Topic description and stories

Cambridge researchers have played a vital role in the fight back against COVID-19, from the use of genomics to track its spread and mathematic modelling to understand infection rates through to innovative screening programmes to keep its students and staff safe.

Underactive immune response may explain obesity link to COVID-19 severity

20 March 2023

Individuals who are obese may be more susceptible to severe COVID-19 because of a poorer inflammatory immune response, say Cambridge scientists.

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People sitting inside a restaurant wearing face masks

Free online tool calculates risk of COVID-19 transmission in poorly-ventilated spaces

20 Jan 2021

The vital role of ventilation in the spread of COVID-19 has been quantified by researchers, who have found that in poorly-ventilated spaces, the...

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Likelihood of severe and ‘long’ COVID may be established very early on following infection

18 Jan 2021

New research provides important insights into the role played by the immune system in preventing – and in some cases increasing the severity of –...

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Doctor checks on patient connected to a ventilator

DNA test can quickly identify pneumonia in patients with severe COVID-19, aiding faster treatment

15 Jan 2021

Researchers have developed a DNA test to quickly identify secondary infections in COVID-19 patients, who have double the risk of developing pneumonia...

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Asymptomatic screening and genome sequencing help Cambridge understand spread of SARS-CoV-2 among its students

11 Jan 2021

Since the start of the academic year in October 2020, the University of Cambridge has been offering regular SARS-CoV-2 tests to all students living...

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Horseshoe bats

Study identifies genetic changes likely to have enabled SARS-CoV-2 to jump from bats to humans

08 Jan 2021

A new study, involving the University of Cambridge and led by the Pirbright Institute, has identified key genetic changes in SARS-CoV-2 - the virus...

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Few vaccines prevent infection – here’s why that’s not a problem

05 Jan 2021

Immunologist Dr Sarah Caddy looks at how vaccination will cause transmissin to dwindle for the Conversation.


Coronavirus image

Persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection and viral evolution tracked in an immunocompromised patient

04 Jan 2021

Professor Ravi Gupta and colleagues investigated SARS-CoV-2 evolution in a patient treated with convalescent plasma. Here’s what the results could...

Ben Underwood with the COVID-19 vaccine research team

Tackling COVID-19: Dr Ben Underwood

04 Jan 2021

Ben Underwood’s expertise in delivering clinical trials became highly prized last year, as he worked on a vaccine trial the whole world was watching.

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Six ways to ‘reboot your brain’ after a hard year of COVID-19

04 Jan 2021

Prof Barbara Sahakian and colleagues look at steps we can take to help with mental health and resilience during this particularly bleak midwinter.


Volunteer in the testing centre

Cambridge COVID-19 Testing Centre passes 2 million tests milestone

24 Dec 2020

The Cambridge COVID-19 Testing Centre, set up in April in response to the urgent need to boost the UK’s testing capabilities, has processed two...

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Masked commuters on the London Underground

Opinion: Here's what we know about the new variant of coronavirus

23 Dec 2020

Professor Sharon Peacock writes in The Guardian about COG-UK's role in identifying the new SARS-CoV-2 variant.

Wine glass and bottle

One in three adults drank more alcohol during first lockdown

21 Dec 2020

COVID-19 and lockdown measures drove some individuals more than others to use alcohol to cope with stress, a new study has revealed. While overall...

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