Newsletter from NIHR Birmingham BRC: research news, events, and much more

Research news

Immunopeptide ‘replacement therapy’ shows potential for early-stage inflammatory arthritis

Scientists investigating the naturally occurring immunopeptide PEPITEM have shown reductions in arthritic joint swelling to a degree comparable to the current standard of care, and reduce the inflammatory changes that cause joint damage.

Read about the study

New clinical risk tool could help GPs reduce COPD hospital admissions

A new clinical risk tool – the Birmingham Lung Improvement Studies (BLISS) score – could help GPs to identify patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are most likely to require hospital treatment.

Explore the BLISS score

E. coli infections in neonates and infants not driven by AMR

Researchers found that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) plays almost no role in shaping the population of bacteria causing E. coli infections in newborns, in contrast to what is typically seen in adults.

Read about the findings

Obesity-related fat cell signals shown to drive muscle loss in older adults

Researchers have identified a new mechanism by which obesity may contribute to muscle loss in older adults, offering important insights into the condition known as sarcopenic obesity.

Explore the study

conference attendees posing for a group picture

One NIHR Birmingham Operational Conference brings together regional NIHR teams

In March, operational leads from across Birmingham’s NIHR infrastructure came together for the first One NIHR Birmingham Operational Conference, co-hosted by our Biomedical Research Centre.

Read the event highlights

Healthcare professional taking a woman's heartbeat

Birmingham-led team selected to tackle national health inequalities in heart disease

Prof Dipak Kotecha from our BRC is leading one of nine consortia selected to take part in the NIHR Cardiovascular Inequalities Challenge. Developed in partnership with the British Heart Foundation, this £50 million project aims to tackle the inequalities that persist across underserved communities in the UK.

Read about the consortium

attendees sitting at round tables in conference room

Highlights from the BRC Student-Patient Alliance

Recently, we held an event where PhD students and patient research partners showcased the impact of the Muscle Health Student Patient Alliance scheme, which pairs researchers with patients and members of the public to deepen mutual understanding, improve research communication and ensure scientific work remains grounded in lived experience.

Read about the event

Events

Hands holding a paper cut out of a blood drop

Why am I bleeding? How research is improving diagnosis and care for people with bleeding disorders

5 May | 6-7pm | Online

More than 35,000 people in the UK live with bleeding disorders, yet for many the cause is never clearly identified. In this free, public‑friendly webinar, Professor Neil Morgan and Dr Jayna Mistry from our Biomedical Research Centre will explain why unexplained bleeding can be so difficult to diagnose and how research is helping improve understanding, diagnosis and care for patients.

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