Transmissible cancers, which occur only rarely in the animal kingdom, are spread by the transfer of living cancer cells. In the case of Tasmanian devils, the cells are transferred through biting – a behaviour that is common in devils especially in fights over mates and food.

Tasmanian devils are susceptible to two fatal transmissible cancers called devil facial tumour 1 (DFT1) and devil facial tumour 2 (DFT2) that have caused rapid population decline in recent decades. The two cancers both manifest with disfiguring facial tumours.

In a new study, University of Cambridge researchers, together with a global team of scientists from Europe, Australia and the United States, mapped the emergence and mutations of DFT1 and DFT2 and characterised these cancers’ ongoing evolution. The findings underline the continued threat that transmissible cancers pose to Tasmanian devils.

The results are published today in the journal Science.

“The incredible fact that Tasmanian devils have not one, but two, transmissible cancers, makes it possible to compare their evolution, and this gives us new insights into the key mechanisms involved,” said lead author Elizabeth Murchison, Professor of Comparative Oncology and Genetics at the Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge.

“By looking at the mutations that have accumulated in these cancers’ DNA, we can trace the origins and evolution of these diseases. Our results show that the two cancers arose through similar processes and that both have striking signals of ongoing evolution. It is difficult to predict how this continued cancer evolution will impact devils.”

The researchers created an improved ‘reference genome’ – essentially a map of the entire DNA sequence – of the Tasmanian devil and compared this to DNA taken from 119 DFT1 and DFT2 tumours. DFT1 was first observed in 1996 in Tasmania’s northeast and is now widespread throughout Tasmania. DFT2, on the other hand, was first observed in 2014 and remains confined to a small area in Tasmania’s southeast. The scientists identified mutations in the tumours and used these to build ‘family trees’ of how the two cancers had each independently arisen and evolved over time.

By tracking mutations the researchers discovered that DFT2 acquired mutations about three times faster than DFT1. As mutations usually occur during cell division, the most likely explanation is that DFT2 is a faster growing cancer than DFT1, say the researchers, underlining the importance of DFT2 as a threat.

“DFT2 is still not widespread in the devil population, and very little is known about it. We were really startled to see just how quickly it was mutating, alerting us to what could be a very unpredictable threat to the devils in the long term,” said Maximilian Stammnitz, first author of the study.  

The team found that DFT1 arose in the 1980s, up to 14 years before it was first observed, whereas DFT2 emerged between 2009 and 2012, only shortly before it was detected.

Mapping the mutations revealed that DFT1 underwent an explosive transmission event shortly after it emerged. This involved a single infected devil transmitting its tumour to at least six recipient devils.

DFT1 has now spread throughout almost the entire devil population and has recently been reported in the far northwest of Tasmania, one of the few remaining disease-free regions of the state.

Researchers also identified for the first time an instance of DFT1 transmission between a mother and the young in her pouch. Additionally, they found that the incubation period – the time between infection and the emergence of symptoms – can in some cases be a year or more. These findings have important implications for conservation scientists working to protect the species.

“I come from Tasmania and love Tasmanian devils – they have a special place in my heart,” said Murchison. “Transmissible cancers pose an unprecedented and unpredictable threat to Tasmanian devils. This research highlights the continuing importance of monitoring and conservation programmes. It also gives us new insights into the evolutionary mechanisms operating in cancer more broadly, including in human cancers.”

The research was funded by Wellcome, the Gates Cambridge Trust and Eric Guiler Tasmanian Devil Research Grants from the University of Tasmania Foundation.

Reference: M. R. Stammnitz et al. The evolution of two transmissible cancers in Tasmanian devils, Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.abq6453

The RESCUE-ASDH trial, funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), involved 40 centres in 11 countries and involved 450 patients. The results of the trial are published today in the New England Journal of Medicine and are announced at the annual meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.

One of the potentially life-threatening results of head injury is a so-called acute subdural haematoma – a bleed that occurs between the brain and skull and can lead to the build-up of pressure. Such haemorrhages require surgery to stem the bleeding, remove the blood clot and relieve the pressure.

At present, there are two approaches to such surgery. One approach is a decompressive craniectomy, which involves leaving a section of the skull out – which can be as large as 13cm in length – in order to protect the patient from brain swelling, often seen with this type of haemorrhage. The missing skull typically will need to be reconstructed and in some treatment centres, the patient’s own bone will be replaced several months after surgery, while at other centres a manufactured plate is used.

The second approach is a craniotomy, in which the skull section is replaced after the haemorrhage has been stemmed and the blood clot removed. This approach will obviate the need for a skull reconstruction further down the line.

To date there has been little conclusive evidence and hence no uniformly accepted criteria for which approach to use. To solve this question, an international team led by researchers at the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust carried out a randomised trial – RESCUE-ASDH – in which patients undergoing surgery for traumatic acute subdural haematoma were randomly assigned to undergo decompressive craniectomy or craniotomy.

A total of 228 patients were assigned to the craniotomy group and 222 to the decompressive craniectomy group. The researchers assessed the outcomes for these patients and their quality of life up to a year after surgery, as measured on clinical evaluation scales.

Patients in both groups had similar disability-related and quality-of-life outcomes at 12 months post-surgery, with a trend – which was not statistically significant – towards better outcomes with craniotomy.

Around one in four patients (25.6%) in the craniotomy group and one in five (19.9%) in the decompressive craniectomy group had a good recovery as measured on the scales.

Around one in three patients in both groups (30.2% of patients in the craniotomy group and 32.2% of those in the decompressive craniectomy group) died within the first 12 months following surgery.

14.6% of the craniotomy group and 6.9% of the decompressive craniectomy group required additional cranial surgery within two weeks after randomisation. However, this was balanced against the fact that fewer people in the craniotomy group experienced wound complications (3.9% against 12.2% of the decompressive craniectomy group).

Professor Peter Hutchinson, Professor of Neurosurgery at Cambridge and the trial's Chief Investigator, said: "The international randomised trial RESCUE-ASDH is the first multicentre study to address a very common clinical question: which technique is optimal for removing an acute subdural haematoma – a craniotomy (putting the bone back) or a decompressive craniectomy (leaving the bone out)?

“This was a large trial and the results convincingly show that there is no statistical difference in the 12 month disability-related and quality of life outcomes between the two techniques.”

Professor Angelos Kolias, Consultant Neurosurgeon at Cambridge and the trial's Co-chief Investigator, said: "Based on the trial findings, we recommend that after removing the blood clot, if the bone flap can be replaced without compression of the brain, surgeons should do so, rather than performing a pre-emptive decompressive craniectomy.

“This approach will save patients from having to undergo a skull reconstruction, which carries the risk of complications and additional healthcare costs, further down the line.”

The researchers point out, however, that the findings may not be relevant for resource-limited or military settings, where pre-emptive decompressive craniectomy is often used owing to the absence of advanced intensive care facilities for post-operative care.

Professor Andrew Farmer, Director of NIHR’s Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme, said: “The findings of this world-leading trial provide important evidence which will improve the way patients with head injuries are treated. High quality, independently funded research like this is vital in providing evidence to improve health and social care practice and treatments. Research is crucial in informing those who plan and provide care.”

The RESCUE-ASDH trial was supported by the NIHR Global Health Research Group on Acquired Brain and Spine Injury, the CENTER-TBI project of the European Brain Injury Consortium, and the Royal College of Surgeons of England Clinical Research Initiative.

Reference
Hutchinson, PJ et al. Decompressive Craniectomy versus Craniotomy for Acute Subdural Hematoma. NEJM; 23 Apr 2023; DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2214172

The vaccine – known as DIOS-CoVax – has been developed by Professor Jonathan Heeney at the University of Cambridge and spin-out company DIOSynVax. It is envisaged as a booster targeting SARS-CoV-2 and relatives that threaten future coronavirus pandemics.

This next generation vaccine is administered through a needle-free ‘injection’ – a blast of air that delivers it into the skin. It has already been part of safety trials conducted at the NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility, but now recruitment is being expanded to Cambridge.

Professor Heeney said: “We’re excited to be bringing our vaccine ‘home’ and are looking to recruit healthy volunteers to help in this crucial stage of development towards what we hope will eventually become a universal coronavirus vaccine.

“Our vaccine is innovative, both in terms of how it aims to protect against thevirus responsible for our current pandemic and future coronaviruses, but also in how it is delivered. If you’re someone who hates needles, our vaccine could be the answer as it’s delivered by a jet of air, not a needle.”

If the clinical trials are successful, the vaccine could be scaled up and manufactured as a powder to boost global vaccination efforts, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

The clinical trials team at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is looking for healthy volunteers aged 18-50 to take part in the study. Volunteers will receive payment for their time, and participation on the trial will last around 12 months with volunteers attending 11 visits. To find out more, contact the Project Management Team at cuh.dioscovaxtrial@nhs.net.

Funding for the development of the vaccine has come from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.

DIOSynVax is a spin-out company from the University of Cambridge, established in 2017 with the support of Cambridge Enterprise, the University’s commercialisation arm. Professor Heeney is a Fellow at Darwin College, Cambridge.

Read more at: Cambridge coronavirus vaccine enters clinical trial

The competition invites students to write up to 250 words about the famous Dame Paula Rego painting, Ines de Castro, which was created in 2013 to mark Rego’s admission as an Honorary Fellow at the College. The painting is part of The Women’s Art Collection at Murray Edwards, the largest collection of art by women in Europe. 

The fictional entries can be based on the historical facts of the painting, the myth, or writers can let their imaginations run riot and be inspired by the artwork. Judges are looking to reward intense, exciting and original prose, inspired by the visual arts.

Submissions will be judged by screenwriter and novelist Daisy Goodwin, BBC Culture Editor Katie Razzall and Dr Leo Mellor, English Fellow at Murray Edwards College.

Daisy Goodwin said:“Murray Edwards has the biggest and most exciting collection of art by women in Europe. It’s such a great place to study and I hope this prize will inspire young women to come and look at the art and the college."

Katie Razzell said:"As a child, Paula Rego loved being told stories. As an artist, each of her works tells a story, perhaps none more so than her haunting and macabre portrait of Ines de Castro. Rego's art reflects the human condition in all its tenderness and beauty, cruelty and suffering. I'm looking forward to reading the competition stories inspired by this wonderful painting."

There are three categories young women can enter:

• Young women who are currently studying (as either undergraduates or postgraduates) at the University of Cambridge. The winner of this category will win £500.
• Young women in Years 12 and 13 currently studying A Levels or any other academic qualifications in a state-maintained school or college in the UK. In this category the prizes will be in book vouchers; the winner receiving £100, and the three runners-up will receive £50 each.
• Young female students in Years 7 to 11 currently studying in a state-maintained school or college in the UK. In this category the prizes will be in book vouchers; the winner receiving £100, and the three runners-up will receive £50 each. 

President of Murray Edwards College, Dorothy Byrne said: "The Women’s Art Collection inspires our students every day. It’s great to live alongside an art collection with hundreds of pictures all around us. This picture is one of the most popular; beautiful and bizarre."

Full details on how to enter, as well as Terms & Conditions, can be found on the Murray Edwards College website.

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The Women’s Art Collection at Murray Edwards College is Europe’s largest collection of art by women. It includes 600 works by leading artists such as Barbara Hepworth, Paula Rego, Lubaina Himid, Faith Ringgold, Tracey Emin and Cindy Sherman.

Founded in the early 1990s, the Collection challenges the underrepresentation of women artists in museums and galleries. It is displayed throughout Murray Edwards College, an iconic Brutalist building designed by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon as a manifesto for women’s education. Works of art are hung in public rooms and student corridors and sculptures are part of the College’s natural gardens. In 2018, the Collection was granted Museum Accreditation by Arts Council England.

Today, the College continues to celebrate and support women artists, staging two exhibitions a year, alongside a programme of events including talks, tours, workshops, screenings and performances.

The Collection is open to the public daily from 10am–6pm and is free to visit.

On the day of the Coronation, Saturday 6 May, bell ringing will form part of the celebrations, arranged by the University Bellringer, Dr Frank King. Members of the Cambridge University Guild of Change Ringers will participate in ringing at churches around Cambridge and nationally. 

On Sunday 7 May, there will be a special service at Great St Mary’s Church, the University church, attended by University and civic representatives in procession, and also by invitees representing other faiths. There will be a reception afterwards.

Later in the day, the University will be represented at another special service at Ely Cathedral.

All three days of the Coronation Weekend, including the Monday Bank Holiday, will be 'flag days' in the University, which means flags will be raised across the University and Colleges and Cambridge Doctors will wear their scarlet 'festal' gowns at the services. 

There will also be a range of less formal celebrations to mark the occasion, including commemorative items and artwork related to the celebration on display around the University and Colleges.

The University Bellringer, Dr Frank King, will arrange for ringing on future anniversaries of the King's Accession.

Cambridge connections to the Coronation

His Majesty the King, a Cambridge graduate and Honorary Fellow of Trinity, will be crowned by another Cambridge graduate and Honorary Fellow of Trinity, the Archbishop of Canterbury. 

The King's father, Prince Phillip was Chancellor of the University of Cambridge for 35 years, from December 1976 to June 2011.

Prince Edward, the King’s brother graduated from Jesus College, Cambridge in 1986.

The Dean of the Westminster, The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, is an Honorary Fellow of Magdalene College.

Westminster Abbey's Director of Music, Andrew Nethsingha was - until very recently - Director of Music at St John's College. 

Nigel Hess, who studied music at St Catharine’s College, will compose music for the Coronation.

The Lord Chamberlain of the Household, the Head of the Royal Household, is Lord Parker of Minsmere, a Cambridge graduate.

The Master of the King's Music, Judith Weir, graduated from King’s College.

The findings, from an international collaboration, led by researchers in the UK, China and Germany, may help explain why people are often affected by more than one mental health disorder, and may in future help identify those at greatest risk.

One in seven adolescents (aged 10-19 years old) worldwide experiences mental health disorders, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are among the leading causes of illness and disability among young people, and adolescents will commonly have more than one mental health disorder.

Many mental health problems emerge during adolescence. Among these are disorders such as depression and anxiety, which manifest as ‘internalising’ symptoms, including low mood and worrying. Other conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) manifest as ‘externalising’ symptoms, such as impulsive behaviour.

Professor Barbara Sahakian from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge said: “Young people often experience multiple mental health disorders, beginning in adolescence and continuing – and often transforming – into adult life. This suggests that there’s a common brain mechanism that could explain the onset of these mental health disorders during this critical time of brain development.”

In a study published today in Nature Medicine, the researchers say they have identified a characteristic pattern of brain activity among these adolescents, which they have termed the ‘neuropsychopathological factor’, or NP factor for short.

The team examined data from 1,750 adolescents, aged 14 years, from the IMAGEN cohort, a European research project examining how biological, psychological, and environmental factors during adolescence may influence brain development and mental health. In particular, they examined imaging data from brain scans taken while participants took part in cognitive tasks, looking for patterns of brain connectivity – in other words, how different regions of the brain communicate with each other.

Adolescents who experienced mental health problems – regardless of whether their disorder was one of internalising or externalising symptoms, or whether they experienced multiple disorders – showed similar patterns of brain activity. These patterns – the NP factor – were largely apparent in the frontal lobes, the area at the front of the brain responsible for executive function which, among other functions, controls flexible thinking, self-control and emotional behaviour.

The researchers confirmed their findings by replicating them in 1,799 participants from the ABCD Study in the USA, a long-term study of brain development and child health, and by studying patients who had received psychiatric diagnoses.

When the team looked at genetic data from the IMAGEN cohort, they found that the NP factor was strongest in individuals who carried a particular variant of the gene IGSF11 that has been previously associated with multiple mental health disorders. This gene is known to play an important role in synaptic pruning, a process whereby unnecessary brain connections – synapses – are discarded. Problems with pruning may particularly affect the frontal lobes, since these regions are the last brain areas to complete development in adolescents and young adults.

Dr Tianye Jia from the Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK said: “As we grow up, our brains make more and more connections. This is a normal part of our development. But too many connections risk making the brain inefficient. Synaptic pruning helps ensure that brain activity doesn’t get drowned out in ‘white noise’.

“Our research suggests that when this important pruning process is disrupted, it affects how brain regions talk to each other. As this impact is seen most in the frontal lobes, this then has implications for mental health.”

The researchers say that the discovery of the NP factor could help identify those young people at greatest risk of compounding mental health problems.

Professor Jianfeng Feng from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and the University of Warwick, UK, said: “We know that many mental health disorders begin in adolescence and that individuals who develop one disorder are at increased risk of developing other disorders, too. By examining brain activity and looking for this NP factor, we might be able to detect those at greatest risk sooner, offering us more opportunity to intervene and reduce this risk.”

Funders included: the National Natural Science Foundation of China, European Union, National Institute for Health & Care Research (UK) and National Institutes of Health (NIH, USA).*

Reference
Chao Xie et al. A shared neural basis underlying psychiatric comorbidity. Nat Med; 24 Apr 2023: DOI: 10.1038/s41591-023-02317-4

*A full list of funders can be found in the paper.

Mild traumatic brain injury – concussion – results from a blow or jolt to the head. It can occur as a result of a fall, a sports injury or from a cycling accident or car crash, for example. But despite being labelled ‘mild’, it is commonly linked with persistent symptoms and incomplete recovery. Such symptoms include depression, cognitive impairment, headaches, and fatigue.

While some clinicians in recent studies predict that nine out of 10 individuals who experience concussion will have a full recovery after six months, evidence is emerging that only a half achieve a full recovery. This means that a significant proportion of patients may not receive adequate post-injury care.

Predicting which patients will have a fast recovery and who will take longer to recover is challenging, however. At present, patients with suspected concussion will typically receive a brain scan – either a CT scan or an MRI scan, both of which look for structural problems, such as inflammation or bruising – yet even if these scans show no obvious structural damage, a patient’s symptoms may still persist.

Dr Emmanuel Stamatakis from the Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Division of Anaesthesia at the University of Cambridge said: “Worldwide, we’re seeing an increase in the number of cases of mild traumatic brain injury, particularly from falls in our ageing population and rising numbers of road traffic collisions in low- and middle-income countries.

“At present, we have no clear way of working out which of these patients will have a speedy recovery and which will take longer, and the combination of over-optimistic and imprecise prognoses means that some patients risk not receiving adequate care for their symptoms.”

Dr Stamatakis and colleagues studied fMRI brain scans – that is, functional MRI scans, which look at how different areas of the brain coordinate with each other – taken from 108 patients with mild traumatic brain injury and compared them with scans from 76 healthy volunteers. Patients were also assessed for ongoing symptoms.

The patients and volunteers had been recruited to CENTER-TBI, a large European research project which aims to improve the care for patients with traumatic brain injury, co-chaired by Professor David Menon (head of the division of Anaesthesia) and funded by the European Union.

In results published today in Brain, the team found that just under half (45%) were still showing symptoms resulting from their brain injury, with the most common being fatigue, poor concentration and headaches.

The researchers found that these patients had abnormalities in a region of the brain known as the thalamus, which integrates all sensory information and relays this information around the brain. Counter-intuitively, concussion was associated with increased connectivity between the thalamus and the rest of the brain – in other words, the thalamus was trying to communicate more as a result of the injury – and the greater this connectivity, the poorer the prognosis for the patient.

Rebecca Woodrow, a PhD student in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Hughes Hall, Cambridge, said: “Despite there being no obvious structural damage to the brain in routine scans, we saw clear evidence that the thalamus – the brain’s relay system – was hyperconnected. We might interpret this as the thalamus trying to over-compensate for any anticipated damage, and this appears to be at the root of some of the long-lasting symptoms that patients experience.”

By studying additional data from positron emission tomography (PET) scans, which can measure regional chemical composition of body tissues, the researchers were able to make associations with key neurotransmitters depending on which long-term symptoms a patient displayed. For example, patients experiencing cognitive problems such as memory difficulties showed increased connectivity between the thalamus and areas of the brain rich in the neurotransmitter noradrenaline; patients experiencing emotional symptoms, such as depression or irritability, showed greater connectivity with areas of the brain rich in serotonin.

Dr Stamatakis, who is also Stephen Erskine Fellow at Queens' College, Cambridge, added: “We know that there already drugs that target these brain chemicals so our findings offer hope that in future, not only might we be able to predict a patient’s prognosis, but we may also be able to offer a treatment targeting their particular symptoms.”

Reference
Woodrow, RE et al. Acute thalamic connectivity precedes chronic postconcussive symptoms in mild traumatic brain injury. Brain; 26 April 2023; DOI: 10.1093/brain/awad056

The beginning of this arid period — starting at around 4,200 years ago and lasting for over two centuries — coincides with the reorganization of the metropolis-building Indus Civilization, which spanned present-day Pakistan and India.

The research identified three protracted droughts — each lasting between 25 and 90 years — during this arid period. “We find clear evidence that this interval was not a short-term crisis but a progressive transformation of the environmental conditions in which Indus people lived,” said study co-author Prof Cameron Petrie, from Cambridge’s Department of Archaeology.

The researchers charted historic rainfall by examining growth layers in a stalagmite collected from a cave near Pithoragarh, India. By measuring a range of environmental tracers — including oxygen, carbon and calcium isotopes — they obtained a reconstruction showing relative rainfall at seasonal resolution. They also used high-precision Uranium-series dating to get a handle on the age and duration of the droughts.

“Multiple lines of evidence allow us to piece together the nature of these droughts from different angles — and confirm they are in agreement,” said lead author of the research Alena Giesche, who conducted the research as part of her PhD in Cambridge’s Department of Earth Sciences.

Giesche and the team identified distinct periods of below-average rainfall in both the summer and winter seasons. “The evidence for drought affecting both cropping seasons is extremely significant for understanding the impact of this period of climate change upon human populations,” said Petrie. He adds that the droughts during this period increased in duration, to the point where the third would have been multi-generational in length.

The findings support existing evidence that the decline of the Indus megacities was linked to climate change. “But what’s been a mystery until now is information on the drought duration and the season they happened in,” said Giesche. “That extra detail is really important when we consider cultural memory and how people make adaptations when faced with environmental change.”

According to Petrie: “The archaeological evidence indicates that over a 200 year period, the ancient inhabitants took various steps to adapt and remain sustainable in the face of this new normal.” During this transformation, larger urban sites were depopulated in favour of smaller rural settlements towards the eastern extent of the area occupied by Indus populations. At the same time, agriculture shifted towards reliance on summer-crops, especially drought-tolerant millets, and the population transitioned to a lifestyle that appears to have been more self-reliant.

Megadroughts have recently become a popular cause to explain a number of cultural transformations, including the Indus Valley, explains David Hodell, study co-author from Cambridge’s Department of Earth Sciences. “But the links are generally fuzzy because of difficulties involved in comparing climatic and archaeological records.” This is now changing because, “Palaeoclimate records are becoming progressively better at refining changes in rainfall on a seasonal and annual basis, which directly affects people's decision making,” said Hodell. 

The team are now looking to expand their climate reconstructions to western parts of the Indus River Region, where the winter rainfall system becomes more dominant than the Indian Summer Monsoon. “What we really need are more records like this, from a west-east oriented transect across the region where the summer and winter monsoons interact — and, crucially, capturing the beginning of this arid period,” said Giesche.

“Currently, we have a huge blind spot on our maps extending across Afghanistan and Pakistan where the Indian summer monsoon and the Westerlies interact,” said Prof. Sebastian Breitenbach, co-author and palaeoclimatologist at Northumbria University. “Sadly, the political situation is unlikely to allow for this kind of research in the near future."

“There’s more work to be done by both palaeoclimatologists and archaeologists,” said Hodell. “We are fortunate in Cambridge to have the two departments next door to one another.”

Tracking down how interacting rain zones influenced the Indus Civilisation has been one of the questions at the centre of the TwoRains Project, a collaboration between Cambridge and Banaras Hindu University, which was funded by the European Research Council (ERC).

Giesche, A., Hodell, D.A., Petrie, C.A., Haug, G.A., Adkins, J.F., Plessen, B., Marwan, N., Bradbury, H.J., Hartland, A., French, A.D. Breitenbach, S.F.M. 2023. Speleothem evidence for recurring summer and winter droughts post-4.2 ka in the Indus River Basin, Nature Communications Earth & Environment (2023), https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-023-00763-z.

A common characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s disease and various forms of dementia is the build-up in the brain of clusters – known as aggregates – of misfolded proteins, such as huntingtin and tau. These aggregates lead to the degradation and eventual death of brain cells and the onset of symptoms.

One method that our bodies use to rid themselves of toxic materials is autophagy, or ‘self-eating’, a process whereby cells ‘eat’ the unwanted material, break it down and discard it. But this mechanism does not work properly in neurodegenerative diseases, meaning that the body is no longer able to get rid of the misfolded proteins.

In a study published today in Neuron, a team from the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research and the UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge has identified a process that causes autophagy not to work properly in the brains of mouse models of Huntington’s disease and a form of dementia – and importantly, has identified a drug that helps restore this vital function.

The team carried out their research using mice that had been genetically-altered to develop forms of Huntington’s disease or a type of dementia characterised by the build-up of the tau protein.

The brain and central nervous system have their own specialist immune cells, known as microglia, which should protect against unwanted and toxic materials. In neurodegenerative diseases, the microglia kick into action, but in such a way as to impair the process of autophagy.

Using mice, the team showed that in neurodegenerative diseases, microglia release a suite of molecules which in turn activate a switch on the surface of cells. When activated, this switch – called CCR5 – impairs autophagy, and hence the ability of the brain to rid itself of the toxic proteins. These proteins then aggregate and begin to cause irreversible damage to the brain – and in fact, the toxic proteins also create a feedback loop, leading to increased activity of CCR5, enabling even faster build-up of the aggregates.

Professor David Rubinsztein from the UK Dementia Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, the study’s senior author, said: “The microglia begin releasing these chemicals long before any physical signs of the disease are apparent. This suggests – much as we expected – that if we’re going to find effective treatments for diseases such as Huntington’s and dementia, these treatments will need to begin before an individual begins showing symptoms.”

When the researchers used mice bred to ‘knock out’ the action of CCR5, they found that these mice were protected against the build-up of misfolded huntingtin and tau, leading to fewer of the toxic aggregates in the brain when compared to control mice.

This discovery has led to clues to how this build-up could in future be slowed or prevented in humans. The CCR5 switch is not just exploited by neurodegenerative diseases – it is also used by HIV as a ‘doorway’ into our cells. In 2007, the US and European Union approved a drug known as maraviroc, which inhibits CCR5, as a treatment for HIV.

The team used maraviroc to treat the Huntington’s disease mice, administering the drug for four weeks when the mice were two months old. When the researchers looked at the mice’s brains, they found a significant reduction in the number of huntingtin aggregates when compared to untreated mice. However, as Huntington’s disease only manifests in mice as mild symptoms by 12 weeks even without treatment, it was too early to see whether the drug would make an impact on the mice’s symptoms.

The same effect was observed in the dementia mice. In these mice, not only did the drug reduce the amount of tau aggregates compared to untreated mice, but it also slowed down the loss of brain cells. The treated mice performed better than untreated mice at an object recognition test, suggesting that the drug slowed down memory loss.  

Professor Rubinsztein added: “We’re very excited about these findings because we’ve not just found a new mechanism of how our microglia hasten neurodegeneration, we’ve also shown this can be interrupted, potentially even with an existing, safe treatment.

“Maraviroc may not itself turn out to be the magic bullet, but it shows a possible way forward. During the development of this drug as a HIV treatment, there were a number of other candidates that failed along the way because they were not effective against HIV. We may find that one of these works effectively in humans to prevent neurodegenerative diseases.”

The research was supported by Alzheimer’s Research UK, the UK Dementia Research Institute, Alzheimer’s Society, Tau Consortium, Cambridge Centre for Parkinson-Plus, Wellcome and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

Reference
Festa, BP, Siddiqi, FH, & Jimenez-Sanchez, M, et al. Microglial-to-neuronal CCR5 signalling regulates autophagy in neurodegeneration. Neuron; 26 Apr 2023; DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.04.006

The Gospels will be carried in the initial procession and then form part of the service.

HM the King first saw the Gospels on a visit as Prince of Wales to their home in the college's Parker Library back in 2001. He immediately recognised their significance as arguably the most precious and important medieval manuscript in England, and subsequently requested that they be carried in his Coronation procession.

For the full story see here.

The 18-year-old Prince of Wales posed for his photograph in the Wren Library in October 1967, continuing the rite of passage that marks the start of undergraduate study at Trinity and Cambridge: Matriculation and Admission. 

The photograph, in Trinity’s archive since it was taken 56 years ago, is being released for the first time prior to the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, as part of the College’s celebrations. 

As the Prince of Wales, Charles studied Archaeology and Anthropology in his first year and then History for two years. He graduated in 1970. 

At Cambridge, students matriculate when they agree to observe the Statutes and Ordinances of the University. They are then admitted to their chosen College – one of 29 Colleges in Cambridge that accept undergraduates.

In the Prince of Wales’ day, Admission to Trinity involved three elements: being photographed individually for the record, filling in the Admissions Book, and donning a gown for the Matriculation photograph (of Freshers - the new cohort of students.) 

Trinity Fellow, Professor Adrian Poole, a contemporary of the former Prince of Wales, recalls the experience of the matriculation ‘mugshot.’

"For virtually all of us, it was our first time in the Wren Library. We were overawed and a bit intimidated. Were we in the right place? So many books. Busts of Cicero and Marcus Aurelius. A statue of Byron. A Prince more or less scarcely seemed out of place."

Two of the above traditions of Admission to College remain today. Freshers must enter their details in the Admissions Book; joining the year-group photograph is optional. 
 

Lead is a toxic metal that negatively affects body systems of people and animals, with the nervous system being particularly sensitive. Although elevated levels of dietary lead are potentially damaging to animal health, lead shot can be legally used for hunting terrestrial gamebirds, like pheasants, in the UK. While most pheasants are eaten by people, some are used in petfood.

Cambridge researchers analysed 90 samples taken from three raw pheasant dog food products bought in the UK and found that 77% of samples had lead concentrations exceeding the maximum residue level (MRL) permitted in animal feed according to law. Mean lead concentrations of the three products were approximately 245, 135 and 49 times higher than the MRL.

The results are published today in the journal Ambio.

“We were already aware that lead concentrations in pheasant meat sold for human consumption are often far higher than would be permitted in other meats like chicken, beef or pork” said lead author Professor Debbie Pain of Cambridge’s Zoology Department. “However, we were surprised to find that lead concentrations in raw pheasant dog food products were so much higher”

The mean lead concentration in the raw pheasant dog food analysed was 34 times higher than that recently reported in pheasant meat sold for people to eat, which itself is considered to be too high. Researchers say this could be because raw pheasant meat is normally minced when used for dogfood whereas whole birds or pheasant breasts are generally sold for human consumption. Mincing may fragment lead shot, increasing the number of small lead particles in the meat and the potential for lead to be absorbed into the bloodstream.

The researchers say that dogs eating food with such high concentrations of lead, especially if they are fed on it frequently or as their main diet, are at risk of harm to their health. Puppies are particularly vulnerable both because young animals tend to absorb more of the lead they swallow than full-grown animals, and the developing nervous system is particularly affected by lead.

The scientists tested five pheasant-based dog food products. Three of these were raw meat products, one was a dried pheasant and partridge product, and one was a processed tinned pheasant and goose-based product. Three equivalent chicken-based petfood products (raw meat, dried and processed) were also assessed.

In addition to the raw pheasant dog food, levels of lead above the MRL were identified in some samples of the dried pheasant-based product, although the mean concentration was far lower than in the raw products. None of the samples from the chicken-based products or the tinned pheasant and goose-based product contained unacceptable levels of lead.

The popularity of raw meat diets for pets is increasing across the UK – a nation which is home to an estimated 13 million dogs and 12 million cats. The researchers found that raw dog food including pheasant meat was widely available in the UK. Raw pheasant pet food was sold by 34% of the 50 online raw pet food suppliers they checked – 71% of these stated that the meat may contain shot.

“The fact that most samples from three randomly sampled raw pheasant pet food products had very high lead concentrations, and that our recent research on shot types used to kill pheasants  found that 94% are shot with lead, suggests that this is a far broader issue than for just these three products,” said co-author Professor Rhys Green. “However, some producers may source pheasants that have not been shot with lead, and owners could ask about this when buying pet food.”

The study of shot types in pheasants sold for human consumption is part of a body of research assessing the effectiveness of a voluntary ban in the UK on lead shotgun ammunition to shoot wild quarry, which is being phased in over a five-year period from February 2020. Nine major shooting organisations committed to this, for sustainability reasons, considering wildlife, the environment and also to ensure a market for the healthiest game products.

Cambridge scientists have consistently found compliance with the voluntary ban to be low, which is in line with other studies investigating other voluntary bans. However, a total ban in Denmark has been shown to be very effective.

A ban on the sale and use of lead gunshot, along with restrictions on lead bullets, is currently being considered under the UK REACH Chemicals Regulation.

The analytical costs of this research were funded by Wild Justice.

D. Pain, R. E. Green, N. Bates, M. Guiu, M. A. Taggart, Lead concentrations in commercial dogfood containing pheasant in the UK, Ambio. DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01856-x

Anyone who believes they have an exceptional memory is invited to take an online survey and memory test. Based on their performance, some people will be invited to Cambridge to have a brain scan so that the origins of exceptional memory can be explored in detail.

The team will also be exploring whether people who are autistic or neurodiverse are more likely to have an exceptional memory.

It’s long been known that people differ in their memory ability, with some having seemingly infinite memory. For example, essayist and writer Daniel Tammet, who the Cambridge team have worked with previously, set the European record in 2004 for reciting the number pi from memory after recalling it to 22,514 digits. He is both autistic and has synaesthesia, where the senses are interconnected, which may go some way to explaining his talents.

Professor Jon Simons from the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge said: “Memory is one of the best understood psychological processes in terms of brain networks and yet we still don’t really know why some people have exceptional memories. That’s why we’re inviting people to take part in our study.”

Professor Sir Simon Baron-Cohen, Director of the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University, and lead investigator of the study, said: “You don’t need to have won any competitions to take part or to consider yourself neurodiverse – and you certainly don’t need to be able to recite pi to 22,000 digits! We’re looking for anyone who thinks they might be a ‘super memoriser’ to try out our memory tests.”

Anyone who wants to take part will need to take three brief online memory tests, such as memorising a phone number or patterns on a chess board. Anyone who scores highly on one or more of these tests could be invited to come to Cambridge for a brain scan using an MRI scanner. All expenses will be paid.

The Cambridge scientists want to know whether the brains of people who have exceptional memory show differences in how they are structured or how they function compared to those who do not: in short, how do they achieve their remarkable feats of memory? The team also want to investigate if autism gives rise to a greater likelihood of exceptional memory.

Dr Carrie Allison, also from the Autism Research Centre, added: “We hope that people will enjoy taking part in this study, and in the process contribute to helping us understand more about memory and whether exceptional memory is related to autism. For decades, autism research has focused on disability, but this study is a wonderful opportunity to focus on strengths.”

To take part you must be between the ages of 16 and 60 years old.

Take the survey and memory tests here

The Discovery Research Platforms (DRPs) will be home to transformative research environments that empower researchers to overcome specific barriers holding back progress in their fields of research. They aim to accelerate research for the benefit of the wider global research community, with researchers and teams developing new tools, knowledge and capabilities to help unlock new findings about life, health and wellbeing.

Michael Dunn, Director of Discovery Research at Wellcome, said: “Discovery research is essential to advancing our ability to understand and improve health. But in addition to researchers’ bold and imaginative ideas, we know that new tools, methods and capabilities are also needed to unlock new avenues of research that can disrupt and transform the research landscape globally.”

The two Cambridge DRPs, which will receive £9million each over seven years, are:

The Discovery Research Platform for Tissue Scale Biology– which seeks to move stem cell biology to the tissue and organ scale of research, creating a new network of local and international researchers to enable strategies that capitalise on new in vitro models to develop better treatments for human patients.

Professor Bertie Gottgens, Director of the Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, said: "I am delighted that Wellcome will support our ambition to build a new Discovery Research Platform to provide international leadership for Tissue Scale Biology.

“Our vision for this platform resulted from extensive discussions across the wider Cambridge Stem Cell community and the formation of a highly interdisciplinary team connecting the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute with the West Cambridge Engineering/Technology community. It also incorporates exciting new training partnerships with Anglia Ruskin University and the Cambridge Academy for Science and Technology, to help us fill critical skills shortages and widen participation across Cambridge."

The Discovery Research Platform for Integrating Metabolic and Endocrine Science– which aims to address practical barriers preventing data integration across metabolic and endocrine science, investigate how hormones control metabolic processes and how these can go wrong in disorders such as obesity, diabetes and cachexia, and create tools to facilitate global access to this data. The Platform will encompass research on molecules, cells and model organisms but will have a major focus on discovery science in human participants, patients and populations.

The funding will sustain key technological platforms and the highly-trained staff needed to support these. It will also underpin partnerships with research centres across the UK as well as in Germany and Denmark, all of which will provide new opportunities for training.

The Platform will have a major focus on the broad dissemination of integrated data and the creation of tools to facilitate access by the global community. The award will also accelerate the team’s drive to make transformational changes to research culture with new initiatives in widening access and open science reinforced by a new programme of research into the culture of biomedical science, in collaboration with Dr Yeun Joon Kim, Associate Professor at the Cambridge Judge Business School.

Professor Sir Stephen O’Rahilly, Co-Director at the Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science and Director of the MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, said: “Wellcome’s support of our scientists’ research in metabolism and endocrinology, and of the technological platforms that underpin it, has been critically important to the discoveries we have made and the translation of that research into improvements in health. This new award will allow us to build on those achievements and deliver more ground-breaking science in a manner that emphasises openness, diversity and a spirit of collaboration.”

An analysis of data from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests found that fewer than one in five NHS Trusts in England provided active bystander training to address workplace harassment, sexual harassment and other forms of unacceptable behaviour like bullying and racism.

It found of those that did – the majority of which were in London – most did not deliver content specific to sexual misconduct and participation was voluntary.

Since 2017, when the #MeToo movement gained momentum around the world, sexual harassment in medicine has been recognised as both pervasive and harmful. This form of harassment – which includes a range of verbal, online and physical acts, ranging from poor taste jokes to unwanted touching to rape – can have a major impact on the individuals it affects and on the healthcare workforce itself.

In 2019, a survey by UNISON found that 8% of respondents had experienced sexual harassment while at work during the last 12 months, with more than half (54%) of these acts being perpetrated by co-workers.

Active bystander training encourages individuals to recognise and respond to poor behaviour, by equipping people with skills to intervene. Workshops and training programmes typically involve role-playing, case studies, and group participatory discussions.

To assess the extent to which such training programmes are being used within the NHS, researchers from Cambridge Public Health and the Intellectual Forum at Jesus College, Cambridge, submitted FOI requests to 213 NHS Trusts across England in December 2021. Their analysis is published today in JRSM Open.

Of the 199 Trusts (93%) that responded, only 35 offered active bystander training. Just five of the Trusts said their training addressed sexual harassment in some form, with the remaining 30 Trusts saying their training taught participants to challenge antisocial behaviour only in a general context. Only one Trust delivered content that specifically tackled sexual harassment in the workplace as its focus.

The majority of the Trusts that offered active bystander training were in London – 22 out of the 35. But even 14 of London’s NHS Trusts offered no training, despite the training being paid for by NHS England, not individual Trusts.

Among the 164 Trusts not offering active bystander training, only 23 Trusts had plans to implement it in the future. One Trust stated that they were actively developing plans to develop sexual safety training that will incorporate active bystander training. Several Trusts suggested they would consider implementing it if there was, to quote one of these Trusts, a “need for this form of training”, while other Trusts suggested implementation would occur if members of staff or working groups within the Trusts’ organisation advocated for it.

Dr Sarah Steele from Cambridge Public Health and Jesus College, Cambridge, said: “The NHS is failing to take advantage of a very effective training tool to address workplace harassment, sexual harassment and other forms of unacceptable behaviour such as bullying and racism. It’s a tool well used by the military, universities and educators, and which even the UN and UK government promotes.

“We found low uptake of active bystander training among NHS Trusts in England, particularly outside of London, and very little of the training that was on offer focused on sexual harassment. This is deeply worrying, given the continued problem of sexual harassment in the healthcare sector.

“Organisations need to encourage active bystander training from the very first days of undergraduate degrees through to the day of retirement. Without this, the problems of sexual harassment will continue to be a problem in the NHS and across wider society.”

Most of the Trusts used training programmes delivered by external companies – 27 out of the 35, with three Trusts not providing data. This meant that the researchers were unable to assess the content or effectiveness of the training programmes as they were commercial in confidence. While outsourcing training is meant to increase competition, the researchers found that one provider dominates.

Dr Ava Robertson, who carried out the research while part of the Population Health Sciences Partnership at the University of Cambridge University, said: “The problem with turning to private providers is that training materials can’t be externally audited, making it extremely difficult to evaluate how effective the programmes are. In some cases, it also meant that attendees of the workshops weren’t allowed to share the toolkits they received with other colleagues, so the knowledge isn’t more widely disseminated.”

The Home Office has been actively promoting active bystander training interventions to reduce sexual harassment and violence against women and girls more widely. Dr Steele, who sat on the campaign advisory group said cross-departmental learning from this campaign would support the Department of Health and Social Care, and the NHS, in thinking about behaviour change interventions amongst healthcare staff.

In 2021, on the back of the researchers’ work, Jesus College partnered with learning platform edX to offer free, online active bystander training available to anyone anywhere in the world.

Dr Steele who leads the course, and is Deputy Director of Jesus College’s Intellectual Forum said: “This course draws on up-to-date research and evidence on action and inaction, and offers real-world examples to help people respond at work, in public, and even at home. It can be accessed by anyone in the world for free so in the face of a lack of workplace training, individuals can still equip themselves with these essential skills.”

Reference
Robertson, A, and Steele, S. A cross-sectional survey of English NHS Trusts on their uptake and provision of active bystander training including to address sexual harassment. JRSM Open; 5 May 2023

Launched to mark the King’s Coronation, the Professorship is funded by Trinity College, Cambridge – which yesterday (6 May) also unveiled a ‘wild crown’ in tribute to the King, an alumnus of the College, and launched a new punt named ‘Charles’.

Trinity’s Vice Master, Professor Louise Merrett, said: “The Coronation of King Charles III is an opportunity not only to reflect on Trinity’s past but importantly also to look to the future. Trinity is delighted to support this new University professorial role, the holder of which will investigate some of the most pressing environmental issues we face today.”

Hand woven from English willow by Trinity’s gardeners, the Wild Crown is wildlife friendly, sustainable and recyclable. Studded with succulent-plant ‘jewels’, topped with handwoven ball ‘finials’, and wrapped in ‘ermine’ wool, it will be dismantled and rewilded in Trinity’s gardens after the Coronation.

Deputy Head Gardener Karen Wells said the idea grew from discussions among the gardeners and their skills – including a gardener with a degree in fashion design and several with willow-weaving experience.

“Many of our team enjoy crafting things – the beauty of this entirely recyclable Wild Crown is that it will be rewilded to benefit wildlife and the gardens here. We like to think His Majesty would approve!”

Crafted by Puntman Paul Joyce, the new punt is named in honour of the monarch, King Charles III, and in keeping with the College tradition, drawing on its own name, of playing on the number three.

Among Trinity’s fleet are punts named Wise Man, Point Turn, Nenya, Fluffy and for the scientifically minded, Codon, Lithium and Baryon.

Cambridge students, Camilla Esnou, in her third year of Law at Queens’, and Charles Li, also in his third year, studying Maths at Trinity, enjoyed Charles’ inaugural voyage after the Master Dame Sally Davies and Fellow in Charge of Punts Dr Rupert Gatti, together with the Trinity puntsmen, launched the new craft.

The awards, organised by Cambridge Hub, recognise and celebrate exceptional achievement in contributing to society.
This year saw 15 students recognised with awards, with one special recognition award also handed out at the ceremony yesterday.
University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Dr Anthony Freeling said: “It’s wonderful to present these awards to the students, who have shown such commitment and dedication to social impact. 
“The winners have demonstrated that innovation and perseverance can go a long way in making a positive impact on society. Their accomplishments serve as an inspiration to us all."
 

Undergraduate awards
Joseph Duffy from Emmanuel
Joseph, a second year linguist and a Platinum winner at the 2022-23 Cambridge University Law Society Pro Bono Awards, has volunteered hundreds of hours this year to seeking improve the lives of others in the immediate area and beyond. 
Joe Beadle from Pembroke
Joe, a fourth year student studying Chinese, is a Senior Organ Scholar and President of Pembroke’s Music Society. Joe founded the Lovely Choir at Pembroke to democratise music at Cambridge.  
Imogen Arden-Jones from St John’s
Imogen is a fifth-year medical student, trustee of the national mental health charity YoungMinds, and senior facilitator of Cambs Youth Panel. 
Sanah Kashyap from Newnham
Sanah is a third year history student. With a formidable passion for civic engagement, Sanah has served as a Member of Youth Parliament and on the Parliamentary Youth Select Committee. 
 

Master’s award
Neema Jayasinghe from Homerton
Studying education, policy and international development, Neema has volunteered with numerous charities and societies and worked with think tanks and UNESCO on social impact projects.
 

PhD student award
Awa Farah from Churchill
Awa founded the Siman Foundation, providing free mentoring to students from refugee backgrounds. Awa is also an award-winning filmmaker.
Megan Groom from Darwin
Megan, a third-year PhD student in physics, is working on developing an optical technique to better monitor degradation in Lithium-ion batteries and has been involved in numerous sustainability initiatives at Cambridge. 
Nomisha Kurian from Wolfson
Nomisha is a PhD candidate specialising in wellbeing and inclusion for at-risk children. Nomisha has designed and delivered Widening Participation Interventions for over 200 low-income and state school children across some of the UK's most deprived neighborhoods. 
Madeleine Hahne from Pembroke
Madeleine is the co-founder of climate action non-profit Vision of Soon, a Gates Cambridge Scholar, an honorary Woolf Institute Scholar, and a PhD Candidate in Geography researching how conservative religionists view climate change. 
Eleonore Poli from Lucy Cavendish
Eleonore, a PhD student in materials and metallurgy, is an analogue astronaut, amateur athlete, pianist and photographer, and leads initiatives on space, sustainability and social impact. 
 

Volunteering award
Olivia Taylor from Clare
Olivia is an award winning consultant and keynote speaker, Civil Service Fast Streamer and charity worker.
Innovation Award
Qinglan Du from Christ's
Qinglan, a first-year law student, started the environmental initiative Cleaning Up Jerusalem, inspiring peers to pick up litter in nature reserves as well as founding a small business called Mask Up, selling sustainable and customisable fabric masks. 
Global Impact Award
Abdul Malik Al Nasir from St Catharine's
Abdul, a third year PhD candidate in history, is a performance poet, author and public speaker.
Impact in the Local Community Award
Sarah Gough from Clare Hall
Sarah, a final year PhD student in cancer immunology, is dedicated to expanding and promoting Clare Hall’s allotment, so that college members can sustainably grow organic fruit and vegetables. 
Sustainability Award
Chloe Balhatchet from Selwyn
The University’s Sustainability Team and Cambridge Zero jointly nominated Chloe for the Sustainability Award because of Chloe’s outstanding and numerous contributions to sustainability programmes across the University. 
 

Special Recognition
Harry Goolnik from Girton
The judges were impressed with Harry’s commitment, service, dedication, and potential for lasting impact in helping coordinate a successful campaign to get the Universal Bus to stop at Girton and Homerton. 

University Officers and Heads of Colleges processed from the Senate House to the Church during the second of two ‘Scarlet days’, when doctors in the different faculties wear their festal, predominantly scarlet, gowns in public.

Other members of the University also attended the service - which included bell ringing by the Cambridge University Guild of Change Ringers - and those holding orders and decorations conferred by the Crown were invited to wear their insignia.

HM Lord-Lieutenant was represented, and a civic procession was also held.

The celebrations finished with a reception at Michaelhouse in Trinity Street.

Read more about University and College events around the Coronation:

Cambridge events to mark Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III

Crowning glory for new King Charles III Professorship at Cambridge University

King Charles III at Cambridge

Fit for a King: Sixth-century Augustine Gospels to be used in the Coronation of King Charles III

As part of the weekend of Coronation celebrations, 10 locations around the UK including Cambridge University Botanic Garden - as well as landmarks in Blackpool, Sheffield, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Newcastle and Gateshead, Cornwall and Belfast - were lit up in a stunning live sequence called Lighting Up The Nation.

Billed by the BBC as ‘a truly spectacular part of the Coronation Concert… a very special moment for people all across the country to come together in celebration’, the event showcased the country’s diverse cultural heritage in music, theatre and dance, with the amazing light display as a stunning centrepiece using projections, drones, laser displays and illuminations to bring iconic locations to life.

The majestic Pinus nigra tree, which forms part of the Garden’s iconic tree collection, is located along the Garden’s Main Walk and helps form the backbone of the Heritage Landscape. On Sunday (7/5) evening the tree and surrounding landscape was seen as never before – dressed in a stunning display of 12,500 lights, powered by 25 eco-bikes, ridden by Cambridge University students, Garden staff and volunteers to create a kinetic power display to highlight the King’s commitment to green energy and conservation.

Beverley Glover, CUBG Director, said: “It is a great honour to have been selected as one of 10 iconic locations to form the centrepiece of Lighting up the Nation, broadcast live from Windsor Castle and to have our Black Pine included as part of the choreographed display.

“CUBG’s tree collection dates back to the founding of the Garden on this site and is the vision of our founder and Charles Darwin’s mentor - John Stevens Henslow. The Pinus nigra, Black Pine is one of the first Garden plantings and it is interesting because it was selected by Henslow to demonstrate how plants even within the same species can be different. Some species of Black Pine from warm climates hold their branches erect, while Black Pines from cold areas, have sloping branches to allow snow to slide off them to limit the snow load on their branches and ensure the leaves are free to photosynthesise."

His Majesty was in Cambridge to break ground on the New Whittle Laboratory, where he also met with staff and researchers, leaders from the aviation industry and senior government representatives.

The New Whittle Laboratory, a £58 million facility, will be the leading global centre for net zero aviation and energy. Its mission is to halve the time to develop key technologies to support a sustainable aviation industry.

Alongside the ground-breaking, senior figures from government and industry gathered for an international roundtable as part of an initiative led by Cambridge and MIT. This will present insights based on global aviation systems modelling capabilities developed through the Aviation Impact Accelerator, a project led by the Whittle Laboratory and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Today, it typically takes six to eight years to develop a new technology to a point where it can be considered for commercial deployment in the aerospace and energy sectors, recent trials in the Whittle Laboratory have shown this timeframe can be accelerated by breaking down barriers that exist between academia and industry.

The New Whittle Laboratory will incorporate the Bennett Innovation Laboratory – made possible through a philanthropic gift from the Peter Bennett Foundation – to bring together a critical mass of talent, giving them the right skills, tools, culture and working environment to solve complex multidisciplinary challenges. It will also be home to the UK’s National Centre for Propulsion and Power, built around a fast feedback model pioneered in Formula One, to cut the time to develop technologies from years to months.

Participating organisations in the roundtable included the UK Government, UK Aerospace Technology Institute, the US Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, EU Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, Airbus, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and the Sustainable Markets Initiative.

As The Prince of Wales, His Majesty previously visited the Whittle Laboratory in January 2020, and March 2022, to encourage the acceleration of sustainable aviation, as well as hosting an industry roundtable in February 2020 in London with the Sustainable Markets Initiative and World Economic Forum to explore solutions for decarbonising air travel.

Professor Rob Miller, Director of the Whittle Laboratory, said:

“We need to completely transform the innovation landscape in the aviation and energy sectors if we are to reach net zero by 2050. The new Whittle Lab has been designed as a disruptive innovation laboratory targeting the critical early stages in the lifecycles of technologies, where there are windows of opportunity to translate scientific strengths into global technological and industrial leadership.

“The Lab is designed to work at the intersection of cutting-edge science and emerging engineering applications, providing fast feedback between the two, and dramatically cutting the time to deliver zero-emission technologies.”

Grant Shapps, the UK Government’s Energy Security Secretary, said:

"The UK is leading a revolution in aviation, looking to new technologies to cut emissions.

"Having established the Jet Zero Council three years ago by bringing together government, industry and academia, I strongly welcome the Whittle Laboratory being at the forefront of that endeavour today.

"This will further help the best minds from the fields of energy and aviation push ever-further and faster with the latest innovations in order to solve the problem of environmentally friendly and affordable flying."

Mark Harper, the UK Government’s Transport Secretary, said:

“Having already invested £165 million into the production of sustainable aviation fuels, this Government is determined to harness the economic benefits of flying while supporting industry and academia to create cleaner skies for the future.”

“The breaking ground of Whittle Laboratory is great news for the UK's world-leading aviation sector, representing another step towards the UK hitting our Jet Zero goals.”

Peter Bennett, University of Cambridge alumnus, philanthropist and founder of the Peter Bennett Foundation, said:

“To tackle the most complex challenges, we need to take a whole systems approach, where innovative technologies can be explored within the context of the realities that may impact their roll out. Rigorous testing using models such as the Aviation Impact Accelerator expedites the process of innovation and implementation.

“We need new ways to work together at speed, which is why the Bennett Innovation Lab will bring together global experts from government, industry and academia, enabling  radical collaboration. I believe by using Cambridge’s convening power, this can make a real difference, fast.”

Grazia Vittadini, Chief Technology Officer at Rolls-Royce, said:  

“The Whittle Laboratory and Rolls-Royce have worked together for 50 years. Over this time the partnership has delivered hundreds of technologies into Rolls-Royce products. Deep technology partnerships like this are critical if the UK is to maintain its role as a science superpower and to create high value jobs in the UK. The New Whittle Laboratory offers an exciting opportunity to raise this ambition by bringing together cutting-edge science and engineering application in one building with the aim of meeting the challenge of net zero flight by 2050.”

Jim Hileman, Vice President and Chief Engineer, Sustainability and Future Mobility at Boeing said:

"Boeing's partnership with the University of Cambridge is central to the effort of making aviation carbon neutral. As well as helping us to find technology solutions, it is bringing together different companies and academic disciplines from across the sector to drive change at the system level. We are excited by the way in which the New Whittle Laboratory has been designed to break down silos, bringing together a wide range of disciplines to take on the most challenging net zero aviation problems.”

Eisaku Ito, Chief Technology Officer at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, said:

“At Mitsubishi Heavy Industries we have a goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040, through our Mission Net Zero initiative. But we know that we can only reach this through accelerating the pace of innovation, and scaling up the development of net zero technologies. We have benefited from a strategic research partnership with the Whittle Laboratory since the 1980s, so we are excited to see work begin on this new facility that will become an important global centre for collaboration and disruptive innovation.

“We look forward to continuing our relationship with the Whittle Laboratory over the coming decades, and we want our engineers to think of the new Lab as their European home – a unique environment where they can participate in a culture that brings together the best global ideas, expertise, software, tools and testing facilities that can help solve the challenge of climate change.”