The latest news, updates and announcements from the Nuffield Department of Medicine.
Researchers develop AI-assisted tools for dengue care in Vietnam
19 June 2025
A team of researchers at the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam are developing AI-based solutions to transform dengue care. These tools include a wearable device and a clinical decision support system.
Study finds potential path to treatment for an aggressive form of leukaemia
18 June 2025
In a collaborative new study, researchers at Ludwig Cancer Research Oxford have identified a potential new therapeutic target in blast phase myeloproliferative neoplasm, a particularly aggressive and hard-to-treat form of leukaemia.
Dr Lennard Lee honoured at the national Cancer Vaccines Awards Ceremony
17 June 2025
Dr Lennard Lee, a leading cancer vaccine researcher from the Nuffield Department of Medicine, has been recognised at one of the UK’s most esteemed national oncology gatherings.
Research finds new metabolic clues to survival in tuberculous meningitis
12 June 2025
In a collaborative new study led by OUCRU, researchers have found that tryptophan in cerebrospinal fluid is a determinant of lower survival in people with tuberculous meningitis. These findings suggest the possibility that other metabolites could also predict patient outcomes.
Nipah virus vaccine granted European Medicines Agency PRIME designation
11 June 2025
Co-led by researchers at the Pandemic Sciences Institute, the Nipah virus has been granted PRIME designation. This recognises the vaccine’s potential to address the unmet medical need arising from the devastating Nipah virus disease, which can be fatal in up to 85% of cases.
New consortium to make UK a world leader in AI drug discovery
10 June 2025
A new consortium, co-led by NDM researchers, has just been announced, aiming to make the UK a leader in artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery. The ‘OpenBind’ consortium will slash the cost of drug discovery and development by as much as £100 billion.
Malaria vaccine wins Galien Foundation prize for Best Public Sector Innovation
9 June 2025
The R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine has received the Galien Foundation prize for Best Public Sector Innovation. Members of the Jenner Institute team, Prof Sir Adrian Hill, Mehreen Datoo and Lisa Stockdale were present during the Galien Foundation UK Forum & Awards Ceremony in London on 05 June 2025.
Unlocking the potential of genetic data for research and healthcare
5 June 2025
Researchers at the Big Data Institute have announced a new data format designed to unlock the potential of the millions of genomes now sequenced in global healthcare systems.
PSI publish first validated tool to measure stigma during disease outbreaks
4 June 2025
Researchers at the Pandemic Sciences Institute have published RAPID Stigma Scales to help health professionals monitor stigma in disease outbreak settings, improving outbreak responses globally.
CBF’s Omar El Muhanna awarded Jordanian Order for Distinction
30 May 2025
As part of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s 79th Independence Day celebrations on 25 May, His Majesty King Abdullah II bestowed the King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein Order for Distinction upon Omar El Muhanna, Senior Operations and Strategy Executive at NDM’s Clinical BioManufacturing Facility.
New method reveals access to proteins in ancient human remains
29 May 2025
A new method, developed by researchers at the Nuffield Department of Medicine, could soon unlock the vast repository of biological information held in the proteins of ancient soft tissues. The findings, which could open up a new era for palaeobiological discovery, have been published in PLOS ONE.
Project to develop low-cost genome sequencing for pathogens launched
28 May 2025
A low-cost genome sequencing technique that was used by thousands of laboratories globally to spot COVID-19 variants will be extended to cover all pathogens, in an ambitious new Wellcome Trust-funded project launched today. The ARTIC-2 project is led by the University of Birmingham and brings together researchers from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Kenya with expertise in responding to numerous viral threats using genomic surveillance, including recent outbreaks of Ebola virus and Mpox in Africa.
Molecule enabling new leukaemia treatments discovered
20 May 2025
Researchers at the Shi Lab have discovered a first-in-class LSD1 PROTAC degrader, which opens up new therapeutic paths for the treatment of acute myeloid leukaemia. PROTAC degraders are molecules that degrade proteins by using the cell’s own machinery, binding to both the target protein and an E3 ligase, which marks it for degradation by the proteasome.
Eight NDM researchers awarded Associate Professorships
19 May 2025
We are delighted to announce that eight researchers have been awarded the Associate Professor title, in recognition of their research achievements, contribution to teaching, and contribution to the general work of the Nuffield Department of Medicine.
Oxford and Thai health officials sign agreement on infectious disease control
15 May 2025
Representatives from the University of Oxford and the Tak Provincial Public Health Office signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration on infectious disease prevention and control along the Thai–Myanmar border. The agreement focuses on joint research into key diseases affecting the border population.
T cell responses to monkeypox play a part in protecting against infection
13 May 2025
A new study, led by researchers at the NDM's CAMS Oxford Institute and the Centre for Human Genetics, TIDU in the MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, the Kennedy Institute and the Dunn School of Pathology, has found that specific T cells could have an impact on the long-term protective responses to future infection.
More effective and affordable treatment strategies for Hepatitis C
12 May 2025
NDM's Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) announced promising results from the VIETNARMS trial, a years-long multi-arm clinical trial conducted in Vietnam. The trial found that the readily available and affordable Hepatitis C treatment sofosbuvir/daclatasvir had a >95% cure rate. The results offer important insights into new treatment regimens for Hepatitis C, potentially reducing treatment durations and halving treatment costs.
Professor Yang Shi wins 2025 Léopold Griffuel Prize
8 May 2025
The ARC Foundation for Cancer Research has recognised Professor Yang Shi’s contributions to the field of cancer epigenetics with the 2025 Léopold Griffuel Prize for Fundamental Research.
Coeliac disease may be driven by immune structures in the gut
7 May 2025
Researchers in the Nuffield Department of Medicine have found structures of immune cells in the gut that may be driving the response to gluten in people with coeliac disease. These findings could provide a target for future therapies.
Professor Andrew McMichael elected to the US National Academy of Sciences
6 May 2025
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in the US just announced the election of 120 members and 30 international members in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Election to membership in the NAS is a mark of excellence in science and considered one of the highest honours that a scientist can receive.