Dr SallyAnn Wakeford from the Department of Psychology revealed that adults with epilepsy were more likely to have higher traits of autism and Asperger syndrome.

Characteristics of autism, which include impairment in social interaction and communication as well as restricted and repetitive interests, can be severe and go unnoticed for many years, having tremendous impact on the lives of those who have them.

The research found that epileptic seizures disrupt the neurological function that affects social functioning in the brain resulting in the same traits seen in autism.

Dr Wakeford said: “The social difficulties in epilepsy have been so far under-diagnosed and research has not uncovered any underlying theory to explain them. This new research links social difficulties to a deficit in somatic markers in the brain, explaining these characteristics in adults with epilepsy.”

Dr Wakeford and her colleagues discovered that having increased autistic traits was common to all epilepsy types, however, this was more pronounced for adults with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE).

The researchers suggest that one explanation may be because anti-epileptic drugs are often less effective for TLE. The reason why they suspect these drugs are implicated is because they were strongly related to the severity of autistic characteristics.

Dr Wakeford carried out a comprehensive range of studies with volunteers with epilepsy and discovered that all of the adults with epilepsy showed autism traits.

She said: “It is unknown whether these adults had a typical developmental period during childhood or whether they were predisposed to having autistic traits before the onset of their epilepsy. However what is known is that the social components of autistic characteristics in adults with epilepsy may be explained by social cognitive differences, which have largely been unrecognised until now.”

Dr Wakeford said the findings could lead to improved treatment for people with epilepsy and autism. She said: “Epilepsy has a history of cultural stigma, however the more we understand about the psychological consequences of epilepsy the more we can remove the stigma and mystique of this condition.

“These findings could mean that adults with epilepsy get access to better services, as there is a wider range of treatments available for those with autism condition.”

Margaret Rawnsley, research administration officer at Epilepsy Action welcomed the findings.

She said: “We welcome any research that could further our understanding of epilepsy and ultimately improve the lives of those with the condition. This research has the potential to tell us more about the links between epilepsy and other conditions, such as autism spectrum disorders.”

Mr Hutton spoke at the end of yesterday’s conference to launch the new Institute, which has been established to bring together many of the University’s research strengths and will foster inter-disciplinary research of international excellence and impact

The conference attracted more than 200 internal and external guests who heard from a series of speakers including geologist and TV presenter Professor Iain Stewart.

A further 100 viewers watched the conference online via a live stream and many joined in a Twitter debate, enabling them to put questions to the speakers and quadrupling the IPR’s Twitter following throughout the day.

Will Hutton addresses the conference in the East Building foyer

Mr Hutton, who was delayed due to traffic and gave an impromptu speech in the foyer of the East Building, said that the country needs more evidence-based policy.

He said: “The principle behind the IPR is fantastic, ambitious and it’s the right time to do it. What drove the Industrial Revolution were Enlightenment values and you are reclaiming the Enlightenment tradition with this Institute.”

The event was formally opened by the University Chancellor, Lord Tugendhat. He said in his introduction that politicians rely on university-based academics for ideas and that the country needs the intellectual rigour of research to balance the work of more partisan think tanks.

The conference then heard from Bath academics whose research has the power to make a real difference to policy.

Professor Paul Gregg from the Department of Social & Policy Sciences presented the first session, discussing the long term cost of youth unemployment and the vacuum in service provision.

Professor Anna Gilmore from the Department for Health then discussed the subversive methods used by the tobacco industry to undermine public health.

Session three was presented by Professor David Galbreath from the Department of Politics, Languages & International Studies, who talked about intervention and security in the Sahel.

The afternoon session begun with a video presentation of research at the University addressed to the challenges of climate change. This was followed by a Question Time-style panel chaired by Professor Iain Stewart from the University of Plymouth and presenter of several BBC TV series including How to Grow a Planet.

The panel included Dr Gareth Veal from the School of Management; Dr Tim Mays from the Department of Chemical Engineering; Cherry Beath, BANES councillor with responsibility for sustainability; Professor Baz Verplanken Head of the Department for Psychology and Professor Alison Walker from the Department of Physics.

The panel debated the key issues of climate change and what can be done to address these, taking questions from the audience.

The debate was followed by a presentation from Acting Director for the IPR Professor Graham Room who outlined the ambitions of the Institute. He spoke of the priorities to establish a reputation for rigours and evidence-based research and to project the University’s research into the policy world.

If you missed the launch you can watch the sessions by visiting the IPR website here.

The conference, being held in the East Building on Tuesday 14 May from 1.15pm, will attract delegates and speakers from the worlds of research, policy and professional practice for what promises to be a lively discussion about some of the major policy challenges faced locally, nationally and internationally.

The IPR was formed earlier this year to bring together many of the University’s research strengths and foster inter-disciplinary research of international excellence and impact.

The conference will be available to watch live from the IPR website from 1.15pm where a full schedule of times can also be viewed.

Political economist Will Hutton, former editor-in-chief of The Observer and Chief Executive of the Work Foundation, will speak on the role of research in policy.

Will Hutton

Professor Iain Stewart, geologist and TV presenter of programmes including the BBC’s Earth – The Climate Wars; How to Grow A Planet will chair a panel on climate change, a major focus for the new Institute.

Other speakers include three of the Bath academics involved in the development of the IPR. Paul Gregg, Professor of Economic & Social Policy, will address problems of youth unemployment. Professor Anna Gilmore, Director of the Tobacco Control Research Group, will warn of the dangers to public health from the tobacco industry. Professor David Galbreath will examine the complex nature of the development and security challenges of the Sahel region of Saharan Africa.

Professor Iain Stewart

Professor Graham Room, the Acting Director, will outline plans for the Institute’s future development.

Professor Room said: “The new Institute brings together many of the University’s research strengths. It will provide a platform from which this research can exert a greater influence on public policies – locally, nationally and internationally. The launch conference begins a debate with the academic community and the public at large, around the policy challenges which the Institute will need to address. We are delighted to welcome Will Hutton and Iain Stewart to help us launch this new venture.”

The main sessions of the conference will be available on podcasts on the IPR website after the event.

The conference will begin an open and inclusive debate with the academic community and the public at large. Join in the debate through Twitter, @UniofBathIPR using the hashtag #rethinkingpolicy

To receive more information about the IPR please join our mailing list.

The preview, which was held in the 4West atrium, was attended by the Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Glynis Breakwell, University academics and staff as well as external guests.

Now in its fifth year, the popular exhibition was entered by 35 researchers who were challenged to submit an image and narrative explaining the research they carry out at Bath.

The theme for this year’s competition was ‘Research Matters’, with entrants asked to show how their research makes a difference to the world locally, nationally and internationally.

The judges of the event were Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research) Professor Jane Millar; Dr Steven Hill, Head of Research Policy at HEFCE; and Philip Raby, Director of the Bath Film Festival. The judges chose winners in three categories: Best Image, Best Narrative and Best Overall Entry.

Phantom Nose by Dr Jonathan Cox won the Best Overall Entry

Dr Jonathan Cox from the Department of Chemistry was chosen as the overall winner with his entry Phantom Nose which shows the reconstructed nose of a ghost shark pulled from the depths of the North Atlantic in 1965.

The image is part of his research, carried out in collaboration with colleagues at the Natural History Museum, which studies the complicated structures of the noses of sharks to influence the designers of artificial noses.

Dr Cox said of his win: “I was thrilled, and very grateful to the organisers and judges. It was great to be able to use the image to highlight my collaboration with James Maclaine and Lauren Howard at the Natural History Museum. Without their input, there would have been no image.”

The Best Narrative category was won by Lisa Fitzgerald, Professor Tony Miles, Dr Sabina Gheduzzi, and Tim Holsgrove from the Department of Mechanical Engineering for their entry, Modelling the human knee which explains how their research in knee replacements is helping to meet the demanding functional requirements and high expectations of future patients.

Lisa Fitzgerald: “It’s nice that people are interested in our research. It’s important that people know what we do as we need to engage with them in order to carry out our research.”

Dr Mark Greco from the Department of Biology & Biochemistry was chosen as the winner of the Best Image category for his entry 3-D beehive, which shows a 3-D X-ray of the inside of a beehive.

He said: “I am delighted that my image has won. This image was just one result from many years of pollinator research. The bees need our help now more than ever and I hope that my image will help to raise awareness of global bee declines.”

The exhibition will be on display as part of the city’s annual Fringe Arts Bath Festival in Stall Street on the weekend of 1 & 2 June.

A selection of the images will also have the added feature of augmented reality, meaning visitors will be able to use their smart devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, to scan the images and watch videos and other online material related to the image.

Members of the public will also have the opportunity to vote for their favourite image.

Professor Jane Millar, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research said: “As ever it’s fantastic to see the range of entries and how creative people have been with their images and text. I am delighted that the exhibition will be part of the Fringe Festival as I think this will be an opportunity to reach a whole new set people.”

Dr Steven Hill, said: “I’ve been struck by the diversity of research and how creative the entrants have been. Essentially universities operate on taxpayers’ money and it’s important that they get to see where it is being spent and how it is making a difference.”

Philip Raby added: “It’s great to see a different approach to research that allows researchers to make their work more transparent. A visual image is always intriguing and encourages people to want to know more.”

View all of the entries on the Images of Research gallery.

Professor Conrad Earnest and colleagues studied patients with Metabolic Syndrome, a combination of medical disorders that together increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

The study was designed and carried out in the United States to examine the minimal threshold for exercise benefits based on public physical activity guidelines.

The guidelines, which are very similar to those in the UK, recommend that adults do at least two hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, a week and muscle strengthening for two more days a week.

People who took part in the trial were split into groups and given does set at 50%, 100% and 150% of the recommended guidelines.

The study referred to criteria for Metabolic Syndrome set out in the National Cholesterol Education Program, including waist circumference and blood pressure and used an analytical technique developed by researchers at the Cambridge Medical Research Council.

The results showed that these metabolic syndrome characteristics were improved in those who did as little as 50% of the guidelines.

Professor Earnest said: “Our results show that people can significantly improve their Metabolic Syndrome risk at just half the dose of current exercise guidelines, showing that even a little really goes a long way to improving health. In essence, there’s really no reason not to do something active.”

The results of the study are published in the paper Dose Effect of Cardiorespiratory Exercise on Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women in The American Journal of Cardiology.

Professor Earnest added: “These finding show us that even those who do not enjoy physical activity can still make big differences to their health by doing a small amount.”

Professor Saiful Islam and Dr Aron Walsh were both recognised in the latest round of awards to be announced by the RSC for their work into new sustainable energy materials. The annual RSC awards recognise achievements by individuals, teams and organisations in advancing chemical sciences.

Recipient of the 2013 Sustainable Energy Award, Professor Islam, was selected for his outstanding modelling studies into energy materials for new generations of lithium batteries and solid oxide fuel cells.

Commenting on the award, he said: “I am delighted to receive this award, and would like to acknowledge my fantastic research group at Bath. We are using state-of-the-art modelling techniques to develop sustainable materials for rechargeable batteries with potential use in new hybrid or electric vehicles.”

Winner of the Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize Dr Aron Walsh

Royal Society University Research Fellow and Reader in the department, Dr Aron Walsh, who received the Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize, was recognised for his work into the design of new compounds to convert solar energy. The prize is awarded to a scientist under the age of 32 for the most original and commendable investigation in chemistry.

On receiving his prize, Dr Walsh commented: “I am truly honoured to receive the prize. It is an exciting time to work in the Department of Chemistry, where the sense of community and excellence has really helped my research progress to this level.”

Our Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies, to which the Department of Chemistry is a key contributor, has rapidly become an important hub for sustainable chemistry in the UK.

Head of the Department and Director of the Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies, Matthew Davidson added: “On behalf of all colleagues in the Department and the Centre, I would like to offer my warmest congratulations to Saiful and Aron. It is always gratifying to receive national recognition for our research, but to have two such prestigious awards in one year in the area of energy materials is a special achievement, and one that highlights the strength in depth we have in sustainable chemical technologies.”

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In their new report, the first ever global study of its kind, Laura Williamson and Professor Tamás Székely, analysed data from 471 species of birds, focusing on waterbird species which breed in inland wetlands. These inland wetland habitats are important breeding grounds for birds and are strongly affected by human activities.

Waterbirds make up around 10 per cent of all bird species and are an important indicator for the health of a wetland ecosystem, including lakes, streams and rivers. The main threats to waterbirds are from habitat loss, primarily caused by human activities such as land reclamation and development, agriculture, pollution, transportation and energy production.

Their report identifies East Africa as having the highest diversity of waterbirds, but pinpoints coastal China as the location with the greatest numbers of threatened waterbirds listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The orders with the highest proportion of threatened species include grebes, cranes and storks.

By comparing the locations of protected areas with the number of species, this study found that more targeted conservation efforts are required. Whilst areas in Europe and Brazil were generally well protected, India, China, Argentina, Uruguay, Kazakhstan, Central America and Africa are in need of further protection for wetlands and waterbirds.

Commenting on the main findings of the report, Laura Williamson said: “What we see is that in many sites across the world where waterbirds are most diverse, the conservation measures are unfortunately weakest.

“This global study highlights sites of critical importance for the greatest number of waterbird species possible. Focusing conservation effort in these areas will allow the greatest beneficial impact from limited conservation resources.”

Whilst efforts have been made in recent years to protect migratory waterbirds and their migratory path or ‘flyway’, there has been less focus on non-migratory waterbirds, which are often under-represented in conservation plans.

Professor Tamás Székely added: “Wetlands are providing essential services for humankind, nevertheless, they are disappearing at an alarming rate. Many countries have lost over 50 per cent of their natural wetlands, and the remaining wetlands are often struggling for survival. Our study highlights the need for more substantial conservation efforts to secure long-term viability of the remaining wetland habitats worldwide.”

This work was carried out with colleagues at Ramsar Bureau (Switzerland), Durrell Wildlife Trust (UK), Cambridge University (UK).

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