The missing half of the equation

The engineering of biomolecules, such as proteins, DNA, RNA, sugars and natural products from biological pathways, is essential for a greener and more sustainable society as we transition away from using petrochemicals. Biomolecule engineering is the craft of redesigning them, so that an enzyme can perform a new function, such as producing key pharmaceutical compounds, or a microbe can build useful chemicals from waste.

The equipment in the MIB aids with that every step of the way: digitally designing molecules (researchers call this working in silico), then engineering, testing and checking that the right molecule has been built with the right structure. Each stage requires its own technology, and each technology has its own learning curve before it can be used properly. After all, an experiment is only as good as the person running it.

That’s what the Manchester Biomolecule Engineering Centre (MBEC) exists to do: having the right equipment is only half the challenge; the other half is having people who know how to use it accurately, consistently and safely.

A training hub, not a booking system

The MBEC began in 2024, backed by £1.2 million from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. First to be trained were three of the Institute’s own staff, and since then it’s built a programme for the UK’s research community.

Researchers and technical professionals can ask for bespoke training, or apply for a funded two-week secondment, working alongside the specialists who run the equipment day to day. The aim is that people leave with methods and standard operating procedures (SOPs) that they can take back to their own laboratories.

Specialist technologies are only as powerful as the expertise behind them. MBEC gives researchers hands-on training to use advanced equipment confidently and effectively

The centre supports everyone, right from PhD students through to experienced scientists looking to continue their professional development. Each year, two workshops catering for different doctoral programmes are hosted, doctoral training networks and apprentices are welcomed, and twenty school students have taken on work experience placements, giving them their first experience of working in a live laboratory setting. 

At the other end of the scale, SMEs including Imperagen, Recircle and Simplex Molecular have benefitted from the training, with companies able to access protocols and SOPs online, so that good practice can travel far beyond the MIB. 

This training is already paying off for many participants. After coming to MBEC to learn more about using and collecting preliminary data on one of the instruments, a recent visiting researcher went on to succeed in their own bid to the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) for similar equipment. Another recent trainee shared that she particularly appreciated the time she spent with the team “calculating ratios, discussing methods and working through the details.” 

For Dr Mark Dunstan, it’s clear what success looks like: “The best day for us is when someone is not only able to set up instruments and run experiments themselves, but to teach the person at the next bench. We’re looking for trainees becoming trainers.”
 

Twenty years and counting

MBEC builds on more than two decades of engineering biology at the MIB. If the Institute’s first twenty years were about gathering the expertise, funding and facilities under one roof, its next chapter is about opening the door. 

MBEC will continue to train the next generation of researchers, scientists and industrialists in emerging engineering biology technologies. So, when the latest cohort of PhD students head back to their universities, or researchers return to their companies, the real test of their training will be what they do next.

African governments are using foreign investment, infrastructure projects and conservation schemes to extend their control over land and communities, according to new research spanning 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The study challenges the idea that African states are simply too weak to regulate powerful foreign investors. Instead, the researchers argue that governments can actively use investment and partnerships with external organisations to strengthen their own authority – sometimes at the expense of communities’ existing land rights.

However, they say this does not diminish the responsibility of foreign investors, donors and conservation organisations, whose active participation helps shape these processes.

The research, by The University of Manchester’s Dr Carolin Dieterle and Yuezhou Yang of the University of Oxford, examines how governments use land policy not just to encourage economic development, but also to extend and consolidate their power.

How investment can extend state power

The researchers analysed 24 cases across 14 countries, combining fieldwork conducted between 2018 and 2024 in Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Kenya with a review of existing research and policy documents.

They identify two connected strategies. The first, which they call “widening”, involves extending government authority into areas where control has traditionally been limited or shared with local communities. Governments can do this by attracting large-scale land investment, building transport and infrastructure corridors, or designating land for conservation.

The second strategy, “deepening”, involves strengthening that authority over time through laws, administrative systems, land registration and technical tools such as digital mapping.

In some cases, governments have described land as empty, ungoverned or underused to make it appear available for development. The researchers argue that such descriptions can overlook existing farming, pastoralism, customary land rights and local systems of governance.

From agricultural investment to conservation

The study highlights examples across the continent. In Ethiopia, government efforts to attract large-scale agricultural investment included identifying land for a federal land bank and promoting it as available for productive use. In northern Uganda, claims that land was uninhabited or ungoverned helped justify reclassifying customary land and allocating it for investment projects.

Infrastructure schemes can have similar effects. In Kenya, the Lamu Port–South Sudan–Ethiopia Transport corridor has been used to extend state authority into regions where land has long been governed through communal tenure systems. In Tanzania, agricultural development planning has involved reclassifying village land to make it available for investment.

Conservation can also be a means of expanding state control. Designating land as a park, reserve or protected area can bring it under central government authority, while restricting how local people use it. The paper discusses cases where these processes have contributed to displacement, evictions and conflict.

A different way to understand land and power

The researchers argue that foreign investment does not necessarily mean governments are losing control to outside interests. Instead, states can use relationships with investors, donors and other organisations to pursue their own territorial and political goals.

However, the paper does not suggest that stronger state control is always beneficial. The authors emphasise that the processes they describe can be exclusionary or coercive, and that efforts to impose new arrangements are often contested by affected communities.

The findings offer a framework for understanding how land investment, development planning and environmental policy can reshape the relationship between governments and the people who live on the land.

What the experts say

“Foreign investment in land is often discussed as if African governments are simply losing control to powerful outside interests,” said Dr Carolin Dieterle from The University of Manchester.

“Understanding this matters because these projects are not just about economic development - they can also change who has the power to access, use and make decisions about land.”

Publication details

This research was published in: Geoforum

Title: Widening and deepening: territorial strategies and state building in Africa

DOI: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2026.104838

URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016718526003064

Technetium-99 is a long-lived radioactive by-product of nuclear fuel production and reprocessing. In many environments it forms a highly mobile chemical species that can move readily through water and soil, making it a priority contaminant at legacy nuclear sites including Sellafield in the UK and Hanford in the United States.

Now, two new studies led by researchers in The University of Manchester's Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences demonstrate promising methods for converting technetium into more stable forms and locking it into minerals designed to remove technetium from effluents or prevent its movement through the environment.

The findings will inform future strategies for treating radioactive effluents, remediating contaminated groundwater, and developing more durable waste forms for long-term disposal.

Turning radioactive contaminants into stable mineral waste forms

In one study, researchers developed a new technique that removes technetium from liquid waste streams by incorporating it into layered double hydroxides (LDHs), a class of engineered minerals used in environmental remediation.

The team found that during mineral formation, dissolved technetium was effectively removed from solution and chemically transformed into a less mobile form. More than 99 per cent of the contaminant was removed, even at elevated technetium concentrations.

Using advanced X-ray analysis at the Diamond Light Source, and microscopy techniques, the researchers showed that technetium becomes incorporated directly into the mineral structure as the material forms. The study provides the first reported evidence of technetium being incorporated into the octahedral layers of an LDH mineral.

The work suggests a potential new highly effective route for treating technetium in radioactive effluents generated during nuclear operations and decommissioning activities while producing a stable inorganic waste form for long-term management. 

Samuel Shaw said "The key advance here is that we're not simply removing technetium from the effluent, we're locking it up directly into a mineral structures to provide much greater long-term stability. Understanding and optimising these processes could open up new routes for treating radioactive wastes, and we are working with Sellafield through the Game Changers programme to determine whether this new tool can help with  the decommissioning of this legacy nuclear site.

Adapting nuclear medicine technology to remediate contaminated land

In a second study, researchers took inspiration from technetium radiopharmaceuticals used routinely in hospitals. 

The team investigated whether methylene diphosphonic acid (MDP), a compound widely used in nuclear medicine for bone scans could help capture technetium in contaminated groundwater systems. In the hospital, MDP is used to bind the short-lived isotope technetium-99m to hydroxyapatite, the calcium phosphate mineral that makes up the bulk of human bone. Previous work from researchers at RADER developed in-situ hydroxyapatite-based remediation strategies to clean-up radionuclides (e.g. uranium) from contaminated land. However, prior to this study the high mobility of long-lived technetium-99 limited removal using this strategy.

Through collaboration with The Christie NHS Foundation Trust Nuclear Medicine Department and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory the team used MDP to form a soluble complex with chemically reduced technetium-99, allowing it to be captured efficiently by hydroxyapatite under conditions representative of major nuclear legacy sites. 

Laboratory tests showed hydroxyapatite removed up to 99 per cent of the technetium-MDP complex from solution, while advanced imaging experiments demonstrated that the approach also works under realistic flowing groundwater conditions.

When used in conjunction with a phosphate mineral forming remediation technology, this approach could enable targeted, long-term technetium removal from contaminated land by incorporation into the minerals.

The team also demonstrated, for the first time, that microbes could help generate the technetium-MDP complex through biological reduction processes, opening up future possibilities for in situ bioremediation strategies.

Callum Robinson said "Technetium-99 is a challenging radioactive contaminant because under certain conditions it can move readily through groundwater and the wider environment. This study demonstrates new ways of capturing and immobilising technetium in stable minerals, helping to build the toolkit needed for the safe clean-up of nuclear legacy sites."

Supporting future nuclear clean-up

Together, the studies demonstrate two new innovative approaches which have the potential to tackle technetium clean up in different engineered and natural environments.

One offers a pathway for treating contaminated liquid waste and generating stable solid waste forms. The other develops a new method for immobilising technetium directly within contaminated ground and groundwater systems using phosphate minerals.

The research, performed in the unique RADER NNUF laboratories, will help strengthen the range of technologies available to the nuclear industry as it addresses clean-up of high hazard nuclear legacy sites.

Researchers from The University of Manchester are calling for a more meaningful approach to involving communities in research and decision-making, as the Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group (MUARG) celebrates ten years of bringing together researchers, older people, community organisations, policymakers and other partners to understand and improve experiences of ageing in cities.

The group's new publication, Collaborative Research for Ageing in Place: Stories of Co-Production in Practice, brings together learning from 18 projects exploring what co-production means in practice - and what it takes to build stronger, more equal partnerships between researchers, communities and policymakers.

The collection shows how working closely with communities can help shape policies, neighbourhoods and housing, support local organisations and strengthen work to make Greater Manchester more age-friendly.

It also introduces the TRUST framework, which sets out five principles for working more equally with communities:

Trust – building relationships based on care and respect
Redressing exclusion – recognising and tackling the ways people have been left out of decisions
Undoing barriers – making it easier for people to take part
Sharing power – involving people in decisions from the beginning
Time – allowing relationships and ideas to develop

The collection includes examples of older people helping to shape neighbourhoods and social housing, as well as research with older refugees, people from minority communities and older LGBT+ people. It also explores creative ways of working, including film, photography, comics, poetry and art.

Ten years of working with communities

MUARG was established in 2016 to bring together researchers, older people, community organisations and policymakers to improve understanding of ageing in cities and help create better places to grow older.

Over the past decade, its work has shown how research can go beyond simply asking people for their views. Instead, communities can help decide what research is needed, shape how it is carried out and influence what happens as a result.

The collection was launched at MUARG's 10-year anniversary event, which brought together older people, community groups, policymakers, charities and researchers to reflect on the group's work and consider what should happen next.

“Co-production is not simply about asking people for their views – it is also about changing how research is done by sharing power, valuing people's experiences and building relationships based on trust,” said Professor Tine Buffel, Director of MUARG.

MUARG hopes the collection will provide practical ideas for researchers, policymakers, community organisations and others looking for better ways to involve people in decisions that affect their lives.

An international team of scientists has discovered how some of the tiniest structures in the human spine help it cope with the strain of bending, lifting and everyday movement, potentially shedding new light on why spinal discs deteriorate.

The study, is published in Nature on November 4 and involves researchers at The University of Manchester, Queen Mary University and University College London, in collaboration with the ESRF -the European Synchrotron and Diamond Light Source.

They used powerful X-rays to examine what happens inside intervertebral discs at scales ranging from whole tissue down to individual collagen structures.

The imaging method, called TomoSAXS, combines different X-ray techniques to reveal in 3D how the collagen fibres that give discs strength respond when compressed.

They found collagen fibrils - tiny, strong strands made from many collagen molecules packed tightly together- are already under strain before additional pressure is applied, which may help discs withstand everyday loads but could also make some structures more vulnerable to damage.

Highly curved collagen fibres experienced particularly high strain, especially around the boundary between the disc's inner and outer regions, an area that may be more susceptible to damage and herniation.

Dr Alissa Parmenter, joint first author, from University College London said: “When we bend or lift, the forces within our spinal discs are shared between structures far smaller than we can see. With TomoSAXS, we can follow how the tissue deforms and connect that movement to changes within its nanoscale collagen building blocks. This helps us understand how the disc’s intricate organisation allows it to carry load, and why some regions may be more vulnerable to damage.”

The work also builds on imaging research developed at The University of Manchester by Dr Catherine Disney, whose earlier research pioneered ways of studying soft-tissue mechanics using X-ray tomography and later helped develop techniques for tracking collagen fibre movement in three dimensions.

Dr Disney said: “This study shows why long-term investment in synchrotron imaging and analysis methods matters.

“Seeing these approaches now integrated with TomoSAXS to connect the mechanics of the whole disc all the way down to nanoscale collagen is tremendously exciting.”

Professor Himadri Gupta, joint senior author from Queen Mary University said: “The findings point to a potential trade-off in the way the disc is built. We found that substantial pre-stress within collagen fibrils may help the disc achieve the stiffness it needs to perform its role but could also leave some structures with less capacity to withstand additional damaging loads.”

Dr Elis Newham from Queen Mary University, london, is  joint first author. He said “Understanding how damage develops in the intervertebral disc requires us to look beyond the tissue as a whole. With this approach, we can start to connect what is happening to individual collagen structures with how the disc behaves as an organ. This could give us new ways to investigate the mechanical changes associated with ageing and disease.”

The researchers stress the discovery is not a new treatment for back pain, but say the technology provides a powerful new way of investigating how damage begins and develops inside spinal discs.

The approach could eventually also help researchers study other collagen-rich tissues including tendons, cartilage and arteries.

• The paper, “Multimodal X-ray imaging reveals hierarchical fibre mechanics”, is published in Nature. DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-11148-5

Steve, who joined the University on 2 November, will provide strategic, commercial and operational leadership for the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC) and the University's involvement in the Sustainable Materials & Manufacturing Centre (SMMC).

He brings extensive experience of industrial innovation and commercialisation, having previously served as Chief Executive of the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult and, before that, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), one of the UK's foremost partnerships between industry and academia. Earlier in his career, he spent more than 20 years with Siemens, holding senior leadership roles in the UK, Europe and China.

The appointment marks an important step in the University's plans to establish a connected national platform for advanced materials innovation, helping businesses access the expertise, specialist facilities and partnerships they need to develop new technologies and bring them to market.

The approach builds on complementary strengths across two locations.

GEIC, based on Manchester's Oxford Road corridor, is an established industry-facing facility supporting the development and commercialisation of graphene, 2D materials and wider advanced materials technologies. It connects companies with technical expertise, industrially relevant equipment and the University's research capabilities.

SMMC, developed by Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) and operated by The University of Manchester, is a new innovation and specialist manufacturing scale-up centre at the heart of the Atom Valley Innovation District in Rochdale. Its base build was completed in October, with specialist fit-out and operational preparations underway ahead of opening in 2027.

Together, the centres will provide a clearer route for businesses to move from technical challenges and product development through validation, prototyping and manufacturing readiness towards scale-up and commercial adoption.

This approach also builds on the successful national collaboration model developed through the Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability (CEAMS), which connects businesses with existing specialist expertise and facilities across the UK. Rather than duplicating national innovation assets, CEAMS makes it easier for companies to find and access them, bringing together the right capabilities around their needs.

The University is also lead delivery partner for the £16.4 million Atom Valley Innovation District programme, supported by UK Research and Innovation's Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF), a flagship £500 million UK Government programme investing in regional innovation economies across the country. This investment will accelerate the development of an advanced materials and manufacturing ecosystem around SMMC, supporting business innovation and the growth of the wider cluster.

As Managing Director, Steve will lead the development of the centres' commercial and operational strategy, building industry partnerships and attracting new business activity while strengthening connections with regional and national innovation partners.

The role sits within Unit M, the University's innovation directorate, and supports the university's Manchester 2035 strategy in its ambition to become Europe's most inclusive and impactful innovation ecosystem.

Professor John Holden, Vice-President for Civic Engagement and Innovation, and Chief Executive of Unit M at the University of Manchester, said: “Steve brings an exceptional combination of industrial leadership, commercial experience and a strong track record of working across industry and academia. His experience at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult makes him particularly well placed to lead the next phase of development for GEIC and our role within SMMC.

“Steve's leadership will be central to our ambition to create the UK's most connected advanced materials cluster, building on GEIC's achievements and realising the potential of SMMC to support manufacturing innovation and industrial growth.

“Working with partners including Rochdale Development Agency, we've made significant progress in developing SMMC at Atom Valley. Steve's appointment will help us build on that investment, connect it with GEIC's established strengths and create new opportunities for businesses to innovate, scale and grow.”

Councillor Daniel Meredith, Rochdale Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing said: “The Sustainable Materials & Manufacturing Centre is a major investment in Rochdale's future and a cornerstone of our ambitions for Atom Valley. We've worked closely with the University of Manchester to bring the centre to this stage, and Steve's appointment is an important step towards realising its full potential.

“His experience of working with industry and developing successful innovation partnerships will be invaluable as we look to attract new businesses, investment and skilled jobs to Rochdale. We want Atom Valley to become a place where advanced manufacturing businesses can establish themselves and grow, and SMMC will have a central role in making that happen.”

Steve Foxley said: “The UK has some extraordinary strengths in research and engineering, particularly around advanced materials, but the challenge is making sure those strengths translate into successful businesses, competitive industries and real economic growth. That's something I've been passionate about throughout my career, and it's what attracted me to this opportunity at Manchester.

“GEIC has already built a strong reputation for working with industry, and the development of SMMC at Atom Valley creates an opportunity to take that capability further. By connecting the expertise, facilities and partnerships across both centres, we can help businesses overcome some of the practical challenges of developing, testing and scaling new technologies.

“I'm looking forward to working with the teams, our industry partners and the wider innovation community to build on what's already been achieved and make a real difference to UK manufacturing.”

The University of Manchester’s John Rylands Library has taken a selection of its historic Coptic and Ethiopian manuscripts out of the library and into the community, giving hundreds of people the rare opportunity to encounter their heritage first-hand.

The special exhibition - held on 1 November at St Mary & St Mina Coptic Orthodox Church in Stockport - attracted more than 400 visitors and their children, many of whom travelled from across the UK to see manuscripts dating back as far as the tenth century.

The event brought together curators, academics and members of Greater Manchester’s Coptic community, many of whom had previously had little opportunity to engage directly with the library’s extensive collection of manuscripts written in Coptic - an ancient Egyptian language.

The event was organised by Dr Ibrahim Saweros and Dr Jeremy Penner, and formed part of Coptic in Manchester: Connecting Manuscripts and Communities, a two-year research project led by Dr Sarah Parkhouse at The University of Manchester.

Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the project aims to bring manuscript research into conversation with the knowledge and experiences of the communities whose histories are represented in library and museum collections.

Visitors were provided with an exhibition booklet and had the opportunity to speak with the project team about the manuscripts, their history and their significance. The enthusiasm of the congregation - particularly younger visitors - demonstrated the potential for cultural institutions to build meaningful relationships with communities whose heritage they preserve.

For many attendees, the experience was more than an opportunity to see historical artefacts - the manuscripts offered a tangible connection to the language, faith and traditions of previous generations, and a chance to explore how those traditions have evolved over the centuries.

The project hopes that this encounter will be the first of many, as libraries and museums look for new ways to make their collections accessible and relevant to the communities whose histories they hold.

Among the manuscripts on display were biblical texts, Coptic liturgies and a Holy Week lectionary, alongside two parchment manuscripts from Egypt’s White Monastery containing sermons by St Shenoute of Atripe, a hugely influential fifth-century monastic leader.

Visitors were also able to see fragments of an ancient Coptic translation of the Gospel of Matthew, written on papyrus, and an eighteenth-century Ethiopian manuscript recounting the life and miracles of St George.

The encounter offered a rare opportunity to explore these objects in the setting of a living religious community, connecting centuries of written history with traditions that continue to be practised in Greater Manchester today.

“There is something quite remarkable about a manuscript written centuries ago finding itself once again among people who know its prayers, recognise its saints and continue its traditions,” said Dr Jeremy Penner, Senior Curator at the John Rylands Library.

Lecturers and students have significantly different perceptions of how much generative artificial intelligence (AI) is being used in university studies, according to new research from The University of Manchester and Spain’s Universidad del Pais Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea.

The study found that academic staff perceived students to be using AI tools such as ChatGPT for their studies much more extensively than students reported themselves. Researchers say the findings highlight a gap in understanding between staff and students, at a time when universities are grappling with how best to respond to the technology.

A gap in understanding

The research examined how academic staff and students perceived their own use of generative AI tools, as well as their views of how the technology was being used in higher education.

The study surveyed 45 academic staff and 86 students in a School covering social science disciplines at a UK research-intensive university. The questionnaires were conducted between April and June 2024.

When asked about students’ use of AI for academic purposes, staff gave an average rating of 5.23 on a seven-point scale. Students’ own responses produced an average of 3.11.

The researchers caution that students may have underreported their use of AI, but say the difference nevertheless points to the limited information staff may have about how students use these tools in their studies.

AI use can be difficult for lecturers to identify, particularly when they see only the final version of an assignment rather than the process through which it was produced. Students may also use AI independently of their interactions with teaching staff, leaving academics with an incomplete picture of their working practices.

Different attitudes towards AI

The research also found that students were generally more positive than staff about the potential benefits of generative AI.

Students rated the technology more highly in terms of its likely contribution to academic performance, including helping them learn about their subjects, increasing productivity and reducing workloads. They also felt more strongly than staff that appropriate conditions and support were in place to help them use AI tools.

Among the uses identified in the survey, students reported using generative AI to find answers to questions and assignments, generate written work, and translate or improve the grammar of their writing.

The researchers suggest that the immediate appeal of AI tools may lie in their ability to produce and improve text. However, they argue that universities need to understand the range of ways students use the technology, rather than assume that its role in academic work is straightforward.

The study also found considerable variation in staff members’ familiarity with AI. While 63 per cent of academic staff respondents had used at least one generative AI tool in the six months before the survey, some had limited practical experience of the technology. Only 14 per cent had a paid subscription to an AI tool.

The authors argue that the challenges posed by AI in higher education cannot be resolved simply by providing technical training or improving students’ AI literacy. Instead, universities need to consider how staff and students understand the technology, what they believe it can do, and how those beliefs shape its use.

Rethinking the response to AI

The researchers say that assuming students are using AI primarily to circumvent assessment rules risks creating a relationship based on distrust. While acknowledging that AI can be used in ways that undermine academic integrity, they argue that universities need a more nuanced understanding of students’ practices.

They suggest that teaching and assessment should evolve in response to the capabilities of generative AI, with staff and students better supported to explore its appropriate educational uses.

The authors also stress that the research offers a snapshot of a particular institutional setting at a specific point in time. As AI tools continue to develop rapidly, perceptions and patterns of use may change, and further research with larger samples is needed.

What the experts say

“There is a tendency for the debate about AI in universities to focus on the risks of cheating or the promise of transforming education, but the reality is more complex,” said Dr Mark Carrigan, Senior Lecturer in Education at The University of Manchester and one of the study’s authors who has also recently written a book on this topic. “Our findings suggest that staff and students have quite different perceptions of how AI is being used, making it difficult for universities to develop effective responses based on assumptions rather than a clear understanding of students’ experiences.”

Publication details

This research was published in: Frontiers in Education

Title: Still emerging: understanding Generative AI use in Higher Education

DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2026.1885253

URL: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2026.1885253/full

A Professor of Clinical Pharmacology and Respiratory Medicine at The University of Manchester, Prof Dave Singh is also the Programme Lead for COPD within the Respiratory Medicine Theme of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre (BRC): Manchester.

This is a significant achievement that reflects Prof Singh's international leadership in respiratory research.

COPD, a common lung condition which causes breathing difficulties, is one of the leading causes of illness and death worldwide. Ranking first globally in this field highlights the scale, quality and impact of Prof Singh’s research contribution.

Scholar GPS rankings benchmark researchers against their international peers using measures such as publication output, citation impact and overall research productivity.

Professor Dave Singh, who is also Medical Director of the Medicines Evaluation Unit, an IQVIA business, and Honorary Respiratory Consultant at Wythenshawe Hospital, part of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Reaching the top global ranking in COPD research and within the top 10 for lung research is a great honour. This achievement reflects not just my work, but the dedication of my research team and colleagues in Manchester and our shared commitment to improving the lives of patients living with respiratory diseases.

“While metrics like Scholar GPS are wonderful acknowledgments, our ultimate goal remains translating these scientific insights into meaningful clinical advancements that make a real difference to patients across the UK and worldwide."

Stephen Dickson, Chief Executive of Wythenshawe, Trafford, Withington and Altrincham Hospitals at MFT, said: “Congratulations to Professor Singh on this recognition for his excellent contribution to COPD and lung research. It demonstrates the global impact of research being undertaken at Wythenshawe Hospital, which is improving outcomes for people living with respiratory disease in Manchester and beyond.”

In 2020 Prof Singh was awarded the European Respiratory Society Gold Medal for outstanding contribution to COPD and in 2025 he was named one of the world’s most influential researchers by Clarivate.

Through the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre: Manchester, Prof Singh has contributed significant research on COPD and other respiratory diseases.

This includes leading a long-standing strategic partnership with Verona Pharmaceuticals (now part of MSD), spanning multiple early and late phase studies and directly contributing to the approval of Ohtuvayre (ensifentrine) in June 2024. This treatment reduces breathlessness in COPD patients by a novel mechanism – an innovation which brought the first new COPD treatment for breathlessness in more than 20 years.

Over the past decade, Prof Singh has authored multiple papers showing that COPD patients have different types of inflammation in the lungs, with some patients having a particular pattern called type-2 inflammation. He has worked on clinical trials to identify treatments that successfully target type-2 inflammation; this work has shown how type-2 inflammation can be identified in the blood. This means clinicians can now use a simple blood test to find out if a patient's COPD is driven by this type of inflammation and match them to the right targeted treatment.

Prof Singh led early phase trials showing the ability of a novel treatment, tozorakimab, to prevent worsening of COPD symptoms. He recently co-authored landmark late phase studies, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showing the benefits of this treatment across a broad population of COPD patients with different types of inflammation.

In 2025, Prof Singh also co-authored a high-profile paper in Nature Reviews which outlined the opportunities for new COPD therapies, highlighting the Manchester COPD research team as leaders in the field.

Find out more about how research led by Prof Dave Singh is driving progress in COPD treatment.

The University of Manchester placed fifth in the UK and 50th globally in the Global Employability University Ranking 2027, published by Times Higher Education. This represents an improvement from 56th place globally in the 2026 ranking.

The ranking, designed by HR consultancy Emerging, identifies the universities that recruiters at leading companies believe are best at preparing students for the workplace. A total of 17 UK universities feature among the 300 institutions included globally.

The result follows further recognition of Manchester’s strong links with employers. Earlier this year, the University was ranked first in the UK for graduate employer interest in High Fliers' The Graduate Market in 2026, based on research with 100 of the UK’s leading graduate employers.

Professor Jenn Hallam, Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students said: “This recognition reflects the strength of our students and graduates, as well as our close relationships with employers. We want our students to leave Manchester with the knowledge, skills, experience and confidence they need to succeed in a rapidly changing world of work.”

The University of Manchester is taking practical steps to support graduate employability through placements, micro-internships and closer working with business. These opportunities enable students to apply their learning, build confidence and take their first steps into employment.

In other rankings during 2026 The University of Manchester was placed 40th globally in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and first in the world in the 2026 Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings. Manchester also retained its place among the UK’s top six universities in the 2026 Academic Ranking of World Universities.

Following the 2026 call for ELLIS Fellows and Scholars, the ELLIS Society announced this month that Mingfei has been appointed as an ELLIS Scholar.

ELLIS is a pan-European AI network of excellence which aims to secure lasting international leadership of AI made in Europe by connecting top researchers in this field and by creating a multi-centric AI research laboratory. The annual appointment of ELLIS scholars recognises promising researchers who show a clear trajectory towards becoming senior leaders in AI and machine learning research.

Mingfei, recently promoted to Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science, has been a key member of the ELLIS Manchester Faculty since the unit was founded, working closely with colleagues from across The University of Manchester and with ELLIS sites across Europe. Mingfei has particularly strong connections with the ELLIS Institute in Finland and as well as a large number of published papers, he has been involved with organising events including the Helsinki summer school.

In a recent example of this collaboration, Mingfei has co-authored a paper on ‘Adam’: an optimization algorithm used to train deep neural networks, with international colleagues, including ELLIS Institute Finland. This paper has been accepted for the NeurIPS conference and will be presented there later this year.

We look forward to Mingfei continuing to play an important role in Manchester’s contribution to the ELLIS Society in the coming years.

Physicists have found evidence of a particle decay so rare that it is expected to occur only around once in every 10 billion ‘beauty’ particles.

The result, from the upgraded LHCb experiment at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), follows a search spanning more than 40 years and brings physicists closer to exploring the ‘Zeptoverse’ – an unexplored world that exists at distances of a billionth of a trillionth of a metre, or a ‘zeptometre’, where new particles and forces of nature may be hiding.

Researchers from The University of Manchester have played key roles in the LHCb experiment and its major upgrade - which can now collect data at up to five times its previous rate - including developing detector technology that has helped make the new measurement possible.

The finding will allow physicists to test the Standard Model, our current best theory of fundamental particles and their interactions, with greater precision and search for signs of particles or forces that may lie beyond it

Searching for signs of new physics

The LHCb studies particles containing beauty quarks, heavier relatives of the up and down quarks found in the ordinary matter around us.

Beauty quarks are produced in huge numbers in collisions at the LHC but exist for only around one and a half trillionths of a second before decaying.

By making precise measurements of the different ways beauty quarks decay, physicists can detect the influence of new particles that may be far too small to see at the LHC.

The rarer a decay is, the more sensitive it can be to the influence of new particles. These particles could alter how often the decay occurs.

The new result concerns a particularly rare decay known as ‘Bd to mu mu’, in which a particle containing a beauty quark decays into two muons, heavier relatives of electrons.

Scientists predict that this happens only around once in every 10 billion beauty particles. Until now, no single experiment had found solid evidence for the process.

The new measurement reached a statistical significance of 3.2 sigma. This is sufficient for physicists to describe the result as the first evidence of the decay, although further data will be needed to reach the five-sigma threshold required to claim a discovery in particle physics.

Professor Chris Parkes, Head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Manchester, led the international LHCb collaboration through the construction of the upgrade and led the collaboration's approval of the new result.

He said: “The upgraded LHCb was a major undertaking - a fifteen-year design and construction project from a 1900 international member collaboration.

“The UK made the largest nation contribution to the project, pioneering new technologies that have made today’s result possible where we probe nature at a new scale. But this is also just the start, we are planning the construction of an experiment that will exploit the capabilities of the next generation High Luminosity LHC, probing physics at an even smaller scale.”

Professor Parkes, who was made a Fellow of the Royal Society earlier this year for his work on LHCb added: “This decay is remarkably unlikely, the chance of it happening is roughly like going on a romantic date and, on your very first try, finding the one perfect match for you among everyone on Earth.”

A major UK-built component of the upgraded LHCb experiment is a silicon pixel detector that tracks the paths of particles created in collisions at the LHC with extreme precision.

Known as the Vertex Locator, it sits just five millimetres from the LHC beams and enables scientists to pinpoint where particles are produced and where they decay.

Dr Stefano De Capua, who led the construction of the detectors at The University of Manchester added: “We worked with nearly 90 UK companies to construct this detector and trained the next generation of scientists and engineers on the novel technologies we are using. It is these detectors that we use to locate where the beauty meson was produced and pinpoint where it decayed into two muons.”

Into the ‘Zeptoverse’

The physicists hope measurements such as this could allow them to probe the ‘Zeptoverse’, referring to extraordinarily small distance scales where currently unknown particles and forces may be hiding.

While they know the new measurement agrees with the predictions of the Standard Model, increasingly precise measurements of these rare decays could help physicists search for signs of new physics and reveal where the model might eventually begin to break down.

Professor Conor Fitzpatrick of The University of Manchester and Deputy Physics Coordinator of the international LHCb collaboration, said: “There has been a more than forty year long search by physicists worldwide to observe this decay. It is a golden channel to observe the effects of new physics from beyond our current knowledge.

“The results from this experiment are expanding our understanding of nature at its most fundamental level. We are excited to have finally seen this elusive signal and looking forward to the future discoveries that will come from our data.”

What happens next?

The upgraded experiment is expected to collect a much larger dataset into the early 2030s, allowing physicists to study the decay with increasing precision.

A further planned upgrade could increase the rate of data collection by another factor of ten, enabling more precise measurements of these decays and giving physicists greater sensitivity to undiscovered particles at even shorter distances.

Professor Brian Cox, Particle Physicist at The University of Manchester, who was not involved in the experiment, said: “This is an important result and a beautiful example of how science advances. We upgrade our instruments and we see nature in greater detail. Occasionally we see something we don’t understand, and then progress is made. We cannot know whether this progress will be incremental or genuinely world-changing - that’s science! LHCb is a major scientific success.”

The experiment is funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council as part of UK Research and Innovation. The UK LHCb collaboration includes researchers from ten UK Universities and the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

The University of Manchester has appointed Professor Lee Pugalis as Director of the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC).

MEC is the University’s home for enterprise and entrepreneurship, working with students and graduates from every discipline. Through its strategy, Manchester 2035, the University has committed to supporting entrepreneurship for all and to becoming the university of choice for starting a company or social enterprise. Lee will lead MEC in making that ambition a reality: building students’ entrepreneurial skills and employability, supporting ventures that create jobs and social impact, and turning research into innovative businesses.

“Manchester has always been a city of innovators, and the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre plays a vital role in nurturing the next generation of founders, changemakers and problem-solvers. I’m thrilled to lead the centre at such an exciting time, working with our fantastic team, students and partners to make entrepreneurship truly open to all.” Professor Lee Pugalis, Director of the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre

Lee joined MEC as Deputy Director in August 2023 and has led the centre as Interim Director since January 2026, guiding it through its transition into Unit M. He takes up the role at a time of strong momentum. The number of start-ups launched each year has more than doubled over the past three years, growing at an average of nearly 30% annually, with a record 81 new start-ups launched in 2025/26. The alumni ventures MEC has helped develop have secured more than £495 million in investment over the past five years. In 2025/26, MEC also supported over 520 early-stage entrepreneurs in the first year of its new four-pathway model, and 1,790 students enrolled across 30 course units representing all three faculties.

MEC has supported student and graduate entrepreneurs for over 25 years. Its professional services team has now moved into Unit M, the University’s gateway to innovation, working alongside academic colleagues based within the world-leading Innovation, Management and Policy division at Alliance Manchester Business School (AMBS).

As Director, Lee will lead MEC’s team of around 30 academic and professional services colleagues, bringing together its curricular and co-curricular activity. He will deepen MEC’s partnership with AMBS, strengthen links with faculties and schools, and scale opportunities so that all 47,000 of the University’s students can take part, whatever their discipline. This includes partner-enabled learning, through which students work with employers, public bodies and community organisations as part of their course for credit.

“Lee’s appointment is excellent news for the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre and for Alliance Manchester Business School. He brings a strong track record of leadership, collaboration and a clear commitment to making entrepreneurship accessible to students from every discipline. Under his direction, MEC will strengthen its deep roots within AMBS while extending its reach and impact across the University through Unit M. I look forward to working with Lee as we equip more students and researchers with the skills, confidence and connections to turn bold ideas into ventures that deliver economic and social value.”
Professor Ken McPhail, Head of Alliance Manchester Business School

MEC is also home to the University’s flagship student entrepreneurship competitions, which offer equity-free funding and support to student and graduate founders. In 2026, 29 finalists were selected from around 200 applications to compete for 11 awards across four tracks, sharing a record £200,000 prize pot. Eligible applications were up 48% on the previous year.

MEC hosted three events at the University’s inaugural Innovation Festival this year, attracting more than 300 attendees:

· Ideas Unlocked: an interactive workshop introducing entrepreneurship and innovation to students, whatever their experience

· Partner-Enabled Learning Exchange: a session exploring how to embed industry partnerships into enterprise and entrepreneurship education

· Manchester Venture Builder Demo Day 2026: delivered with Venture Cafe Manchester, where emerging University founders pitched to investors, mentors, alumni and ecosystem leaders

Lee’s appointment comes as the University delivers A Powerhouse of Innovation, its plan to become Europe’s most inclusive and impactful innovation ecosystem by 2035. With entrepreneurship embedded across the curriculum and co-curriculum, MEC will help develop the innovation-savvy entrepreneurs and workforce of the future, creating jobs, ventures and impact for Manchester and beyond.

Find out more about MEC and how to get involved on the centre’s website.

Discover more about Unit M.

This year, the award was presented to Marina Mogli and Adriana Bocu, Tutors on the 10-week and 6-week Pre-sessional course. The award allows funding for these tutors to attend an EAP conference of their choice.

The Tors Award celebrates the contribution and strength of Tors Squires, who worked as an English Language Tutor in UCAE from 2008 to 2017 before moving to Spain with her husband and children. Sadly, she was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly afterwards and passed away at the end of 2019.

Tors is remembered fondly for her warmth, positivity and the kindness she showed to everyone around her. Her belief in the importance of "little acts of kindness" left a lasting impression on colleagues and students alike.

Created in her memory, the Tors Award celebrates these qualities by recognising Pre-sessional tutors who demonstrate exceptional kindness, generosity and support for colleagues during the busy and often demanding Pre-sessional period.

The award gives colleagues from across UCAE an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the contribution of members of the Pre-sessional teaching team. Nominations are reviewed by a small representative panel, chaired by Rob Marks, Senior Co-ordinator of Pre-sessional Courses, who together select the recipient.

Birds may not always take the flight path that physics suggests is the perfect landing, at the safest and lowest possible speed, using the least energy, according to new research.

Most birds flap their wings as they come in to land, despite powered flight requiring more energy than gliding. Now, researchers at The University of Manchester have used mathematical modelling to help explain why.

The study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society A, found that a bird flying without flapping its wings could, in theory, reach zero speed just as it touches down. However, the manoeuvre would require much higher approach speeds and considerably more space than birds typically use when landing.

For a pigeon-sized bird, the model showed that reaching zero speed would require it to begin at more than twice its typical cruising speed, travel around 60 metres horizontally and climb around 20 metres.

The findings suggest that achieving the lowest possible touchdown speed may not always be practical. Birds may use flapping not simply to slow down, but to do so within the limited space available in a real landing environment.

The research also provides new insight into why some birds swoop when landing on a perch, and how the physical demands of landing may have helped shape bird evolution.

Lead author Dr Ben Parslew, Lecturer in Aerospace Engineering at The University of Manchester, said: “Birds might make landing look effortless but coming to a safe stop presents a fundamental physical challenge. Landing isn’t as simple as just slowing down. The slower a bird flies, the less aerodynamic control it has, so it has to find a way of reducing its speed while still being able to manoeuvre safely. How birds do this and manage these competing demands is still not well understood.

“We used mathematical modelling to calculate how a bird flying without flapping could minimise its speed at touchdown while maintaining the control needed to complete the manoeuvre.

“In doing so, we’ve been able to gain insights into the swooping approaches seen in some perching birds, such as birds of prey, and more broadly, understand how physical demands of landing may have helped shape their evolution.”

Why some birds swoop

The modelling also provides new insight into the swooping behaviours observed in some birds when landing on perches.

Previous research on Harris hawks found that the birds learned to swoop down below their target landing spot before gliding upwards towards a perch. It was proposed that the manoeuvre helped them minimise the distance they travelled after their wings stalled, when aerodynamic control is reduced.

The new modelling suggests that there is more to this behaviour. The landing trajectories appear to reflect a balance between reaching the perch at a low speed and limiting the time spent stalled. The researchers say touchdown speed appears to have a greater influence on the swooping behaviour than previously documented.

Could landing have shaped bird evolution?

Landing on the ground creates a different challenge. Unlike swooping and perching, the bird coming to the ground cannot continue its trajectory below the landing surface or climb upwards through its destination.

The modelling showed that a bird landing on the ground without flapping cannot eliminate all of its speed before its feet touch down. It must therefore use its wings, legs, or a combination of both to deal with the remaining energy.

This places physical demands on the bird's body, requiring more substantial muscles and bones to cope, particularly in the legs. But additional mass can reduce flight performance.

The researchers suggest this trade-off between being light enough for efficient flight and robust enough to land safely could have helped shape the evolution of birds.

The researchers say the same physical principles could also help explain how other flying animals manage unpowered landings.

Geography Today, a new termly publication for schools from the Royal Geographical Society, features curriculum-relevant case studies for A level written by expert geographers, alongside stories highlighting the role of geography in understanding contemporary issues and events.

Its academic editors are Professor Noel Castree, Professor Fiona Smyth and Professor Jamie Woodward from The University of Manchester’s Department of Geography, alongside Professor Martin Evans, who is now at Durham. All four are Fellows of the Society and former heads of Department in Manchester. The editors are shaping a publication aimed at connecting geographical research and expertise with the subjects and global challenges young people are exploring at school.

The launch comes as the RGS refreshes its membership offer for young people, aimed at widening access to geography education, resources and careers support.

RGS School Members receive digital access to Geography Today, with new editions published each term, alongside access to other resources and events. The Society has also made Student Membership free for students from KS4 through to undergraduate level, providing access to study and exam support, networking opportunities, careers resources and events.

The first edition of Geography Today is available now through the Royal Geographical Society's website.

Evaluation is embedded into many museum, gallery, and heritage workflows, often as a funding requirement or a way to monitor visitor experience. But when time and resources are stretched, it can too-often become a report relegated to the end of a project, functioning as a retrospective reflection rather than an ongoing tool for learning.

Our research asked whether filmmaking could offer another way: making evaluation more participatory and better equipped to capture the changes and relationships that are central to community-led projects.

Storyboarding the idea

The spark came in 2019, when we began working with Platt Hall during a period of major transformation. The former Gallery of Costume was being reimagined through the Platt Hall Inbetween project to become a hyper-local community space that was not simply made for audiences, but developed with them.

At first, film was a way to document that transformation. Over time, however, the act of filming on site, conducting interviews, returning to the site, reviewing footage, and discussing choices created repeated moments of reflection. It helped people notice what was changing, both in the building and in their own relationship to the project.

This created a shift from filming a project, to exploring filmmaking as part of the project itself. The question became: what happens when people are not just subjects of evaluation, but active participants within it?

Why film

Filmmaking is a useful research method as it is, by nature, an inherently socially engaged and collaborative practice. Processes of storyboarding, directing, appearing on screen, speaking on camera and choosing what to cut or leave in all ask people to pause and reflect at each stage as the work unfolds.

This space for reflection was particularly important because Platt Hall’s redevelopment is rooted in centring local perspectives. The slow, intentional co-production process gave room for relationships to build, which could accentuate the emotional and social values of the project in ways that might exceed the written word.

From volunteer to director

Here we focus on our films with Platt’s Garden Project, launched in 2021, which transformed Platt Hall’s grounds from disused exterior space into a beautiful, community-led garden. Working collaboratively, gardening volunteers learned narrative techniques, directing and camera work, and how to shape a story through editing.

The resulting three films each offer a different perspective on the project and the people behind it:

• A Tale of Healing, Inspiration & Biscuit Diversity in the Platt Hall Garden Project by Mary Collins explores her journey of growth through volunteering and how the garden helped her reconnect with others during personal struggles.
• Compost by Rashid Mhar follows the lifecycle of compost, from decomposition to renewal, as a parallel to the transformation taking place at Platt Hall.
• The Pleasure of the Work by Helen Steyne documents the before and after of the garden, and the community of volunteers who helped shape it.

Together, our work showcases why people take part in community-led projects, and how participation changes over time.

Doing research differently

Piloting these creative research methods ensures that evaluation doesn’t sit outside the project but becomes embedded; whilst the films are the outputs, the filmmaking process is where the learning can happen.

By working collaboratively, the pathway from research to real-world change is not linear, but cumulative. The research methods shaped the creative process; the creative process strengthened community participation; and those participant-led insights are now informing how heritage organisations think about evaluation, their spaces, and the cultural experiences of their audiences, as well as paving the way for these methods to be used in other contexts.

The impact

As the museum and heritage sector increasingly shifts to placing people at the heart of its work, co-production projects such as ours can demonstrate a more meaningful and effective approach to routine processes such as evaluation.

A city is made up of spaces such as Platt Hall. By capturing reflections, a sense of place, and shifts in relationships as they happen, we can understand how and why people participate in cultural and community spaces, as well as offer insights into how we can build cities that better serve the people who inhabit them.

Final-year medical student Megan Mcgillin was providing medical cover at the event two weeks ago when a 35-year-old runner suddenly fell to the ground after crossing the finish line.

Recognising the signs of cardiac arrest within seconds, Megan immediately raised the alarm and began life-saving chest compressions while calling for additional help.

As the wider medical team arrived, she continued working calmly under pressure, helping to apply defibrillator pads before handing over to colleagues leading the resuscitation effort.

The runner had suffered a cardiac arrest and required extensive emergency treatment before his heart could be restarted.

He was rushed to A&E and later transferred to intensive care, where he has since made a strong recovery.

In a heartwarming twist, the grateful runner has now met Megan in person to thank her for the role she played in saving his life.

For Megan, who is in the final year of her medical training, the dramatic rescue was an unforgettable reminder of why she chose a career in medicine.

The life-saving incident is not the first time she has found herself in the spotlight.

In 2023, Megan led a campaign to raise awareness of organ donation during changes to Northern Ireland's organ donation laws and was recognised with an Inspirational Young Woman of the Year award.

Speaking about what happened, Megan said: "When the runner collapsed, my training immediately kicked in and I focused on doing the basics as quickly and effectively as possible.

“It was a real team effort involving a number of healthcare professionals working together under pressure.

“I'm incredibly grateful that the outcome has been so positive and that he's recovering well.

“Meeting him afterwards was very emotional and a powerful reminder of why we dedicate ourselves to learning these skills and helping others."

Professor Margaret Kingston, Director of Undergraduate Medical & Dental Studies from The  University of Manchester Medical School said: "Megan responded with remarkable professionalism, composure and skill in an extremely challenging situation, and everyone involved is delighted to hear that the runner is making a good recovery.

“The dramatic rescue highlights how the skills learned by future doctors can make the difference between life and death when every second counts.”

The Oxford Road Corridor has launched a new ten-year Strategy setting out the next phase of growth and development for Manchester’s Knowledge Quarter. 

Covering one square mile south of Manchester city centre, the Oxford Road Corridor is one of the UK’s most significant concentrations of research and innovation. It supports more than 104,000 jobs and generates £7.8 billion in annual economic output 

The Oxford Road Corridor Strategy 2026–2036 builds on decades of collaboration between the major institutions that shape this part of Manchester. Over almost two decades of formal partnership, more than £2.8 billion of public and private investment has been aligned across the area. During that period, more than 60,000 jobs have been created and annual economic output has increased by £4.6 billion.  

Alongside major physical change, the Corridor has continued to evolve as a vibrant and distinctive part of the city, with a diverse cultural offer central to its identity. 

The Strategy focuses on how the Corridor can make more of its exceptional concentration of research, talent and economic activity. It sets out how partners will support businesses and attract investment, while continuing to improve the quality and connectivity of the area. 

Future growth will build on established strengths in health and life sciences, digital and technology, advanced materials and the creative industries. 

Major development is already taking shape across the Corridor, from Sister at its northern end to the continued expansion of Citylabs and Manchester Science Park in the south. The Strategy also looks ahead to the transformation of Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road stations, alongside better connections with surrounding communities.

An independent assessment underpinning the Strategy estimates that the development pipeline could support around 15,800 additional jobs and generate £1.9 billion in GVA per annum, alongside an estimated 2,200 construction jobs per year.

The Strategy was launched at the Royal Northern College of Music at an event hosted by journalist and author Andy Spinoza, bringing together partners and stakeholders from across Manchester and Greater Manchester.

Professor Duncan Ivison, Chair of the Oxford Road Corridor Board and President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “We have an extraordinary concentration of research and talent within the Oxford Road Corridor, but its real strength comes from the relationships between the institutions and organisations based here.

“The partnership has been built over decades and has helped transform this part of Manchester. This Strategy is about what comes next. We want to strengthen the Corridor’s international position and create the conditions for businesses and ideas to grow, while ensuring more people benefit from that success.

“The opportunity over the next decade is significant, and we will achieve far more by continuing to work together than any institution could achieve alone.”

Councillor Garry Bridges, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “The Oxford Road Corridor has made an enormous contribution to Manchester’s growth, and the new Strategy gives us a clear direction for the next decade.

“We want Manchester to continue creating highly skilled, well-paid jobs in sectors where we can compete internationally. Increasingly, people can build careers here that a generation ago might have meant leaving Manchester to pursue elsewhere.

“The challenge now is to build on that success and attract further investment. Just as importantly, people and communities across the city need to be able to access the opportunities being created.”

Professor Linda Merrick CBE, Principal of the Royal Northern College of Music, said: “The Oxford Road Corridor brings together an exceptional concentration of institutions and talent within one part of the city. What makes it particularly distinctive is the opportunity to work across institutional boundaries and connect world-class education and research with Manchester’s wider ambitions.

“The new Strategy gives us a shared direction for the next decade, and the RNCM is proud to be part of a partnership with such a strong international outlook and commitment to the future of this place.”

Esme Ward, Director of Manchester Museum, said: “Culture is fundamental to the identity of the Oxford Road Corridor. It is part of why people come here, how they experience the area and how the Corridor connects with Manchester’s communities and the wider world.

“The new Strategy recognises the value of that cultural ecology and the role it can play over the next decade, not only in making this a vibrant and distinctive place but in supporting creative talent and the wider economy.”

Chris Oglesby OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Bruntwood, said: “The Oxford Road Corridor is the UK exemplar of what can be achieved through long-term partnership between the private sector, universities, the NHS and the City Council, delivering wider benefits for Manchester.

“Bruntwood has had a relationship with the Corridor spanning more than 20 years and we’ve seen first-hand how sustained investment and collaboration have helped transform the area. The next decade is about building on that momentum, creating the conditions for innovative businesses to start and scale here, and helping Manchester continue to compete internationally.”

The Strategy’s vision is to drive the growth of an internationally renowned, inclusive and sustainable place where knowledge, business and culture transform lives. It will provide the shared framework for the partnership’s activity and investment through to 2036.

Losing someone you love is devastating, but alongside the grief, bereaved families face a daunting list of practical tasks - from paying funeral bills and dealing with banks to completing paperwork, contacting organisations and navigating unfamiliar systems.

With the average funeral costing around £4,000, the financial pressure can add to an already difficult time. And money is only part of the burden: dealing with a death can also demand huge amounts of time, energy and emotional strength.

Now, researchers at The University of Manchester are inviting people to shine a light on these often-overlooked challenges at a free event exploring what happens after someone dies.

The Hidden Costs of Dying takes place at HOME on Tuesday 3 November, as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science. Led by sociologists Sophie Atherton and Kate Reed, the free event will explore the hidden work of bereavement and why some people face greater challenges than others.

The researchers describe this work as “death administration” - the many practical and administrative tasks that follow a death, often falling to family members and loved ones at a time when they are grieving.

While the cost of a funeral is relatively easy to see, the wider impact can be harder to measure. The time spent sorting out paperwork, the stress of managing financial affairs and the effort required to navigate unfamiliar processes can all take their toll.

At the Manchester event, participants will take part in a creative activity designed to explore these different costs and open up conversations about experiences that are rarely discussed. There is no expectation for anyone to share personal experiences of bereavement.

A representative from the National Bereavement Service will also be available to provide information and signpost people towards further support.

The researchers hope the event will help make the realities of dealing with a death more visible, highlight inequalities in the experiences of bereaved people, and contribute to thinking about how support could be made fairer and more accessible.

Find out more and book your place 

 

This bold new project, made possible thanks with support from Getty through its New Interpretations initiative, aims to create a new model for co-creation that looks at what happens when interpretation is used not simply to explain the past but to help people imagine better futures. 

Three Imagination Fellowships will catalyse collaboration between communities, practitioners, researchers and Museum staff to co-design new interpretive interventions for the Archaeology gallery. This work will help to create displays that are shaped by diverse perspectives and founded on the Museum’s core values of inclusion, imagination and care. 

Esme Ward, Director of Manchester Museum, said: “This is an incredible opportunity to embed values-based practice throughout our archaeological interpretation, working with communities to develop new knowledge and build a future founded on inclusion, imagination and care. Making the most of our position at the heart of The University of Manchester, new Imagination Fellowships will enable us to move forward faster together and create new models for collaborative display focused on building belonging, hope and agency in a rapidly-changing world." 

Through this project, Manchester Museum intends to create sector-leading models for interpretation and display that help to shape wider museum practice, nationally and internationally, rethinking how collections of deep history can support civic participation and social connection in more impactful ways. 

Manchester Museum cares for around 60,000 objects across archaeology, spanning over 50,000 years of human history and material culture and these collections are Designated by Arts Council England for their international significance.

They include everything from the largest collection of excavated Roman-era assemblages from in and around Manchester to extensive strengths in prehistoric material from Europe, West Asia, South Asia and Africa, and exceptionally rare Classical Greek ceramics that challenge long-held understandings of famous mythological narratives. 

Manchester Museum is one of 11 museums and arts organisatons to be awarded in this pilot round of New Interpretations grants and the only one in Europe. Other grantees include Walker Art Center, Queens Museum, Leeum Museum of Art, in partnership with M+, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Fowler Museum at UCLA, First Americans Museum, Denver Art Museum, Baltimore Museum of Art, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and the Association for Art Museum Interpretation. 

ENDS

The humanitarian sector is at risk of losing a significant part of its institutional memory. Humanitarian archives, records, and datasets (ARD), ranging from registration records and case files to operational data and evaluations, are being neglected, deleted, or left without adequate stewardship.

Produced by the Humanitarian Archive Emergency (HAE) coalition, Key Aid Consulting and the Institute of Development Studies, a new report assesses the scale and nature of the threat, identifies collections most at risk, and proposes a practical framework for action.

Read Exec Summary and Full Report

The report draws on a global evidence base that includes a desk review, a public registry survey, a diagnostic survey of 30 collections, 27 expert interviews, and regional consultations in Amman, Dakar, Bogotá, Bangkok, and Nairobi. 

The HAE coalition is led by the University’s Humanitarian & Conflict Response Institute (HCRI) and the PI is Prof Bertrand Taithe.

For more on the project, visit:

https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/projects/humanitarian-archive-emergency/

For more on research at HCRI, visit:

https://www.hcri.manchester.ac.uk/research/