Blood clots during COVID-19 may be a cause of ongoing cognitive problems

Notes to editor:

For further information or interviews with the article author, please contact: Lisa Jones, Communications Manager, Department of Psychiatry, 
Tel: +44 (0)1865 618206, Email [email protected] Or [email protected].

• This new paper ‘Acute blood biomarker profiles predict cognitive deficits 6 and 12 months after COVID-19 hospitalisation’ is published in Nature Medicine. It will be available here on publication: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02525-y
• The University Department of Psychiatry’s mission is to conduct world-class research, teach psychiatry to medical students, develop future researchers in a graduate programme, teach doctors in training, promote excellence in clinical practice, and develop and provide innovative clinical services. It supports research in four key areas: neurobiology, psychological treatments, developmental psychiatry and social psychiatry. The Department is committed to the translation of scientific discovery into benefits for patients. www.psych.ox.ac.uk
• Oxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the sixth year running, and number 2 in the QS World Rankings 2022. At the heart of this success are the twin-pillars of our ground-breaking research and innovation and our distinctive educational offer.
• Oxford is world-famous for research and teaching excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research alongside our personalised approach to teaching sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions.
• Through its research commercialisation arm, Oxford University Innovation, Oxford is the highest university patent filer in the UK and is ranked first in the UK for university spinouts, having created more than 200 new companies since 1988. Over a third of these companies have been created in the past three years. The university is a catalyst for prosperity in Oxfordshire and the United Kingdom, contributing £15.7 billion to the UK economy in 2018/19, and supports more than 28,000 full time jobs.

The Oxford Health BRC (Biomedical Research Centre):
The Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (OH BRC) led by Professor John Geddes is based at the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. The OH BRC is run-in partnership with the University of Oxford and involves 11 additional partner university and NHS Trusts across England. Support for infrastructure is provided by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) for 11 research Themes focused on brain health.

The NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre :
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) is part of the NIHR and hosted by the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust in partnership with the University of Leicester, Loughborough University and the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group.

The NIHR Leicester BRC undertakes translational clinical research in priority areas of high disease burden and clinical need. These are:

• Respiratory and infectious diseases
• Personalised cancer prevention and treatment
• Lifestyle (including diabetes)
• Environment and health
• Data innovation for multiple long term health conditions and ethnic health
• Cardiovascular disease

The BRC harnesses the power of experimental science to explore and develop ways to help prevent and treat chronic disease. It brings together 120 highly skilled researchers, 45 academic ‘rising stars’, more than 90 support staff and students and over 450 public contributors. By having scientists working closely with clinicians and the public, the BRC can deliver research that is relevant to both patients and the professionals who treat them. www.leicesterbrc.nihr.ac.uk

About NIHR:

• The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:
• Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care;
• Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;
• Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research;
• Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;
• Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;
• Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries.
• NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK Aid from the UK government.
  https://www.nihr.ac.uk/

About the University of Leicester
The University of Leicester is led by discovery and innovation – an international centre for excellence renowned for research, teaching and broadening access to higher education. It is among the Top 30 universities in the Times Higher Education (THE)’s Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 rankings with 89% of research assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent, with wide-ranging impacts on society, health, culture, and the environment. The University is home to more than 20,000 students and approximately 4,000 staff.
For further information and filming requests, please contact the University of Leicester press office on 0116 252 2160 or [email protected]