Research

Oxford University is world-famous for research excellence. Our core commitment is to maintain originality, significance and rigour in research within a framework of the highest standards of infrastructure, training, and integrity.

Search below for a range of research stories by department or topic. These stories include impact case studies, videos, news and the research in conversation series. For more information please see individual department websites.

Photo | Vials in preparation for a vaccine

Trials of Oxford coronavirus vaccine begin in Kenya

Our vaccine work is progressing quickly.

Cyber security graphics

Oxford University creates its 200th spinout company PhishAR

The University of Oxford, through its research commercialisation arm Oxford University Innovation, has created its 200th company based on academic research, PhishAR.

Photo | Vaccine vials on a shelf

Global clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine resume

Our vaccine work is progressing quickly.

American flag

Research finds that inadequate US pandemic response cost more American lives than World War I

Dr Janine Aron and Professor John Muellbauer’s research suggests that around 57,800 Americans would have survived had the US managed the pandemic as effectively as Europe. In other words, the US’s poor pandemic response may have cost the country more lives than World War I.

Utility companies undermining global transition to net-zero emissions

Utility companies undermining global transition to net-zero emissions

The study, published in Nature Energy, is the first to investigate electric utilities on a global scale. Using a machine-learning technique, the research analyses the activities of more than 3,000 companies over the past two decades.

Persistent immune memory of COVID-19 found in recovered patient T cells

Persistent immune memory of COVID-19 found in recovered patient T cells

New research published in Nature Immunology show strong T cell responses in patients recovered from COVID-19Discovery of epitope clusters eliciting T cell response to inform an understanding of how patients recover from the disease and to support fu
super bug

Tackling antibiotic resistance

Impact case study

Jürgen Brem and colleagues in the Department of Chemistry are collaborating with academic and industry partners to develop therapies tackling antibiotic resistance.
film poster

‘Complete Surrender’

Impact case study

What can the writings of thirteenth-century female mystics teach us about love and spirituality in contemporary life? More than you might think, according to Complete Surrender, a short film produced by Oxford University’s Dr Louise Nelstrop and filmmaker Pol Herrmann.
protest march

Operation Condor

Impact case study

An Oxford University research project is helping to achieve justice for victims of transnational human rights abuses.
Photo | Young woman stares out of her window

Oxford leads development of risk prediction model for more tailored COVID-19 shielding advice

Developed in collaboration with a number of partner universities and NHS Digital, this new model could be applied in a variety of health and care settings, including supporting GPs and specialists in consultations with their patients to provide more targeted advice based on individual levels of r

Taking the chance to improve how Parliament works

A central role of Parliament is to scrutinize and amend legislation. Hundreds, even thousands, of amendments can be made as a bill proceeds through the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Brain scan images on a computer

National Consortium of Intelligent Medical Imaging (NCIMI)

Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund - Wave 2 challenge, Data to Early Diagnosis and Precision Medicine
Autonomous robot in a warehouse with three people in hard hats and hi-vis vests

Robotics for a Safer World

Impact case study

University of Oxford’s expertise in developing robots for extreme environments has led to partnerships within two Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund projects, bringing together university and business partners across the UK.

Cybersecurity, risk and resilience: researchers and lawmakers convene in Oxford to explore critical challenges

It comes as Commonwealth countries seek to promote stability in cyberspace through international co-operation as part of their 2018 Commonwealth Cyber Declaration.

Utah Valley University

Enhancing historical understanding through technology

Impact case study

The Quill project, developed by Oxford historian Dr Nicholas Cole and colleagues, is enabling new insights into the study of some of the key negotiated texts of the modern world.
A woman and child in Khayelitsha, Cape Town

Accelerating achievement for Africa’s adolescents

Lucie Cluver, Professor of Child and Family Social Work, leads an £18.5 million research hub aimed at helping 20 million adolescents across Africa to fulfil their potential. Here she talks about her team’s work with adolescents in and outside South Africa, and with the policymakers who shape their lives.
Winter sunset at Lama Temple, Beijing

Shining a light on China's history to build understanding of its future

The ongoing trade war between the USA and China is one of the biggest potential threats to the global economy. With both superpowers imposing billions of pounds' worth of tariffs on each other's goods, it's a bitter conflict – but exemplifies why it's important to build understanding of China, according to Rana Mitter, Professor of the History and Politics of Modern China. Mary Dalrymple, Professor of Syntax, spoke to Rana about how he has informed understanding of China in, and outside, of the country; and established himself as a source of independent expertise to policy makers.
A mass of social media 'thumbs up' icons

From 'disaster' to digital

Iain McLean - So, Helen, can you tell us more about your work relating to policy, at the Turing Institute and beyond?

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