'Hidden' costs of social care after a hip fracture exceed £1.25 billion a year in the UK
16 February 2026
Social care for hip fracture costs the NHS over £1.25 billion, equating to £15K per patient every year, according to a new study by the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS).
New AI model could improve prediction of medium-term mortality in heart failure patients
16 February 2026
Researchers from the University of Oxford and international collaborators have developed a new artificial intelligence model that can more accurately predict the medium-term risk of death for people with heart failure using routine electronic health records.
Epilepsy and the brain
16 February 2026
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting roughly 50 million people around the world. Researchers at Oxford are looking at how epilepsy can be prevented, diagnosed and treated. Our experts are also raising awareness of the condition to reduce stigma and improve the quality of life for people with epilepsy, particularly those in under-resourced communities.
Drugs identified that could help prevent delirium after surgery
12 February 2026
A new study has found that several commonly used drugs could significantly reduce the risk of delirium in older people following surgery.
AI ‘digital assistant’ could transform fetal ultrasound training and support
11 February 2026
Researchers from the University of Oxford, including clinicians and scientists from the Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health (WRH), have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) system to assist clinicians during fetal ultrasound scans in real time.
Smoking remains stubbornly higher among disadvantaged groups, new research confirms
11 February 2026
New research finds people experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage are more likely to smoke, more addicted, and less likely to attempt to quit – a pattern that holds across different types of disadvantage.
New study reveals how egg cells mature in anolis lizards
10 February 2026
Researchers from the Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health (NDWRH) and the MD Anderson Cancer Center shed light into the egg cell maturation in lizard ovaries by providing a detailed characterisation of the individual stages a reptile egg cell must pass through before it ovulates.
Oxford to advance mental health research through £1.5 million gift
10 February 2026
The University of Oxford has received a £1.5 million gift from Bukhman Philanthropies to support new research aiming to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time – young people’s mental health.
‘Peer power’ transforming HIV testing among fishing communities in Uganda
9 February 2026
In Uganda’s fishing communities, Dr Joseph Matovu is leading a peer-led HIV self-testing project to overcome stigma and healthcare access barriers. With support from the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx), the PEST4MEN model empowers local leaders to distribute self-test kits, improving uptake, linkage to care, and community ownership of HIV prevention.
The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre advances discovery of therapies for Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA)
9 February 2026
Philanthropic funding from the Friedreich's Ataxia Alliance Innovation Fund awarded to five Oxford researchers to support development of novel therapeutics.
Public trust in health data sharing for AI is conditional
9 February 2026
Public support for sharing health data for artificial intelligence (AI) research depends on clear public benefit, strong safeguards, and meaningful consent, according to a new Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences (NDORMS) study based on in-depth focus groups with members of the UK public.
New study warns of risks in AI chatbots giving medical advice
9 February 2026
Millions of people are now turning to AI chatbots for answers about their health — but a major new study warns this trust may be misplaced. The largest user study to date examining how large language models (LLMs) support real people making medical decisions finds that these systems can provide inaccurate, inconsistent, and potentially dangerous advice when users seek help with their own symptoms.
The changing face of heart disease: Why it’s time to rethink prevention
9 February 2026
For decades, heart disease prevention has been one of the biggest public health success stories. Thanks to research and better awareness about risks like high blood pressure, smoking, and cholesterol, rates of heart attacks and strokes have fallen dramatically since the 1960s. But in recent years, this progress has slowed, and in some countries, even reversed.
Statins do not cause the majority of side effects listed in package leaflets
6 February 2026
Statins do not cause the majority of the conditions that have been listed in their package leaflets, including memory loss, depression, sleep disturbance, and erectile and sexual dysfunction, according to the most comprehensive review of possible side effects. The study was led by researchers at the Nuffield Department of Population Health and published in The Lancet.
Study highlights factors contributing to unsafe NHS care for people from minoritised groups
6 February 2026
People from minoritised groups in the UK experience a complex and interconnected set of factors that increase their risk of harm when using NHS services, according to a new qualitative study by researchers at the Nuffield Department of Population Health and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. The study is published in BMJ Open Quality.
New Oxford-led initiative launches to train future leaders in transformative technologies for pharmaceutical research
5 February 2026
GSK, in partnership with the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Southampton, has launched Transformative Technologies in Pharmaceutical Sciences (TTPS). This cross-sector doctoral training programme will equip a new generation of researchers to translate basic scientific research and biological understanding into novel technologies, vaccines, therapies and drugs that will accelerate patient benefit. The new programme is a part of the Industrial Landscape Award programme announced by BBSRC.
New Oxford-led trial explores if the immune system can be trained to control HIV
4 February 2026
Can the immune system be trained to control HIV without continuous medication? A new Oxford-led clinical trial is exploring whether immune-based strategies could support longer-term viral control after stopping antiretroviral therapy.
Sleep apnoea: not just an airway problem but an exemplar of a systems-medicine complex disorder
4 February 2026
Obstructive sleep apnoea is one of the most common conditions occurring in sleep medicine, traditionally understood as a mechanical problem: during sleep, the upper airway is obstructed, interrupting breathing and oxygen supply. Treatments have largely focused on this anatomy, particularly through continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.
Professor Sir Nicholas White OBE KCMG FRS
3 February 2026
The University of Oxford and the Nuffield Department of Medicine greatly mourn the death of Professor Sir Nicholas White, a distinguished clinician and scientist who was internationally recognised as the leading figure in improving the treatment of malaria worldwide, and whose work has made a lasting contribution to global health research - saving millions of lives worldwide. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.
Treatment of tumours with sound: New high-intensity focused ultrasound machine installed
2 February 2026
A new state-of-the-art high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) machine has been installed at the Churchill Hospital, giving Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) cancer patients access to the latest in this innovative technology.