22 Nov 2018

University welcomes Tay Cities Deal announcement

A £40 million investment in two University of Dundee projects from the UK and Scottish Governments will create jobs and attract further investment. Professor Sir Pete Downes, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University, has welcomed the news that the Tay Cities Deal has agreed to support bids for the Growing Tayside Biomedical Cluster, as well as for JustTech, the world’s first institute for innovation in forensic science. The deal’s Heads of Terms Agreement, revealed on Thursday, announced support of £25 million for the biomedical cluster from the Scottish Government, and a f...

21 Nov 2018

Antioxidants may prevent cognitive impairment in diabetes

Antioxidants could help to reduce the cognitive impairment that diabetes patients experience as a result of low blood sugar levels, according to new research carried out at the University of Dundee. Repeated episodes of low blood sugar leads to cognitive difficulty for patients with diabetes but the study, led by Dr Alison McNeilly from the University’s School of Medicine, suggests that stimulating antioxidant defences in mice reduces these impairments. This raises the possibility of one day being able to improve the quality of life of diabetics. Dr McNeilly will present her research at the Society...

21 Nov 2018

Trauma Teddy activity book to help children in distress

Students at the University of Dundee have teamed up with Police Scotland and a national charity to support children caught up in traumatic situations. Illustrators from the University’s Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design (DJCAD) have created an activity book that will be distributed to youngsters caught in the midst of emergency incidents. Working with Police Scotland and staff at Children 1st, Scotland’s national children’s charity, the book, which features puzzles, colouring in pictures and games, was developed entirely by DJCAD Illustration undergraduates and will be c...

21 Nov 2018

Personal best or pointless: weightlifting apparel put on trial

At a time when powerlifting and CrossFit are becoming more mainstream, weightlifting belts and shoes are an increasingly common sight for frequent gym-goers. But whether they actually help weightlifters is the question two students from the University of Dundee are putting to the test. Medical students Xuan Bahuet and Callum Frew are seeking participants who are familiar with deadlifts, to help the pair see if there is any weight behind the claims that weightlifting belts and shoes help improve lifting form. Xuan, a fourth-year student looking to push weightlifting belts to their limits, said that despit...

19 Nov 2018

Student Sean cycles Everest challenge on Dundee Law

Image credit: Jacob Scoular A University of Dundee student has cycled the height of Everest on Dundee Law for charity. Sean Douglas, a third-year Physics student, climbed a total of 29,049 feet in 139 miles. The mammoth effort which included 150 laps of the Dundee Law circuit took Sean just under 19 hours to complete. Sean's ‘Everesting’ attempt on Saturday 17 November saw him set off and finish in the dark. When asked how it felt to complete the challenge, Sean said he has no intentions of cycling up the Law anytime soon but loved every minute. "Finishing the climb was incredible, es...