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.
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: Department 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. By hearing from thousands of women from a wide range of backgrounds, the survey paints a clear picture of mental health around childbirth and experiences of maternity care across England.
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.
Oxford joins new West Africa consortium to accelerate climate and health solutions
5 March 2026
Researchers from the University of Oxford have joined African universities and regional experts who are working with Wellcome to establish new science and policy consortiums that will address the escalating public health crisis driven by climate change - saving lives and livelihoods.
Digital tool that personalises antidepressant treatment significantly improves outcomes of people with depression
4 March 2026
An AI-driven tool that tailors antidepressant treatment to individual patients was shown to improve outcomes for people with depression, compared to standard treatment, in a major international trial.
2026 Jill and Herbert Hunt Travelling Scholarship open for applications
4 March 2026
Applications are invited for the 2026 Jill and Herbert Hunt Travelling Scholarship to support travel abroad for clinical study or research from graduates of the Oxford University Medical School.
Nuffield Department of Population Health researchers to tackle one of cancer’s toughest challenges
4 March 2026
Oxford researchers join $25m international effort to uncover immune mechanisms that protect certain people from cancer.
New study finds storytelling reduces political polarisation
3 March 2026
Study of 380 high school students finds that exchanging stories reduces affective polarisation and promotes empathy.
British children are growing taller but not for the right reasons
3 March 2026
A new analysis of Child Measurement Programme data from England, Scotland, and Wales challenges recent reports suggesting children in Britain are getting shorter. The analysis, conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford, reveals that average child height has increased over the past two decades. But these gains are not related to improved child health, the researchers say. The increases in average height are closely linked to rising childhood obesity among poorer children and widening socioeconomic inequalities.
International Advisory Board to strengthen global leadership in primary care
2 March 2026
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences announces International Advisory Board to advance its Strategy 2025–2030 and global collaboration
Excess weight in early adulthood linked to higher risk of premature death
27 February 2026
A new study by researchers at the Nuffield Department of Population Health and in China has shown that entering adulthood with a healthy body weight is associated with a substantially lower risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease, cancer and respiratory disease. The study of approximately half a million Chinese adults is published in Science Bulletin.