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Getting to the Heart of the Matter: Dr Tony Cammarato (Johns Hopkins School of Medicine) visits BU’s Drosophila scientists.

international

BU’s team of Drosophila scientists were delighted to host a visit from Dr Tony Cammarato, Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Tony (a visiting fellow at BU) met and gave a fantastic talk to colleagues and undergraduates, detailing work spanning three decades that has defined how heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) regulate force during contraction.

(L to R) Dr Tony Cammarato, Ms Jess Whalley, Dr Paul Hartley, Dr Yutaka Matsubayashi

By identifying the specific amino acids that control how muscle troponin proteins interact with the cell’s contractile myosin and actin ‘scaffold’ his research group is explaining how cardiomyopathies develop in humans. The work, which consistently features in the field’s leading journals, is highly significant not only for its rigour and ingenuity but also because it is laying the foundation for medical interventions that correct the cardiomyopathies.

 It is well worth noting that this research relies heavily on genetically defined Fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), a very powerful and tractable tool with which to model the molecular mechanisms underpinning human cardiomyocyte function.

 At BU we use Drosophila to model the effects of ageing, metabolism and environmental pollutants on heart and kidney function. It has become very clear that insect and human cardiovascular systems are affected in the same way by the same problems. So, by working with scientists such as Tony, we can develop experimental approaches that generate findings of relevance to many species, including humans.

RKEDF: UKRI Assurance and compliance for externally-funded grants

Post-award

Thursday 20th June – 10:00-11:30 – Hybrid – Poole House, Talbot Campus

Thursday 20th June – 13:00-14:30 – Hybrid – Gateway Building, Lansdowne

UKRI Assurance and compliance for externally-funded grants

This workshop is aimed at staff who have active UKRI-funded grants, or are in the process of applying for UKRI-funded grants. The workshop will cover; how UKRI conduct its assurance and compliance visits (audits), what you as a principal investigator or co-investigator need to be aware of, how to prepare, and the support you can expect to receive from Research Development & Support. By the end of the workshop, you’ll be aware of the common pitfalls and what you can do to ensure a positive outcome if UKRI pick your project as part of their assurance and compliance process.

The external facilitator for these sessions is Charles Shannon

Please note there is an AM and a PM session on the same day. You are invited to attend online or in person.  

Book your place here – under “UKRI Assurance” in the drop-down menu

For any queries regarding this workshop, please contact RKE Development Framework

Improving Working Practices in Television.

Christa van Raalte has been invited to take part in an  industry round-table: Improving Working Practices in Television. Aimed at television professionals the event promises a thought-provoking discussion about the way television is being produced.  Thought leaders will review some of the harsh realities of production: long hours, immense pressure and a climate of fear that silences concerns.  With valuable crew members feeling disrespected and underpaid, the resulting  exodus threatens the very heart of television.

Christa’s participation in this event follows the recent publication of ‘Where have all the PMs gone? Addressing the Production Management Skills gap in UK TV’ https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/39530/, which Christa first authored along with Richard Wallis, Rowan Aust and Dawid Pekalski.

Dr. Catalin Brylla raises awareness of Research and Social Justice at the Society for Cognitive Studies of the Moving Image

conferences, Research Ethics

Dr. Catalin Brylla, Principal Lecturer in Film and TV and Deputy Head of CESJ, has chaired the DEI Committee for the Society for Cognitive Studies of the Moving Image since 2022, launching several initiatives.  At this year’s conference in Budapest, the DEI focus was on “Research and Social Justice”, featuring a roundtable discussion with Prof. Srivi Ramasubramanian (Newhouse School at Syracuse University) and Dr. Wyatt Moss-Wellington (University of New England). The roundtable, moderated by Dr. Ari Purnama, addressed the following questions:

  • How should media research relate to social justice issues in practice?
  • How do media representations of marginalised identities affect production, criticism, and perception of media?
  • How can media research be decolonised through marginalised perspectives, such as the Global South?
  • How can media research symbiotically involve the communities it studies, such as applying participatory research methods and knowledge exchange?

 

 

Another initiative has been a mentor-mentee programme that has provided support for early-career research on teaching, bidding and wellbeing, organised by committee member Dr. Kata Szita.

Brylla is currently developing with Prof. Jens Eder (Babelsberg University) a model to implement and study the social impact of documentaries, which they presented at the conference in Budapest:

The model is partly based on Brylla’s latest monograph ‘Documentary and Stereotypes: Reducing Stigma through Factual Media‘ (Palgrave 2023) and will be further developed in a research project that compares impact strategies in the UK and Germany.

Parkinson’s disease information day

Tuesday 18 June, 10am-3pm
Bournemouth Gateway Building, Lansdowne

This event is open to all BU staff, students and anyone with an interest in Parkinson’s disease, including researchers, those working in practice and members of the public, please help spread the word about this upcoming event.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided. For further information contact: adrc@bournemouth.ac.uk

To book your place visit: www.bournemouth.ac.uk/parkinsons-disease

This event is supported by funding from British Society of Gerontoloqy’s (BSG) Small Events fund.
For more information about the BSG, visit https://www.britishqerontology.org/

Ageing well together event – Thursday 13th June

The Ageing & Dementia Research Centre are delighted to be hosting “Ageing well together” an event bringing together members of the public, community organisations and researchers for an interactive day to share knowledge and showcase various projects and activities. The event will be in BGB on the Thursday 13th June 10.00- 15.00.

Please invite friends and family to join us. We ask that they register through our Eventbrite link https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/events/ageing-well-together

Any questions about the event please email adrc@bournemouth.ac.uk 

Prof. John Oliver receives European media award

Prof.John Oliver was presented with the European Media Management Association’s highest award for “excellence in media management scholarship and practice” at the annual conference in The Netherlands.

The award also recognises Prof. Oliver’s contribution to the development of the association where he served on the Executive Board for many years and as the President between 2021-23.

Prof. Oliver commented that “whilst it is an honour to be presented with an individual award, it is also in recognition of the many people that have helped me develop my research and the contribution that many of the association’s members have made over the years”.

Health of Nepalese migrants workers research

international, PG research

Today, Sunday 9th June, our paper ‘Health and well-being of Nepalese migrant workers abroad was highlighted by ResearchGate as being widely read.  This scientific paper which was part of Dr. Pratik Adhikary’s PhD study in the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences has been read 1,000 times.

From Lab to Bistro: A Solo Food Marketing Researcher’s Journey in Slovakia and Beyond

Awarded & submitted bids

Greetings, fellow explorers! 😊 As you may recall, I recently had the incredible opportunity to become a Community on Food Consumer Science (COMFOCUS) research fellow and embarked on a research visit to Slovakia. (I’ve just returned to the UK a week ago). Today, I’m excited to share with you my Guljira-lonely planet style story of this fascinating research journey, which also included delightful detours in Budapest and Vienna. So buckle up, because it’s going to be a delicious ride!

Before diving into the details, let me give you a quick overview of how this adventure came to be. It all started at a conference in Prague last year, where I presented my findings from the ACORN research project. Fast forward to now, and I’m preparing to attend the same conference again in a week, but this time in Tromso, Norway, where I’ll present the findings from my first-ever grant project funded by the British Academy Small Grant Leverhulme. Some of you may remember me as the orange/carrot girl with a trolley during the weeks in Feb-March – yup, that’s me.

After seizing the COMFOCUS opportunity, developing my research project and methodology, and choosing the host, I received the exciting news in October last year – and thus began the preparation for my extravagant research journey in Nitra, Slovakia, in late April-May 2024. Here’s a sneak peek into my little research adventure in Slovakia.

The journey began with multiple flights and fun train rides. Armed with my travel buddy Google Translate, I finally arrived in Nitra, a small city in Slovakia, where I was based for three weeks. I was hosted at the Slovak University of Agriculture under the supervision of Prof. Elena Horská and Assoc. Prof. Jakub Bercik.

For the first week, I focused on familiarising myself with the city, grocery shops, and the lab that I would use for my experiment. Observing how people shopped and how they laid out their fresh produce in the stores was fascinating. Who doesn’t love a bit of people-watching? Designing the questionnaire and preparing the stimuli was a particularly fun part. How so?

Let me share an experience I like to call Apple Hunting. We went on a spontaneous wild apple hunt to gather samples for our study. It felt like I was on a game show! When my supervisor said, “pick whatever you like,” and I chose something, she insisted I get double. 🍎😂 It was a good reminder; otherwise, we would have needed another apple hunting trip.

My lab life was far from lonely – I was lucky to have a lab buddy! Irena – another fellow from Kraków Poland and I got to play with some cool gadgets, like an aromatic capsule that tests how different scents make you hungry. Imagine being in a cube surrounded by delicious smells! For my part, I tested how messages framed fresh produce choices, focusing on eye fixation. We stayed up until midnight, and the next day my lab session started at 7:30 am and ended at 4 pm. After this, I had TWO bento boxes and went straight to bed at 7 pm, missing the entire Aurora highlights. 😅.

This trip was a perfect mix of serious research and fun experiments. Big shoutout to my Nitra crew and the COMFOCUS grant for making it all happen! Nitra may be small, but its surprises are endless.

In the end, my journey to Slovakia wasn’t just about research – it was about embracing the joy of discovery, indulging in new experiences, and savouring every moment along the way. Here’s to many more adventures to come! 🥂 Apart from visiting Slovakia, I had the opportunity to travel to their neighbouring countries – Hungary and Austria. In Budapest, a foodie and designer heaven, I immersed in the world of architecture and design, captivated by its beauty and functionality. After my research journey in Slovakia, I continued my journey with a pit stop in Vienna. Surrounded by stunning architecture and rich history once again. I couldn’t resist sampling some Viennese delicacies – because hey, a researcher’s gotta eat, right?

So what’s next? Armed with a treasure trove of insights and findings from my trip, I’m ready to take on the world of food marketing. With a sprinkle of creativity and a dash of neuroscience, who knows what delicious discoveries await?

Now let’s take a moment to simply appreciate the beauty and diversity of the places I’ve visited. Here are some snippets of photographs capturing the essence of my journey.

 

Take your policy engagement to the next step – sign up for one of our online workshops

Training

We have a small number of places available on our Building a Policy Influencing Strategy workshops on Friday 12th and Thursday 18th July.

What you will learn

These sessions are suitable for you if you have already made steps to engage with policymakers, and/or you have attended previous policy training workshops. Public affairs consultant and trainer Carys Davis will deliver both sessions, and they will enable you to:

  • develop key messages, supporting narratives and evidence for policymakers
  • identify and map your audience
  • gain insight into the channels available for influencing.

The sessions will be delivered via Zoom, from 9.30-4.30pm with 15-minute breaks in the morning and afternoon, and an hour away from screens for lunch from 12.30-1.30pm.

About the trainer

Carys Davis has 18 years’ experience  in politics and public affairs. She has worked as a parliamentary researcher for two frontbench MPs, a policy adviser on the environment, food and rural affairs portfolio for a UK political party and was also the public affairs manager for the Financial Conduct Authority.

Book here – limited places available!

Please note these workshops are not intended as an introduction. If you are not sure whether they are suitable for you, please contact the impact team, who can advise. We can also offer 121 bespoke sessions with Carys up until 20 July 2024, which you can book via impact@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Authenticity, Storytelling and Living History to remember events of the 1940s

Over the past few days, we have seen 80th anniversary D-Day commemorations across the country and worldwide.  We have witnessed elements of reenactment, used to highlight the many sacrifices that were made and share a glimpse of what life was like at that time.  D-Day was a pivotal moment in World War II “The D-Day landings of 6 June 1944 was the largest seaborne invasion in history” (Royal British Legion, 2024) liberating Western Europe and marking the beginning of the end of the Second World War.  This year’s D-Day commemorations were even more poignant, as it will likely be the last major anniversary in which original D-Day veterans will participate.  Those of you who have watched just some of the activities over the past few days will have heard original stories of D-Day veterans, shared to educate the generations to come, with the words ‘we will remember’ echoed by so many.  With this in mind, we are pleased to share these timely pieces of work that really push the importance of ‘events’ to help us commemorate such historic occasions, keeping history alive.

The first; a paper published in the Event Management Journal “Presenting an Authentic Reflection of the Past Through Storytelling and Living History in 1940s Events”, by Zoe Leonard and Dr Julie Whitfield. Currently available as open access.

Abstract:  Live events that replicate the 1940s era celebrate the heritage of a defining moment in history. This research presents the results of a study examining authenticity, storytelling, and living history in the context of 1940s events in the UK. The research demonstrates how storytelling and living history intensify the authentic nature of the event, depicting a true reflection of the past and facilitating a collective memory of the era. Through online semi-structured interviews with event organisers and attendees of 1940s events, the findings confirm that organisers feel a sense of cultural duty to tell an accurate story to the best of their abilities. This is supported through living history as presented by reenactment groups. They provide elements of the three concepts of authenticity: objectivism, constructivism, and existentialism. Reenactors provide historically accurate detail and speak with authority, generating what is perceived to be an authentic level of engagement.

The second; a book chapter “Edutainment through Storytelling, Nostalgia and Living History in 1940s Festivals and Events”, in ‘Festivals and Edutainment’, edited by Giulia Rossetti, Brianna Wyatt, Jane Ali-Knight. 2024

This short video provides a Chapter Summary Edutainment Video.mp4

Both pieces of work stem from the MSc Event Management dissertation of Zoe Leonard, supervised by Dr Julie Whitfield, ‘A critical review of authenticity, storytelling and nostalgia within 1940s events in the United Kingdom, to determine if they present an authentic reflection of the past’.

 

Your Lived Experiences as an Academic with ADHD: Research Participants Wanted

I’m looking for participants to interview for a pilot study I’m undertaking as part of my Ed D.  As an academic with an ADHD diagnosis, my research explores the lived experiences of university faculty who have the disorder and how it impacts their professional lives.

My work aims to:

  • Create a more comprehensive portrait of the challenges that academics with ADHD encounter on the job
  • Highlight and promote strengths and abilities academics with ADHD bring to the HE workplace
  • Illuminate how the HE work environment can be made more open, accepting and accessible for academics with the disorder.

Eligibility criteria:

  • You are academic Grade 7 or above
  • In possession of an ADHD diagnosis (any subtype)

When:

  • First two weeks of June 2024

Where:

  • Offline in a venue affording the level of privacy you require, or online if preferred

If interested in participating and/or finding out more, please contact:

Hilary Stepien (Senior Lecturer in FMC) at hstepien@bournemouth.ac.uk

 

NIHR INSIGHT Programme – opportunities

An invitation for those who have project ideas and or would like to supervise research projects.

Inspiring graduates and early career professionals into research. The NIHR INSIGHT programme South West Central Collaboration  – offers opportunities for research engagement. This is a collaboration led by UWE and co-hosted by BU with collaborators and stakeholders across the region.

To find out more about the programme NIHR Insight Programme for South West Central (insight-southwestcentral.net)

Applications for a BU MRes will be through the doctoral college NIHR INSIGHT South West Central Programme | Bournemouth University

 

We are expecting applications to come in shortly for full and part time MRes students as part of the INSIGHT programme starting in September 2024.

  1. Would you like to be a supervisor for an MRes student and or would you like to be part of a supervisory team?
  2. Do you have a research idea that could be undertaken by an MRes student. This might include a literature review + either of the following -(service valuation, audit, analysis of existing data, quality improvement) + Public and Patient involvement and engagement.

 

The fully funded Mres studentships  are available to early career colleagues (within 3 years of registration/work) in health and social care settings (nursing, midwifery, AHP, Social work, public health, pharmacy, chiropractic, osteopath and health care scientists).

 

For further information please contact:

Assoc Prof  Les Gelling – Programme lead BU INSIGHT

Assoc Prof Theo Akudjedu – Innovation and Engagement lead BU INSIGHT

Prof Carol Clark – Host Lead BU INSIGHT