University of Oxford

This substantial investment will enable the Institute to continue its world-leading research into the fundamental causes of inflammatory and musculoskeletal diseases, while accelerating the development of new and improved therapies.The funding will underpin KIR's distinctive discovery-to-translation pipeline, an approach that integrates fundamental scientific discovery with clinical application. This unique model enables researchers to translate insights from basic biology into innovative treatments for conditions including arthritis, fibrosis and inflammatory bowel disease.Over…

An historic sporting challengeThe stakes were high for Oxford going into this year’s annual boat race against Cambridge, who have proved dominant over much of the past decade.A truly memorable and spirited contest on the river today. I could not be prouder of all our crews and coaches.The University of Oxford’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey CBE FRS FMedSciAn event harking back to 1829, this year marked the 171st men’s boat…

Scientists at the University of Oxford have demonstrated, for the first time, that a key emotional centre deep in the human brain directly influences how we interpret ambiguous social cues.In a new study, published in Neuron, researchers used low-intensity focused ultrasound to temporarily and non-invasively alter activity in the amygdala - a region known to be involved in emotion and affected in depression. They found that this changed how people…

Professor Yuval Shany, Fellow of the Accelerator Fellowship Programme in the Institute for Ethics in AI, examines Anthropic’s new ‘Constitution’ for Claude through a human rights lens - asking what’s missing when rights aren’t named explicitly, and what that omission could mean when powerful AI systems are tested in high-stakes settings such as surveillance and armed conflict.  Professor Yuval Shany. Image credit Ian Wallman. On January 21, 2026, Anthropic published its ‘New Constitution’ for Claude – a series of Large Language Models (LLMs) that perform general-purpose generative AI functions. The Constitution –…

14,300-year-old dog jawbone from Gough’s Cave, UK © The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London The research team, involving experts from 17 institutions internationally, identified multiple dogs dated to similar periods across Europe and Anatolia, indicating dogs were widely distributed by 14,000 years ago. At this time, all humans were hunter-gatherers and agriculture had not yet emerged.Scientists have known that dogs emerged from grey wolf populations and they suspected…

Sperm tagged with green fluorescent protein in the sperm storage organ of a female Drosophila fruit fly. Credit: Krish Sanghvi. The findings are based on a major, cross-species analysis which revealed a shared pattern across many animals, from insects to mammals. Sperm that is stored (whether in males or females) deteriorates rapidly – resulting in reduced sperm performance, fertilisation success, and embryo quality. Crucially, the new study also offers insights…

This makes it the UK university with the most courses ranked top in the world; the University was also ranked first in the world overall in the arts and humanities subject area, and came in the top three in four of the five broad subject areas ranked.Oxford's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey CBE, FRS, FMedSci said: ‘Oxford’s strength is based on the breadth and depth of our scholarship, and these latest QS…

Dr Yige Sun Since 1957, when humanity first placed an artificial satellite into orbit, space has shifted from being ‘the final frontier’ to a critical domain underpinning navigation, finance, weather forecasting, disaster response, streaming and communications. More than 60% of smartphone-enabled services rely directly or indirectly on space-based assets. The global space economy is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, and in the UK alone space activity currently supports…

The University of Oxford has received a further generous £2 million donation from Fondation Docteur Sadok Besrour to strengthen the regional impact of primary care research and education in Tunisia.The new gift builds on the Foundation’s 2025 gift of £8.4m in support of global primary care at Oxford and reinforces the University’s long-standing commitment to advancing global health through research, education and international partnership.Housed in the Nuffield Department of Primary…

In a study published in Nature Medicine, researchers from the University of Oxford and the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) in Dar es salaam, Tanzania, have shown that a minimally invasive “liquid biopsy” test can diagnose Burkitt lymphoma rapidly and accurately in sub-Saharan Africa, where delays in traditional testing often prove fatal.Despite its aggressive nature, Burkitt lymphoma is often curable when treated quickly, with survival rates over…

The acquisition is expected to help accelerate the development of a new type of targeted treatment for leukaemia, with the potential to improve outcomes for patients. It is also hoped that this treatment could be expanded to other cancers.The scientific foundations of the programmes were built on discoveries made by Oxford researchers including Oleg Fedorov, Cassandra Adams, Gilian Farnie, Kilian Huber and Paul Brennan in the Centre for Medicines Discovery;…

The Modelling-Informed Medicine Centre (MiMeC), founded by the biopharma company GSK and the University of Oxford and Imperial College London, will provide a new UK hub for research in the rapidly growing field of data-driven mechanistic modelling.The centre will create computer models or ‘digital twins’ of organs and diseases to better understand how diseases of the lungs, liver, kidneys and cartilage progress, to discover and develop drugs more quickly, and…

Professor Edward Harcourt Given the surge of recent interest in AI ethics – which comes on the back of understandable worries about AI itself - most people are now familiar with the term ‘ethics-washing’. Trickling into a linguistic channel already worn smooth by ‘green washing’ and before it of course ‘whitewashing’, ethics-washing means something like this: appearing to take some ethical anxiety about AI seriously and then tactfully dismissing it by…

Dr Athol Williams & Professor Mette Morsing, Saïd Business School Dr Williams, a Senior Fellow of Management Practice in Strategy at Saïd Business School and an established South African poet, will use the honorary position to integrate poetry more deeply into teaching and learning at the School. While Poet Laureates traditionally compose and advocate for poetry linked to an institution, Dr Williams intends to extend the role to support leadership…

Life evaluations among under 25s in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have dropped dramatically (by almost one point on a 0-10 scale) over the past decade, while the average for the young in the rest of the world has increased, according to Gallup World Poll data.One international survey of 15-year-olds in nearly 50 countries suggests heavy social media use is associated, on average, with a significant drop…

Established by the Norwegian Parliament in 2003, the Holberg Prize is one of the largest annual international research prizes awarded for outstanding contributions to research in the humanities, social science, law or theology. Professor Roper will receive the award of NOK 6,000,000 (approx. £466,00) during a ceremony at the University of Bergen on 4 June. Professor Roper is internationally recognised as one of the leading scholars of early modern European history.…

The results of the PRUDENCE trial, published in The Lancet Primary Care took place in 13 European countries. Part of the randomised controlled trial with 2,639 patients in all 13 countries was an in-depth qualitative evaluation involving clinicians and patients in six countries.Together, the studies provide the most comprehensive evaluation to date of whether rapid diagnostic testing can meaningfully decrease antibiotic use in real-world primary care settings without having a…

Research published in Science Advances has uncovered new insights into why the most aggressive oesophageal cancers are so difficult to treat and how the body’s own defence systems are helping them to thrive. The study, led by Professor Eileen Parkes and her team in the Department of Oncology at the University of Oxford, analysed patient-donated tumour samples and found that the most dangerous types of oesophageal cancers share a key…

Under the terms of the agreement, SII has been granted a non-exclusive, worldwide licence in the field of Nipah virus vaccines, enabling the company to support the development, manufacture and potential future supply of the vaccine candidate developed at the University of Oxford.Nipah virus is a zoonotic pathogen associated with severe disease and high mortality, with outbreaks reported primarily in South and Southeast Asia since it was first identified in…

Artistic conception of the James Webb Space Telescope. Credit: NASA GSFC/CIL/Adriana Manrique Gutierre. The exoplanet (a planet that orbits a star outside the Solar System), known as L 98-59 d, orbits a small red star about 35 light-years from Earth. Recent observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and ground-based observatories suggested something unusual: the planet has an especially low density, given its size (which is about 1.6 times…

The four-year designation formalises and builds on the Department’s longstanding collaboration with the WHO, acknowledging its many years of expert support to countries working to strengthen primary health care.With internationally recognised expertise in health systems analysis, evidence synthesis, clinical trials, digital health, qualitative research and implementation science, the Department is well placed to support the WHO and its Member States in strengthening primary health care-oriented health systems worldwide.This latest designation…

Dr Laurence Wainwright Dr Laurence Wainwright, Departmental Lecturer and Course Director, MSc Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment, said: The opening months of 2026 have been characterised by unprecedented levels of geo-political-economic turbulence, uncertainty and volatility. The launch of “Operation Epic Fury” on 28 February has had, and will continue to have, profound implications for global energy availability, cost, and security - as well as significant broader economic implications. For the United Kingdom,…

The King presented The Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Higher and Further Education in recognition of outstanding work at UK universities and colleges in a ceremony at St James's Palace.Recipients included a centre tackling sustainability in the textile industry, a partnership providing higher education in prisons, and groundbreaking research into Paralympic performance.This year, the University of Oxford was awarded a Queen Elizabeth Prize for Higher and Further Education in recognition of…

Researchers from more than 20 universities are expected to take part, including Oxford, Oxford Brookes, Cambridge, Manchester, UCL, Queen’s University Belfast, Exeter, Southampton, Bournemouth, Leicester, Royal Holloway, Cardiff, Huddersfield, Warwick, Birmingham and Sheffield. The programme will also feature speakers from organisations working across policy, international development, research funding and public engagement, including the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, UNHCR, the British Academy, the International Rescue Committee, ESRC, BBC Ideas, the…

Researchers from the University of Oxford have created the first high-resolution molecular atlas of the adult Drosophila melanogaster (common fruit fly) brain, uncovering how the neurons that drive behaviour in adults retain a record of their developmental origins. A companion study, released in parallel, shows how these same developmental programs are selectively reused and modified by sex to generate male and female behavioural diversity.Together, these papers provide a new framework…

Dr Rasmussen added: “Our novel results revealed that European hedgehogs are designed to, and can, perceive a broad ultrasonic range. A fascinating question now is whether they use ultrasound to communicate with each other, or to detect prey – something we have already begun investigating.”Lead researcher Assistant Professor Sophie Lund Rasmussen, Wildlife Conservation Research Unit and Department of Biology.The European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is one of our best-loved mammals, but populations…

Her research examines the injustices that can arise from the use of technologies in learning and education.Professor Eynon, who holds a joint academic post at the Oxford Internet Institute and the Department of Education at the University of Oxford, said: 'I am delighted and honoured to be elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and join such an esteemed community. I am indebted to my academic colleagues, students, and collaborators…

Dr Brianna Rosen On 4 March, the Pentagon formally notified Anthropic that it had been deemed a supply chain risk to national security, an unprecedented move against an American company.The designation followed Anthropic’s refusal to accept contract language permitting the use of its technology for “all lawful purposes,” with CEO Dario Amodei insisting on retaining two redlines prohibiting mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons systems. After intensive negotiations, US Secretary of…

The Schwarzman Centre's Open House on Saturday 25 April 2026 offers a free-to-attend opening programme to mark the launch of the cultural programme and the new 500-seat Sohmen Concert Hall.Audiences can attend performances by the Scottish Ensemble, and see the world premiere of 360 Vessels by artist Es Devlin and composer Nico Muhly, performed by chamber choir Schola Cantorum beneath the glass dome of the Great Hall. Artists Anna Ridler and Refik…

The study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care research (NIHR), and led by researchers at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences was published in the Lancet Health Longevity.Many people experience changes in thinking after stroke. This can include difficulties with memory, attention, language, planning, or decision-making. For some, these problems improve over time. For others, they can last much longer and affect day-to-day life, work, relationships, and…

It is the first time ever a mental health clinical prediction tool has been demonstrated as effective.The PETRUSHKA tool, developed by the University of Oxford and funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), supports clinicians and patients to choose the antidepressant that is better tailored to each individual. It uses AI to combine clinical and demographic information with patient preferences, particularly around side effects, to support…

Being overweight or obese causes hormonal changes, which accelerate children’s development. Obese children grow faster, so they tend to be taller than their healthy-weight peers. But obese children have a greater risk of disease in later life, including diabetes and heart disease.Drawing on data obtained via Freedom of Information requests and official statistics, the researchers examined trends in child height and obesity up to the 2023/24 school year. Child obesity…

The Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences has announced an International Advisory Board to advance its Strategy 2025–2030 and global collaboration. The Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences has established a new International Advisory Board (IAB) - a significant step forward in advancing the Department’s global engagement and leadership as it delivers its Strategy 2025-2030.The Board has been created to provide independent, high-level advice and international perspective to…

Dr Robert Johnson The US‑Israeli airstrikes, which commenced on 28 February 2026, targeted Iranian ballistic missile installations, air defences, and other military sites in cities including Isfahan, Karaj, and Kermanshah. The most dramatic aspect was the death of the Supreme Leader of Iran: Ali Khamanei, an event which elicited celebrations amongst some Iranians, but dark and angry responses amongst regime loyalists. The American justification for its actions was that diplomatic talks…

Professor William Whyte Micklegate Methodist Church in Pontefract is not perhaps everyone’s idea of an important architectural statement. Built in the mid-1960s, its bricky modernism evokes a ‘Pontins holiday camp vibe’ for at least one local resident, commenting on its closure in 2024.But it was the home of a worshipping community that dated back to the early years of the nineteenth century. It is still the location for a poignant war…

Our study clearly shows that this regulator is a promising target for sustainable crop improvement. It was extraordinary to see the difference that the improved version of the gene had on rice yields during our field trials.Corresponding author Dr Zhe Ji, Department of BiologyNitrogen fertiliser is essential for modern agriculture but is environmentally costly, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and soil degradation. Crops typically respond to nitrogen deficiency by…

Using samples from the Apollo missions, the researchers found that at times the Moon had an extremely strong magnetic field- even stronger than Earth’s. But these periods were very short and the exception – for most of the time, the Moon had a weak field. From left to right: Dr Simon Stephenson, Professor Claire Nichols, Associate Professor Jon Wade. Credit: Charlie Rex. The reason the debate persisted is because the…

 The partnership aims to connect and activate the Oxfordshire and Liverpool City Region innovation ecosystem, providing a coherent UK pathway from research and company creation through to scale-up, industrialisation and global market growth, supporting the national industrial strategy to drive forward economic growth and productivity for the UK.The MoU was signed at a special partnership event by Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Professor Tim Jones, Vice-Chancellor…

At 5:00am on 24 February 2022, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, marking a dramatic escalation of a conflict that had begun in 2014 when the Russian Federation illegally annexed the Crimean peninsula and Russian-backed separatists occupied cities in Ukraine’s eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.Despite ceasefires and negotiated settlements like the Minsk Agreements in 2014 and 2015, the war raged for eight years as Russian troops sought to…

Rt Hon The Lord Hague of Richmond, CVO, Chancellor of Oxford University, has conferred honorary degrees on eight distinguished individuals at the Sheldonian Theatre today, one year on from his inauguration as Oxford’s 160th Chancellor. The event marks a longstanding tradition at the University, where the new Chancellor is invited to propose candidates for honorary degrees at a special ceremony to mark the start of their Chancellorship.I am delighted to honour eight exceptional individuals today,…