All News A–Z

A bold experiment in intergenerational care

Experts from Bangor University including Professor Bob Woods an international expert in psychosocial approaches worked with the Darlun production company to create a new programme, Hen Blant Bach , to be broadcast on 28 December. The programme is a new factual format for S4C, developed in partnership with Sony Pictures Television. It brings two unlikely generations together to share their day care in a centre for older people in North Wales.

Publication date: 22 December 2016

A&E waiting times worst on record – but using AI to unblock beds could be part of the solution

January is the busiest month of the year for the NHS – with patients often queuing in corridors and ambulances. In 2019 Emergency Department waiting times in England were the worst on record, with 2000 patients waiting for more than 12 hours for a hospital bed in December . At the same time latest research shows that over the past three years almost 5500 patients have died in emergency departments while waiting for a hospital bed. Part of the problem is that patients who are admitted as emergencies to hospital can be really sick and unstable. So making the decision as to when they are getting better and are safe to go home (and the bed is free) is complicated and risky. This article by Christian P Subbe , Senior Clinical Lecturer in Acute & Critical Care Medicine, School of Medical Science,s is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

Publication date: 24 January 2020

AI like HAL 9000 can never exist because real emotions aren't programmable

HAL 9000 is one of the best-known articifical intelligence characters of modern film. This superior form of sentient computer embarks on a mission to Jupiter, along with a human crew, in Stanley Kubrick’s iconic film 2001: A Space Odyssey, which is currently celebrating its 50th year since release. This article by Guillaume Thierry , Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Prychology was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article . For more on Stanley Kubrick and 2001 read: https://www.bangor.ac.uk/news/latest/stanley-kubrick-s-films-all-had-one-thing-in-common-jewishness-36122

Publication date: 9 April 2018

Adverse childhood experiences increase risk of mental illness, but community support can offer protection

People who have experienced abuse, neglect and other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) such as living with domestic violence during their childhood are at much greater risk of mental illness throughout life. Findings from a new national study across Wales found adults who had suffered four or more types of ACE were almost 10 times more likely to have felt suicidal or self-harmed than those who had experienced none.

Publication date: 18 January 2018

Assessing the value of dementia support groups

New ageing and dementia research at Bangor University will soon be underway, with a team from the Bangor Institute of Health and Medical Research in the School of Health Sciences being the only university in Wales to be awarded funding as part of the ESRC-NIHR Dementia Research Initiative 2018 . This programme of work, led by partners at University College London, centres around people living with rare dementias, and will involve the first major study of the value of support groups for people living with or caring for someone with a rare form of dementia.

Publication date: 10 January 2019

Auntie Glenda & her Dementia Friends – Launch Event

A new resource to raise awareness about dementia and created by school pupils at Ysgol Pentreuchaf, is to be launched as part of a celebration of the innovative ‘Auntie Glenda’ project. This takes place at Bangor University’s stand at the National Eisteddfod on Tuesday between 10-1.00. Dementia is a major public health issue in Wales and the research and teaching at Bangor University is focused on increasing support to those living with the condition. It is estimated between 40,000 and 50,000 people in Wales are currently living with dementia. Symptoms can vary according to the type of dementia but the condition can affect daily tasks, communication, senses and memory.

Publication date: 1 August 2017

Bangor University academics team with Brazil to tackle world problems

Academics from Bangor University are sharing their expertise with collaborators at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP) in São Paulo State, Brazil, to address some of Brazil’s most pressing social and environmental problems.

Publication date: 5 July 2021

Bangor University opens new Physical Activity for Health and Well-Being Centre labs

Bangor University has invested £1m in a new state-of-the-art facility, the newly-named (Canolfan PAWB Centre) at its internationally recognised School of Sport Health & Exercise Sciences . Two new exercise physiology laboratories, which research the functioning of the human body and a large new teaching laboratory will extend and complement the School’s existing teaching and research resources. These address the range of health benefits from exercise and physical activity and also investigate performance, sport and extreme environments.

Publication date: 14 March 2017

Bangor University research features on HORIZON

A research project running at Bangor University, with vital input from members of communities across north Wales, features in the next BBC 2 science documentary programme Horizon (11 May 2016 BBC 2 8.00).

Publication date: 5 May 2016

Bangor University subjects make the grade in world table

Newly published analysis of the 2016 edition of the influential QS World University Rankings , which saw Bangor University soar 60 places to 411th position worldwide, now provides further information on rankings for different subject areas among the world’s best universities.

Publication date: 23 March 2016

Bench to Bedside and Beyond

Bangor University officially launched its innovative new institute on Thursday (25th February) to widespread acclaim. The Bangor Institute for Health and Medical Research (BIHMR) will sustain and extend Bangor’s already excellent record in health and medical research, bringing together renowned academics in a broad range of fields.

Publication date: 14 March 2016

Bowel Cancer challenge revealed by international research

Bangor University’s North Wales Centre for Primary Care Research has been involved in an international large–scale review of treatment times for people with bowel cancer. Co-ordinated in the UK by Cancer Research UK, with Cancer Research Wales funding the Welsh arm of this study, and reported in BMJ Open , the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) – a collaboration between countries with similar healthcare systems and high-quality data – tracked each step people with bowel cancer went through before treatment. They examined questionnaires, completed by 2,866 international patients and their doctors, as well as medical records of patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2015.

Publication date: 3 December 2018

Can ‘lay carers’ help more at the end of life?

Most people in the UK who are dying would prefer to be looked after at home. Health care professionals try to enable this to happen. A new research project led by Bangor University is investigating one way to make this a reality for more people. Home care is usually provided by District Nurses, working with many other team members including general practitioners, hospice doctors and nurses, and Macmillan or Marie Curie services. Family members are taught how to care for their loved one, and generally call a District Nurse if there are difficult symptoms. As people get weaker in the last few weeks or days of life, they become unable to swallow. At this point, a syringe driver is set up to give medicines under the skin over 24 hours. While this often relieves most symptoms, some symptoms may break through and need extra doses of medication (called ‘breakthrough’ symptoms). Then, the family usually call in the district nurse who can give extra doses of medicine as injections. But, this can take a long time, often more than an hour. The wait can be distressing for the patient and their carers, who then feel powerless to help. Usually, family care would not include giving injections for these breakthrough symptoms, even though this is legal and practical. Bangor University is working with partners in Cardiff University and Gloucester NHS Trust, to research whether lay carer role extension to give these ‘as needed’ injections should be more widely adopted or not in the UK.

Publication date: 15 March 2017

Cancer research in Wales gets £200k boost for World Cancer Day

A research project which will look at the way in which cancer cells grow and divide has been given a boost of £200,000 thanks to North West Cancer Research . The money will fund a three-year research project based at the North West Cancer Research Institute at Bangor University.

Publication date: 3 February 2017

Children join in Dementia & Imagination- Lost in Art project

School children in Denbighshire worked alongside an art group for people living with dementia to create a large scale piece of art which responded to questions around involving and including people living with dementia in our society. Year 6 children from Clawdd Offa Primary School, Prestatyn, joined with group members from Denbighshire County Council (DCC) Art Service’s ‘Lost in Art’ programme to explore questions on creating inclusive and supportive communities for people living with dementia within our own communities. The children also took part in a Dementia Friends awareness session before the workshop to learn more about the illness.

Publication date: 22 April 2016

Collaboration to develop and implement new Infection Prevention Link Nurse Programme

A new project has been set up in collaboration between the University's School of Healthcare Sciences and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) to develop a new programme to promote best practice in infection prevention.

Publication date: 17 January 2017

Combining daycare for children and elders benefits all generations

We live in a society where care of young and old is increasingly segregated , with very limited opportunity for the two age groups to interact. If we just thought a little more socially, however, these “book end generations” could become great resources for each other – all we need to do is put them in the same place. This article by Catrin Hedd Jones , Lecturer in Dementia Studies, School of Healthcare Sciences was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article . Catrin Hedd Jones , Bangor University

Publication date: 4 January 2017

Cost-effectiveness of treatments in neurological diseases

Professor Dyfrig Hughes and colleagues at the Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation, School of Health Sciences, have recently published the results of three clinical trials of interventions in epilepsy and sciatica.

Publication date: 21 April 2021

Creating dementia supportive communities in North Wales

People living with dementia, their family and carers are being invited to join with professionals who support people with dementia in the health service, commercial and third sectors and with experts researching the condition, in a new network of groups across North Wales. The newly established groups intended to provide support, information and an opportunity to share information and experience.

Publication date: 4 October 2016

Creative Conversations Celebration Event

Bangor University, in partnership with Flintshire Social Services, and the renowned author John Killick has recently celebrated their latest project in supporting people with dementia - Creative Conversations. The project was led by Dr Kat Algar-Skaife from the Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) Wales, at the College of Human Sciences , Bangor University and was funded by Health and Care Research Wales, Welsh Government.

Publication date: 24 September 2018

Cruse Volunteer Support Invaluable to Carers Supporting People Living with Dementia

Researchers at the School of Health Sciences in Bangor University are currently evaluating a new service developed by Maxine Norrish at Cruse Bereavement Care Cymru and people affected by dementia in partnership with Alzheimer’s Society Cymru to provide emotional support following a diagnosis.

Publication date: 18 May 2021

Dementia: “illness” label may lower mood

North Walians have taken part in research which has just been published and indicates that people who perceive dementia symptoms as an illness feel more negative than those who see it as an inevitable part of getting older.

Publication date: 1 March 2016

Developing health economics methods for evaluating dental health interventions as part of preventative public health

A seminar: “ Developing a range of methods for economic evaluation of dental services: widening the perspective ” organised by the Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation (CHEME) took place recently at Bangor University. Understanding that most dental caries is preventable, particularly in young children, means that the costs are also largely preventable. In the financial year of 2015 -2016, Public Health England reports the cost of tooth extraction topped £50.5 million in children aged 0 to 19 years.

Publication date: 11 February 2019

Different types of alcohol elicit different emotional responses

Different types of alcohol elicit different emotional responses, but spirits are most frequently associated with feelings of aggression, suggests research published in the online journal BMJ Open.

Publication date: 22 November 2017

Drink a Glass of Water for World Kidney Day

World Kidney Day is an annual global awareness and education event, held on the second Thursday in March. Every year, countless local, national and international events are organised by kidney charities, health and social care professionals, patient groups and individuals who want to make a difference. Why not drink a glass of water and show your support on twitter # @ kidneydayUK

Publication date: 9 March 2017

Ensuring access to Welsh Music for people living with dementia

Listening to your favourite music lifts your spirits, whatever your age. That's why Bangor University and Merched y Wawr are launching an appeal on the Welsh Day of Music, for people to get in touch and suggest their favourite Welsh language songs from all times. The most popular suggestions will be collated to create a free digital CD and downloadable resource, which will be shared free of charge to care homes and dementia care homes to ensure that Welsh music is available to residents enjoy.

Publication date: 7 February 2019

Exercise training alone does not lead to weight loss in females in the medium term

New research from Bangor University has shown that exercise training alone does not lead to weight loss in women.

Publication date: 15 November 2017

Exercise: we calculated its true value for older people and society

Taking up exercise is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions for people wanting to improve their health. But our research shows that the benefits of older people going to exercise groups go beyond self-improvement and provide good value for society, too. This article by Carys Jones , Research Fellow in Health Economics at the Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

Publication date: 9 January 2020

Exploring the economics of sight-saving technology

Over two million people in the UK are living with sight loss. This will double to nearly four million people by 2050 as the population ages and underlying causes like obesity and diabetes increase. This places huge pressure on NHS eye care services. The 2016 Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) report highlighted that sight loss is estimated to cost over £28 billion to the UK economy. Research into new sight-saving technology could improve the lives of people at risk of sight loss and provide saving to the NHS and wider economy. Two researchers from Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation CHEME, are co-investigators on the optical coherence tomography (OCT) study, which has been awarded £1.3 million of funding from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Invention for Innovation (i4i) Programme.

Publication date: 23 November 2017

Feeding time at the robotic petting zoo

A ‘petting zoo’ with a difference is coming to Pontio Arts & Innovation Centre , Bangor University between 4 - 10 December. It will be feeding time at the ‘zoo’ - but instead of goats or lambs, the public will be able to interact with and feed ‘animals’ with a difference- in the shape of little vacuuming robots, each one with a distinct personality and all vying for special ‘robot food’ from the public.

Publication date: 1 December 2017

Finding new ways of living with dementia

As the Welsh Government seeks views on its recently launched dementia strategy, Bangor University is bringing together people living with dementia, and organisations who are also working on dementia related support and research projects to share best practice in north Wales. Living with dementia in North Wales – we’re in it together , a Conference at the University on 27 January, will hear the experiences of people living with dementia, as well as those of a number of organisations providing dementia supportive programmes and conducting dementia-related research.

Publication date: 26 January 2017

Five-country survey of carers highlights continuing delays in dementia diagnosis across countries

Today, at the 27th Alzheimer Europe Conference in Berlin, Prof. Bob Woods ( Bangor University , Wales, United Kingdom) presented the top line results of a five-country survey on the experience of 1,409 carers of a diagnosis of dementia.

Publication date: 3 October 2017

Footballers’ voices: gambling and addiction in football

Media reports have highlighted gambling problems amongst a minority of professional footballers. New research, published in Addiction Research Theory , has revealed how some players could develop difficulties with their gambling, and what can be done to help them seek treatment. Footballers with a range of professional experiences, who have experienced gambling problems, were interviewed as part of research by Bangor, London and Oxford universities. The researchers had direct access to the players to learn about their experiences of gambling and how and why their gambling became a problem.

Publication date: 19 August 2016

Funding to develop dementia researchers

In Wales there at 45,000 people living with dementia and the cost of illness has been estimated at £1.4 billion per year. The highest part of this cost is unpaid care by family and friends. Support services can be fragmented and difficult for people to access across health and social care sectors. Poor transport links and the risk of carers feeling more isolated and unsupported are particular challenges for rural areas. Researchers at Bangor University’s School of Healthcare Sciences have been awarded over half a million pounds in funding to undertake fellowships in dementia research. These fellowships, funded by Welsh Government through Health and Care Research Wales , aim to build capacity in health and social care research by supporting individuals to become independent researchers and to undertake high-quality research projects’.

Publication date: 30 August 2017

Funding to develop dementia researchers

Publication date: 30 August 2017

Generous nursing students spread festive cheer to rehabilitation ward patients

Student nurses from Bangor University are bringing some additional Christmas cheer to patients at Wrexham Maelor Hospital. Second year adult nursing students Ceri Davies, Kate Topple and Fern Williams, along with their lecturer Angela Williams, have filled shoeboxes with festive treats for patients on Bedwen, Onnen and ENT wards

Publication date: 22 December 2016

Getting Welsh GPs to act more quickly on cancer symptoms

A research project at Bangor University will look at early cancer diagnosis - a priority area for the Welsh Government, as late presentation of cancer is thought to significantly contribute to the relatively poor survival of Welsh cancer patients compared to the rest of the UK. The award had been made to Professor Richard Neal from the University's North Wales Centre for Primary Care Research , himself a practicing G.P and a world-leader in the field of early cancer diagnosis.

Publication date: 1 March 2016

Graduate hopes to ease the pain of a bad back

Back Care Awareness Week 2016 3rd – 8th October 2016 A Bangor University PhD graduate in Health Economics, Ned Hartfiel, hopes to reduce back pain and sickness absences in the UK through a ‘ Healthy Back Programme ’ which is being rolled out by his recently established company.

Publication date: 3 October 2016

Have your say, and help shape the next decade of health and well-being in Wales

Public Health Wales (PHW) wants to hear your views about what we can do in Wales to help people avoid physical and mental ill-health. This work is being conducted in collaboration with Bangor University. Everyone in Wales (aged 16 years and over) is being urged to visit www.staywellinwales.com to say what’s important to them, their friends and communities, and what they think will help people live healthier, happier and longer lives.

Publication date: 29 September 2017

Higher use of general health care services throughout adult life linked with traumatic childhoods

Experiencing physical, sexual or emotional abuse as a child, or other stresses such as living in a household affected by domestic violence, substance abuse or mental illness, can lead to higher levels of health service use throughout adulthood. A research paper in the Journal of Health Service Research & Policy provides, for the first time, the statistical evidence showing that, regardless of socio-economic class or other demographics, people who have adverse childhood experiences use more health and medical services through their lifetime.

Publication date: 12 July 2017

Highlighting Cancer research at Bangor University

An event at Bangor University marks World Cancer Day on 4 February 2020. A free event at Pontio Lecture Room 2, between 6.00 and 8.15 pm highlighting the cancer research being undertaken at Bangor University marks the 20th anniversary of World Cancer Day. There will be a number of short talks from oncologists and university researchers followed by a question and answer session.

Publication date: 30 January 2020

Hot baths help to prepare Team Wales for the heat of the Australian Commonwealth Games

With temperatures predicted to exceed 30 ° C on the Gold Coast of Australia the Commonwealth Games will place considerable heat strain on competing athletes. In preparation for the heat, Team Wales athletes have been plunging into hot baths after their usual training. Rob Condliffe, a physiologist at Sport Wales Institute who is helping to prepare Team Wales athletes for the Commonwealth Games says, “The hot bath is an extremely practical evidence-based approach to heat acclimation”.

Publication date: 26 March 2018

How Pokemon Go turned couch potatoes into fitness fanatics without them even realising it

Pokemon Go, the latest version of the Pokemon game has been hailed for increasing physical activity in a group of individuals that have traditionally been seen as couch potatoes . Since 1980, worldwide obesity has doubled . Likewise, people are spending more time sitting down . Pokemon Go is undoubtedly a great tool for boosting physical and mental health , and could probably claim to be the most successful health app on the market without even trying to be. But why is it so motivating for some, and how can we harness this power to change other behaviours?

Publication date: 11 August 2016

How operational deployment affects soldiers' children

So many of us have seen delightful videos of friends and family welcoming their loved ones home from an operational tour of duty. The moment they are reunited is heartwarming, full of joy and tears – but, for military personnel who were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan post 9/11, their time away came with unprecedented levels of stress for their whole family. Military personnel faced longer and more numerous deployments, with short intervals in between. The impact of operational deployments on military personnel’s mental health is well reported. Far less is known, however, about how deployment affects military families, particularly those with young children. This article by Leanne K Simpson , PhD Candidate, School of Psychology | Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance, Bangor University was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 23 June 2017

How should top athletes acclimatise for heat?

Top athlete preparing to compete in a hot climate have to acclimatise in order to achieve their peak performance in hot climates. They currently do this by moving to the country ten to 14 days in advance or by training in a climate chamber. In recently published research, Prof Neil Walsh and his team at Bangor University’s School of Sport, Health & Exercise Sciences have shown that taking a hot bath after exercise in temperate conditions for six days can trigger changes in the body which mimic how the body adjusts to hot weather.

Publication date: 11 August 2016

Investing in warmer housing could save the NHS billions

British weather isn’t much to write home about. The temperate maritime climate makes for summers which are relatively warm and winters which are relatively cold. But despite rarely experiencing extremely cold weather , the UK has a problem with significantly more people dying during the winter compared to the rest of the year. In fact, 2.6m excess winter deaths have occurred since records began in 1950 – that’s equivalent to the entire population of Manchester. Although the government has been collecting data on excess winter deaths – that is, the difference between the number of deaths that occur from December to March compared to the rest of the year – for almost 70 years, the annual statistics are still shocking. In the winter of 2014/15, there were a staggering 43,900 excess deaths , the highest recorded figure since 1999/2000. In the last 10 years, there has only been one winter where less than 20,000 excess deaths occurred: 2013/14. Although excess winter deaths have been steadily declining since records began, in the winter of 2015/16 there were still 24,300 .

Publication date: 5 October 2017

Is talking to yourself a sign of mental illness? An expert delivers her verdict

Being caught talking to yourself, especially if using your own name in the conversation, is beyond embarrassing. And it’s no wonder – it makes you look like you are hallucinating. Clearly, this is because the entire purpose of talking aloud is to communicate with others. But given that so many of us do talk to ourselves, could it be normal after all – or perhaps even healthy? This article by Paloma Mari-Beffa , Senior Lecturer in Neuropsychology and Cognitive Psychology, Bangor University was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 3 May 2017

Learning to live better with dementia through technology: new apps piloted today connect those affected by dementia and researchers

A project supported by Bangor University is one of two to be adopted for a new initiative to support people with dementia and their carers.

Publication date: 2 August 2016

Lecture to focus on early intervention in child-care

Graham Allen, who was the driving force behind the establishment of the Early Intervention Foundation , will discuss “Early Intervention-why leave it so late?” on Tuesday 6th February 2018 at 6 pm in the Eric Sunderland (MALT) Lecture Theatre, Bangor University. This is the annual Anne Marie Jones 2018 Memorial Lecture organized by the Children’s Early Intervention Trust, based at Bangor University. The public Lecture is free to attend and open to all.

Publication date: 24 January 2018

Lifetime Contribution recognised

Gwerfyl Roberts, a Senior Lecturer at the School of Healthcare Sciences has just received a Lifetime Contribution Award at More than just Words 2017 . The More than just Words Showcase Event recognises and celebrates the importance of Welsh language provision in health, social services and social care, and the exceptional achievements of individuals and teams.

Publication date: 11 October 2017

Looking to the future: Dementia and Imagination at the Utopia Fair

Dementia and Imagination , an exciting Bangor University led project which gives people with dementia an opportunity to get involved in art, will be one of a number of stall holders at Somerset House for their UTOPIA 2016 Fair . UTOPIA 2016 is a collaboration between three London neighbours: Somerset House, Kings College, London and the Courtauld Institute and Gallery, in partnership with the British Library, the AHRC, the British Council, London School of Economics and Politics, M-Museum in Leuven, Guardian Live and Verso.

Publication date: 24 June 2016

Lord Mostyn visits Bangor cancer research labs as charity commits to funding £400,000

Lord Mostyn has met with leading researchers, scientists and clinicians in North Wales who are pioneering advances in cancer research and treatment. Gregory Mostyn made the visit to the North West Cancer Research Institute at Bangor University's School of Medical Science s recently and met with Institute chair Dr Edgar Hartsuiker, who gave a behind the scenes tour of the state of the art research laboratories.

Publication date: 15 December 2016

Major Festival of Behaviour Change announced

Behaviour change is widely recognised as an essential tool for public services and organisations responding to the considerable contemporary social and demographic changes we are experiencing in Wales, and beyond. A major Festival of Behaviour Change (#BehFest16) running for two weeks between 9-20 May at Bangor University, will showcase the latest thinking in applied behaviour change science, to individuals and organizations interested in learning about, designing, and implementing some of these behaviour change techniques for the benefit of their organisations or of the public at large.

Publication date: 27 April 2016

Making Data Available for Research

SAIL and NWORTH Agree Strategic Collaboration SAIL (Secure Anonymised Information Linkage) and NWORTH (The Bangor Clinical Trials Unit, part of the University’s School of Healthcare Sciences ) have agreed to work together in a collaborative partnership. SAIL is a Wales-wide research resource focused on improving health, well-being and services

Publication date: 13 November 2015

Mind the gap: Differences in attitudes to health and health improvement across Welsh society

A new report by Public Health Wales and Bangor University highlights stark differences in health-related opinions between people in Wales depending on their age and employment, and how they live their lives. People who said they feel healthy were more likely to agree (59 per cent) that the NHS should spend less on treating illness and more on preventing it than those who said they feel less healthy (46 per cent) - who may feel a greater need for health treatment.

Publication date: 13 March 2019

Mobile app helping chemotherapy patients stay safe during treatment at Ysbyty Gwynedd

Doctors at Ysbyty Gwynedd are testing a smart phone app as part of a clinical trial to help patients stay as safe as possible during their chemotherapy treatment. Patients who have been invited to take part in the ‘Keep Me Safe’ trial are using the app to help them take the right steps if any complications occur during their treatment.

Publication date: 20 May 2019

Monumental arts project changing perceptions in Welsh care homes

An arts participatory project involving 122 care homes across Wales (nearly 20% of the total) has brought fundamental changes to the way staff view some of their most vulnerable residents. This was one of the key findings of an evaluation of Age Cymru’s cARTrefu project and presented to ministers and AMs at a special celebration in the Senedd today (Tuesday 10 October 2017).

Publication date: 10 October 2017

Music set to bring comfort to Welsh speakers living with dementia

Welsh speakers living with dementia can now enjoy songs from their past in Welsh, thanks to a Bangor University and Merched y Wawr initiative supported by the Welsh Government to help care givers across Wales improve their quality of life. Music is said to help soothe, stimulate and bring to mind long-forgotten memories. As part of the initiative, care homes across Wales are to be provided with a new CD and playlist of specially curated Welsh language music.

Publication date: 19 July 2019

New Professorship embodies partnership working between University and Health Board

Debbie Roberts feels that she is in prime position to have an impact on nurse education, and to influence patient care, having taken up the Foundation of Nursing Studies Chair in Practice Learning, at Bangor University’s School of Healthcare Sciences . Her appointment to her unique role, supported by the Foundation of Nursing Studies ( FoNS ), straddles both clinical practice and learning. She is able to work with Bangor University’s students and with qualified nurses and other health professionals at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. Her focus is to enhance and develop learning environments for the student nurses at Bangor University’s School of Healthcare Sciences and to support continuing professional development within the NHS across north Wales.

Publication date: 9 May 2017

New guide to health economics for public health practitioners

Dr Joanna Charles and Prof Rhiannon Tudor Edwards of the Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation (CHEME) at the University's College of Health & Behavioural Sciences have produced a new electronic handbook entitled “A Guide To Public Health Economics: a concise desktop handbook”. CHEME is part of the University’s School of Healthcare Sciences and contributes to the Bangor Institute for Health & Medical Research (BIHMR) which brings together health research across the University.

Publication date: 12 January 2017

New insight into cancer drug resistance mechanism

Research from the laboratory of Dr. Edgar Hartsuiker at the Bangor North West Cancer Research Institute , School of Medical Sciences , has been published in the latest issue (29 May) of the high-ranking journal Science Advances . Many cancer drugs kill cancer cells by inhibiting the replication of their genetic material, the DNA. One of these drugs is Gemcitabine, used to treat, among others, pancreatic, bladder and lung cancer. Gemcitabine mimics one of the building blocks of DNA, the nucleoside deoxycytidine, and competes with it for integration into cancer cell DNA. Once integrated, it inhibits DNA replication and thus division of the cancer cell.

Publication date: 3 June 2020

New study aims to give children with autism the best start in life

A ground-breaking new study has been launched understand how to support families affected by autism as soon as they receive their diagnosis. The trial funded by autism research charity Autistica , will test whether offering the Incredible Years® parent supporting programme to families very soon after their child is diagnosed can result in long-term benefits.

Publication date: 20 October 2016

New study calculates alcohol cancer risk in cigarette equivalents to help communicate risk

The well-established link between cancer and tobacco may provide a way to help communicate the links between moderate levels of alcohol and cancer, and raise public awareness of alcohol-associated cancer risks, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health. A team of researchers at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Bangor University and University of Southampton have estimated the risk of cancer associated with drinking moderate levels of alcohol, and compared this to the risk of cancer associated with smoking.

Publication date: 28 March 2019

OPSWISE – Improving the care of older people

A study led by Bangor University has provided a fresh insight into how health services for older people are carried out.

Publication date: 18 March 2016

One hand and two hemispheres: How both sides of the brain get involved post-amputation

Psychologists have shown, for the first time, how our brains’ plasticity and ability to adapt, extends across both sides of the brain. We have known for a while that if one body part or function is lost, then an adjacent part of the brain, which controls a different function, can extend into and ‘take over’ the part of the brain responsible for the missing function. Now functional MRI scans have shown how, in people who have lost one hand, the functions controlling the surviving hand extend across both brain hemispheres.

Publication date: 21 November 2019

One social hour a week in dementia care improves lives and saves money

Person-centred activities combined with just one hour a week of social interaction can improve quality of life and reduce agitation for people with dementia living in care homes, while saving money. The findings from a large-scale trial were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2017 (AAIC) recently. The research was led by the University of Exeter, King’s College London and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, with participation from Bangor University, and was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

Publication date: 19 July 2017

Over 60 and online: New population health report finds older people in Wales actively involved in social media

Welsh over 60s are online and actively engaging in social media, and this could be an important tool for public health. 77 out of every 100 people in Wales aged 16 years and above use one or more social media platforms. 65 in that hundred people use social media on a daily basis. These insights are from a new report: Population Health in a Digital Age: Patterns in the use of social media in Wales published by Public Health Wales and Bangor University today.

Publication date: 28 January 2020

PhD opportunity in medication adherence research

Title: Defining outcome measures for medication adherence in clinical trials Supervisors: Professors Dyfrig Hughes (Bangor University), Bernard Vrijens (University of Liège & WestRock Healthcare), Ian White (MRC CTU, University College London)

Publication date: 12 January 2017

Pharmaceutical companies are profiting from rare diseases

Incentives intended to stimulate the development of more treatments for rare diseases are being exploited to boost the profits of pharmaceutical companies, new research led by Bangor University shows.

Publication date: 22 October 2016

Pioneering programme helping elderly people access specialist care nominated for national healthcare award

A pioneering programme using video technology to help frail and elderly people in rural communities access appointments with consultants has been highly commended at a national award ceremony.

Publication date: 16 June 2016

Pioneering research into benefit of computer games to treat Parkinson’s Disease

North Wales neuroscientists are researching the potential benefits of brain stimulating computer games in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease. The study is being led by researchers at Bangor University’s School of Psychology with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB ) and neurological experts at the Walton Centre in Liverpool. They are studying the effects of touch screen “spatial reasoning games” on the part of the brain used to control movement in Parkinson’s patients.

Publication date: 25 April 2017

Positive psychology: A New Approach to Promoting Healthy Behaviour

We have long been aware that physical inactivity, poor diet, problem alcohol use and smoking have significant long-term health implications. However, reversing lifestyle trends which ultimately result in conditions such as obesity and heart disease, is widely challenging. These health problems significantly reduce quality and length of life for people across the globe. With this in mind, it is important to develop novel strategies which can tackle one of the most pressing public health issues of our time. An exciting and novel approach to this issue has drawn some interesting conclusions. As part of a collaboration between the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) Public Health Team and the School of Psychology at Bangor University, a PhD research project found positive psychology – the study of strengths and virtues which help people feel mentally well – can also promote healthy behaviour.

Publication date: 22 January 2020

Preventable trauma in childhood costs North America and Europe $1.3 trillion a year

Across Europe and North America the long-term impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on health and productivity is equivalent to 1.3 trillion dollars a year, according to a new paper published in the Lancet Public Health . The cost is equivalent to a massive three per cent of the two regions’ combined Gross Domestic Product - or 1,000 dollars a year for every person in North America and Europe.

Publication date: 4 September 2019

Research reveals how housing improvements can lead to health benefits

Warmer homes can improve the health of social housing tenants and reduce NHS service use according to health economists at Bangor University. Working with Gentoo housing association and Nottingham City Homes, Health Economists at the University’s Centre for Health Economics & Medicines Evaluation (CHEME) evaluated the costs and outcomes associated with social housing improvements and found a link between warmer homes and improved health for social housing tenants and reduced NHS service use.

Publication date: 5 October 2017

Responding to adverse childhood experiences - An evidence review

Public Health Wales’ Policy, Research and International Development directorate in conjunction with the Public Health Collaborating Unit at Bangor University, has produced a new report ‘ Responding to Adverse Childhood Experiences’ . The new report, developed by Dr Lisa Di Lemma, examines evidence across a variety of programmes responding to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The report looked at programmes and interventions for 11 individual ACE types, and ACEs as a collective term, to identify common approaches across programmes.

Publication date: 16 May 2019

Safety=Design: Saving thousands of lives and millions of pounds

A project launched in collaboration with Bangor University has the potential of saving thousands of lives by simplifying the way symptoms are identified by healthcare staff and patients.

Publication date: 30 March 2016

Saving millions by giving babies in Wales the best start in life

Investing in programmes and services promoting the best start in life for our infants and children could deliver financial savings over the short and long term in Wales. So argue health economists at the Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation ( CHEME ) at Bangor University in their report “Transforming Young Lives – The Economic Argument for Investing in Early Years” launched today (13th October 2016). CHEME is part of the University’s School of Healthcare Sciences and contributes to the Bangor Institute for Health & Medical Research (BIHMR) which brings together health research across the University.

Publication date: 13 October 2016

Services to Bilingual Healthcare Awarded

A project to provide Welsh cautionary labels has won the prize for Services to Bilingual Healthcare in the inaugural Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Achievement Awards. The partners in the project were the Language Technologies Unit (LTU) at Canolfan Bedwyr and the Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation (CHEME) at Bangor University, together with the pharmacy team at Ysbyty Gwynedd.

Publication date: 23 November 2016

Six from Bangor University appointed Health and Care Research Wales Senior Research Leaders

Six health and social care researchers at Bangor University have been appointed Health and Care Research Wales Senior Research Leaders by Health Care Research Wales.

Publication date: 25 March 2016

Social Science research improves quality of life and care for people with dementia

Research by Bangor University, which was carried out in several care homes in north Wales, is featured in a booklet launched in the House of Commons on Tuesday 15 March. The latest issue of the Campaign for Social Science’s ‘Making the Case for the Social Sciences’ briefings focuses on a number of research projects on dementia at universities in the UK.

Publication date: 14 March 2016

Study into life-long impact of child abuse wins national acclaim

A study that identifies how abused children are more likely to be victims of violence in later life has been awarded the Office for National Statistics (ONS) award for research excellence.

Publication date: 25 October 2021

Teaching students to survive a zombie apocalypse with psychology

In this article originally published on The Conversation , John A Parkinson , Professor in Behavioural Neuroscience, and Rebecca Sharp , Senior Lecturer in Psychology, both of the School of Psychology , describe hhow and why they 'gamified' an undergraduate course in behavioural psychology. Read the original article .

Publication date: 22 May 2017

Tears and laughter as young and old share experiences

Over recent months, in care centres across Wales, an innovative social experiment has been taking place - and the results are astonishing. In a new series of three emotional programmes on S4C, starting Sunday, 10 December, Hen Blant Bach shows what can happen when six children share their day care with a group of pensioners - and the potential transformational effects it can have.

Publication date: 7 December 2017

The Toddlers who took on Dementia

“The Toddlers who Took on Dementia” is a BBC Wales documentary that follows three days of planned activities which aimed to examine what happens when nursery children come together with people living with Dementia.

Publication date: 21 May 2018

The ethical procurement of healthcare products

Bangor University School of Healthcare Sciences contributed to Fairtrade Fortnight with a seminar led by Lucy Bryning, a researcher from CHEME ( Centre for Health Economics and Medical Evaluation ) and Jude Field, a midwifery lecturer and member of the University Fairtrade Steering Group. The seminar focused on ethical concerns surrounding the manufacturing and NHS procurement of medical supplies, such as surgical instruments, textiles and examination gloves.

Publication date: 9 March 2017

The truth about the links between military service and crime

This article by Leanne K Simpson , PhD Candidate, School of Psychology | Institute for the Psychology of Elite Performance, Bangor University was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article . The transition back to civilian life is a challenging period for military personnel – particularly when coupled with one or more of the well-publicised problems faced by veterans , including mental health issues, skills translation and the stigma surrounding military service. In addition, there are several myths regarding the apparently inevitable transition from military service to a life of crime. These are, at best, unhelpful.

Publication date: 27 April 2016

Third of people in Wales use digital technology to self-diagnose – new report

More than a third of people in Wales (34 per cent) use digital technology to self-diagnose health conditions, whilst only 14 per cent make a healthcare appointment online. These insights are from a novel survey exploring how people in Wales use digital technology to support and monitor their health, by Public Health Wales and Bangor University.

Publication date: 30 May 2019

Translating public health economics research into policy and practice

A public health economics expert has highlighted research suggesting that investing in early years has the potential to save millions of pounds across public sectors in Wales, to the National Assembly for Wales ’Children, Young People and Education Committee consultation on the ‘First 1,000 Days’ .

Publication date: 6 February 2017

Treatment of chloroquine poisoning

Research by Bangor University’s Professor Dyfrig Hughes has provided important evidence on the safety of treatments that are being tested for use in COVID-19.

Publication date: 28 May 2020

Trial to answer dilemma of treating childhood epilepsy

One of the largest ever clinical trials in children with epilepsy, which has just been launched, aims to find out which treatment approach works best for children and their families. The nationwide CASTLE trial, led by Professor Deb Pal from King’s College London and Professor Paul Gringras from the Evelina London Children’s Hospital, and in collaboration with Professor Dyfrig Hughes from Bangor University, is one of the only trials to compare antiepileptic drugs against active monitoring with no medication.

Publication date: 28 March 2019

Two Bangor University Professor shortlisted in the inaugural Welsh Women’s Awards

Two Professors at Bangor University have been shortlisted in the inaugural Welsh Women’s Awards 2019 . Both Clare Wilkinson and Debbie Roberts of the School of Health Sciences have been shortlisted for the Services to Education Award.

Publication date: 27 March 2019

Undergraduate research published in a scientific journal

James Edwards has seen his final year dissertation work at Bangor University published in Acupuncture in Medicine . James, now 23 and studying dentistry, researched the effectiveness of acupuncture for nerve pain in the face. He compared treatment outcomes for acupuncture against drug therapy and surgery.

Publication date: 10 June 2020

Wales could save billions of pounds a year through investing in a healthier workforce

A new report by the Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation ( CHEME ), Bangor University has brought together evidence of the economic arguments for investing in the health and wellbeing of the workforce in Wales.

Publication date: 17 October 2019

Want to stay mentally healthy in older age? Stimulate your brain in early life

Stimulating the brain by taking on leadership roles at work or staying on in education help people stay mentally healthy in later life, according to new research. The large-scale investigation published in the journal PLOS Medicine and led by Prof Linda Clare of the University of Exeter, recently of Bangor University’s School of Psychology used data from more than 2,000 mentally fit people over the age of 65, and examined the theory that experiences in early or mid life which challenge the brain make people more resilient to changes resulting from age or illness – they have higher “cognitive reserve”.

Publication date: 24 April 2017

We've located the part of the brain which understands social interactions

The ability to quickly detect and recognise the purpose of a social interaction is as indispensable today as it would have been to our ancient ancestors – but how does the brain do it? This article by Jon Walbrin , PhD Researcher in Cognitive Neuroscience, at the School of Psychology , was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 20 March 2018

What Adverse Childhood experiences are costing European economies

Deficits in child and family support created by COVID-19 must be urgently addressed

Publication date: 9 November 2021

What causes marathon-runners and other extreme sport enthusiasts to catch colds?

Participants in this year’s Snowdon Marathon (28 October), described as one of Europe’s toughest, have been invited to help with research at Bangor University’s School of Sport Health & Exercise Sciences . Exercise physiologists at the School want to identify why some runners appear to be more susceptible to falling ill or feeling poorly after running a marathon or taking part in other endurance activities, while others remain well.

Publication date: 28 October 2017

Why PrEP takers should still use condoms with HIV+ partners

Condoms have been the mainstay of safer sex messages for 30 years as the best way of reducing HIV transmission. In 2012, however, the US food and drug administration licensed a drug to prevent people from contracting HIV, which had previously only been used to treat the infection. This small blue pill was called Truvada , and so pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) was born. By this stage, evidence of the safety and effectiveness of Truvada in reducing HIV transmission was already strong, especially among men who have sex with men. The US decision to licence the drug was quickly followed by World Health Organisation guidelines also supporting the use of Truvada for PrEP, not as an alternative to condom use, but rather as part of a broader HIV prevention approach that included condoms. This article by Simon Bishop , Lecturer in Public Health and Primary Care, School of Healthcare Sciences was originally published on The Conversation . Read the original article .

Publication date: 12 December 2017

Yoga in the workplace can reduce back pain and sickness absence

Back pain is the single leading cause of disability in the world. In the US, four out of every five people experience back pain at some point in their life. In the UK, back pain is one of the most common reasons for visits to the doctor , and missed work . In fact, absence from work due to back problems costs British employers more than £3 billion every year . But there is a potentially easy way to prevent this problem: yoga. Our new research has found that exercises from the ancient Indian practice can have very positive benefits for back problems. Our findings suggest that yoga programmes consisting of stretching, breathing, and relaxation methods can reduce sickness absence due to back pain and musculoskeletal conditions.

Publication date: 8 December 2017

£1.8m funding for major new study into management of bleeding after childbirth

£1.8m funding from the UK National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) has been awarded to run a large study into the drug treatment of bleeding after childbirth (COPE).

Publication date: 21 June 2017

“Can earlier symptomatic diagnosis improve cancer outcomes in Wales”

A report prepared for Public Health Wales by Bangor University makes recommendations for improving cancer outcomes in Wales. The report, “Can earlier symptomatic diagnosis improve cancer outcomes in Wales” is written by Professor Richard Neal of the University’s North Wales Centre for Primary Care Research has been launched at a Conference in Manchester (14 June): Cancer Data and Outcomes Conference 2016: Using data to drive services. Professor Neal is a general practitioner and a leading authority on improving GPs cancer detection rates.

Publication date: 15 June 2016