The latest news, research updates and announcements from the Nuffield Department of Medicine.
For media enquiries, background information on any of our research, or to arrange interviews with relevant scientists please contact Marin Hirschfeld, NDM Head of Communications. We also have photos and videos of our work available for B-roll purposes.
What's new
Improving survival rates of children with sickle cell disease in Kenya
19 September 2024
Research on sickle cell disease conducted by KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) at the Nuffield Department of Medicine shows significant progress in understanding how to improve survival rates and quality of life for those living with the condition.
Central Ho Chi Minh City identified as a hotspot for tuberculosis
18 September 2024
A recent study identified key factors contributing to the tuberculosis burden in Ho Chi Minh City, conducted by researchers from the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam (OUCRU), part of the Nuffield Department of Medicine, and Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital.
Antibiotic resistance could cause 39 million deaths between now and 2050
17 September 2024
Based on estimates across 204 countries and territories, new forecasts from the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project suggest that bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) will cause 39 million deaths between 2025 and 2050 – equating to three deaths every minute.
Hydroxychloroquine provides moderate COVID-19 prevention
16 September 2024
Four years after being derailed by scientific fraud and politicised science in the first year of the pandemic, COPCOV, the world’s largest COVID-19 chemoprevention study, finally published results today that showed that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) does have a moderate benefit in preventing COVID-19.
Improving understanding of lung microbiome in severe asthma patients
12 September 2024
Researchers in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, supported by NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), have discovered a link between potentially pathogenic bacteria and airways inflammation in people with severe asthma.
Developing the first cancer prevention vaccine for Lynch syndrome
10 September 2024
Scientists from the Centre for Human Genetics at Nuffield Department of Medicine are taking the initial steps in developing the UK’s first vaccine to prevent cancer in people with Lynch syndrome, thanks to funding from Cancer Research UK.
Adoptive T cell therapy shows an enhanced tumour response
9 September 2024
The Van den Eynde groups at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research in Brussels and Oxford have demonstrated that deletion of PHD2/3 enzymes in CD8 T cells shows an enhanced tumour response in various cancer models.
Preventive vaccination could be a key strategy against Lassa fever
29 August 2024
Researchers at the University of Oxford and the University of Liverpool have for the first time been able to estimate the current burden of Lassa fever, project the impacts of a Lassa fever vaccination programme, and demonstrate how it may help avoid the next pandemic.
Scientists develop new method to detect fake vaccines
28 August 2024
Scientists have developed a first-of-its-kind mass spectrometry method for vaccine authenticity screening using machine learning. The method repurposes clinical mass spectrometers already present in hospitals worldwide, making the approach feasible for global supply chain monitoring. The discovery offers an effective solution to the rise in substandard and counterfeit vaccines threatening public health.
Ten NDM researchers awarded full professorships
22 August 2024
We are delighted to announce that ten researchers have been awarded the title of Professor, in recognition of their research achievements, contribution to teaching, and contribution to the general work of the Nuffield Department of Medicine.
OUCRU and Universitas Indonesia complete historic malaria vaccine trial
19 August 2024
The Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia (FMUI) and OUCRU Indonesia have completed a phase 2 clinical trial for two new malaria vaccines developed by Sanaria Inc. This is the first malaria vaccine trial ever conducted in Indonesia and the first in the Asia-Pacific region in over 30 years.
PSI collaborates with Oxford's History of Science Museum on new exhibition
12 August 2024
The Pandemic Sciences Institute, in collaboration with the Ethox Centre, has supported a new exhibition at Oxford’s History of Science Museum. The exhibition, entitled "A Healthy Future for All?", explores the science driving advancements in healthcare
Prof Déirdre Hollingsworth receives Simons Foundation Fellowship
5 August 2024
Déirdre Hollingsworth, Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at the University of Oxford, has been awarded a prestigious Simons Foundation Fellowship from the Isaac Newton Institute. This recognition supports her efforts in using mathematical modelling to improve global health outcomes. As part of this initiative, Déirdre is organizing a one-day event on August 13, 2024, focusing on pandemic preparedness. The event aims to address key policy questions through mathematical modelling, covering vaccine development, diagnostics and funding.
New research identifies autoimmunity against a key anti-inflammatory regulator
4 August 2024
A ground-breaking study, published by the New England Journal of Medicine, has identified a new disease-inducing mechanism for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which the immune system attacks its own regulatory function.
Professor Sassy Molyneux awarded NIHR Global Health Research Professorship
2 August 2024
Professor Sassy Molyneux has received a prestigious five-year NIHR Global Health Research Professorship to study how to better protect frontline staff in international health research from moral distress. This is one of only five to seven such `flagship’ professorships awarded by the NIHR each year to outstanding scientists.
New shingles vaccine could reduce risk of dementia
25 July 2024
The new recombinant shingles vaccine ‘Shingrix’ is associated with a reduced risk of dementia compared to an earlier shingles vaccine, according to a major new study published in Nature Medicine.
ORTU awarded £2.8m to study treatment for pleural infection
23 July 2024
The Oxford Respiratory Trials Unit (ORTU) at the Nuffield Department of Medicine has been awarded a £2.8 million grant from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) to conduct the MIST4 study.
Policy changes needed as drug-resistant malaria spreads in East Africa
22 July 2024
The efficacy of artemisinin derivatives, the cornerstone of current treatments for malaria, is being compromised in Africa where over 1,000 children are estimated to die each day from the disease. The spread of artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites across East Africa and beyond could result in millions more deaths without immediate health policy changes, warn experts in a paper published in Science.
Community voices shaping tuberculosis research in Viet Nam
19 July 2024
A recent publication by OUCRU researchers, published in the journal Public Health Action, highlights the importance of community engagement in TB research.
Oxford scientists launch first-in-human vaccine trial for deadly Marburg virus
18 July 2024
Launch of UK trial is major milestone in developing a vaccine against Marburg virus – a highly virulent disease that is fatal in up to 88% of cases.