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First home of St Mary's honoured with a blue plaque

On 22 November 2024, the original home of St Mary’s was honoured with a heritage blue plaque from the City of Durham Parish Council to mark the college’s 125th anniversary.
from Left, Anne Elliott, volunteer archivist at St. Mary’s College and alumna, Councillor Susan Walker, Chair of the City of Durham Parish Council and Councillor Carole Lattin, Chair of the City of Durham Parish Council’s Environment Committee and St Mary's alumna and College Principal Adrian Simpson

Leading the world in interdisciplinary research

We have been ranked third in the UK for interdisciplinary science research.
Person wearing protective facemask welding, with bright blue flame visible

Create an event for Durham Global Week 2025

Durham Global Week 2025 will take place from Saturday 1 – Sunday 9 March 2025. All staff and students are encouraged to get involved, by submitting proposals for events to be part of the programme.
Durham Global Week 2025 logo

Wolfson Foundation visit marks 50 years of research support

We are celebrating a milestone in our collaboration with the Wolfson Foundation as Paul Ramsbottom, the Foundation's chief executive, visited us recently to mark 50 years of groundbreaking collaborative work, which has contributed to numerous pioneering projects across our University.
Durham's Karen O'Brien and Paul Ramsbottom OBE of Wolfson Foundation with the team involved in the project

Durham researchers addressing environmental challenges

Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing the world today. In her monthly column, our Vice-Chancellor Karen O'Brien explores how Durham University is both pioneering research to understand and address this global challenge, and working locally to preserve and enhance our beautiful city, county and region.
Vice Chancellor Karen O'Brien smiling

Report calls for legislation to bolster governance of stem cell-based embryo models

Our Professor of Healthcare Law, Emma Cave, has chaired a working group looking into how research involving human stem cell-based embryo models (SCBEMs) should be regulated.
A person looking through a microscope in a laboratory

Brains grew faster as humans evolved, study shows

Modern humans, Neanderthals, and other recent relatives on our human family tree evolved bigger brains much more rapidly than earlier species, a new study of human brain evolution has found.
A digital image of a human brain within the silhouette of a head

Brain cells as traffic controllers

A groundbreaking study led by Dr Marco Bocchio in our Department of Psychology reveals how specific brain cells called interneurons can act as our in-built traffic controllers.
Abstract colourful image of a person's head and brain.

New imaging of bacterial DNA uncovers secrets to future antibiotic design

In a new study, scientists from our top-rated Biosciences department joined forces with researchers from Jagiellonian University (Poland), and the John Innes Centre to reveal how a bacterial enzyme called DNA gyrase twists and stabilises DNA.
Graphic of DNA

New £5m research centre to support North East England’s growing space industry

We’ve launched a new £5m research centre to support North East England’s growing space industry and lead on the sustainable exploration of the cosmos.
Two people silhouetted against a starry sky.

Reflections on COP29

This year, we sent six delegates to the Conference of Parties in Baku, Azerbaijan. Learn how their work helps to address the challenges of an ever-changing and complex world – and inspires the next generation of problem-solvers.
Six headshots of Durham University's COP29 delegates in a row.

National biodiversity award for MammalWeb project

Our MammalWeb project has won a national biodiversity award for its work to gather information on the distribution, abundance, habits and behaviours of UK and European wild mammals.
Otters stare at the camera after being caught on a camera trap