News and Events
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ADDITION Study research wins British Medical Journal ‘Research Paper of the Year’ Award
Research led by Prof Simon Griffin and Dr Rebecca Simmons at the MRC Epidemiology Unit has won the British Medical Journal’s award for ‘Research Paper of the Year’ 2013. Read more... [16 May 2013]
MRC Epidemiology Unit Transfers to the University of Cambridge
On the 1st May 2013 the MRC Epidemiology Unit transfers to the University of Cambridge, creating a new University Unit department within the School of Clinical Medicine. Read more... [30 April 2013]
Study Identifies New Gene Variations Associated With Heart Rate
New genetic variations associated with heart rate have been identified in a collaborative genome-wide study in which 268 researchers from 211 institutions, as well as six large research consortia joined forces. Read more... [15 April 2013]
Harry Keen (1925-2013), co-founder of the Cambridge Diabetes Seminar
Professor Harry Keen died on 5th April 2013. He was Professor of Human Metabolism at Guy's Hospital Medical School from 1971 until his retirement in 1990. Read more... [11 April 2013]
The art of explanation
There is a real art to good science writing, not only does it need to be understandable but if you are to hold the reader’s attention it also needs to be interesting. Career Development Fellow Dr Gráinne Long from the MRC Epidemiology Unit was one of only 8 researchers who were shortlisted for the first ‘Access to Understanding’ science writing competition, jointly hosted by The British Library and Europe PubMed Central. Read more... [12 March 2013]
MRC Centenary
In 2013 The Medical Research Council is celebrating 100 years of life-changing discoveries.Read more... [20 January 2013]
PhD Studentships
The MRC Epidemiology Unit invites applications for its PhD studentships commencing in October 2013.Read more... [30 October 2012]
Diabetes screening may not reduce deaths
Screening the UK population to pick up undiagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes may not be as effective at preventing deaths as previously thought, according to a new study.Read more... [4 October 2012]
MRC Epidemiology Unit at Cambridge's Big Day Out on Saturday 7th July
You don’t have to be an athlete to be active! How active are you? Visit the MRC Epidemiology Unit in the Fun Lab on Parker's Piece and find out how everyday activities compare to being an athlete. Get your pulse racing and see your own heart rate rise! [6 July 2012]
Large waist linked to diabetes risk in overweight adults
Overweight people with a large waist are just as likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life as those who are obese, according to results from the largest international study of its kind to date.Read more... [6 June 2012]
New method accounting for body mass reveals previously unknown genes associated with insulin resistance
Worldwide, more than 350 million people have type 2 diabetes, and this number is increasing rapidly. People with diabetes either secret insufficient amounts of insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar levels, or are resistant to its actions. Read more... [13 May 2012]
6th Physical Activity Measurement Seminar
Applications now open for the 6th Physical Activity Measurement Seminar to be held from September 23rd to September 28th 2012. Read more... [1 May 2012]
Should children be more physically active or less sedentary to stay healthy?
New findings from the largest analysis to date in over 20,000 individuals helps to shed light on whether higher levels of physical activity is more important for health than reducing the amount of time spent being sedentary. Read more... [15 February 2012]
Breastfeeding linked to infant temperament
New evidence from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit, in Cambridge, suggests that breastfed babies may be more irritable than their bottle-fed counterparts. Read more... [10 January 2012]
Physical activity reduces the effect of the 'obesity gene'
The genetic predisposition to obesity due to the 'fat mass and obesity associated' (FTO) gene may be substantially reduced by living a physically active lifestyle according to new research by a large international collaboration, led by Ruth Loos from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit, in Cambridge, UK, and published in this week's PLoS Medicine. Read more... [02 November 2011]
Genetic analysis suggests that a Cardiac hormone may protect against development of diabetes
Research lead by the MRC Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge has used two different approaches to demonstrate that a cardiac hormone may help protect against developing type 2 diabetes. Read more... [02 November 2011]
'Lean gene' increases risk of heart disease and diabetes
Having a leaner body may not always give you a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, according to the newest findings of a Medical Research Council (MRC) study. Researchers led by the MRC Epidemiology Unit have identified a gene that is linked with both having less body fat and an increased risk of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Read more... [27 June 2011]
Interventions to promote cycling
Community-wide promotional activities, improving cycle routes and targeted marketing to households all have the potential to increase cycling in the population, finds a study published by the British Medical Journal on 19 October. This could make a valuable contribution to improving public health. Read more... [19 October 2010]
Regular exercise helps shed the genetic likelihood of obesity by forty percent
Genetic predisposition to obesity can be reduced by around 40% with regular physical activity, according to new research from the Medical Research Council (MRC). Read more... [01 September 2010]
Too much World Cup TV could be a deadly own goal
New research from the Medical Research Council (MRC) has provided fresh insights into the lifestyle factors contributing to heart disease, which causes 193,000 deaths a year and is responsible for a third of the UK’s deaths. Read more... [24 June 2010]
Fenland Study celebrates its 5,000th volunteer
The MRC Epidemiology Unit celebrated the recruitment of its 5,000th volunteer to the Fenland Study with a presentation by the Unit's Director, Professor Nick Wareham. Read more...
Vigorous activity particularly important in curbing childhood obesity
A study by the MRC Epidemiology Unit has found that activity of moderate and vigorous intensity is beneficial even in children who spend a lot of sedentary time sitting in front of screens or playing computer games. Read more...
Early first steps boost physical activity
Children who begin standing and walking at an earlier age spend more of their leisure time playing sports and do better in school physical education classes during their teenage years, according to researchers from the MRC Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge. Read more...
Needs of bottle feeding mothers not being met
A review of mothers' experiences of bottle-feeding by the MRC has shown that many feel that they do not receive sufficient information and support from healthcare providers about how to bottle-feed correctly. Read more...
Inactive adults face higher diabetes and heart disease risk
Research by the MRC Epidemiology Unit in Cambridge has shown that there is an association between time spent physically inactive, or sedentary, and increased levels of insulin in the blood, a predictor of diabetes risk. Read more...
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