̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge - Centre for Trophoblast Research

Mother’s gut microbiome during pregnancy shapes baby’s brain development

jg533 — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 23:30:03 +0000

Researchers have compared the development of the fetal brain in mice whose mothers had no bacteria in their gut, to those whose mothers were given Bifidobacterium breve orally during pregnancy, but had no other bacteria in their gut.

Nutrient transport to the brain increased in fetuses of mothers given Bifidobacterium breve, and beneficial changes were also seen in other cell processes relating to growth.

Bifidobacterium breve is a ‘good bacteria’ that occurs naturally in our gut, and is available as a supplement in probiotic drinks and tablets.

Obesity or chronic stress can alter the gut microbiome of pregnant women, often resulting in fetal growth abnormalities. ̽��ֱ��babies of up to 10% of first-time mothers have low birth weight or fetal growth restriction. If a baby hasn't grown properly in the womb, there is an increased risk of conditions like cerebral palsy in infants and anxiety, depression, autism, and schizophrenia in later life.

These results suggest that improving fetal development - specifically fetal brain metabolism - by taking Bifidobacterium breve supplements while pregnant may support the development of a healthy baby.

̽��ֱ��results are published today in the journal Molecular Metabolism.

“Our study suggests that by providing ‘good bacteria’ to the mother we could improve the growth and development of her baby while she’s pregnant,” said Dr Jorge Lopez-Tello, a researcher in the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge’s Centre for Trophoblast Research, first author of the report.

He added: “This means future treatments for fetal growth restriction could potentially focus on altering the gut microbiome through probiotics, rather than offering pharmaceutical treatments - with the risk of side effects - to pregnant women.”

“ ̽��ֱ��design of therapies for fetal growth restriction are focused on improving blood flow pathways in the mother, but our results suggest we’ve been thinking about this the wrong way - perhaps we should be more focused on improving maternal gut health,” said Professor Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri, a researcher in the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge’s Centre for Trophoblast Research and senior author of the report, who is also a Fellow of St John’s College, Cambridge.

She added: “We know that good gut health - determined by the types of microbes in the gut - helps the body to absorb nutrients and protect against infections and diseases.”

̽��ֱ��study was carried out in mice, which allowed the effects of Bifidobacterium breve to be assessed in a way that would not be possible in humans - the researchers could precisely control the genetics, other microorganisms and the environment of the mice. But they say the effects they measured are likely to be similar in humans.

They now plan further work to monitor the brain development of the offspring after birth, and to understand how Bifidobacterium breve interacts with the other gut bacteria present in natural situations.

Previous work by the same team found that treating pregnant mice with Bifidobacterium breve improves the structure and function of the placenta. This also enables a better supply of glucose and other nutrients to the developing fetus and improves fetal growth.

“Although further research is needed to understand how these effects translate to humans, this exciting discovery may pave the way for future clinical studies that explore the critical role of the maternal microbiome in supporting healthy brain development before birth,” said Professor Lindsay Hall at the ̽��ֱ�� of Birmingham, who was also involved in the research.

While it is well known that the health of a pregnant mother is important for a healthy baby, the effect of her gut bacteria on the baby’s development has received little attention.

Reference

Lopez-Tello, J, et al: ‘Maternal gut Bifidobacterium breve modifies fetal brain metabolism in germ-free mice.’ Molecular Metabolism, August 2024. DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2024.102004

A study in mice has found that the bacteria Bifidobacterium breve in the mother’s gut during pregnancy supports healthy brain development in the fetus.

AsiaVision on Getty

̽��ֱ��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.

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Cambridge scientists elected as Members of the European Molecular Biology Organisation

jg533 — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 12:00:56 +0000

Five Cambridge researchers join the community of over 2,100 leading life scientists today as the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) announces its newest Members in its 60th anniversary year.

Pioneering Code of Practice released for use of stem cell-based embryo models in research

jg533 — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 08:17:57 +0000

̽��ֱ�� ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, in partnership with the Progress Educational Trust, has led work to create the first ever UK guidelines for the generation and use of stem cell-based embryo models in research.

Cambridge researchers awarded European Research Council Consolidator Grants

cg605 — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 16:00:25 +0000

̽��ֱ��ERC is the premier European funding organisation for excellent frontier research. This year it has awarded €657m in grants to 321 researchers across Europe.

Consolidator grants are given to excellent scientists, who have 7 to 12 years’ experience after their PhDs, to pursue their most promising ideas.

“ERC Consolidator grants support researchers at a crucial time of their careers, strengthening their independence, reinforcing their teams and helping them establish themselves as leaders in their fields,” said President of the European Research Council Professor Maria Leptin. “And this backing above all gives them a chance to pursue their scientific dreams.”

Cambridge awardees:

Dr Eloy de Lera Acedo, STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellow at Cavendish Astrophysics and the Kavli Institute for Cosmology of the Department of Physics, has been awarded a grant for REACH_21: Probing the Cosmic Dawn and Epoch of Re-ionization with the REACH experiment.

De Lera Acedo said: “REACH_21 aims to unveil the mysteries of the infant universe. We want to answer the question: how did the cosmos, that evolved from the Big Bang, become the complex and luminous realm of celestial objects we can see from planet Earth today?

“This unknown missing piece in the puzzle of the history of the universe is now closer to being understood thanks to a new experimental approach that attempts to observe extremely faint radio signals emitted nearly 13.5 billion years ago by the most abundant element at that time: Neutral Hydrogen.”

“This is amazing news for the REACH collaboration. We have been designing our experiment for over five years and are currently awaiting the start of scientific observations in South Africa. ̽��ֱ��ERC grant is going to allow me to use the REACH telescope, analyse its data, and hopefully access a whole new world of information about the early evolution of the cosmos.”

Dr Daniel Hodson, of the Department of Haematology, has been awarded a grant for Unwind-Lymphoma: RNA helicases; switched paralogue dependency as an exploitable vulnerability in aggressive B cell lymphoma.

Hodson said: “This ERC-funded project, Unwind Lymphoma, will explore sex-specific, cancer cell addiction to the DDX3 family of RNA helicases, proteins that unwind secondary structure in mRNA.

“We will develop recent findings from our lab showing that whilst most male Burkitt lymphoma cells have deleted the X-chromosome gene DDX3X, they instead become uniquely addicted to the Y-chromosome paralogue DDX3Y, a related protein that is silenced in most normal cells. By unravelling the molecular basis of this ‘switched paralogue dependency’ we will expose a potential therapeutic Achilles Heel in this devastating form of blood cancer.

“I am thrilled to receive this award, which I hope will take me one step closer to a tenured position in Cambridge or beyond.”

Sohini Kar-Narayan, Professor of Device and Energy Materials of the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, has been awarded a grant for BIOTRONICA: Bio-Electronic Integrated Devices for Healthcare Applications.

Kar-Narayan said: “My research focuses on the development and characterisation of novel functional polymers and nanocomposites, and their application in functional devices using microscale additive manufacturing methods. It covers novel energy harvesting nanomaterials to microfluidic biosensors, to materials and devices for next-generation flexible and wearable electronics.

“I am absolutely delighted to have been awarded a Consolidator Grant to develop new tools for remote health monitoring and personalised medicine. These include novel non-invasive ‘point-of-care’ biosensors, which could potentially be self-powered through energy harvested from the body, thus enabling a step change in health monitoring and patient care.”

Dr Elisa Laurenti, ̽��ֱ�� Associate Professor in Stem Cell Medicine and Wellcome Royal Society Sir Henry Dale Fellow of the Wellcome Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and Department of Haematology, has been awarded a grant for HEXAGEN: Harnessing haematopoietic stem cell EX vivo Adaptation for GENe therapy.

Laurenti said: “Blood stem cell-based gene therapy has the potential to cure an expanding range of debilitating genetic diseases. HEXAGEN seeks to further improve gene therapies and their outcomes by overcoming the loss of stem cell function observed in current clinical protocols. Using cutting edge single cell technologies, we aim to identify how blood stem cells adapt to the invitro environment, dissect how this negatively impacts their function, and design new strategies to improve gene therapy.

“This award gives my team the unique opportunity to be ambitious and complete a full circle from basic stem cell biology to improving gene therapy for patients with many diseases. I am very excited, because unlocking blood stem cell behaviour outside our bodies will also drive many other clinical applications.”

Dr Naomi McGovern, of the Department of Pathology and the Centre for Trophoblast Research, has been awarded a grant for PMDR: Placental macrophages: Their development and role in the placenta.

McGovern said: “My team’s research focus is human placental macrophage biology. We are interested in determining the role of these cells in mediating healthy placental function and in protecting the placenta from infection. By developing our understanding of these cells, we will be able to provide new insight into pregnancy disorders.

“I am delighted that our proposal was selected for an ERC Consolidator Award. It is an acknowledgement of the exciting research my team carries out. ̽��ֱ��hard work of my team and the additional expertise provided by our supportive collaborators all helped to form the basis for this proposal. ̽��ֱ��award will provide my group with the time and resources to undertake high-risk research to inform on placental biology. It is now up to us to deliver on this generous investment.”

Professor Robert Phipps, of the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, has been awarded a grant for IonPairEnantRadical: Transforming Enantioselective Radical Chemistry using Ion-Pairing Catalysis.

Phipps said: “Chemical reactions that are driven by radical mechanisms are rapidly growing in importance, but it is an ongoing challenging to control enantioseletivity in those that form stereocentres. This grant will fund an ambitious program which will apply innovative and unexplored ion-pairing strategies to control enantioselectivity in a variety of important radical chemistries for which there are no or limited existing methods for imposing enantiocontrol.

“I am extremely grateful that my proposal was selected for funding in this very competitive call. I am excited about the chemistry that my group will be able to explore over the coming five years with this fantastic opportunity!”

Akshay Rao, Professor of Physics of the Cavendish Laboratory in the Department of Physics, has been awarded a grant for SPICE: Spin-Exchange and Energy Transfer at Hybrid Molecular/Lanthanide Nanoparticle Interfaces to Control Triplet Excitons.

Rao said: “Our project, SPICE, will explore the physics and chemistry of a new class of hybrid materials, organic molecules connected to lanthanide doped nanoparticles.

“Although we are still at an early stage of research, if we succeed it may create transformative applications in areas ranging from optoelectronics, data communication, photocatalysis, optogenetics and 3D bio-printing. Over the long term this kind of blue-sky science is what drives technological innovation helping to drive improved productivity in industry, but also directly tacking major societal challenges such as climate change and health.

“We are delighted that our project has received the support of the European Research Council. This is a great opportunity for us to pursue high-risk high-gain blue-sky science and push the limits of our understanding of these materials and take them towards application. ̽��ֱ��award also serves as recognition of the excellent science done by our PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, who’s tireless efforts to push the scientific frontier have made possible the breakthroughs that have brought us here.”

Dr Milka Sarris, Assistant Professor of the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, was awarded a grant for LongWayFromFlam: ̽��ֱ��uncharted journeys of inflammatory cells and their functional implications.

Sarris said: “My group studies how cells of the immune system move in the body to generate and resolve inflammatory responses. To study these processes, we use state of the art microscopy techniques and genetic approaches in zebrafish, a small vertebrate model organism.

“I am absolutely thrilled to have won this award at a key stage of my career and to be able to pursue an ambitious new line of fundamental research. It was a long process and I remain very grateful to my university colleagues, the peer reviewers and the evaluation committee for their feedback.”

Eight researchers from the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge have won European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grants

Photos provided by winners

From clockwise: Eloy de Lera Acedo, Daniel Hodson, Sohini Kar-Narayan, Elisa Laurenti, Naomi McGovern, Robert Phipps, Akshay Rao and Milka Sarris.

̽��ֱ��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

‘Synthetic’ embryo with brain and beating heart grown from stem cells

jg533 — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 15:03:28 +0000

New model embryo, using mouse stem cells, reaches a further point in development than has been achieved in any other stem cell-derived model.

Maternal microbiome promotes healthy development of the baby

jg533 — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 08:23:10 +0000

A new study has found that a species of gut bacteria, known to have beneficial effects for health in mice and humans, changes the mother’s body during pregnancy and affects the structure of the placenta and nutrient transport - which impacts the growing baby.

̽��ֱ��bacteria, Bifidobacterium breve, is widely used as a probiotic so this study could point to ways of combating pregnancy complications and ensuring a healthy start in life across the population.

̽��ֱ��research involved scientists from the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, the Quadram Institute, and the ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia and is published today in the journal Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences.

Microbes in our gut, collectively called the gut microbiome, are known to play a key role in maintaining health by combating infections, and influencing our immune system and metabolism. They achieve these beneficial effects by breaking down food in our diet and releasing active metabolites that influence cells and body processes.

Little is known about how these interactions influence fetal development and the baby’s health pre-birth. To address this, Professor Lindsay Hall from the Quadram Institute and ̽��ֱ�� of East Anglia, and Dr Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri and Dr Jorge Lopez-Tello from the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge analysed how supplementation with Bifidobacterium bacteria affected pregnancy in mice.

Hall has been studying Bifidobacterium and the microbiome in very early life, previously showing how providing specific probiotics can help premature babies. These bacteria rise in numbers in the microbiome during pregnancy in humans and mice, and alterations in its levels have been linked to pregnancy complications.

Sferruzzi-Perri said: “Pregnancy disorders affect around one in ten pregnant women. This is worrying, as pregnancy complications can lead to health problems for the mother and her baby even after the pregnancy.”

“This study, carried out in mice, identifies the maternal microbiome as a new player in the communication between mother, placenta and fetus. Finding out how this form of communication works and how to improve it may help many women who develop pregnancy complications, as well as helping their developing child.”

‘Germ-free’ mice - lacking any microbes – can be bred to allow comparisons with other mice that have a ‘normal’ microbiome. This can provide valuable insights into the role of the microbiome in health - such studies can’t be carried out in humans.

In this study, the researchers also looked at the effect of feeding germ-free mice the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve.

In the germ-free mice, the fetus did not receive adequate sugar and failed to grow and develop properly. Excitingly, providing Bifidobacterium breve to germ-free mice improved fetal outcomes by restoring fetal metabolism, growth and development to the normal levels.

Lacking the maternal microbiome also hampered the growth of the placenta in a way that would affect fetal growth, and more detailed analysis identified a number of key cell growth and metabolic factors that appear to be regulated by the microbiome and Bifidobacterium breve.

“ ̽��ֱ��placenta has been a neglected organ, despite it being vital for the growth and survival of the fetus. A better understanding of how the placenta grows and functions will ultimately result in healthier pregnancies for mothers and babies,” said Lopez-Tello.

̽��ֱ��researchers also found that the microbiome affected key nutrient transporters, including those for sugars within the placenta that would also influence the growth of the fetus.

“Our findings reveal that the maternal microbiome promotes development of the placenta and growth of the fetus,” said Hall.

“We think that this is linked to the altered profile of metabolites and nutrients, which affects nutrient transport from mother to baby across the placenta. Excitingly it appears that adding in a probiotic Bifidobacterium during pregnancy may help to boost how the placenta functions, which has positive effects on the baby’s growth in the womb.”

These findings are strong indicators of a link between the microbiome of the mother and the development of the baby, but in this first study of its kind there are limitations.

This study focused on one single bacterial species, and whilst this showed that Bifidobacterium breve had positive effects on germ-free mice during pregnancy, this is not a natural situation. Future studies are needed to confirm these effects in a more natural and complex microbiome.

̽��ֱ��study was carried out in mice and cannot automatically be translated into treatments for humans. ̽��ֱ��knowledge provided in this proof-of-concept animal study is critical for guiding future studies in humans - to uncover whether the human maternal microbiome has similar effects. If that is the case, it could provide a relatively simple and low-cost way to help improve pregnancy outcomes with positive benefit for the life-long health of the mother and her child.

̽��ֱ��research was funded by Wellcome and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

Reference

Lopez-Tello, J et al: ‘Maternal gut microbiota Bifidobacterium promotes placental morphogenesis, nutrient transport and fetal growth in mice.’ Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, June 2022. DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04379-y

Adapted from a press release by the Quadram Institute.

Researchers studying mice have found the first evidence of how a mother’s gut microbes can help in the development of the placenta, and the healthy growth of the baby.

This study, carried out in mice, identifies the maternal microbiome as a new player in the communication between mother, placenta and fetus.”

Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri

Hall Lab, Quadram Institute

Bifidobacterium breve

Yes

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Molecular 3D-maps unlock new ways of studying human reproduction

jg533 — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 15:20:54 +0000

̽��ֱ��study also provides a crucial reference for foetal tissue generation in the lab - such tissue is in short supply but is needed for drug screening and studies into stem cell-based treatments to regenerate body tissues in diseases like Parkinson’s, for example.

Embryos develop from a clump of cells into highly organised structures. However, until now the signals orchestrating this transformation have remained hidden from observation inside the womb.

Measuring gene activity in three dimensions, researchers have generated molecular maps of the second week of gestation as it has never been seen before. Their work is published today in the journal Nature.

“This work will provide a definitive laboratory reference for future studies of early embryo development, and the embryonic origins of disease,” said Dr Thorsten Boroviak in the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge’s Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience and senior author of the study.

̽��ֱ��second week of gestation is one of the most mysterious, yet critical, stages of embryo development. Failure of development during this time is one of the major causes of early pregnancy loss and birth defects.

In previous work, Boroviak showed that the first week of development in marmoset monkeys is remarkably similar to that in humans. But with existing methods he could not explore week two of development, after the embryo implants into the womb.

A new laser-assisted technique enabled the team to track down the earliest signals driving the establishment of the body axis - when the symmetrical structure of the embryo starts to change. One end becomes committed to developing into the head, and the other end becomes the ‘tail’.

̽��ֱ��team discovered that asymmetric signals come from the embryo itself and from transient structures that support the embryo during its development – the amnion, yolk sac, and precursors of the placenta.

“Our virtual reconstructions show the developing embryo and its’ supporting tissues in the days after implantation in incredible detail,” said Boroviak.

̽��ֱ��blueprint unlocks new ways of studying human reproduction and development. In the future, the team plans to use their new technique to investigate origins of pregnancy complications and birth defects using engineered embryo models. Understanding more about human development will help scientists to understand how it can go wrong and take steps towards being able to fix problems.

̽��ֱ��pre-implantation period, before the developing embryo implants into the mother’s womb, has been studied extensively in human embryos in the lab. On the seventh day the embryo implants into the womb to survive and develop. Very little was previously known about the development of the human embryo once it implants, because it becomes inaccessible for study.

Boroviak’s team used implanted embryos of the marmoset, a small New World monkey, in their study because they are very similar to human embryos at this early stage of development.

This research was funded by Wellcome. It was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Central Institute for Experimental Animals (CIEA). All animal studies were performed according to the German Animal Protection Law and approved by German Primate Center.

Reference

Bergmann, S Penfold CA and Slatery E et al: ‘Spatial profiling of early primate gastrulation in utero.’ Nature, June 2022. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04953-1

Scientists have identified the biochemical signals that control the emergence of the body pattern in the primate embryo. This will guide work to understand birth defects and pregnancy loss in humans.

This work will provide a definitive laboratory reference for future studies of early embryo development, and the embryonic origins of disease

Thorsten Boroviak

Spatial transcriptome profiling of primate embryos

Laser-assisted analysis of a marmoset embryo after implantation

Yes

Nine Cambridge scientists among the new 2022 Fellows announced by the Royal Society

jg533 — Tue, 10 May 2022 11:33:12 +0000

̽��ֱ��Royal Society is a self-governing Fellowship made up of the most eminent scientists, engineers and technologists from the UK and the Commonwealth. Its Foreign Members are drawn from the rest of the world.

̽��ֱ��Society’s fundamental purpose is to recognise, promote, and support excellence in science and to encourage the development and use of science for the benefit of humanity.

This year, a total of 51 Fellows, 10 Foreign Members, and one Honorary Fellow have been selected for their outstanding contributions to science.

Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society said: “It is an honour to welcome so many outstanding researchers from around the world into the Fellowship of the Royal Society.

“Through their careers so far, these researchers have helped further our understanding of human disease, biodiversity loss and the origins of the universe. I am also pleased to see so many new Fellows working in areas likely to have a transformative impact on our society over this century, from new materials and energy technologies to synthetic biology and artificial intelligence. I look forward to seeing what great things they will achieve in the years ahead.”

̽��ֱ��Cambridge Fellows are:

Professor Graham Burton FMedSci FRS

Mary Marshall and Arthur Walton Professor Emeritus of the Physiology of Reproduction, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

Burton is a reproductive biologist whose research has focused on the early stages of human pregnancy. In particular, he showed how the placenta is established in a protective low-oxygen environment, stimulating its own development through interactions with the uterus. He demonstrated that aberrations in the early stages of placental development can adversely affect the life-long health of mother and offspring. Burton was founding Director of the Centre for Trophoblast Research, and founding Chair of the Strategic Research Initiative Cambridge Reproduction.

He said: “I am delighted to receive this recognition for myself and the field of reproductive biology, and thank colleagues and collaborators for their contributions over the years.”

Professor Roberto Cipolla FREng FRS

Professor of Information Engineering, Department of Engineering, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

Cipolla is distinguished for his research in computer vision and his contributions to the reconstruction, registration and recognition of three-dimensional objects from images. These include novel algorithms for the recovery of accurate 3D shape, visual localisation and semantic segmentation and their translation into commercial products.

He said: "This is the ultimate honour for any scientist and recognises the amazing contribution of my students, collaborators and mentors in my 30 years at Cambridge. I am also very fortunate to be working in the field of computer vision and machine learning at a time of revolutionary progress and ground-breaking applications.”

Professor Douglas Easton FMedSci FRS

Professor of Genetic Epidemiology, Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

Easton’s main research interests are in cancer genetics. He analyses large population studies to identify genetic variants that predispose to cancer, and to understand how they combine together with other factors to determine cancer risk. His work has characterised many important cancer genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, and identified of hundreds of common cancer predisposition variants in the non-coding genome. He co-developed the BOADICEA risk prediction model now used worldwide to guide genetic counselling and cancer prevention.

He said: "I am truly delighted and honoured to be elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society. This prestigious honour is a tribute the work of many wonderful colleagues in Cambridge and worldwide, over many years, who have made the research possible."

Professor Robin Franklin FMedSci FRS

Formerly Professor of Stem Cell Medicine, Wellcome - MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge; now Principal Investigator, Altos Labs - Cambridge Institute

̽��ֱ��central question of Franklin’s career is 'how do tissues regenerate?' To address this question, he has studied the brain, an organ notorious for its poor regenerative capacity. Working with many excellent colleagues, he has described how stem cells in the adult brain regenerate oligodendrocytes - the cells responsible for making the insulating myelin sheath around nerve fibres - once they are lost in diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS); how this process declines with age; and it can be reversed. ̽��ֱ��work has led to two regenerative medicine trials in MS.

He said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society - it is a huge honour.”

Professor Richard Gilbertson FMedSci FRS

Li Ka Shing Chair of Oncology and Head of Department of Oncology, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, Director of Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre and Senior Group Leader, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute

Gilbertson, a paediatric physician-scientist, has identified the origins of common and aggressive childhood brain tumours and many of the genetic alterations that drive these tumours. His research has helped establish a direct link between disordered development and the multiple different brain tumour types observed in children: contributing directly to their classification by the World Health Organisation (WHO); changing the way conventional treatments are used, sparing children from unnecessary side effects; and underpinning clinical trials of new therapies.

Gilbertson said: “I am truly delighted and humbled to receive this recognition that I share with all the wonderful students, trainees and colleagues I have worked with over the years.”

Professor Paul Lehner FMedSci FRS

Professor of Immunology and Medicine, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

Lehner studies virus-host antagonism and how our genome is defended from invasion by RNA-derived retroelements such as HIV. His discovery of the ‘HUSH’ epigenetic silencing complex explains how the genome distinguishes new genetic material from endogenous genes through recognition of intronless DNA. This work uncovered an unanticipated surveillance system that discriminates ‘self’ from ‘non-self’ genomic DNA and defends our genome against the reverse flow of genetic information (RNA to DNA), paving the way to novel applications in medicine and biotechnology.

Lehner said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society; I’ve been fortunate to work with incredibly talented people and this honour recognises the commitment of the many past and present members of my group who have contributed to our work.”

Professor Roberto Maiolino FRS

Director of the Kavli Institute for Cosmology and Professor of Experimental Astrophysics, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

Maiolino studies the formation of galaxies using observations collected at some of the largest ground-based and space telescopes. He has obtained key results on the interplay between the evolution of galaxies and the supermassive black holes at their centres. He has also investigated the enrichment of chemical elements across the cosmic epochs, as well as the origin and nature of dust particles in the early Universe.

He said: “I am truly honoured by such a prestigious appointment. Being a Fellow of the Royal Society will certainly foster my research activities and will allow me to further promote exciting, cutting-edge projects.”

Professor Angelos Michaelides FRS

1968 Professor of Chemistry, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge

Michaelides’ work involves the development and application of theoretical methods to better understand contemporary problems in chemistry, physics, and materials science. His group places a particular focus on developing and applying computer simulation approaches that provide the fundamental molecular-level insight needed to help address contemporary global challenges related to water, energy, and the environment.

He said: “Holy moly! I’m delighted to have been elected an FRS and very grateful to all the outstanding students, post-docs, collaborators, and mentors I’ve had over the years without whom this would never have happened.”

Professor Jason William Chin FMedSci FRS

Head, Centre for Chemical and Synthetic Biology, and Joint Head, Division of Protein and Nucleic Acid Chemistry, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology; Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge; Associate Faculty in Synthetic Genomics, Wellcome Sanger Institute

Chin has engineered the genetic code of living cells to synthesise modified proteins and non-canonical polymers. To accomplish this, he created new translational machinery and codons to reprogram the genetic code, going well-beyond prior work using amber suppression. He then completely synthesised a bacterial genome in which he reduced the number of sense codons in its genetic code. ̽��ֱ��codons thus unused were reassigned to encode non-canonical amino acids. Chin's fundamental advances have been widely used to drive discovery, including to define the molecular consequences of post-translational modifications, define protein interactions in cells, and provide mechanistic insight into enzymes.

̽��ֱ��nine Cambridge researchers were all selected for their exceptional contributions to science.

It is an honour to welcome so many outstanding researchers from around the world into the Fellowship of the Royal Society.

Sir Adrian Smith, President of the Royal Society

Yes