Latest UK news

Newby to be Hefce chief
Sir Howard Newby, vice-chancellor of the University of Southampton, has been appointed chief executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England. Sir Howard, president of Universities UK, will succeed Sir Brian Fender in October 2001. He is a former chairman and chief executive of the Economic and Social Research Council.

Insulin cure may lurk in gut
Bugs found in the gut could provide the first cure for insulin-dependent diabetes, scientists said today. Neil Williams, from Bristol University, presented the findings at the British Society for Immunology Congress 2000 meeting in Harrogate. Aegis Pharmaceuticals is developing the drug for testing in human trials.

Biotechnology body makes public debut
An expert body created to advise the government on genetically modified foods and biotechnology holds its first public meeting today. Among proposed areas for study by the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission are evaluations of GM crops, gene transfer techniques, policy-making processes and science's social impact.