The 2025 issue 5 of the epigram newsletter is out now! In this issue we're counting the cost of calories, looking back at our 2025 research successes, and sharing a veritable feast of podcasts. Happy Christmas from us to you and yours.

Exciting news! The EPIC-Norfolk & Fenland studies have been shortlisted by the @novo-nordisk.bsky.social for their Inter-SUSTAIN call. Researchers are now called to submit proposals, and if successful both researcher and study database will receive funding. www.mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk/blog/2025/12...

Have you noticed a school street closure in your neighbourhood? Schemes restricting parking outside schools at drop-off and pick-up times have proliferated across the UK, @jennapanter.bsky.social and colleagues evaluated their impact on school travel. Read more: buff.ly/tNiPnUQ 🧵 (1/3)

Watch a recording of the Bradford Hill Seminar "From Genes to Public Health: The Journey Continues" with Dr Muin J. Khoury, who until recently led the Office of Public Health Genomics at the CDC. buff.ly/Xmqg2aI @phgfoundation.bsky.social @mrc-bsu.bsky.social @dphpc.bsky.social

Yajie Zhao et al. report on the use of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to identify new rare, protein-coding gene varients and biological mechanisms associated with adult BMI and type 2 diabetes risk, using data from the @ukbiobank.bsky.social UK & All of Us studies. Nature Genetics: buff.ly/x8fbPnF

Recruitment and data collection for Fenland phase 3 study is now complete. We are grateful to the more than 5,000 Fenland Study participants who took part in this phase of the study. Read our full news article at buff.ly/VcW4Sm2 🧵 (1/4)

Congratulations to Dr Cara Ruggiero @cararuggiero.bsky.social, who was named runner-up for the British Nutrition Foundation Drummond Early Career Scientist Award 2025, presented at the BNF Annual Conference held at the Royal College of Physicians in central London on Tuesday, 25th November 2025.

Nature Communications paper by Dr Robert Luben et al, using data from studies including UK Biobank & EPIC-Norfolk, identifies novel genetic risk factors for primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) in European populations, ilumnating the genetic underpinnings of this blinding disease: buff.ly/MMcCprh

👉East of England health researchers! 👉Want to learn strategies to reduce barriers in health inequalities? 👉Book onto our free, online Inclusivity training with Dr Heidi R Green via: bit.ly/4peHjYX 👉8 Dec | 10am - 11.30am For info: [email protected] @cuh.nhs.uk @cam.ac.uk @dphpc.bsky.social

"A key strength [of the guidance] is the emphasis on combining medication with behavioural support and on the need for equitable access, rather than presenting drugs as a stand-alone solution." @drmariespreckley.bsky.social comments on new WHO guidance on weight loss drugs. buff.ly/BEypph6 (1/2)

Kelly Kokka & James Woodcock have been awarded funding for a project using AI to help planners create healthier and more sustainable cities. By analysing street camera images and travel patterns across 45 cities worldwide they will create detailed neighbourhood maps showing how people move. (1/2)

Join our next online Bradford Hill Seminar with Dr Muin J. Khoury, who led the Office of Public Health Genomics at the CDC and will discuss: From Genes to Public Health: The Journey Continues! 📅 Wed 10 December, 1 PM (UK) Info and registration - buff.ly/i1j3aoU 🧵 (1/2)

We have donated manually operated clinical couches, automatic BP monitors, ECG machines & clinical trolleys to Medical Aid International; a social enterprise that works to advance patient care in low & middle income countries through long-term, sustainable change.

As the Soft-Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) is extended to cover milkshakes and pre-packaged lattes, it's worth taking a look back at some of the findings from the evaluation of the SDIL undertaken by @martinwhite33.bsky.social and colleagues. studies.mrc-epid.cam.ac.uk/sdil 🧵(1/4)

Looking for reliable, high-quality biological sample processing and storage services? The MRC Epidemiology Unit BioRepository has a dedicated team & state-of-the-art facilities at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Research Park. 📨 For a quote: [email protected] buff.ly/59J0cNp

Can we trust the science of nutrition? Was the question asked of @mrcepid.bsky.social’s Prof. Nita Forouhi & others on an expert panel for the BBC’s A Question of Science. Prof. Brian Cox and guests dive into the complex world of diet, nutrition & food choices. Listen - buff.ly/DSDX2UY

Analysis of changes in physical activity and diet quality in 7,256 Fenland Study participants finds that while improvments in each were independently associated with lower increases in body fat, the greatest benefits were achieved by combining both. News blog post buff.ly/l60E8nz 🧵 (1/4)

"Nutrition must no longer remain a missing pillar in obesity management medication care." @drmariespreckley.bsky.social @cararuggiero.bsky.social & Adrian Brown on lessons from bariatric interventions on nutritional support needed for GLP-1 receptor agonist assisted weight loss therapy. 🧵(1/2)

Hot off the press 🔥 Amazing work to be a part of led by @drmariespreckley.bsky.social and @adrianbrown.bsky.social. Watch this space! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Today is World Diabetes Day & our Brief Interval podcast series ends with Dr Charlotte Boughton discussing the use of automated insulin delivery systems, that aim to impreove outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes. Charlotte is a Clinical Researcher @ims-mrl.bsky.social Listen – buff.ly/zJrvFRo

New analysis by Katherine Kentistou et al. of rare coding variants in UK Biobank participants identifies 9 genes that regulate fetal adipose tissue and fetoplacental angiogenesis as determinants of birth weight, highlighting role of IGFS. Read the @natcomms.nature.com paper: buff.ly/tLbRjj4

Join our rescheduled online Bradford Hill Seminar with @alucassen.bsky.social, discussing: Diagnostic and predictive journeys: Finding the right balance in genomic medicine 📅 Wed 26 November, 1 PM (UK) Register buff.ly/U06QZ9N @dphpc.bsky.social @mrc-bsu.bsky.social @phgfoundation.bsky.social

By 2025 1.27 billion people could have type 2 diabetes. In this podcast, Dr. Chunxiao Li (@mrcepid.bsky.social) discusses the importance of understanding diet's impact on and the link between meat consumption and type 2 diabetes in a podcast. Listen - buff.ly/o2yDBfB Read - buff.ly/XpFXgAx

📢Excited to say that registration is open for Prevention Research 2026, 4-5 March, Birmingham. Visit preventionresearch26.co.uk to book your place and explore the latest research and strategies for preventing non-communicable diseases and reducing health inequalities across the UK.

AMPLIFY is a new study led by @drmariespreckley.bsky.social that seeks to understand how people experience next-generation incretin-based therapies, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, when used for weight management. Read our news post at buff.ly/o6auZ0q 🧵 (1/3)

There are many reasons pregnant women can develop gestational diabetes & researchers from @ims-mrl.bsky.social are investigating interventions that can be used to mitigate the condition. Dr @dftwinn.bsky.social Dr Adriana Paz Cordona Casanova Dr Lais Vales Mennetti Listen - buff.ly/7Kymdzy

By 2050 approx. 1.27 billion people will have type 2 diabetes. This week researchers from @mrcepid.bsky.social & @ims-mrl.bsky.social (@cam.ac.uk) discuss their research. Dr Ana Luiza Arruda, a Research Associate, talks about the multiple morbidities of diabetes in this podcast - buff.ly/ZGB46Go

On 10 November Unit researchers Unit took part in the Postdocs of Cambridge Society (PdOC) Research Showcase 2025. Dr Cara Ruggiero gave a flash talk 'The cost-of-living crisis and infant feeding during the first 1000 days: Qualitative insights from parents and healthcare professionals' 🧵 (1/3)

The Mandala Consortium is evaluating the environmental & social impact of Active Wellbeing Society, which set up a Surplus Food Hub in Birmingham ensuring the redistribution of food to community orgs that support people experiencing food insecurity Read our blog & watch the video - buff.ly/kNyyYej

Mendelian Randomization using UK Biobank data indicates that branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) may causally affect lipid metabolism. Raina Jia et al. propose understanding tissue-specific pathways of BCAA induced lipid dysregulation could inform their use as clinical targets. buff.ly/4CaaJWq

Join our rescheduled online Bradford Hill Seminar with @alucassen.bsky.social, discussing: Diagnostic and predictive journeys: Finding the right balance in genomic medicine 📅 Wed 26 November, 1 PM (UK) Register buff.ly/U06QZ9N @dphpc.bsky.social @mrc-bsu.bsky.social @phgfoundation.bsky.social

The Mandala Consortium is evaluating the environmental and social impact of the Active Wellbeing Society that set up a Surplus Food Hub in Birmingham to ensure the food is redistributed to community organisations supporting people experiencing food insecurity Full video out next week!

(1/2) This webinar focuses on the Intake24 automated dietary recall tool, and highlighted the programme of updates to enable easier customisation for research projects and surveys. The tool is currently used in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Watch - buff.ly/sml783P

(1/3) The expansion of free school meals to all children would bring significant economic and social benefits, as well as tackling food insecurity, according to researchers from the University of Birmingham. Watch the full video - buff.ly/SGakepq

The FRESH study finds that for both parents and children, parent–child coparticipation in physical activity coparticipation was positively associated with daily total physical activity, accounting for more than 10% of the total. Read the Human Kinetics Journal paper: buff.ly/TorVtwe 🧵 (1/3)

Looking for reliable, high-quality biological sample processing and storage services? The MRC Epidemiology Unit BioRepository has a dedicated team & state-of-the-art facilities at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Research Park. 📨 For a quote: [email protected] buff.ly/59J0cNp

In context of climate crisis & environmental limits, a new review by James Woodcock et al. identifies key gaps and proposes a forward-looking research agenda in quantitative health impact assessment (HIA) of environmental exposures linked to urban transport and land use in Europe. buff.ly/s7IDjYC

(1/2) The Mandala Consortium is conducting a range of research projects across Birmingham to investigate how the food system is changing Research has found that the expansion of free school meals to all children would bring significant economic & social benefits as well as tackling food insecurity

Unfortunately the seminar has been postponed. We'll let you know as soon as the event is rescheduled.

Join our next online Bradford Hill Seminar with @alucassen.bsky.social, who will discuss: Diagnostic and predictive journeys: Finding the right balance in genomic medicine 📅 Wed 29 October, 1 PM (UK) Register - buff.ly/R9EBFCr @dphpc.bsky.social @mrc-bsu.bsky.social @phgfoundation.bsky.social

(1/2) This webinar focuses on the Intake24 automated dietary recall tool, and highlighted the programme of updates to enable easier customisation for research projects and surveys. The tool is currently used in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Watch - buff.ly/sml783P

"We call on the international research community to embrace the opportunities that the ubiquity of device-based physical activity assessments brings and to play their role in preparing our children and young people for their digital future". 🧵 (1/2)

Join our next online Bradford Hill Seminar with @alucassen.bsky.social, who will discuss: Diagnostic and predictive journeys: Finding the right balance in genomic medicine 📅 Wed 29 October, 1 PM (UK) Register - buff.ly/R9EBFCr @dphpc.bsky.social @mrc-bsu.bsky.social @phgfoundation.bsky.social

@GDARnetwork researchers have contributed to a new book on Urban Health in Africa. The book assembles a diverse group of scholars to explore the critical impacts of rapid urbanisation on the health & prosperity of Africans. Find out more about the book - buff.ly/LiGwO6N

Watch Professor Danny Dorling discussing the politics of epidemiology and public health in the UK The lecture is part of the Bradford Hill seminar series is the principal series of The Cambridge Population Health Sciences Partnership, in collaboration with the PHG Foundation Watch buff.ly/ptJIaF2

1/4 Marginalised populations in Global South cities face greater climate challenges & extreme weather The study highlights risks from urbanisation, heavy rain, & non-communicable diseases, emphasising the importance of resources, education & training as intervention points Read - buff.ly/wZz71w1

Looking for reliable, high-quality biological sample processing and storage services? The MRC Epidemiology Unit BioRepository has a dedicated team & state-of-the-art facilities at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and Research Park. 📨 For a quote: [email protected] buff.ly/59J0cNp

Sign up for tomorrow's hybrid Bradford Hill Seminar with Professor Danny Dorling of @ox.ac.uk. He'll be discussing the politics of epidemiology & public health in the UK 📅 Wed 15 October, 1 PM (UK) Register - buff.ly/wblZfOx @dphpc.bsky.social @mrc-bsu.bsky.social @phgfoundation.bsky.social

On Saturday we were at the #BigBiologyDay at Hills Road Sixth Form College It was a busy day for our teams from our Unit and @ims-mrl.bsky.social, who encouraged the young visitors to spin the Wheel of Fortune Telling Molecules, play “guess how much sugar”, and learn how much fibre gets you going!

Join our teams from the @mrcepid.bsky.social and the @ims-mrl.bsky.social at the 12th annual #BigBiologyDay at Hills Road Sixth Form College on Saturday 11 October. Opening the doors to the world of science! Find out more - buff.ly/mzBCOMw