10 Sep 2018

Public’s help sought on environmental “right to know”

Researchers from the University of Dundee are seeking the public’s help with a project exploring the efficacy of laws surrounding the right of access to environmental information. Legislation enshrines the right to access a range of environmental information held by Scottish public authorities but these laws are subject to considerable debate. While some denounce them as a pointless and costly burden on public authorities, others defend a valuable safeguard for the environment and argue that existing legislation does not go far enough. The research team, from the University’s School of Social...

10 Sep 2018

Study links widely-used drug azathioprine to skin cancers

A drug used to treat inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis and vasculitis as well as to prevent organ rejection in transplant patients has been identified as an important contributor to skin cancer development, in a research study carried out at the University of Dundee, Queen Mary University of London and the Wellcome Sanger Institute. The research, published in Nature Communications, identified a `strong case for an association’ between the drug azathioprine and the mutational signature found in cases of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), a common form of skin cancer. It was already known ...

6 Sep 2018

Removal of GP incentives associated with decline in quality of care

The removal of financial incentives for doctors working in primary care is associated with a decline in performance on quality measures, according to new findings by researchers from the Universities of Dundee and Cambridge, and staff from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Researchers said the decline in performance measures may be partly accounted for by changes to documentation after incentives were removed. But they added that declines in measures involving laboratory testing suggested the removal of incentives had changed the actual care delivered to patients. Professor Br...

6 Sep 2018

University spin-off projects in Converge Challenge finals

The finalists have been revealed for the 2018 Converge Challenge, Scotland’s premier company creation programme.  The University of Dundee has two innovative projects shortlisted in the Converge and KickStart categories. Representing the University is Professor Angus Lamond who founded a Data Management spinout company, Platinum Informatics. The company looks to maximise the efficiency and productivity of the modern workplace by enabling access to Big Data Technology.  The University  has also secured a place in the Kickstart category, aimed at early stage ideas,&...

4 Sep 2018

Discovery aids disease elimination efforts

Researchers at the University of Dundee have identified a new drug target in parasites that cause major neglected tropical diseases, a discovery that contributes towards a global drive to eliminate these diseases by 2030. African trypanosomes, transmitted by tsetse flies, cause lethal diseases in humans and livestock, known as sleeping sickness and nagana respectively. Around 70 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are thought to be at risk of contracting sleeping sickness, which kills thousands of people each year. Nagana causes vast economic harm to these countries and can exacerbate food shortages. Ne...