The University of Manchester

A byelection has been set for February 26 in the Manchester constituency of Gorton and Denton. This will be a big test for Keir Starmer’s Labour party and a temperature check on the state of multi-party politics in the North. Although Labour won the seat comfortably in 2024, some early polls are already suggesting Reform could win.Byelections are awkward beasts and don’t necessarily follow the usual rules. What makes things…

Professor Philippa Browning, The University of Manchester’s first female physics academic, is retiring this week after more than 40 years of research, teaching and service at the University. Her achievement have also recently been marked by the award of the 2026 Hannes Alfven Medal by the European Physical Society, a prestigious international distinction recognising her “outstanding and innovative work bridging astrophysical and laboratory plasmas using analytical insights and modelling.”Professor Browning joined…

Four researchers from the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) have been appointed as inaugural Fellows of the Academy for the Mathematical Sciences, a new national body established to bring together the UK’s strongest mathematicians to help solve some of the UK’s biggest challenges. The appointments place Manchester researchers among a cohort of around 100 Fellows drawn from academia, business, industry and government. The Academy’s Fellowship will work collectively to address major national challenges including pandemic preparedness, economic transformation, national security, climate change and the safe…

Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence imaging works by scanning a sample in front of the intense X-ray beam generated by the synchrotron particle accelerator. The X-rays cause atoms in the sample to emit their own X-rays (X-ray fluorescence), which the scanning system detects. The properties of the fluoresced X-rays are specific to the chemical element they originated from. As such, this technique can be used to identify and map tiny differences in…

Working class creatives are struggling to break into and are leaving the arts, a new inquiry has warned. Class Ceiling, led by Chancellor of The University of Manchester Nazir Afzal OBE and Avis Gilmore, former Deputy General Secretary of one of Europe’s biggest trade unions, found that barriers preventing working class talent from succeeding included class-based discrimination, low pay, a lack of connections and exploitative practices.   Less than half of creatives surveyed…

Anna Wilding, Research Fellow in Health Economics at The University of Manchester, said: “Working full time presents challenges for many workers whose jobs don’t offer the flexibility needed to take time away to attend healthcare appointments. This has significant implications for early diagnosis and management of long-term conditions.“The findings of our research make it clear that population health could be significantly improved by removing barriers during typical working hours to…

The team examined two potential limiting factors for hopping - the strength of the foot bones and the ability of the ankle to anchor the powerful tendons that drive a hop.Their analysis show that the giant kangaroos had shorter, thicker foot bones capable of withstanding landing forces and their heel bones were broad enough to support much thicker ankle tendons than those of modern kangaroos.However, these giants probably did not…

The Microsoft 365 Copilot rollout, to be completed by summer 2026, will equip Manchester students with future-ready skills and enable researchers to accelerate interdisciplinary discovery and analysis at scale.   Through access and training, Manchester graduates will be well prepared for the modern workplace, where employers increasingly expect graduates to be confident users of AI technologies. Students will also be able to use Microsoft 365 Copilot to support their studies in line with the University’s policies on the…

How the iron bar formed is currently a mystery, the authors say.  They will need further, more detailed observations to unravel what is going on. There are two potential scenarios: the iron bar may reveal something new about how the ejection of the nebula by the parent star progressed, or the iron might be an arc of plasma resulting from the vaporisation of particles of iron dust embedded in the…

Researchers at The University of Manchester are calling for stronger, coordinated partnerships to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking, warning that gaps between organisations risk leaving victims and survivors without consistent protection and support.Their appeal comes in a new review commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), which examines how organisations across the city region work together to identify, safeguard and support people affected by modern slavery and human trafficking.…

For many years, I lived in the Indian city of Chennai where the summer temperatures can reach up to 44°C. With a population of 4.5 million, this coastal city is humid and hot.Its suburbs are home to 600 Hindu temples and there’s a wildlife reserve called Guindy national park in the heart of the city. Trees line some of the streets but green parks are few and far between –…

A major new study from The University of Manchester has found little evidence that social media use or video gaming are causing mental health problems in young teenagers, challenging one of the most widespread concerns among parents and teachers today.The research - published in the Journal of Public Health - is based on the experiences of more than 25,000 pupils across Greater Manchester, and is one of the largest and…

A new study in the Journal of Economic Geography has revealed that European ‘due diligence’ laws designed to make multinational companies accountable for labour and environmental abuses are beginning to give a voice to some of the world’s most vulnerable workers.Focusing on South Africa’s wine industry, the research - led by Professor Matthew Alford from The University of Manchester’s Alliance Manchester Business School, in collaboration with colleagues from the University…

A real world  study led by University of Manchester neuroscientists has shown that higher daytime light exposure positively influences different aspects of cognition.The first study of its kind, published in the journal Communications Psychology  and funded by Wellcome Trust, also showed that stable light exposure across a week and uninterrupted exposure during a day had similar effects.Participants in the study experienced improved subjective sleepiness, the ability to  maintain focused attention…

Over the next five years, Professor Withers’ joint appointment will support collaborative research programmes between Manchester and Monash, enable greater researcher and student exchange, and strengthen engagement with industry partners across both countries, particularly in the area of advanced materials manufacturing.Professor Chris Harcacre, Vice Dean and Head of School of Natural Sciences at The University of Manchester said: “This is an excellent opportunity to build on our existing links with…

Protests that began in late December over rising prices and a collapsing currency have now spread to most of Iran’s 31 provinces, with demonstrators taking aim at the country’s rulers. The demonstrations signal a deep challenge to a political order that many Iranians see as incapable of delivering stability, dignity or a viable future.The unrest poses the most serious challenge to Iran’s political establishment since 2022. That year, nationwide protests erupted over…

Though uncommon in women with an average risk, existing research shows that roughly half to three-quarters of women with a high genetic risk of ovarian cancer currently choose surgical removal of the ovaries.Despite evidence suggesting a prolonged window between pre-cancer lesions inside the fallopian tube and more serious cancer in the ovaries and other tissues, there are currently no clinical tests available to help detect these early pre-cancer changes without…

thumbnail_Tony Profile Pic Professor Tony Redmond is Founder of UK-Med and Professor Emeritus of International Emergency Medicine at The University of Manchester. He is recognised for his exceptional and long-term contributions to healthcare and humanitarian response, both in the UK and internationally.  As a world-leading specialist in emergency medicine and the founder of UK-Med, he has played a pivotal role in coordinating the deployment of UK health workers to international…

The University of Manchester has played a central role in helping Rolls-Royce double the durability of some components in its jet engines operating in the Middle East.Engineers and geologists in the “DUST” group at the University have developed a synthetic test dust supported by an EPSRC IAA Proof of Concept grant, led by Dr Merren Jones and Dr Alison Pawley, that accurately replicates the fine, talcum-powder-like particles commonly found in…

A major new global study led by a researcher at The University of Manchester has found that younger generations around the world are embracing a more diverse and fluid understanding of sexual identity than ever before.The research - which analysed data from over 900,000 users of the queer women’s and nonbinary dating app Zoe - offers one of the first truly global pictures of how people identify their sexuality in…

Two new studies have found that people affected by the 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist attack showed improvement in mental health after engaging with dedicated support services.Led and funded by researchers at The University of Manchester and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester (ARC-GM), and NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC). The papers, published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, examined adults and…

Crucially, it shows that thorium-229 can be studied inside far more common materials than previously thought, removing one of the biggest obstacles to building practical nuclear clocks.The technique also offers new insight into how thorium-229 behaves and decays, which could one day inform new types of nuclear materials and future energy research.“We had always assumed that in order to excite and then observe the nuclear transition the thorium needed to…

By Susanne Shultz, Professor of Evolutionary Ecology & Conservation, The University of ManchesterOn the western flanks of Mount Kenya lies the Laikipia plateau, an achingly beautiful landscape that is both a refuge for wildlife and a home to traditional Masai communities. Black rhinos, which were once nearly extinct, are now thriving on some of these conservation properties, thanks to the intense efforts to keep them safe.The new documentary Rhino tells…

As Donald Trump’s White House places huge pressure on Ukraine to sign a peace deal, a team of experts has published a new study examining what they describe as a worldwide shift towards “authoritarian peacemaking” - a model of conflict resolution shaped not by international institutions or liberal democracies, but by authoritarian and semi-authoritarian states whose interests lie in control, influence and geopolitical advantage rather than long-term solutions.The study, set…

It’s everywhere. In our inboxes, through the letterbox, on billboards during the commute, and plastered across every social media feed. Black Friday is coming.Some of us approach it like a military operation, determined to get all the Christmas shopping done in one go.But many of us also recognise that uneasy feeling that comes with the frenzy — that sense, as Lily Allen sings in The Fear, of becoming a “weapon…

As global attention turns to rumours that FIFA may award a new “Peace Prize” to US President Donald Trump later next month, new research has argued that public debates about politics and sport need far more nuance than the familiar narratives of “sportswashing” allow.Two new open-access journal articles by Dr Vitaly Kazakov have challenged popular assumptions about how political actors use sport to shape global opinion - and, crucially, how…

The parents of a three-year-old boy born with a devastating, life-limiting genetic condition say they are now excited for his future after he received a revolutionary stem cell gene therapy treatment developed by researchers at the University of Manchester.In February this year, Oliver (Ollie) Chu, was treated for Hunter syndrome in a clinical study being delivered at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH) in collaboration with the Manchester Centre for Genomic…

If the NHS recommended it, would people test their own hearing at home and use self-fitting hearing aids?A survey of over 2,000 adults found that nine in every ten said yes, they’d be willing to test their own hearing. Most also said they’d try a hearing aid sent by the NHS – either ready programmed or requiring them to set it up themselves.Currently, the NHS route involves GPs referring patients…

Peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies, affecting between 1% and 2% of people living in the west. And, for many years, their prevalence has been rising.But a recent study out of the US shows that the rate of peanut allergy diagnoses in infants has actually declined. It appears this decline may be due to changes in allergy guidelines – highlighting the importance of introducing this common…

The Manchester team met with Indian business and academic partners and shared the work the University has led in the state to help identify other possible collaborative education and research projects.Planned early projects will address mental health and wellbeing among youth, rural communities, and frontline law-enforcement and healthcare workers.As part of the visit, the Manchester team visited the Rajasthan Police Academy where they met the Director to hear about the…

In clinical trials around the world, a surprising treatment is showing promise for people with terminal illnesses: psychedelic therapy.For many, the hardest part of dying isn’t physical pain but the fear, anxiety and sense of meaninglessness that often accompany it. While palliative care in the UK is rightly praised for easing pain and managing symptoms, patients’ emotional and spiritual suffering is often less well addressed.Standard treatments – such as antidepressants,…

People in England with a learning disability have a higher risk of cancer, especially before age 50 , according to a study by researchers from The University of Manchester and The ChristieNHS Foundation Trust . Their symptoms are investigated less often, they receive less treatment, and have a poorer prognosis according to the study funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration…

“If there is no dialogue, there is no understandingIf there is no understanding, there is no trustIf there is no trust, there is no harmonyIf there is no harmony, there is no peace” ~Dr Lee Kai Hung~It is with deep sadness that we have learnt about the passing of Dr Lee Kai Hung CBE DL, a close friend, wise advisor and Honorary Graduate of The University of Manchester. Dr Lee was…

The campaign reflects the University's role as a great civic university for the 21st century in the digital age. By connecting brilliant people to work together - academics, students, partners, alumni and civic leaders - the University will deliver real-world change, both locally in Manchester and globally.Professor Brian Cox, Professor of Particle Physics and Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science at The University of Manchester, is a Challenge…

Eight University of Manchester students, who are care-experienced recipients of the Sadler Bursary, were welcomed to Bloomfield Road for a unique matchday experience as Blackpool FC played Cardiff City on Saturday 8th November.The visit was made possible by alumnus and Blackpool FC owner, Simon Sadler, whose £1.5 million philanthropic gift has enabled the University to launch a transformative bursary programme for care-experienced students.The Sadler Bursary provides an annual grant of…

The University of Manchester has signed a landmark new deal that will see up to 65% of its electricity demand supplied through a brand-new renewables project. In a major move towards achieving its 2038 zero carbon ambitions, the University has partnered with leading UK clean energy company Enviromena to buy electricity generated from its brand-new solar farm based in Medebridge, Essex. Once complete, Medebridge Solar Farm will comprise 104,000 solar…