Pint of Science returns this May
The NC3Rs is once again sponsoring public engagement events around the UK as part of this year's Pint of Science festival.
Pint of Science takes place every May and brings researchers into local pubs to talk about their work. We have been involved in previous years (see what we got up to in 2014, 2016 and 2017) and this year we are sponsoring events in three cities.
Leeds, 14 May – Be Nice to Mice
In her talk Of SuperWorms and SuperMan – Why a little bit of stress is good for you, Dr Patricija Van Oosten-Hawle, University of Leeds, will discuss the ability of nematode worms to overcome stress and thrive, how this can be linked to the human stress response, and how this provides clues that could help delay ageing and age-associated diseases such as Alzheimer’s Disease. Dr Van Oosten-Hawle's research is funded by an NC3Rs project grant.
Dr Virginia Pensabene of the University of Leeds will deliver a talk asking the question: Can we recreate a micro woman-on-a-chip? She will discuss her research into the development of organs-on-chips for studying human fertility, the efficacy of drugs and the role of environmental effects. Dr Pensabene leads the project team for the EASE CRACK IT Challenge.
Cambridge, 15 May – The Changing Face of Animal Research
Open University researcher Dr Chris Heath works on an NC3Rs-funded project that utilises touchscreen technology to improve cognitive assessment in rodent studies. His talk Mind the Gap: using touchscreen computing to facilitate translational neuroscience research will discuss how these improvements translate into benefits for rodent welfare, study design and patient wellbeing.
Dr Maja Wållberg of the University of Cambridge will speak about her NC3Rs-funded research on New approaches to solve the riddle of type 1 diabetes. Her team have made novel observations about type 1 diabetes using a non-invasive imaging technique that requires fewer animals than previous approaches.
Cardiff, 16 May – Cardiff's Next Top Model
Professor Alastair Sloan's talk, Teething Problems: A Biological Approach to Dentistry, will focus on his work in investigating how teeth can repair themselves and developing better models of dental infections. Professor Sloan is the past recipient of an NC3Rs project grant and a current member of our Funding Panel.
Two other Cardiff University researchers will also deliver talks on bioluminescence. Dr Amit Jathoul will deliver a talk entitled Living Light: Red or Dead and James Long, an NC3Rs-funded PhD student, will discuss Bioluminescence from fireflies.
Tickets for these events, as well as all the other events happening up and down the country, are now available on the Pint of Science website for just £4 each. Spaces are limited so book now to avoid disappointment.
We'll see you down the pub!