The Manchester China Institute (MCI) at Ģ����Ƶ successfully hosted the Manchester International Arbitration Training Programme (MIATP) from 1 to 7 September 2026, bringing together more than 40 participants from leading universities and legal institutions across China, Ireland and Hong Kong for a week of learning, discussion and professional exchange in international arbitration.

Participants included representatives from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, Sun Yat-sen University, Tongji University, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, Hunan Normal University and Trinity College Dublin, alongside members of the Hong Kong Bar and senior lawyers from the Shanghai Lawyers Association and Guangzhou Lawyers Association.

The programme was formally opened by Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of Ģ����Ƶ, who welcomed participants to the University. Professor Lei Chen, Director of the Manchester China Institute, introduced the programme and highlighted the importance of international collaboration, knowledge exchange and supporting the next generation of arbitration professionals.

Over the course of the week, participants engaged in lectures, interactive workshops, practical exercises and networking opportunities delivered by an internationally distinguished faculty of judges, King's Counsel, barristers, arbitrators, legal practitioners and academics. Faculty members included Sir Bernard Rix, Sir Christopher Vajda KC and Sir Bernard Eder, among many other leading experts in the field.

Hosted by the Manchester China Institute, the programme drew upon Ģ����Ƶ's academic strengths while providing a platform for international exchange and professional development. Through discussions on arbitration agreements, arbitral procedures, investment arbitration, enforcement of awards and practical advocacy skills, participants gained valuable insights into the evolving landscape of global dispute resolution.

Beyond the classroom, the programme offered opportunities for participants to build professional networks with peers and experts from different jurisdictions. Social activities, including the programme gala dinner at Manchester Museum and organised visits to Manchester City's Etihad Stadium, encouraged meaningful dialogue and fostered new professional connections among those with a shared interest in international arbitration and dispute resolution.

At the conclusion of the programme, participants received certificates of attendance and joined a growing international network of professionals, academics and students committed to advancing arbitration and dispute resolution worldwide.

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 condition which affects up to one in three adults worldwide and known technically as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is already one of the world's fastest-growing health problems and is expected to affect more than half of adults globally by 2040.

Many scientists argue that the liver should be recognised alongside the heart, kidneys and metabolic system in a new framework they call cardiovascular-renal-hepatic-metabolic (CRHM) syndrome.

The review, published in Current opinion in nephrology and hypertension, highlights evidence showing that people with fatty liver disease face increased risks of cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and early death, particularly when liver scarring, known as fibrosis, develops.

The studies they assessed, which involved millions of patients, found that fatty liver disease can predict heart and kidney complications independently of traditional risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

And having both liver and kidney disease appears to create a particularly dangerous combination.

A fatty liver releases substances into the bloodstream that promote inflammation, damage blood vessels, interfere with how the body uses energy.

That can influence the health of other organs through harmful fat deposits, chronic inflammation, hormonal signalling and changes in the gut microbiome amongst other things.

The review also points to a wave of new treatments that could transform care for patients affected by the interconnected conditions.

Drugs originally developed for obesity and type 2 diabetes are now showing benefits across the liver, heart and kidneys simultaneously.

Semaglutide, best known as a weight-loss treatment, has become the first medicine to demonstrate benefits, while newer drugs including tirzepatide and retatrutide are producing promising results in clinical trials.

The researchers say routine liver screening should become part of kidney and cardiovascular assessments, particularly in patients with obesity, diabetes or other metabolic risk factors.

They also call for major clinical trials and healthcare services to move beyond treating diseases organ by organ and instead adopt integrated approaches reflecting how these conditions interact in the real world.

Dr Will Marshall clinical research fellow at Ģ����Ƶ and senior author of the study, said: "For many years we have viewed heart disease, kidney disease and liver disease as separate conditions managed by different specialists.

“The evidence now shows that these organs are deeply interconnected through shared biological pathways driven by obesity, insulin resistance and chronic inflammation.”

Dr Marshall, who is also based at Salford Royal added: “Fatty liver disease is not simply a consequence of metabolic ill health, it is an active contributor to it.

“Recognising the liver as a core component of cardiometabolic disease could help clinicians identify high-risk patients earlier, improve treatment decisions and ultimately prevent thousands of serious complications and premature deaths."

· This paper is a peer reviewed narrative review which cites 55 references in its bibliography, covering epidemiological studies, clinical trials, meta-analyses, guidelines, reviews, and expert commentaries.

• The study Integrating the liver into the cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome: pathophysiology and therapeutic implications is published in journal DOI 10.1097/MNH.0000000000001225

A “peculiar” new species of Jurassic squid-like animal has been unearthed in Wyoming, USA, following the discovery of two exceptionally rare fossils dating back around 160 million years.

The newly named species, Wyoteuthis linsterorum, has been identified as a type of ancient cephalopod, called a belemnite, cousins of modern squid and octopus. They say unusually thick, barrel-shaped skeleton makes it the "chunkiest” or “fattest" belemnite ever discovered.

An international team of researchers from the USA, UK and New Zealand, including Dr Dean Lomax, Honorary Research Fellow at Ģ����Ƶ, describe the discovery in the journal today.

Belemnites are among the most common fossils found worldwide and are recognised by their bullet-shaped remains, known as a rostrum or guard. Millions have been discovered in Wyoming's Sundance Formation, an ancient inland sea that once covered the western USA.

Co-author and Wyoming palaeontologist, Jessica Lippincott, said in Wyoming, they are nicknamed “squid butts”.

The chunkiest belemnite ever discovered

Most Wyoming belemnites are bullet-shaped measuring around 5 to 10 centimetres long and only 1 to 2 centimetres wide. By contrast, the newly discovered species had an unusually broad, barrel-shaped rostrum around 10 centimetres long but up to six centimetres wide, making it the thickest belemnite ever recorded.

Researchers estimate the living animal would have reached around 60 centimetres in total length including its arms.

The work was instigated by Wyoming palaeontologist and co-author Bill Wahl, who has spent much of his career searching for fossils in Wyoming and said this belemnite “stuck out like a sore thumb”. He brought together an international team of researchers to investigate the remarkable specimens, including belemnite expert Alexey Ippolitov, now at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

Using computed tomography (CT) scanning, the team were able to examine the fossils without damaging them, revealing internal features that confirmed the animal belonged to an ancient family of belemnites previously thought to have disappeared millions of years earlier.

PhD student, Ippolitov said he was "deeply surprised" to discover a fossil from such a well-studied group that differed so radically from anything previously known. After more than 200 years of palaeontological research on belemnites, he said, discoveries like this are exceptionally rare.

Ippolitov explains: “A possible explanation is that their relatively large size gave them an advantage when hunting co-occurring smaller belemnites of the genus Pachyteuthis. Modern squid, after all, are hardly picky when it comes to prey: they readily hunt not only other species of cephalopods, but sometimes even their own kind.”

30 years in the making

The discovery was almost 30 years in the making. The first specimen was unearthed in the late 1990s by Dr Burkhard Pohl, founder of the Wyoming Dinosaur Center, after he spotted a belemnite much bigger than any he had seen before. The fossil sat unstudied in the museum's collection draw for many years until a second specimen was discovered by fossil collector Cliff Linster near Ten Sleep, Wyoming, and donated to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in 2019. Together, the two fossils provided the evidence needed to identify and formally describe the new species.

Honouring a fossil collector's legacy

The name Wyoteuthis translates to “a squid from Wyoming”, while the species name, linsterorum, honours Cliff Linster and his family. Cliff discovered one of only two known specimens of the new species and donated it for scientific study.

Co-author and Wyoming palaeontologist, Jessica Lippincott, said: “After spending years fossil hunting in Wyoming and collecting countless fossils of the common Pachyteuthis belemnites here in Wyoming, this one is unlike anything I have ever seen! It goes to show that we are still finding new species of fossils all the time, and people who rockhound or collect invertebrate fossils can also contribute to science.”

Cliff Linster passed away in June this year. He knew researchers were studying his remarkable discovery and was excited to see it formally described. The Linster family are no strangers to finding amazing fossils, perhaps most famously the dinosaur Bambiraptor.

Co-author and British palaeontologist, Dr Dean Lomax, an Honorary Research Fellow at Ģ����Ƶ and an 1851 Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, in the UK, dug up dinosaurs with Cliff and his wife, Sandy, when he was a teenager. He said: “I met Cliff and Sandy in 2009, when I spent a week digging up a dinosaur bonebed on their property in northern Montana. I have fond memories of that dig, listening to Cliff share his passion for fossils, including this belemnite. I’m honoured to help name this fossil after Cliff. It’s bittersweet that he didn’t get to see it published, but it’s wonderful that we can immortalise him and his family name in the history of palaeontology. The find is incredibly rare, which might be due to some ecological adaptations to the environment at the time. Perhaps its rarity is a result of narrow specialization.”

Dr Lomax is also the author of the recently published book, “The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs”, which highlights Wyoming fossils, and he has spent time collecting fossils and excavating plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs in Wyoming’s Sundance Formation.

Both specimens are on display at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis, Wyoming USA.

Publication details

The new study has been published in the international journal, Papers in Palaeontology.

DOI:

At a time when governments and organisations are introducing new AI rules and standards, including under the EU AI Act, the study suggests that many current efforts to govern AI focus on producing documents, policies and reports that demonstrate ethical commitment.

However, the findings indicate that unless organisations also change how AI is developed in practice, these measures may amount to little more than a box-ticking exercise.

Professor Caroline Jay, who supervised the research, said: "This is not a story about bad companies or bad engineers. It is a story about the difference between the appearance of ethical practice and the substance of it. The infrastructure of AI ethics has grown faster than the technology it was designed to govern. What this research shows is that the infrastructure is largely aimed at the wrong level."

The study argues that meaningful change must address the way AI projects operate day to day, including how ethical concerns are raised, who is responsible for addressing them and whether careful testing and safety work are recognised and rewarded.

It also calls on regulators to look beyond whether organisations have produced the correct documentation and examine whether ethical safeguards are being followed in practice.

The research forms part of a wider doctoral project examining the relationship between AI engineers’ intentions, public perceptions of AI and the outcomes produced by AI systems.

The researchers now plan to test these findings through a larger-scale survey involving a broader engineering population. They hope the work will help inform future AI governance approaches by focusing greater attention on the organisational conditions that shape how AI systems are developed and deployed.

Biological ion channels, which have angstrom-scale constrictions, can respond to multiple signals from their surroundings and regulate the movement of ions across cell membranes. Inspired by this principle, researchers investigated whether naturally occurring angstrom-scale channels in vermiculite could also exhibit responsive ion transport when exposed to different external stimuli, e.g., mechanical, electrical and chemical signals.

Depending on the conditions applied, the channels altered both the amount and direction of ion flow, showing behaviours similar to the ion gating behaviour in biological channels.

The clay channels naturally favour positively charged ions. The team found that by changing the acidity of the surrounding solution, they were able to influence this selectivity. Pressure and electrical voltage also altered how ions travelled through the channels, revealing a complex interplay between the different stimuli.

Dr Raj Kumar Gogoi, first author of the study added, “We observed that applying pressure and voltage together could change the behaviour of the flowing ions in ways not seen when either stimulus was applied alone. Under certain conditions, the direction of the pressure-driven current could even reverse, highlighting the sensitivity of the system to multiple environmental inputs.”

To understand these observations, the researchers combined laboratory experiments with computational modelling. Prof Narayana R Aluru, from University of Texas-Austin, said "The experimental observations could not be fully explained using conventional models. We introduce a modified surface-charge regulation model, where pressure, voltage and ion concentration influence the distribution of ions inside the channels and modify the charge at the channel surface, which in turn affects ion transport.”

Unlike conventional models, which typically consider surface charge as a function of ion concentration alone, the new approach incorporates the combined effects of voltage, pressure and concentration, to describe how these coupled factors influence ion transport in highly confined channels The findings suggest that naturally layered materials could offer a versatile platform for studying and controlling ionic transport at extremely small scales. The authors say future applications could include adaptive nanofluidic systems, energy conversion devices and bioelectronic platforms, though these applications were not explored in the present study.

The research was conducted by scientists from the Department of Physics and Astronomy, National Graphene Institute and Photon Science Institute at Ģ����Ƶ; the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering and Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin.

Funded by (EPSRC), and in partnership with researchers from Imperial College London and the University of Leeds, the programme will use atomic-scale materials engineering to unlock new capabilities in future secure communications systems, ultra-sensitive quantum sensors and scalable quantum computing – all areas recognised as strategically important to the UK's future economic prosperity, security and technological resilience.��

The five-year EPSRC Programme Grant will bring together researchers to address one of the most significant challenges facing modern technology: how to engineer materials with such precision that their properties can be controlled at the level of individual atoms to realise new devices and capability.��

Materials underpin every advanced electronic and optical device. However, translating breakthroughs made at the atomic scale into technologies that can be manufactured reliably and at scale remains a major challenge.��

MEAD will exploit deterministic single-atom doping and isotopic engineering to create materials with entirely new functionalities, crucially demonstrating they can be manufactured and deployed in devices for future technologies.

Turning atomic-scale research into future technologies

The programme will draw on an extensive network of national research facilities and expertise across the three partner institutions, underpinned by more than £150 million of existing infrastructure investments in advanced materials characterisation, semiconductor fabrication and quantum technologies. Together, these facilities provide a unique environment for translating fundamental scientific discoveries into technologies with real-world impact.

Professor Neil Alford of Imperial College London said: "Many of the technologies that society will depend on in the coming decades will require levels of precision and performance that cannot be achieved using today's materials alone. MEAD is about creating the materials, devices and measurement capabilities needed to unlock the next generation of communications, quantum technologies and sensing systems."

Professor Edmund Linfield of the University of Leeds added: "The UK is already globally renowned in areas such as quantum technologies, semiconductor engineering and advanced materials. MEAD brings these strengths together with a shared ambition to create technologies that will support future economic growth, scientific discovery and national capability."

Developing next generation devices

The programme's scope includes:

• Design and fabrication of quantum devices based on precisely engineered semiconductor materials, including advanced "qudits", which can carry more information than conventional quantum bits. Using the fabrication capabilities of the Bragg Centre for Materials Research at the University of Leeds, and selective deterministic ion implantation at Ģ����Ƶ, MEAD will create devices with previously unachievable levels of atomic control, providing a pathway towards more scalable and efficient quantum computing systems.
• Development of highly sensitive "masers", the microwave equivalent of lasers, in work led by Imperial College London. These devices are capable of amplifying extremely weak signals with exceptionally low noise, making them attractive for both advanced communications and quantum technologies. They are likely to play a vital role in future terrestrial communications systems that are less reliant on satellites, offering greater resilience in an increasingly connected world.
• Investigation of new approaches to measuring motion, gravity and environmental changes by harnessing the properties of quantum systems. The programme will aim to generate sensing performance improvements of up to five orders of magnitude beyond current state-of-the-art technologies.
• Development of new AI-powered imaging and characterisation techniques capable of helping scientists identify and analyse materials at the scale of individual atoms. This will provide insight into how atomic-scale changes influence device performance, accelerating the development of future technologies.

Leading UK materials expertise

Today’s announcement builds on Manchester, Imperial and Leeds’ long-standing leadership in advanced materials engineering and quantum technologies, with recent research highlights including:

• Highly 28Si enriched silicon by localised focused ion beam implantation, Nature Communications,
• A High-Resolution Versatile Focused Ion Implantation Platform for Nanoscale Engineering, Advanced Engineering Materials,
• “Maser-in-a-shoebox”: A portable plug-and-play maser device at room temperature and zero magnetic field, Applied Physics Letters,
• Exploring the spin dynamics of a room-temperature diamond maser using an extended rate equation model, Journal of Applied Physics,
• Analysis of plasmon modes in Bi2Se3/graphene heterostructures via electron energy loss spectroscopy, Scientific Reports, 10.1038/s41598-024-81488-7
• Optimizing Hot Electron Harvesting at Planar Metal–Semiconductor Interfaces with Titanium Oxynitride Thin Films, Applied Materials and Interfaces,

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 ����貹��’s border with China. Seven minutes later, CCTV recorded the Gyirong Port border post being destroyed by a massive debris flow and flood.

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, Nepal was already deep into a major disaster.

The 38 minute gap between the tremor being detected and the emergency alert is striking. But it would be wrong to assume ����貹��’s authorities could simply have acted on the initial signal: at the time, it appeared to be a small earthquake, rather than a much rarer mountain collapse. The flood also arrived too swiftly for water-level sensors: they went almost immediately from recording normal levels to being destroyed.

The more interesting question is what a better-integrated warning system might have made possible. Could seismic readings, satellite images and other observations have been combined quickly enough to recognise what was happening and alert people further downstream?

Existing early-warning systems have often been designed around particular hazards such as regular rain-caused floods or . But this disaster was neither a Glof nor a regular flood. Instead it appears to have involved a rare, large-scale collapse of rock and ice, which turned into a devastating debris flow and flood.

As a of a strikingly similar flood in India last year argued, this type of hazard is largely absent from existing warning frameworks. As , such events are likely to happen more often.

Cascading mountain hazards that cross borders

In July 2025, a glacial lake in Tibet burst and swept down into Nepal, killing at least nine people and leaving around 20 missing in Nepal. Eleven people were also officially reported missing on the Chinese side.

After the flood, Nepal and China agreed in principle to share real-time information about floods, landslides and glacial lakes. However, despite ����貹��’s foreign minister during a visit to China in May 2026, no formal agreement has been signed.

Across the Himalayas and Hindu Kush mountain ranges, rivers, weather systems and infrastructure frequently span national boundaries. Our shows a hazard that begins in one place can have lethal consequences – and create new warning requirements – far downstream.

A warming climate is by thinning glaciers, thawing permafrost and destabilising slopes, even if climate change isn’t the sole explanation for every disaster. Meanwhile roads and hydropower projects are putting more people and infrastructure in threatened valleys.

Cooperation has to come before the disaster

Some cross-border early-warning arrangements already exist between Nepal and its neighbours, particularly for recurring floods. But sudden, cascading events such as the recent disaster pose a different challenge. A warning has value only if it travels the whole distance – from a sensor in the mountains, through scientific agencies, national and local authorities, to households in the valleys and plains below, in the minutes that matter.

Community-based flood warning already works in parts of ����貹��’s Koshi basin, where upstream gauges and trained local volunteers buy downstream villages precious time. A regional early warning system would have to link these community-level systems with national and cross-border monitoring, so that information can move from the source of a hazard to the people at risk. That means agreeing in advance what should be shared, how warnings should be passed between countries and agencies, and what action they should trigger.

That requires institutional changes and political commitment, as much as new technology. The region’s existing water treaties were written to divide flows and manage dams and barrages, not to govern cascading hazards in the high mountains. Governments could establish permanent bodies responsible for Himalayan rivers and their associated hazards. Featuring both scientists and policymakers, and linked to counterparts in neighbouring countries, these public bodies would be mandated to share data, jointly monitor glaciers, lakes and slopes, and coordinate warnings across borders.

The aim would be to make cooperation routine and sustained between disasters, rather than improvised in a crisis when events may unfold too quickly for international debate. None of this requires neighbours to resolve their wider disputes; it asks only that disaster warning be ring-fenced as shared humanitarian infrastructure that keeps working unabated.

The technologies for predicting and monitoring high-mountain hazards are improving fast. We now need more international scientific and policy cooperation, and warning systems capable of turning these observations into rapid action.

By , Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer in Environmental Management, ; , Lecturer in Disasters and Global Health, Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute, ; , Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, , and , Associate Professor, Department of Geomatics Engineering,

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

In the new study, published in , researchers developed a graphene device that allowed them to test this question directly. The device consisted of two twisted graphene bilayers separated by less than a nanometre but kept electronically separate. This design enabled the team to weaken interactions between electrons in the magic-angle graphene layer and observe how superconductivity responded. The international collaboration involved researchers from the , the Henry Royce Institute, Washington University in St Louis, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Antwerp, Japan’s National Institute for Materials Science and the National University of Singapore.

Magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene, created by stacking two sheets of graphene with a rotational offset of approximately 1.1 degrees, has become one of the most intensely studied quantum materials over the past decade. However, researchers have continued to debate what causes its superconductivity. While some theories propose that electrons themselves drive the pairing responsible for superconductivity, others suggest a more conventional mechanism involving vibrations of the atomic lattice.

Dr Julien Barrier, the lead author of the study, explained: “To make a difference, we had to solve two issues. First, to build a device in which the screening layer sits extremely close, a fraction of a nanometre, to the superconducting graphene while remaining electronically separate. Second, we had to make that screening layer tuneable. To this effect, we used a twisted graphene bilayer in atomic contact to the magic-angle graphene”.

Professor Alexey Berdyugin from the National University of Singapore, the corresponding author of this study, added: “When we switched on the screening, we were surprised to find that superconductivity was completely suppressed. This provides clear experimental evidence that superconductivity in this system originates from strong electron-electron interactions. This behaviour offers a new opportunity to better understand the mechanisms underlying superconductivity in other materials with strong electronic interactions, including high-temperature superconductors.”

Professor Sir Andre Geim, the corresponding author of this work, said: "Personally, I am interested only in high-temperature superconductivity – preferably at room temperature or above. This study was done at temperatures so low that even helium turns liquid. But unless we understand what makes superconductivity work, we are unlikely ever to reach room-temperature superconductivity, let alone make this remarkable phenomenon commercially useful. Our study takes only a tiny step - but still a step - in that direction, helping to nail down the mechanism of exotic superconductivity in graphene. Rome was not built in a day.”

The team found that increasing the carrier density in the neighbouring graphene bilayer progressively weakened superconductivity in the adjacent magic-angle graphene. At sufficiently high carrier densities, superconductivity was completely suppressed.

The researchers also observed that correlated insulating states, another characteristic feature of magic-angle graphene, disappeared under the same conditions. Measurements showed that the superconducting critical temperature could be reduced by more than an order of magnitude through screening.

The effect was substantially stronger than reported in earlier screening experiments. According to the researchers, the enhanced response resulted from the exceptionally small separation between the superconducting layer and the screening layer, allowing Coulomb interactions to be modified much more effectively.

To understand the observations, the team compared the experimental results with theoretical modelling. Conventional phonon-mediated superconductivity would be expected to remain largely unchanged or increase slightly when Coulomb interactions are screened. Instead, the researchers observed the opposite behaviour, indicating that conventional phonon pairing does not explain the superconductivity in this class of materials.

While the authors emphasise that the work does not identify a single definitive pairing mechanism, several unconventional theories remain consistent with the results, including mechanisms based on collective electronic interactions. However, the findings place much tighter constraints on future theories seeking to explain superconductivity in magic-angle graphene.

Professor Berdyugin concludes: “In this study, we introduced a method for screening electron-electron interactions over scales as short as 0.3 nm, which turned out to be crucial for controlling superconductivity in magic-angle graphene. We anticipate that this unprecedented level of short-range screening could also help clarify many other debated phenomena.”

The international team, led by at Manchester and Professor Nicholas Chilton at the Australian National University, combined cyclopentadienyl ligands, which help create rigid molecular structures, with amide ligands, which form particularly short dysprosium-nitrogen bonds. The resulting molecules adopted near-linear structures with ligand angles approaching 172°, a geometry believed to contribute in part to their exceptional magnetic behaviour.

Alongside magnetic hysteresis temperatures of up to 92 K, the new materials were able to store magnetic information for a hundred seconds up to a temperature of 40 K, indicating significantly improved retention of magnetic memory compared with earlier dysprosium-amide systems.

Professor David Mills continued: “Controlling the geometries of lanthanide compounds is notoriously difficult as the chemical bonding is non-directional. Therefore, although near-linear dysprosium compounds have long been predicted to give the best SMMs, we are only now able to use carefully selected combinations of ligands to consistently deliver these target molecules.”

The ability to create SMMs with magnetic memory effects at higher temperatures widens the opportunity for these molecules to be used for high-density data storage devices, which is important for the ever-increasing amount of data storage required in for our technological age.

References to selected previous papers from these research groups can be found below:
Soft magnetic hysteresis in a dysprosium amide-alkene complex up to 100 Kelvin, Nature.
Molecular magnetic hysteresis at 60 K in dysprosocenium, Nature.
Magnetic hysteresis up to 73 K in a dysprosium cyclopentadienyl-amide single-molecule magnet, J. Am. Chem. Soc.

University of Manchester scientists have uncovered a hidden role for immune cells in the womb, opening the door to new treatments for infertility, miscarriage and other reproductive conditions that affect millions of women worldwide.

The findings are a breakthrough in our understanding of women's reproductive biology, one of the most under-researched areas of medicine, despite infertility and pregnancy complications affecting millions of families.

The researchers hope their findings will accelerate efforts to develop targeted therapies for a range of conditions in urgent need of advancement, including recurrent miscarriage, IVF implantation failure, uterine fibrosis (scarring) and non-cancerous growths in the womb called fibroids.

Using mouse models and samples from women, specialised white blood cells called monocytes, they found, play a vital role in keeping the uterus healthy throughout the menstrual cycle.

Their findings, published in Nature Immunology today, reveal that these cells manage inflammation, repair tissue and maintain the womb lining, challenging long-held assumptions about how the uterus regulates itself.

They showed that during a healthy menstrual cycle, large numbers of monocytes move from the bloodstream into the uterus at specific times each month.

Once there, they are able to promote inflammation when needed or help repair and rebuild tissue.

Monocytes, they add, are essential for normal tissue turnover in the womb, though when missing, the uterus developed abnormal tissue structures and scarring causing problems with reproduction, with the mice having fewer pups per litter.

Using mouse models to track how immune cells in the womb develop over time, they determined that once recruited to the womb, monocytes turn into two different types of specialised immune cells (macrophages), one causing inflammation and one promoting tissue repair .

The findings were particularly striking in women with Asherman Syndrome, an often undetected condition in which scar tissue forms inside the uterus and can cause infertility, recurrent miscarriage and pregnancy complications.

The team discovered unusually high numbers of inflammatory monocytes in women affected by Asherman’s syndrome. Rather than rising and falling naturally throughout the menstrual cycle, the cells remained persistently elevated and clustered around specialised glands in the lining of the womb.

The study suggests this abnormal immune activity in mice may contribute to the development of fibrosis and scarring inside the uterus.

The work could help identify new treatment strategies, such as blocking inflammatory pathways or targeting molecules that control the movement and behaviour of monocytes, which aim to restore a healthy immune balance in the womb.

Dr , senior author of the study from Ģ����Ƶ, said: "For many years we have known surprisingly little about the immune cells that live and work within the uterus.

“Our study shows that one type of immune cell - monocytes - are not simply bystanders but essential for maintaining a healthy womb.

“When their behaviour becomes disrupted, normal tissue repair processes can go wrong and scarring may develop.

She added: “We hope these findings will pave the way for new treatments that improve fertility and reproductive health for women affected by inflammatory womb conditions."

“The lack of knowledge in this area reflects the historic underfunding and low prioritisation of women’s health.

“One critical consequence of this is the dramatic decline in global fertility rates, set to transform global population patterns.”

• The DOI for the paper is 10.1038/s41590-026-02651-y and is available

Developed in response to a growing concern for the wellbeing of young people in the UK, the #BeeWell programme listens to young people about their wellbeing, and drives action in response to what they say. Since launching in 2021, #BeeWell has listened to the voices of nearly 200,000 young people across Greater Manchester, and Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton, working with over 320 secondary schools, and hundreds of partners across these regions to act on the data and improve young people’s wellbeing.

Leadership for the next phase

Laura and Marie bring a track record from central government and the voluntary sector. They are joining #BeeWell following work as a senior civil service jobshare team at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport where they were co deputy directors for grants, risk, assurance and counter fraud

Laura Clayton brings social research, organisational transition experience, expertise in grant-making and risk management. She led research into wellbeing and engagement at Historic England, supporting its shift to a self-sustaining charity model. She also served as lead trustee for Otakar Kraus Music Trust, helping expand music therapy services for young people with additional needs.

Marie-Elise Howells brings policy and delivery experience across central government, education, and community organisations. At the Department for Education, she led work on special educational needs, school infrastructure, and early years education. At DCMS she led work on community resilience, volunteering, and youth connection, before job sharing with Laura. She has spent two decades as a trustee and governor across local and national education and youth charities.

Laura and Marie��said, "We’re beyond thrilled to join #BeeWell at a crucial moment for young people across the country. We've been inspired by the rigour, commitment, passion and collaboration shown by the team and by partners. We can't wait to work alongside staff, partners, and young people - from the Isle of Wight to Rochdale and beyond - to make sure every child gets what they need to thrive in their local area."

They succeed��James Robertson, who served as National Director since autumn 2023 and is moving to Japan for family reasons.

James said,"It has been a pleasure and privilege to be #BeeWell’s first National Director and to spearhead its development over the last three years. Thanks to the hard work of all the team and the generous support of The National Lottery Community Fund, #BeeWell is in great shape to expand its reach and its impact in the period ahead under Laura and Marie’s leadership."

David Gregson, #BeeWell Patron said: “Laura and Marie will be outstanding leaders of #BeeWell, building on the tremendous base that James has built. Their experience of both operational delivery and policy making at the highest levels, makes them ideally placed to take #BeeWell’s work to a new level to grow. We are thrilled that they have chosen to join #BeeWell as it enters this next phase.”

To find out more about #BeeWell’s work with schools and partners, please visit:����and��

Contact #BeeWell comms team on��Beewellprogramme@manchester.ac.uk.

Researchers at Ģ����Ƶ and Manchester Metropolitan University have developed a laboratory method that transforms sheep bone into a realistic model of osteoporosis, providing a potential alternative for early-stage testing of orthopaedic implants and treatments.

The study, published in JBMR Plus, describes how researchers used a controlled demineralisation process to alter the structure and mechanical properties of sheep bone, creating samples that closely resemble osteoporotic human bone.

Osteoporosis affects an estimated 500 million people worldwide and contributes to around 2.7 million hip fractures each year. The development of new implants and treatments requires extensive testing, often involving human cadaveric bone or animal studies, both of which can be costly, time-consuming and subject to regulatory constraints.

To address this challenge, the research team investigated whether sheep femurs sourced from the food chain could be converted into a representative model of osteoporotic bone. Sheep bone shares similarities in size with human bone and is more readily available for laboratory research.

The researchers treated sheep femurs with hydrochloric acid for different periods, removing minerals from the bone and causing progressive changes to its internal structure and strength. They then measured how the process affected bone density, architecture and mechanical performance.

The team found that longer demineralisation times resulted in weaker, more porous bones, closely mirroring the deterioration seen in osteoporosis. Young's modulus, a measure of stiffness, fell from 110.7 MPa in untreated samples to 57.7 MPa after 96 hours of demineralisation. Volumetric bone mineral density decreased by around 33%, while porosity increased by approximately 30% compared with untreated bone.

Microscopic analysis also revealed significant changes in the trabecular structure, the network of bone tissue that helps provide strength and support. As demineralisation increased, trabecular thickness decreased while trabecular separation increased, both hallmarks of osteoporotic bone.

According to the researchers, the resulting bone properties fall within ranges reported for human osteoporotic trabecular bone. This suggests the model could provide a useful and cost-effective tool for investigating osteoporosis and evaluating orthopaedic technologies before progressing to more complex testing.

The researchers note that the approach aligns with the principles of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement, often known as the 3Rs, which aim to minimise the use of animals in research where suitable alternatives are available.

The study was conducted by researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University and Ģ����Ƶ. Lead author, Fahad Alabdah returned to Saudi Arabia as a lecturer at the University of Hail.

Titled '', the review compares six fuel cycle pathways of varying complexity, from the simplest once-through cycle where all spent fuel is treated as waste, to more advanced options incorporating multiple stages of recycling.

To make the comparison accessible, the authors present the six options as a ‘Tube map’, modelled on the London Underground - a first for the field.

Today’s nuclear reactors already compare well with renewable technologies when it comes to many sustainability metrics. However, this review finds that closing the fuel cycle could improve sustainability further still, delivering benefits for natural resource use, environmental footprint, management of high-level radioactive waste, and energy security.

Co-author Professor Robin Taylor, of the Dalton Nuclear Institute and the UK National Nuclear Laboratory, said: “Closing the fuel cycle does come with real challenges, including those around safety, security, and cost. However, by drawing on the UK’s own experience as a case study, our review finds that these challenges can be addressed and do not necessarily rule out the benefits of reusing nuclear fuel”.

Co-author Dr William Bodel, of the Dalton Nuclear Institute, added: “Our review shows that while nuclear energy is already a sustainable source of low-carbon energy, successfully closing the fuel cycle could enhance this further. Visualising various fuel cycle options together is hard given the amount of information which needs to be presented simultaneously. Harry Beck’s 1930s London Underground map does an excellent job at communicating complicated information, so applying its design here seemed a good solution to aid visual understanding.”

Read the full review:

The review was authored by:

• Dr William Bodel
• Professor Anthony Banford
• Professor Gregg Butler
• Professor Francis Livens
• Professor Robin Taylor

With an award of £127.5k available per project, our devolved funding calls are for bold, interdisciplinary projects that tackle urgent resilience challenges across society, tech, defence, and more.

What we're looking for:

• A human-centred systems approach
• Projects that are theoretically motivated or based on empirical evidence, and which align with one or more of
• Total project duration of 9 months
• Be led by an organisation that is eligible for UKRI funding

Important dates:

• Expressions of interest close: 02 October 2026
• Shortlisting decisions announced: End of October 2026
• Full application stage opens: End of October 2026

We look forward to receiving your submissions!

Dr David Buil-Gil, Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Criminology in the Department of Criminology, was recognised for his article, The Structure of Unstructured Time and Crime: A Spare Time Model, published in The British Journal of Criminology in 2025.

The award will be presented at the ESC Conference in Warsaw, Poland, in September 2026.

Research on spare time and crime

The award-winning article examines the relationship between unstructured spare time and crime and considers the implications for crime prevention.

In its citation, the judging panel highlighted the article's combination of theoretical development and statistical analysis, noting that the research offers a new perspective on how spare time may influence criminal behaviour and crime trends.

The panel also pointed to the study's relevance for policies and interventions that encourage structured activities and positive social engagement among groups at higher risk of offending.

Award for innovative criminology research

The judging committee said: "Dr Buil-Gil's article offers an original contribution to criminological research and demonstrates a high standard of scholarship.

"The committee was impressed by both the conceptual development of the work and its careful empirical analysis. It makes an important contribution to current debates about crime prevention and criminological theory."

Ģ����Ƶ the award

The ESC Young Criminologist Award recognises an outstanding article by a European criminologist who was 35 years old or younger when the article was published. The nominee must be the sole author of an article on a criminological topic published in a peer-reviewed journal in a European language within the three calendar years preceding the year of the proposed award.

The jury consists of two current or past at-large members of the Executive Board of the ESC and the Past-President. Each year, one member of the jury will be replaced by a new member. The ESC Executive Board is responsible for constituting the jury.

The article was nominated by Thiago R. Oliveira (Ģ����Ƶ), Iain Brennan (University of Hull) and Fernando Miró-Llinares (Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche).

Ģ����Ƶ Dr David Buil-Gil

Dr David Buil-Gil is Senior Lecturer in Quantitative Criminology and Research Director in the Department of Criminology at Ģ����Ƶ. His research focuses on crime measurement, quantitative methods, cybercrime, crime prevention and comparative criminology. He works with policymakers, statistical agencies and criminal justice organisations in the UK and internationally to improve understanding of crime and its causes.

Further information about David's research is available on his University research profile:

Publication details:

DOI:

Through a series of interactive workshops and hands-on challenges, pupils gained first-hand experience of the technologies shaping our future. Activities ranged from an Energy Grid Game exploring the complexities of modern energy systems to designing, building and testing remote-controlled robots, demonstrating how robotics can support work in challenging environments.

The programme was conceived and coordinated by CDT PhD students Frankie Hough and Ahmad Al-Fatly, with support from a dedicated team of volunteers from across the University and partner institutions. Their enthusiasm, expertise and commitment helped create an engaging and inspiring experience for everyone involved.

The Summer School demonstrated the important role that early career researchers play in inspiring future generations and sharing the real-world impact of research.��

Frankie Hough, STEM Ambassador, is particularly passionate about encouraging young people to engage with science and engineering: “Creating and delivering a project from scratch and watching a group of students grow not only in their knowledge of fusion and its career paths, but also in confidence and enthusiasm, has been an amazing experience.��

"It has been great connecting the two Fusion CDTs at Ģ����Ƶ and working together to deliver something that has had a measurable impact on how students perceive the field of fusion.”

Aneeqa Khan, Fusion CDT lead, said that: “The Fusion Academy Summer School was a great success! It was really inspiring to see all the hard work that our PhD students from the Fusion Power and Fusion Engineering CDTs put in pay off.��

"From applying for funding, to designing novel activities showcasing the latest in fusion research, they did an absolutely brilliant job in inspiring the next generation!”

View in photos.

Read more about .

Ģ����Ƶ and the Fear and Belonging in Minority Buddhist Communities Research Project Team invite you to a launch event for ‘grasp, grasp’ by Sian Fan, with an artist Q&A led by Chris Wright, former Executive Director of FutureEverything.

The event takes place on Wednesday 30 September, 6.30-8.15pm, at . Tickets are free (limited capacity, advance booking required).

‘grasp, grasp’ is a digital artwork which draws on the anonymised life stories of members of two different Buddhist communities, collected by University of Manchester academics Erica Baffelli and Jane Caple.

The work is a web-based experience filled with emotive photography and soundscapes, which traverses multiple pathways. It changes shape, operating in different sequences and moving in different directions, inviting viewers to reflect on the ephemerality of emotions.

Without attempting to pin it down, the work hopes to assert the complicated beauty of human experience. It seeks to form a blurry vision of lives lived, that, with your gaze soft and your grip gentle, you can find yourself enveloped within.

Doors at the venue will open at 6.30pm, with the live stream beginning online at 7pm. The artist presentation will be followed by a drinks reception for guests attending in person.

Sian Fan is an award-winning interdisciplinary artist. Her work combines movement, the body and technology to explore embodiment, identity, and human experience in the digital age. She is particularly interested in popularised depictions of Asiatic bodies in movies, anime and video games; in folkloric stories both modern and traditional; and in the thresholds of human identity where one exists as both and neither at the same time. Read more at .

For more information and to book tickets, visit .

The pupils most at risk

• Pupils receiving SEN support were more than twice as likely to be suspended as pupils without SEN, while those with an EHCP also had more than twice the odds of suspension.
• Pupils eligible for free school meals were nearly two and a half times more likely to be suspended than those who were not eligible.
• Pupils reporting higher levels of peer pressure and experiences of bullying victimisation were more likely to be suspended.
• Pupils who reported they had used any substance in the past 30 days were nearly three times more likely to be suspended than those reporting no recent substance use, in part because substance use is itself direct grounds for suspension under DfE guidance.

What could help prevent suspensions?

• School belonging, satisfaction with academic attainment and positive relationships with school staff were all associated with lower odds of suspension.
• Stronger emotion regulation was also associated with lower suspension risk.
• Suspensions are associated with multiple overlapping individual and school-level factors, highlighting the need for preventative approaches that address underlying needs rather than relying solely on disciplinary measures.

The research used data from the #BeeWell programme, a youth wellbeing measurement programme led by Ģ����Ƶ in collaboration with Anna Freud, a children’s mental health charity, and the Gregson Family Foundation.

The #BeeWell survey captures young people's wellbeing alongside factors that can influence it, including school experiences, health behaviours, peer and family relationships and neighbourhood characteristics. Survey responses can be linked with administrative data held by participating local authorities, allowing researchers to examine young people's experiences alongside information about suspension and exclusion.

The researchers analysed data from 19,064 pupils in Years 8 and 10 across 69 mainstream secondary schools in Hampshire and Southampton during the 2023/24 academic year. Around six per cent of pupils in the study had been suspended at least once during the academic year.

Looking beyond suspension and moving towards engagement

“Our findings show that suspension is not simply about what happens in an individual classroom or about a young person's behaviour in isolation,” said lead author Dr Stephanie Cahill. “Pupils' experiences of disadvantage, their relationships with peers and staff, their sense of belonging and their additional educational needs all form part of a much more complex picture.

The researchers say the findings highlight the importance of early intervention and preventative support, particularly for pupils experiencing disadvantage or additional educational needs.

Supportive relationships between pupils and school staff, as well as a strong sense of belonging, may play an important role in helping young people remain engaged with education.

The study also highlights the importance of understanding the different pathways that can lead to suspension– a one-size-fits-all approach is unlikely to work for all pupils.

The researchers caution that the study identifies associations rather than causal relationships. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these patterns and how schools can most effectively intervene to prevent suspensions.

“We recognise that the current climate within education has meant that many teachers are working under very challenging conditions and that often ‘blanket’ approaches are taken due to limited capacity,” said Professor Neil Humphrey. “In order to ensure more work can be done to understand individual pathways and prevent suspensions, there needs to be increased support for schools from the government.”

You can find helpful resources from #BeeWell on school belonging

Publication details

The study was published in the British Educational Research Journal.

DOI:

Reinforcement learning (RL) is a powerful paradigm for policy optimisation in sequential decision making, it is used to train an intelligent agent (policy) to make optimal decisions by maximising some long-term reward. While online RL learns a policy by actively interacting with an environment and collecting new data through exploration and exploitation, offline RL learns a policy from a fixed, pre-collected dataset without further interaction with the environment. A typical challenge in offline RL is distributional shift, where the learned policy may encounter scenarios not covered by the offline data. This paper tackles distributional shift and integration of labelled (with rewards) data and unlabelled (without rewards) data in offline RL.

The proposed method, called semi-pessimistic pseudo labelling (SPL), makes it possible to take advantage of the unlabelled data to find a better policy than would be possible only using the labelled data. This improves the reliability of decision-making by improving estimation and accounting for uncertainty while remaining computationally efficient. The authors provide theoretical guarantees for the method and demonstrate its effectiveness through simulations, standard reinforcement learning benchmarks, and an application to adaptive deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease. By making better use of available data, the approach has the potential to improve AI systems in healthcare and other high-stakes domains.

You can find the full ‘Semi-pessimistic Reinforcement Learning’ paper here.

Jin Zhu^1,2, Xin Zhou³, Jiaang Yao⁴, Gholamali Aminian⁵, Omar Rivasplata⁶, Simon Little⁴, Lexin Li³∗, Chengchun Shi¹∗
¹London School of Economics and Political Science, ²University of Birmingham, ³University of California at Berkeley, ⁴University of California at San Francesco, ⁵The Alan Turing Institute, ⁶University of Manchester. *Corresponding authors.

A by University of Manchester scientists says sophisticated lab-grown tumours could help fast-track the search for new cancer treatments while reducing reliance on animal testing.

Publishing in the British Journal of Cancer, the researchers assessed biomaterial-based cancer models using advanced materials known as hydrogels.

The models recreate key features of tumours in the lab, offering a potentially quicker way to study how cancers grow and spread.

The technology could also help scientists identify promising drugs more quickly by providing a realistic testing environment before treatments reach clinical trials.

However, the researchers stress that animal studies will remain an important part of cancer research for the foreseeable future, often providing valuable evidence about disease and drug safety.

And unlike animal research, the new technology cannot yet replicate the whole-body complexity needed to assess all aspects of drug efficacy and safety.

Hydrogels, which are derived from synthetic, plant, human or animal cells, act like a scaffold and closely mimic the environment surrounding cancer cells inside the human body.

The technology allows scientists to add cancer cells and other cell types to three-dimensional structures, creating miniature tumour ecosystems that reflect what happens in patients better than conventional two-dimensional models.

The three-dimensional tumour models are designed to mimic real cancers more closely, recreating key features such as cell interactions and drug resistance.

Two-dimensional cell cultures often fail to replicate the complexity of tumours, leading to promising drugs appearing effective in the laboratory only to disappoint in later testing.

Eve Tipple, a PhD researcher from Ģ����Ƶ and lead author of the review, said: “Though animal research will remain for the foreseeable future, continued advances in biomaterials could pave the way for a new generation of cancer models that are relevant to human disease.

“This technology might help researchers make better decisions earlier in the drug development process and accelerate the arrival of life-saving treatments for cancer patients worldwide.

“The technology could cut the number of animals used in research, save millions of pounds, and speed up the search for life-saving treatments.”

Cancer remains one of the world's biggest killers despite huge advances in treatment, and one major reason is that most new drugs never make it to patients.

For decades, researchers have relied on simple 2D cell cultures grown on flat plastic surfaces.

But these models fail to capture the complexity of real tumours, which contain intricate networks of cells, tissues and chemical signals.

As a result, drugs can appear highly effective in the lab only to disappoint in later testing.

She added: “Cancer is far more than a collection of diseased cells because the environment surrounding a tumour strongly influences how it grows, spreads and responds to treatment.

“Biomaterial-based models allow us to recreate many of these complex conditions in the laboratory with a level of control that was previously impossible.

“This gives researchers a powerful platform to study cancer biology, improve drug testing and ultimately help bring effective treatments closer to patients.”

• The paper Using biomaterial-based 3D in vitro cancer models to solve current clinical problems DOI .
• Image shows a 3D model

The ERC Starting Grant is one of Europe's most competitive and prestigious funding schemes, supporting outstanding early-career researchers pursuing ambitious, high-risk, high-gain research.

Custom-made materials that behave like biological molecules

Metal-peptide frameworks are microscopic structures formed when short peptides connect to metal ions and assemble into an ordered network. By changing the peptide building blocks or the metals used, researchers could create materials with tailored properties, from speeding up chemical reactions to conducting electricity.

While metal-peptide frameworks have shown promise as highly versatile materials, discovering new frameworks currently relies on slow and laborious chemical synthesis.

To address this, the project will harness a specially engineered bacterial strain with an expanded genetic code that allows the incorporation of non-canonical amino acids, molecular building blocks not found naturally in living organisms. By programming cells to produce diverse libraries of metal-binding peptides, the team aims to accelerate the discovery of entirely new materials that can self-assemble and be optimised through directed evolution.

The research could open up new possibilities for designing biological materials that combine the sophisticated functions of proteins with the scalability and accessibility of synthetic materials. In the longer term, these materials could be engineered to act as sustainable biocatalysts, conductive biological components or multifunctional biomaterials with applications across biotechnology and green manufacturing.

The project builds upon Martin’s previous work in synthetic genomics and genetic code expansion, an area of synthetic biology that enables researchers to introduce new chemical building blocks into living organisms. His previous research has helped expand the range of molecules that can be genetically encoded.

By combining these capabilities with materials science, the ERC-funded research aims to establish metal-peptide frameworks as an entirely new class of evolvable biomaterials. Researchers hope that understanding how these structures form and function could eventually enable the development of materials capable of coupling renewable energy sources with biological processes, contributing to future sustainable technologies and a circular bioeconomy.

There is no credible scenario in which expansion at Heathrow can go ahead without blowing a hole in the UK’s legally binding climate targets, new modelling published by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at Ģ����Ƶ reveals today.

The report, commissioned by the environmental justice organisation Friends of the Earth, provides the first detailed analysis of whether Heathrow expansion is compatible with the UK’s legal carbon budgets.

Recent approvals of airport expansion at Gatwick, Stansted Luton and many other locations mean that UK aviation is already projected to exceed its share of the Seventh Carbon Budget (2038-42) by between 21 and 50%, depending on how much sustainable aviation fuel materialises. That is before any Heathrow expansion takes place.

The analysis concludes that the two technologies relied upon to enable passenger growth or airport expansion to fit within carbon budgets – Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGR) – are not even close to being on track for sufficiently capacity within the required timeframe.

The report concludes that Heathrow expansion cannot credibly meet the UK’s climate targets thanks to three key findings:

• Aviation emissions: The UK’s aviation sector will already exceed its share of the Seventh Carbon Budget by around 40%, even before Heathrow expansion is considered. The research highlights how even the government’s own modelling reaches a similar conclusion.

• Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF): Based on existing evidence SAF would be unable to close the emissions gap. Even optimistic deployment of this technology would leave aviation above its carbon budget share. Previous studies have shown that current SAF production methods face major structural constraints or compete with agriculture for land and water, just as farmers have experienced what could be the worst harvest on record and are already warning about the impact of the climate crisis on food production.

• Greenhouse Gas Removals (GGRs): GGR describes methods that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it long-term, such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage. The report highlights how global GGR deployment is significantly off track and that no engineered removal plants are operating yet in the UK. Despite this, aviation emissions modelling heavily relies upon future potential GGR to offset additional emissions. Even before any airport expansion is taken into account aviation is the biggest projected user of GGR capacity. On top of this, these scenarios all depend on SAF pulling its weight; if SAF fails to deliver, even more GGR will have to be deployed. The report concludes that the building capacity for more aviation demand before large scale GGR facilities are operational is inconsistent with taking climate targets seriously.

• Non-CO₂ impacts are not accounted for: Aviation's full warming effects are not captured within carbon budgets. Non-CO₂e impacts including from nitrogen oxides and contrails, account for around two-thirds of aviation's climate warming and should be incorporated into future climate targets.

What do the researchers say?

The lead researchers, , and recommend decisionmakers reject any proposed expansion at Heathrow Airport.

Dr Lois Pennington, Research Fellow at the Tyndall Centre said:

“Every aviation scenario the UK Government has published overshoots the carbon budget Parliament has legislated, before a third runway at Heathrow is even taken into account.

“Our analysis shows that aviation cannot continue to grow if the sector is to make a proportionate contribution to meeting the UK’s carbon budgets. Sustainable aviation fuels and carbon removals can contribute to limiting aviation emissions, but there is currently no evidence that these technologies can support the scale of aviation expansion envisaged by the government.

“Further aviation expansion carries a significant risk of exacerbating climate impacts by relying on the growth of technologies that are unlikely to materialise in the timescale needed.

“The UK is experiencing another exceptionally hot summer, while record-breaking severe wildfires have burnt across Western Europe. The Government must reassess the case for expansion. Climate policy must be grounded in what we can demonstrate and evidence, rather than what we hope may become possible.”

Mike Childs, head of policy, science and research at Friends of the Earth, said:��

"After this summer of record-breaking heat and nearly 3,000 excess deaths, this third runway is the equivalent of pouring petrol on a raging wildfire.

"The evidence is clear: there is no route where expansion at Heathrow can be in line with our legally binding climate targets. Suggesting that sustainable aviation fuel and greenhouse gas removals can enable airport expansion is simply trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes.

"The government has a choice: commit to taking action on the climate seriously, reject Heathrow expansion and constrain excessive flying, or abandon the UK's climate targets and future generations by giving the third runway the go ahead.

"With a weak economic case to support expansion set against a huge impact on the climate and communities, this is the opportunity for the new Prime Minister to truly set a precedent by turning his back to corporate lobbying and say no to a third runway at Heathrow."

The public consultation on the government's Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS) closed earlier this week on Tuesday 1 September, the same day that members of parliament returned from recess to scrutinise the proposal.

Friends of the Earth and the researchers are calling on the UK Government to reject Heathrow expansion and ensure future aviation policy remains consistent with legally binding carbon budgets under the Climate Change Act.

Read the full report here:

Professor Konstantinos Stathopoulos is a leading corporate governance scholar whose research examines how companies are governed and how corporate decision-making affects different stakeholders. His work has a particular focus on executive compensation and the ways in which poor governance practices can affect stakeholder wealth. More recently, his research has examined the interests and influence of stakeholders, including employees, in corporate decision-making and governance.��

He is Vice President of the International Corporate Governance Society, Chair of the Corporate Governance Special Interest Group of the British Accounting and Finance Association and an Otto Mønsted Visiting Professor at Copenhagen Business School. He was Editor-in-Chief of Corporate Governance: An International Review from 2019 to 2024.

Professor Andreja Zevnik is an interdisciplinary scholar whose research explores political resistance, protest, race, identity and marginalisation.

Her work draws on psychoanalysis, continental philosophy, and postcolonial theory to examine how political identities and forms of resistance are produced. Her recent research has focused particularly on the racialisation and political mobilisation of Roma communities in Europe, Black Lives Matter and other forms of anti-racist political mobilisation. Her research with colleagues has also helped to raise awareness of antigypsyism and strengthen political representation and advocacy among Roma communities in Slovenia.

“Our newest Fellows represent some of the most influential voices in social science today,” said Will Hutton, President of the Academy of Social Sciences. “Their work is expanding knowledge, challenging assumptions and generating insights that are informing and even redefining decision making across government, business, education and civil society.”

“I am delighted to welcome these leading experts to the Academy, and look forward to working with them to raise the profile and impact of the social sciences across the UK and beyond.”

Using South Africa's MeerKAT radio telescope, the international team measured radio emissions from neutral hydrogen dating back to a time when the Universe was several billion years younger than it is today.

The findings, published in , demonstrate the potential of a technique known as hydrogen intensity mapping, which allows astronomers to study vast regions of the cosmos more efficiently than ever before.

Key findings

• Researchers directly detected the hydrogen intensity mapping signal using MeerKATradio observations alone.
• The signal comes from hydrogen that existed when the Universe was several billion years younger than today
• The measurement traces cosmic structures across scales of millions of light years.
• The results validate hydrogen intensity mapping as a practical new tool for cosmology, enabling scientists to probe the large-scale structure of the distant Universe.
• The technique could help future telescopes map the Universe more efficiently than traditional galaxy surveys.

How hydrogen intensity mapping works

Neutral hydrogen naturally emits a faint radio signal known as the 21-centimetre line. As the Universe expands, this signal is stretched to longer wavelengths, allowing astronomers to observe hydrogen at different stages of cosmic history.

Rather than detecting individual galaxies one by one, hydrogen intensity mapping measures the combined radio emission from many unresolved galaxies. This makes it possible to study enormous volumes of the Universe and build a three-dimensional picture of its structure.

Until now, reliable detections of this signal at these distances have typically relied on combining radio observations with optical galaxy surveys. In this new study, however, the team has directly detected the hydrogen intensity mapping signal using MeerKAT radio observations alone.

The team analysed around 96 hours of observations from MeerKAT and detected the signal from two periods in cosmic history, corresponding to emissions that have travelled approximately four to five billion years before reaching Earth. The measurements trace hydrogen across scales of several million light years - comparable to the distance between the Milky Way and its neighbouring galaxy Andromeda.

What the researchers say

“This is a very exciting milestone,” said Dr Sourabh Paul, lead author of the study. “Hydrogen intensity mapping has long been seen as a promising way to map the Universe efficiently, but the signal is extremely faint and difficult to isolate from foreground emission, human-made radio-frequency interference, and instrumental effects. Detecting it directly with MeerKAT shows that this technique is becoming a practical tool for cosmology.”

“This was a challenging data analysis process, requiring a detailed understanding of the many sources of contamination that can affect such a faint measurement,” Professor Santos added. “It is particularly remarkable that the data used in this study were taken in 2018, when MeerKAT had only just started science operations. There is now a rich trove of MeerKAT data waiting to be explored with this method.”

The researchers say the work opens up new opportunities to measure neutral hydrogen over cosmological distances and study how galaxies form and evolve over cosmic time.

Dr Zhaoting Chen, co-author of the study, said: “Neutral hydrogen is one of the key ingredients for understanding how galaxies form and evolve.

“With intensity mapping, we do not need to detect every individual galaxy. Instead, we can measure the collective signal from hydrogen across large cosmic volumes, giving us a new way to study both galaxy evolution and the underlying matter distribution of the Universe.”

The detection also has important implications for future cosmological surveys. Hydrogen intensity mapping is expected to become a major science driver for the Square Kilometre Array Observatory, for which MeerKAT is a precursor telescope.

co-author of the study from Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at Ģ����Ƶ, added: “MeerKAT continues to open new windows for cosmology. The fact that this signal can be extracted from observations that were not originally designed for hydrogen intensity mapping is very encouraging. It shows the enormous scientific value of MeerKAT data and points the way to future observations with SKAO.”

The researchers say future observations covering larger areas of the sky and using longer observing times will enable astronomers to map hydrogen in even greater detail, helping reveal how galaxies formed, how dark matter shapes the cosmic web, and how the Universe has evolved over billions of years.

Publication details

The study was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:

Since appointing its first research leads in 2022, has continued to grow, nurturing exciting interdisciplinary research and convening research communities at Ģ����Ƶ and the city region. In line with the University’s Manchester 2035 strategy, the platform is working to convene a challenge-led research model in collaboration with our Cultural Institutions, partners and communities that champions our world-leading collections and archives, amplifying their reach. To achieve this, a new Research Theme focussed on activating the University’s and Cultural Institutions’ vast archival collections is being developed from September 2026. This theme compliments Creative Manchester’s existing three research themes - , and – which continue to remain relevant and are expanding in line with the aspirations set out in Manchester 2035.

The newly appointed Academic Lead for Research Partnerships (Special, Scientific and Cultural Collections), , will work closely with the Platform’s leadership, Creative Manchester Director Professor Michelle Phillips and Deputy Director , as well as with Associate Vice President (Cultural Portfolio), to develop and help coordinate activity across the theme.

In this role, Professor Carden-Coyne will focus on developing the academic work and grant capture on research collections across University of Manchester Library and the wider Cultural Institution collections’ research activities. She will partner and engage with our diverse community of academic researchers, curators, conservators and imaging specialists, and further grow the Platform’s interdisciplinary research networks to address strategic opportunities.

Professor Ana Carden-Coyne is Director of the Centre for the Cultural History of War (CCHW) in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures. She is a cultural historian and curator inspired by people’s creative responses to war and conflict, acts of resistance, and calls for civil and human rights. Working closely with other disciplines, cultural practitioners, and museums energises her thinking. When activated through collaboration, co-curation, and shared decision-making, the cultural leadership of contemporary communities and artists not only enriches our collective knowledge, but also transforms our human connections. Her work is grounded in deep respect for the makers of objects, artworks, and stories that are held dear in the past and present, which can be brought to light for future generations.

As part of her recently funded Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) project (2021-24) she published the accompanying project book (MUP, open access) this year.

For more details on Professor Carden-Coyne's work and publications, please refer to her

Alongside these direct impacts, wider changes across the STFC astronomy portfolio will affect many JBCA researchers through collaborations, partnerships and access to other facilities and programmes.

One of the most significant decisions is the cessation of STFC support for e-MERLIN, the UK's National Radio Astronomy Facility operated from Jodrell Bank Observatory. The e-MERLIN programme currently supports much of the operational, engineering and scientific capability required to conduct radio astronomy observations from Jodrell Bank.

Without alternative funding, the loss of e-MERLIN would lead to the cessation of routine astronomical observations undertaken at Jodrell Bank Observatory, including the Lovell Telescope. The impact extends far beyond a single telescope network. It would affect the specialist technical, engineering and operational expertise that enables scientific observations across the Observatory, as well as research leadership, international collaborations, technical support for novel projects and the training of students and early-career researchers.

The combined effects of the proposed changes affecting e-MERLIN, JIVE participation and related astronomy programmes therefore pose a substantial risk to the future of Jodrell Bank Observatory as a major centre for observational radio astronomy. While educational, heritage and public engagement activities will continue through Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement, the loss of active research capability would reduce opportunities to engage the public with new discoveries, live science and cutting-edge UK astronomy. Combined, these will make JBCE a less attractive place to visit if Jodrell Bank is not conducting world-class research on site.

JBCA and Jodrell Bank Observatory is working closely with Ģ����Ƶ, staff, users, partners, funders and stakeholders to assess future options and explore opportunities to preserve these capabilities for the UK and international astronomy communities.

Further Information

We will continue to provide updates as further information becomes available.

Key points

• In the age of AI, business communications start to look more alike.

• The researchers generated AI-augmented twins of more than 26,000 real-world crowdfunding campaign descriptions. Across the resulting AI-augmented versions, there was substantially less variation than across the original human-written narratives. Among other differences, the AI-rewritten pitches varied 43% less in how abstract their language was, and variation in length and writing quality fell by around 80%.

• As AI makes polished communications easier to produce, audiences likely develop more demanding expectations about the quality of these communications.

• Business owners may increasingly need to provide evidence for the claims they make about their businesses, as audiences become less willing to rely on plausible-sounding statements alone.

• Cultural competence and storytelling skills could even become more valuable, rather than less, as it becomes more challenging to craft effective business communications in the age of generative AI.

What the experts say

"Generative AI can support entrepreneurs in many aspects of storytelling, but it cannot substitute for the cultural understanding required to navigate an increasingly complex evaluative environment," said lead author Dr Karl Taeuscher from Ģ����Ƶ’s Alliance Manchester Business School. "Business owners will still need to understand their audiences, recognise cultural expectations and know how to position their businesses in ways that are both credible and distinctive."

The researchers caution that the study presents a plausible scenario rather than a prediction, as both AI technology and social norms surrounding its use are changing rapidly. The analysis of AI-augmented crowdfunding descriptions is intended to illustrate the research’s central argument rather than to test it.

Publication details

The research was published in the journal Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice.

DOI: .

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 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 higher risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other major health problems.

Researchers from the University of Manchester and the University of Bristol in the UK, the University of Bergen in Norway, and partners in Stockholm and Athens found that patients with the disorder experienced bursts of hormone production during the day as well as in the night while asleep, when routine blood testing is rarely carried out.

Thanks to an ingenious portable device, developed at the University of Bristol, the hormone levels of patients were able to be monitored round-the-clock in their homes rather than a hospital or research unit. This means hidden irregularities could be uncovered, which may normally go undetected by current testing methods, leading to earlier detection of health conditions.

Study co-lead author , Clinical Research Fellow in Automated Sampling Clinical Fellow at the University of Bristol, and Senior Clinical Fellow at Bristol Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “Primary aldosteronism is an important cause of high blood pressure and the most common cause of secondary hypertension we see in our blood pressure clinic. It could be affecting millions of people in the UK. However, due to the way hormones change during the day and the current complexity of the diagnostic process, diagnosis is often delayed or never made at all.

“In our study, patients were monitored at home during normal activity, and this allowed us to see how hormones changed over time in realistic settings. This approach could potentially revolutionise how we diagnose hypertension and ultimately reduce cardiovascular disease – particularly heart disease and strokes – that could have been prevented.”

The proof-of-concept investigation continuously monitored hormone levels every 20 minutes in 60 patients from Bristol, Bergen, Stockholm, and Athens, over a 24-hour period. The patients all wore a lightweight device – which is the size of a mobile phone and attaches at the waist – allowing hormones to be measured from the skin, while they carried out normal daily activities, including sleeping at night.

Called U-RHYTHM, the technology was adopted and advanced by the spinout company Dynamic Therapeutics in 2023.

Study senior author , UKRI Future Leader Fellow at the University of Manchester, said: “By continuously monitoring hormones over 24 hours, we were able to reveal a previously hidden pattern of nocturnal hormone bursts. This gives us a much clearer understanding of the disease and could ultimately help doctors detect it earlier and treat patients more effectively.

“A more detailed mathematical and computational analysis of daily hormonal profiles could eventually also help uncover earlier and more subtle forms of the disease, opening new opportunities to improve outcomes for patients living with high blood pressure.”

Computational analysis of data from the device allowed researchers to track changes in aldosterone, the hormone responsible for regulating salt and water balance in humans, along with two closely related hormones known as 18-hydroxycortisol and 18-oxocortisol.

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Existing tests may be missing patients because the study results showed aldosterone levels do not stay high all the time. Furthermore, the researchers found that even among some of the most severe cases of the disease, there were periods when hormone levels dipped below the minimum thresholds used to diagnose the condition.

Rather than finding persistently raised hormone levels, the researchers discovered repeated night-time bursts of hormone secretion while the day-night rhythm remained intact.

These hormone spikes, produced by the adrenal glands, were particularly prominent in patients whose disease was caused by a problem in only one adrenal gland rather than both. The abnormal hormone patterns disappeared after surgical removal of the affected adrenal gland, providing further evidence that the bursts were directly linked to the disease.

Study co-author , Professor of Medicine at the University of Bristol and inventor of the U-RHYTHM technology, added: “The findings suggest that clinicians may need to rethink how they look for the disorder which the Endocrine Society clinical practice guidelines now recommend should be considered for all people with hypertension, also known as high blood pressure.

“Future diagnosis could move away from single time point blood tests and towards tracking the body's hormone rhythms over time, particularly the overnight patterns that appear to hold crucial clues to disease. Further research is needed to define the best clinical pathways, using dynamic hormone measurement, to ensure early diagnosis of this common and potentially curable cause of high blood pressure.”

The research was funded by EU Horizon 2020, the Trond Mohn Foundation, the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Medical Research Council, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation, the Swedish Medical Research Council and Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.

The findings support the University of Bristol's research 'Grand Challenge' focus on Understanding and Preventing Cardiovascular Disease and builds on NIHR-funded initiatives aimed at earlier identification of people with hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors.

• Tissue corticosteroid rhythms are dysregulated predominantly during sleep in primary aldosteronism’ in . DOI: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.aeb7517

The $4.3 billion Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is NASA's next flagship astrophysics mission that will investigate the nature of dark matter and dark energy, study how galaxies have evolved over cosmic time, and discover more than 100,000 planets beyond our Solar System.

Using a powerful 2.4-metre mirror, Roman will conduct fast, detailed scans of the sky in infrared light. The telescope will combine Hubble-quality imaging but with a field of view that is more than 200 times larger. Scientists estimate that observations Roman can complete in a day would take the Hubble Space Telescope around four years to achieve.

The mission will also generate an unprecedented volume of data. Roman is expected to capture around 1.4 terabytes of observations every day, producing more than 500 terabytes of data each year. By comparison, the Hubble Space Telescope has collected around 400 terabytes during more than 35 years of operation.

Dr Eamonn Kerins, from Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at Ģ����Ƶ was appointed by the European Space Agency to the Roman mission. He leads the Exoplanet Demographics Working Group for the Transits in the Roman Exoplanets Survey (TRExS), one of two science teams working with Roman data to find planets around other stars. TRExS will focus on planets orbiting closer to their host star.

Dr Kerins is also a member of the Roman Galactic Exoplanets Survey (RGES). RGES will use the gravitational lensing effect to find planets further out from their hosts. Roman is the first survey to combine two detection methods to gain a more complete picture of distant planetary systems. Dr Kerins was also part of the Roman Observations Time Allocation Committee (ROTAC), the NASA panel responsible for determining the mission's final survey design.

The mission is expected to discover more than 100,000 planets orbiting other stars, dramatically increasing the number of known exoplanets and helping astronomers build the most comprehensive picture yet of planetary systems across our galaxy. NASA Senior Project Scientist Julie McEnery, who helps to lead Roman's scientific programme, is also a Physics alumna of Ģ����Ƶ.

Scientists believe about 25% of the Universe consists of dark matter and around 70% of dark energy, yet neither is fully understood. Roman will study tiny changes in the shapes of millions of galaxies to map the distribution of matter and dark matter and trace how galaxies evolved. The mission will also investigate how the Universe has expanded over time and why that expansion appears to be speeding up, with dark energy thought to be the driving force behind it.

Beyond its studies of exoplanets and the dark Universe, Roman will observe black holes, quasars and other rare cosmic events, providing astronomers with new insights into some of the most extreme objects in the Universe.

The mission follows the launch of the European Space Agency's Euclid space telescope in 2023, another major international astronomy mission involving researchers from Ģ����Ƶ. Together, Euclid and Roman will provide complementary observations that will help scientists better understand the evolution and structure of the Universe.

Roman is expected to operate for at least five years, producing vast quantities of data that will be used by astronomers around the world to address some of the most important unanswered questions in astrophysics.

Roman is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA on 30 August 2026 at 07:26 EDT /12:26 BST / 13:26 CEST. Watch the launch live via NASA’s channel. Follow for updates.

Manchester Literature Festival returns from 9-25 October, giving the city’s book lovers the opportunity to come together to share their passion for language, to be entertained, to learn, and to reflect on their connections with place, politics and people.

Creative Manchester and the Centre for New Writing will be supporting an exciting series of events, with highlights including influential and much-loved literary voices, conversations with acclaimed debut novelists, podcast recordings, poetry readings and much more!

The full schedule of partnership events are as follows:

• – Friday 9 October, 7pm, Royal Northern College of Music
• (SOLD OUT) – Saturday 10 October, 6pm, Manchester Museum
• – Sunday 11 October, 2pm, Martin Harris Centre
• – Sunday 11 October, 4.30pm, Martin Harris Centre
• – Monday 12 October, 7.30pm, Royal Northern College of Music
• – Wednesday 14 October, 7.30pm, Martin Harris Centre
• – Sunday 18 October, 5pm, Manchester Museum
• – Wednesday 21 October, 7pm, Central Library
• – Wednesday 21 October, 7.30pm, Contact Theatre
• – Thursday 22 October, 7pm, John Rylands
• – Sunday 25 October, 3pm, Royal Northern College of Music

For more information and to book tickets, visit the

Key findings

• Presenteeism is no longer simply about going into work while sick - people can now work while unwell from home or elsewhere.
• Digital technology can make it harder to switch off, with employees potentially feeling pressure to remain available through email, messaging platforms and other workplace technology even outside normal working hours.
• Mental health needs to be recognised alongside physical illness when considering why people work while unwell, as existing research has focused heavily on physical sickness.
• Working while ill can take different forms - from completing a normal working day remotely to doing only urgent tasks or checking emails intermittently.
• Employers should consider whether workers have flexibility to reduce their hours or workload when ill, rather than treating working while sick as an inherently good or bad behaviour.

Presenteeism is no longer just about physical presence

The 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 that existing approaches to measuring presenteeism are too narrow because they generally focus on how often people go to work despite being ill, or on the extent to which illness affects their productivity. Instead, they propose a three-dimensional framework based on health, location and engagement.

Eight ways of working while unwell��

The first dimension considers whether presenteeism is triggered by a physical or mental health problem. The second considers whether someone works on-site or remotely. The third considers whether they work a full schedule with normal levels of engagement or reduce their hours and effort. Together, these dimensions produce eight different forms of presenteeism.

For example, an employee with a physical illness might go into the workplace and work a full day, while another might stay at home and only deal with urgent requests. Someone experiencing anxiety or depression could similarly work either remotely or on-site, with either full or reduced engagement.

The researchers say this approach could help distinguish between situations where working while ill may be harmful and situations where employees are able to adapt their work in ways that allow them to protect their health while meeting essential responsibilities.

The paper also highlights concerns about inequality in access to flexible working. Remote working is not available to everyone, meaning that some workers may be able to adapt their working arrangements when ill while others have little choice but to attend their workplace.

What the experts say

“The world of work has changed dramatically, but our understanding of what it means to work while sick has not necessarily kept pace with this transformation,” said Professor Cary Cooper, 50th Anniversary Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health at Ģ����Ƶ. “Technology has given people much greater flexibility over where and when they work, but that flexibility can become a trap if employees feel they have to be available all the time.”

Making flexibility work for employees

The authors argue that future research should examine whether giving employees greater control over their location, working hours and workload can make presenteeism a more adaptive behaviour. They also call for greater attention to mental health-related presenteeism, which they say has been relatively neglected by existing research.

The researchers stress that working while sick should not automatically be regarded as either positive or negative. Instead, they argue that understanding how someone works while unwell - and the circumstances surrounding that decision - is essential to understanding its effects on health and performance.

The paper concludes that organisations need to strike a balance between maintaining performance and protecting employee wellbeing as digital technology continues to reshape the workplace.

Publication details

The paper was published in journal Health Psychology Research.

DOI:

I had the fantastic opportunity to attend the Royal Academy of Engineering’s International Women in Engineering Day Leadership Lunch as a guest of Professor Zara Hodgson, alongside Dame Fiona Rayment and Sim Bhaker. It was a rare moment where women from across the engineering sector could step away from the fast pace of everyday work and engage in honest, meaningful conversation.

What struck me most was how valuable it is to have dedicated time and space for women to share experiences that often get lost in the noise of day to day life. Hearing perspectives across all fields of engineering was refreshing and grounding. It reminded me how easy it is to become siloed within a specialist field and that it is incredibly rewarding to deliberately step outside the 'nuclear bubble'.

One of the most powerful moments of the day came from Dame Polina Bayvel, who said: “It’s hard because it is difficult, not because you are stupid.” As I approach the final year of my PhD, this message resonated deeply. It’s a reminder that engineering is inherently challenging and that difficulty is not a reflection of personal inadequacy. Within the fusion community, where progress often feels slow and complex, this mindset is especially important.

Another theme that surfaced repeatedly was the idea of reframing engineering to be outcomes focused. Instead of defining ourselves by the technical hurdles, we should focus on the impact we create, whether that is enabling net zero technologies, improving healthcare, or designing safer infrastructure.

Overall, the event was a joy to attend. The food was excellent, but the real highlight was the meaningful conversations with women from such varied backgrounds. I made connections I wouldn't have made otherwise, some of whom have already offered future chats and informal mentorship.

I’m grateful to the Royal Academy of Engineering for organising such an impactful event, and to the Dalton Nuclear Institute for supporting my attendance. I left feeling inspired, connected, and more confident about the road ahead. If anything could have improved the day, it would have simply been more time to talk, listen, and build the relationships that help women in engineering thrive.

Read more about the

Read more about

In recent weeks, a range of open letters have been published highlighting the importance of Jodrell Bank, e-MERLIN and the wider radio astronomy capabilities based at the Observatory. Support has come from leading figures in science, culture and public life, as well as from organisations representing the international radio astronomy community.

Lending their voices to support the positive impact, which the whole of the Jodrell Bank site has given to UK science and culture, signatories include Professor Brian Cox, Sir Brian May, Tim Peake, Chris Hadfield, Professor Jim Al-Khalili, Simon Armitage, Johnny Marr, members of New Order and Elbow, Jarvis Cocker and Christopher Eccleston. Many have longstanding links with Jodrell Bank through public engagement programmes, artistic collaborations and the Bluedot festival.

Alongside this, letters have been received from international research organisations, observatory directors, scientific advisory groups and astronomy institutes from across the UK and Europe. Together, they underline the value placed on Jodrell Bank's scientific capabilities, its role in training future generations of scientists and engineers, and its contribution to international research partnerships.

The letters follow the announcement that funding for e-MERLIN, the UK's national radio telescope network operated from Jodrell Bank Observatory, is due to end in March 2028 unless alternative support can be secured.

At the heart of Jodrell Bank's scientific work is e-MERLIN, the UK's national radio telescope network. By linking seven radio telescopes across England, it enables scientists to study the universe with a level of detail comparable to some of the world's most advanced astronomical instruments.

The University has made clear its commitment to securing the future of the Lovell telescope and radio astronomy at Jodrell Bank and is continuing discussions with partners on potential long-term funding solutions.

The growing body of support from across the scientific community and beyond, underlining the importance of Jodrell Bank to research, skills, education and inspiration for future generations.

Find the full list of letters here:

Fighting antimicrobial resistance

has been awarded a University Research Fellowship to investigate how microbes deploy and evolve multiple weapons during competition with one another. His project, the evolution of multi-weapon fighting in microbes, will combine computational modelling, laboratory experiments and large-scale genomic analysis to reveal the rules governing microbial conflict.

Although antibiotics have transformed modern medicine, they represent just one example of the sophisticated weaponry that microbes use against their rivals. Bacteria can inject toxins directly into neighbouring cells using microscopic harpoons, fire toxic protein weapons, or deploy virus-derived nanomachines capable of destroying competitors from a distance.

Scientists have made major advances in understanding how many of these weapons work at the molecular level. However, a fundamental mystery remains: why do bacteria invest in multiple weapons rather than relying on just one? Will’s research aims to answer that question.

Choosing the most effective defence

Using Pseudomonas bacteria – a medically important group known for its diverse arsenal – he will investigate when different weapons are most effective, how they interact with one another, and whether carrying several weapons helps microbes adapt to changing environments and opponents. The project will also explore how rival bacteria evolve resistance, and whether combinations of weapons can make it harder for resistance to emerge.

The findings could have implications far beyond understanding microbial ecology. By uncovering the evolutionary logic behind bacterial weapon systems, the work could inform the development of new antimicrobial approaches and more resilient biocontrol technologies.

The fellowship will support an ambitious five-year programme of research examining how bacterial arsenals evolve, how different weapons perform under different environmental conditions, and which combinations are most resistant to evolutionary counter-attacks. The project will draw on expertise in evolutionary biology, microbiology, genomics and mathematical modelling to build a comprehensive picture of how microbial conflicts shape the communities that surround us. Will says of the award “I'm absolutely thrilled to receive this award, and I couldn't have done it without the amazing support Manchester has given me during my Sir Henry Wellcome Fellowship."

Ultimately, Will hopes the research will help scientists predict competitive interactions within microbial communities and develop new ways of harnessing beneficial microbes for applications in health, biotechnology and agriculture. His long-term vision is to understand how microbial weapons and defences co-evolve, opening the door to new generations of antimicrobials designed to remain effective for longer in the face of resistance.

Safety is a fundamental human right

Guided by the IAEA’s motto, "Atoms for Peace and Development," effective regulation transforms this right into reality - managing invisible risks while keeping operators accountable. Every link in the safety chain, from bolt materials to human decision-making, protects the public trust required for a secure, net-zero future. Learning from the Past to Accelerate the Future was the theme of the IAEA conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear Installation Safety in Vienna, where I had the privilege of shadowing Professor Dame Fiona Rayment. Gwen Parry-Jones, the UK’s first woman nuclear plant station director, emphasised a respectful, constructive relationship between regulator and operator. Mark Basset spoke about the Fingleton Review: too much risk aversion, focus on process over outcome, and too little incentive to speak up. You could feel its ripples across the talks and conversations.

Innovation is forcing safety frameworks to adapt

From Russia’s floating reactors to China’s HPR1000 deployment, novel designs raise unprecedented regulatory questions. In operations, AI is accelerating efficiency, including a Swiss plant’s document retrieval model for over 2,500 files. EUROCONTROL tests deliberate AI errors to study cockpit safeguards, highlighting the need to manage human and AI interaction. Reprocessed fuel at misreported enrichment levels was delivered to Japan, known as the falsification incident, and Fiona outlined its role in why the UK committed to a GDF. For fusion, ITER’s 35-nation collaboration proves regulating emerging technology requires phased operations and space for uncertainty, reinforcing that safety is a marathon, not a sprint. Meeting the IAEA’s head of atomic data, Kalle Heinola, I discussed tritium storage in a uranium matrix for fusion applications, and an international database with contributors spanning atomic data to macro-level information. International harmonisation drives innovation.

International duplication is common

Thirteen countries in the European Utility Requirements help streamline up to 90% of generic design assessments, leaving 10% for site-specific and local jurisdiction challenges. Belgium is looking at similar processes for Gen IV, and South Korea is trying to remove unnecessary “fluff” from safety assessments. Like the EUR model, a broader international framework beyond current IAEA standards could streamline pre-licensing while respecting local laws. International harmonisation was a major topic in my discussions with Fiona. Sizewell C engineers outline the need for a “no change” committee when a micro change impacts the macro portfolio and is not as low as reasonably practicable. Learning from past experience is key to streamlining safety cases.

Ultimately, safety relies on leadership

Fiona’s talk emphasised creating space for diversity of thought to minimise groupthink, opening doors and expanding networks. She lives that fully: mentoring over 12 people, bringing me to Vienna, and giving her time to anyone who asked. Across the conference and my discussions, I saw the IAEA’s role as more than setting standards: it drives collaboration, manages communication and guides countries to safe outcomes. I left the IAEA with a bigger network, a better understanding of safety innovation, and what defines a leader. Thank you to Fiona and the Dalton Nuclear Institute for the unbelievable experience.

It is the culmination of over a decade of international collaboration by of Ģ����Ƶ, 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 implications on the treatment of clotting disorders like haemophilia or the healthcare for patients on blood thinners like warfarin, as scabs forming on the surface of blood are vital to sealing a wound and keeping the site free of infection.

It could also explain aspects of how a lung can collapse in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), as fibrinogen disrupts the oily layer that keeps the airways open during breathing.

It may also transform the design of biosensors that allow people to monitor how their blood is performing, as the sensors rely on understanding how proteins disrupt those surfaces.

For more than twenty years the field has relied on a ‘single tilting layer’ model for fibrinogen where the long protein molecules lay flat on the surface at first and then leaned upright as more of them arrive.

But the new study, published in the on today (20/08/25), shows the benchmark model missed that fibrinogen stays lying flat and builds multiple layers that stack like sheets of paper. These layers grow thicker and more complete as more molecules arrive.

This new information helps to explain how the long protein molecules line up on the surface of blood where fibres called fibrin form the basis of the scab, a solid film formed during evaporation of fluid at the blood surface, that seals a wound.

The scientists used an advanced technique called neutron reflectometry at the part-UK-funded Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) in France, where Dr Campbell was formerly based.

The team demonstrated that this behaviour holds true across multiple ranges of concentration and in very different solution conditions, showing the mechanism is not a rare quirk but a universal feature of fibrinogen when it contacts air.

Principal investigator Dr Campbell explained: "It's never easy challenging an established model of how molecules behave in nature.

“But through using the advanced technique neutron reflectometry on the FIGARO instrument at the ILL research facility, we could see the structure of these protein surfaces in more detail than scientists had seen before.

“Although lab data recorded in the past was compatible with the concept of a ‘single tilting layer’ model, our new data show multiple layering as a fundamentally different way of working.”

Dr Glenn Coope, a former PhD student at Ģ����Ƶ but now based at Lund University in Sweden, said: "When the covid-19 pandemic struck, I spent time analysing structural data of how fibrinogen gathered at liquid surfaces while working from home.

“Then after returning to work at the University, I applied additional experimental methods.

“It’s almost like we now have a full circle moment, as our findings may help scientists to understand better the behaviour of fibrinogen in the lungs of patients suffering from ARDS, a condition that tragically claimed so many lives during the pandemic.”

Dr Campbell added: “Our discovery sheds new light on how scabs form on the surface of an open wound, where fibrinogen works in a protein‑rich zone to stop bleeding.

“Having better understanding of the structure of fibrinogen at liquid surfaces can only help in the search for new and better treatments for patients whose wound refuse to heal.”

• The paper Redefining Fibrinogen Self‑Assembly at the Air–Water Interface: An Intriguing Story with Multiple Layers is published in Journal of the American Chemical Society. DOI
• Other researchers from the University of Manchester and Institut Laue-Langevin contributed to the study

In a survey of 4,270 adults from across the UK, the researchers found that 79% had already used some form of self-monitoring, ranging from tracking blood pressure and blood sugar to monitoring fitness, diet, eyesight, hearing and mental wellbeing.

Published in the journal ��the findings suggest self-monitoring could play a major role in helping people spot health problems earlier and take greater control of their wellbeing.

The study was part-funded by a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Senior Investigator award to lead researcher Professor Kevin Munro and was supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre: Manchester’s Hearing Health Theme.

The results chime with the Governments aspirations for health monitoring technologies to be part of routine care to support proactive health monitoring and preventative action.

The study also found that 86% of respondents would be willing to monitor at least one aspect of their health if recommended by the NHS.

Trust in the technology was high, with between 70% and 94% of participants saying they trusted the results produced by self-monitoring tools.

More than three-quarters (78%) said they would be happy for their results to be sent automatically to their GP.

The researchers say the findings highlight growing public support for a future in which patients can play a more active role in managing their health from home.

People who used self-monitoring said the main benefits included increased awareness of their health, a greater sense of control, easier access to information, more balanced conversations with healthcare professionals and improved psychological support.

However, the study also revealed that participants reported concerns including anxiety, obsessive testing, confusion about results, poor motivation to continue monitoring and worries about technology.

And between 14% and 38% of people said they would take no action if self-monitoring identified a potential problem, depending on the health issue being monitored.

Younger adults and people with higher levels of education were more likely to use self-monitoring, while men, older adults, those living in deprived areas and people with lower education levels were less willing to do so.

The researchers say these differences risk creating new health inequalities if self-monitoring becomes a larger part of healthcare in the future.

Lead researcher from Ģ����Ƶ�� said: "Our findings show that self-monitoring of health is already a normal part of life for many people across the UK and that there is strong public enthusiasm for doing more of it in the future.

“Self-monitoring has huge potential to support earlier detection of problems, encourage preventative action and help people take greater control of their health.

Professor Munro, who is also an NIHR Senior Investigator added: “However, we must ensure that nobody is left behind and that these technologies are introduced in ways that are accessible, understandable and equitable for all sections of society.

“Nevertheless, self-monitoring could help transform healthcare through more proactive and preventative approaches though�� further research is needed to ensure it can be used effectively and fairly alongside traditional clinical care.”

• The paper Use, trustworthiness and willingness to self-monitor health and personal wellness: a UK population survey is available . DOI 10.1186/s13690-026-02035-6
• Image created with AI

The common statistical mistake, they warn in a new 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 were truly no effect, of greater than 0.05 does not, they say, show there is 'no effect'.

However, the interpretation remains widespread in about 50% of research papers and conference presentations, according to sources.

Instead, the authors say, a non-significant result simply means there is insufficient evidence to conclude a difference exists, not proof that a difference does not exist.

Crucially, the same statistical result can arise either because there is genuinely no meaningful effect or because an important effect is hidden by small sample sizes or highly variable data.

The researchers argue that failing to recognise this distinction risks oversimplifying scientific findings and may cause potentially important effects to be overlooked.

With many studies not having a large-enough sample size to detect the real difference, reporting that there is none can miss promising therapies or fail to detect genuine risk, derailing subsequent research in the area.

Equivalence testing, they say, guards against declaring an effect unimportant when the data cannot support that claim. A small or noisy study will usually return an inconclusive result rather than a verdict of no difference, which is the honest answer.

To address the problem, the team is promoting a statistical approach known as equivalence testing.

Rather than asking whether there is evidence for a difference, equivalence testing asks whether any difference that exists is too small to matter in scientific, clinical or practical terms.

The method allows researchers to distinguish between effects that are genuinely negligible and results that remain inconclusive because there is not enough reliable evidence.

They focus on the two one-sided tests procedure, or TOST, which has already gained traction in psychology, medicine and pharmaceutical regulation but remains underused across many areas of the life and natural sciences.

Wider adoption of equivalence testing, they add, could improve the quality of scientific reporting and help prevent non-significant findings from being misrepresented as evidence of no effect.

Co-author, Professor of Cardiac Physiology from Ģ����Ƶ, said: “Researchers are often interested in whether an effect is absent or too small to be important, but traditional statistical testing cannot answer that question.

“A non-significant result is frequently interpreted as proof that nothing happened, when it may simply mean there is not enough evidence to be certain.”

Co-author Jakub Tomek from the University of Oxford said: “Equivalence testing helps separate genuinely trivial effects from unresolved questions, giving scientists a much clearer picture of what their data are actually telling them and improving confidence in the conclusions that are reported.

“We hope the method will encourage more careful interpretation of scientific data and improve the way research findings are reported, understood and acted upon.”

To make the approach more accessible, the team has also developed a free that allows researchers to perform common equivalence tests without writing computer code.

The calculator supports a range of widely used statistical comparisons and has been validated against established statistical software.

Co-author Aaron Caldwell from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences added: "Equivalence testing forces you to answer a question most studies never ask: how small is small enough to be uninteresting?

“”That is a scientific judgement, not a statistical one, and it has to be made before the data are collected. The payoff is that you can finally say something affirmative about an absence of effect rather than just failing to find one.”

• The paper Beyond “Non-Significant” Results: Why and How to Test for Practical Equivalence is available . DOI

The 2026 ARWU ranking places Manchester 51 in the world, 14 in Europe and sixth in the UK. It reflects the University's continued strength as a research-intensive institution rooted in Manchester and connected across the world.

The results also show improvements in two of the ranking's most prestigious indicators: Highly Cited Researchers and publications in Nature and Science. These measures point to the reach and influence of research carried out at Manchester.

The ranking is published annually by ShanghaiRanking and is widely regarded as one of the world's most influential assessments of university research performance.

Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of Ģ����Ƶ, said: “These results are welcome recognition for Manchester, however we must continue to improve in an increasingly competitive international higher education landscape.

“I am grateful for the hard work our colleagues contribute every day to advance knowledge, transform lives and deliver impact beyond the University.

"As we implement From Manchester for the world, our strategy to 2035, we will continue to focus on excellence and doing work that makes a difference to the communities we serve."

Ģ����Ƶ’s 2035 strategy is a long-term commitment to transforming our teaching, research, social responsibility, and partnership for the public good.

The ARWU result adds to Manchester's strong performance across other major 2026 rankings, including 40 in the , 56 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 and The University is also ranked fifth in the UK for employability in the 2026 Times Higher Education Global University Employability Ranking, and remains the most targeted university by the UK's top 100 graduate recruiters.