The latest updates on our research and how it is improving people’s lives.
Research breakthrough into more efficient creation of ‘STEM cell like’ cells
18 April 2019
A recent study by researchers at the University of Oxford and Koç University in Istanbul revealed new epigenetic inhibitors that substantially increase the efficiency of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) generation by overcoming intrinsic somatic cell barriers.
Progress in targeting inflammatory disease in the gut and skin
18 April 2019
Two articles from the Kennedy Institute review the latest in understanding immune control in the gut and skin and explain how this knowledge is being translated into new treatments for inflammatory disease
Oxford and partners appoint Professor David Beard and Professor Michael Douek as the new Rosetrees RCS Directors of SITU
17 April 2019
The University of Oxford, in partnership with the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) and the Rosetrees Trust, are delighted to announce two new professorial posts.
New approach could bring closer a cure for a painful form of arthritis
1 April 2019
Dr Liye Chen has been awarded a Versus Arthritis five-year career development fellowship to identify and validate new T cell therapeutic targets in ankylosing spondylitis (AS).
2019 NDORMS Imaging Symposium and Awards
29 March 2019
Oxford researchers gathered at the Kennedy Institute earlier this month to learn how advanced imaging technologies, such as super resolution microscopy, are pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery.
Showcasing a new approach to arthritis research
27 March 2019
A recent workshop at Pembroke College, Oxford, provided a showcase for research within the Arthritis Therapy Acceleration Programme (A-TAP) aimed at speeding up the delivery of new drugs for immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMIDs).
Vaccine developed to treat osteoarthritic pain
12 March 2019
Researchers have developed a vaccine that blocks the effects of the main cause of pain in osteoarthritis (OA) - nerve growth factor (NGF) - in mice.
Genes and height matter for carpal tunnel syndrome
4 March 2019
Researchers from the University of Oxford and Estonia have found further evidence that a person’s genetic make-up and height can influence whether they will develop carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).
Risks of shoulder replacement surgery higher than previously thought
20 February 2019
Need for further surgery particularly high in younger men and serious complications surprisingly common in older people, say researchers.
Kennedy Institute launches Oxford Centre for Microbiome Studies
18 February 2019
The Oxford Centre for Microbiome Studies (OCMS) provides unique access to essential technologies to speed up our understanding of how the microbes that inhabit our bodies influence health and disease.
New drug class could offer a targeted safer treatment alternative for patients with rheumatoid arthritis
15 February 2019
A new treatment targeting tenascin-C could reduce the progression and severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at the very early stages of disease.
Study suggests immune system plays key role in survival after pancreatic cancer surgery
12 February 2019
Researchers in Oxford have found that an individual’s immune system – and in particular the presence of T-cells amongst tumour cells – may play an important role in survival after surgery to remove pancreatic cancer.
Pills as good as injections to treat bone and joint infections, paper finds
8 February 2019
Pills are just as effective as intravenous (IV) injections in tackling bone infections, a study led by Oxford-based researchers has found.
New Cochrane review on exercise for prevention of falls in older people
1 February 2019
New research published in the Cochrane Library today provides strong evidence that falls in people over sixty-years old can be prevented by exercise programmes.
Largest-ever clinical trial in hip fracture fixation reaches key milestone
25 January 2019
A randomised controlled trial comparing extracapsular hip fracture fixation devices, conducted by Oxford University and supported by NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, has reached a key milestone, with the 1000th patient recruited completing their one-year follow-up
Dietary fibre metabolite helps immune system fight invasive bacteria
25 January 2019
Macrophages treated with the short-chain fatty acid butyrate – a by-product of dietary fibre breakdown - are better equipped to fight bacteria in the gut, report researchers from the Kennedy Institute and the Translational Gastroenterology Unit. These findings could lead to new strategies to restore gut health in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Professor Fiona Powrie set to take on cancer 'Grand Challenge'
23 January 2019
Oxford scientists are set to benefit from one of the biggest funding grants ever awarded by Cancer Research UK.
Creating a cellular atlas of healthy human joints
21 January 2019
Kennedy researchers, in collaboration with colleagues at the Botnar Research Centre, Oxford, and the Universities of Birmingham and Leeds, have been awarded strategic funding from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to map in detail the different types of cells that make up human joints.
One step closer to targeted therapies for joint inflammation
4 January 2019
New discoveries on how tissue cells, known as stromal cells contribute to chronic joint inflammation could hold the key to innovative targeted treatments for patients with refractory joint disease.