Professor Mark Brown has devoted decades to defending pollinators from disease, pesticides and parasites.

By Liam Morgan

One-third of the food we eat relies on bee-pollinated crops. But in Europe, at least 23% of bee species are in decline.

“What happens to pollinators could have huge knock-on effects for humanity,” says Professor Lynn Dicks from the Department of Zoology. “These small creatures play central roles in the world’s ecosystems, including many that humans and other animals rely on for nutrition. If they go, we may be in serious trouble.”

Help is coming. Meet Mark Brown, Professor of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology and the new Director of the Museum of Zoology.

Mark looks at the reasons behind pollinator decline. The story is a complex one, where pollinators are beset by stressors: emerging diseases, pesticides, disappearing habitats and parasites.

Mark has spent 28 years tracking this story, from Zürich to Dublin, then London and now to Cambridge. His teams have quantified the harmful chemicals that wild bees are exposed to and produced the world’s first regional IUCN Red List for bees – allowing for detailed plans on how to preserve pollinators in the UK.

In rearing bee colonies in his lab, Mark puts his life on the line:

“I’m actually allergic to bumblebee stings, so I have to be super careful. I became allergic through working with them and getting stung so many times. If I was stung now and didn’t receive treatment, I’d die.”

To reverse pollinator decline, we need to entwine our lives with the behaviour of these species. Mark, alongside a growing cadre of pollinator researchers at Cambridge, can point the way.

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“I’m actually allergic to bumblebee stings, so I have to be super careful. If I was stung now and didn’t receive treatment, I’d die.”

Mark Brown, Professor of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology and Director of the Museum of Zoology

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The stressful life of bees

Bees, ants, wasps and termites are special kinds of insects. Biologists sometimes call them ‘eusocial’, to reflect their complex social dynamics. They have specialised roles for individuals, with some members devoted to breeding, while others gather food.

Social insect biologists are still debating the efficiencies of these roles. They create colonies in the lab to test the strengths of different make-ups – where every ant is a worker, for instance – and compare them to each other. Zoology’s Duygu Sevilgen is doing the same with corals, in measuring how lab-grown colonies respond to varying ocean environments. 

Likewise, keeping bee colonies in the lab allows Mark to vary the environment and measure how the hive reacts. 

Mark says, “If you think of a colony as a superorganism, it opens up some fascinating possibilities. We couldn’t take a human, break up their cells, and put them back together in different ways to see how they work. But you can do that with social insect colonies.”

Coupled with bees collected in the wild, Mark can build a picture of how bee populations respond to threats. At sites across Europe, Mark and his collaborators measure environmental toxins, climate data and the number of flowers in a given area, to build a picture of the resources available to bee colonies. 

Mark says, “We take all of that information and do some heavy statistical crunching. We come out with a clear picture of what is the main driver of bee decline, and how that varies across space.”

Mark’s team found that pesticides are still a key driver of bee population decline, despite measures being taken to limit the chemicals’ spread. These findings highlight the difficulty in assessing agricultural chemicals: until they are unleashed in the real world, we can’t always foresee how an ecosystem will respond.

In addition to pesticides, Mark’s team identified the potential for pathogens to spillover from managed honeybees to wild bumblebees – something like bee COVID – and ways to stop this from happening.

“We need to work with beekeepers to make sure they have the tools and training to keep beehives as healthy as possible,” Mark says.

When trying to control the spread of diseases, Mark recommends buffer zones around protected areas that support wild bees, or other measures to prevent spillover.

We can take comfort in wider Cambridge research uncovering bees’ ability to combat disease. Biochemistry’s Dr Eyal Maori has found a new form of social immunity in honeybees, where individuals can share anti-viral RNA with each other. In this way, information on how to fight diseases can spread rapidly across the colony. 

To ensure the latest research is put to use in the real world, Mark lobbies policymakers across Europe, letting them know the best ways that we can allow pollinators to recover. 

“Seeing real world positive impacts as a result of this work is enormously satisfying,” Mark says. “To make a reliably good change sometimes takes decades, but it’s worth it.”

Using ‘natural pharmacies’ to fight parasites

The degradation of the natural world also affects the delicate balance between bees and their parasites.

Bumblebees have an annual lifecycle. The bigger bumblebees we see in spring are queens freshly out of hibernation (a sleepy state where queens slow their metabolic rate by 99%, and can breathe underwater if their home floods). Queens emerge from slumber ready to start a new colony. 

But there’s a catch, Mark says: “If a queen is infected with a particular parasite when she enters hibernation, she’ll produce 40% fewer queens and males in the next colony. For social insects like bees, there’s a huge cost to being parasitised.”

Bumblebees’ most common parasite is a trypanosome. It’s been co-evolving with bees for millions of years, with the parasite trying to exploit the bee, while the bee adapts its defences. Bees catch it when drinking nectar that’s been visited by other infected bees, who leave their poo on the flowers. The parasites then swim through the bee’s stomach and embed themselves in their gut wall. 

Mark has first-hand experience in collecting parasitised samples. 

“Bumblebees use their poo as a defence mechanism,” he says. “When you come towards the nest, many of them lie on their back and shoot their poo at you. I’ve been in the line of fire more times than I care to admit.”

Where floral resources are abundant, bees can use the environment as a ‘natural pharmacy’ – weakening their parasites with chemicals found in nectar and pollen. 

“There’s a chemical found in heather that stops bees getting infected by the parasite,” Mark explains. “It causes the parasite to lose its tail, meaning it can’t embed in bee guts.”

Land-use change, driven by intensive agriculture and urbanisation, has dramatically reduced the natural resources that bees can call upon to fight their parasites. In the UK, 80% of lowland heaths have vanished, meaning many bees have lost that method of parasite control. 

Mark thinks this is replicated elsewhere: that many flowering plants with antimicrobial benefits to bees and other pollinators are no longer available. 

These insights are crucial for future restoration efforts, which can aim to rebuild such ‘natural pharmacies’.

Mark warns, “We need to give bees their full range of defensive options, which they had access to before we simplified the landscape.”

Here, Mark’s role as Director of the Museum of Zoology comes to the fore.

“When it comes to biodiversity, the Museum’s collections underpin our understanding of what the world was like, and what we can aim for the world to be again,” Mark says. “The more museum collections are used in this way, the more important they become.”

Mark is keen for future exhibitions to directly link to current research being done at the Museum, and the wider University. He’ll also reinforce the invitation to people from all over the world to use its collections for their work. 

“We want to interrogate our collections, and work together with the communities who collected them, and from whose lands they were collected. I want to remove all barriers to access, and encourage people who’ve never been to a university museum before to visit. We want to make our collections accessible to all, and welcome people from all parts of society.”

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Support Cambridge’s pollinator research

Cambridge is working on solutions to regenerate nature, rewire energy, redefine economics, and rethink transport. You can support our pollinator research by donating online.

Donate now

Published on 8 April 2026.

Words: Liam Morgan.
Photography: Lloyd Mann.

The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Source: cam.ac.uk

New immersive experience will help University astronomers inspire next generation of scientists

A state-of-the-art planetarium is set to transform how pupils across the East of England learn about space and the universe – and how Cambridge University supports teaching in schools.

Believed to be the first free planetarium in the region, and one of only a handful of free planetariums in the whole of the UK, the University’s Institute of Astronomy says the new digital resource – which they have just taken delivery of – will revolutionise how they inspire the next generation of scientists.

Powered by the most up-to-date technology available, the planetarium creates an entirely immersive experience, with fully rendered 3D environments in space. It is big enough to take a class of 30 pupils on a journey tens of millions of light years from Earth, but portable enough so that the University’s AstroEast schools outreach team can take the experience to them.

Dr Matt Bothwell, Public Astronomer at the University of Cambridge, said: “The planetarium will transform our work in schools – it’s an entirely different way of engaging with the universe. I’ve been doing this job for about 10 years, and up until now it hasn’t changed all that much in terms of how we try to capture kids’ imaginations.

“The planetarium is completely immersive, and you get a feel for space in a way that you just don’t get from listening to a talk, or even Googling it and seeing images on a computer screen. We can put pupils in the middle of space, in orbit around the Moon or a planet, or on a trip to neighbouring galaxies. Basically, we now have the universe in a box.”

AstroEast already provides curriculum-based workshops and activities at schools across the East of England, using astronomy to inspire Key Stage 3 (year 7-9) pupils and improve numeracy and literacy. But Dr Hannah Strathern, Outreach Facilitator at the Institute of Astronomy, says being able to offer schools the planetarium experience is a game changer.

She said: “It will have such a huge impact on how we approach our outreach and work with schools, because we can take this amazing experience to them – and for free. And I’m sure it will be an experience that many children never forget, even more than just having an astronomer come in and talk to them – no matter how interesting the talk is! The planetarium is awe-inspiring, as soon as you go into it you feel this ‘whoosh’ as you’re transported into space.”

The University’s new planetarium was made possible following a generous philanthropic gift from Dr May Chiao, a former Research Fellow at the Cavendish Laboratory, and Darwin College. It is bespoke, and because of its specialist design needed to be custom-made. Dr Bothwell said: “It’s something we’ve wanted for years. So many astronomers – and scientists more broadly – say that their first experience of science was the thing that made them fall in love with the subject, and quite often that is a planetarium. It makes science material, more visceral and real.

“Even as an astronomer, this is something entirely different. I’ve obviously spent a lot of time looking at the Moon through a telescope, but being about to travel to the Moon in 3D and fly over its mountains and valleys – rendered in extraordinary detail using images captured by NASA’s Lunar Orbiter programme – really is on another level.”

As well as its focus on school outreach, The Institute of Astronomy’s public engagement work includes public lectures and regular free stargazing evenings, which an estimated 100,000 members of the community have taken part in since they were launched in the 1990s.

To find out more about arranging a school visit, contact outreach@ast.cam.ac.uk

Published: 7th April, 2026
Words: Stephen Bevan
Images: Dr Hannah Strathern

The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The announcement was made by the Vice‑Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice, during a visit to Station F in Paris.

Pascal’s leadership will help ensure that our scientists and entrepreneurs have the environment, investment, and support they need to build companies that change the world.University of Cambridge Vice Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice

Cambridge University has appointed Pascal Levensohn as Chair of the Global Advisory Board for the Cambridge Innovation Hub, the flagship new initiative which seeks to transform the UK’s capacity to scale world‑leading deep tech and life sciences companies.

The announcement was made by the Vice‑Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice, during a visit to Station F in Paris. Station F hosts more than 1,000 early‑stage companies and provides a fully connected ecosystem of programmes, investors, corporates and support services to accelerate startup growth.

Welcoming the appointment, Vice‑Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice said:
“The Innovation Hub strengthens Cambridge’s mission to translate outstanding research into real‑world impact. Pascal’s leadership will help ensure that our scientists and entrepreneurs have the environment, investment, and support they need to build companies that change the world.”

An innovation hub for the UK

The Cambridge Innovation Hub, backed by at least £15 million in government investment as part of the £800 million Oxford–Cambridge Growth Package, is proposed to become Europe’s premier destination for early‑stage science‑based companies.

The Hub will seek to provide:

• A dedicated home for deep tech and life sciences startups
• Shared laboratories, prototyping facilities, and collaboration spaces
• A central convening point for researchers, investors, corporates, and entrepreneurs
• Focus on Cambridge’s strengths and deliver growth of the IS8 sectors
• A nationally networked platform to accelerate research translation.

Cambridge is at the forefront of new science and technology. Soon to be home to the UK’s most powerful quantum computer at the Ray Dolby Centre, the city sits at the intersection of AI, quantum computing, life sciences, engineering and advanced materials. The Innovation Hub is designed to accelerate breakthroughs across these converging fields.

Speaking about his appointment, Pascal Levensohn said: “The UK is writing the biggest cheque in its history on innovation. As Chair of the Global Advisory Board, my mandate is to advise Cambridge University’s leadership on strategy and the implementation of best governance practices related to the Innovation Hub. Our objective is to scale a robust innovation ecosystem extending well beyond the University that will deliver not just financial returns, but returns for society.”

Why the Innovation Hub matters now

Cambridge is doubling down to meet the current pace and intensity of innovation. There is a need to capitalise on the rich pool of talent in the region at a time when the UK is moving decisively to expand its innovation capacity. Recent government commitments include:

• £2 billion for quantum technologies
• £500 million for the Sovereign AI initiative
• £800 million for the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor

This national investment aligns with the rapid rise of the Cambridge ecosystem, which has grown 80% in the past decade, with startups raising £7.9 billion since 2015 and attracting nearly 40% international investor participation.

An asset designed for the Oxford–Cambridge Corridor

The UK’s competitive advantage lies in the research‑to‑growth corridor between Oxford and Cambridge. An Innovation Hub is proposed to amplify this advantage by providing a single, interconnected platform for scaling science and deep tech‑based companies. As Pascal Levensohn explained:

“The UK doesn’t need a single centre of gravity — it needs an interconnected system, an Innovation Hub which exists in the Oxford–Cambridge corridor. The Cambridge Innovation Hub Global Advisory Board exists to serve Cambridge University’s leadership and the UK’s broader national innovation initiative; to magnify the distinctive position of the UK’s top research universities as the world’s leading research‑to‑commercialisation cluster.”

With Innovate UK shifting toward high‑conviction investment and the £500 million Sovereign AI Fund launching on 16 April, the UK is entering a new era of strategic public investment. The Innovation Hub will play a central role in ensuring that this investment is matched with world‑class governance.

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Researchers have developed a solar-powered reactor to break down hard-to-recycle forms of plastic waste – such as drinks bottles, nylon textiles and polyurethane foams – using acid recovered from old car batteries, and converting it into clean hydrogen fuel and valuable industrial chemicals.

The reactor, developed by researchers from the University of Cambridge, is powered by the energy from the sun, and could be a cheaper, more sustainable alternative to current chemical-based recycling methods. The team say their method could create a circular system where one waste stream solves another. Their results are reported in the journal Joule.

Global plastic production exceeds 400 million tonnes per year, yet only 18% is recycled. The rest is burned, landfilled, or leaks into ecosystems. The researchers say that their method, known as solar‑powered acid photoreforming, could help address the global mountain of plastic waste.

The researchers engineered a photocatalyst that is robust enough to withstand the highly corrosive effects of acid, while making productive use of the acid inside spent car batteries, which is normally neutralised and discarded.

“The discovery was almost accidental,” said Professor Erwin Reisner from Cambridge’s Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, who led the research. “We used to think acid was completely off limits in these solar-powered systems, because it would simply dissolve everything. But our catalyst developed didn’t – and suddenly a whole new world of reactions opened up.”

“Acids have long been used to break plastics apart, but we never had a cheap and scalable photocatalyst that could withstand them,” said lead author Kay Kwarteng, a PhD candidate in Reisner’s research group, who developed the photocatalyst. “Once we solved that problem, the advantages of this type of system became obvious.”

The method developed by Kwarteng, Reisner and their colleagues first treats waste plastics with the car battery waste acid, breaking the long polymer chains into chemical building blocks such as ethylene glycol, which the photocatalyst then converts into hydrogen and acetic acid (the main ingredient in vinegar) when exposed to sunlight.

In laboratory tests, the reactor generated high hydrogen yields and produced acetic acid with high selectivity. It also ran for more than 260 hours without any loss in performance.

The approach works for multiple types of plastic waste, even those that are currently tough to recycle, such as nylon and polyurethane. This offers a real advancement to current upcycling technologies that do not cover plastics beyond PET.

The approach works not just with new, laboratory-grade acid, but with the acid recovered from car batteries. These batteries contain between 20-40% acid by volume, and are replaced worldwide in huge numbers every year. The lead in these batteries is typically extracted for resale, but the acid creates extra waste once it is safely neutralised.

“It’s an untapped resource,” said Kwarteng. “If we can collect the acid before it’s neutralised, we can use it again and again to break down plastics: it’s a real win-win, avoiding the environmental cost of neutralising the acid, while putting it to work generating clean hydrogen.”

The researchers say their method offers a potential order‑of‑magnitude cost reduction compared with other photoreforming approaches, largely because the acid enables increased hydrogen production rates and can be reused rather than consumed or wasted.

Kwarteng says that although challenges remain – such as ensuring reactors can withstand corrosive conditions – the fundamental chemistry is sound. “These acids are already handled safely in industry,” he said. “The question now is engineering: how do we build reactors that can run continuously and handle real‑world waste?”

The researchers say that their approach won’t replace conventional recycling, but it could complement it by handling contaminated or mixed plastics that currently have no viable route to reuse.

“We’re not promising to fix the global plastics problem,” said Reisner. “But this shows how waste can become a resource. The fact we can create value from plastic waste using sunlight and discarded battery acid makes this a really promising process.”

The team plans to commercialise this process with the support of Cambridge Enterprise, the University’s innovation arm, and with a UKRI Impact Acceleration Account. The research was supported in part by the Cambridge Trust, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Leverhulme Trust, the Isaac Newton Trust, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Erwin Reisner is a Fellow of St John’s College, Cambridge. Kay Kwarteng is a Member of Churchill College, Cambridge.

Reference:
Papa K. Kwarteng et al. ‘Solar Reforming of Plastics using Acid-catalyzed Depolymerization.’ Joule (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.joule.2026.102347

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Cambridge Men’s Blue Boat has won The Boat Race for the fourth time in a row.

More than 200,000 spectators lined the banks of the Thames in London on Easter Saturday as Oxford and Cambridge met in the 2026 chapter of nearly 200 years of competition.

Conditions were expected to be challenging, with a south-westerly wind causing choppy conditions, and so it proved – particularly towards the end of the course.

In the Men’s race, Oxford won the toss and selected arguably the most advantageous side of the river, the Surrey station. But it was in fact Cambridge who took the advantage, getting off to a strong start. Despite strong challenges from the Dark Blues in the first two thirds of the race, the Light Blues pulled clear in the final third, claiming victory by 11.02 seconds for a seventh win in eight years.

The result meant that it is the fourth time Cambridge Men’s President Noam Mouelle (Hughes Hall), has won the Boat Race, the first Cambridge man to win four consecutive Boat Races in the 21st century and the first since Christopher Baillieu MBE in 1970, 71, 72, 73. Interestingly, both rowed in the 2 seat.

He said: “This was the most difficult race we’ve had in years.

“In these conditions we knew we had to get the job done early on in the race, which we did, but Oxford put some very good pushes in and made it as hard as possible so props to them for that.

“At the moment my main feeling is one of relief! We didn’t make any mistakes in such rough water and now I’m just going to relax and enjoy the moment. Tonight we’ll have a great dinner then take a step back and reflect on what we have achieved.”

Cox Sammy Houdaigui (Fitzwilliam) said: “We talked a lot before the race about what that first half would look like.

“Given that we were on the Middlesex [station], and given the way the race was playing out – and knowing the conditions were going to get biblical in the second half – we really wanted to make sure we had a margin and that we could be in the water we wanted to be in the second half and not be forced to stay wide into the rougher water.

“Oxford were leaning fairly hard on us in the first quarter but at a certain point, with the conditions we had, I had to put the bow ball where it needed to be for these guys to drive us out and ahead. There were some risky moments in that of course, but I had complete confidence in the crew to come out on top. It just feels fantastic.”

Earlier in the afternoon Cambridge Women’s President Gemma King (St John’s) had won the toss and selected the Surrey station. But Oxford made a strong start to the race in the tricky conditions.

Cambridge’s Women’s Blue Boat cox Matt Moran (Emmanuel), who had honed his skills on the Tideway while a member of Thames Rowing Club, tried everything to bridge the gap, but Oxford managed to hold onto their lead.

It was better news for the reserve crews, with both the women’s boat Blondie and the men’s boat Goldie winning their respective races. Blondie won by nine lengths and Goldie won by a massive margin of 58 seconds.

And on Friday both the Women and Men’s Lightweight Crews won their respective races and also both the Women’s and Men’s Veterans Crews won their races.

University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice said: “It was brilliant. It was rough out there on the water, it was really crazy in the middle of the course, and I’m so impressed with what both sides did.

“It’s delightful that Cambridge have won the Men’s race again, as well as both reserve races. The women in the Blue Boat rowed well, it was a tough course, they did everything they could to win. They rowed with real heart and we are proud of them.”

Today’s results mean the records currently stand as 49-31 in the favour of Cambridge Women and 89-81 in the favour of Cambridge Men.

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source: cam.ac.uk

Cambridge University Cricket Club (CUCC) has begun its 2026 tour in Mumbai, marking the club’s first visit to India in approximately 15 years and continuing a long-standing cricketing relationship between Cambridge and India dating back to the late 19th century. 

The tour forms part of a broader programme of engagement between the University of Cambridge and India, following the announcement earlier this year of new initiatives to strengthen academic, research and cultural ties between the two. 

CUCC travelled to Mumbai on 28 March and will play a series of fixtures against local sides and institutions, including the Cricket Club of India, Bombay Gymkhana, Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and the Dilip Vengsarkar Cricket Academy.

The opening match of the tour, a 45-over fixture against MCA Under-23s, took place at Parsee Gymkhana.

Match result

MCA U23s win by three wickets

Match summary

CUCC Men’s Captain Stan Norman writes:

Thrown straight into conditions unlike anything back home, the Men’s Blues squad faced 30-degree heat and a demanding outfield on their first day of competitive cricket. Having lost the toss and been asked to bat, the Blues posted 179 all out, with Johnny Kershaw the standout performer: his 67 off 51 balls, including five towering sixes, showed a fine ability to read and attack the local spinners. The total proved a fighting one in difficult conditions.

MCA began their chase at a rapid pace, but the Cambridge spinners grew into the game, with Simpson, Mahesh and Rajkumar taking regular wickets to drag the contest back. Excellent fielding across a tricky outfield kept the pressure on, though MCA ultimately sealed victory by three wickets. There were plenty of positives to take, not least a much clearer understanding of subcontinental conditions ahead of the remaining fixtures. The evening brought a fittingly memorable close to the day, with the squad attending a drinks reception hosted by the British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India, Harjinder Kang.

The tour itinerary includes a mix of T20, 40-over and 50-over matches across venues in Mumbai, alongside training sessions and engagement activities. Fixtures include games at the Cricket Club of India and at MIG Bandra and Bombay Gymkhana. 

Off the field, the squad will visit the International Institute of Sports & Management for an orientation session and also attend an Indian Premier League match at Wankhede Stadium. 

The tour is supported by CUCC sponsor JMAN Group and organised in India by Cutting Edge. 

Cambridge University Cricket Club, founded in 1820, is the University’s oldest Blues sport and has been based at Fenner’s Cricket Ground since 1848. The club has produced 62 Test players and 21 Test captains and today comprises more than 1,000 members across men’s and women’s squads. 

The India tour precedes the annual Varsity Matches against Oxford University Cricket Club, which will take place at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London in May. 

This tour also builds on the University’s renewed engagement with India, following the announcement in January of a series of initiatives to strengthen academic and cultural partnerships, including the launch of the Cambridge-India Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS) with a focus on innovation, research and learning. 

The Cambridge-India CAS establishes a bridge between the University of Cambridge, globally renowned as a leader in science and technology, and India’s rapidly evolving knowledge economy. The Centre, operating as a hub for the University’s presence in India, will serve as a catalyst for intellectual exchange, policy influence, and societal impact. 

In addition, the University will broaden undergraduate entry pathways for top students educated in India. The Indian CBSE Class XII qualification will now be accepted by the University for some undergraduate courses, alongside additional requirements where appropriate.  The University is also exploring new philanthropic opportunities for the funding of scholarships for India’s most talented students. 

Cambridge has also established a Section 8 company in India, the Cambridge India Research Foundation, which enables members of the public, Cambridge alumni, and friends of the University in India to provide funds for bursaries, fees and other expenses incurred by Indian students studying in Cambridge, as well as supporting research partnerships. See the Foundation’s web pages for further information.

Speaking at the time, Vice-Chancellor Deborah Prentice said: “I am delighted to build on the strong and deep links between Cambridge University and India. The Cambridge-India CAS is an exciting opportunity to form collaborations with the best researchers and innovators in India and strengthen ties with such a rapidly growing knowledge economy. And our best cricketers are looking forward to testing their skills against their Indian counterparts.” 

The new Cambridge-India CAS Centre will provide a hub for the University’s activities in India, and will feature three integrated elements which align strongly with the UK Government’s recently announced International Education Strategy:

• Centre for Advanced Research and Synthesis: a research institute, hosting programmes co-convened by Cambridge and Indian research leads  
• Knowledge-Policy-Innovation Hub: addressing issues of knowledge transfer and impact by creating an incubation space for academics, innovators, entrepreneurs and decision makers
• The Learning Hub: providing learning opportunities, scholarships and mobility programmes for students and staff

Cambridge-India CAS will act as an ‘umbrella’ for a range of programmes, building on the many bilateral partnerships between the University and India over recent decades. Working with partners, the Centre will act as a framework for a portfolio of activity across the whole of India without the limits of a specific physical presence. It will be multi-sited, and multi-dimensional. 

One of the first initiatives under the Learning Hub was announced in January, with the establishment of a Real Estate educational programme by P E Analytics Ltd, with technical assistance and curriculum support from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Land Economy, working towards the creation of the first School of Real Estate in India. Senior members of the University also attended the India Global Education Summit in Chennai on 28-29 January. 

These announcements, alongside Cambridge University Cricket Club’s tour, reflects the shared ambition to deepen collaboration between Cambridge and India across research, education, sport and wider exchange. 

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Scientists have created the most detailed map to date, comprised of over 3 million cells, showing how breast tissue changes as women age – including dramatic changes during menopause.

Our map revealed that as women age, their breast tissue goes through major changes, with the most dramatic changes occurring at menopausePulkit Gupta

The map reveals how, as women age, the number of cells in their breast tissue decreases, and these in turn proliferate less, and the structure of breast tissue changes. This creates a ‘micro-environment’ in which cancer cells can thrive.

Details of the study, led by scientists at the Universities of Cambridge and British Columbia, are published today in Nature Aging.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. It accounts for 15% of all new cancer cases, with four out of five cases occurring in women over 50. As many as one in seven women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

Pulkit Gupta from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute at the University of Cambridge, joint first author, said: “Even though breast cancer affects well over two million women worldwide, we understand very little about why and when it occurs. As cells divide and replicate, they accumulate mutations that can drive cancer, but why is it that the body can get rid of these mutated cells when we’re younger, but struggles later in life?”

The team used advanced imaging techniques to analyse breast tissue from more than 500 women aged 15 to 86 years old. The tissue included biopsies taken from women for non-cancer-related reasons.

Combining these images with details of the hormone receptors and immune cells present, as well as the tissue architecture, the researchers were able to map how breast tissue changes over time in unprecedented detail. Their findings point to reasons why breast cancer risk increases with age and why tumours in younger women differ biologically.

Gupta added: “Our map revealed that as women age, their breast tissue goes through major changes, with the most dramatic changes occurring at menopause. There are changes, too, during their twenties, possibly linked to pregnancy and childbirth, but these are far less pronounced.”

The map revealed that all types of cells become fewer in number and divide far less often. Milk-producing structures known as lobules shrink or disappear, while the ducts that that carry milk become relatively more common, with the supporting layer around them becoming thicker. Fat cells increase while blood vessels decrease.

Meanwhile, changes occur in the immune environment. Younger breasts have more B cells and active T cells, which helps them identify and kill cancer cells. As tissue ages, these types of cells decline in number, replaced by other types of immune cell that indicate a more inflammatory and potentially less protective immune environment.

Co-senior author Dr Raza Ali from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute at the University of Cambridge said: “We don’t know for certain why the types of immune cell change. We can speculate that one reason may be because breast milk contains a high concentration of immunoglobulins, probably to help build the infant’s immunity, and these are produced by B cells.”

At the same time, the cells begin to interact with each other less. Immune cells and stromal cells (those that create a tissue ‘scaffold’) become physically further away from epithelial cells (specialised cells that line the mammary ducts and lobules, forming a structure responsible for milk production and transport). This may make it easier for pre-cancerous cells to escape control.

Co-senior author Professor Samuel Aparicio from BC Cancer, University of British Columbia, Canada, said: “We’ve previously seen that age dependent changes in oestrogen activity occur strongly in milk secreting cells of the breast and now we can see the surprising extent of changes in all cell types, including the immune system, with age. We are now seeking to understand the relationship between changes in immune cells and surveillance of early mutations that can arise in milk secreting cells over time.”

Dr Ali added: “It isn’t surprising that we should see fewer epithelial cells, as these play a role in producing breast milk, something that becomes less important with age, but the sheer scale of changes across the breast surprised us.

“What is clear from our map is that all of these changes create an environment where cancer cells that emerge naturally find it easier with age take hold and spread.”

The research was supported by Cancer Research UK.

Reference

Gupta, P et al. Single-cell spatial atlas of the aging human breast. Nature Aging; DATE; DOI: 10.1038/s43587-026-01104-3

Image

The image visualises multiscale spatial remodelling of the ageing human breast, with a branching ductal network embedded within a dense, cell-rich microenvironment that progressively gives way to fat-rich tissue with age. Faint spatial network lines evoke the underlying cell-neighbourhood structure revealed by spatial proteomics.

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Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital

The University of Cambridge and Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) are fundraising for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, where detecting cancer at its earliest stages will be a key goal. Set to be built on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, the hospital will bring together clinical excellence from Addenbrooke’s Hospital and world-leading researchers at the University of Cambridge. The research that takes place there promises to change the lives of cancer patients across the UK and beyond. Find out more about the Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital.

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Everyday financial anxieties and frustration with low-quality work – rather than immigration alone – helped populist politics explode across Europe from the mid-2010s, according to a new book that analyses data from over 75,000 voters.

The data suggest that populist support is rooted in everyday insecurities that affect the lower-middle classes as much as the so-called left behindLorenza Antonucci

While immigration is often blamed for the rise of populism, it was cost of living and male job dissatisfaction that played a major role in the European surge in support for populist politics a decade ago, according to a University of Cambridge social scientist.

Research by Dr Lorenza Antonucci and her team used data from over 75,000 people across ten countries between 2015 and 2018, when the populist wave crashed across Europe: from the UK’s ‘Brexit’ and Poland’s PiS taking power to the AfD entering the Bundestag.^*

Much handwringing has focused on ‘left-behind outsiders’ driving European populism. However, Antonucci’s findings, published in the new book ‘Insecurity Politics’, show that working people increasingly stressed by money worries and disillusioned with their jobs became far more likely to back populist parties.

For people across Europe, feelings of financial insecurity regardless of income – from anxiety over bills to an inability to cover unexpected costs – emerged as by far the strongest predictor of an anti-elite outlook, and of voting for populist parties on both the right and left.

In fact, Antonucci’s research shows that in 2018, scoring above average for worrying about finances increased the chances of voting populist by 17-20 percentage points in Germany, France and Sweden, compared to those who felt more financially secure.^**

In the same year, the link between money worries and voting increased populist support in Italy, Spain and the Netherlands by between 4-10 percentage points. 

The research also shows that an overall disillusionment with quality of work was linked to voting populist in most of the large European nations, by up to 12 percentage points.

Antonucci points out that, at the time, the two leading parties in several of these countries were only separated by around ten percent of the vote.

“The political party system is extremely fragmented, and most national elections are won by much smaller swings than some of the effects money worries had on votes for radical parties at the height of Europe’s populist wave,” said Antonucci, from Cambridge’s Department of Sociology.

“The cost-of-living crisis is viewed as a post-pandemic shock, but it runs much deeper across Europe in the years following the banking bailout. The data suggest that populist support is rooted in everyday insecurities that affect the lower-middle classes as much as the so-called left behind.”

“Even for people with stable jobs, many workers feel like they are fighting a losing battle against job intensification, work pressure, declining wages, and a loss of control over how they do their job,” said Antonucci, who calls this the hidden face of work-based insecurity.

A further study featured in the book reveals a gender split in the way work quality affects populist support. Antonucci and her team compared data from almost 21,000 statistically matched pairs of workers across 23 European countries between 2015 and 2018, to investigate how working conditions related to voting intentions.^***

For men, being in a high-pressure job – working at speed to tight deadlines – increases the probability of voting for radical right-wing parties from 14% to 18%.

However, men who felt they were underpaid, lacked career prospects and received little in the way of recognition had an even greater likelihood of voting radical right, with probability shifting from 12% to almost 20% when job dissatisfaction is high.

For men, this workplace disillusionment was a far better predictor of populist voting than a fear of redundancy, which made little difference to populist support.

“Work insecurity is about job quality, not just unemployment,” said Antonucci. “People feel rising pressures and a lack of autonomy, along with limited prospects and a poor work-life balance. For many men, this is about loss of status in society connected to how they are treated at work.”

For women, feelings of economic strain rather than working conditions swayed them towards populism. The probability of voting for populist parties on both left and right rose from 18% to 25% for women who reported difficulties living on their income.

Antonucci argues that this age of financial precarity is compounded by the agendas of big political parties, which push policies that condition citizens to believe individual competition at school and work is the basis of a good life, while moving away from the idea that people also need security to function in society.

“Europe’s mainstream parties have abandoned much of the traditional political ground on security, family and social safety nets, focusing instead on enhancing competitiveness through deregulation, hire-and-fire flexibility, and offering more targeted benefits. This has made our societies more economically competitive, but less socially secure.”

In the book, Antonucci analyses political party manifestos across Europe in the first two decades of this century, showing that populists stepped into this political vacuum by pushing stories of “security”: whether pro-state redistribution on the left, or nativist national solidarity and ‘support for our own’ on the right.

“Populist parties exploited the gap by offering simple answers to insecurity. On the right, that meant claiming voters were losing out to migrants in the competition for jobs, welfare and resources. These parties offer security through welfare chauvinism and a return to the role of the family as provider,” said Antonucci.

“Financial insecurity and disillusionment with poor-quality jobs are at the heart of Europe’s populist boom. Hostility towards migrants resonates because money worries and status anxiety are widespread and anti-migration feelings are an easy way to channel frustrations that people have about their lives.”

_{* The 10 European countries are Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden. Minimum 2,500 respondents per country, including 1,000+ employed respondents per country.}

_{** The researchers divided respondents into four groups based on how financially insecure they felt, from the most secure quarter to the most insecure quarter. Comparing someone in the relatively secure first quarter with someone in the more insecure third quarter was associated with a 17-20 percentage point jump in the likelihood of voting populist in Germany, France and Sweden.}

 _{*** The research combined two major European surveys: the European Social Survey (ESS) and the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS). Statistical matching algorithms paired each person in the ESS with a near identical worker in the EWCS, using shared features like age, country, occupation and contract type. Various statistical methods were then used to validate the new dataset and ensure variations had been preserved.}

_{For the purposes of the research, populism is defined as an ideology that divides society into antagonistic groups, and calls for politics to follow the ‘will of the people’. The research also used PopuList: a scholarly database of European populist parties.}

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Over 1,200 KS2 and KS3 pupils from across the region and beyond flocked to the Cambridge West site to experience studying at the University of Cambridge with a selection of lectures and workshops held as part of the Cambridge Festival.

Running over two days (24 and 26 March), students attended talks held in the Ray Dolby Centre and explored the multiverse with Dr Matthew Bothwell, a maths workshop delivered by NRICH and explored Must Farm with Department of Archaeology and the Cambridge Archaeological Unit. 

Workshops held in the Department of Computer Science and Technology allowed students to get hands on with mini robots while sessions at the Department of Material Sciences and Metallurgy found out what happens when you freeze a squash ball with liquid nitrogen in sessions exploring the science of temperature, structure and materials. 

The Cambridge University Vet School gave students the opportunity see what a career as a vet could involve by getting hands-on with animal x-rays, discovered how each professional works together to treat animals as well as meeting some of the school’s cows and horses to learn how veterinarians diagnose and treat these large animals. 

Students investigated physics in workshops held by the outreach team at the Department of Physics as well as discovering coding with Raspberry Pi, understanding the human body and the history of medicine with the Whipple Museum, learning how to disagree well with Dr Elizabeth Phillips from The Woolf Institute, how to get creative through a poetry workshop and how antibodies save lives. 

We were delighted to welcome KS2 pupils from Cheveley Primary School, Hope Street School, Kettlefields Primary, St Andrews Primary, Meldreth Primary School, St Anthonys Prep, Mayfield Primary, Stephen Perse, William Westley Primary School, Wetheringsett Manor, Isle of Ely Primary School, Holme Court School, St Laurence Catholic Primary School, and the University of Cambridge Primary School. 

Our group of KS3 pupils came from Hope Street School, Marshland High School near King’s Lynn, Thomas Clarkson Academy from Wisbech, Wetheringsett Manor, Lymm High School from Warrington, Rickmansworth School, Impington Village College, Ipswich High School, The Duston School from Northampton, Charter School North Dulwich, Heritage School Cambridge, Ballard School from Hampshire and The Harleston Sancroft Academy from Norfolk. 

We are also delighted that we have a growing number of homeschool pupils joining us on both days. One parent said: “”I want to thank you for all your time and support to help my son to attend activities on both days. It was fantastic and he has learned a lot and actively interacted with the academics and children he met. Now he likes science even more!” 

Another said: “Just wanted to say how much we enjoyed the festival yesterday- organisation, the quality of presentations, communication. Thank you!” 

Now in their fourth year, the Cambridge Festival schools days are offering students the opportunity to experience studying at Cambridge with a series of curriculum linked talks and hands on workshops.    

The Cambridge Festival runs from 16 March – 2 April and is a mixture of online, on-demand and in-person events covering all aspects of the world-leading research happening at Cambridge. The public have the chance to meet some of the researchers and thought-leaders working in some of the pioneering fields that will impact us all.

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An additional 13 subjects are ranked in the top three worldwide.

The University of Cambridge ranks number one globally for both Archaeology and English Language and Literature in the 2026 QS World University Subject Rankings. The rankings are compiled annually to help prospective students identify the world’s leading universities in specific subjects.

More than 1900 institutions worldwide are reviewed. Cambridge secured second place in ranked subjects Anatomy and Physiology, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Modern Languages, and Psychology. The University was also ranked third in Anthropology, Arts and Humanities, Earth and Marine Sciences, Geography, History, Law, Linguistics, and Maths.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice said: “It is with immense pride to hear that Cambridge continues to rank so highly for the study of multiple disciplines again this year. These outstanding results reflect our exceptional success, particularly in Archaeology and in English Language and Literature which ranked top globally. The dedication and hard work of colleagues across the university continues to ensure that Cambridge is a world-leading institution committed to excellence in education and research.”

Archaeology:

Speaking about the outstanding achievement of first place, the Head of the Archaeology Department, Professor Cameron Petrie, said: “We are delighted that Cambridge has topped the list of University rankings for Archaeology again in the QS World University Rankings. We are extremely proud of our achievements in recent times, notably international awards for research projects and unexpected discoveries during our student training excavation. We are committed to transforming our understanding of the past through world-leading research and teaching.”

Last year’s Wandlebury Hillfort excavation uncovered a remarkable 9th-century mass grave, including a 6ft 5in man with a trepanned skull. Archaeology also received major awards – Chris Evans, former Director of the Cambridge Archaeological Unit, with an MA honoris causa, and Professor Broobank’s team won at the Shanghai World Archaeology Forum. The department also launched an open-access portal for historic Survey of India maps from the Mapping Archaeological Heritage in South Asia Project. 

English:

English Faculty Chair, Professor Alex da Costa, said of the preeminent ranking: “It is a pleasure to see the English Faculty recognised as world-leading for the study of Anglophone Literature. It is testimony to the excellent work of our entire community, especially the globally influential research and inspirational teaching of my colleagues. The Faculty is committed to demonstrating the central place of literary study in understanding cultural, intellectual and political life across time and meeting the challenges of today.”

This year alone, the English Faculty’s influence was highlighted when alumna Dame Pippa Harris produced Hamnet, which won a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama (among many other awards). The Faculty’s commitment to teaching excellence was further demonstrated by Professor Orietta Da Rold becoming the tenth member of the Faculty to be awarded a Pilkington Prize.

About QS:

The QS World University Rankings features 55 subjects grouped into five broad faculty areas: Arts and Humanities, Engineering and Technology, Life Sciences and Medicine, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences and Management.

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As prices rise and the UK Government considers energy bill help once again, a new study warns that the country’s approach to energy support is structurally geared towards short-term crisis response rather than long-term solutions.

Support often arrives too late and mostly functions as a stopgapMinna Sunikka-Blank

A Cambridge-led study, published in Environmental Policy and Governance, traces the evolution of British energy policy support since World War II up to reforms announced in 2025. It highlights a clear shift away from broad-based and preventive approaches, such as large-scale energy efficiency programmes, towards narrowly targeted measures that compensate households only after energy costs increase.

“The key question is not just who receives support, but why policy so often reacts rather than prevents,” says Tijn Croon, a Visiting Fellow at Cambridge’s Department of Architecture from TU Delft. “We find that this is not accidental: it reflects deeper political and institutional dynamics that consistently favour short-term, visible interventions over long-term investment.”

Recent decades reveal a recurring pattern, the researchers argue. During crises, governments introduce broad, often universal support and promise large-scale green investment, but this is typically short-lived. As pressures ease, policy shifts back towards narrowly targeted schemes, largely delivered through energy supplier obligations, leaving many households outside support despite ongoing energy affordability challenges.

The study suggests that this pattern is driven by political economy factors. Preventive policies such as home insulation require upfront investment and deliver benefits over longer time horizons, making them less attractive within short electoral cycles. In contrast, compensatory measures like energy bill support provide immediate, visible relief.

“What we see is a system that increasingly responds to crises rather than reducing vulnerability in advance,” says Minna Sunikka-Blank, Professor of Architecture and Environmental Policy at Cambridge and a Fellow of Churchill College. “This means support often arrives too late and mostly functions as a stopgap.”

The study points out that in the 1970s and 1980s, the UK was a global leader in energy efficiency, launching the world’s first dedicated Energy Efficiency Office, nationwide awareness campaigns, and coordinated government support for households and industry. In stark contrast, it argues, the UK today “is one of the few high-income European countries without a comprehensive, universally accessible scheme for retrofitting grants or loans that goes beyond heating system replacement.

“Instead, it relies on a fragmented patchwork of policies, mostly financed through consumer levies and limited to low-income households, despite an ageing and relatively inefficient housing stock and the pressing challenges of climate change and the cost-of-living crisis.”

Dr Ray Galvin, from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) says: “Without stronger investment in preventive measures like energy efficiency, on-site renewables, and low-carbon heating systems, governments risk repeatedly facing the same affordability crises. Short-term relief may be necessary, but it cannot substitute for structural solutions.”

The findings are particularly relevant in the current context of rising energy prices, where governments once again face pressure to intervene quickly. The authors warn that relying primarily on compensation risks entrenching a recurring cycle of crisis response.

While recent government commitments, such as the expansion of the Warm Homes Programme, signal a renewed focus on energy efficiency, the study argues that current plans remain insufficient in scale and ambition to fundamentally shift this trajectory.

To break this pattern, the authors call for a rethinking of how energy policy is evaluated and funded. They also suggest that framing energy affordability as a social right, such as a right to a warm and comfortable home, could help anchor more long-term policy approaches.

Reference

T M Croon, M G Elsinga, J S C M Hoekstra, M Sunikka-Blank, R Galvin, ‘For the Few, Not the Many: Tracing the Residualist and Compensatory Nature of British Energy Support’, Environmental Policy and Governance (2026). DOI: 10.1002/eet.70067

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A new report finds that class and gender inequalities in the UK’s creative industries are linked to students’ experiences at school, where ‘educational hierarchies’ steer them away from subjects like art, music and drama.

[T]he patterns that develop throughout students’ educational careers are more likely to perpetuate inequalities in the creative industriesSonia Ilie

Schools, families and social pressures are channelling young people – especially girls and poorer students – away from studying creative subjects because they are considered low-status or financially ‘risky’, a report says.

The University of Cambridge study argues that the underrepresentation of women and people from lower-income backgrounds in the creative industries reflects a “narrowing pathway” that begins at school, and steers students away from subjects like art, music and drama as their education progresses.

The study, funded by the social and economic well-being charity, the Nuffield Foundation, used the educational records of 1.7 million students in England, longitudinal data about 7,200 young people’s progress into work, and interviews and surveys with people studying and working in creative fields.

Although almost half of 14-year-olds said they enjoyed creative subjects, just one in 25 was working in a creative occupation by their early 30s. In between, the study found that participation drops at every stage: at GCSE, post-16 and in higher education. The fall-off is especially steep among poorer students and girls, with girls from lower-income backgrounds facing a ‘double disadvantage’.

The report is particularly critical of underlying educational ‘hierarchies’ – the low status of both creative subjects, and of creative qualifications from further education (FE) colleges.

Professor Sonia Ilie, from Cambridge’s Faculty of Education, said: “If you have a university degree in a creative subject, you are much more likely to end up in a creative career. Young people from low-income families, however, and especially girls, are less likely to reach the point where studying for a creative degree is even an option.”

“That reflects wider societal structures, inequalities, cultural messaging and pressure on schools to deliver academic results. We need a more thoughtful conversation about the value of creative subjects – and frankly about the snobbery that still surrounds certain qualifications.”

While class inequalities in the creative sector have been raised in previous reports, the Cambridge study explored the problem’s underlying educational dynamics. The researchers mapped young people’s trajectories into and out of creative subjects such as art, dance, design, drama, media studies, music and photography; among others.

The longitudinal data showed that 42% of 14-year-olds indicated a preference for a creative subject, with girls more likely to do so than boys. This, however, did not translate into sustained study as they advanced through the education system.

Using the large-scale data from educational records, the study found that at age 16, 24.7% of students had made a creative subject choice. This proportion then fell to 16.9% post-16, and further, to 12.2%, at university. Only 3.8% of students who reached higher education had made creative subject choices at every possible stage.

Students eligible for free school meals (FSM) – a proxy for those from less wealthy backgrounds – were more likely than their peers to choose creative subjects at GCSE, but less likely to do so after 16. Girls were more likely than boys to choose creative subjects into post-16 education, but at university, the pattern reversed, with thousands of young women leaving the creative pathway before higher education.

The report describes a “push-pull” dynamic behind these trends. While many young people enjoy creative subjects – and some schools, colleges and universities offer substantial tailored support – they are often urged to prioritise “academic” subjects and advised that creative careers will involve greater financial risk.

Study participants said that teachers, family and friends had discouraged them from creative study. This does not reflect statutory guidance for schools, the report notes, but “seems to reflect cultural hierarchies that devalue creative work”.

Students from less wealthy families may also lack the resources to pursue creative interests, or the networks to break into the creative industries. Many cannot afford the unpaid internships or portfolio-building opportunities that often represent the first step in a creative career. At the same time, the report acknowledges the challenging reality of creative work: study participants often described this as hard and precarious – if artistically rewarding.

The report also highlights the often-underestimated role of FE colleges in creative education. It describes a “bifurcated system” in which hands-on creative education is concentrated in FE, but few FE students have the same employment opportunities as their university-educated peers. The mismatch means that disadvantaged students may face barriers to furthering their creative careers despite thriving in FE.

The study calls for a clearer post-16 framework to help students navigate the range of creative qualifications available in FE, and for universities and employers to recognise and value further education more. Ilie suggested that the Government’s newly announced vocational V-levels could help to make the system more navigable.

“The FE offer we saw in our study is clearly on a par with so-called ‘academic’ routes and is producing amazing students who could succeed in creative degrees and jobs,” Professor Pamela Burnard, co-lead on the study, said. “Equally, just because university is not a preferred route for some should not mean that they cannot access future employment.”

The report urges a system-wide rethink of how creative talent is supported. The authors argue for schools and policymakers to challenge the hierarchies that prize academic routes over creative options, and to provide students with clear, but also realistic, advice about how to pursue creative employment that can often be precarious. They also call for targeted initiatives to support creative education among girls, low-income students and those in deprived areas.

“If things stay as they are, the patterns that develop throughout students’ educational careers are more likely to perpetuate inequalities in the creative industries, rather than disrupt them,” Ilie added.

Dr Emily Tanner, Education Programme Head at the Nuffield Foundation said: “With creative industries identified as among the highest-potential sectors in the UK’s Industrial Strategy, this research is timely. It shows that ensuring equitable access to opportunities will require concerted action to remove barriers for girls and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

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Researchers have developed a new kind of nanoelectronic device that could dramatically cut the energy consumed by artificial intelligence hardware by mimicking the human brain.

The researchers, led by the University of Cambridge, developed a form of hafnium oxide that acts as a highly stable, low‑energy ‘memristor’ — a component designed to mimic the efficient way neurons are connected in the brain. The results are reported in the journal Science Advances.

Current AI systems rely on conventional computer chips that shuttle data back and forth between memory and processing units. This constant movement consumes large amounts of electricity, and global demand is exploding as AI adoption expands across industries.

Brain-inspired, or neuromorphic, computing is an alternative way to process information that could reduce energy use by as much as 70% by storing and processing information in the same place, and doing so with extremely low power. Such a system would also be far more adaptable, in the same way our own brains are able to learn and adapt.

“Energy consumption is one of the key challenges in current AI hardware,” said lead author Dr Babak Bakhit, from Cambridge’s Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy. “To address that, you need devices with extremely low currents, excellent stability, outstanding uniformity across switching cycles and devices, and the ability to switch between many distinct states.”

Most existing memristors rely on the formation of tiny conductive filaments inside metal oxide material. But these filaments behave unpredictably and typically require high forming and operating voltages, limiting their usefulness in large-scale data storage and computing systems.

The Cambridge team instead created a new type of hafnium-based thin film that switches states in a completely different way. By adding strontium and titanium and growing the film using a two‑step method, the researchers were able to form tiny electronic gates, or ‘p-n junctions’, inside the oxide where the layers meet. This allows the device to change its resistance smoothly by shifting the height of an energy barrier at the interface, rather than by growing or rupturing the filaments.

Bakhit, who is also affiliated with Cambridge’s Department of Engineering, said this mechanism overcomes one of the biggest challenges in developing memristor technology. “Filamentary devices suffer from random behaviour,” he said. “But because our devices switch at the interface, they show outstanding uniformity from cycle to cycle and from device to device.”

Using the hafnium-based devices, the researchers achieved switching currents about a million times lower than those of some conventional oxide-based devices. The memristors also produced hundreds of distinct, stable conductance levels, a key requirement for analogue ‘in-memory’ computing.

Laboratory tests showed the devices could reliably endure tens of thousands of switching cycles and store their programmed states for around a day. They also reproduced fundamental learning rules observed in biology, such as spike-timing dependent plasticity: the mechanism by which neurons strengthen or weaken their connections depending on when signals arrive.

“These are the properties you need if you want hardware that can learn and adapt, rather than just store bits,” said Bakhit.

However, there are still some challenges to overcome. The current fabrication process requires temperatures of around 700°C — higher than standard semiconductor manufacturing tolerances. “This is currently the main challenge in our device fabrication process,” said Bakhit. “But we’re now working on ways to bring the temperature down to make it more compatible with standard industry processes.”

Despite this, he believes the technology could ultimately be integrated into chip-scale systems. “If we can reduce the temperature and put these devices onto a chip, it would be a major step forward,” he said.

Bakhit, a materials physicist, said the breakthrough followed several years of unsuccessful experiments. The turning point came late last year when he tried a twist on the two‑stage deposition method, adding oxygen only after the first layer had been grown.

“I spent almost three years on this,” he said. “There were a huge number of failures. But at the end of November, we saw the first really good results. It’s still early days of course, but if we can solve the temperature issue, this technology could be game-changing because the energy consumption is so much lower and at the same time, the device performance is highly promising.”

The research was supported in part by the Swedish Research Council (VR), the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Society, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). A patent application has been filed by Cambridge Enterprise, the University’s innovation arm.

Reference:
Babak Bakhit et al. ‘HfO2-based memristive synapses with asymmetrically extended p-n heterointerfaces for highly energy-efficient neuromorphic hardware.’ Science Advances (2026). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aec2324

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Published by Cambridge Industrial Innovation Policy, based at the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), the UK Innovation Report offers a detailed analysis of the UK’s innovation landscape, assessing the performance of key industrial sectors compared to global competitors.

The UK is one of the world’s leading innovation economies. It ranks fourth globally for scientific publications (behind only China, the USA, and India) and sits among the top countries for high-impact research and patents in critical technologies. It has also built one of the strongest startup ecosystems outside the United States. 

The latest UK Innovation Report finds that while the UK excels in research and early-stage innovation, it underperforms on innovation outcomes such as high-technology exports, technology scale-up, and global industrial market share.   

As the UK Government implements its national Industrial Strategy, the report provides new evidence on the UK’s innovation and industrial performance. The report highlights that competitiveness – measured at sector level through value-added, export performance, employment and global position – should become the central benchmark for success.  

A central feature of this year’s report is a deep-dive sectoral analysis of the Electronics and Electrical Equipment sectors. Recognised as Advanced Manufacturing sectors under the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, these sectors sit at the heart of electrification and the net-zero transition.  

On Thursday 19 March, policymakers, industry leaders, and experts gathered at the Institute for Government for the official launch of the Innovation Report 2026.

As the demand for stronger evidence in industrial and innovation policymaking increases, the UK Innovation Report 2026 makes a timely contribution by offering new data, analyses, and perspectives to support evidence-based policy development.

Read the report.

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Professor Grant Stewart has led the development of the first national guideline on improving the diagnosis and management of kidney cancer.

By offering more patients with a kidney lump a biopsy, clinicians can tell patients if the lesion is cancer or benign and if they need to consider a treatment like surgery, or if they can avoid these treatmentsGrant Stewart

The guideline, published today by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), promotes the gold standard approach to the management of kidney cancer across all stages of the disease.

The new recommendations aim to improve kidney cancer care across the NHS by helping healthcare professionals offer people the right treatments and support, while considering individual preferences.

Professor Grant Stewart, who co-directs the Urological Malignancies Virtual Institute at the University of Cambridge and is Director of Studies in Clinical Medicine at Selwyn College has been the clinical lead for developing the guideline on kidney cancer.

The guideline covers all stages of diagnosing and managing patients with renal cell carcinoma, the most common type of kidney cancer. It includes recommendations on imaging, biopsy, active surveillance, risk prediction, surgical and non-surgical treatments, and drug therapy.

One of the key recommendations in the guideline is to offer biopsies to more people with suspected kidney cancer. This would mean more people with a small kidney lump – which is a mass measuring 4 centimetres or less – are offered a biopsy to confirm their diagnosis.

A biopsy is when a sample of abnormal cells is collected using a needle through the skin into the tumour in the kidney during a CT or ultrasound scan. The cells are then tested to confirm whether or not the lump is cancer, or in fact benign. The results help clinicians offer the best treatment options, possibly avoiding unnecessary surgery in people with benign or low-risk tumours.

This recommendation could double the number of biopsies undertaken on suspected kidney cancer patients. The committee acknowledged that some hospitals would need to adapt their clinical pathways to offer biopsies to more patients, but that reducing unnecessary surgeries would benefit patients and save surgical costs.

Professor Stewart, who is also Consultant Urological Surgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, said: “By offering more patients with a kidney lump a biopsy, clinicians can tell patients if the lesion is cancer or benign and if they need to consider a treatment like surgery, or if they can avoid these treatments which do have some risks associated with them.”

Another important recommendation is that patients should have access to a clinical nurse specialist with training and experience in kidney cancer to provide support and information, from their initial diagnosis through their treatment and follow-up.

The committee acknowledged that more clinical nurse specialists may need to be recruited, and specialist training provided, to be able to offer this support to all kidney cancer patients.

Professor Stewart added: “Access to a clinical nurse specialist, with training and experience in kidney cancer care, will ensure that patients have a single point of contact for all the questions at any time that arise during their care journey.”

Professor Stewart has long been championing practice-changing initiatives to improve the management and outcomes of kidney cancer patients.

He has already introduced a new kidney clinic at Addenbrooke’s Hospital where patients with suspected kidney cancer receive their diagnosis on the same day, reducing the anxiety of waiting days or weeks for test results.

Professor Stewart explained: “In Cambridge, we have developed a one-stop biopsy clinic for kidney cancer, so we can biopsy more patients while reducing the time patients wait between presentation and diagnosis to half the time for the traditional multi-appointment route.”

Adapted from a story from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre

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UK ministers have appointed University of Cambridge Professor Laura Díaz Anadón to the independent statutory body which advises their governments on greenhouse gas emissions targets and reports to parliament on climate progress.

The CCC has been a pioneering institution globally and I look forward to contributingProf Laura Díaz Anadón

Professor Anadón was appointed to the Climate Change Committee (CCC) for five years by ministers of the UK and Devolved Governments.

Anadón is the Chaired Professor of Climate Change Policy at Cambridge and a leading global expert on climate and energy policy.

The CCC is an independent, statutory body established under the Climate Change Act 2008. Its purpose is to advise the UK and devolved governments on emissions targets and to report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for and adapting to the impacts of climate change.

“I am honoured to join the Climate Change Committee at this important moment for climate change mitigation,” Anadón said. “The CCC has been a pioneering institution globally and I look forward to contributing to further its role as a key provider of independent, evidence-based advice to the UK and devolved governments.”

Professor Anadón is also Director of the Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance (CEENRG) in the Department of Land Economy and a Fellow of St John’s College.

She is a founding member of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate and a lead author for both the 6th and 7th IPCC Assessment Reports prepared by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN body for assessing the science related to climate change.

The CCC is made up of two separate committees: one on mitigation (the Committee) and one on adaptation (the Adaptation Committee). The Act requires that the Committee comprises a Chair and not fewer than five but not more than eight other Members appointed by the national authorities (UK Government and the Devolved Governments).

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Small changes to aircraft flight paths to avoid the atmospheric conditions that create condensation trails – known as contrails – could reduce aviation’s global warming impact by nearly half, a new study suggests.

The study, led by researchers at the University of Cambridge, suggests that changing cruising altitude by a few thousand feet, either up or down, could prevent contrails from forming. Reducing or avoiding contrail formation in this way would also be faster and cheaper than other climate mitigation measures for the aviation industry, since the practice can be adopted with existing aircraft and fuel.

However, the researchers say that time is of the essence and that the sooner airlines adopt contrail avoidance policies, the bigger the positive climate impact will be. Their results are reported in the journal Nature Communications.

Contrails are the thin white streaks seen behind aircraft flying at high altitude, and form when hot exhaust gases mix with cold, humid air at cruising altitude. Under the right conditions, the water vapour freezes into ice crystals, forming clouds that can persist for hours.

Contrails also trap heat in the atmosphere. Aviation contributes around 2–3% of global carbon dioxide emissions, but its total climate impact is larger because of non-CO₂ effects such as contrails. Interest in contrail avoidance has grown rapidly in recent years as governments and airlines search for ways to reduce aviation’s climate impact while the sector transitions to lower-carbon fuels.

“Contrail avoidance can often be as simple as changing the flight paths,” said lead author Dr Jessie Smith, from Cambridge’s Department of Engineering. “Often it’s even simpler than that – just moving slightly to a higher or lower altitude to avoid the areas of the atmosphere where contrails form.”

Smith and her colleagues modelled how altitude adjustments for contrail avoidance could affect aviation’s overall climate footprint. They found that such a programme, phased in between 2035 and 2045, could recover around 9% of the temperature budget the world has left before breaching the Paris Agreement’s 2°C limit.

However, they also found that if no action is taken, by 2050 aviation contrails will have added around 0.054°C of warming — 36% more than the warming attributable to aviation CO₂ over the same period.

“What surprised me was how quickly the temperature saving could be made,” said Smith. “Over a decade, you can take a really big chunk of aviation’s warming impact out very rapidly. That’s unusual in climate science, where most changes take a very long time.”

The researchers also found that while rerouting aircraft can increase fuel use slightly, the reduction in warming from fewer contrails would more than offset the extra carbon dioxide emissions.

Implementing contrail avoidance would require airlines and air traffic controllers to adjust routes dynamically based on atmospheric conditions. Some aviation experts have raised concerns about whether such changes could increase workload for air traffic management systems, but the researchers say the adjustments required may be relatively modest.

Flights already alter their routes or altitude to avoid turbulence or bad weather, meaning similar systems could potentially be used to avoid contrail-forming regions.

“It’s an operational change, not a technological one,” said Smith. “You don’t need to modify aircraft. You just need to work out how it will operate, and then the system is already built for it — pilots do these manoeuvres all the time. That’s why we have more hope for this than for other interventions like sustainable aviation fuels, which face enormous infrastructure and supply-chain hurdles.”

Using a climate model that tracks temperature responses across 10,000 simulated scenarios, the researchers found that beginning contrail avoidance in 2035 rather than 2045 produces a temperature reduction at 2050 that is equivalent to roughly a 78% improvement in effectiveness. “In other words, waiting a decade has roughly the same effect as making the programme almost five times less efficient,” said Smith.

While more work is needed to improve forecasts of the atmospheric conditions that cause contrails and to better understand their climate effects, the researchers say that imperfect avoidance — even at 25% effectiveness — still delivers a meaningful climate benefit, and that starting early matters more than waiting for the technology to be perfected.

Scaling up contrail avoidance will require coordination from pilots, air traffic controllers, weather forecasters and policymakers, however. “The first step is demonstrating this works on a large scale through testing,” said Smith. “Once that’s done, the policy can follow. But the modelling shows clearly that you do not want to wait for perfect conditions before you begin.”

Smith said the findings show the approach could play a major role in aviation’s climate strategy. “We’re not saying it solves everything,” she said. “But it could make a very big difference.”

Reference:
Jessie R Smith et al. ‘The climate opportunities and risks of contrail avoidance.’ Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-68784-8

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Published: 13 March 2026
Story: Tom Kirk

The first systematic study of how generative AI toys affect young children finds that they can misread emotions and struggle with developmentally important types of play.

AI-powered toys that “talk” with young children should be more tightly regulated and carry new safety kitemarks, according to a report that warns they are not always developed with children’s psychological safety in mind.

The recommendation appears in the initial report from AI in the Early Years: a University of Cambridge project and the first systematic study of how Generative AI (GenAI) toys capable of human-like conversation may influence development in the critical years up to age five.

The year-long project, at the university’s Faculty of Education, included structured scientific observations of children interacting with a GenAI toy for the first time.

The report captures the views of some early-years practitioners that, eventually, these toys could support aspects of children’s development, such as language and communication skills.

The researchers also found, however, that GenAI toys struggle with social and pretend play, misunderstand children, and react inappropriately to emotions.

For example, when one five-year-old told the toy, “I love you,” it replied: “As a friendly reminder, please ensure interactions adhere to the guidelines provided. Let me know how you would like to proceed.”

Although GenAI toys are widely marketed as learning companions or friends, their impact on early years development has barely been studied. The report urges parents and educators to proceed with caution. It recommends clearer regulation, transparent privacy policies and new labelling standards to help families judge whether toys are appropriate.

The research was commissioned by the children’s poverty charity, The Childhood Trust, and focused on children from areas with high levels of socio-economic disadvantage. It was undertaken by researchers from the Faculty’s Play in Education, Development and Learning (PEDAL) Centre.

Researcher Dr Emily Goodacre said: “Generative AI toys often affirm their friendship with children who are just starting to learn what friendship means.

“They may start talking to the toy about feelings and needs, perhaps instead of sharing them with a grown-up. Because these toys can misread emotions or respond inappropriately, children may be left without comfort from the toy – and without emotional support from an adult, either.”

The study was kept deliberately small-scale to enable detailed observations of children’s play and capture nuances that larger-scale studies might miss.

The researchers surveyed early years educators to explore their attitudes and concerns, then ran more detailed focus groups and workshops with early years practitioners and 19 children’s charity leaders.

Working with Babyzone, an early years charity, they also video-recorded 14 children at London children’s centres playing with a GenAI soft toy called Gabbo, developed by Curio Interactive. After the play sessions, they interviewed each child and a parent, using a drawing activity to support the conversation.

Most parents and educators felt that AI toys could help develop children’s communication skills and some parents were enthusiastic about their learning potential. One told researchers: “If it’s sold, I want to buy it.”

Many worried, however, about children forming “parasocial” relationships with toys. The observations supported this: children hugged and kissed the toy, said they loved it and – in the case of one child – suggested they could play hide-and-seek together.

Goodacre stressed that these reactions might simply reflect children’s vivid imaginations but added that there was potential for an unhealthy relationship with a toy which, as one early years practitioner put it, “they think loves them back, but doesn’t”.

Children in the study often struggled with the toy’s conversation. It sometimes ignored their interruptions, mistook parents’ voices for the child and failed to respond to apparently important statements about feelings. Several children became visibly frustrated when it seemed not to be listening.

When one three-year-old told the toy: “I’m sad,” it misheard and replied: “Don’t worry! I’m a happy little bot. Let’s keep the fun going. What shall we talk about next?” Researchers note this may have signalled that the child’s sadness was unimportant.

The authors found that GenAI toys also perform poorly in social play, involving multiple children and/or adults, and pretend play – both of which are key during early childhood development. For example, when a three-year-old offered the toy an imaginary present, it responded: “I can’t open the present” – and then changed the subject.

Many parents worried about what information the toy might be recording and where this would be stored. When selecting a toy for the study, the researchers found that many GenAI toys’ privacy practices are unclear or lack important details.

Nearly 50% of early years practitioners surveyed said they did not know where to find reliable AI safety information for young children, and 69% said the sector needed more guidance. They also raised concerns about safeguarding and affordability, with some fearing AI toys could widen the digital divide.

The authors argue that clearer regulation would address many of these concerns. They recommend limiting how far toys encourage children to befriend or confide in them, more transparent privacy policies, and tighter controls over third party access to AI models.

“A recurring theme during focus groups was that people do not trust tech companies to do the right thing,” Professor Jenny Gibson, the study’s other co-author, said. “Clear, robust, regulated standards would significantly improve consumer confidence.”

The report urges manufacturers to test toys with children and consult safeguarding specialists before releasing new products. Parents are encouraged to research GenAI toys before buying, and to play with their children to create opportunities for discussing what the toy is saying and how the child feels about the toy.

The authors also recommend keeping AI toys in shared family spaces where parents can monitor interactions. The report will inform further PEDAL Centre studies and new guidance for early years practitioners.

Josephine McCartney, Chief Executive of The Childhood Trust said: “Artificial Intelligence is transforming the way children play and learn, yet we are only beginning to understand its effects on development and wellbeing.

“We believe it is essential that regulation keeps pace with innovation, ensuring that these technologies are designed, used, and monitored in ways that protect all children and prevent widening inequalities.”

George Looker, CEO of Babyzone, said: “Generative AI toys should only be marketed to parents where a robust evidence base exists and clear regulatory safeguards are in place. Anything less isn’t good enough for our youngest children.

“Parents need clear labelling, enforceable standards, and products that were actually tested with real children in mind. This report is a vital first step.”

The full report is available for download here.

Funding for the study was provided by the KPMG Foundation and Ethos Foundation.

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Published 13 March 2026

<sub>Photographs:
Top: Gabbo and study participant Mya, age 3. Credit: Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge
Middle #1: Gabbo in the study space. Credit: Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge
Middle #2: Drawing of Gabbo by study participant. Credit: Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge
Middle #3: Gabbo and study participant Mya, age 3. Credit: Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge

The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License</sub>

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The Right Honourable Lord Smith of Finsbury is installed as the 109th Chancellor of the University of Cambridge

Chris Smith, Lord Smith of Finsbury, has been formally installed as the 109th Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, following his election in July 2025. The formal and ceremonial head of the University, in addition to presiding at major ceremonial occasions the Chancellor advises senior figures, supports fundraising and is an ambassador and advocate for the University and its mission.

Today’s Congregation in the Senate-House was attended by the principal University officers, Heads and staff of the thirty-one Colleges, students, alumni, Civic representatives and other invited guests. Lord Smith shared what Cambridge means to him.

He said: “Cambridge is in my blood. I was an undergraduate and postgraduate student here, reading English and then completing a PhD on Wordsworth and Coleridge. I returned ten and a half years ago as Master of Pembroke, my own old College. And I never would have dreamed, as a young eighteen-year-old arriving in Cambridge for the first time, that I would now be standing here as Chancellor.”

Lord Smith also expressed a desire to uphold academic freedom and freedom of speech. He said: “We live in an age dominated by misinformation and “fake news”…It is precisely why academic freedom and freedom of speech are so fundamentally important to universities.”

Today’s installation follows an election by the Senate – a very large body made up of all those holding the Cambridge MA or any other master’s degree or doctorate, along with the members of the Regent House. This election was the first at which votes could be taken online as well as in person and more than 25,000 were registered.

The post of Chancellor dates back more than 800 years to the beginning of the University. The last installation ceremony to be held in 2012 was for Lord Sainsbury of Turville.

At today’s ceremony the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice, confirmed Lord Smith’s election and administered the oath of office. Music was performed by student brass-players and by the Chapel Choir of Pembroke College.

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Chris Smith arrived as an undergraduate student at Pembroke College in 1969, earning a first in English, and was elected President of the Cambridge Union Society in Michaelmas Term 1972.

Elected MP for Islington South and Finsbury in 1983, following the Labour victory of 1997 he served as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport until 2001. The first openly gay MP and Cabinet minister, he left the Commons in 2005 and was made a life peer.

Among his other accomplishments outside parliament have been periods as Chair of the Advertising Standards Authority, of the Environment Agency and of the Wordsworth Trust. A founding director of the Clore Leadership Programme, Lord Smith is a keen hill-walker and former President of the Ramblers’ Association.

Published 16 March 2026

Photos: Lloyd Mann

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Cambridge University Boat Club has announced its Women’s and Men’s Blue Boats for The Boat Race 2026.

A mixture of Olympic, international and homegrown student rowing talent has been selected for the meeting on London’s iconic Championship Course, a 4.25-mile (6.8 km) stretch of tidal Thames from Putney to Mortlake, on Saturday 4 April.

More than 200,000 spectators are expected to watch along the riverbanks of the free-to-attend ‘Party by the River’ as Oxford and Cambridge meet in the 2026 chapter of nearly 200 years of competition. 

Cambridge Women, who are on a winning streak stretching back to 2017, will be led this year by President Gemma King (St John’s College), whose twin sister Catherine represents Oxford. 
Gemma will have fellow two-time winner and fifth-year medic Carys Earl (Gonville & Caius) to count on, along with a sprinkling of new recruits such as world champion Camille Vandermeer and Mia Freischem (Darwin). Mia will make history when she races against her sister Lilli who has been selected for the Oxford Blue Boat.

Gemma told the crew announcement at London’s Somerset House: “It’s such an honour to be able to represent Cambridge in the Boat Race.
“It is such a unique and historic event. We’ve got such a strong squad, there’s so much depth. To see the progress made throughout the year has been really exciting and I really can’t wait for the race.”

Cambridge Men have their eyes on a fourth successive victory in the Men’s Race. They will be led by French national Noam Mouelle (Hughes Hall). His Oxford counterpart Tobias Bernard has dual British/French nationality, marking the first time in Boat Race history that a pair of Frenchmen have led the Oxford and Cambridge Blue Boat crews. 

Noam said: “It’s an honour to make the Cambridge Men’s Blue Boat again and we’re taking nothing for granted. We know what it takes to win this race and I believe we have the perfect combination of experience and new blood to extend our winning run in three weeks’ time.”

Noam can call on the experienced Simon Hatcher (Peterhouse), while the selection of Gabriel Obholzer (Peterhouse) represents the continuation of a proud family tradition after his parents both competed in the 1991 event – with father Rupert going on to Olympic honours.  

The event is being broadcast live on Channel 4 and on Times Radio for the first time in its history. Broadcaster Clare Balding, who will anchor Channel 4’s coverage, told the crew announcement: “This is the most amazing sporting rivalry… it is a great event, but it is also a real showcase for how education and sport go hand in hand. You don’t have to be academic or sporty – you can be both.”

With 2025 seeing Cambridge win both the Men’s and Women’s Races, the overall records stand as 88-81 in favour of Cambridge Men and 49-30 in favour of Cambridge Women.

The crews selected for The Boat Race 2026 are as follows: 
 
Cambridge Women
Cox – Matt Moran (Emmanuel)
Stroke – Aidan Wrenn-Walz (Fitzwilliam)
7 – Mia Freischem (Darwin)
6 – Camille VanderMeer (Peterhouse)
5 – Antonia Galland (Peterhouse)
4 – Carys Earl (Gonville & Caius)
3 – Charlotte Ebel (Newnham)
2 – Isobel Campbell (Hughes Hall)
Bow – Gemma King (President) (St John’s)
 
Oxford Women 
Cox – Louis Corrigan 
Stroke – Heidi Long (President) 
7 – Sarah Marshall 
6 – Esther Briz Zamorano 
5 – Kyra Delray 
4 – Julietta Camahort 
3 – Lilli Freischem 
2 – Emily Molins 
Bow – Annie Anezakis 
 
Cambridge Men
Cox – Sammy Houdaigui (Fitzwilliam)
Stroke – Freddy Breuer (Lucy Cavendish)
7 – Will Klipstine (Hughes Hall)
6 – Alexander McClean (Hughes Hall)
5 – Gabriel Obholzer (Peterhouse)
4 – Patrick Wild (Peterhouse)
3 – Kyle Fram (Lucy Cavendish)
2 – Noam Mouelle (President) (Hughes Hall)
Bow – Simon Hatcher (Peterhouse)

Oxford Men
Cox- Tobias Bernard (President) 
Stroke – Harry Geffen 
7 – Alex Sullivan 
6 – Jamie Arnold 
5 – Alex Underwood 
4 – Fergus Pim 
3 – James Fetter 
2 – Julian Schöberl  
Bow – Felix Crabtree 
 

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Research led by the University of Cambridge and the RSPB shows that farming wetland-adapted crops on wetter peat – known as paludiculture – can support richer and more diverse bird communities than drained grassland.

This evidence is key to informing local and landscape level management decisions that balance environmental and human needs.Catherine Waite

Lowland peatlands, such as the East Anglian Fens and Somerset Levels, are rich in carbon and have been prized for their ability to support productive agriculture. Since the 1600s, some 90% of UK lowland peat has been drained to this end. This peatland also contributes an estimated 4% to the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions. But by using wetland-adapted crops and machinery, soil can be farmed in a wetter state, helping to reduce peatland emissions while remaining economically productive and potentially benefitting nature.

In a new study published in the journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence, researchers have found that bird numbers in paludiculture sites are three times higher than on drained grasslands, and match those of natural wetlands. They surveyed bird communities in natural wetlands, paludiculture sites growing bulrush (Typha), and drained, grazed grasslands in the Netherlands. 

Birds that are wetland specialists including Reed Warbler, Reed Bunting, and Sedge Warbler were recorded alongside typical grassland bird species – creating a unique and diverse bird community. The paludiculture sites also contained several bird species of European or global conservation concern, namely Eurasian Oystercatcher, Meadow Pipit, and Eurasian Coot. 

Although paludiculture does not replicate natural wetlands, the findings show it can function as an important habitat within wetland-grassland landscapes. This could provide more spaces for wetland specialist species if cutting and harvesting are timed to minimise disturbance during the breeding season.

Dr Catherine Waite in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Zoology and co-lead author of the study, said: “As pressures on land continue to grow, research like this provides vital insight into how different land management choices affect nature. This evidence is key to informing local and landscape level management decisions that balance environmental and human needs.”

Dr Joshua Copping, an RSPB Conservation Scientist and co-lead author, said: “We know that paludiculture can reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with farming on peat, but our findings show its potential for wildlife too. Farmed wetlands support bird communities simply not found on drained grasslands. As the sector develops, paludiculture could help deliver a just transition for farmers who wish to continue farming while contributing to a nature-rich landscape.”

Paludiculture could aid in the reduction of land use emissions from peatland, thereby contributing to the Net Zero ambition. This approach offers a way to continue productive farming while providing climate and nature benefits, potentially serving as a viable alternative to full peatland restoration in some areas. Paludiculture could also support food and fibre production, delivering social and economic value alongside environmental gains.

Unlocking paludiculture’s potential will require investment, advisory support, and strong markets for wetland crops. A project led by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) South West, in collaboration with the RSPB, is developing best practice for establishing and managing bulrush crops, including trials at RSPB Greylake, Somerset. Funded by Natural England’s Paludiculture Exploration Fund, this project is also testing whether bulrush can help remove excess nutrients from surrounding farmland, to improve wetland condition.

Alice Groom, RSPB Head of Sustainable Land Use Policy, who was not involved in this study, said: “To deliver nature recovery, reduce emissions, and support farm businesses, we must explore techniques like paludiculture. Drained peatlands are degrading fast, and we are running out of time to rely on current methods. Combined with wetland restoration, re-wetting peat through paludiculture offers a path to a more resilient farming future while tackling the climate and nature crises.”

Will Barnard, FWAG South West, who was not involved in this study, said: “As an entirely new agricultural sector within the UK, paludiculture inevitably requires vision and external support. If we can harness the boundless energy and innovation of the farming sector, it offers the rare opportunity to blend real commercial growth with lowering our environmental footprint and helping nature.”

The team says that with the right policy support, investment, and continued research, wetter farming could play a key role in creating nature-positive, climate-resilient landscapes while supporting communities and farmers through a just transition.

Reference: Copping, J P et al: ‘Typha-based paludiculture offers potential for greater bird species abundance and diversity than drained agricultural grassland.‘ Ecological Solutions and Evidence, Feb 2026. DOI: 10.1002/2688-8319.70169

Adapted from a press release by the RSPB.

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The UK’s most powerful quantum computer, which will accelerate research and discovery in quantum science, engineering, and a range of other applications, will be based at the University of Cambridge as part of a new partnership with the quantum technology company IonQ. The collaboration is the University’s largest-ever corporate research partnership.

The partnership will support the creation of the IonQ Quantum Innovation Centre to be based at the Ray Dolby Centre, the new home of Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory. The Centre will house a state-of-the-art IonQ 256-qubit quantum computer, which will be the most powerful quantum computer in the UK when it is installed.

As part of the collaboration, Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency and part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will provide access and computing time for UKRI’s National Quantum Computing Centre over three years. This support will enable researchers and early-stage companies from across the UK to make use of the enormous power of the first commercial-scale quantum computer at a UK university. 

The new IonQ Quantum Innovation Centre will host a research portfolio across quantum computing, quantum networks, quantum sensing, and quantum security. The partnership will also support new academic positions, postdoctoral fellows and PhD students at the University.

“Cambridge is already a critical player in the UK’s national quantum technology programme, and this partnership will supercharge that role,” said Professor Mete Atatüre, Head of the Cavendish Laboratory. “This is a true partnership, with long-term investment, shared research and co-development in all areas of quantum technology, bringing together physics, engineering, medicine, computer science, policy and more.”

Quantum computers harness quantum phenomena to achieve a level of performance which is otherwise unattainable, based on science which cannot be explained by classical physics. The shift from lab-scale quantum computers to truly application-focused systems could greatly accelerate the pace of discovery in a number of areas that will improve lives, such as ultra-secure communication networks, super-powerful computers, record-breaking quantum sensors and accelerated drug discovery.

Cambridge is home to one of the largest and most successful communities of quantum scientists and technologists in the world, working across the University. The Cavendish Laboratory has long been at the heart of this research community, and this partnership is the next chapter in that long legacy.

The IonQ partnership will support long-term research funding for quantum science and technology at Cambridge, as well as the co-development of new quantum network nodes and sensing capabilities across the University, including a strengthening of the existing Cambridge to Bristol UK quantum network.

“We’re proud that Cambridge is at the heart of the UK’s next computing revolution,” said Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge. “This new and ambitious partnership is the first of its kind for a UK university. It’s not just a new facility for Cambridge — it’s one for the whole of the UK, and it will develop not only exciting new technologies but also the UK’s next generation of leaders in quantum science.”

“This historic agreement with Cambridge deepens IonQ’s commitment to the United Kingdom and accelerates our technology platform with novel research at one of the world’s most storied physics powerhouses,” said Niccolo de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ. “By establishing the IonQ Quantum Innovation Centre, we are strengthening the bridge between academic discovery and commercial quantum advantage. We believe this partnership will contribute meaningfully to the UK to help advance scalable quantum computing, networking, sensing, and security.”

Unlike traditional models of siloed research stuck within disciplines, the Cambridge-IonQ partnership will bring researchers across multiple disciplines, industry partners, end users and policy experts together from the outset. This joined-up approach will ensure that scientific and technological advances are aligned with commercial and societal needs and are rapidly translated into real-world solutions.

“I am delighted that Innovate UK is supporting the University of Cambridge in establishing the Quantum Innovation Centre,” said Roger McKinlay, Challenge Director – Quantum Technologies at Innovate UK. “Back in 2020, Innovate UK awarded a small collaborative grant to Oxford Ionics — now acquired by IonQ — to help develop a UK industrial supply chain for commercial quantum computing. Just five years later, it is fantastic to see investment on this scale, which will catalyse progress in quantum, create UK jobs, and drive growth across many industrial sectors.”

“This exciting new partnership will support the UK’s National Quantum Strategy, helping the UK on its mission to become a leading quantum-enabled economy,” said Professor Sir Peter Knight, Chair of the National Quantum Technology Programme (NQTP) Strategic Advisory Board for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). “The NQTP has fostered a great collaborative enterprise over the past 12 years and the new IonQ Quantum Innovation Centre in Cambridge is a wonderful new component in our vision to realise the potential of this transformational science. The strong collaborative foundations of the new Quantum Innovation Centre will accelerate the development of this exciting new technology, which could revolutionise areas that benefit society and the economy, including new ways of developing drugs and diagnosing disease, more precise sensors to monitor critical infrastructure, and next-generation materials for the transition to net zero.”

“This is a significant moment for brilliant researchers at the University of Cambridge which cements the UK’s credentials as a world-leader in Quantum,” said Science Minister Lord Vallance. “It will help deliver new breakthroughs to some of our most pressing shared challenges while supporting more academics, PhD students and researchers in the process – ensuring we have a rich pool of Quantum talent for years to come.

“This partnership will ensure the UK stays at the cutting edge of research and innovation – delivering jobs, growth and advances that will improve lives across the country and around the world.”

The quantum computer will be managed by Cambridge Enterprise, the University’s innovation arm. Researchers working in quantum science and technology from across the University will be able to make use of the new quantum computer once it is fully operational.

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The recreational drugs cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines significantly increase the risk of stroke – including among younger users – Cambridge researchers have concluded after analysing data from more than 100 million people.

Our analysis suggests that it is these drugs themselves that increase the risk of stroke, not just other lifestyle factors among usersEric Harshfield

Stroke is a major global health challenge – the third leading cause of death and disability combined. But it also a condition that, for the most part, results from modifiable risk factors, such as poor diet, lack of exercise and other lifestyle factors.

In 2024, 8.8% of adults aged 16 to 59 years in England and Wales – around 2.9 million individuals – reported having used a legal or illegal recreational drug in the past year. Recent data from the USA reports that over half of all those aged over 12 have used drugs such as cocaine, cannabis and opiates at least once.

There is increasing evidence that these drugs may increase the risk of stroke, but the evidence is often of differing quality and is observational only, meaning it is impossible to say whether the use of these drugs itself increases the risk of stroke, or whether this is purely a correlation.

To investigate this further, a team from the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge first carried out a meta-analysis of studies encompassing more than 100 million people. A meta-analysis is a method for pooling and analysing cohort data from all of the published evidence. This approach allows researchers to bring together studies which, on their own may not provide sufficient evidence and sometimes disagree with each other, to provide more robust conclusions.

In findings published today in the International Journal of Stroke, the team found that the use of cocaine and amphetamines was associated with around double the risk of stroke (cocaine increased the risk by 96%, amphetamines by 122%), while cannabis use increased the risk by around 37%. The team found no statistically significant link between opioid use and stroke risk.

When the researchers restricted their analysis to individuals under 55 years, they found that amphetamine use almost tripled the risk of stroke (an increase of 174%); cannabis use increase stroke risk but by a smaller amount (14%), while cocaine use increased the risk by 97%.

To analyse these links further, the researchers used a statistical technique known as Mendelian randomisation, which looks at naturally occurring genetic variants related to risk factors and stroke and uses these to evaluate whether there is evidence to support a causal association with a particular risk factor.

This analysis showed that cocaine use disorders were particularly associated with brain haemorrhage and cardioembolic stroke (where a blood clot forms in the heart and travels to the brain, blocking blood flow and leading to damage of brain tissue). Cannabis use disorders were associated with stroke overall, particularly large artery stroke. This genetic evidence suggests a causal link, rather than just correlation.

Problematic alcohol use was linked to an increased risk of cardioembolic stroke and large artery stroke, while alcohol addiction increased the risk of stroke overall.

The researchers were unable to use Mendelian randomisation to look at associations with amphetamine as there are currently no large genetic datasets available with information on their usage.

The researchers suggest that possible reasons why these drugs are linked to an increased risk of stroke include sudden spikes in blood pressure, blood vessel spasm and constriction, heart rhythm problems, increased blood clotting (especially cannabis), and inflammation or vasculitis (especially amphetamines). These are all well-established pathways known to cause both ischaemic strokes, which result from blood clots, and haemorrhagic strokes.

Dr Megan Ritson from the Stroke Research Group at the University of Cambridge said: “This is the most comprehensive analysis ever conducted on recreational drug use and stroke risk and provides compelling evidence that drugs like cocaine, amphetamines, and cannabis are causal risk factors for stroke. These findings give us stronger evidence to guide future research and public health strategies.”

Dr Eric Harshfield, Alzheimer’s Society Research Fellow at the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, said: “Our analysis suggests that it is these drugs themselves that increase the risk of stroke, not just other lifestyle factors among users. Taken together, our findings emphasise the importance of public health measures to reduce substance abuse as a way of helping also reduce stroke risk.”

The research was funded by the British Heart Foundation, with additional support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre.

Reference

Ritson, M, et al. Does Illicit Drug Use Increase Stroke Risk? A Systematic review, Meta-Analyses and Mendelian Randomization analysis. International Journal of Stroke; 9 March 2026; DOI: 10.1177/17474930261418926

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Differences in cellular pathway activity flip the switch from nocturnality to diurnality and explain a major evolutionary change humans have undergone.

Early mammals were nocturnal, sleeping during the day while large predators were active. However, after the extinction of dinosaurs, several different lineages of mammals independently transitioned to become active during the day. Exactly how this dramatic change occurred has proved elusive. A new study, published in the journal Science, has revealed a cellular switch which holds the answer.

Led by researchers from the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology, the study looked at how cells from a range of nocturnal (active at night) and diurnal (active in the day) mammals, like humans, respond to environmental signals.

Changes in temperature or osmolarity, as happens to the body throughout the day, caused the cells to respond in opposite ways, including in fundamental cellular functions. This divergence flips the timing of cellular activity, essentially acting as a day/night ‘switch’ at a molecular level.

The researchers pinpointed these differing responses to the mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) and With-no-lysine (WNK) kinase pathways, central signalling networks in cells responsible for regulating several key functions, including protein synthesis. This suggested that modification of their activity could enable nocturnal mammals to switch to more diurnal activity.

To explore this hypothesis, the researchers administered diet-based treatments to mice to target the mTOR pathway, as mTOR activity is highly sensitive to nutrient levels. Once mTOR function was reduced, the mice began behaving more like diurnal animals, shifting their active hours into the daytime. This underlined that mTOR signalling goes beyond influencing metabolism; it also helps dictate when an animal is active.

The researchers then looked to contextualise this finding against the backdrop of mammalian evolution. After analysing genetic data across several species, co-author Matthew Christmas from Uppsala University found that genes regulating mTOR and WNK have evolved faster in diurnal mammals. This points to the importance these pathways have played in the shift from nighttime to daytime over millennia.

This discovery helps explain one of the most important evolutionary events in mammalian history and provides a piece of the puzzle for understanding human health.

To date, most explorations of pre-clinical biomedical research have depended on the mouse model, yet this study highlights that nocturnal rodents differ from humans in key cellular pathways linked to timing and metabolism. This study also carries clear implications for circadian medicine, a growing field that examines how the timing of treatments influences their effectiveness.

“That this radically different response of cellular ‘clocks’ to the same temperature shift seemed to be broadly true across mammalian species, when comparing those that are more active at night versus those that are more active during the day,” said co-author Dr Nina Rzechorzek, from Cambridge’s Department of Engineering. “We need more research to understand exactly how and why this happens, but it could teach us a lot about how biological clocks work and how they impact health and disease.”

Several of the key external factors harnessed in this study to influence animals’ circadian rhythms are vulnerable to environmental changes. As climate change disrupts temperature levels and food production capabilities, this work suggests mammals may change the time of day they are active in response. This will disrupt the fragile balance of relationships in our ecosystems and is an impact of climate change, which has perhaps been overlooked thus far.

This work was funded by UKRI MRC, UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, Wellcome and the Royal Society. The project was further supported by Blue Sky collaboration between AstraZeneca UK Limited and the Medical Research Council (BSF38).

Reference:
Andrew D. Beale et al. ‘A cellular basis for the mammalian nocturnal-diurnal switch.’ Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.ady2822

Adapted from an LMB media release.

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Experts are warning that far from being over-diagnosed, people with ADHD are waiting too long for assessment, support and treatment.

Overdiagnosis is not a problem, but misdiagnosis may be as people are driven into the private sector by long waits, and sadly, missed diagnoses remain commonTamsin Ford

In a paper, published today in the British Journal of Psychiatry, a group of experts say there is no robust evidence that ADHD is over-diagnosed in the UK. They refute the view that ‘nowadays everyone has ADHD’, which is gaining traction in public discourse and has been amplified by some leading politicians, as demand rises for NHS assessments and services.

Bringing together academics, clinicians, people with lived experience and carers, the group say this narrative risks misleading the public and policymakers and overshadows a more pressing concern – unmet need.

Professor Tamsin Ford, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge, senior co-author on the paper, said: “While many more people with ADHD are being recognised and treated, we are failing to support many more. Overdiagnosis is not a problem, but misdiagnosis may be as people are driven into the private sector by long waits; and sadly, missed diagnoses remain common.”

Professor Samuele Cortese from the University of Southampton, the study’s first author, said: “Rather than focusing on increases or decreases in diagnostic rates, attention should be directed toward the extent to which those with ADHD are being adequately diagnosed and treated.

“While misdiagnosis and inappropriate diagnosis do occur, the available evidence indicates that under-diagnosis and under-treatment remain the predominant challenges.”

When standardised diagnostic criteria are applied, the prevalence of ADHD internationally is around 5 per cent in children and 3 per cent in adults.

While prevalence has increased over time, NHS administrative data in England remains substantially below these expected levels, suggesting that many people with ADHD are living without a diagnosis and adequate support.

The group acknowledge that misdiagnosis can occur in some cases, particularly where assessments rely heavily on self-reporting or where alternative conditions are not fully considered.

The researchers stress that the absence of biological diagnostic markers means that thorough, multidisciplinary clinical assessment is essential. Field trials show that when clinicians are properly trained, an ADHD diagnosis is amongst the most reliable for a mental health condition.

Professor Chris Hollis from the University of Nottingham, a co-author, said: “Similar to physiological traits, such as blood pressure or weight, ADHD symptoms are distributed along a continuum. But as with hypertension or obesity, there are diagnostic severity thresholds that determine health risks and what interventions should be used. Similarly, in ADHD a risk-stratified stepped-care approach may be useful.”

The team highlight significant pressure on UK services, with long waiting times and growing demand, especially among adults who were not diagnosed in childhood. They point to figures showing around 27 per cent children and young people diagnosed with ADHD reported waiting one to two years, while 14 per cent waited two to three years.

Evidence shows that untreated ADHD is associated with serious long-term risks, while effective treatments are available, backed by strong evidence, and generally well tolerated.

“The costs of untreated ADHD are often overlooked,” said Professor Cortese. “They include increased risk of academic failure, suicidal behaviour, substance abuse, criminality, injury and death. The failure to provide treatments which have been shown to reduce these risks represents a major ethical issue that needs to be urgently addressed.”

The authors call for improved funding, workforce training and a more balanced, evidence-based conversation to ensure accurate diagnosis while expanding access to care for those who need it.

Cambridge Children’s Hospital

The editorial highlights that a group of children where ADHD may tend to be missed or under diagnosed are those that have co-occurring conditions. One such group is children with long term physical health problems, who have elevated rates of ADHD. This is often under-detected and under-treated.

Cambridge Children’s Hospital aims to fully integrate physical and mental healthcare, including detecting and treating neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD in children who also have physical health needs.

Early detection and intervention have a positive impact on emotions, behaviour, educational attainment and peer relationships, as well as helping children cope with the health care they may need to receive, such as staying in hospital, procedures or operations.

Studies have shown that children with epilepsy have up to six times the population rate of ADHD, yet often have difficulty obtaining treatment but when they are successfully treated there is a significant improvement in functioning and quality of life.

Reference

Cortese, S et al. ADHD (over) diagnosis: fiction, fashion, and failure. British Journal of Psychiatry; 6 March 2026; DOI: 10.1192/bjp.2026.10546

Adapted from a press release from the University of Southampton

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