Student in Berlin

I have just finished my 3rd (and final) year of a Biomedical science degree at Plymouth university, and am travelling here to continue some work carried out by Nick Lyons and Lucy Davison in 2014. who aimed to characterize a Mustelid Herpesvirus; my visit has been organized by my project supervisor, Dr. Michael Jarvis, and by Dr. Bernhard Ehlers here in Berlin.

From the moment I arrived at the Robert Koch Institut, I have been extremely impressed with the facilities, the people, and of course the beautiful weather!  I will be spending around 6 weeks here in Berlin under the supervision of Dr. Bernhard Ehlers, and shall continue to build upon work that has been performed by researchers from collaborating groups, including Michael Jarvis’ laboratory at Plymouth University.

The support during my first few days here has been fantastic; with the guidance of Dr. Ehlers and the fabulous lab technician Connie, I have already successfully run a nested PCR, which will be sequenced early next week. I am eager to get as much experience in the lab as possible, and will keep you updated.

Kati

Awards Celebrate Teaching Stars

Students thank their 'stand out' academics and student representatives at the annual SSTAR Awards

Teaching and learning within the school is a partnership between students and staff.  This relationship is ably demonstrated at the annual Student Union’s SSTAR awards to celebrate academics and students who have gone the extra mile to help students achieve their learning goals. Among the winners from our school was Carole Stoddard, whose use of playdough breasts in cellular science saw her scoop the award for Most Innovative Use of Teaching Methods.  Carole said “I am deeply touched to receive this award. I'd like to thank all the students I have had the privilege to teach over the year for their commitment and the excitement they brought through collective engagement to bring these activities alive. I have also learned so much through them in regard to learning processes and their valuable feedback will continue to shape my teaching for years to come.” Further winners from the school included Arron Jackson for outstanding programme representative, Dr Andrew Foey for outstanding personal tutor and Dr Simon Fox for most dedicated project supervisor and effective feedback.

A sugar tax is the bitter pill that is needed

Last week the Chancellor announced a levy on soft drinks made with sugar, with the revenue raised used to fund PE and sports in primary schools. The BMA suggested that the extra revenue – would amount to 13p on each can and 37p on each two-litre bottle of fizzy drink sold – should be used to make fruit and vegetables cheaper. Dr. Gail Rees, our Nutrition Lecturer (and Deputy Head of School), has been arguing that these are sensible suggestions because obesity – directly and indirectly – is a concern for us all. You can read more about the debate in the article carried by Reuters.

Science in the News Explained

As part of British Science Week, which is a national initiative that has been running since 1994, our  and other Schools' -  postgraduate students organised a 'Science in the News' evening. This event included talks for the public on how various issues appear in the media: climate climate, the relationship between religious faith and science, and the use/abuse of antibiotics. The latter talk was by one of our School's microbiology lecturers, Mat Upton (seen below).

For more information on events organised by the postgraduate students go to https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/whats-on/the-nobel-sessions

Students win Nutrition essay prizes at IFBB event in London

Stefi Guiu (final year Nutrition, Exercise and Health student) writes:

"The Institute for Food Brain and Behaviour organised the second essay competition in the memory of Henry Kitchener. After submitting an essay with the title “In the light of how our diet has changed over the last century, how does nutrition affect the developing brain?” we were selected for the short list of prices. The winner of the Henry Kitchener Prize 2016 was announced at an event in London and the awards were presented by Lady Emma Fellowes. I received the “Runner Up” prize together with £500 and Melissa Pirie the “Highly Commended” prize. At this event, we were also invited to attend a lecture by Professor Tom Brenna of Cornell University, Ithaca, New York on “Nutrition and Behaviour: Are People and Governments Buying In?”. The whole event was very interesting and a great way of knowing people with the same area of interest. Moreover, the topics discussed were of great importance for mental health and nutrition, two areas of great interest nowadays."

Stefi photographed below (top) and Melissa from Human Biosciences (bottom). The winner's essay is on this website and also more information if you are interested: http://www.ifbb.org.uk/news/henry-kitchener-prize-awarded/.

PhD student wins best poster at Cambridge conference

Congratulations to Emmanuel Atangana Maze (below) for winning Best Poster for his work on Endogenous Retroviruses at the recent Blood Borne Virus Day at Cambridge University. This part of Emmanuel's project is in collaboration with Dr Neil Berry at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) in London.

Undergraduate research into diet

Below are a couple of snapshots into some final year research projects being carried out by our students.

"For my final year project I have been fortunate enough to get the opportunity to work with Kathy, a Plymouth University Ph.D. student. Kathy is looking at how diet and physical activity during pregnancy affect the timing and composition of gestational weight gain, and how these maternal lifestyle factors in turn affect infant birth size characteristics. I have been assisting in analysing the women’s diet diaries and it’s great to be able to put into practice things I have learnt in the classroom and apply them to real life subjects. Getting the chance to be a part of a project which may help to inform future interventions and strategies aimed at pregnant women makes me feel privileged, and I look forward to seeing the final outcomes."

Emily Davey (below, with Kathy Redfern on the right)

''As part of my dissertation project I spent three days in my old Primary School collecting data. I was keen to see what the children were bringing in their packed lunch boxes and how this compared with free hot school meals in terms of salt, sugar and fat content. At the end of the week I was asked to meet with the school council to talk about ways we can work together to increase fruit and vegetable consumption at school. It was a highly enjoyable experience and further encouraged me to pursue a career in working with children.''

Ross Phelps (below, with a sample packed lunch)