Life Sciences News
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Scientists make breakthrough in studying deadly ventilator pneumonia
Dr Dean Walsh, Dr Freya Harrison, Dr Saskia Bakker and colleagues have made a breakthrough which could help find new treatments for a deadly infection that can affect up to 40% of hospital patients using mechanical ventilators.
Press Release (15 August 2024).
Celebrating 75 years of the Crop Centre’s pioneering agriculture research
The University of Warwick is celebrating 75 years of plant science research at its internationally recognised Crop Centre – the UK’s leading research facility for vegetable growers.
The Crop Centre, based at The University of Warwick’s Innovation Campus, Stratford-upon-Avon, was founded 75 years ago as the National Vegetable Research Station (NVRS) to address post-war pressure for food production. Research has continued on the site ever since, now incorporated into the University’s School of Life Sciences (SLS).
Press Release (23 July 2024)
New fellowships announced in UK-Japan partnership to tackle antimicrobial resistance
Two infectious disease experts have been selected to be Policy Fellows as part of a Japan-UK collaboration led by Professor Chris Dowson to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is a major threat to global health, with overuse of drugs, including antibiotics, leading to so-called ‘superbugs’ that have become more resistant to medicine.
Press Release (9 July 2024).
Scientists explain how they are helping boost UK fruit and veg production in wake of new government report
Researchers at the University’s internationally recognised Warwick Crop Centre are reflecting on a new government report, ‘A blueprint to grow the UK fruit and vegetable sector’, which details plans to support the fresh fruit and vegetable sector.
Press Release (23 May 2024)
SLS spin out company wins business awards
At the recent Medilink Midlands Business Awards 2024, Cytecom won the Delivering Innovation into Health and Care award and the £5,000 prize as the ‘winner of winners’. Cytecom is an SLS spin out company developing a rapid diagnostic test using its cutting-edge optical electrophysiology technology to reduce the time for targeted antibiotic selection from days to seconds.
Press Release (13 May 2024)
16 of the UK’s best scientific minds announced as Scientific Section Presidents
Professor Eric Holub has been selected by The British Science Association (BSA) as one of its Scientific Section Presidents for 2024. The Scientific Section Presidents are science professionals who play a crucial role in shaping the British Science Festival programme each year. Eric was nominated for making a significant contribution in the Agriculture and Food section for his work with Eat wise, cook with MAGIC.
Press Release (16 May 2024).
New Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building (IBRB) has been awarded the West Midlands Building of the Year award
Our new Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building (IBRB) has been awarded the West Midlands Building of the Year award from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
Press Release (10 May 2024)
Exploring Europe's key Stone Age site: The major underwater scientific expedition to preserve history
Led by Professor Robin Allaby, a new expedition is set to delve into Europe’s pivotal Mesolithic Stone Age site, Bouldnor Cliff. The expedition is a race against time to the submerged prehistoric settlement as erosion threatens its complete loss.
Press Release (26 April 2024).
Giant phage holds promise as treatment for lung infections, Warwick researchers find
Dr Jessica Lewis, from the Sagona Lab, has discovered a new bacterial killer that can target common lung infection caused by Burkholderia bacteria that has exciting potential for biotechnological applications.
Press release (3 April 2024)
British champagne production overtaking French? How the shifting seasons are playing havoc with our crops and wildlife, according to scientists
Spring equinox is fast approaching, on 20 March, but the changing seasons are playing havoc with UK wildlife and crops. This comes after England and Wales had their warmest Februarys on record, according to the Met Office. Professor Rosemary Collier and Dr Dave Chandler comment on what the changing seasons mean for wildlife.
Press Release (20 March 2024)
Life Sciences retains Athena Swan Silver Award in recognition of progress on gender equality
We are delighted to announce that the School of Life Sciences (SLS) has successfully renewed its Athena Swan Silver Award. The award recognises the progress made by the School towards the goal of addressing gender inequalities and embedding an inclusive culture.
(March 2024)
£1.5m donation drives UK-Japan collaboration in antimicrobial research
A £1.5 million donation will drive joint research into antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by scientists in the UK and Japan.
Antimicrobial resistance poses a huge problem in healthcare, risking modern medicine becoming ineffective. This could lead to common infections becoming deadly illnesses. Now, thanks to visionary philanthropy from The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation, which encourages innovative research between Japan and the UK, and The Sir Howard Dalton Centre at The University of Warwick, the research can progress at pace.
Press Release (6 March 2024)
Onion Crisis: Researchers Combatting Destructive Crop Disease Costing Farmers £10m Annually
The British Onions Producers’ Association (BOPA) leads a £1 million project, with researchers from Warwick, industry leaders, and innovators to combat Fusarium Basal Rot (FBR), a menace to the UK onion industry.
Professor John Clarkson, Plant Pathologist, said: “This project is an exciting opportunity for the School of Life Sciences and School of Engineering to provide new approaches to tackling Fusarium basal rot of onion, which is increasingly devastating for UK onion growers. As well as supporting Engineering and the wider consortium with expertise on the disease, my team at the Warwick Crop Centre will develop new DNA-based molecular diagnostic approaches to detect the pathogen in soil so that growers can use this test to avoid planting onions in highly infested fields. The test may also help to assess the risk of onions developing basal rot in storage”.
Press Release (19 February 2024)
Funding for joint Warwick-Aston Engineering Biology research paves the way for enhanced sustainable manufacturing and drug discovery
A team of academics from The University of Warwick and Aston University has secured a £1.8m grant to engineer microbial cell factories to produce membrane proteins which will support future drug screening and sustainable chemical production.
Press Release (19 February 2024).
British-grown beans available for purchase
New varieties of Britain’s favourite pulse are available for purchase from 10 February 2024. These UK Registered beans (URBeans) were created by Professor Eric Holub as part of his work to diversify British cooking using home-grown ingredients.
A dry bean mix of Godiva and Capulet are on sale from Zero Store shops in Stratford-on-Avon and Leamington Spa.
Press Release (9 February 2024)
Life Sciences Research with Impact
The recently published BBSRC Impact Showcase 2023 presents a collection of impact stories arising from BBSRC investments. The showcase highlights the vital role bioscience has in addressing key strategic global challenges and features research by Professor Eric Holub to develop new varieties of beans compatible with the British Climate.
Find out more (Scroll down the homepage to find 'Homegrown production of designer dry beans').
University of Warwick's bean grower Andy Ward grapples with impacts of torrential rain
Lincolnshire farmer Andy Ward, known for cultivating the first British Baked Beans in partnership with University of Warwick scientist Eric Holub, is facing a harsh reality as standing waters inundate his farmlands.
Press Release (5 January 2023)
Webinar: Introduction to Warwick Agri-Tech - Thursday 25 January
The University of Warwick recently announced the formation of Warwick Agri-Tech to help the future of farming with automation – addressing issues such as labour shortages, food insecurity and loss of biodiversity.
On Thursday 25 January, Emilio Loo Monardez, WMG and Dave Chandler, Warwick Crop Centre will talk about some of the projects that Warwick Agri-Tech are undertaking currently and their plans for the future.
In memory of David Hodgson
We are deeply saddened by the death of Professor David Hodgson, who passed away on 29 December 2023 after a long illness.
David Hodgson was a microbiologist of worldwide renown who was a highly valued member of the Department of Biological Sciences and latterly the School of Life Sciences. His generous nature and encyclopaedic knowledge were shared freely with Warwick staff and students alike. His wisdom and humour were also highly appreciated by his colleagues from around the globe, whose esteem was illustrated by the international roll-call of distinguished contributors to the two-day celebration of his career in 2015 when he retired. He had uniquely diverse expertise in the genetics of streptomycetes, myxococci and Caulobacter (types of bacteria unusual in having different cell types), and his fascination with their life cycles and physiology led to intriguing insights into their regulatory mechanisms. His innovative research in this area, which benefited from a Fulbright Senior Research Scholarship to spend a year working with US-based academics sharing his interests, was reflected in his DSc, awarded in 2007. David collaborated with many other academics and was a visiting academic at the University of Surrey. He was an important contributor to collaborative research work at Warwick, in particular playing a key part in a large Warwick-based transnational research programme which helped to redraw the carbon metabolic pathways of Streptomyces coelicolor.