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Topics: Science, technology

  • Many more infected by TBE virus than previously known

    The number of infections by the tick-borne TBE virus that are not detected by health services is far higher than previously assumed. This has been shown in a new study of Swedish blood donors from Uppsala University and the University Hospital in Uppsala. The results have been published in the journal Eurosurveillance, which is associated with the EU’s Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

  • New larks revealed in Africa

    Researchers at Uppsala University have studied the relationships between five closely related species of larks that occur in Africa south of the Sahara. They propose that the two species be split into seven. Some of them haven't been observed for decades, so the researchers analysed DNA from museum specimens, some of which were over 100 years old.

  • Small publishers increasingly important for translated literature

    Over the period 1970–2016, small publishing houses became increasingly important for the publication of literature in translation in Sweden. More than ever, Nobel laureates are being published by relatively small independent publishers. A specialisation in translations often stems from a publisher’s personal interest in a language or geographical area.

  • New research sheds light on Bantu-speaking populations' expansion in Africa

    About 350 million people across Africa speak one or more of the 500 Bantu languages. New genetic analysis of modern and ancient individuals suggests that these populations probably originated in western Africa and then moved south and east in several waves. The study has been published in the scientific journal Nature.

  • Genes influence whether infants prefer to look at faces or non-social objects

    Whether infants at five months of age look mostly at faces or non-social objects such as cars or mobile phones is largely determined by genes. This has now been demonstrated by researchers at Uppsala University and Karolinska Institutet. The findings suggest that there is a biological basis for how infants create their unique visual experiences and which things they learn most about.

  • New instrument for precision medicine in cardiovascular disease

    Researchers at Uppsala University have developed an instrument that makes it possible to measure 21 biomarkers for cardiovascular disease simultaneously with great precision by means of a simple blood test. The aim is to use this type of tool to improve the prediction of cardiovascular complications and facilitate more personalised treatment for patients.

  • Some increase in cancer after 1986 Chernobyl disaster

    The nuclear accident in Chernobyl in 1986 led to the spread of radioactivity across Sweden and Europe. In a long-term study now published in Environmental Epidemiology, researchers have used new, more specific calculation methods to show the connection between radiation dose and certain types of cancer.

  • Location of strong sense of discomfort in brain found

    Researchers have identified a new neural circuit in the brain which produces a strong sense of discomfort when activated. The discovery also allows them to show for the first time that the subthalamic nucleus, a structure in the brain that controls voluntary movements, may also play a role in the development of depression. The results could lead to better treatments for Parkinson's disease.

  • “They yell and I yell back”

    Young children are able to talk in detail about their feelings and how things are at home. They are also good at reading their parents and their emotions by describing their behaviours, facial expressions and tone of voice. This has been shown in a new study by Uppsala University, published in the Journal of Child and Family Studies.

  • Ancient sea monster remains reveal oldest mega-predatory pliosaur

    The fossils of a 170-million-year-old ancient marine reptile from the Age of Dinosaurs have been identified as the oldest-known mega-predatory pliosaur – a group of ocean-dwelling reptiles closely related to the famous long-necked plesiosaurs. The findings are rare and add new knowledge to the evolution of plesiosaurs. The study has been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

  • Violence against female politicians disrupts democracy

    Leading female politicians are more exposed to violence every year, than their male colleagues. The gender gap in targeting increases with the level of power: the higher up in the political hierarchy a person is, the greater the difference between women and men. Violence against politicians disturbs the functioning of democracy, is the conclusion in a new doctoral thesis in political science.

  • Genetics influence the risk of blood clots in oral contraceptive users

    Women with a high genetic predisposition for blood clots are six times more likely to develop a blood clot during the first two years of using contraceptive pills according to a new study from Uppsala University. The results have been published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

  • Contraceptive pills protect against rheumatoid arthritis

    Contraceptive pills can reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, while hormone treatment in connection with menopause can increase the risk later in life. In a new study of more than 200,000 women in the UK, researchers at Uppsala University have discovered connections between the use of sex hormones and the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

  • Men with metastatic prostate cancer live longer thanks to new drugs

    Survival rates for men with metastatic prostate cancer have increased by an average of six months, something which coincides with the gradual introduction of ‘dual treatment’ since 2016. This is according to a register study of all Swedish men diagnosed between 2008 and 2020. The results are published in the medical journal JAMA Network open.

  • Genome study reveals 30 years of Darwin’s finch evolution

    An international team of researchers has released a study on contemporary evolutionary change in natural populations. Their study uses one of the largest genomic datasets ever produced for animals in their natural environment, comprising nearly 4,000 Darwin’s finches. The study has revealed the genetic basis of adaptation in this iconic group. The results are published in the journal Science

  • New mechanism behind cancer cell growth revealed

    Researchers from Uppsala University have revealed one of the mechanisms behind the growth of cancer cells in the blood cancer multiple myeloma. The study shows that the protein EZH2 interacts with a specific RNA molecule to block genes that are important for tumour growth. The findings might contribute to the development of new treatments for multiple myeloma patients.

  • Jenny Helin new Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor on Campus Gotland

    Vice-Chancellor Anders Hagfeldt has appointed Jenny Helin, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Business Studies, as Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor on Campus Gotland. The role of the Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor is to advise the Vice-Chancellor on matters concerning Campus Gotland and to develop the University’s activities there.

  • Queues negatively impacted voter turnout

    Turnout in the general elections in 2022 fell more sharply in electoral districts that had long queues to the polling stations than in comparable districts without queuing issues. Queuing can only explain a small part of the decrease in turnout between the years 2018 and 2022, however. 87 percent of the population voted in 2018, which fell to 84 percent in 2022.

  • Stacy VanDeveer new Zennström Professor of Climate Change Leadership

    Stacy VanDeveer, professor in Global Governance and Human Security at the University of Massachusetts Boston becomes visiting professor in Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala University. The ten-years series of visiting professorships is financed by a previous donation to Uppsala University by alumnus Niklas Zennström and Catherine Zennström through their foundation Zennström Philanthropies.

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