Friday, 31 October 2014
A Big Biology Day at the Sandford Mill Museum.
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The Essex fair was organised by myself, in collaboration with Chemlsford city council
at the Sandford Mill museum.
Dr Geoff Bowles, curator of
science at the Sandford Mill Museum welcomed the initiative saying, activities
at the museum have been predominantly focussed on the physical sciences and
it’s great to incorporate a life science activity in the calendar.
Education officer at the museum Rebecca Fitzgerald also commended the fair for coming to Essex at a time where the primary school science curriculum is focussed more on the natural sciences as a great way to engage pupils and their families.
Although there is a strong engineering prescence in Chelmsford, there is a natural science activity gap within Essex and Hephzi found the need to introduce the Big Biology Day fair to the region to bridge this gap.
Join us next year for another Big Biology Day. Save the date. 2nd August 2015.
Friday, 17 October 2014
New Beginings
To all my silent readers wondering where I've been hiding since the last post in August, first of all my apologies for the silence.
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I've recently started a PhD at the UCL Institute of Child Health and as all new beginnings go, I've been busy settling into the academic life. It's been an interesting transition after working in industry for so long but an exciting change all the same. I look forward to sharing some of my erratic stories with you over the next 3 years or so.
But that's not all. I've slightly shifted focus back to my first love, Ghana!. I've partnered with Dr Tom Tagoe to launch GhScientific and as a result most of my scientific content will be posted on the GhScientific site.
I still remain a public engagement enthusiast and love seeing the excitement and smiles on the faces of all those school pupils as I intrigue them with the wonders of science and promote STEM careers.
The focus of this blog will now be shifted slightly to public engagement, events and of-course my PhD journey.
Finally, the latest Big Biology Day (@BBD_Essex) event I organised at the Sandford Mill Museum in Chelmsford as part of Biology week celebrations was great with lots of lessons learnt. This will now be a yearly event so stay tuned for the blog post.
My next STEM Ambassadorial event will be at the Appleton school in Essex, next month. I'll be at the ExploreSTEM stand advising on scientific careers.
Thank you all for the support over the years. I'm always open to feedback so feel free to speak up and if you're looking for a derailed scientist to act out a scene from the big bang theory then do get in touch!.
Tuesday, 26 August 2014
Why Mentor?
During
my second year at University, I signed up to a “student as mentor” program
where undergraduates were paired with secondary school pupils to “mentor” them
through to the end of their GCSE. I was young, I was curious, I was full of
energy and feeling adventurous. So when I saw an advert calling for student
mentors, it was something new to try. After the introductory training, off I
went one Wednesday afternoon to my first meet-up with my assigned 16 yr old
teenager. As she walked into the school library, I sensed our levels of
excitement were not at par. Then it dawned on me - this was serious business.
This young girl genuinely needed guidance, a sense of direction, a friend to
talk to, someone to fill in the blanks.
Over
the academic year, our mentor – mentee relationship developed and we had
established a comfortable bond. Sadly, her family migrated to Australia
So
who is a mentor? The British Oxford dictionary describes a mentor simply as an
experienced and trusted advisor. At some point is everyone’s life we come
across experienced trusted advisors who influence certain decisions we make in
one way or another leaving a positive impact. This encounter may have been
informal but the benefit of having a mentor to support and encourage the
personal growth of a mentee has led to an increase in formal mentor- mentee
programs. The end result often being a boost in confidence and self belief of a
young person to maximise their potential. Like many experiences, there is
always something to be learned from all involved and the end result works both
ways.
Becoming
a mentor however is more than just a good will gesture from an advisor. It requires the sincere desire of an
individual to be involved with and help shape the future of another. Becoming a mentor is a responsibility and
requires commitment, trust, an open mind, a listening ear, a positive attitude
and empathy. Becoming a mentor is not a parental role nor is it a teacher -
student relationship. It’s not about being an adult looking out for a child.
Becoming a mentor is about one individual bringing out the best in another.
It’s a mutualistic relationship and one to be enjoyed by both parties.
Most
experienced professionals were once in the “lost” place of a young person.
Times are changing and challenges on young people continue to mount. In these
circumstances it is important that mentoring is embraced by all and experienced
professionals should make more of an effort to inspire a generation by forming
ties with mentees.
I
may have been a novice when I signed up to the mentorship program but by the
end, I had matured in my ability and self confidence and discovered a lot more
about myself. I went in as a guide and we both came away with a better sense of
direction.
There
is no greater feeling of fulfilment than knowing you have made a positive
impact in the life of another. Becoming a mentor is a rewarding journey and one
to be experienced.
Wednesday, 13 August 2014
Dial a thought - A case of telepathy
Great minds they say think alike and twins are often two sides of the same coin where the emotions of one is often sensed by the other. Perhaps a twin reading this post can confirm this myth/truth. Is this a sixth sense, a gut feeling or a case of telepathy? One thing is for certain where telepathy is concerned, like Liverpool and its die-hard fans, you'll never walk alone.
Very creative film-writers have come up with some great movies exploring the concept of telepathy that keeps us all fascinated in our seats. My favorite of these will be 'X-Men 3' with the thrilling scene of Professor X and Jean Grey where we are entertained by a mind controlling battle between the two, with objects flying to a building being uprooted just from mindful thoughts.
Telepathy is described as the transfer of information between two subjects using the mind without any physical form of communication. As absurd as the notion may be, reports of telepathy have been recorded with the latest being an article published in New Scientist in February this year. The piece focused on the phenomenon of telepathy which had been achieved in rats after inserting a mind reading implant in the brain. Although the researchers are far from the finished work the concept remains a potential to be explored with the main hurdle being deciphering the complex communication network of neurons. These telepathic rats however are not the first to make mind reading headlines.
Sherman and Wilkins in their book titled thoughts through space claim to have channeled their thoughts in an experiment where they both attempted to read each other's mind from separate locations over 2000 miles apart. Upon comparison of their notes months later, about 75% of the contents were the same. Could this be mere coincidence, who knows!
One can only imagine the fascination in a future where telepathy becomes the norm as the accepted form of communication. All you have to do is have this device implanted and voila! you're set to chanel your thoughts to another. Almost like the impact of the internet and mobile telephony today which has transformed communication of messages. From telegraphs to letters to emails and text, messages can now be communicated within seconds. Only this time in the case of telepathy, the transmitter / middle man disappears and we will all be a thought away.
As controversial as telepathy may be, the concept can be argued for use in severe cases of disability where physical communication is a challenge. The rats have proven the concept works and mind communication remains to be explored.
So if you've enjoyed reading this piece and wish to comment, forget the tablet, ignore the PC and nevermind the phone because I'm only a thought away.
Sunday, 3 August 2014
Round up of weekly Science news
Why
Ebola is so dangerous
Ebola is still threatening West Africa’s population and
as mortality continues to rise , measure are fin ally being put in place to curb the risk of infection. If you’re alien to the Ebola outbreak, here’s
why it’s making headlines. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-26835233
Eating
more than 5 a day 'brings no extra benefit'
So there you have it. There’s no point over doing it.
Exploring
3-D printing to make organs for transplants
3-D printing of organs could fill the organ shortage
gaps. It’s made headlines but I was a recent open day at UCl and actually saw
this on display. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140730104140.htm
Thai
surrogate mom forgives couple who left behind twin with Down syndrome
This story reminded me of a BBC documentary about a surrogate
clinic in India. A truly disheartening
story and God bless this surrogate mom and all the kind donors for giving this
child hope.
Drug-resistant
malaria is a disaster. We have one chance to halt it
Malaria parasites are getting more resistant and as
the resistant strains evolve so is the death toll on mostly children bitten by
the parasite. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jul/31/drug-resistant-malaria-falciparum-south-east-asia-artemisinin
Minister
Norman Baker wants end to UK animal tests
Lib Dem MP
Norman Baker admits testing on animals will not end soon.
Researchers
eliminate HIV from cultured human cells for first time
Reports confirm, live expectancy on HIV infected
patients has improved thanks to anti retro virals . Still prevention is better
than cure. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140721151905.htm
Dinosaurs shrank for
50 million years to become birds
Turns out
evolutions turned the dinosaurs in to birds. Who knows, another 50years and
they’ll be evolving back into dinosaurs. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25982-dinosaurs-shrank-for-50-million-years-to-become-birds.html#.U961__ldUg8
Sunday, 27 July 2014
Roundup of weekly science headlines
World's first three-parent
baby could soon be born in UK, as Government approves treatment
Three parent babies made headlines this week not so much for the
possibility of preventing mitochondrial disease but because the third parent
remains anonymous. However the scientific benefit of three parent babies is the
prevention of mitochondrial diseases which can lead to severely disabled
babies. I’ve got a blog post coming up on the ethics of this debate. Stay
tuned.
Cancer blood test moves closer
after promising results
Scientist at the University of Bradford have developed a technique to
detect cancer from a simple blood test. This could lead to an end to current
invasive diagnostics test such as biopsies and colonoscopies. Their technique is
different to current cancer blood test in that it is universal. So far, the technique
has been used on three types of cancer with promising results.
Africa 'missing out on biotech
green revolution'
In line with the GM
debate and climate change, another research report by Chatham
house suggests the need to introduce new varieties of crops to boost yield
and increase resistance whiles highlighting the challenge to attract funding
for biotechnology projects on staple crops, such as cassava due to their
limited market.
Trees save lives, reduce
respiratory problems
If you ever wondered why forestry was so important, well basically the
trees just saved your life.
Nigeria tests for first
suspected Ebola case
Ebola continues to threaten the
West African continent after reports suggest the virus has now reached Nigeria.
The current death toll in the region has exceeded 600 according to WHO.
Shift workers at higher risk of
diabetes, study finds
A study published in the journal
Occupational and Environmental Medicine suggests that shift workers have a 9%
increased risk of type 2 diabetes with the risk higher in men. That goes for the
hard working health care professionals, fire fighters etc. Shift workers have previously been reported to
be at higher risk of weight gain and increased appetite – both of which are
risk factors for diabetes. I guess bottom line, if you work shifts, take extra
caution. Expert reaction from the SMC here.
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/25/shift-workers-higher-risk-type-2-diabetes-study
Monday, 21 July 2014
The Changing Landscape of Education in Africa
The president and director of the
London School of Economics (LSE) Craig Calhoun, visited Ghana last month where
he met with Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ernest
Aryeetey to express LSE’s interest in collaborating with educational
institutions in Africa. With Ghana tagged among the worlds fastest growing
economies (although I’m not sure this still stands after recent development)
LSE joins the list of western institutions/organisations looking to strengthen
ties on the continent. Joy Seanehia, Master in Public Health student at
Université Paul Sabatier currently on an internship program at the Noguchi
Memorial Institute of Medical Research gives an account of the evening.
“When Africa rises, a
strategist wouldn’t want to miss out – Joy Seanehia”
On the 23rd of
June, I was told that one of my Nigerian friends was going to be in town from
London. Since I myself had only been in town for a few weeks and was still
getting accustomed to the change that the last 4years had seen since my last
visit, I thought we could be tourists together and discover Accra. So far, I
had the reputation of asking questions like ‘where is Kaneshie? Is Kasoa next
to Dansoman? Where is Abelemkpe? How much should I pay the taxi driver?’ Those
I would consider proper tourist questions so why stop now?
Regardless, I was up for the
challenge and I was to be the one showing her around. I spend a lot of my time
in Legon (home of the University of Ghana) at the research institute, Noguchi
where I do my internship so when my friend said she had a meeting with the Vice
Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey I thought it
perfect for us to meet up for lunch on or around campus. I did some homework so
I don’t come across as completely clueless regarding eating places. It turned
out that plan of mine wasn’t to be. What happened instead was my Nigerian
friend, Sakina Sakina Badamasuiy of the London School of Economics (LSE)
Alumnus who was in my home country ended up inviting me to the dinner with Prof
Aryeetey, the LSE Director and his team, it wasn’t in Legon either. That is
just typical of Sakina to make IT happen even on my own soil. She thought it a
complement when she was being taken for a Ghanaian, so I guess that makes her
one of us now!
Getting to the location, La-badi
Beach hotel, took me out of my geographical comfort zone again, but I made my
way there, gauging how much time to give myself using the expert advice of a
friend, former colleague and partner in crime Jolene. In the taxi, the driver
was surprised when I asked how far away we were from Labadi beach but I didn’t
bother explaining why I spoke impeccable twi engaging him on issues in the
Ghanaian cultures and religions but didn’t know one of Accra’s most popular
hang outs. Once there, I got the cardie/tuk tuk ride to Sakina’s hotel building
which was about 5 metres from the reception. I thought it a waste to be driven
that distance but who was I to complain, instead I posed!
not enough time to focus
camera for the picture and are here
The reunion was lovely and a
chance to quickly catch up on shoes and scarfs (typical gals) before going down
to mingle with the LSE team she brought along and wait for the invited guests
to arrive.
In the presidential dining room,
when Craig Calhoun LSE president and Director of the LSE arrived, the evening’s
event kicked off. At the time, I had no idea who he was so yes I did put the
kart before the horse and browsed LSE president Craig Calhoun’s blog AFTER
dinner. This was even more necessary as I left the dinner table still unclear
about what exactly LSE was hoping to gain from engaging with Africa on the
educational front. I wondered about what the LSE stood to gain from investing
25% of its most impressive research on the continent.
With our plates covered with the
condiments from the buffet, our glasses filled and introductions covered, Craig
broke the ice with a joke of not needing the microphone as he came from a long
line of preachers. He spoke of the LSE’s wish to collaborate with educational
institutions in Africa, and rebuild the relationship which wasn’t a new one but
dated back to the colonial times. He didn’t fail to mention our 3 presidents
who were products of his university, including our very own independence
fighter Dr Kwame Nkrumah. In the midst of all that seriousness, the only
acclaimed politician among us succumbed to his edge to announce his blood link
to the person on page 10 of the LSE brochure on our seats which no one had yet
opened. It looked like he didn’t want to waste any time in informing that a
former president and product of the LSE, Dr Hilla Limann was his uncle. I don’t
know how useful that information was in advancing the evening’s proceedings,
but it wouldn’t be a business dinner without such light moments, especially from
a distracted politician. If you are eager to know who the 3rd Ghanaian
president who also went through the LSE was, here you have it; Professor Atta
Mills. Craig continues on to recount the reasons for the quiet periods that
their relationship with the African countries saw. He made it clear that they
were now back on the continent to rekindle the embers of the African fire that
once went dim. He reminded us of what LSE is about; the betterment of society
using world leading research. Aside from all the wonderful research they were
about, he spoke of the need for these experts to connect with each other and
share ideas. Partnership within the institution and with those beyond is
essential if we want to connect with the local needs, he added.
At some point in the evening, the
politician chipped in with some complaints about the polytechnics going on
strike and resisting the change being applied to their allowance. What is more
vivid to me was how proud he was of his alumnus, Reading University. To this Dr
Abu Sakara Foster joined in though he was also in support of the LSE alumnus,
among which was his son Seidu. Being the former CPP presidential candidate for
2008 he was very believable when he advised the university heads to keep
politics to the minimum.
Professor Aryeetey took over the
microphone and gave us the Ghanaian perspective on the Changing landscape of
Education in Africa. He outlined the challenges the University of Ghana faces
from the competition coming from private universities. He then expanded on the
loss and gain of income from international fees paid by our fellow Nigeria
students. He stressed on the partnerships that exists even with those who
should otherwise be considered as competition, how this exchange was good and
why it should be embraced by leadership in universities across Africa. An
example of that is seen with the University of Ghana learning from the
corporate principles from Ashesi University. This is an example of how to
bridge the gap between the public and the private sector. He called on more of
such partnerships among the different universities on the continent to allow
for the development of new programmes to benefit us all.
Professor Aryeetey, the Vice
Chancellor of University of Ghana on the left
I was particularly excited by the
news of the search for Malaria vaccine. I later asked Prof Aryeetey for details
and was told it involved the collaboration of 5 research institutes on the
continent. He was optimistic enough to expect it to be found in as early as 5
years’ time, but he was realistic enough to talk about the financial burden
that comes with it. He added that it was a problem for the continent and
needed a concerted effort among the research institutes on the continent.
Craig’s main message was on the
need to diversify and not to do what everyone else is doing. He gave the LSE
story as a classical example of differentiation in action. It has worked for
them so far, producing exceptional rewards worldwide since its beginning in
1895. By doing something different, he was alluding to the need for education
institutions in Africa to partner with them when it comes to research and
producing leaders. He kept going back to the role LSE played in producing
pan-Africanists who then came back to get independence for their countries. It
wasn’t just the Ghana story. He added the African appeal with Kenyatta from
Kenya, also an LSE alumnus.
Craig Calhoun, Director of
London School of Economics sitting in between Esther Armah and Seidu Sakara
Foster
As he empathised with challenges
faced by Prof Aryeetey, he recounted his own experiences of interference and
disruption from carrying out his job when politics and the lack of coordination
got in the way. He said the staff in the universities were so used to working
in silos that there were many incidences of him having to introduce faculty
members to each other.
Non academics perspective
on the theme
Fortunately the conversation
didn’t stay among Academics. We got the chance to hear from Nigerian lawyer who
also lectures once every month in a Nigerian university. He shared his
grievance of students going through university but the university failing to go
through them. He spoke of how the concentration of African universities on
world rankings were not ideal for this moment. He thought the focus should be
what Africa’s needs are, including the equipment of its students to come up
with sustainable solutions to Africa’s problems. He wants to see African
companies that could have a legacy of 50 years or 100years. He thought maybe in
20 years, we could be in the position to compete in the league tables.
When the Ghanaian LSE alumni
lawyers came in fashionably late, they were put on the spot to comment so one
appealed to the LSE team to replicate the work done by institutions like Yale
among alumni across the world. According to her, Yale had a stronger network
across more corners of the world and she wanted to see this become the story of
her alma mater.
The journalist and teacher Esther
Armah came in with her appeal for the African institutions to call on Ghanaians
in the Diaspora who were ever ready and willing to help. She gave us an example
of what Star100 was doing and what their recent meet-up in New York had brought
up. This resource of professionals should be tapped into and used to build on
the older model to have something that serves the local market, was her
message. Problems are global but solutions local!
The issue of the gap between
industry and educational institutions was further thrashed out when a fellow
Queen Mary alumnus working for Guinness pointed out the slowness of the Public
universities to engage with the industry. She expects the kind of proactivity
that comes from the private universities. She said industry was busy focusing
on what it does best, which is making money so it was up to the universities to
make known their needs, and look for partners in producing graduates who could
fit into industry. This called for funding and recommendations from the
industry as to what kind of graduates with which skill set should be produced,
those who will be relevant in the industry. According to her, universities like
Ashesi who are so in tune with the industry send their students to companies
like theirs for internships. The buck got passed around to the industry when
the Nigerian lawyer came in to defend the universities by asking the industry
to rather approach the universities and find out how they can support them and
then offer it.
We had a more constructive
response from Prof Aryeetey who acknowledged the importance of marketing and
branding to the university and though it had a long way to go, it was putting
things in place to correct these wrongs. The long and short of THE report that
had surprisingly landed on the desk of Preba Greenstreet, the lady from
Guinness was a step in the right direction. He assured her of the second which
was to follow in their attempt to reach out to the industry. The media was then
suggested as the means to fill this gap and that was where Esther Armah’s point
on good journalism was crucial.
 |
| Sakina and I. Dont we look alike? |
From me, the non-LSE alumni’s
point of view, it is still unclear as to why LSE wants to partner with Africa.
I get it that the presence of students from 156 countries in LSE meant the
learning experience was more enriched for their students with different questions
being asked. But there is still an unanswered question as to why the LSE was
investing so much into creating an innovative Africa sustained by the education
and research, only to get in return an enriched experience. But having one foot
in another camp is always good, so when Africa rises, a strategist wouldn’t
want to miss out. That is my interpretation of the evening and the aim of the
LSE.
Joy blogs at joseanella.wordpress.com
Saturday, 19 July 2014
Weekly science news round up.
Stephen Hawking: Why I support Assisted Dying
The assisted dying debate was revived this week with the
bill being debated
in the house of Lords.. Personally, I’m
against it. Here’s why Stephen Hawking supports assisted dying http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28337443
MH17 victims include
former president of International Aids Society
A shadow was cast over this year’s International Aids Conference when the
devastating news of the shot down Malaysian airline flight MH17 broke. The
scientific community lost about six delegates who were travelling to the
conference one of whom was Professor Joep Lange - a prominent and popular
researcher and a former president of the International Aids Society (IAS). My
condolence goes out to all who have lost loved ones in this tragic incidence. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/18/mh17-victims-president-international-aids-joep-lange-melbourne-conference
'Four-winged'
dinosaur discovery suggests prehistoric beasts could fly before birds
I read this story and had to smile. It reminded me of one of the many media workshops
on journalist and sensational headlines. I won’t spoil the story for you. Read
on…. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/fourwinged-dinosaur-discovery-suggests-prehistoric-beasts-could-fly-before-birds-9610243.html
Heart Cells Transformed into "Biological
Pacemaker"
Patients suffering
from abnormal or slow heart rate rhythms are currently fitted with an
electronic pacemaker to normalise the heartbeat. This is not without its
complications and side effects. Scientists at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute
in Los Angeles have developed a biological pacemaker by injecting a gene into
heart muscle cells, which transforms these normal heart cells into special
cells that can initiate a heartbeat. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heart-cells-transformed-into-biological-pacemaker/
New trigger for ovulation could make IVF safer
An alternative to hCG
hormone stimulating injections have been discovered by Scientists
at Imperial College London and the new method which involves injecting a natural
hormone kisspeptin to make the eggs mature has been tested by clinicians at
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140718214944.htm
UK science minister steps down
So parliament was
busy this week with the cabinet reshuffle after David Willetts resigned as
Science minister. Greg Clark has been named the new science minister. http://www.pharmafile.com/news/190159/uk-science-minister-steps-down. Expert reaction from the Science media center here
Why the immune system fails to kill HIV
Researchers at Karolinska
Institutet may have found an answer to the cause of the delayed development of
an HIV vaccine and cure. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140718095416.htm
Math can make the Internet 5-10 times faster
For the love of math
and the internet, I had to share this. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140717094822.htm
Do women talk more than men? It's all about context
This one’s for the
ladies. It’s all about context according to the experts. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140715214323.htm
Asthma drugs suppress children's growth, study suggest
The question of
whether asthma drugs affect height is arguable. Previous reports have been published
as far back as 1998, some disputed the claims, it was reported again in 2012
and here we are again. At this rate, I may have to conduct my own research into
the effect of asthma drugs. Yep! I’m being a doubting Thomas. Read the expert reaction
from the Science media centre here
Saturday, 12 July 2014
This weeks (Bio) science headlines
Mississippi Baby' now has detectable
HIV
An unfortunate set back to finding a cure to HIV. A baby
thought to have been cured of HIV has levels of the virus detected two years
after the seemingly being cured and not taking antiretroviral therapy. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140710151951.htm
The 1% of scientific publishing
Not exactly breaking news but don’t feel so bad anymore if
those papers are getting rejected. Turns out that less than 1% of researchers manage
to publish a paper every year. http://news.sciencemag.org/scientific-community/2014/07/1-scientific-publishing
Cooling protects oxygen-deprived infants
In March this year animated
suspension made headlines where gunshot victims will be cooled down in an
emergencies to increase their chances of survival. Similarly, researchers at Kings
College London have shown that cooling
down babies at risk of brain damage lessens risk of long-term disability. http://www.nature.com/news/cooling-protects-oxygen-deprived-infants-1.15525
CDC Botched Handling of Deadly Flu Virus
A series of blunders by the US government labs endangering scientist
and the public continues…. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cdc-botched-handling-of-deadly-flu-virus/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciam%2Fhealth-and-medicine+%28Topic%3A+Health%29
First dengue vaccine 'shows promise'
Reported cases of dengue fever have been on the rise so news
of the vaccine looking promising couldn't have come at a better time. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28243587
Blood test breakthrough in search for Alzheimer's cure
Scientists at King College London have identified a set of
10 proteins in the blood which can predict the onset of Alzheimer’s from a
blood test. http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jul/08/blood-test-predicts-onset-alzheimers-disease
Wednesday, 9 July 2014
Big Bang At The Imperial War Museum
The Big Bang Fair Eastern took place at the Imperial war
museum, Duxford on 8th July 2014. This event is part of several
other Big Bang Fair near me events taking place across the country. The Eastern
fair was organised by SETPOINT Hertfordshire, an educational charity whose aim
is to inspire young people about Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths
(STEM).
Set among the historic displays of iconic aircrafts, military
vehicles and artillery from the world war, the day made for a great exhibition
and high impact education for the schools and visitors at the fair. There were
over 80 schools from across the East of England displaying their projects for a
chance to win a prize. School projects were very creative, of high standard and covered
a wide range of STEM subjects. I’m pretty certain the Judges had a tough time
identifying the best projects.
Prize categories include: The Open University Math prize,
MBDA Engineering prize, CREST prize, Society of Biology-Biology prize, Royal
Society of Chemistry-Chemistry prize, Institute of Physics-Physics prize, EEESTA-club
showcase of 2014 prize, TTP Group-most creative/Innovative prize and the RES-sustainable
prize. All the above offered winners of the various categories £200 and £50 to
the runners up. The National science and engineering competition offered 15
places to the best projects at next year’s national big bang fair in March and
a glass plaque. Young engineers for Britain offered £150 for the Duke of York
regional award for creative use of technology and £75 each for the engineering
excellence regional award and for the engineering ethos regional award. Johnson
Matthey offered a special prize of £250 to the best STEM communicator awarded
to an individual or team with an impressive STEM knowledge and enthusiasm.
Exhibitors at the fair did a great job catering for the enthusiasm
of the school pupils and visitors at the fair with their hands of activities. The
Society of Biology stand where I was volunteering on the day entertained guest
with the fortune teller / matching pair game which forms part of the “Biology -Changing the world” project. The project aims to celebrate Biologist of the
past and inspire those of the future. The fastest time on the matching pair game
was recorded and entries went into a prize draw with the help of our giant dinosaur
for the chance to win a giant microbe. Pupils got competitive and had lots of
fun trying to beat the fastest time.
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| Fun with biologist |
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| Did you know Richard Owen invented the word 'Dinosauria'? |
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| A lesson on catalyrtic converters |
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| The secret to wind turbines lies in materials and angles |
Saturday, 28 June 2014
My top 10 selection of this week’s science headlines
1. Drastic action' needed on Ebola
This week, Ebola made
headlines once again as the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history. The current outbreak is reported to have
killed 367 people and infected about 600 so far across Guinea, Sierra Leona and
Liberia. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28033027
Here’s
a WHO fact sheet on the virus. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/
2. Technology allows quadriplegic man to move hand
A micro chip implanted into the brain of a disabled man
allows him to move his hand with his mind. Check it out http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-technology-allows-disabled-man-to-move-paralized-hand/
3. ‘Shoebox IVF' hope for infertile couples
Infertility is a sore subject for couples going through the ordeal
especially where the cost of IVF makes any hope of conceiving your own child bleak.
A new method has been developed which
drastically reduces the cost of one IVF cycle from £399 to £159. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-27814124
4. UK Clinics Import Overseas Sperm Due to Shortage of
'High-Quality' British Semen
Still on the subject of fertility, the UK highlights the
need for a national sperm bank. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/uk-clinics-import-overseas-sperm-due-shortage-high-100032346.html#82R7PTQ
5. Lab Grown "Mini Hearts" Help Battle Heart
Disease
I’ve always found the subject of growing organs from stem
cells fascinating. Scientists at Abertay University have grown mini hearts to be
used in place of animals for research into heart disease and the model looks
promising. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/278906.php
6. Science communication
degree offers 50 free places
With increasing desire for scientist to engage with the
public, science communication has been a recent area of interest and has been
added to the choice of university subjects at a few institutions. A German
University is offering 50 free places to international students. This is a
great initiative especially as the science communication wave has not caught on
to many countries.
7. U.K. researchers call
for more teacher power to improve education
If we are going to be encouraging more pupils to take up
STEM subjects we need good STEM teachers to stimulate and maintain interest.
But how do you solve the problem of a lack of STEM teachers. http://news.sciencemag.org/education/2014/06/u-k-researchers-call-more-teacher-power-improve-education
8. How to win £10
million with your research
The fight against antibiotic resistance continues. The UK
has announced a £10 million prize award for whomever can "create a
cost-effective, accurate, rapid and easy-to-use test for bacterial infections
that will allow health professionals worldwide to administer the right
antibiotics at the right time." http://news.sciencemag.org/europe/2014/06/how-win-10-million-your-research
9. Proof-of-concept for host-directed tuberculosis therapy
established by researchers
Current treatment for TB requires taking antibiotic drugs
for at least six months and sometimes up to two years. With the problem of
bacteria resistance to antibiotics, host-directed TB therapy means that TB
patients who develop resistance to antibiotic treatment will now have an
alternative form of treatment. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140627095153.htm
10. What's eating Luis Suarez: the psychology of biting?
Saved the best for
last. So after the Suarez saga during the Uruguay game with Italy, I said to a
friend, “I’m sure my scientist can diagnose his condition and give it a fancy
name.” Not quite a diagnosis but here you go… http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25789-whats-eating-luis-suarez-the-psychology-of-biting.html#.U66c6_ldWSo
UCL Awes The Public With Cutting Edge Research
"It has never been more important to explain to members of the public the purpose and goals of our research and receive feedback from the local community" - Professor Hans Stauss, director of UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation.
The UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation at the Royal Free Hospital opened its doors on 27th June for the general public to meet the scientist and clinicians, to talk and discuss the cutting edge research and pioneering therapies ongoing at the institute. They also offered a tour of the facilities without forgetting the very important cakes.
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| A beautiful image of a T-Cell interacting with an APC |
There were talks from world class researchers and clinicians
about their ongoing work on cancer, HIV, diabetes and transplantation as well
as the therapies currently in clinical trials. The day was very interactive
with breaks in-between talks to visit poster boards, watch 3D organs being
made, live images of cells battling the immune system, interactive competitions
and hands on fun, as well as a 60seconds HIV test.
As a public engagement Ambassador, I was impressed with the setup
of the day and was highly fascinated by the level of research and progress made
at the institute.
A picture speaks a thousand words and videos…… I guess sums it all. So below are short clips and images from the day.
Then I thought I'll be a guinea pig and get HIV tested in Public. The institute have a vaccine that's completed phase 1 trials. Looking promising.
And we had fun making virusus, This is a good hands on resource for schools and science fairs
Pipetting Competition. All about efficiency, accuracy and preciscion. Yep I've got the best technique. Didnt catch the winning board at the end though!
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