Carol Boys, chief executive of the Down's Syndrome Association, said they were following the development of many biomedical research studies into Down's syndrome with interest.

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Sze is a trustee at the Rockefeller University, a research and graduate studies in biomedical sciences, chemistry, bioinformatics, and physics.

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The University of Ulster won its five-star grades for research in biomedical sciences and in Celtic studies.

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Jeffrey Keller, a professor at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who studies aging, metabolism, and neurodegeneration, agreed that seeing results after such a relatively short period of calorie restriction was surprising.

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The University of the West of England (UWE) was also considered, by RAE, to have "high levels of world-leading and internationally excellent research" in Biomedical Sciences, Art and Design and Communication, Cultural and Media Studies.

BBC: University is top for research