2020

Professor Richard Ribchester retired from the University of Edinburgh on 30th September 2020 after 40 years of outstanding service at the University of Edinburgh.

Congratulations to the CDBS post-docs who received the following awards at this years CMVM Post-doc Appreciation Week event.

Congratulations to Professor Richard Morris who has been elected as an international member of the United States National Academy of Sciences in recognition of his world-leading neuroscience research.

       

Professor Tara Spires-Jones (UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh and Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences) worked with Health Awareness on the 2020 Understanding Dementia campaign to coincide with World Alzheimer's Day on 21 September 2020

The study, published in Nature Cell Biology, represents the first time that researchers have been able to study, in detail, the function of the SMN protein in new protein production.

Four undergraduate students from the Biomedical Sciences programme have had their work published in the Journal of Insect Physiology.

Congratulations to Dr Valerio Francioni (former Rochefort lab) who has been awarded this year's Alison Douglas prize for best PhD thesis. The prize was announced at the virtual Mary Pickford lecture, given by Prof Gina Turrigiano (Brandeis University, USA), on the 29th October 2020.

The first cohort of students to graduate with a Dual Award from The University of Edinburgh and Zhejiang University celebrated their achievements at an event on 22 June.

Two reviews have been published on Professor Gareth Leng (Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences) and his son Dr Rhodri Lengs (School of Social Sciences) recent book, 'The Matter of Facts', which explores how scientists produce and use evidence.

Congratulations to Caroline Allen (Spears lab) and Sarah Neely (Lyons lab), two of the nine finalists for the University of Edinburgh’s Three Minute Thesis 2020 competition!  

Biomedical Sciences is proud to announce the success of 10 colleagues in the latest Academic staff promotions rounds.

Congratulations to Dr Dawn Livingstone, this year’s recipient of the EUSA Teaching Awards Kendall Award for Teaching in Medicine 2020, and to Prof Jamie Davies who was runner up.

COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2 and like all viruses there are many ways to combat the infection, many centres across the University are stepping forward with their knowledge and expertise to help in this fight. As a specialist in this field, Infection Medicine is doing all they can to utilise their expertise in this difficult time.

Experts in Biomedical Sciences have created a database that lists vital information about potential treatments for Covid-19 and possible drug targets – molecules in the body linked to the disease that could benefit from new therapies. The resource is available to scientists worldwide to assist the global effort against the coronavirus.

Congratulations to Professor Sue Welburn and her team who have been awarded two grants in relation to COVID-19 research.

Congratulations to Prof Gareth Leng and Dr Luis Paiva (Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences) on their recent publication in the Journal of Endocrinology

Professor David Lyons (Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences) gave his inaugural lecture on Monday 2nd March in the Shirley Hall, Chancellors Building, entitled 'Brainworks: How are brains formed and how should we treat them.'

Congratulations to Professor Tom Gillingwater, who becomes a Fellow of the Royal Society in recognition of outstanding contributions across Anatomical research, education, engagement and wider knowledge exchange.

The Regional Brain Bee championship was held at the University of Edinburgh on 22 February 2020 to find the next generation of scientists.

Congratulations to Dr Barry McColl, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, who has been awarded a 3 year project grant from Brain Research UK, to further develop work manipulating CNS macrophages to boost brain repair and functional recovery after ischaemic stroke.

Congratulations to Professor Gareth Leng (Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences) and his son Dr Rhodri Leng (School of Social Sciences) who have published a new book which explores how scientists produce and use evidence.

A message of support from Biomedical Sciences to all our colleagues, students, alumni and friends in Zhejiang and China

Our very own Dr Jane Haley (Edinburgh Neuroscience Scientific Coordinator) was presented with an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, at an Investiture at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday 29 January 2020. This honour was awarded for Services to Science Engagement and Education.

Congratulations to Prof Sue Welburn, Executive Dean of the ZJE Institute, who was presented with one of the inaugural Haining Friendship Awards at the 4th Annual Haining Entrepreneurs Convention.

The study has opened up new lines of investigations into functional and molecular roles of TRIM25 and other E3 ubiquitin ligases incell biology and control of pathogenic infections.

Dr Maria Doitsidou's lab (Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences) and colleagues from Dundee University have identified a probiotic – or so-called good bacteria – which prevents the build-up of a protein which is linked with Parkinson’s. These findings have been published in Cell Reports.

Hundreds of people living with motor neurone disease are being invited to take part in one of the UK’s most comprehensive clinical trials in a generation

Congratulations to our staff who were awarded Fellowships from the Higher Education Academy (HEA), bringing the total to 13 staff who gained HEA accreditation last year.

Congratulations to Dr Dorothy Tse (Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences) who has been awarded a Small Grant Award from the Principal’s Teaching Award Scheme (PTAS) for the Edinburgh Brain Bee event.

A new study, published in the journal Current Biology, has discovered the functions of the area of the brain in which Alzheimer’s begins, offering hope for the development of future treatments for over half a million people in the UK who suffer from the disorder.

Congratulations to Dr Carole Torsney and Professor Dies Meijer (Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences) on their successful three-year BBSRC Project Grant Award!

University of Edinburgh student Pia Siegele has been awarded the 2019 British Neuroscience Association (BNA) Undergraduate award for her work in Neuroscience.

Congratulations to the Spears Lab, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, for their new paper published in the journal Reproduction, which provides new insights into the effects of chemotherapy drugs on the human ovary.

Congratulations to Dr Emily Osterweil, Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, for being awarded a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowship (SRF) to study ribosome function in neuronal plasticity and autism.

A team of researchers from Centre of Discovery Brain Sciences led by Prof Matthew Nolan, in collaboration with the University of St Andrews, have published new research in Cell Biology, on the memory functions of lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC)

Congratulations to Dr Nathalie Rochefort, Centre of Discovery Brain Sciences,  who has been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant.

Congratulations to Prof Peter Kind (Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences) and his colleagues on the successful award of a £12million grant from the Simons Foundation.

Fresh insights into damaging proteins that build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease could aid the quest for treatments.

A team of researchers from Anatomy@Edinburgh and Clinical Surgery at the University of Edinburgh, led by Tom Gillingwater, Ross Jones and Richard Skipworth, has published new research into the underlying biology of cancer cachexia.

An elder from an ancient Sri Lankan tribe has taken part in a ceremony to mark the return of human remains to his homeland.