20 Sep 2018

Diabetes drug could delay symptoms of Huntington’s disease

A drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes may have therapeutic benefits for people experiencing the very earliest symptoms of Huntington’s disease, researchers at the University of Dundee have discovered. Scientists based at the University’s School of Medicine, working with colleagues in Germany, found that the drug Metformin can help to restore brain activity before symptoms of the terminal illness become established. In research published in the journal eLife, the Dundee team found that the drug can help to regulate the Huntingtin protein, which in a mutated form can accumulate in the brain...

19 Sep 2018

Storm Ali Seen From Space

Autumn arrived in Britain on Wednesday as Storm Ali brought 100mph winds and travel chaos to the country. The scale of the first named storm of the season was captured by the University of Dundee Satellite Receiving Station....

19 Sep 2018

Surgical robots and virtual reality – the future of medical training

Surgical robots, virtual reality headsets and interactive anatomy stations are among the hi-tech innovations that feature in a new medical education training centre developed by the University of Dundee, NHS Tayside and industry partners Medtronic. The Dundee Institute for Healthcare Simulation (DIHS) was officially launched at the University’s School of Medicine, Ninewells Hospital, today. Refurbished at a cost of £250,000, DIHS doubles training capacity and brings together the University’s Clinical Skills and Surgical Skills centres to form the first single-site facility in Scotland o...

19 Sep 2018

Strength-based exercises could help combat childhood obesity

Encouraging young people to do strength-based exercises – such as squats, push-ups and lunges – could play a key role in tackling child obesity, according to new research from the Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee. Taking part in exercises that cause muscles to contract, and strengthen muscles and bones, was found to reduce children’s body fat percentage. The findings also suggests an increase in muscle mass – gained from strength-based exercises – could help boost children’s metabolism and energy levels. The effects were small but meaningful, prompting calls for f...

18 Sep 2018

Event to GROW awareness of soil quality concerns

Dundee will become the frontline in the fight to save Europe’s soil this week as the city prepares to host a special seminar. The GROW Observatory, a University of Dundee-led project, is inviting members of the public to identify issues that could jeopardise the nation’s future food supply at an event to be hosted at the Baxter Park Centre on Thursday. The Europe-wide initiative is bringing people throughout Central Scotland together to highlight issues relating to land management, climate change and other environmental factors that are jeopardising the sustainability of the planet’s so...