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Wellcome Trust


Wellcome Trust banks on Chinese cohort study

The Kadoorie Biobank Study in China has received a £2.5 million funding boost to monitor the health of over 500,000 participants aged 35-74 for decades to come. This study will provide valuable insights into environmental and genetic causes of common conditions in China.

Game of two halves leads to brain asymmetry

Research reveals that a competition between the two sides of the brain causes it to become asymmetrical. A protein known as Fgf8 acts as a magnet to attract nerve cells to one side, while another protein Nodal teams up with it to trigger asymmetric development.

SourceWellcome Trust·JournalNeuron·DateJan 14, 2009

HIV's disguises no match for 'bionic assassins'

Researchers have engineered killer T-cells with a receptor that can recognize and destroy HIV-infected cells, regardless of the virus's disguise. This technology may lead to a powerful therapy for HIV treatment and could also be applied to other infectious agents.

SourceWellcome Trust·JournalNature Medicine·DateNov 9, 2008

The 'satellite navigation' in our brains

Researchers have discovered that our brains contain a built-in navigation system, much like satellite navigation, with in-built maps, grids and compasses. The hippocampus is the key area responsible for learning, memory and navigation, which becomes more refined and powerful in London taxi drivers over years of experience.