Faecal calprotectin (CP) is a valuable biomarker for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Nevertheless, commercial assays do not display comparable clinical sensitivities and specificities. Dr Magne Fagerhol at the Oslo University Hospital, Norway, explored the structure of faecal CP to understand the sources of variation and developed new monoclonal antibody mixtures…

Life exploded in our oceans 250 million years ago, leading to the biodiversity that we see today. Before this point, however, the plant and animal life in our seas was considerably less diverse. Several theories have been proffered to explain this — often considering both habitat and climate changes —…

Arrythmia — abnormal heart rhythm — can be life-limiting and even life-threatening. In this interview, Research Outreach talks to Professor Benjamin J Scherlag of the University of Oklahoma, USA, about his pioneering research into what was the entirely new field of cardiac electrophysiology. We learn about the ‘His bundle’, ganglionated…

The majority of clinical trials focus on male participants. Dr Dequina Nicholas, Assistant Professor at the University of California Irvine in the US, argues that there is an urgent need to focus more on women’s health, especially fertility-related complications. …

The immune system provides a formidable defence against pathogens. However, many bacteria possess a protective sugar polymer coat. In children, the immune system does not respond to these polymers unless they are chemically linked to a carrier. This is the basis of conjugate vaccines, a powerful but expensive means to…

With their ever-increasing capabilities and applications, the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) is set to soar. This creates an urgent need for solutions that safely manage UAS operations in congested low-altitude airspace. Some advanced UAS-control methods are based on reinforcement learning techniques, but these are not yet fully validated…

When US neuroscientist Dr Luke H Bradley at the University of Kentucky helped design a STEM education programme for underrepresented students, his bold approach of interdisciplinary collaborations, near-peer mentoring, and teacher coaching promised to reshape a culture of negative reinforcement. The START Program embraces authentic research and training through direct…

For nearly 90 years, Cara (or the Council for At-Risk Academics) has offered a lifeline to researchers and academics working in, or forced to flee from, dangerous global contexts. It works with those currently escaping persecution, those who have been forced into exile, or those who pursue their vital research…

At COARE Holdings in the US, Dr Courtney W Houchen and Edwin Bannerman-Menson examine innovative ways to target and treat metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Their research focuses on the ‘stemness’ of cancer cells — a property by which the cells within a tumour are able to divide and give rise…