It has been a busy year for the University; here we look back at just some of the major developments and highlights that have kept Cambridge in the headlines:

January

Cancer gene reveals key to cure
Dr Feng Tang Yang from the Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, and scientists at the Babraham Institute discovered that a tiny change in a protein involved in cell survival is responsible for abnormal cell activity in the early stages of cancer.

Primate research centre
The University decided to discontinue its planned primate research centre for financial reasons.

Lecture theatre re-opens
The largest scientific lecture theatre in Cambridge was fully refurbished and officially re-opened as part of a prestigious scientific gathering.

Top RHS award for Cambridge gardening guru
Professor David Ingram OBE, Cambridge botanist and horticulturist, was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) Victoria Medal of Honour (VMH), the highest accolade in the British gardening world.

February

Last member of the Bloomsbury set dies
Frances Partridge, one of the last surviving members of the Bloomsbury Group, died at the age of 103

LNAT
The University launched its admissions test for Law, along with eight other institutions nationally.

March

Boat Race
Cambridge won the 150th Boat Race on Sunday, March 28, the first time the crew has won in three years.

Potential treatment for schizophrenia discovered
University researchers identified a method of improving cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia, without the side-effects traditionally found with cognitive enhancers.

Cambridge Science Festival
The festival went from strength to strength with a record 45,000 visits and more events than ever.

April

Completion of Human Genome Project
The completion of the Human Genome Project, research in gene therapy and stem cell therapy, and the development of antenatal screening and embryo selection technologies fuelled belief that genetics is the answer to the disability problem.

Lord Winston gave 7th annual Yerusah lecture
Professor Lord Winston, the renowned academic, delivered the seventh annual Yerushah Lecture, about the relationship between Judaism and science.

Archbishop of Canterbury in Cambridge
The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, mixed the formal with the informal when he visited Cambridge.

May

Discovery of how cancer cells live or die
Scientists discovered how cancer cells choose to live or die following anti-cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.

Sir Alec Broers elevated to peerage
Sir Alec Broers, Vice-Chancellor Emeritus, was conferred a life peer in a 10 Downing Street announcement, and appointed to the House of Lords.

June

MRC announces funding for a stem cell centre in Cambridge
The MRC announced funding of £1.5M towards a stem cell research centre of excellence at Cambridge.

Nine Cambridge academics are named Fellows of the Royal Academy
Nine University academics were made Fellows of the Royal Society, including Professor Partha Sarathi Dasgupta, the first economist ever to be elected, and Professors Lynn Gladden and Carol Robinson, two of the four women elected to the Society this year.

Fitzwilliam Museum re-opens its doors
The Fitzwilliam Museum reopened after a 21 month, £12 million building development.

July

Death of Francis Crick
Francis Crick, co-discoverer of DNA's 'double helix' structure, died in California at the age of 88.

Faculty of Education tops league table
The University's Faculty of Education topped the annual league tables of teacher training institutions.

August

Titan Arum at the Botanic Garden
The Titan Arum, giant of the plant world, enveloped visitors in its rotten stench as it flowered for the first time ever at the Cambridge University Botanic Garden.

New Regius Professor of Physic
10 Downing Street announced that Professor Patrick Sissons will become Regius Professor of Physic for the University of Cambridge, succeeding Professor Sir Keith Peters.

Hon degree for VC from Peking University
The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alison Richard was awarded an honorary degree from Peking University.

September

New home for English after 85 years
The completion of a new building for English at Cambridge brought together the Department for the first time in 85 years.

Cot death link found
Research undertaken by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology found a link between maternal blood levels of Alpha Feto Protein (AFP) in pregnancy and the risk of a baby dying of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or cot death.

October

Blood sugar and heart disease link
Professor of Clinical Gerontology at the University of Cambridge, Kay-Tee Khaw and her colleagues found a link between blood sugar levels and heart disease.

Death of Dame Rosemary Murray
Dame Rosemary Murray, first woman Vice-Chancellor of the University and founder of New Hall, died peacefully in Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital, aged 91

Re-opening of ADC Theatre
The refurbished ADC was back in business after a major refurbishment.

November

Hans Blix in Cambridge
Dr Hans Blix, Chairman of the International Commission on Weapons of Mass Destruction, was in Cambridge to de
liver the Hersch Lauterpacht Memorial Lectures at the Faculty of Law.

Balzan Prize
Colin Renfrew, Lord Renfrew of Kaimsthorn, and until October 2004, Professor of Archaeology and Director of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University, received the Balzan Prize for Prehistoric Archaeology.

Launch of CamSis
The University launched the first stage of a unified online student information system one year ahead of schedule.

December

Launch of Institute of Aviation
A new institute of was launched in Cambridge, offering a truly integrated approach to predicting and mitigating the future effects of aircraft emissions.

Hope for spinal cord injuries
The University of Cambridge and King's College London granted an exclusive worldwide licence to Acorda to develop technology for spinal cord injuries treatment.

Professor David Wheeler 1927-2004
It was with great sadness that we reported the sudden death of Professor David Wheeler, Emeritus Professor of Computer Science, Fellow of Darwin College and one of the pioneers of Computer Science.

Scott's last expedition
The University of Cambridge's Scott Polar Research Institute acquired Herbert Ponting's exceptional photographs of the Antarctic, taken on Scott's last, fateful expedition.


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