Students teach healthcare to children

On Wednesday two Biomedical Science students (Seanain Henry and Clishlyn Portunova) gave up their time to work at the John Bull Building teaching healthcare related activities to 60 local primary school children. The visit was part of our partnership with the Millfields Inspired charity’s Widening Horizons project, aimed at inspiring year 5 students from the Stonehouse area of Plymouth to consider different career pathways. The children took part in a carousel of healthcare related activities facilitated by Medical, Dental and SoBS students and the grip/leg strength competition hosted by Seanain and Clishlyn was a particular favourite amongst the two classes! We are looking forward to similar  events in the final Millfields Inspired session and at our Children’s University Workshops on the 6th June.

Seanain and Clishlyn are both part of Widening Access to Biomedical Science (WABS), which is a student-led group who facilitate a range of activities and attend local school and college careers events in order to raise aspirations, inspire students and make Biomedical and Healthcare courses more accessible to everyone. If you would like to join WABS, or learn more about the School of Biomedical Science’s Widening Participation activities, please contact us at the following address.
psmd-outreach@plymouth.ac.uk

Lecturer wins teaching award

One of our lecturers, Cherith Wood, has just won Health Education England's "Inspiring Educator Award" for the South West region. Cherith teaches Clinical Cardiology, both in the university and hospital environment, to Student Cardiac Physiologists enrolled on the B.Sc. Hons Healthcare Science course. She travels across the region to liaise with Trusts and to ensure that the student experience is enjoyable as well as high-quality (the B.Sc. Hons Healthcare/ Cardiac Physiology course currently enjoys 100% employment post graduation). Below is her receiving her award at the ceremony in Taunton this week.

Student in Parliament

One of our Nutrition, Exercise & Health students -- Rachel Hine -- represented the Nutrition Society in Parliament yesterday as part of the Royal Society's 'Voice of the Future' program, which is designed to get young scientists involved in government policy. Her question was answered by Dr Rupert Lewis, who leads the Government Office for Science, this link contains the edited snippet of the question and response.

Rachel writes: "I had an excellent experience at Voice of the Future and I am very grateful to the Nutrition Society for giving me such a rare opportunity. This event has given me first-hand experience of what it is like to sit on a real select committee with members of all different societies in science and technology across the UK. It has made me aware of the potential benefit of more young scientists pursuing a career in politics and particularly how nutritionists may work within government to improve public health". Below: Rachel in the committee room.

Graduate helps set up spinout company

Dr Anas Sattar (pictured below), one of our own graduates, is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in Professor Simon Jackson's group and they have just helped set up a company,  MolEndoTech, to develop their invention of a simple and cheap test for faecal contamination of bathing water (those of us who are sea swimmers will be very aware of the need for this).

Anas writes "I always believed that hard work, determination and resilience are key characteristics a researcher must have when pursuing a research career. It is amazing how an idea or a research question can be translated into a viable product that can be potentially useful to millions of people around the globe. I am pleased that my research is en route to commercialisation and very excited to the next challenges in the future. The spinout of MolEndoTech is a step forward to push fundamental research into application and direct benefit to users."

DodgeBall: students v lecturers

We recently held our our first ever student vs lecturer DodgeBall tournament. This was apparently great fun and, who knows, it may even become an annual tradition….

 

Congratulations to Feisal and his team ‘Diversity’ for being the first winners of the BHCS Students Vs Lecturers Cup.

 

 

Lecturer's TEDx talk on immunology/inflammation

See Professor Simon Jackson's new TEDx talk on communication between immune cells (based on some of his work with cell models and lung infections) entitled "Every breath you take – how cell barriers protect the body"

Lecturer wins 'Jewel of India' award

One of our newer lecturers, Tina Joshi, has just been awarded the Hind Rattan, or ‘Jewel of India’. This is one of the highest awards given to non-resident Indians by the NRI Welfare Society of India, and celebrates her work in combating the rise of antibiotic resistance. You can read more about this on the university site here.