science wire

New Head of Department for Psychology at the IoP
The Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) at King's College London is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Richard Brown as the new Head of Department for Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry.

World-class imaging centre launched
Imanova, a new state-of-the-art imaging centre, was formally launched this week at a showcase event attended by Rt Hon David Willetts MP, Minister for Universities and Science, and representatives from the founding organisations.

Girls face ’sexting’ threat from peers
A report commissioned by the NSPCC, conducted in collaboration with King's College London, reveals the level that ‘sexting' has reached among teenagers, with schoolgirls facing increasing pressure to provide sexually explicit pictures of themselves, a threat that appears to come from friends and peers rather than strangers.

Brain Cancer vaccine
A brain cancer trial that uses a patient's tumour to develop their own personalised vaccine is being piloted for the first time in the UK.

Fulbright Lecture on International Relations
Thomas R. Pickering, former US Ambassador to the United Nations, spoke at King's last night about the challenges and opportunities of effective diplomacy with Iran, as part of the Fulbright Distinguished Lecture Series on International Relations.

Tackling international air pollution
A panel led by Professor Martin Williams of the Environmental Research Group at King's has reached an international agreement to update the ‘Gothenburg Protocol', setting more ambitious targets to reduce trans-boundary air pollution across the northern hemisphere.

Collective Spirit afloat
A boat marking the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad has been launched today by Gregg Whelan, Creative Research Fellow at King's, and his project colleague, Gary Winters.

Scientists in Sport strikes Gold at Podium Awards

King’s leads UK trial of retinal implant
Scientists at King's are pioneering a UK trial of a retinal implant for patients with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye condition that gets worse over time.

Capturing the Craftsman
Almost 70 years since World War II, a Masters student from the Department of Defence Studies has previewed her film which depicts a soldier heading into battle with the enemy, in an act that, ‘

King’s supports
King's College London is supporting Universities Week 2012 – a national campaign which aims to increase public awareness of the wide and varied role of the UK's universities.

Work starts on new therapy to prevent Type 1 diabetes
Scientists at King's College London have launched a project to develop a new therapy for Type 1 diabetes.

Seal of approval for Anti-Doping Lab
The London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today marked the successful accreditation of the London 2012 Anti-Doping Laboratory.

Traditional Chinese medicine research
New Association for good practice in Chinese medicine research King's scientists, together with international colleagues, mainly from Europe and China, have officially launched the Good Practice

Sinking the Titanic Myth
On the centenary anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic , a King's expert says people's knowledge of the notorious liner is based on cultural anecdotes rather than historical and scientific fact.

Mumbai Summer School

Olympic Coach to join King’s
Andy Allford has been appointed as the College's Head of Sports & Active Lifestyles in the Department of Student Experience Support, which sits within the Directorate of Students & Education Support led by Anne Poulson.

Magna Carta set for 21st century treatment
Researchers at King's College London will collaborate in an examination of the 1215 Magna Carta, which will result in the first clause-by-clause commentary on its content in a hundred years.

Life and legacy of Lister at King’s
A conference celebrating the life of pioneering surgeon, and King's Professor, Joseph Lister is taking place at King's this week.

From Maxwell to Higgs: the history of physics
King's alumnus Peter Higgs, who first proposed the ‘Higgs Boson' particle, joined forces last week with John Ellis, King's Clerk Maxwell Professor of Theoretical Physics, in a public lecture to celebrate the history of modern physics.

King’s in widening participation initiative
King's College London has been announced as a partner university in a new national scheme aimed at raising the aspirations of young people across England.

King’s annual Report published
The new King's College London Report is published this week. This illustrated magazine-style publication features a sample of the immense range of research, teaching and innovation undertaken at King's in 2010-11.

Indian foreign policy in the 21st century
A group of leading independent Indian academics and policy makers has published a landmark report this week on the future direction of Indian foreign policy as the nation stands at a crossroads in its development.

François Hollande on UK campaign trail at King’s
François Hollande, the French Presidential candidate for the Socialist Party, came to King's on Wednesday as part of his campaign visit to London.

The Queen opens Somerset House East Wing

King’s Health Partners proposes single organisation
King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is developing a business case for the creation of a new, single academic healthcare organisation which would provide both physical and mental healthcare.

Principal appointed to Commission of Future of HE

Dickens online after 200 years
First editions by Charles Dickens and other early and rarely seen materials associated with the author will be showcased at a new e-exhibition going online at King's this week, to coincide with the writer's bicentenary.

Celebrating the life of Lister

£4m boost for asthma research
The Medical Research Council (MRC) and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have co-funded a groundbreaking programme of asthma research at the MRC-Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma.

King’s India Institute launch
King's College London held the official inauguration ceremony yesterday for its new India Institute, which is aiming to become the leading international centre for the study of contemporary India.

Centre for e-Research joins Digital Humanities
Two of the UK's leading international research centres studying the use of digital technologies in the arts and humanities are to merge.

London 2012 unveils Anti-Doping Laboratory
The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today unveiled the WADA accredited anti-doping laboratory which will operate during the London 2012 Games. LOCOG, laboratory service providers GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and laboratory operators King's College London, welcomed Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport and the Olympics for a tour of the facility which is based in Harlow, Essex.

Dying at home is on the rise
Although around two thirds of us would prefer to die at home, in the developed world the trend in recent years has been for the majority to spend their final days in an institutional setting, such as a hospital or hospice.

Professor of Palaeography and Manuscript Studies appointed
King's College London has appointed Julia Crick as Professor of Palaeography and Manuscript Studies in the School of Arts & Humanities.

Science career ’not for me’ say many 10 year olds
Children as young as ten already see a career in science as ‘not for me'. Despite the majority of children enjoying the subject at school and viewing scientists positively, fewer than 17 per cent are interested in pursuing a career in science, according to research from King's College London, published today.

Alzheimer drug ineffective in Down’s syndrome patients
Memantine, a drug used to treat patients with Alzheimer's disease, is ineffective for people with Down's syndrome aged 40 and over, according to a study led by researchers at King's and published in The Lancet .

Legal aid reforms to save less than predicted
The Government will save less than half of the £270 million it predicts through the proposed reforms to legal aid, and planned cuts will actually result in additional costs for the taxpaper by shifti

New Year’s Honours 2012

Department of Social Science, Health & Medicine launched
A new Department of Social Science, Health & Medicine at King's College London is officially launched today with the arrival of the incoming Head of Department, Nikolas Rose, Professor of Sociology.

Patient-practitioner partnerships not yet realistic
Much more work must be done to reduce the gap between the policy ideal and the practical reality of shared decision-making between patients and clinicians, according to new research from King's College London.

Age a barrier for breaking into the Bar
People aged 30 or over who choose to re-train as barristers are at a significant disadvantage to younger applicants, according to new research from King's College London.

New approach needed for flu vaccination campaigns aimed at nurses
Future flu vaccination campaigns aimed at nurses and other healthcare workers should be reviewed to address common misconceptions and misgivings, according to new research findings from the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery at King's College London. The investigation, carried out in partnership by King's College London and the Second Military Medical University of Shanghai in China, revealed that nurses' influenza vaccination behaviours are complex and influenced by several factors, including knowledge and risk perception.

Deborah Bull, King’s Cultural Partners Director
King's College London is pleased to announce that Deborah Bull has accepted the newly created role of Director, King's Cultural Partners, and will join King's in March 2012.

Groundbreaking for research institute
King's College London on Monday broke ground on an innovative facility that will accelerate neuroscience research, with a goal to fast-track the development of treatments for people suffering from disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and epilepsy. The £37 million Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, located at the College's Institute of Psychiatry on its Denmark Hill Campus, will be Europe's leading research centre focussing on neurological and psychiatric illnesses.

Health and Safety rules will be overhauled
Ragnar Löfstedt, Professor of Risk Management at King's College London, has recommended a suite of health and safety regulations be axed to reduce the red tape of legislation and ease the burden on business, in a review for Government published today.