Topic description and stories

Combating infectious diseases and the threat of antimicrobial resistance remains one of the greatest global challenges.

Aerial view of crowd connected by lines

New Cambridge-developed resources help students learn how maths can help tackle infectious diseases

19 Feb 2024

Cambridge mathematicians have developed a set of resources for students and teachers that will help them understand how maths can help tackle...

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Scanning electron micrograph of MRSA

COVID-19 showed the importance of genomic surveillance – we need it to help fight antimicrobial resistance

14 Nov 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, genomic surveillance proved vital in helping understand the evolution and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Now, an...

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Virus variants

Vulnerability to different COVID-19 mutations depends on previous infections and vaccination, study suggests

06 Oct 2023

A person’s immune response to variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, depends on their previous exposure – and differences in the...

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Digital generated image of different variants of virus cells against a black background.

New vaccine technology could protect from future viruses and variants

25 Sep 2023

Studies of a ‘future-proof’ vaccine candidate have shown that just one antigen can be modified to provide a broadly protective immune response in...

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Monkeypox virus

Treatments for poxviruses – including those causing mpox and smallpox – may already exist in licensed drugs

09 Aug 2023

Scientists have discovered how poxviruses evade natural defences in living cells, and realised that drugs to stop them doing this are already...

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Know your HIV status sign in Simonga village, Zambia.

Genetic variant linked to lower levels of HIV virus in people of African ancestry

02 Aug 2023

An international team of researchers has found a genetic variant that may explain why some people of African ancestry have naturally lower viral...

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Close up of a person being injected with a vaccine

‘Ageing’ immune cell levels could predict how well we respond to vaccines

27 Jun 2023

Cambridge scientists have identified a signature in the blood that could help predict how well an individual will respond to vaccines. The discovery...

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Chicken

Could bird flu spark the next pandemic - and are we prepared if it does?

13 Jun 2023

Should we be worried about frequent news reports of flu being detected in birds and other animals?

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Pipetting sample into a tray

Cambridge start-up wins funding to develop new diagnostics

20 Mar 2023

Cambridge start-up SMi and its research partners have received two Innovate UK awards to progress their work on testing for infectious diseases and...

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COVID-19 variants

Roadmap sets out new global strategy for development of more effective coronavirus vaccines

21 Feb 2023

Plan will accelerate a new approach to coronavirus vaccines research and development, to protect against COVID-19 variants and future pandemic...

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Grandfather Helping Little Boy to Wash His Hands at Passover Seder with Family - stock photo

Rare genetic disease may protect Ashkenazi Jews against TB

06 Feb 2023

Scientists may have solved the question of why Ashkenazi Jews are significantly more susceptible to a rare genetic disorder known as Gaucher disease...

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Coronavirus

‘Cocktail’ vaccines could offer increased protection against future COVID-19 variants of concern

14 Dec 2022

COVID-19 vaccinations that combine two or more distinct variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus could offer protection against both current and future ‘...

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