Topic description and stories

Cambridge researchers have played a vital role in 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.

Intensive care unit at Addenbrooke's Hospital

Underactive immune response may explain obesity link to COVID-19 severity

20 March 2023

Individuals who are obese may be more susceptible to severe COVID-19 because of a poorer inflammatory immune response, say Cambridge scientists.

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Unexpected experiences: George Doji reflects on putting museum storytelling into the digital world

20 Aug 2020

George Doji, host of Museum Remix at the University of Cambridge Museums, describes the digital experiment in museum storytelling that began when the...

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Man wearing a face mask

Ageing heart cells offer clues to susceptibility of older people to severe COVID-19

18 Aug 2020

Genes that play an important role in allowing SARS-CoV-2 to invade heart cells become more active with age, according to research published today in...

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The OVSI team

Cambridge engineers recognised with awards for pandemic service

17 Aug 2020

Two teams of Cambridge engineers have been recognised by the Royal Academy of Engineering for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic with the...

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Beyond the pandemic: tackle the digital divide

13 Aug 2020

Increased working, learning and interacting online during the pandemic has widened the gap for those who lack digital skills or access, writes Gemma...

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Trusting the experts takes more than belief

12 Aug 2020

Philosophy lecturer Dr Matt Bennett discusses the distinction between believing experts’ testimony and following their recommendations for the ‘...

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Does the common cold protect you from COVID?

12 Aug 2020

Researcher Stephen Kissler looks at recent science suggesting previous infection with one of the milder coronaviruses could make COVID-19 less severe...

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The race for a SARS-Cov-2 Vaccine – how could 17 years be squeezed in to 17 months?

12 Aug 2020

Dr Steven Wooding from the Research Strategy Office compares current vaccine progress with tales from a decade of drug development for the Bennett...

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Unexpected experiences: Katy Pitts describes preparing the department for her colleagues to return to the workplace

07 Aug 2020

Katy Pitts, Principal Assistant and Safety Officer at the Department of Biochemistry, could probably now write the How-To manual on re-opening a...

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Human embryo cultured in vitro

Study suggests embryos could be susceptible to coronavirus as early as second week of pregnancy

05 Aug 2020

Genes that are thought to play a role in how the SARS-CoV-2 virus infects our cells have been found to be active in embryos as early as during the...

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Beyond the pandemic: reduce the risk of animal viruses jumping to humans

30 Jul 2020

Cambridge zoologists Bill Sutherland and Silviu Petrovan warn that we must dramatically change the way we interact with animals to reduce the risk of...

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Launch of 'Beyond the pandemic': where should we go from here?

30 Jul 2020

The COVID-19 crisis is forcing us all to change direction, to rethink what we do and how we do it. In a new series, launched today, we ask our...

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Unexpected experiences: Lucy Spokes talks about the excitement of a newly digital Festival

29 Jul 2020

Head of Public Engagement, Dr Lucinda Spokes, describes the difficult decision to pull the plug on the 26th Cambridge Science Festival in March this...

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