Research breakthroughs

Latest news from the NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre


July 2022

Can MRI scans predict MS progression?

Two UCL and UCLH studies will be looking at whether advanced ​MRI scans can predict onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) and which patients are at risk of developing irreversible disability.


Knowing who may develop progressive MS whose disease is likely to lead to disability – and the reasons for onset and disease progression – may enable beneficial treatments to be given at an early stage.


Prof Declan Chard

Lead of two UCL/UCLH studies

“If we can predict early who may develop progressive MS and which patients may develop irreversible disability – and importantly better understand the mechanisms driving onset and progression – we may be able to more effectively target treatments and identify patients who could benefit from them earlier.”


UCLH to address barriers to trial recruitment in ethnic minority groups


UCLH is starting a major study looking at barriers to the recruitment of patients from ethnic minority groups into clinical trials.


A team collaborating with Roche Products Ltd will study what happens in the recruitment process in four disease areas: breast cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, rheumatology and stroke.


The aim is to find out if barriers exist during the trial recruitment process preventing people from ethnic minority backgrounds from consenting to take part.



News recap video on the UCLH study with Roche

20 second AI heart tool begins NHS roll-out


A new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can detect heart disease in record speed, helping to improve care for heart patients, is being rolled out at UCLH.


The first-of-its-kind AI tool, developed by UCL researchers, analyses heart MRI scans in just 20 seconds while the patient is in the scanner.


Study highlights COVID-19 vaccination effectiveness in cancer patients

COVID-19 vaccines are effective for most cancer patients but the level of protection against infection, hospitalisation and death is lower and lessens more quickly compared with the protection given to the general, according to a study.


The study highlights the importance of continuing vaccination booster programmes for all cancer patients – especially for patients with lymphoma or leukaemia – and rapid access to COVID-19 treatments for patients developing symptomatic COVID infection.


Robotic surgery for bladder cancer improves patient recovery time


Patients undergoing bladder cancer removal and reconstruction recover far more quickly and spend significantly (20%) less time in hospital if robot-assisted surgery is used, a clinical trial led by UCLH, UCL and the University of Sheffield has concluded.


News recap video on the robotic surgery story

World-first CJD treatment shows promising early results

A world-first treatment for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) has shown “very encouraging” early results following its use in six patients at UCLH.


CJD is a rare but devastating disease that causes brain damage and for which there is currently no licensed treatment. It is always fatal and most patients sadly die within a few months of diagnosis.


Researchers at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Prion Unit at University College London (UCL) have developed a monoclonal antibody, called PRN100, which was given to six UCLH patients with CJD between October 2018 and July 2019.



UCL top in the UK for research quality in medicine, health and life sciences

UCL has been ranked number one in the UK in medicine, health and the life sciences for the quality of its research.


In separate rankings UCL was placed 7th globally for medicine, 4th globally for pharmacy and pharmacology and 1st for education in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022 – the world’s most consulted university ranking.


Researchers developing action plan to improve hearing health


Researchers are working with patients and the public to develop a 5-year UK action plan for hearing loss and tinnitus research, to improve hearing health.


The plan aims to set out the conditions to grow and sustain hearing and tinnitus research in the UK.


App detecting neonatal jaundice from the eye successful in first clinical trial

A smartphone app that identifies severe neonatal jaundice could provide a cheaper alternative to expensive screening procedures, according to a study by UCLH, UCL and the University of Ghana.


Dr Judith Meek, UCLH consultant neonatologist and senior author on the paper, said: “This app has the potential to prevent death and disability worldwide in many different settings.”


Photo credit: Dr Christabel Enweronu-Laryea,

University of Ghana

Study highlights the chronic nature of obesity


People with obesity whose weight and health improve following drug treatment are likely to need the treatment long term, according to a study at UCLH and UCL which highlights the chronic nature of obesity.


Weight Scale.