The University of Manchester

A landmark centre aims to discover exactly how the human brain develops for the very first time.The new Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) for Human Neural Development will integrate world-leading expertise with cutting-edge research to fill in major gaps in the fundamental understanding of brain growth and development.Led by King’s College London, in partnership with University College London (UCL) and the University of Manchester, the key…

A student from The University of Manchester is preparing to climb Africa’s highest mountain to raise money for young people with cancer, drawing on his own family’s experiences of the disease.Next August, 30 year old Joseph Mooney from Whitefield will take on the challenge of trekking up the 5895 metre Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity supporting young people facing cancer.For Joseph, the…

Death rates among adults aged 25–49 were 42% higher in the North than in the South of England in 2024, compared with 13% higher in 1981, according to research published today in The Lancet Public Health.The relative North–South gap in this age group has therefore more than tripled over four decades. These comparisons take account of differences in age and sex between the populations.In the 1980s, northern women in their…

Participants consistently reported that the programme's personalised, holistic approach, and elite sport environment, helped them regain confidence, restore function and rebuild their lives.Patients described how the programme shifted their focus from simply coping with injury to actively “training like an athlete”, pursuing future goals and aspirations.The study identified several important lessons for the future of trauma rehabilitation:Recovery after major trauma must address psychological and social wellbeing, not just physical injuries.Personalised…

LanthaGen Bio has already secured £2.4 million in grant funding, allowing their six-person team to build sustainably towards future development.Dan Healy, co-founder of LanthaGen Bio Ltd, said: “This funding has unlocked our next project, meaning we can extend the contracts of our amazing PhD scientists in Greater Manchester, keeping talent local and allowing us to target an entirely new metal for recycling that we couldn't previously research. As well as…

The inaugural Innovation Festival ended on a high at the Nancy Rothwell Building, where five ventures went head to head in the Coller AI Competition final, pitching live for a £100,000 equity investment from the Jeremy Coller Foundation. LanthaGen Bio Ltd won with an AI platform that designs metal-capturing proteins computationally, helping recover valuable metals from electronic waste and onshore the UK's critical-mineral supply. CTO and co-founder Dan Healy led…

The SMMC will provide a permanent physical gateway into the UK’s renowned advanced materials and manufacturing network. It will offer advanced materials and manufacturing businesses access to specialist space, facilities, expertise and the CEAMS national network of innovation support, helping them move from concept towards commercial application.The development of the SMMC building has received £15.2 million from the UK Government's Towns Fund, £15m from the GMCA’s Good Growth Fund and…

Competing with the world, not each other A panel chaired by Fiona Tuck of Metro Dynamics asked what Britain’s innovation economy still lacks. Professor Dame Jessica Corner, Executive Chair of Research England, said the UK is too small to treat its regions as separate innovation ecosystems, with capital “stuck” in the places that are already well resourced. Harriet Gordon, Deputy Director at No. 10 North, said the UK’s real competition is…

For Lomax, the crucial word is early.He has spent much of his career investing in early-stage technology companies and has seen first-hand how a relatively small amount of money at the right moment can make a difference to an idea becoming a successful business.One investment he describes has since reached a valuation of billions of dollars. But four years earlier, the company needed just $150,000 to get started.“If it didn’t…

Planning for Manchester as a centre for inclusive innovation A panel chaired by Elvira Uyarra, Professor of Innovation Studies at Alliance Manchester Business School and Executive Director of the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, asked how the University’s ambition for Europe’s most inclusive innovation ecosystem might translate into delivery. Dr Julian Skyrme, Executive Director of Social Responsibility and Civic Engagement, framed inclusion around three questions—innovation for whom, by whom, and…

Pregnancy-Related Breast Cancer, diagnosed during pregnancy or shortly afterwards, occurs in approximately 1 in 3,000 pregnancies in the general population. Among women at very high risk of breast cancer, such as BRCA gene carriers, rates have been reported as high as 1 in 50 pregnancies. Between 35-50% of breast cancer cases in women under 55 years of age are within 10 years of having a baby and 5% of breast…

Why apply?Teams selected for cohort #2 of the programme will receive £25,000 in equity-free funding, alongside dedicated commercialisation support, access to specialist mentors and industry experts, customer discovery and market validation frameworks, and training on how to pitch effectively to investors.Each venture will also benefit from support from experienced University of Manchester MBA students and the opportunity to present to investors and strategic partners at a dedicated demo day.The programme…

A new test to identify cells collected from urine and vaginal fluid could help rule out womb and other cancers in most women who experience bleeding after the menopause, find University of Manchester researchers.Their study published in Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women's Health on 22/09/26 say the test could potentially reduce the need for invasive hospital investigations, easing anxiety during what can be a distressing time for many women.The research…

Dr Lukas Hughes-Noehrer Dr Lukas Hughes-Noehrer: Manchester Digital Health Living LabWearable devices can monitor vital signs such as heart rate, activity and sleep, providing clinicians with valuable data to inform on-going patient care. The NHS 10 Year Health Plan identifies them as one of its “5 Big Bets” for transforming healthcare, but their use across the health service remains patchy, with benefits not reaching all communities equally. Through his fellowship,…

The University of Manchester has appointed internationally recognised creative technologist Andrew Melchior as an Honorary Professor in the Department of Computer Science.The three-year appointment will support research, teaching and knowledge exchange at the intersection of artificial intelligence, creative practice, copyright and digital provenance. It builds on a collaboration initiated through Creative Manchester, beginning with Melchior’s two-day visit to the University in May 2026.An artist, composer and creative technologist, Melchior has…

Michelle Dyson CB, Alzheimer’s Society Chief Executive Officer, said: “Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer, but it is not an inevitable part of ageing. Nearly half (45%) of dementia cases worldwide could be prevented or delayed by addressing health and lifestyle factors, throughout our lives, like high blood pressure.“If we can identify people early enough, we can significantly improve their brain health and help put the brakes on dementia. The…

A common liver condition thought to be harmless could be dramatically increasing the risk of heart disease, kidney failure and premature death, according to a new review led by University of Manchester and Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust researchers.Fatty liver disease, they find, has been overlooked in current approaches to assessing cardiometabolic health, despite growing evidence that it can play a central role in facilitating damage across different organs.The…

The exact timeline of the recent Nepal flooding disaster is becoming clearer. At 8:37am, instruments recorded what was initially interpreted as an earthquake near Nepal’s border with China. Seven minutes later, CCTV recorded the Gyirong Port border post being destroyed by a massive debris flow and flood.Nepal’s flood authorities learned about the incident at about 9:00am and sent out an emergency SMS alert at about 9:15am. But by that time,…

New analysis finds that a third runway at Heathrow would blow a hole in the UK’s ability to meet legally binding climate targets.The case for aviation expansion hinges on sustainable aviation fuels and greenhouse gas removals but there is currently no evidence that these technologies can support the scale of expansion envisaged by the government.The climate scientists behind the report recommend the government rejects plans for a third runway. There…

A common but often overlooked cause of high blood pressure may be hiding in plain sight – and data from a pioneering wearable device could hold the key to its earlier diagnosis, according to new research.The study, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, concerns a condition called primary aldosteronism – a hormone disorder which affects up to one in five people with high blood pressure and puts them at…

Presenteeism is no longer just about physical presenceThe researchers propose redefining presenteeism as the “behaviour of attending work in the state of suboptimal health, with varied location choices and degree of engagement”.This means that presenteeism should be understood not simply in terms of whether someone turns up to work, but also where they work, what health problem they are experiencing and how much effort they put into working.The authors argue…

Scientists have redefined how the key blood‑clotting protein fibrinogen behaves when it contacts air, overturning two decades of scientific consensus on wound healing.It is the culmination of over a decade of international collaboration by Dr Richard Campbell of The University of Manchester, Professor Juan Ruso of the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain and Dr Natalia Hassan of the Metropolitan Technological University in Chile.The discovery could have far reaching…

Researchers from the Universities of Manchester, Oxford and Arkansas are urging scientists to stop treating “non-significant” results as proof that nothing happened.The common statistical mistake, they warn in a new paper in PNAS on 10 08 26 – one of the world’s leading scientific journals - could be leading researchers to draw the wrong conclusions from their data.A p-value, which measures how surprising the observed data would be if there…

Despite national efforts to improve acute kidney injury (AKI) care, thousands of patients in England are missing vital follow-up care after leaving hospital, according to new research by The University of Manchester.The kidneys have a vital role in continuously clearing toxins from the body. AKI is a common clinical syndrome in which the kidneys stop working properly. It affects up to 1 in 5 people in hospital, usually as a…

A new study has found that sexual role identities among men who have sex with men vary systematically by age and geographic region.Written by Dr Morten Thomsen, University of Oxford; Dr Francesco Rampazzo, The University of Manchester and Associate Member, University of Oxford; and Milan Kovačič; the paper argues that these labels are shaped by social and cultural contexts rather than being fixed or universal.The findings challenge assumptions that younger…

Unequal benefits and risksResearchers Nathan Critch and Darcy Luke say years of short-term and fragmented policymaking by successive governments have left the UK with significant infrastructure and capacity gaps which could undermine Labour’s plans.The Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan includes plans to increase UK AI computing capacity twentyfold by 2030, develop AI Growth Zones, establish a National Data Library and expand the use of AI across government and the wider…

A University of Manchester led national initiative aims to connect people with lived experience, industry, researchers and the NHS to transform mental health innovation across the UK.The Mental Health Digital Innovation (MHDI) workstream has been launched as one arm of the UK Government’s Mental Health Goals Programme as a new national initiative designed to accelerate the infrastructure and development to support adoption of digital technologies that improve mental health outcomes…

Being inside with the windows closed does not completely protect you from the smoke caused by wildfires, early findings by University of Manchester researchers suggest.And opening windows during hot weather, they show, almost certainly exacerbates the problem of indoor air pollution caused by the fires.The University’s Cystic Fibrosis Hub Air Quality Research team analysed real time indoor air-quality records from 23 Greater Manchester homes monitored between 1 and 26 July…

Collecting rainwater from rooftops and using it to spray buildings during hot weather could help cities cut air conditioning use, lower urban temperatures and lessen the impact of heatwaves, according to new research from The University of Manchester.Cities around the world are facing rising temperatures, putting pressure on public health, infrastructure and energy systems. As people rely more on air conditioning to stay cool, energy demand increases and waste heat…

The ball's journey to its casing at the National Football Museum is just as fascinating as the final it was used in. After England's 4-2 win in front of some 97,000 spectators, Helmut Haller – who had scored the opening goal – carried it back to Germany, claiming tradition entitled the first scorer to keep it. It stayed there for 30 years, until a consortium of the Mirror Group, Virgin,…

Scientists in Britain and Spain have discovered critical windows after glioblastoma surgery when the brain’s defences falter, creating a rare chance to deliver powerful treatments exactly where needed. If doctors time treatment within two narrow postoperative windows identified by the researchers, existing lipid nanoparticle medicines - already approved and routinely used in oncology hospitals today - could be redeployed to deliver early, precision‑targeted therapy to the brain. The studies, published…

Scientists at Imperial College London and The University of Manchester have developed a promising new way to create safer and more effective treatments for life-threatening fungal infections.The research, published today in Nature, describes a new family of antifungal agents, which - when tested in mice - are more potent and less toxic than existing treatments.A growing threatFungal diseases are an escalating global health threat, becoming harder to treat as resistance…

The scholarships were created in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine but were open to any international applicant who has suffered because of armed conflict or is at serious risk of persecution or violence.The graduating scholars reflect this diversity, with two Ukrainians joined by other students from Myanmar and Sudan.One of these graduates, Yefym, is graduating with a 2:1 in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Yefym joined us in Manchester…

Co-author Dr Belén López-Pérez, Lecturer in Psychology at The University of Manchester, said: “Our findings suggest that what makes emotional support effective is less about who provides it, and more about how it is delivered. Providing people with specific, actionable steps, rather than general reassurance, is a key ingredient for effective support, whether that comes from a person or a chatbot.She added: “While a human might typically suggest going for…

Fathers who take sole responsibility for caring for their baby during parental leave are more likely to remain actively involved in childcare years later, according to major new research from The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University.The five-year study found that periods of solo caregiving helped fathers develop confidence, practical parenting skills and a deeper understanding of the demands of childcare, leading to more equal sharing of work and…

Dr Chris Blount at the UK Space Agency said: “The Long Baseline Multistatic Radar (LMBR) project has been a fantastic example of innovation and collaboration by incredible UK and international talent, and an exemplar case of the capability multiplication through collaboration the International Bilateral Fund (IBF) seeks to achieve. The LBMR team have taken the thorny challenge of real time on-demand monitoring of space objects on geostationary orbit, and through…

A new study from The University of Manchester has offered the most comprehensive look to date at how the UK coordinates its response to economic crime, identifying the structural challenges that make this difficult to do well.The study examines the tensions that make these challenges resistant to easy resolution, and the enabling conditions needed for multi-agency collaboration to work more effectively. The research examined the work of the National Economic…

Researchers say children's rights and wellbeing must be placed at the heart of family court proceedingsChildren involved in private family law proceedings in England can experience serious harm to their mental and physical health because their voices are too often ignored or dismissed, according to new research led by the University of Manchester in partnership with SHERA Research Group members and The Survivor Family Network.The study argues that children are…

Andy Burnham became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom today.Styled as ‘King of the North’ for his successes as Mayor of Greater Manchester between 2017 and 2026, Burnham’s oversight of our region - which has been dubbed ‘Manchesterism’ - saw it become the fastest growing place in the UK. Now it is up to him to recreate the regional success of Greater Manchester on a national scale.As the eyes of…

The Hine study, covered by media outletscalls for policy and legal reforms, including the development of school programmes to teach children how to identify so-called “parental alienating behaviours.” The study has also been cited within official Family Justice Council guidance raising questions about the robustness of the evidence appraisal and guideline development process of the guidance, particularly given the methodological concerns with the Hine study that have since been identified.…