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The demand continues for materials that are stronger, cheaper, lighter, more conductive – simply better.

Cambridge researchers have long worked with African colleagues on issues that matter not just to the continent but to the world.

From Charles Babbage to Alan Turing, Cambridge could be considered the birthplace of modern computing. Today, from the climate crisis to personalised medicine, we are applying AI to the world’s major challenges, exploring its ethical dimensions and collaborating with industry to ensure that our research has impact.

The crisis is forcing us all to change direction, to rethink what we do and how we do it. In a new series, we ask our experts: beyond the pandemic, where should we go from here?

Our unprecedented ability to collect, store and analyse data is opening up new frontiers in science and the humanities.

Life on Earth is at risk from an unprecedented rate of environmental change that threatens the natural resources on which we depend.

Cambridge researchers are harnessing the latest developments in science and technology to help us predict, diagnose and treat cancers at an ever earlier stage.

Understanding the implications of enabling children to grow into healthy, happy, educated and inquiring adults, in safety and free from adversity.

Cambridge researchers are helping to lead the fight back against COVID-19, from the use of genomics to track its spread and mathematic modelling to understand infection rates through to innovative screening programmes to keep its students and staff safe.

Digital technologies are opening up new fields of study and generating research questions that breach traditional disciplinary boundaries.

About half the world’s population uses the internet. How do we take advantage of this digital connectivity and also protect society from risk?

How research partnerships are offering innovative approaches to make the most of the region’s assets and tackle its more pressing challenges

See also: our University and the East of England website and film

Research is tackling the need to reduce energy demand, maintain energy supply, increase the efficiency of energy-requiring processes, and develop policy and pricing strategies.

Over half the world’s population lives in urban areas. The quality of life in future cities depends on the innovations we put in place today.

New technologies and strong academic-industry partnerships have the potential to change the face of therapeutic medicine.

Cambridge has played a central role in the story of genomics: from uncovering the structure of DNA through to inventing a super-fast way of reading the genetic code. Today, researchers are using genomic information to make more accurate diagnoses, enable personalised medicine, tackle threats like COVID-19, and even reconstruct the ancient history of humans.

The task of ensuring affordable access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food for all is one of the major challenges of the 21st century.

From microscopic cells to massive galaxies, imaging is a core tool for many research fields today, and it’s also the basis of a surge in recent technical developments – some of which are being pioneered in Cambridge.

Cambridge and India have well over 100 collaborations and partnerships, many forged over decades, others more recently.

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

The application of new ideas, discoveries and inventions contributes to society and the economy nationally and globally.

This International Day of Women and Girls in Science, meet some of the Cambridge researchers working on COVID-19.

The importance of language is hard to overestimate, yet few of us are aware of the sheer breadth and diversity of language research.

Understanding how we interact with our material world can reveal unparalleled insights into what it is to be human.

A mental health crisis is looming, affecting individuals, communities and economies worldwide. Cambridge researchers are advancing understanding of mental illness and wellbeing – and putting this into practice.

Immigration and migration, and the issues that surround them, have become symbolic of the 21st century.

Neuroscience has transformed our understanding of the brain and promises treatments for devastating disorders that affect millions.

Putting public health research into practice has had major impacts worldwide, resulting in longer, healthier lives.

From exploring ancient ideas of generation to understanding new frontiers in fertility, Cambridge researchers are working across disciplines to study reproduction from multiple perspectives.

From cybercrime to earthquakes, influenza to air travel, research on risk and uncertainty reflects issues that are of paramount importance.

Stem cells, the 'building blocks' for every type of cell in the body, have tremendous potential to improve human health.

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Cambridge initiatives, projects and research that were made possible by a philanthropic donation.

The climate crisis and biodiversity losses are affecting the planet at an alarming pace. Cambridge researchers are helping the response to these threats, building resilience, supporting the transition from fossil fuels to a zero-carbon future, and enabling us to act sustainably to protect the planet's precious resources and reduce waste.

Read about some of the many Cambridge researchers tackling COVID-19. For more about our latest research, click here.

Stories from the people that make Cambridge University unique.

Getting ‘work’ right is good for people and the nation. It contributes to increasing productivity, better living standards and economic growth.