The Latest Breaking News from The Wellcome Trust

Dame Bridget Ogilvie obituary

Parasitologist and director of the Wellcome Trust who oversaw the launch of the UK’s flagship genome sequencing centre

The Guardian - UK · May 11

A five-day course of magnetic brain stimulation could help autistic children communicate better

For children with autism spectrum disorder and with an intellectual disability, the options for improving communication and social skills are limited.

The Conversation · Apr 30

Menopause: our study revealed how it affects the brain, cognition and mental health

Menopause is a key period in a woman’s life. This transition is often accompanied by wide-ranging physical and psychological symptoms — some of which can be debilitating and affect daily life. Menopause has also been linked to cognitive problems — such as memory, attention and language deficits.

The Conversation · Feb 10

Scientists unlock secret behind rare disease where flu can cause paralysis

One family said that the discovery offers hope.

Evening Standard · Jul 16, 2025

Anxiety is the most common mental health problem – here’s how tech could help manage it

Anxiety disorders are the world’s most common mental health problem. But it isn’t always easy to get professional help, with long waiting lists in many countries.

The Conversation · Jun 11, 2025

Forget chatbots: research suggests reading can help combat loneliness and boost the brain

Loneliness has become such a widespread problem that Silicon Valley billionaires are now highlighting it to market AI companions, with Mark Zuckerberg recently stating “the average American has fewer than three friends”.

The Conversation · May 14, 2025

How we revealed the life story of PG Tips chimp – written in her bones

Chimpanzees helped to make PG Tips tea famous with their iconic TV ads in the 1970s. But what happened to these animals afterwards? Our new study, using techniques previously used only on human remains, reveals the fascinating life story of Choppers, a celebrity chimpanzee, also known as Ada Lott from…

The Conversation · Mar 24, 2025

Breastfeeding and Ebola: knowledge gaps endanger mothers and babies

Breastfeeding is so important for child health that the World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef recommend that babies should be breastfed within an hour of birth, be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, and then continue breastfeeding in combination with other foods for two years or more.

The Conversation · Feb 7, 2025

Why neglecting your brain health can make it harder to achieve physical goals

Our cognition and mental wellbeing are crucial factors for our quality of life and put us in a good position to contribute to society. Ultimately, it can be near impossible to achieve physical goals and demanding life challenges if our brain health is not optimal.

The Conversation · Jan 27, 2025

Emotions change our perception of time – as demonstrated on The Traitors

In the UK version of the TV show The Traitors, contestants were given five minutes to find as much gold as they could, put it into cages and hoist them before the time ran out. There was a catch though – they weren’t given any information about when the five…

The Conversation · Jan 24, 2025