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1209Description
Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is a collegiate public research institution. Its 800-year history makes it the fourth-oldest surviving university in the world and the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world.
Cambridge serves more than 18,000 students from all cultures and corners of the world. Nearly 4,000 of its students are international and hail from over 120 different countries. In addition, the university’s International Summer Schools offer 150 courses to students from more than 50 countries.
The university is split into 31 autonomous colleges where students receive small group teaching sessions known as college supervisions.
Six schools are spread across the university’s colleges, housing roughly 150 faculties and other institutions. The six schools are: Arts and Humanities, Biological Sciences, Clinical Medicine, Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences and Technology.
The campus is located in the centre of the city of Cambridge, with its numerous listed buildings and many of the older colleges situated on or near the river Cam.
The university is home to over 100 libraries, which, between them, hold more than 15 million books in total. In the main Cambridge University library alone, which is a legal depository, there are eight million holdings. The university also owns nine arts, scientific and cultural museums that are open to the public throughout the year, as well as a botanical garden.
Cambridge University Press is a non-school institution and operates as the university’s publishing business. With over 50 offices worldwide, its publishing list is made up of 45,000 titles spanning academic research, professional development, research journals, education and bible publishing.
In total, 92 affiliates of the university have been awarded Nobel Prizes, covering every category.
The university’s endowment is valued at nearly £6 billion.
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The Old Schools, Trinity Lane, Cambridge , CB2 1TN, East of England, United Kingdom
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Map of brain’s appetite centre could enable new treatments for obesity and diabetesWednesday, 05 February 2025Published today in Nature, this comprehensive resource, called HYPOMAP, provides an unparalleled view of the brain’s appetite centre and promises to accelerate the development of treatments for obesity and diabetes. The hypothalamus is often described as the brain’s ‘control centre’, orchestrating many of the body’s most vital processes. While much of our knowledge of the hypothalamus comes from animal studies, especially in mice, translating these findings to humans has long been a challenge. HYPOMAP bridges this gap by providing an atlas of the individual cells within the human hypothalamus. This resource not only charts over 450 unique cell types but also highlights key differences between the human and mouse hypothalamus — differences that have major implications for drug development. “This is a game-changer for understanding the human hypothalamus,” said Professor Giles Yeo, senior author of the study from the Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories (IMS-MRL) and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, University of Cambridge. “HYPOMAP confirms the critical role of the hypothalamus in body-weight regulation and has already allowed us to identify new genes linked to obesity. It gives us a roadmap to develop more effective, human-specific therapies.” Together with researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Cologne, Professor Yeo and colleagues used cutting-edge technologies to analyse over 400,000 cells from 18 human donors. HYPOMAP allows researchers to pinpoint specific cell types, understand their genetic profiles, and explore how they interact with neighbouring cells. This detailed cellular resolution offers invaluable insights into the circuits that regulate appetite and energy balance, as well as other functions such as sleep and stress responses. Comparison with a mouse hypothalamus atlas revealed both similarities and critical differences. Notably, some neurons in the mouse hypothalamus have receptors for GLP-1 — targets of popular weight-loss drugs like semaglutide — that are absent in humans. "While drugs like semaglutide have shown success in treating obesity, newer therapies target multiple receptors such as GLP-1R and GIPR. Understanding how these receptors function specifically in the human hypothalamus is now crucial for designing safer and more effective treatments," said Dr Georgina Dowsett from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research and formerly at the IMS-MRL. “Our map of the human hypothalamus is an essential tool for basic and translational research,” added Professor Jens C. Brüning, Director at the Max Planck Institute. “It allows us to pinpoint which mouse nerve cells are most comparable to human cells, enabling more targeted preclinical studies.” HYPOMAP’s open-access nature ensures that it will be an invaluable resource for scientists worldwide. By offering insights into the hypothalamus’s role in conditions ranging from obesity to cachexia (a wasting condition associated with several illness, which involves extreme loss of muscle and fat), it provides a foundation for tackling some of the most pressing health challenges of our time. Dr John Tadross, Consultant Pathologist at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and lead author from IMS-MRL, said: “This is just the beginning. The atlas itself is a milestone, but what could really make a difference for patients is understanding how the hypothalamus changes in people who are overweight or underweight. This could fundamentally shift our approach to metabolic health and enable more personalised therapies.” With HYPOMAP, researchers have a new tool to unlock the secrets of the human brain’s metabolic control centre. By better understanding the human hypothalamus, science takes a significant step toward combating obesity, diabetes, and related conditions. Reference Tadross, JA, Steuernagel, L & Dowsett, GKC et al. A comprehensive spatio-cellular map of the human hypothalamus. Nature; 5 Feb 2025; DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08504-8 Adapted from a story by the Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories and the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research Scientists have created the most detailed map to date of the human hypothalamus, a crucial brain region that regulates body weight, appetite, sleep, and stress. HYPOMAP confirms the critical role of the hypothalamus in body-weight regulation and has already allowed us to identify new genes linked to obesityGiles YeoSander DalhuisenPerson holding burger bun with vegetables and meat The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright ©University of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms. YesLicence type: Public Domain
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Senior Government Minister, Pat McFadden, visits Cambridge to explore how AI can transform public servicesTuesday, 04 February 2025Mr McFadden was welcomed by Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice, to DAWN, the fastest supercomputer in Europe, where he was given a tour of the cutting-edge facility by Dr Paul Calleja, Director of the University’s Research Computing Services. He also spoke with engineers who work on the supercomputer, with industry partners at Dell, and the UK's Atomic Energy Authority. Professor Prentice said: "I was very pleased to welcome the Minister to Cambridge to explore the rapidly-developing ways in which the University's research, and DAWN-powered AI, are driving improvements in everyday life. From improving diagnostics to speeding up planning applications, Cambridge AI research is producing positive impact in people's lives." Following the tour of DAWN, the Minister visited Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) to witness firsthand the practical applications of DAWN-powered AI. Mr McFadden was shown two use cases of this technology in healthcare. Professor Fleur Kilburn-Toppin discussed the potential for AI in breast cancer diagnosis through the EDITH trial, a multicentre mammography study assessing AI’s role in enhancing cancer detection. This discussion coincided with the Government’s launch of the EDITH trial to tackle breast cancer on World Cancer Day. The second case study was presented in the Department of Radiology, by Dr Suthesh Sivapalaratnam and Professor Carola-Bibiane Schönlieb, who spoke to the Minister about the Blood Counts AI project which harnesses AI to revolutionise disease detection. The project provides an early warning system for infectious diseases, improving public health responses across the NHS. The day concluded with a roundtable conversation with academics and clinicians around how the UK can harness the potential of AI to improve public services across various areas, ranging from healthcare to productivity and local government services. This visit underscored the University's pivotal role in harnessing AI for societal benefit and the potential for University research in cutting-edge technology to help public service transformation. Mr McFadden said: "AI has the power to transform our public services, and the DAWN supercomputer is an excellent example of cutting-edge work being done right here in the UK, with an amazing partnership between Cambridge University and Addenbrooke's Hospital, improving medical diagnosis for patients. "What's happening in Cambridge is really exciting, but we are only at the foothills of this technology and its potential to improve people's lives. Which is why we are putting innovation at the forefront of our Plan for Change." The University welcomed the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP, to tour the DAWN supercomputer and discuss the ways in which AI can transform public services and healthcare. From improving diagnostics to speeding up planning applications, Cambridge AI research is producing positive impact in people's lives.Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah PrenticeUniversity of CambridgeProfessor Deborah Prentice with Pat McFadden, centre, and Dr Paul Calleja The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright ©University of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms. Yes
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Researchers celebrated at the Cambridge Awards for Research Impact and EngagementTuesday, 04 February 2025The Cambridge Awards for Research Impact and Engagement, formerly the Vice-Chancellor's Award, are held annually to recognise exceptional achievement, innovation, and creativity in developing research engagement and impact plans with significant economic, social, and cultural potential. Awarded in three categories, the winners for 2024 are: Established Academic Winner: Professor Sander van der Linden (Department of Psychology, School of Biological Sciences and Churchill College) and his team at the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab (Team application) Project: A Psychological Vaccine Against Misinformation Professor Sander van der Linden and team have developed a novel approach to countering the spread of harmful misinformation. This ‘psychological vaccine’ resulted in award winning public impact tools that have shown millions of people how to spot fake news online. These games have been adopted by the World Health Organisation, United Nations, UK Government and Google and led to key policy changes in the EU Digital Services Act. Early Career Researcher Winner: Dr Gabriel Okello (Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, School of Technology) Project: Applying multidisciplinary, collaborative approaches to tackle air pollution in rapidly urbanising African cities The project catalysed Uganda’s first-ever Air Quality Standards, advancing policy and public health. It drove transformative growth in the e-mobility sector and battery-swapping stations. The Clean Air Network was established as a multi-regional community of practice for air quality management across Africa. The platform now provides real-time air quality data enabling evidence-based decision-making in Uganda and eight other African countries. Collolaboration Award Winner: Lead: Prof Paul Fletcher (Department of Psychiatry, School of Clinical Medicine, Clare College), Dr Dervila Glynn (Cambridge Neuroscience IRC), Dominic Matthews (Ninja Theory Ltd), Sharon Gilfoyle (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust) Project: Representing psychosis in video games: Communicating clinical science and tackling stigma This work draws together expertise in video game design and clinical neuroscience, with lived experience of mental illness to co-produce two award-winning video games vividly conveying the nature of altered experience of reality in a character with psychosis. Within conversations around mental health, psychosis is neglected and highly stigmatised. In creating a powerful character and telling her story through gameplay, the project has enabled sensitive and thoughtful conversations about psychosis, and mental illness in general. It has had a measurably positive impact on stigma. Find out more about the winning projects and meet our runners-up here: www.cam.ac.uk/public-engagement/cambridge-awards-2024. From helping to inoculate the public against misinformation to tackling air pollution in rapidly urbanising African cities, researchers from across the University of Cambridge were honoured at the Cambridge Awards yesterday (Monday 3rd February) afternoon. The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright ©University of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms. Yes
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Electricity prices across Europe to stabilise if 2030 targets for renewable energy are metMonday, 03 February 2025Hitting the current national 2030 quotas for solar and wind energy could reduce the volatility of electricity markets by an average of 20% across 29 European countries, according to a new study from the University of Cambridge. The intensity of spikes in power prices are predicted to fall in every country by the end of the decade if commitments to green energy are met, as natural gas dependency is cut. The UK and Ireland would be the biggest beneficiaries, with 44% and 43% reductions in the severity of electricity price spikes by 2030, compared with last year. Germany could experience a 31% decline in electricity price volatility, with the Netherlands and Belgium seeing price spikes ease by 38% and 33% respectively. The simulations conducted for the new study show that scaling up renewable energy minimises the market impact of fluctuations in natural gas price – increasing stability even when considering the reliance of renewable technologies on weather. Some EU leaders and energy ministers have called for renewables targets on grounds of energy security as well as decarbonisation, particularly since Putin’s war on Ukraine stemmed the flow of Russian gas. The study, published in the journal Nature Energy, calculates in detail how such aims would affect the volatility of wholesale electricity prices in energy markets across Europe. “The volatility of energy prices is a major cause of damage to national economies,” said Laura Diaz Anadon, the University of Cambridge’s Professor of Climate Change Policy. “Consumers are still reeling from sharp increases in electricity prices brought about by natural gas shortages following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” said Anadon. “We show that hitting renewables targets reduce the likelihood of such price spikes in the future.” Daniel Navia, a researcher with the University’s Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance (CEENRG), said: “Meeting renewable energy targets is not only good for carbon neutrality, but we can see it is a boost to economic resilience” “We had probably underestimated how costly energy price shocks are to our societies, and the last crisis has been a stark reminder.” The Cambridge researchers used the University’s high performance computing facilities to model a wide range of factors – from fluctuations in weather patterns and energy demands to fuel capacity – to map the current and future grids of all 27 EU nations plus the UK and Switzerland. They assessed electricity markets in 2030 based on the commitments to renewables as stated in each nation’s national energy and climate plan. “The UK in particular is projected to see major benefits to its energy market stability from renewables,” said Anadon. “The UK has struggled with its exposure to gas prices due to a lack of energy storage and limited connections to the European grid. This has led to more hours where electricity prices are set by natural gas.” The research also suggests that wholesale prices of electricity could fall by over a quarter on average across all countries in the study by decade’s end if they stick to current national renewables targets. Again, populations in the UK and Ireland stand to gain significantly, with electricity prices predicted to fall by around 45% by 2030, compared with the current situation. Several of the Nordic nations could see over 60% reductions in electricity costs by 2030, while in Germany the price is predicted to fall by 34%, with Belgium seeing a similar drop of 31%. The study suggests the Netherlands could see the price of electricity fall by 41%. While the study’s authors caution that trends in electricity prices depend on factors that are “impossible to predict”, they say their results are in line with recent outputs by institutions such as the International Energy Agency. In fact, Navia and Anadon say their modelling may even underestimate the potential for electricity price stability across Europe, as the projections were calculated using data from 1990-2021 – before the energy crisis created by Russia’s attack on Ukraine. “It makes sense to think about renewables as a security investment, and if we lose the momentum towards green energy, we are clearly harming the climate, but we also exposing ourselves to unknowable risks down the line,” said Anadon. The new study also charts the effects on electricity prices if countries overshoot on renewables. If Europe exceeds its renewable energy goals by 30%, electricity prices could become 50% less sensitive to natural gas, compared to just meeting renewables targets. However, the study suggests there are tipping points where renewables cause the price of power to fall so far that it stops providing sufficient return on investment, and the green energy industries may stall. Added Navia: “If we are to fully utilise solar and wind as a security tool, Europe might have to rethink how its energy markets are designed, and what incentives it can offer the private sector to maintain the societal insurance value it gets from renewable energy.” National targets for solar and wind power will see reliance on natural gas plummet, reducing electricity price volatility across Europe, with major beneficiaries including the UK and Ireland, the Nordics, and the Netherlands. The UK in particular is projected to see major benefits to its energy market stability from renewablesLaura Diaz AnadonAnton Petrus via Getty images High voltage electricity towers combined with economic charts The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright ©University of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms. Yes
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