EP Abraham Professor, Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics and Senior Group Leader of the Gurdon Institute, Group Leader at the Wellcome – MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Fellow, St John's College

As a theorist, Professor Simons has contributed to a diverse range of fields, from quantum condensed matter physics to developmental and cancer biology. His research translates concepts and approaches from statistical physics to gain predictive insights in the collective dynamics of complex systems. In biology, his studies have revealed common mechanisms of stem cell regulation, and how these programmes become subverted during the early phase of tumour growth.

Simons said: “As a theorist, and relative newcomer to the field of biomedical sciences, it is a great honour to be elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.”

Cambridge scientists are among the new Fellows announced today by the Academy of Medical Sciences.

̽��ֱ��greatest health advances rely on the findings of many types of research, and on multidisciplinary teams and cross-sector and global collaboration.

Professor Dame Anne Johnson, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences

Yes

Genomics study identifies routes of transmission of coronavirus in care homes

cjb250 — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 09:27:53 +0000

Care homes are at high risk of experiencing outbreaks of COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. Older people and those affected by heart disease, respiratory disease and type 2 diabetes – all of which increase with age – are at greatest risk of severe disease and even death, making the care home population especially vulnerable.

Care homes are known to be high-risk settings for infectious diseases, owing to a combination of the underlying vulnerability of residents who are often frail and elderly, the shared living environment with multiple communal spaces, and the high number of contacts between residents, staff and visitors in an enclosed space.

In research published today in eLife, a team led by scientists at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and Wellcome Sanger Institute used a combination of genome sequencing and detailed epidemiological information to examine the impact of COVID-19 on care homes and to look at how the virus spreads in these settings.

SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus and as such its genetic code is prone to errors each time it replicates. It is currently estimated that the virus mutates at a rate of 2.5 nucleotides (the A, C, G and U of its genetic code) per month. Reading – or ‘sequencing’ – the genetic code of the virus can provide valuable information on its biology and transmission. It allows researchers to create ‘family trees’ – known as phylogenetic trees – that show how samples relate to each other.

Scientists and clinicians in Cambridge have pioneered the use of genome sequencing and epidemiological information to trace outbreaks and transmission networks in hospitals and community-based healthcare settings, helping inform infection control measures and break the chains of transmission. Since March 2020, they have been applying this method to SARS-CoV-2 as part of the COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium.

In this new study, researchers analysed samples collected from 6,600 patients between 26 February and 10 May 2020 and tested at the Public Health England (PHE) Laboratory in Cambridge. Out of all the cases, 1,167 (18%) were care home residents from 337 care homes, 193 of which were residential homes and 144 nursing homes, the majority in the East of England. ̽��ֱ��median age of care home residents was 86 years.

While the median number of cases per care home was two, the ten care homes with the largest number of cases accounted for 164 cases. There was a slight trend for nursing homes to have more cases per home than residential homes, with a median of three cases.

Compared with non-care home residents admitted to hospital with COVID-19, hospitalised care home residents were less likely to be admitted to intensive care units (less than 7% versus 21%) and more likely to die (47% versus 20%).

̽��ֱ��researchers also explored links between care homes and hospitals. 68% of care home residents were admitted to hospital during the study period. 57% were admitted with COVID-19, 6% of cases had suspected hospital-acquired infection, and 33% were discharged from hospital within 7 days of a positive test. These findings highlight the ample opportunities for SARS-CoV-2 transmission between hospital and care home settings.

When the researchers examined the viral sequences, they found that for several of the care homes with the highest number of cases, all of the cases clustered closely together on a phylogenetic tree with either identical genomes or just one base pair difference. This was consistent with a single outbreak spreading within the care home.

By contrast, for several other care homes, cases were distributed across the phylogenetic tree, with more widespread genetic differences, suggesting that each of these cases was independent and not related to a shared transmission source.

“Older people, particularly those in care homes who may be frail, are at particular risk from COVID-19, so it’s essential we do all that we can to protect them,” said Dr Estée Török, an Honorary Consultant at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Hospitals (CUH), and an Honorary Senior Visiting Fellow at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge.

“Preventing the introduction of new infections into care homes should be a key priority to limit outbreaks, alongside infection control efforts to limit transmission within care homes, including once an outbreak has been identified.”

̽��ֱ��team found two clusters that were linked to healthcare workers. One of these involved care home residents, a carer from that home and another from an unknown care home, paramedics and people living with them. ̽��ֱ��second involved several care home residents and acute medical staff at Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust who cared for at least one of the residents. It was not possible to say where these clusters originated from and how the virus spread.

“Using this technique of ‘genomic surveillance’ can help institutions such as care homes and hospitals better understand the transmission networks that allow the spread of COVID-19,” added Dr William Hamilton from the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and CUH. “This can then inform infection control measures, helping ensure that these places are as safe as possible for residents, patients, staff and visitors.”

̽��ֱ��absolute number of diagnosed COVID-19 cases from care home residents declined more slowly in April than for non-care home residents, increasing the proportion of cases from care homes and contributing to the slow rate of decline in total case numbers during April and early May 2020.

“Our data suggest that care home transmission was more resistant to lockdown measures than non-care home settings. This may reflect the underlying vulnerability of the care home population, and the infection control challenges of nursing multiple residents who may also share communal living spaces,” said Gerry Tonkin-Hill from the Wellcome Sanger Institute.

̽��ֱ��team found no new viral lineages from outside the UK, which may reflect the success of travel restrictions in limiting new viral introductions into the general population during the first epidemic wave and lockdown period.

This work was funded by COG-UK, Wellcome, the Academy of Medical Sciences, the Health Foundation and the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre.

Reference
Hamilton, W et al. COVID-19 infection dynamics in care homes in the East of England: a retrospective genomic epidemiology study. eLife; 2 March 2021; DIO: 10.7554/eLife.64618

Genomic surveillance – using information about genetic differences between virus samples – can help identify how SARS-CoV-2 spreads in care home settings, whose residents are at particular risk, according to new research published today.

Older people, particularly those in care homes who may be frail, are at particular risk from COVID-19, so it’s essential we do all that we can to protect them

Estee Torok

National Cancer Institute

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̽��ֱ��Academy of Medical Sciences announces new Fellows for 2020

sc604 — Wed, 13 May 2020 01:00:00 +0000

̽��ֱ��new Fellows have been chosen for their exceptional contributions to advancing biomedical science via world-leading research discoveries, running national science communication and engagement programmes and translating scientific advances into benefits for patients and the public.

̽��ֱ��value of medical science has never been more apparent than during the current coronavirus global health crisis. From testing and vaccine development, to public health and behavioural science, to addressing the impacts of lockdown measures on mental health, biomedical and health scientists are helping to guide the UK through unprecedented challenges.

Several new Fellows have redirected their research efforts to tackle the effects of the pandemic, such as Professor Ludovic Vallier FMedSci, a stem cell expert from the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, who has refocussed part of his team to study the effects of coronavirus on the liver. Professor Tamsin Ford CBE FMedSci, a Professor of Psychiatry at Cambridge, has channelled her expertise into looking at mental health impacts of the pandemic on children and young people.

Professor Sir Robert Lechler PMedSci, President of the Academy of Medical Sciences said: “This year our new Fellows announcement happens amidst a global health crisis. Never has there been a more important time to recognise and celebrate the people behind ground-breaking biomedical and health research, working harder than ever to further knowledge and protect patients and the public.

“It brings me great pleasure to congratulate the new Fellows, and see our Fellowship grow to even greater heights of evidence-based advice, leadership and expertise.”

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge Fellows elected in 2020 are:

Professor Menna Clatworthy FLSW, NIHR Research Professor and Professor of Translational Immunology, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge and Associate Faculty, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Fellow, Pembroke College

Dr Helen Firth, Consultant Clinical Geneticist, Cambridge ̽��ֱ�� Hospitals, Honorary Faculty Member, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Bye-Fellow, Newnham College

Professor Tamsin Ford CBE, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, Fellow, Hughes Hall

Professor Ziad Mallat, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

Dr Nitzan Rosenfeld, Senior Group Leader, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

Professor Ludovic Vallier, Professor of Regenerative Medicine, Wellcome - MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, Fellow, St Edmund’s College

̽��ֱ��new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy on 25 June 2020.

Six affiliates of the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge are among 50 world-leading UK researchers who have been elected to the prestigious Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

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