Hay fever now lasts two weeks longer than it used to It's that time of year again... the sun is shining, the flowers are blooming - and your eyes are red, itchy and you can't stop sneezing.

Nothing to sniff at! Hay fever now lasts two weeks longer than it used to trib.al/vzGpDBM

Hay fever sufferers’ plight made worse by climate change Climate change has prolonged the pollen season by up to a fortnight compared to the 1990s, creating problems for hay fever sufferers, a new report involving UCL academics has found.

Major new report finds climate change has extended the hay fever season in Europe by a fortnight compared to the 1990s. Authors included UCL's Maria Walawender, @marinaromanello.bsky.social, Marco Springmann, Ian Hamilton, Harsh Jatkar, Shih-Che Hsu and Daniel Scamman www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ap...

Bowel cancer patients who were given short-course immunotherapy before surgery, instead of post-op chemotherapy, remain cancer-free after nearly three years, according to new results from the NEOPRISM-CRC trial led by researchers at @uclmedsci.bsky.social and UCLH.
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ap...

Illustration of gut bacteria, with text: Gut microbiome changes may signal Parkinson's disease risk

Analysis of microbes in the gut can reveal whether a person faces an elevated risk of Parkinson’s disease, before they have developed any symptoms, suggests a new study led by Prof Anthony Schapira @uclqsion.bsky.social in @natmed.nature.com
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ap...

🔊"Funding has not kept apace with the real costs of delivery"

@drantoniasimon.bsky.social @ioe.bsky.social @sriucl.bsky.social explains how the costs of delivering childcare have risen steeply, leaving providers with little financial buffer when circumstances change.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Shakespeare Bought One Property in London. Now We Know Exactly Where.

17th-century property deeds have confirmed that William Shakespeare purchased a Thames-side home three years before his death.

Prof René Weis (UCL English) told @nytimes.com that “after ‘retiring,’ Shakespeare would have remained actively involved in London life.”
www.nytimes.com/2026/04/15/w...

Following the closure of a Hackney nursery, @drantoniasimon.bsky.social @ioe.bsky.social @sriucl.bsky.social called for more transparency around how profit-driven private equity groups use public childcare funding.

📻Listen www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
👉 Read more www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Humans kept dogs 5,000 years earlier than thought The earliest genetic evidence for the existence of dogs, dating to about 15,800 years ago – more than 5,000 years earlier than previously thought – has been identified by a team of researchers includi...

The earliest genetic evidence for the existence of dogs, dating to about 15,800 years ago – more than 5,000 years earlier than previously thought – has been identified by a team of researchers including archaeologists from @uclarchaeology.bsky.social.

We are thrilled that our new centre for eye care, research, and education will be called Moorfields and UCL Centre for Eye Health. We will be moving to the new centre in 2027 alongside our colleagues at Moorfields Eye Hospital and Moorfields Eye Charity. www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ma...

Parenting programmes can improve wellbeing for families from diverse backgrounds Evidence-based parenting programmes delivered through community organisations can support family wellbeing and should be considered as part of wider strategies to reduce health inequalities, a landmar...

Parenting programmes delivered through community organisations can support family wellbeing & should be considered as part of wider strategies to reduce health inequalities, says a new study by @uclpophealthsci.bsky.social and @citystgeorges.bsky.social researchers www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ma...

Multiple sclerosis doubles in prevalence while survival rates improve Multiple sclerosis (MS) has more than doubled in recorded prevalence in England from 2000 to 2020, increasing by 6% per year, largely due to improved diagnosis and longer life expectancy, finds a new ...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) has more than doubled in recorded prevalence in England from 2000 to 2020, increasing by 6% per year, largely due to improved diagnosis and longer life expectancy, finds a new study by @uclqsion.bsky.social and @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social researchers

Frequent infections in nursery help toddlers build up immune systems Young children who attend nursery get sick more often than those who don’t, but they will go on to have fewer illnesses during early school years, finds a new review of evidence by a group of parent-s...

Young children who attend nursery get sick more often than those who don’t, but will have fewer illnesses during early school years, finds a new review of evidence by parent-scientists including Dr @lucyvandorp.bsky.social @ucllifesciences.bsky.social and Dr Leo Swadling @uclmedsci.bsky.social

Movies reconstructed from mouse brain activity Scientists have successfully reconstructed videos purely from the brain activity of mice, showing what the mice were seeing, in a new study led by UCL researchers.

Scientists have successfully reconstructed videos purely from the brain activity of mice, showing what the mice were seeing, in a new study led by @sainsburywellcome.bsky.social @ucllifesciences.bsky.social researchers

Universities Must Put Research At The Heart Of Learning - BW Education As universities worldwide navigate rapid technological change and rising expectations around employability and societal impact, Professor Geraint Rees, Vice Provost (Research, Innovation & Global ...

How can universities prepare students for a rapidly changing world? In an interview with India's BW Education, UCL's @profgeraintrees.bsky.social reflects on research led teaching, interdisciplinarity, and how AI-ready curricula will shape the future of education www.bweducation.com/article/univ...

🔊 Prof @drkevinfong.bsky.social @uclengineering.bsky.social presents The Artificial Human in front of a live audience at @ucl.ac.uk.

As UCL marks 200 years, they ask whether AI is the future of learning and how we can make the most of what it has to offer.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

UCL-led international research team wins $25m Cancer Grand Challenges funding Team REWIRE-CAN, led by Professor Bart Vanhaesebroeck of the UCL Cancer Institute, will receive up to $25m over approximately five years to take on the rewiring cancer cells challenge.

Congratulations to Prof Bart Vanhaesebroeck, Prof @christophertape.bsky.social & Team REWIRE-CAN on securing $25m in @cancergrand.bsky.social funding to take on the challenge of rewiring cancer cells.

#CancerGrandChallenges @uclmedsci.bsky.social

www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/ma...

🔊"The special educational needs system absolutely does need a review. We've talked about it being in crisis for some time."

Dr Amelia Roberts @ioe.bsky.social @ucl-ioe-phd.bsky.social speaks on BBC Breakfast about the highly anticipated #SchoolsWhitePaper and potential reforms to #SEND provision.

UCL cancer researcher wins international prize for pioneering tumour work Professor Charles Swanton (UCL Cancer Institute) has been awarded the 2026 Sjöberg Prize for his groundbreaking work on how tumours evolve, helping to explain why cancer treatments sometimes fail and ...

Congratulations to Professor @charlesswanton.bsky.social of @uclmedsci.bsky.social on winning the 2026 Sjöberg Prize for his groundbreaking work on how tumours evolve, helping to explain why cancer treatments sometimes fail.

@scienceacademyswe.bsky.social

www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/fe...

UCL and Tech Mahindra to collaborate on joint research in emerging technologies UCL has announced a new collaboration with Tech Mahindra, a leading global provider of technology consulting and digital solutions to enterprises across industries, to advance joint research in genera...

UCL has announced a new collaboration with Tech Mahindra to accelerate joint research in emerging technologies - from generative AI and quantum computing to world models and next generation LLMs. The news was revealed at this week's India AI Impact Summit in Delhi: www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/fe...

Immersive event to celebrate 200 years of chemistry at UCL Experiments from the Victoria era will be recreated in the Bloomsbury Theatre at an event celebrating 200 years of chemistry at UCL.

Come to Bloomsbury Theatre to celebrate 200 years of UCL Chemistry! This immersive event will feature talks, short films, and the re-creation of Victorian-era experiments @uclchemistry.bsky.social. Tickets: www.bloomsburytheatre.com/event/2026/0...

Rise of UK aesthetic botulinum toxin industry outpacing regulation The UK aesthetic medicine industry has outpaced regulation, with cheaper treatments more common in deprived areas where specialist medical care is less likely. UCL researchers say this highlights ineq...

There’s an urgent need to regulate the UK’s botulinum toxin industry, warn Alexander Zargaran, Dr David Zargaran and Prof Ash Mosahebi @uclmedsci.bsky.social, as their new study shows that cheaper, non-medical providers and greater access in deprived areas are widening safety inequalities.

Middle-aged women from deprived backgrounds struggle to quit smoking Middle-aged women from more deprived backgrounds in Great Britain are significantly more likely to smoke and face greater challenges when trying to quit, according to a new study from researchers at U...

Middle-aged women from more deprived backgrounds in Great Britain are much more likely to smoke and face greater challenges when trying to quit, finds a new study led by Professor Sarah Jackson @drsarahejackson.bsky.social with Dr Sharon Cox @sharoncox.bsky.social @ucliehc.bsky.social

Academic pressure linked to increased risk of depression in teens Pressure to achieve at school at age 15 is linked to depressive symptoms and risk of self-harm, and the association appears to persist into adulthood, finds a study led by UCL researchers.

Pressure to achieve at school at age 15 is linked to depressive symptoms and risk of self-harm, and the association appears to persist into adulthood, finds a new study led by Prof Gemma Lewis @uclpsychiatry.bsky.social

Call for action on understudied lung cancer in never-smokers Lung cancer patients who have never smoked make up a significant and growing share of global lung cancer cases, yet remain an understudied group, according to a new review written by UCL researchers.

Lung cancer in never-smokers represents a growing share of lung cancer cases and is often diagnosed later, leading to worse outcomes. A new review led by Dr Deborah Caswell @uclmedsci.bsky.social calls for more funding to improve screening, detection and prevention of this form of the disease

Chemistry professor honoured with science diplomacy award Professor Sir Richard Catlow (UCL Chemistry) has been recognised by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for his outstanding diplomatic efforts in the field of science.

Congratulations to Professor Sir Richard Catlow @uclchemistry.bsky.social @uclmaps.bsky.social for his @aaas.org award recognising his outstanding diplomatic efforts in the field of science www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/fe...

UCL scientist and patient jointly named on TIME100 Health list A UCL academic and the patient who took part in his groundbreaking trial have been jointly named among the top 100 people in health globally by a prestigious US magazine.

Congratulations to Professor Waseem Qasim (@uclchildhealth.bsky.social) & patient Alyssa Tapley who've been named in @time.com's 2026 list of the world's 100 most influential people in health. Alyssa took part in his world-first blood cancer gene-editing clinical trial www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/fe...

Diabetes medicine could save thousands more lives a year Diabetes drugs that may soon be prescribed more widely in England could save thousands of lives each year, suggests a new study by researchers at UCL and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medici...

Diabetes drugs called SGLT-2 inhibitors could save thousands more lives a year in the UK, suggests a new study led by Dr David Ryan @uclpophealthsci.bsky.social and @lshtm.bsky.social looking at the drugs' effectiveness in a wider group than included in clinical trials www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/fe...

📺"What is now an institution in the top 10 elite list of universities started off as an up-start"

BBC London report on @ucl.ac.uk's 200th anniversary, featuring Prof @profginab.bsky.social @ioe.bsky.social and UCL President & Provost, Dr Michael Spence.

🔊"In London you have an education in the wider sense of the word. It's not only the law or studying at university, it's the museums, the art galleries, the cinemas and the social life is also important"

▶️Listen to @uclalumni.bsky.social and Dr Sam Blaxland @ioe.bsky.social on BBC London, from 41:17

The Godless Students of London University

Drawing on a huge range of source material, Professor @profginab.bsky.social and Dr Sam Blaxland's @ioe.bsky.social new book #StudentLondon chronicles 200 years of student life in the capital.

Read more about the radical origins of London’s first university in @historytoday.com.

#UCL200