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Fighting the war with drugs: How can psychedelic-assisted therapies help veterans?

By , and Filed Under: British Politics, Health and Care, Research and development, Science and Technology Posted:

Around 17% of recent military veterans in the UK report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and currently available treatments don’t work for many of these. Here, Professor Jo Neill, Dr Verity Wainwright, and Frances Smith report the findings of a new study into the role that psilocybin (the active constituent of so-called ‘magic’ mushrooms) […]

On productivity and Net Zero

By Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Industry 4.0, OnProductivity, Renewables, Science and Engineering, UK economy Posted:

The UK government has assigned itself with the tasks of boosting productivity in left-behind areas and transitioning to a net-zero economy. In this blog, Professor Jonatan Pinkse explores how the UK can simultaneously improve its standards of productivity regionally while transitioning to a net-zero economy. His policy recommendations include securing green jobs and not using […]

Advanced radiotherapies: What are the challenges and opportunities?

By and Filed Under: Health and Care, Health and Social Care, Science and Technology Posted:

Advanced radiotherapies are redefining the kinds of cancer treatment that are possible. These developments are exciting, but they also present new challenges. One challenge for researchers and clinicians is how to support policymakers, tasked with developing treatment and care standards across the NHS. So, what are these new treatments, what do they mean for patient […]

Antifungal resistance – a growing global problem

By Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Health and Care, Health and Social Care, Science and Technology Posted:

The spread of resistance to antifungal medications has led to many serious infections becoming untreatable, compromising patient safety and posing a global public health threat. The World Health Organisation (WHO) will soon publish its fungal pathogen priority list, highlighting fungi that are already untreatable, and those for which treatment outcomes are poor. In this blog, […]

The Energy Security Strategy: Going nuclear

Francis Livens By Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

The government has today announced plans to build eight new nuclear reactors in the UK, alongside strategies to boost wind, hydrogen, and solar production. These new reactors are intended to improve the UK’s energy self-sufficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as creating thousands of new jobs. In this blog, Professor Francis Livens of […]

Rapid diagnosis and treatment of fungal infections

By Filed Under: All posts, Health and Care, Health and Social Care, Science and Technology Posted:

The rapid and accurate diagnosis of fungal infections is crucial to effective treatment and ultimately saves lives. Diagnostics are often not widely available in low income countries leading to inappropriate and delayed treatments. This is the case for a serious fungal infection called chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA), and often for other fungal infections associated with […]

Computer robot makes micro chip

Can we use autonomous robotic systems in hazardous environments?

Louise DennisMatt Luckcuck By , and Filed Under: All posts, Digital Futures, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

Autonomous systems are becoming increasingly commonplace across all facets of modern life, including hazardous environments, where the choices made by machines have the potential to cause harm or injury to humans. But how well do we understand the decision-making process of artificial intelligence, and how does this affect trust in autonomous systems? In this blog, Professor […]

Psychedelics for mental health: tripping over red tape

By Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Health and Care, Health and Social Care, Science and Technology Posted:

The last decade has seen a new focus on psychedelics as powerful medicines for treating severe mental health issues, including the use of psilocybin for conditions such as PTSD and treatment-resistant depression. However, many of these potentially life-saving treatments, including psilocybin, remain difficult to research due to overly strict drug laws. In this blog, Professor […]

Sustainable engineering – not just engineering for sustainability

By Filed Under: Digital Futures, Energy and Environment, Renewables, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

Net zero now forms the heart of policies and strategies across government, from “levelling up” to “build back better”. Combined with the UK’s National Infrastructure Strategy, it is clear that engineering – particularly new technologies such as robotics and AI – has a core role in our decarbonisation efforts. But how green are the technologies […]

Carbon capture and storage: A solution under our noses

By , and Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

In 2019, the UK became the first major economy to legally commit to achieving net zero CO2 emissions by 2050. With new evidence of rapid, anthropogenic-induced climate change emerging, it is likely that many climate forecasts have underestimated the speed and extent of climate change. This means that drastic action is needed to both slow […]

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