NEWS

A major Northern Ireland-led medical trial has identified a promising new way to help some intensive care survivors recover at home after life-threatening illness, with researchers saying remote rehabilitation could improve quality of life while easing pressure on hospitals. The groundbreaking iRehab Trial — jointly led by researchers from Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast — has been published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA

School leaders listening to presentations from staff and students Ballyclare Secondary School has opened its doors to school leaders from across Northern Ireland to demonstrate what life looks like without mobile phones during the school day — and staff say the results have been “remarkable”. The County Antrim school has been operating a phone-free system since August 2025 using lockable Yondr pouches, becoming one of the first schools in the area to adopt the approach amid g

New research spanning the island of Ireland has exposed major gaps in the support available to pregnant and postpartum women trying to stay physically active — with researchers warning that thousands are being left without clear guidance during one of the most challenging periods of their lives. The findings, released during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2026, reveal that while physical activity is widely recognised as beneficial before and after childbirth, many wome

Pictured L-R are: Anna Duff, Dementia NI member; Conor Lawell, Empowerment Facilitator at Dementia NI; Dr Jane Luega from Queen's University Belfast; Dr Clara Neary from Atlantic Technological University and Queen’s University Belfast; Paul McCooey, Dementia NI member; and Ciarda Martin-Joyce, Empowerment Facilitator at Dementia NI. A new initiative launched by Queen’s University Belfast and Dementia NI is aiming to help people living with dementia rediscover the joy of read

The radon map of Northern Ireland People living in parts of Northern Ireland with the highest radon levels are more than twice as likely to develop lung cancer, according to a major new study that for the first time connects national radon mapping with cancer registry data at a regional scale. The research, led by Queen’s University Belfast in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin, analysed radon exposure patterns alongside data from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry (

Garrett McCartney from Belfast, proud owner of Bran & Birdy’s with Hayley O’Neill, Food Technologist at CAFRE. A new Northern Ireland pet food venture is moving closer to commercial launch after securing specialist support through an Invest NI-backed collaboration with the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise, in a project aimed at reshaping how dry dog food is served and consumed. Bran & Birdy’s has worked alongside CAFRE’s Loughry Campus to develop a range of d

Professor Stephen Wallace harvesting engineered bacteria for analysis. (Photo: Edinburgh Innovations) A team of UK scientists has developed a pioneering method to turn discarded plastic bottles into a key drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease, in a breakthrough that could transform both pharmaceutical manufacturing and global recycling efforts. Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have successfully engineered bacteria to convert post-consumer plastic into L-DOPA, a fro

An investigation into recurring blue-green algae in Lough Neagh is set to focus on the shoreline at Rea’s Wood in Antrim. A report due to be presented to the Operations Committee of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council at a meeting in Antrim Civic Centre on Tuesday evening (5 April) states that, following a preliminary site assessment, a company has identified Rea’s Wood as “a particularly suitable location for the deployment of its equipment during the summer months”. Th

Cancer patients in Northern Ireland are significantly less likely to survive if their illness is first detected during an emergency hospital admission rather than through planned referral routes, according to newly released data covering diagnoses between 2018 and 2022. Figures published today (Wednesday 29 April 2026) by the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry at Queen’s University Belfast show stark differences in survival outcomes depending on how patients enter the healthcar