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This month’s medical research roundup from British universities – from ambient AI scribes in clinical consultations and chronic stress drivers of cardiovascular damage to targeted treatments for severe postpartum bleeding.
AI scribes risking loss of patient lived experience, study warns
The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence scribes in medical consultations risks altering clinician/patient dynamics and omitting vital qualitative context, according to a review led by researchers at the University of Edinburgh. The study warns that while ambient speech-to-text tools reduce administrative burdens, their current design prioritises biological metrics over lived experiences.
Approximately 40% of general practitioners in the UK now use ambient AI tools to record consultations. An analysis of 27 peer-reviewed studies, however, revealed that these models systematically overlook non-verbal cues, including facial expressions, physical gestures and emotional distress. Additionally, knowing a consultation is being recorded and processed by automated systems made patients more hesitant to disclose sensitive matters, such as mental health issues, substance use or domestic abuse.
The researchers also highlighted concerns regarding cognitive offloading and clinical skills development. Manual note-taking traditionally helps memory retention and clinical reasoning. Outsourcing this process has led some clinicians to report difficulties recalling patient histories during subsequent visits. The team concluded that future deployment must ensure software architectures capture the holistic patient narrative rather than replacing it with rigid medical summaries.
“Many clinicians are excited about ambient AI scribes, because they promise to cut down on paperwork. But the experiences of patients are poorly considered, and there are real risks that the patients’ stories are lost. This can further disadvantage people who already face marginalisation in health and social care services,” said Lucas Seuren, GAIL fellow and research fellow at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society.
Chronic stress and socioeconomic factors linked to heart damage
Chronic stress from everyday life and socioeconomic adversity may trigger hidden inflammation that causes lasting structural damage to the heart, according to a landmark study led by researchers at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences and Imperial College London.
The research reveals that low-grade inflammation acts as a silent driver of cardiovascular disease, increasing the risk of major cardiac events years before symptoms appear.
Analysing health data from nearly 480,000 UK Biobank participants, the team measured levels of a blood marker called glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) alongside genetic profiles and cardiac imaging. Individuals with the highest levels of inflammation (top 20%) faced a 43% greater risk of heart attack and stroke compared to those with the lowest levels.
Crucially, higher inflammation was associated with silent structural changes, including thickened heart walls, smaller chambers and impaired filling capacity.
While traditional risk factors like smoking and obesity contributed to elevated inflammatory levels, the study highlighted strong links to psychological distress and socioeconomic disadvantage. Researchers identified key inflammatory proteins from the interleukin-1 and TNF families as primary drivers of this damage. Because several of these proteins are already being targeted by therapeutics in clinical trials, combining routine inflammation blood tests with genetic risk profiling could allow clinicians to identify high-risk individuals and offer early preventative treatments.
“Our study… suggests that millions of people could be living with hidden inflammation, which is slowly changing their heart and causing long-term damage – increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Chronic inflammation is complicated, but we know it’s tied to our health and driven by a range of lifestyle and economic factors – meaning people may be at more risk just because of their surroundings, their economic status, their family’s health and their lifestyle,” said Declan O’Regan, British Heart Foundation chair of cardiovascular AI at Imperial College London.
Non-invasive urine test identifies over 90% of bladder cancers
A non-invasive urine test developed by the University of Birmingham and biotech firm Nonacus can detect more than nine in ten bladder cancers in a real-world clinical setting. The trial evaluated the GALEAS Bladder test across seven NHS urology departments and involved 964 patients urgently referred for suspected disease.
The test analyses genomic DNA shed into urine samples to identify trace evidence of malignancy. In the study, GALEAS Bladder detected 92.2% of all diagnosed cancers (71 out of 77 cases). Notably, it achieved a 100% detection rate for muscle-invasive bladder cancers and 97.2% for high-grade tumours. A negative test result corresponded to a 99.3% probability that the patient did not have bladder cancer, increasing to 100% among participants presenting with non-visible haematuria.
Currently, diagnosing bladder cancer relies heavily on cystoscopy, an invasive procedure where a camera is inserted into the bladder. Only 8% of patients investigated for blood in their urine are, however, ultimately diagnosed with cancer. Researchers estimate that using the urine test as a triage tool could eliminate up to 730 unnecessary cystoscopies per 1,000 referred patients.
“These results show that molecular urine testing can be used now to help clinicians decide which patients need an urgent cystoscopy and which can safely have that procedure deferred,” said Richard Bryan, director of the University of Birmingham’s Bladder Cancer Research Centre.
Novel candidate vaccine targeting common cold shows early clinical promise
A novel vaccine candidate designed to protect against rhinoviruses – the primary cause of the common cold – has generated responses in a Phase 1 clinical trial, offering potential relief for patients with chronic respiratory conditions. Developed through a long-term collaboration between Imperial College London and Apollo Therapeutics, the candidate treatment (APL-10456) aims to address a major driver of severe disease exacerbations.
The creation of a universal rhinovirus vaccine has been challenging due to the vast diversity of circulating strains, which encompass approximately 180 distinct types across three viral species (A, B, and C). While rhinovirus infections typically produce mild symptoms in healthy individuals, they frequently trigger severe, life-threatening flare-ups in patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Currently, no targeted antiviral therapies or preventative vaccines exist for the virus.
The randomised, placebo-controlled Phase 1 trial evaluated the vaccine candidate across 144 healthy adult participants. Initial findings from the study demonstrate that a single dose of APL-10456 was well tolerated and successfully induced broad immune responses across all three major rhinovirus species. A second stage of the trial is currently evaluating a two-dose regimen in older adults aged 55 and above, with full data expected later this year before planned trials in COPD patient cohorts.
“With so many different strains of rhinovirus currently circulating, developing a vaccine was long thought to be out of reach. It is very encouraging to see this progress into clinical results… We look forward to learning more from the future studies,” said Sebastian Johnston, professor of respiratory medicine and allergy at Imperial College London’s National Heart and Lung Institute.
Framework redefines rare lysosomal disorders to improve diagnosis
Scientists at the University of Sheffield have co-led a collaborative study that almost doubles the number of recognised rare lysosomal disorders, establishing a new classification framework to support earlier diagnosis and accelerate treatment development. The findings, expand the total number of identified conditions within this group from 70 to 108.
Lysosomes are specialised cellular structures that break down and recycle cellular waste. Historically, lysosomal disorders were defined solely as enzyme deficiencies leading to a harmful buildup of storage material inside cells. Modern cell biology, however, demonstrates that lysosomes perform much broader biological roles – including nutrient sensing, cellular signalling and autophagy. Evaluating conditions against modern functional criteria, researchers categorised 108 inherited disorders linked to defects across 102 genes into 11 broad categories.
The study highlights the multisystem nature of these rare diseases: approximately 80% of affected patients experience neurological and brain issues, while 68% develop ocular complications alongside frequent bone, digestive and blood-related symptoms. By grouping these conditions by shared biological mechanisms rather than isolated symptoms, researchers hope to enable earlier genetic interpretation, inform newborn screening initiatives and facilitate multi-condition clinical trials for ultra-rare disorders.
“Lysosomal disorders are individually rare, but their effects can be debilitating and, in some cases, life-limiting. Our understanding of the lysosome has changed enormously. We now know that it is not simply the cell’s waste-disposal system, and lysosomal disease cannot always be understood solely in terms of an enzyme deficiency and the accumulation of material within the cell,” said Eamon McCarron, lead author and honorary senior lecturer at the University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health.
Research aims to improve care for mothers affected by life-threatening bleeding
A study led by researchers at the University of Aberdeen aims to transform the diagnosis and management of severe postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) by targeting a newly discovered blood-clotting disorder unique to childbirth.
“For many years, we’ve treated severe bleeding after childbirth using evidence largely derived from trauma, which most commonly affects young men, not women. This study is a crucial step in understanding bleeding in pregnant women specifically and could help change how postpartum haemorrhage is diagnosed and treated across the UK and beyond,” said Nicola Mutch, professor of haemostasis and thrombosis at the University of Aberdeen.
Funded by the Scottish government’s chief scientist office, the initiative brings together clinical experts from the University of Aberdeen, NHS Grampian, Cardiff University and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.
Heavy bleeding after childbirth affects approximately 14 million women around the world each year and remains the leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. In the UK, maternal death rates from severe bleeding have failed to decline in more than 25 years. The research builds on the team’s discovery of acute obstetric coagulopathy (AOC), a condition where the body’s clotting mechanisms fail early during severe bleeding. AOC is estimated to play a role in around 675 stillbirths or neonatal deaths across the UK each year.
Historically, severe maternal bleeding has been managed using clinical protocols derived from trauma care, which primarily reflect male physiology. By establishing rapid diagnostic methods and targeted therapies tailored to pregnancy, researchers hope to enable earlier intervention, reduce severe complications and lower mortality rates. The study will run in parallel with the UK-wide OBS UK clinical trial evaluating standardised PPH care packages.
