Francis Crick Institute

Researchers from the Francis Crick Institute, King’s College London and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in the UK have characterised a specialised type of immune cell, which plays a key role in protecting and repairing the cells in the healthy human gut. The researchers found that in healthy guts there was a specialised […]

Researchers have identified stem cells in the human thymus for the first time, representing a potential new target to understand immune diseases and cancer. The thymus is a gland located in the front part of the chest, the place where thymocytes (the cells in the thymus) mature into T cells. The thymus has a unique […]

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in the UK have found that molecules in vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower help to maintain a healthy barrier in the lung and ease infection. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a protein found at barrier sites like the gut and the lung. Natural molecules in cruciferous vegetables are […]

A new study has demonstrated that machine learning can accurately predict subtypes of Parkinson’s disease using images of patient-derived stem cells, paving the way for personalised medicine and targeted drug discovery. The work, by the Francis Crick Institute, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, and technology company Faculty AI, has shown that computer models can […]

In a new paper published in Nature, researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in the UK have outlined the structure and function of a protein complex which is required to repair damaged DNA and protect against cancer. The research could help inform the best line of treatment for people living with cancer. People with BRCA2 […]

UK researchers at the Francis Crick Institute, Imperial College London and AstraZeneca will advance the discovery of new ‘molecular glues’ to treat a range of different diseases, thanks to a £11.2 million combined investment. The investment includes a Prosperity Partnership grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and matching funds from AstraZeneca. […]

Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute have found that high consumption of a common artificial sweetener, sucralose, lowers activation of T cells in mice. If found to have similar effects in humans, one day it could be used therapeutically to help dampen T cell responses. For example, in patients with autoimmune diseases who suffer from […]