News

A wonderful start to the New Year as we receive news that Professor Kathy Niakan, is winner of the Genetics Society's 2025 Mary Lyon Medal. Named after the distinguished geneticist Mary Lyon FRS, the award was established in 2015 to reward outstanding research in genetics to scientists who are in the middle of their research career.  The Mary Lyon …

We are saddened by news of the passing of Emeritus Professor of Physiology, Roger Thomas. Roger became Head of Physiology at the University Cambridge in 1996 - having moved from Bristol where he had been both Head of Physiology and Dean of Medical Sciences. He oversaw the merger with Anatomy, and continued as Head of Physiology until his retirement…

Prof Katja Röper was recently awarded a Wellcome Discovery Award of more than £3m over 8 years to study ’Supracellular coordination in tissue morphogenesis’.Using the fruit fly and human renal organoids as models, her lab aims to understand how processes are coordinated across the molecular, cell and tissue scale during the formation of tubular org…

A new study published by the Fleming lab reveals a novel strategy for treating neurodegenerative disorders.Tauopathies are neurodegenerative diseases which show intracellular accumulation and aggregation of tau protein. In diseases such as Pick's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, and argyrophilic grain disease, tau…

Congratulations to Anna Cochrane, a PhD student in the Giussani Lab, who has been selected by PDN to represent the University of Cambridge at the Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar this year. Anna's selection is based on the quality of her ongoing PhD work, academic achievement, and international conference prizes. The Stockholm Internat…

Congratulations to Professor Kathy Niakan and Dr Fenzhu Xiong on their nomination for the Research Culture Celebration 2024, in recognition of their contributions to positive Research Culture among their colleagues. Both were nominated both as an individual PI and Dr Fenzhu Xiong's group was also nominated in the group category.  Cambridge aspires …

Two new AstraZeneca funded studentships, working with the Rawlins and Robinson labs at PDN, and starting Oct 2025 are now accepting applications.AstraZeneca Funded Non Clinical PhD Studentship (Fixed Term) in Ion channels and excitability in neuroendocrine cancer a collaborative project jointly supervised by Prof Hugh Robinson, in the Department …

PDN scientists have developed a pioneering method to culture marmoset placental cells in the lab, offering new insights into embryo implantation. Unlike human embryos, which implant deeply into the uterus, marmoset embryos undergo a much shallower implantation. This research opens new avenues for understanding the mechanisms regulating implantation…

A study in mice has found that the bacteria Bifidobacterium breve in the mother’s gut during pregnancy supports healthy brain development in the fetus.Researchers from the Centre for Trophoblast Research, PDN, have compared the development of the fetal brain in mice whose mothers had no bacteria in their gut, to those whose mothers were given Bifid…

A review written recently by senior postdoctoral scientist, Kevin G. Mulvihill and Professor Angela Roberts in PDN will be published in Trends in Neurosciences by Cell Press. Their review provides a novel perspective on understanding the multiple faces of anxiety, with a focus on the highly varied functions of the frontal lobes. They bring together…

A new paper shows that astrocyte cells in the brain influence and modify the reproductive axis. Previously, it was thought that only neurons did this. The paper, Kisspeptin signaling in astrocytes modulates the reproductive axis, is published in Journal of Clinical Investigation, and co-authored by members of the Colledge Lab and colleagues across …

Congratulations to Professor Kathy Niakan and Professor Emma Rawlins as they are elected as Members of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO), in its 60th anniversary year.Joining 120 scientists, elected from across Europe, the Membership celebrates research excellence and outstanding achievements in life sciences. EMBO Director, Fiona …

It is with great pleasure that we announce this years’ academic promotions in PDN. In the research and teaching track, Emma Rawlins has been promoted to Professor of Developmental Physiology, Milka Sarris and Hannah Clarke have been promoted to Professors.For teaching and scholarship, Cecilia Brasset has been promoted to Teaching Professor of Human…

It is with great pleasure that we congratulate Professor Emerita of Developmental Neuroscience, Christine Holt, who has been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024. Christine has received a CBE in recognition of her pioneering and innovative contributions to neuroscience.Professor Holt is best known for her work in understanding the "basic …

The extension of the ectoderm in gastrulating fruit fly embryos is remarkably robust to a pull in the perpendicular direction caused by the invagination of the neighbouring mesoderm.Embryonic development is both fascinating and visually dramatic. As the embryo takes shape, cells generate forces and tissues undergo substantial movements, and in doin…