School of Life Sciences

University of Dundee

CLS Impact and Outreach

Parasites use a ‘winner-takes-all’ mechanism to evade our immune defenses

A genetic game of `winner takes all’ that sustains the parasitic infections which cause sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in cattle – devastating diseases particularly in rural areas of Africa - has been identified in a research breakthrough led by the University of Dundee.
 
African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, affects both humans and animals and has a destructive impact, particularly in rural areas. The disease in humans is typically lethal without therapy and in cattle is the most economically important livestock disease in Africa.
 

Tuberculosis drug may also target visceral leishmaniasis

A drug that has already been approved for treatment of tuberculosis could also be a powerful tool to combat another of the developing world’s major diseases, researchers at the University of Dundee have found.

Visceral leishmaniasis is a disease which blights the developing world with 200,000 to 400,000 new cases and 48,000 deaths annually. The vast majority of cases are seen in six countries - Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, India, South Sudan and Sudan.

Kate Storey elected as new EMBO Member

Congratulations to Kate Storey, Head of the Division of Cell and Developmental Biology, who has been elected as a new EMBO member.  She joins 57 other researchers in life sciences who have been elected in 2016.  50 of the scientists reside in 13 different countries in Europe; eight Associate Members were elected from China, Japan, Lithuania, Singapore and the United States.

New EMBO Members are elected annually in recognition of their contributions to scientific excellence. Their selection is a tribute to their research and achievements.

Global experts to celebrate 10th anniversary of Drug Discovery Unit

The University of Dundee will host an international symposium this week to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of its Drug Discovery Unit, the world-renowned centre which last year revealed the discovery of a potential anti-malarial compound.

The event marks a decade of academic drug discovery and working with partners to deliver possible new treatment for malaria, tuberculosis, leishmaniasis, cancer and many other diseases.

Dundee researcher a rising star of science

Dr Alessio Ciulli, of the University of Dundee, has been recognised as one of Europe’s rising stars of science with the award of the 2016 MedChemComm Emerging Investigator Lectureship.

MedChemComm is the official journal of the European Federation for Medicinal Chemistry. The annual MedChemComm Emerging Investigator Lectureship is given to a researcher who has made a significant contribution to medicinal chemistry research in the early part of their career.

The Power of Plants!

Look around you and what do you see? Plants! Plants are everywhere: from the ornamental flowers in our gardens, to the crops we eat, to the materials in our clothes. In fact, plants provide food and shelter for all living organisms, big or small, in addition to brightening up a dull day!

The University of Dundee and the James Hutton Institute are taking part in the annual Plant Power day, held at the University of Dundee Botanic Garden Dundee this Saturday May 21st from 10am to 4pm. 

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