9 Jul 2019

Protein discovery could pave way for parasite research

A team at the University of Dundee has identified a protein that makes random decisions to allow parasites to survive in their human hosts. Scientists at the University’s School of Life Sciences have been able to identify a complex that allows genes to switch on and off randomly, changing cell surface characteristics and allowing escape from the defences of the host’s immune system. This behaviour is present in genes within parasites known as trypanosomes, and also in the parasite that causes malaria, which claims hundreds of thousands of lives every year. In a paper published in Nature Comm...

9 Jul 2019

Inhaling antibiotics improves chest infection symptoms

New research has identified that some patients with lung diseases could benefit from inhaling antibiotics directly into the lungs. The method, that uses a nebulizer to introduce antibiotics directly into the lungs, avoids many of the side effects of oral or injection medications. Scientists at the University of Dundee studied 440 patients with bronchiectasis, a chronic lung disease, who were randomly assigned to receive an antibiotic called aztreonam or a placebo for three months. By analysing the quantity of bacteria in the lungs, scientists were able to show that a group of lung disease patients who ca...

8 Jul 2019

Student app seeks supermarket sweep of support

An app designed to reduce food waste by listing overstocked items in real time is ready to hit the shelves, thanks to a University of Dundee student. Foodito, a mobile-based app developed by second-year student Donavere Benjamin-Mohan and a team of fellow students from across the UK, could revolutionise supermarket shopping by informing customers when overstocked items go on sale. However, the app could be resigned to the footnotes of history before it is launched if it does not pass an online vote by the public, the next step in the global start-up competition. Competing against 52 other regions in the...

8 Jul 2019

New cancer drug discovery partnership announced

The University of Dundee has announced a new partnership with Eisai, one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical companies, aiming to create innovative new drugs for the cancer field. The collaboration combines the world-leading expertise and technology of Professor Alessio Ciulli in PROTACs research at Dundee with Eisai’s discovery research and clinical development experiences in oncology. PROTACs represent a new class of drug candidates with the potential to tackle compelling cancer targets which have proved difficult to treat with conventional approaches. PROTACs work by harne...

5 Jul 2019

Crime show stars investigate University’s forensic centre

There was evidence of stardust at the University of Dundee today as the team behind a major crime series visited campus. The cast and crew of Traces visited the Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science (LRCFS) as filming for the six-part drama continues in the city. The invite to the Centre was extended by its Director, Professor Niamh Nic Daéid, who is a scientific advisor to the show, headlined by Line of Duty actor Martin Compston. He was joined by fellow star Molly Windsor for the visit, which coincided with a celebration to mark the third anniversary of the Centre’s ope...