Here’s a batch of fresh news and announcements from across Imperial. 

From a big win for NHS dieters, to honours for our Finnish academics, here is some quick-read news from across Imperial.

Diet programme success

The success of a national weight management programme has been highlighted in a study in the journal Obesity. The 12-week NHS Digital Weight Management Programme gives diet, exercise and lifestyle advice via a phone app or online, to patients referred by their GP with a high BMI plus hypertension, diabetes or both. 

The 32,000 people who finished the programme in the first year saw an average weight loss of 2.2 kilos (5lbs); with those who attended more (at least 60%) of the programme losing an average of 3.9 kilos (8.5lbs).  

Senior author of the study, Imperial College London’s Professor Jonathan Valabhji, also established the programme in his former role as NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Diabetes and Obesity. He said: “The key is that it was made more accessible to patients in their daily lives. It’s rewarding and encouraging to see the difference it is making.” 

Read the full paper here.

Finnish academics honoured

Two Imperial researchers have been invited to join the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters, one of the oldest learned societies in the country.

Professor Erkko Autio, from Imperial College Business School, and Professor Arttu Rajantie, from our Department of Physics, have been honoured for their respective research in technology transfer and entrepreneurship, and theoretical physics. 
 
The Academy’s members arrange meetings, discussions and educational events, and produce scientific publications and proposals on research and science policy. 
 
Professor Autio said: “I am deeply honoured by this recognition, which came as a complete surprise. But a nice surprise it was!” 
 
Professor Rajantie said: “This double honour reflects the world-leading research carried out here at Imperial and the importance of our research links with Finland. It is particularly important now when we have joined Horizon Europe and are rebuilding research links with our European neighbours. I hope to use my membership of the Academy to further that cause.”
 
Read more on the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters website.

AI research in aviation

A review article involving Professor Laura Mainini, Chair in Aerospace Computational Design and Associate Director of the Brahmal Vasudevan Institute for Sustainable Aviation, has for the first time sought to show how two AI research methods can work together in problem-solving. 

The paper, co-authored by Francesco Di Fiore and Michela Nardelli, Politecnico di Torino, proposes a unified approach where connections and limitations are defined between methods of Bayesian Optimisation and Active Machine Learning. 

Bayesian Optimisation strategically guides decisions based on accumulated knowledge, while Active Machine Learning updates research models with new insights. The authors say the common principles between the methods offer a foundation for effective and innovative decision-making in complex environments such as healthcare, transportation and autonomous systems. 

In steering towards sustainable aviation, these methods can be employed to quickly and strategically select the best materials for aircraft components, considering factors such as environmental impact, weight and strength. The methods can then enable continuous improvement of design parameters.

Plant stress protein 

Imperial researchers have revealed that the function of a protein vital for plants’ stress and pathogen response is consistent across various land plant species. The protein, Rab3GAPL, helps manage a process called autophagy, which breaks down and recycles cell components. 

The results of the study, led by Dr Tolga Bozkurt and colleagues from the Department of Life Sciences, provide insights into the processes that underpin plant resilience under varying environmental conditions. This insight could be crucial for helping crops adapt to the threats of climate change and increased pathogen burden, all while we need to feed a growing population. 

The team used the advanced AI system AlphaFold2-multimer to predict the 3D structure of Rab3GAPL and identified points of interaction with proteins that are essential for sub-cellular transport and recycling systems. In this way, they identified how Rab3GAPL coordinates autophagy and the defence system in plants, including its role in fighting off the pathogen responsible for the Irish potato famine. 

Read the full paper in Current Biology. 

Imaging Symposium 

On 17 April, the Imperial College London and Leica Microsystems Imaging Hub, a collaboration dedicated to biomedical imaging, held its first Application Symposium. Held in the Skempton Building on the South Kensington campus, the event featured scientific and application talks showcasing Leica's advanced systems and AI-supported software. This was followed by hands-on demonstrations and workshops in the newly refurbished Imaging Hub in the Bessemer Building.  

The goal was to foster a vibrant user community committed to advancing optical imaging and its applications in research and innovation. The event attracted over 50 participants including students, post-doctoral researchers and industry members, prompting plans for additional workshops.  

Since its inception in 2021, the Imaging Hub has provided state-of-the-art imaging systems from Leica Microsystems on an annual loan, which includes full servicing and dedicated application support. New users are invited to trial these systems at no cost for a brief period. Application development grants are offered to those interested in more extended access to the state-of-the-art equipment.