University of Oxford

Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI announces 29 graduate and postdoctoral fellows for 2024-25, representing diverse research areas including AI safety, digital health, energy science, and precision medicine. Fellows will collaborate with Stanford faculty on human-centered AI challenges.

Oxford Nanopore partners with UK Government to develop a pathogen surveillance system in NHS, focusing on early warning for pandemics, genomic understanding, personalised medicine, and life sciences economic growth.

The NIHR's PANORAMIC study highlights the importance of community-based care and pharmacies in pandemic response, emphasizing the need for adaptable research models and equitable access to trials. Lessons from PRINCIPLE and PANORAMIC trials, which tested various antivirals, underscore the value of decentralized, rapid-delivery systems for future pandemics.

Authors from various institutions collaborated on a project, with A.R.M.B. and M.F.E. as originators. Experimental work was conducted by C.L.L. and F.F., and data processing by M.F.E. and L.S. Additional contributors participated in experiments and manuscript editing.

Regular marijuana users show brain changes, but genetic analysis finds no direct link, suggesting other factors may be at play.

Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants evade immune response, prompting research into a broad-spectrum vaccine targeting conserved RBD regions shared by all SARS-like betacoronaviruses. The mosaic-8b nanoparticle vaccine candidate aims to provide cross-reactive immunity against known and future sarbecovirus strains, enhancing pandemic preparedness. Pre-clinical trials show it triggers a broader immune response, addressing challenges like original antigenic sin, and could offer longer-lasting protection against evolving SARS-CoV-2 strains and other sarbecoviruses.

Researchers from Germany and the U.K. discovered a key biochemical change in Huntington’s disease, identifying a dopamine imbalance due to disrupted TrkB neurotrophin signaling in indirect pathway spiny projection neurons (iSPNs). This discovery could lead to early detection and treatment, potentially preventing irreversible damage. The study also highlights the role of the enzyme GSTO2 in dopamine regulation, which is dysregulated in Huntington’s disease models and asymptomatic patients.

ASN Kidney Week 2024 will present results from high-impact phase 3 trials on finerenone, personalized AKI recommendations, semaglutide, tacrolimus vs. mycophenolate mofetil, empagliflozin, and HSK21542 for CKD-associated pruritus, highlighting kidney protective effects, efficacy, and safety of these treatments.

The Declaration of Helsinki, adopted in 1964, has been revised multiple times to reflect evolving medical ethics and research practices. It emphasizes informed consent and risk assessment in research, though it is not legally binding and has faced controversy. Recent revisions include greater inclusion of vulnerable groups and environmental considerations. Despite its influence, the declaration faces challenges in balancing ethical protection with practical research constraints.

The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre announces its first class of scholars, awarding £100,000/$100,000 each for breakthrough treatments in neurologic, oncologic, and metabolic rare diseases. Scholars receive personalized therapeutics development support and potential acceleration funds up to £1,000,000. Recipients include researchers from the UK, US, and Canada, focusing on innovative therapies like viral gene therapy, cell reprogramming, and nucleic acid treatments. The next funding call opens January 15, 2025.