Topic description and stories

Cambridge researchers have played a vital role in the fight back against COVID-19, from the use of genomics to track its spread and mathematic modelling to understand infection rates through to innovative screening programmes to keep its students and staff safe.

Intensive care unit at Addenbrooke's Hospital

Underactive immune response may explain obesity link to COVID-19 severity

20 March 2023

Individuals who are obese may be more susceptible to severe COVID-19 because of a poorer inflammatory immune response, say Cambridge scientists.

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16 Jul 2021

Stephen John, lecturer in Philosophy of Public Health, asks whether catching a bus without a mask on closer to riding a bike or punching a stranger.

15 Jul 2021

Developmental psychologist Sarah Lloyd-Fox looks at experiences of pregnancy and birth during the pandemic for ̽»¨Ö±²¥Conversation.

Graphical representation of COVID-19 and network analysis

Scientists identify 160 new drugs that could be repurposed against COVID-19

30 Jun 2021

Cambridge scientists have identified 200 approved drugs predicted to work against COVID-19 – of which only 40 are currently being tested in COVID-19...

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Healthcare worker wearing FFP3 mask

Upgrading PPE for staff working on COVID-19 wards cut hospital-acquired infections dramatically

29 Jun 2021

When Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge upgraded its face masks for staff working on COVID-19 wards to filtering face piece 3 (FFP3) respirators, it...

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Man walking past Stay Alert/Save Lives artwork

Key mutations in Alpha variant enable SARS-CoV-2 to overcome evolutionary weak points

29 Jun 2021

One of the key mutations seen in the ‘Alpha variant’ of SARS-CoV-2 – the deletion of two amino acids, H69/V70 – enables the virus to overcome cracks...

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Scanning electron microscope image of SARS-CoV-2 (orange) emerging from the surface of cells (green) cultured in the lab.

Targeting cellular response to SARS-CoV-2 holds promise as new way to fight infection

17 Jun 2021

A new treatment approach focused on fixing cell damage, rather than fighting the virus directly, is effective against SARS-CoV-2 in lab models. If...

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17 Jun 2021

Dr Flavio Toxvaerd discusses the breadth and importance of the Faculty’s research into the current, and future, pandemics.

̽»¨Ö±²¥power of touch

17 Jun 2021

As a major Fitzwilliam Museum exhibition explores human touch through 4,000 years of art, Cambridge researchers explain why this sense is so...

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Legal Gavel

People more afraid of catching COVID-19 are more judgemental, study finds

09 Jun 2021

Researchers studying how we make moral judgements found that people more concerned about catching COVID-19 were more disapproving of the wrong-doings...

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Urban crime fell by over a third around the world during COVID-19 shutdowns

02 Jun 2021

Study finds crimes such as theft and robbery almost halved on average in major cities.

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How mass testing helped limit the spread of COVID-19 at the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ of Cambridge

01 Jun 2021

A combination of testing programmes for staff and students, infection control measures and genomic surveillance helped reduce the number of cases of...

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School

Extra classroom time may do little to help pupils recover lost learning after COVID-19

28 May 2021

Adding extra classroom time to the school day may only result in marginal gains for pupils who have lost learning during the COVID pandemic, a study...

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