Studying a research degree at the University of Bradford allows you to work with expert academics to find solutions to society’s most pressing problems and in turn, make a meaningful impact on the world.
Our academics and postgraduate students are passionate about their respective disciplines and are actively engaged in research that is helping to pave the way forward in their fields of work.
Let’s take a look at three inspiring research projects at the University of Bradford.
Equipping the NHS
In response to the coronavirus outbreak, engineers from the University’s Faculty of Engineering and Informatics swiftly began designing and producing face shields to help combat shortages in NHS and social care settings.
At first, they used 3-D printing, however, concerns about the quality and the speed of output led the team to change their process. They quickly designed a superior product and switched to injection moulding, which enabled them to increase output from 100 shields per day to 2,000.
The new face shields came with innovative features, such as ear hooks to prevent the chaffing suffered by those wearing a surgical mask underneath their face shield, and units have been provided to the NHS and Bradford City Council.
Advancing Archaeology
Researchers from our School of Archaeological and Forensic Sciences are using pioneering software which allows for the rapid analysis and piecing together of fragments found at archaeological sites.
Recently, they used it to analyse bones and tools found at a 480,000 year old site at Boxgrove, Sussex, which is also the subject of a new book, The Horse Butchery Site.
This pioneering technology enables the analysis of historic sites and artefacts at an unprecedented scale and has even attracted attention from the government’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, who believe it could be used to expedite the process of retrieving crime scene evidence.
Combatting Cancer
Prostate cancer cells release a protein from their nucleus, known as EN2, which can cause other cells in the body to change shape, group together and become cancerous.
Researchers from the University of Bradford’s Faculty of Life Sciences and the University of Surrey were the first to capture this on video. They also identified an anti-viral response triggered by EN2 and believe that knowledge of this process could prove useful in the development of immunotherapy treatments for cancer.
Through analysis of cells they also found a part of the EN2 protein that can be accessed at the surface of the cell, which could be a potential target for cancer treatment.
Want to get involved in world leading research? Head to our website to find out how to apply.
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