How Oxford Medical Sciences is fighting Coronavirus
Researchers from across the Medical Sciences Division are working hard to combat the COVID-19 crises. With particular strengths in infectious diseases and international health, we are well placed to contribute to better understanding and effectively controlling the epidemic. We have a long history of responding to crises, in the UK and around the world and are leaders in emergency vaccine development. During the 2014 Ebola outbreak, our scientists performed the world’s first human Ebola vaccine studies, starting them before any other university or company. Our researchers, in collaboration with partners across the globe, are working to develop an effective vaccine and drugs to target this virus, and have already introduced innovative public health measures and collaborative online tools that are being used in hospitals here and abroad.
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Coronavirus-related news from across the Medical Sciences Division
Longer-term organ abnormalities confirmed in some post-hospitalised COVID patients
25 September 2023
A study looking at the longer-term impact of COVID-19 has found that nearly a third of patients displayed abnormalities in multiple organs five months after infection, some of which have been shown through previous work to be evidence of tissue damage.
Young people’s mental health deteriorated at greater rate during the pandemic
25 September 2023
Young people’s mental health deteriorated during COVID-19, with higher levels of depression and social, emotional and behavioural difficulties than before the pandemic hit, a comprehensive new study has shown.
Study shows detrimental impact of Long Covid on the education and lives of children and young people
20 September 2023
New research from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford, and the universities of Stirling and Aberdeen funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), has shone a spotlight on the profound effect Long Covid can have on children and young people’s school experience and wider lives.
Blood clots during COVID-19 may be a cause of ongoing cognitive problems
4 September 2023
High levels of two proteins at the time of COVID-19 have been found in patients who later experienced cognitive problems, including ‘brain fog’, giving a major clue as to one cause of their symptoms: blood clots.
COVID-19 measures reduced life-threatening invasive bacterial infections
28 July 2023
Containment measures introduced to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2 resulted in a sustained reduction in the transmission of certain bacteria that cause diseases such as meningitis, sepsis and pneumonia, according to a new study published in The Lancet Digital Health by the Invasive Respiratory Infection Surveillance (IRIS) Consortium.
The safety of GP prescribing in England was not adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic
19 May 2023
Researchers from the universities of Oxford and Nottingham have found that despite substantial disruption to primary care services, the safety of GP prescribing in England was largely unaffected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Landmark antibody study to test immune responses against COVID-19
17 April 2023
Thousands of immunosuppressed people, including patients at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH), have the chance to take part in a landmark new study investigating which people are still at the greatest risk of COVID-19 infection after vaccination.
Trial investigating potential treatment for fatigue relief in people with long COVID reports results
17 April 2023
Researchers from the University of Oxford have reported findings from a Phase 2 clinical trial investigating the efficacy of an investigational treatment against long COVID fatigue. The study (reported in Lancet eClinical Medicine) found participants given the treatment, developed by US pharmaceutical company Axcella Therapeutics, reported feeling less fatigued than those given a placebo.
School closures may reduce COVID-19 transmission, but may also harm children's education and wellbeing
31 March 2023
Researchers at the University of Oxford have conducted a systematic overview of reviews to assess the impact of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
NHS COVID-19 app saved estimated 10,000 lives in its first year, new research finds
22 February 2023
A team of experts at the Pandemic Sciences Institute at the University of Oxford and Department of Statistics at the University of Warwick estimate the NHS COVID-19 app prevented around 1 million cases, 44,000 hospitalisations and 9,600 deaths during its first year.
Find out how other parts of the University are tackling COVID-19
Researchers across the University of Oxford are at the forefront of global efforts to understand COVID-19 and protect our communities.
Support our Research
Find out how to support Oxford's coronavirus work across a number of key research areas.