While things might have been a little bit different at Bradford this year, there’s one thing that hasn’t changed.
Our academics and students have remained hard at work, conducting pioneering research that is having a notable impact within their respective disciplines.
Let’s take a look at three of these fantastic research projects happening at the University of Bradford.
Fighting TB
A new strain of TB (tuberculosis) known as Lineage 8 was discovered in Rwanda by Jean Claude Semuto Ngabonziza, a PhD student working under Conor Meehan, a Molecular Biology lecturer at the University of Bradford. Conor has been heavily involved with research into this newly identified strain of TB and was one of the senior authors on a research paper about it.
Despite being discovered at the end of the 19th century, evidence suggests that TB has been infecting humans for thousands of years. The identification of Lineage 8, which is believed to be the oldest strain of TB, has provided researchers with a more vivid picture of the evolution of the disease, which, in turn, could bring them one step closer to developing a cure.
Discovering prehistoric societies
The Stonehenge Hidden Landscape Project uncovered one of the largest prehistoric sites in the UK. And it was a team from the University of Bradford who led the consortium of archaeologists in the discovery of this 2km wide ring of ancient shafts – carbon dated to around 2500BC.
This area is one of the most studied landscapes in the world, however, through the use of cutting-edge technology, the team were able to uncover this massive hidden monument and gain a deeper insight into the culture and lifestyle of our Neolithic ancestors.
Battling bacteria
Huge amounts of antibiotics are used in animal farming in parts of the world. However, using antibiotics on such a large scale can lead to some bacteria becoming resistant and multiplying.
Researchers from the Faculty of Life Sciences at Bradford are working to combat this problem, as part of the DOSA (Diagnostics for One Health and User Driven Solutions for AMR) Project, which aims to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics in both humans and animals.
At the University, systems have been developed in our Polymer and Biomaterials labs which allow water soluble molecules to attach to bacteria and fungi. Once attached, these polymers release water and change shape, which makes it possible to measure the amount of bacteria or fungi present and treat them in a much more targeted way. This could go a long way towards cutting costs and reducing large scale use of antibiotics.
Want to be a part of our pioneering research community? Head to our website to find out how to apply.
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