Region's universities lead way in science studies

As students descend on the region this week to start a new term, they might be unaware of the wide range of work being done by their institutions.

But York has researched how a water shortage in 1960s Hong Kong can help the world deal with global warming and looked at saving rainforest wildlife from palm oil production.

Researchers at Leeds University have been studying Saharan desert

storms to improve weather predictions while others have found an energy-efficient way to make fuel out of used chip fat.

Sheffield has seen growth in its research on the ageing population and regenerative medicine. It is also working with Boeing to help manufacturing firms develop technology solutions.

A report on cutting the Government's budget deficit by letting employees redesign working practices has been produced at Hull University where the UK's first centre examining food and disease has been launched.

Sheffield Hallam works the Olympic Games organisers and has worked with firemen to develop fire-fighting robots that navigate and search urban areas.

Ground-breaking work with overweight children continues at Leeds Metropolitan, while Bradford has picked up accolades for its efforts to create a sustainable student village and health studies building.

Prof Mark Cleary, University of Bradford Vice-Chancellor, said it was pleasing to see the region's universities rewarded by moving higher up recent world rankings for research.