Oxford University spinout Dark Blue Therapeutics acquired to advance leukaemia treatment
20 March 2026
Oxford University spinout Dark Blue Therapeutics has been acquired by global biotechnology company Amgen in a deal worth up to US$840 million, marking a major milestone for Oxford-led cancer research and innovation. The deal reflects years of collaborative, multidisciplinary work across the University and its partners to translate fundamental research into promising new medicines.
World Happiness Report 2026 shows a complex global picture of social media and happiness
19 March 2026
Heavy social media use appears to be contributing to the drop in wellbeing among young people in English-speaking countries and Western Europe, especially among girls, according to findings published today (19 March) in the 2026 edition of the World Happiness Report.
GSK, University of Oxford and Imperial College London launch centre to create computer models of lungs, liver, kidneys and cartilage
19 March 2026
A new research centre backed with £11 million from GSK will build open-source digital twins of organs for in-silico research to advance disease understanding and speed up development of new drugs.
Two Oxford professors receive the 2026 Suffrage Science Award in Life Sciences
19 March 2026
The Suffrage Science Awards celebrates the achievements of women for their scientific achievements and for their ability to inspire others.
University of Oxford receives further £2m gift from Fondation Docteur Sadok Besrour to strengthen academic primary care in Tunisia
19 March 2026
New investment at Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences will support academic leadership, research capacity and training in Tunisia
International trial finds rapid diagnostic testing alone does not reduce antibiotic prescribing for respiratory infections
17 March 2026
Two international studies, a clinical trial led by the University of Oxford and University of Utrecht, and a qualitative study led by the University of Oxford and University of Antwerp, report that point-of-care diagnostic testing, when used alone is unlikely to reduce antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections in primary care. The findings indicate that testing must be embedded within broader antimicrobial stewardship strategies to be effective.
Marking International Women’s Day across our departments
13 March 2026
Departments across Medical Sciences have been celebrating International Women’s Day (8 March) by highlighting women driving progress in science and global health.
Oxford and Serum Institute of India sign IP license agreement to advance NipahB vaccine candidate
13 March 2026
The University of Oxford and Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd. (SII), a Cyrus Poonawalla Group company and the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, have signed an Intellectual Property license agreement to advance the development and manufacture of the ChAdOx1 NipahB vaccine candidate.
New research reveals how development and sex shape the brain
12 March 2026
Two companion studies, published in Cell Genomics, reveal how brain development lays the foundation for both shared and sex-specific circuits, redefining how neural diversity arises. A Preview article linked to the report highlights the broader significance of these findings and places them in context for the field.
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences designated as the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Primary Health Care
12 March 2026
The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford as the WHO Collaborating Centre on Primary Health Care.
New research reveals why some oesophageal cancers are so hard to treat
11 March 2026
Research published today in Science Advances has uncovered new insights into why the most aggressive oesophageal cancers are so difficult to treat and how the body’s own defence systems are helping them to thrive.
New study reveals how blood cell production responds to parasite infection
11 March 2026
Research led by the Nerlov Group in the Medical Research Council (MRC) Molecular Haematology Unit provides the first detailed explanation of how parasite-fighting immune cells are selectively increased following infection.
Anchoring a key immune molecule boosts T cell responses
11 March 2026
Researchers at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology have found that physically resisting the formation of an immunological synapse actually promotes a stronger immune response. The findings could help explain how immune responses become weakened in cancer and chronic infection and inform the design of more effective vaccines.
Professor Ester Hammond awarded Brain Research UK funding to tackle paediatric high-grade glioma
10 March 2026
Ester Hammond, Professor of Molecular Cancer Biology in the Department of Oncology, has been awarded new funding from Brain Research UK to investigate much needed treatment options for paediatric high-grade glioma (pHGG), the most common cause of tumour-related death in children.
University of Oxford and the Eden Project to research how nature can promote mental health
10 March 2026
An innovative new collaboration between the University of Oxford and the Eden Project will investigate how nature can improve mental health and wellbeing.
International Women’s Day: Women advancing science and global health
7 March 2026
Women are central to scientific discovery and academic leadership worldwide, contributing as researchers, clinicians, educators and technical specialists across the global research community. Their work advances knowledge and strengthens health systems to ensure that science reflects the diverse societies it aims to serve.
International Women’s Day 2026: Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences' researchers contribute to landmark report on menstrual health
6 March 2026
To mark International Women’s Day 2026, the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences highlights the contributions of two of their researchers to a major new Parliamentary report on menstrual health.
Latest national maternity survey finds 3 in 10 new mothers in England report common postnatal mental health problems
6 March 2026
The latest national maternity survey, You & Your Baby 2024, provides a picture of the mental health and maternity care experiences of women who gave birth in England in May 2024. We heard from 3,728 women from across the country - 3 in 10 were from minority ethnic groups, 3 in 10 were born outside the UK, and 2 in 10 lived in the most disadvantaged areas.
New WHO Collaborating Centre to support healthy and sustainable diets
5 March 2026
A new WHO Collaborating Centre will contribute to the promotion of healthy and sustainable diets, particularly in the WHO European Region.
Stroke Cognition Calculator could help predict thinking problems after stroke
5 March 2026
Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a “Stroke Cognition Calculator”, a new tool designed to estimate a person’s chance of having thinking and memory problems six months after a stroke.