The University of Manchester

Keir Starmer’s decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US keeps coming back to haunt him. It has now emerged that Mandelson was granted security clearance by the Foreign Office, despite concerns raised during the vetting process. Top Foreign Office civil servant Olly Robbins was sacked over these revelations.Mandelson was controversial long before Starmer appointed him in 2024. A New Labour figure known as the “prince of darkness”…

A major international study involving researchers from The University of Manchester has found that rising global demand for beef is a key force behind deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.The research shows how consumer demand in countries around the world is directly linked to land clearing in Brazil, often through complex supply chains that are difficult to regulate. By combining economic and environmental analysis, the study reveals why current efforts to…

A Lego-style Iranian military commander raps over a gangster beat: “Our inbox is flooded with Americans saying they don’t watch the news. They listen to our songs instead since your media is full of sh*t.”This is the opening line of an AI-generated video which is part of Iran’s meme campaign – built around Lego-style animation and rap soundtracks, which have accumulated billions of views online. The line captures the strange…

It can feel as though there’s something mystic about acquiring a seat on the University Challenge team, a tap on the shoulder in a quiet area of the quad one day maybe, but according to Ray, that that isn’t so.“Growing up, my Grandma was always a huge fan of University Challenge, and when a friend of mine who’d been a contestant a couple of years before told me that they…

A new book by The University of Manchester’s Dr Pritish Behuria explores how Rwanda rebuilt its economy after the 1994 genocide to become one of Africa’s most frequently cited development success stories, while questioning whether its current growth model can deliver long-term prosperity.Key findingsRwanda has achieved rapid economic growth and built a reputation for effective state-led development, but the book argues that long-term prosperity may depend on deeper industrial transformation…

A major new international study led by The University of Manchester has revealed how policymakers around the world are becoming far more active in constructing affordable housing. Drawing on evidence from cities including Salford, Shanghai, Nairobi and Paris, the research shows how governments are stepping in where private markets have failed - reshaping housing systems, markets and state institutions in the process.Key findingsGovernments across the global North and South are…

Researchers at The University of Manchester have identified a range of key risk and protective factors influencing whether young people vape, drink alcohol, smoke or use drugs. Based on data from more than 30,000 pupils aged 12-15, the study provides one of the most comprehensive pictures to date of adolescent substance use in England, highlighting the importance of social, emotional and environmental influences.Key findingsPeer pressure, bullying and emotional difficulties are…

More than 175 researchers, innovators, investors and ecosystem leaders gathered at the Sister - Renold Innovation Hub in Manchester last week to explore how stronger regional collaboration can accelerate the journey from research to commercial impact.The event, Powering Research Commercialisation Across the North, hosted by the Innovate UK ICURe in partnership with The University of Manchester and NxNW Partners, marked a significant moment for the UK’s innovation ecosystem. It brought…

Former Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh came face to face with the life-changing impact of her bandmate Sarah Harding’s legacy — meeting a mum whose breast cancer was detected early thanks to research funded in Sarah’s name carried out by The University of Manchester, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT).During an emotional visit to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester and the Manchester…

A 6-year-old girl is one of more than 80 people worldwide who has finally received a diagnosis of a new condition following a landmark breakthrough by scientists and doctors in Manchester.Ava Begley’s parents say they feel “deeply grateful” that the researchers, from Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) and The University of Manchester (UoM), have made this discovery, which is one of the most common genetic causes of severe epilepsy.Delivered…

A team of scientists from Manchester and London have, for the first time, decoded the full range of mutations that drive tumour growth, which could pave the way for a new era in precision medicine, offering more effective treatments for thousands of people with cancer. A team of cancer genomics* scientists from The University of Manchester and The Institute of Cancer Research, London, forensically examined the genetic make-up of tumours in…

The University of Manchester and United Utilities have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance research and innovation in the water sector.Building on existing collaboration, the partnership aims to address both immediate and longer-term challenges across the water industry, including climate resilience, water quality, wastewater management and resource optimisation.  The partnership comes at an important time for the sector, as it undergoes rapid transformation in response to climate change, population growth, and an evolving policy…

The UK Government has announced a significant change to immigration rules which will allow some asylum-seeking doctors, nurses and other health professionals to work in the UK.It follows a campaign led by a national coalition of partners, including academics from The University of Manchester, and  legal representatives from Garden Court Chambers and Bhatt Murphy Solicitors, who challenged the previous policy framework.The rules, which affect asylum seekers who have waited 12…

A major survey of tens of thousands of school pupils has revealed a welcome boost in wellbeing among young people across Greater Manchester.The latest findings from pupils in years 7, 8 and 10 show that more young people now report good levels of wellbeing than in previous years, continuing a positive trend that has developed steadily over the past five years of the programme. In 2025, 59.1% of Year 10…

113_InfectedBloodInquiry_200524_BigTimages Sir Brian Langstaff, Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry, said: “We must never forget the devastating effects of what happened. Foremost among them is the anguish, suffering and profound loss, so eloquently highlighted by the messages carefully placed in this Memorial by people infected and affected.  I wish to thank the University of Manchester for providing a permanent home for the Memorial. It stands now, and for the future,…

It revealed four interconnected themes that shaped participants’ experiences:Proactive continuity of care is essential to helping people with dementia retain a sense of identity as the condition advances.Formal support often falls away just as care needs escalate, leaving families feeling abandoned at the most critical stages.Widespread difficulty navigating what respondents see as a fragmented and often bewildering primary care system.Uncertainty across general practice about who is responsible for ongoing dementia…

By Sheena Cruickshank, University of Manchester and Jonathan Worboys, for The ConversationA new immunotherapy drug has demonstrated early promise in a recent prostate cancer clinical trial. The drug, called VIR-5500, is a “masked T-cell engager”. This type of immunotherapy ignites our own immune arsenal to fight cancer.In the trial, which is still in progress and has not yet undergone peer-review, patients with advanced prostate cancer who had failed to respond…

They re‑examined data from the SCIL-STROKE trial and discovered that patients who received tPA before IL‑1Ra had significantly lower levels of IL‑1Ra in their blood, suggesting the drug was being broken down.Laboratory research confirmed that IL‑1Ra can be cut apart by plasmin, an enzyme produced during tPA treatment, meaning the anti‑inflammatory drug may be degraded before it can work.Researchers then tested the interaction in a mouse model of stroke, using…

A new study has suggested that the transformation of Twitter into X under Elon Musk marks the rise of a new, illiberal regime of governing social media platforms, which can be controlled by one person and used to push their own political agenda.Alongside researchers from the WZB Berlin Social Science Center and the Weizenbaum Institute, Dr João C. Magalhães of The University of Manchester studied over 1,500 events to track…

The legal rights designed to protect Afro-Colombian communities are not lifting them out of economic precarity - and are leaving them vulnerable to the illegal drug trade and illicit mining as a result - according to new research from The University of Manchester.For decades, Colombia’s Pacific coast has been a battleground for ‘extractive capitalism’ - a world of illegal gold mining, industrial palm oil and drug smuggling. In 1993, a…

A first‑of‑its‑kind scheme is helping Greater Manchester residents experiencing long-term unemployment to overcome oral health barriers and move closer to work, with dental students delivering treatments.Working Well: Roots to Dental Jointly led by University of Manchester, University Dental Hospital of Manchester, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). The scheme has already shown how addressing oral health can make a real difference to people’s…

The University of Manchester, together with six leading UK universities and 22 industry partners, has secured £9.6 million from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to launch SATURN-2, a major expansion of the national nuclear doctoral training pipeline that will help deliver the skills required for the UK’s clean energy, security and defence ambitions.SATURN-2 (Skills and Training Underpinning a Renaissance in Nuclear) builds on the success of the original SATURN Centre…

Faye Holland will lead the groundbreaking partnership between two of the UK’s leading innovation cities as the newly-appointed Cambridge x Manchester Partnership Director.Faye brings extensive experience in the Cambridge innovation cluster to the role, having worked across communications consultancy, innovation and economic development over the course of her career.She founded and directed cofinitive – a communication consultancy at the forefront of innovation – for a decade before selling and exiting…

New research suggests that concerns about relying too heavily on Chinese manufacturing are shaping climate policy - and could even delay the adoption of green technologies around the world.The study by Dr James Jackson from The University of Manchester, working alongside Dr Mathias Larsen from the London School of Economics, examined how China’s rapid rise as a clean-technology powerhouse has transformed the global energy transition.While Chinese investment and industrial policy…

A systematic review of 52 scientific papers submitted to a world-leading clinical genetics journal from multiple scientists over a two-year period reveals that not a single one named critical gene mutations (correctly termed as variants) with precision.The findings partly explain why around 70% of rare diseases go undiagnosed, even in the UK, which arguably has the worlds most advanced genomic medicine service.Led by Dr Peter Freeman, a geneticist from The…

The Academy of Social Sciences has elected five experts from The University of Manchester as Fellows in recognition of their significant contributions to social science, highlighting the relevance of the social sciences in understanding and addressing the many varied societal challenges facing the UK and the world today.Professor Lucy Frith is a leading bioethicist whose work spans socio-legal studies and health research. She is internationally recognised for her work in…

An international team of scientists from IBM, The University of Manchester, Oxford University, ETH Zurich, EPFL and the University of Regensburg have created and characterized a molecule unlike any previously known — one whose electrons travel through its structure in a corkscrew-like pattern that fundamentally alters its chemical behavior. Published today in Science, it is the first experimental observation of a half-Möbius electronic topology in a single molecule. To the scientists’…

Smaller GP practices that appoint a manager partner are significantly less likely to close or merge, the first study of its kind has found.The University of Manchester and Calgary researchers publish their study today in the Journal of Health Economics amid a backdrop of dwindling numbers of GPs practice owners-known as partners.That, say the researchers, puts the managerial and financial burden of operating a practice on increasingly smaller numbers of…

A new study has revealed a critical gap between global promises to restore forests and what is happening on the ground for the communities who depend on, manage and care for them.The research, led by researchers from The University of Manchester and published in the journal Restoration Ecology, is based on a detailed assessment of national policies in Mexico. It found that while governments are increasingly committed to restoring ecosystems…

Researchers in Manchester have developed an experimental method that shows potential for accurately detecting the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer in adults, known as glioblastoma, from the blood.This pioneering study, led by scientists at the University of Manchester and involving teams in Denmark, has been published in Neuro-oncology Advances [add link to article].In what is considered a major breakthrough in the battle against brain cancer, scientists have…

A new study from The University of Manchester has shed light on an unexpected consequence of plastic bag bans in East Africa, and why well-intentioned environmental laws may actually be making life harder for the people they aim to protect.Anthropologist Dr Declan Murray spent nine months in Tanzania’s capital city Dar es Salaam, following the everyday journeys of plastic bags from small shops and street food stalls to people’s homes…

On the day the government published its Every child achieving and thriving white paper on reforms to the schools and SEND systems in England, policymakers, researchers, clinicians and frontline practitioners gathered in Manchester to demonstrate how connected data can turn that ambition into reality. The Child of the North Data Showcase, held at the Whitworth Art Gallery at The University of Manchester, brought together nearly 100 delegates from NHS trusts, local…

Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a rare autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the connection between nerves and muscles. This attack causes muscle weakness that can affect vision, movement, speech, swallowing, and breathing. While many patients respond to treatment, others develop a severe, treatment-resistant form of the condition known as refractory MG. Currently, there are no reliable biomarkers to help doctors predict which patients will respond to therapy and which…

Shocking inequalities experienced by men with learning disabilities when diagnosed with prostate cancer have been highlighted in a study by University of Manchester and Christie NHS Foundation Trust researchers. Published in the journal European Urology Oncology today (20/02/26), the researchers show men with learning disabilities are 35% more likely than similar aged men without learning disabilities to have prostate cancer symptoms but 34% less likely to have a diagnostic PSA (Prostate-Specific…

Medical students at Frederick University in Cyprus are to develop their knowledge and expertise to become medical practitioners  using the world renowned undergraduate medical degree programme at The University of Manchester.The landmark licensing agreement was announced at a celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of the Cypriot university this week (18 Feb) in Limassol.The University of Manchester’s School of Medical Sciences programme will be used as a model to develop a…

The briefing – drawing on research and insights from academics at The University of Manchester– finds that healthcare in prisons is fragmented across the health and justice departments, with responsibility split between multiple agencies and service providers and no single body in charge. Poor coordination between the Department of Health and Social Care, the Ministry of Justice and healthcare providers continues to undermine the quality and continuity of care available to prisoners.This lack of…

When Hurricane Katrina struck the USA in 2005, nearly 2000 people lost their lives and the cost of the catastrophe exceeded $100 billion. Now, 21 years later, new research from The University of Manchester has found that Katrina left another, less visible legacy long after the storm clouds had cleared.The study, published in the Journal of Corporate Finance, has revealed that in the months and years after Katrina, many businesses…

Stopping long-acting inhalers for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can lead to a sharp rise in flare-ups for around 3 months, a new study supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) has revealed.This research by The University of Manchester and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) scientists is the first of its kind to show people who stop using a prescribed…

Momentum is building behind The University of Manchester’s groundbreaking partnership with The University of Cambridge, the first cross-UK innovation partnership, with its inaugural board meetings hosted across Manchester this week. The agenda included a stakeholder meeting at Christie’s Bistro on The University of Manchester’s campus on Wednesday 4 February, and a creative roundtable in MediaCity on Thursday 5 February, hosted by Professor of Poetry, John McAuliffe, on the role of the creative economy in innovation. Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) also hosted a meeting to showcase Manchester’s transport network, providing the chance to share learnings between the two cities, before the first partnership advisory…

The care that women receive following a miscarriage during the second trimester of pregnancy varies according to where in the UK and Ireland the woman is treated, new research shows.The study, led by the University of Aberdeen in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Manchester, University College Cork and University of Birmingham, was funded by Tommy’s, the pregnancy and baby charity, and published in The European Journal of Obstetrics…