Mental health care in Ghana, like many African countries, has a treatment gap of over 80%. In 2012, the Ghanaian Parliament approved a Mental Health Bill aimed at improving mental health care and protecting persons with mental disorder from abuse. The results so far achieved have been a reduction of the treatment gap from 98% to an estimated less than 90% in 5 years. Analysts agree, however, that these achievements are below expectation. Lack of adequate funding is the main reason often given for the under performance of the reform. Whilst this is true, there are more fundamental questions regarding a biomedical approach to mental health that contrasts with the epistemic framework of a large part of the population. These questions revolve around the metaphysical conception of the human person in her autonomy and her vertical and horizontal relationships; spiritual and communitarian. Caesar will explore the normative challenges in the existing parallel models of mental health care and propose a framework of inclusion. Dr Caesar Atuire is a Lecturer at the Department of Philosophy and Classics, in the University of Ghana, Legon. He is a member of the Scientific Committee of the MEMATIC programme of the University of Rome, Tor Vergata. A 2018 AfOx Visiting Fellow, Caesar is collaborating on the NeuroGenE project alongside NEUROSEC team members in the Department of Psychiatry. His publications cover ethics, politics, metaphysics and religion. Caesar is also involved in NGO work that delivers health care to remote communities in Ghana.
A briefing on open access publishing and Oxford's position including guidance on how to comply with the Open Access requirements for the REF and mandates from key funding bodies whilst respecting your publisher's rights and policies. Covers Green vs. Gold publishing routes; funder mandates and publisher policies; Oxford Research Archive (ORA) and Symplectic; OA website/ helpline; what's new. Who is this session for? Research support staff, administrators and librarians, researchers and academics.
According to complementary learning systems theory, integrating new memories into a multi-layer neural network without interfering with what is already known depends on interleaving presentation of the new memories with ongoing presentations of items previously learned. I use deep linear neural networks in hierarchically structured environments previously analyzed by Saxe, McClelland, and Ganguli (SMG) to gain new insights into this process. For the environment I will consider in this talk, its content can be described by the singular value decomposition (SVD) of the environment's input-output covariance matrix, in which each successive dimension corresponds to categorical split in the hierarchical environment. Prior work showed that deep linear networks are sufficient to learn the content of the environment, and they do so in a stage-line way, with each dimension strength rising from near-zero to its maximum strength after a delay inversely proportional to the strength of the dimension, as previously demonstrated by Saxe et al. Several observations are then accessible when we consider learning a new item previously not encountered in the micro-environment. (1) The item can be examined in terms of its projection onto the existing structure, and whether it adds a new categorical split. (2) To the extent the item projects onto existing structure, including it in the training corpus leads to the rapid adjustment of the representation of the categories involved, and effectively no adjustment occurs to categories onto which the new item does not project at all. (3) Learning a new split is slow, and its learning dynamics show the same delayed rise to maximum that depends on the dimension's strength. These observations them motivate the development of a similarity-weighted interleaved learning scheme in which only items similar to the to-be-learned new item need be presented to avoid catastrophic interference.
For individuals and their families, the cancer diagnosis represents one of the most profound and memorable experiences, and can be an emotive and challenging time. Lay-professional encounters which involve the delivery of a diagnosis of serious, life-limiting or terminal illness are complex and difficult for both patient and health professional, and this fundamental aspect of cancer care is reflected in a wealth of literature and medical education focused on best-practice and effective ways to approach such conversations and communication. Such a focus on communication, however, overlooks the broader context within which the patient (and clinicians) find themselves. Namely, the ways by which previous experiences, life events and relationships shape experiences of diagnosis. Relatively little is known about how patients’ broader life experiences shape perceptions of diagnosis, and how the lead-up to a diagnosis is experienced by patients. Here, drawing on qualitative interviews with 80 people living with cancer, I explore patient reflections on living with cancer, with the aim of better understanding experiences of receiving and responding to a cancer diagnosis. Sharing data from qualitative interviews with 80 patients living with cancer from two metropolitan hospitals on the east coast of Australia, I discuss the development of four typologies of responses to the cancer diagnosis: 1) the incongruent diagnosis; 2) the incidental diagnosis; 3) the validating diagnosis and, 4) the life context diagnosis. Through discussion of each of these typologies I will explore diagnosis of cancer as not always (or only) experienced by patients as ‘bad news’, and as perceived and experienced variably according to broader social context and life experiences.
Another indispensable EQUATOR workshop for early career biomedical and clinical researchers led by Dr Jen de Beyer An article abstract needs to be an accurate well-structured summary and entice your readers to read further. As many readers only have access to the abstract, and it is often used by journal editors and scientific committees to decide whether to send the article for peer review, you need to get it spot on. This free workshop is open to University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes staff and students, but we do request that you book a spot. For notification of booking opening and announcement of other EQUATOR courses in Oxford, please join our mailing list by sending a blank email to equator-oxford-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk or email Caroline Struthers (caroline.struthers@csm.ox.ac.uk). Jen de Beyer is CSM’s science writing, dissemination, and publication specialist. She’s here to help your research reach its full potential through clear, complete writing that targets the right audience. She develops resources on how to write fantastic health research articles and teaches science writing skills through the UK EQUATOR Centre.
Professor Mike English from the Nuffield Department of Medicine will discuss his role as Paediatric Group Leader and Wellcome Fellow for Global Health Research in Eastern Africa.His work often takes Child and Newborn Health as a focus but increasingly tackles health services or wider health systems issues.
Numerous sessions taking place at Rewley House. Booking is not necessary but is recommended as most sessions will fill up.
8:40 - Tea and Coffee will be served Context and History Chair: Bryan Ward-Perkins Discussants: Mai Musie (Oxford) and Yoseph Araya (Open University) 09:00 - Introduction to the Manuscript Culture of Ethiopia: Early Developments and New Discoveries - Alessandro Bausi ( HLCES, Hamburg) 09:45 - Ethiopian Authors and Scribes in the Middles Ages: Monastic and Curial Milieu - Marie-Laure Derat (CNRS, Paris) 10:30-10:50 - Coffee Break Art Chair: Judith McKenzie Discussants: Yemane Asfedai (London) and Dereje Debella (London) 10:50 - Illustrated Ethiopic Gospels: From LateAtiquity to the Early Solomonic Period (ca. 350-1527) - Jacopo Gnisci (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana) 11:35 - Ethiopian Manuscript Painting: 16th to 18th Centuries - Tania Tribe (SOAS, London) 12:20-13:30 - Lunch Chronicles and Manuscript Making Chair: Elizabeth Jefferys Discussants: Eyob Derillo (British Library) and Gianfrancesco Lusini (University of Naples "L'Orientale") 13:30 - Ethopian Royal Chronicles: Production and Manuscript Tradition - Soloman Gebreyes Beyene (HLCES, Hamburg) 14:15 - 'Bless the Makers of Parchment. Because They Laboured Much": Craft Practices of the Ethiopian Scribe - Sean m. Winslow (Karl-Franzens-Universitat Graz) 15:00 - Tea Break - Bodleian visit to see some relevant highlights of ots collection
Numerous sessions taking place at Rewley House. Booking is not necessary but is recommended as most sessions will fill up.
A seminar to discuss the General Data Protection Regulation and its relevance to clinical research. Representatives from the Health Research Authority, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Oxford will each give a presentation, followed by a panel discussion. Presentation and Panel discussion: • Chaired by Professor Keith Channon, Deputy Head of Division (Research) & Oxford University NHS Foundations Trust, Director of Research and Development
A presentation on natural history covering kingfishers, butterflies, insects, and many mammals. The Preeces have been photographing wildlife for about 18 years after taking early retirement and have had their work published in many magazines. Please see http://www.anhso.org.uk for more information about the Society.
Another indispensable EQUATOR workshop for early career biomedical and clinical researchers led by Dr Jen de Beyer Your article title is the first – and possibly only – thing that most people will read. A great title grabs your readers’ attention and gives them the full picture about your article. Bring along your latest project to practice writing declarative, descriptive, and question titles. We also talk about keywords, so often relegated to the last 5 minutes before submission This free workshop is open to University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes staff and students, but we do request that you book a spot. For notification of booking opening and announcement of other EQUATOR courses in Oxford, please join our mailing list by sending a blank email to equator-oxford-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk or email Caroline Struthers (caroline.struthers@csm.ox.ac.uk). Jen de Beyer is CSM’s science writing, dissemination, and publication specialist. She’s here to help your research reach its full potential through clear, complete writing that targets the right audience. She develops resources on how to write fantastic health research articles and teaches science writing skills through the UK EQUATOR Centre.
Dr. Evandro F. Fang is investigating the molecular mechanisms of one of the most fundamental and fascinating topics in current biology: human aging. After finished his Ph.D training in Biochemistry at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2012, he started a 5-year postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute on Aging USA with Dr. Vilhelm Bohr, focusing on the roles of the “human power house” mitochondria in human aging and age-related diseases, especially the role of DNA damage in neurodegeneration. In September 2017, he established his independent laboratory at the University of Oslo, Norway. His laboratory is focused on the molecular mechanisms of how cells clear their damaged and aged mitochondria, a process called “mitophagy”, as well as the roles of mitophagy in Alzheimer’s disease. He is fascinated with and actively engaged in moving his laboratory findings to translational applications, with the overarching goal to establish novel and safe biological approaches to promote longer and healthier human lives. He has published over 55 papers in peer-reviewed journals with an H index of 23. He has received several awards including The NIH Fellows Award for Research Excellence 2014, 2015, and an awardee of the prestigious Butler-Williams Scholar on Aging 2016 (USA), an FRIMEDBIO Young Research Talent 2017(Norway), and a finalist of the 2017 ERC Starting grant.
In this lecture Persi Diaconis will take a look at some of our most primitive images of chance - flipping a coin, rolling a roulette wheel and shuffling cards - and via a little bit of mathematics (and a smidgen of physics) show that sometimes things are not very random at all. Indeed chance is sometimes confused with frequency and this confusion carries over to a confusion between chance and evidence. All of which explains our wild misuse of probability and statistical models. Persi Diaconis is the co-author of 'Ten Great Ideas about Chance (2017) and is the Mary V. Sunseri Professor of Statistics and Mathematics at Stanford University. 5-6pm Mathematical Institute Oxford Please email external-relations@maths.ox.ac.uk to register. Watch live: facebook.com/OxfordMathematics livestream.com/oxuni/PersiDiaconis The Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures are generously supported by XTX Markets.
Dr Maria Esperidião will discuss her paper on reporting Zika which is based on content analysis, interviews and literature review. She grounds her research in studies on framing and seeks to discuss what were the main narratives adopted by CNN, BBC and Al-Jazeera during the Zika outbreak, in 2016, when shocking images of tiny-headed newborn babies were brought into living rooms across the world. This appeared to be the starting bell for yet another frightening epidemic in a tropical paradise preparing to host the Olympic Games. In this “exotic” scenario, a mosquito jeopardized pregnancy and therefore human reproduction. After analyzing the prevalence of 7 news frames on 211 videos posted in these media outlet websites, she concludes that in regards to Zika and Microcephaly (congenital Zika syndrome), Risk and Uncertainty was the most seen frame on news feeds. It also seems that the virus became irrelevant once it was no longer a global outbreak, but, above all, another disease of poverty.
A presentation of Acland’s Video Atlas of Anatomy, which will be available to members of the University from September 2018. In this session an expert trainer of the Wolters Kluwer publishing company will talk through its contents, features, compatibility on mobile devices and how it integrates into a teaching programme. Do bring your tablet or smart phone if you want to try the video atlas on different screens. Please note, this is a resource of videos showing real human cadavers that some may find upsetting. For a preview go to http://aclandanatomy.com
School of Geography and the Environment and St John's College, Oxford. Pre-dinner talk by Prof James Ford (ECM 2000-01): "The societal impacts of climate change: What we can learn from the Arctic". More information: http://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/people/alumni/alum-dinner-2018.html
The link between stromal cells that control inflammation and tissue damage remains unclear. To this end we have endeavoured to identify stromal cell markers that are upregulated in rheumatoid arthritis and then assess their function. This seminar will discuss one such marker, CD248/Endosialin, and our finding that it acts as a negative regulator of bone formation under resting conditions. We have recently identified a novel, endothelial-specific complex (Multimerin-CLEC14A) for CD248 and demonstrated that this complex is required for sprouting angiogenesis. Given that the vasculature plays a crucial role in controlling osteoblast trafficking and maturation we are now exploring the implications of manipulating this pathway during synovial inflammation and bone damage.
Do you need help managing your references? Do you need help citing references in your documents? This hour-long session will introduce you to Mendeley (www.mendeley.com) - a free programme which can help you to store, organise and retrieve your references and PDFs; as well as cite references in documents and create bibliographies quickly and easily.
Learn about best practice in working together with members of the public to appoint staff.
Myopia (shortsightedness) is a leading cause of visual impairment worldwide. Its prevalence reaches 80-90% in some Asian populations while it is much lower in Western populations. Myopia is complex disease with contribution from environmental and genetic factors as well as their interactions. Time spent outdoors and years spent in education are risk factors. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have also identified numerous common genetic variants associated with refractive error and myopia. Understandably, the interactions between environmental and genetic factors are much less studied in human cohorts. To identify gene-environment interactions conferring susceptibility to myopia, a GWAS was performed in chicks whose vision was monocularly deprived by putting a diffuser over one eye. One locus encompassing the genes PIK3CG and PRKAR2B was found genome-wide significant after Bonferroni adjustment. The results were validated with three large human cohorts. To search for independent evidence of a role for the PI3K signalling pathway in refractive development, we also used multivariable Mendelian randomization to assess the causal role of lipids. This work identifies the PIK3CG-PRKAR2B locus as a mediator of susceptibility to environmentally induced myopia in a well-established animal model, and confirms a role for PI3K signalling pathway in conferring susceptibility to myopia in three independent human cohorts. Prof. Yip is a professor in the Department of Health Technology and Informatics, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He took up the Headship of the Department in January 2016. He obtained his PhD in Human Genetics from University College London in 1997. His research interests focus on genetic variations – their detection, application and significance in relation to human health-related conditions. In particular, his current projects revolve around (a) genomics of ocular diseases (e.g. myopia), (b) molecular genetics of blood cancers and (c) molecular diagnostics. His on-going work investigates the functional effects of genetic variants identified in GWAS. He collaborates with researchers from local and overseas universities and a large research consortium (Consortium for Refractive Errors and Myopia, CREAM). He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers.
Generous, unrestricted funding support from Vifor Pharma has driven the creation of Human Iron Research at Oxford (HIRO), a new initiative looking to link clinicians and scientists with an interest in iron research across the Oxford campus. Iron is implicated in a broad range of disorders, including anaemia and cancer, inflammation and infection, gastrointestinal and endocrine diseases, and nutrition and the microbiome, and HIRO will promote and facilitate translational iron research in these areas. HIRO is led by Dr John Ryan (TGU) and Prof Hal Drakesmith (WIMM). The HIRO launch event is an opportunity for anyone involved in iron research at Oxford to present their current work, meet other iron researchers and also for those who wish to apply for HIRO pump priming funding to come and present their ideas. Presentations are limited to a maximum of 5 slides/10 minutes each. Find out more about HIRO and the HIRO internal fund here by visiting https://www.expmedndm.ox.ac.uk/tgu/human-iron-research-at-oxford-hiro.
Do you need help managing your references? Do you need help citing references in your documents? This session will introduce you to Endnote X8, which can help you to store, organise and retrieve your references and PDFs, as well as cite references in documents and create bibliographies quickly and easily.
Description Large numbers of satellites currently circle Earth, continuously observing its surface in a variety of ways. In this lecture, Professor Barry Parsons will explain how these satellites may be used to investigate earthquakes - mapping earthquake faults; determining the topography produced by past and recent earthquakes; imaging the displacement of the earth's surface in earthquakes; measuring the straining of near-surface material, strain that will eventually be released in future earthquakes - and to find out what happens in an earthquake below the surface. Professor Barry Parsons was Director of the Centre for the Observation and Modelling for Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tectonics (COMET) from 2002 to 2013. COMET is an Earth Observation Centre of Excellence supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) that links scientists at several earth science departments, deploying earth observation (satellite) techniques on questions concerning the science and hazard of earthquakes and volcanoes. Barry is currently Principal Investigator for a NERC-funded consortium project, Looking inside the Continents from Space (LiCS), which aims to exploit the opportunities to measure crustal strain accurately and in detail presented by the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-1 radar satellites. This lecture is suitable for an audience of approx 16+, especially those with an interest in Physics, Geography, space technology and applied sciences.
An inspiring free public lecture on Fertility Preservation will be held on Thursday 13th September (5pm - 6m) at the Examination Schools, High Street, Oxford. The speakers Prof Allan Pacey MBE and Dr Suzannah Williams will discuss Fertility Preservation for girls, boys, men and women who have undergone medical treatment, or experienced trauma. This public lecture is designed to educate and inspire those with an interest in Biology, Medicine and Ethics.
Everyone is invited to attend the 2nd UK Fertility Preservation Conference on 14 September 2018 at St. Anne's College at the University of Oxford. This meeting follows on from the 1st highly successful meeting in Edinburgh in 2017. Oxford is home to The Future Fertility Trust which is the main Fertility Preservation Centre in England. They provide a comprehensive tissue cryopreservation service for girls, boys and young adults alongside a dynamic research programme. This meeting offers a diverse and rewarding programme with a focus on recent advances in fertility preservation for girls, boys, women and men, as well as including highly topical aspects of fertility preservation for non-malignant conditions. Registration is £35 and this includes access to the conference, lunch and refreshments and the conference programme. Abstract submissions for poster presentation are invited and the deadline submission is midnight Friday 17th August. PROGRAMME 08:30 – 09:00 Registration in St Anne’s College 09.00 – 10.30 Symposium 1 Effect of treatment on childhood and adolescent fertility Overview of the need for fertility preservation in children with cancer or HSCT: who are the patients at risk? Prof Kirsi Jahnukainen, University of Helsinki, Finland Susceptibility of primordial follicles to chemotherapy Prof Karla Hutt, Monash University, Australia 10.30 – 11.00 Morning Coffee 11.00 – 13.00 Symposium 2 Dilemmas of Fertility Preservation Fertility Preservation Communication: how to ensure the patient gets the best deal Dr Ephia Yasmin, University College London Hospitals NHS FoundationTrust, UK Beyond fertility recovery: how safe is fatherhood following cancer treatment? Dr Geoffrey Maher, University of Oxford, UK Fertility preservation for transgender people Dr James Barrett, Gender Identity Clinic and Imperial College, London,UK 13:00 – 14:00 Lunch & Poster Session 14:00 – 15:30 Symposium 3 Developments in fertility preservation Growing human eggs in vitro Prof Evelyn Telfer, University of Edinburgh, UK Fertile offspring from sterile sex chromosome trisomic mice Prof James Turner, The Francis Crick Institute, UK Uterus transplantation: results of an international program and update of worldwide results Prof Cesar Diaz Garcia, IVI UK 15:30 – 16:00 Afternoon Tea & Coffee Break 16:00 – 17:00 Symposium 4 Fertility preservation for non-cancer diseases Androgen and the ovary Dr Stine Gry Kristenses, Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Copenhagen, Denmark Fertility challenges in Turner Syndrome Prof Melanie Davies, University College London Hospitals UK 17:00 – 17:05 Close of Meeting Dr Suzannah Williams, University of Oxford, Conference Chair
11am: 'People and Places, Brexit and Britain: the importance of immigration and empire', Professor Danny Dorling | 12.30pm Herbertson Lunch | 2.30pm: Guided tours of the 'Settlers' exhibition at the OU Museum of Natural History. Booking is now open until 9 September.
This event will take place in the form of a panel discussion featuring Sir Andrew Dilnot (St John's, 1978), Warden of Nuffield College, Dame Fiona Caldicott (St Hilda's, 1960), Chair of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust and David Holdsworth (St Hugh's, 2000), consultant cardiologist and physician.
Interested in open and reproducible research but not quite sure how to start? Come to the Berlin - Oxford summer school on open, transparent, and reproducible research in the life sciences. We will have a core programme with lectures on preregistration, open data, statistics etc. and a number of workshops that can be tailored to your individual research interest. The summer school is aimed at PhD students and postdocs and will take place in Berlin from 17th - 20th September 2018. It is free to attend and we have bursaries of up to £500 per person to pay for travel and accommodation. We now accept applications until 1 July. For more information, please see https://www.bihealth.org/de/aktuell/berlin-oxford-summer-school.
Innate lymphoid cells (ILC) are the most recently defined cell family to be included to the increasingly complex atlas of the immune system. ILC have a lymphoid morphology, lack rearranged antigen receptors and are abundantly present at mucosal surfaces. The combined expression of lineage-specific transcription factors with discrete cytokine profiles led to the identification of distinct ILC subsets. ILC development and function have been widely perceived to be programmed. However, emerging evidence indicates that ILC are also controlled by complex environmental signals. Here, we will discuss how ILC perceive, integrate and respond to their environment, notably to nutritional and neuronal cues. ---- Henrique Veiga-Fernandes studied Veterinary Medicine at Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal and at Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy. In 2002, he obtained a PhD in Immunology from Université René Descartes, Paris, France, before moving to the National Institute for Medical Research, London, UK, as a postdoc. In 2009, he returned to Portugal to set up his independent research group at Instituto de Medicina Molecular, where he became member of the direction team in 2014. In 2016, Henrique Veiga-Fernandes joined the Champalimaud Center for the Unknown, Portugal, where he is currently a Senior Group Leader. Henrique Veiga-Fernandes was elected a member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) in 2015, and he was made Commander of the Order of Sant’Iago da Espada by Portugal in the same year. He secured several European Research Council (ERC) awards (2007, 2013, 2015 and 2017) and has previously won the Pfizer Prize for basic Science (2014 and 2016), the senior research award from the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, USA (2014), the Innovator and Breakthrough Awards from the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, USA (2013 and 2014), the National Blood Foundation Scholar, USA (2012), and he integrated the EMBO Young Investigator Programme in 2008.
This talk will provide a potpourri of contemporary ideas and research within psychiatry. Using mood disorders as an exemplar the talk will probe some of the key issues impacting our understanding and treatment of psychiatric illnesses. It will also detail a number of ongoing studies and share some exciting neuroimaging findings in adolescents and adults that are providing clues as to the inception of emotional disorders and the nature of suicide.
A briefing on open access publishing and Oxford's position including guidance on how to comply with the Open Access requirements for the REF and mandates from key funding bodies whilst respecting your publisher's rights and policies.
The Neurophysiology group, under the supervision of Dr. Picconi, has been studying the various pharmacological, molecular and cellular aspects of neurodegenerative disorders through a multidisciplinary approach. In collaboration with the Laboratory of Pharmacological Sciences of the University of Milan (Prof Gardoni), she has characterized the role of alterations in the synaptic localization of NMDA receptors associated to altered synaptic plasticity in animal models of PD. Using cell-permeable TAT peptides, both in vitro and in vivo, it was possible to modulate the GluN2A and GluN2B subunits in synaptic sites and restore the correct synaptic plasticity in MP models. These studies have shown that TAT cell-permeable peptides by modulating the localization of the GluN2A subunit in synaptic sites lead to a significant decrease in L-DOPA dyskinesias. Recently, electrophysiological and behavioral studies in parkinsonian animals have also been performed in hippocampal cognitive areas such as CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG).
Antibodies possess unattainable capacity to bind selectively and at high affinity their cognates. For this reason they have been largely used in applications which rely on specific molecular recognition. Biosensors, nanoparticles, and even cells can be functionalized with antibodies for improving sensitivity and target specificity whereas both basic research and diagnostics require those reagents for localizing and quantifying biomarkers. However, conventional antibodies (IgGs) are large molecules (150 kDa) that are difficult to engineer and expensive to produce. In the last years, several scaffolds and antibody fragments have become more and more popular as effective alternatives to IgGs and specifically nanobodies raised enthusiasm because of their minimal mass (14 kDa), high stability and relative similarity to human sequences. Finally, their short sequence enables relatively fast optimization of their biophysical features by exploiting computational resources. This seminar will describe the general features of nanobodies, the suitable selection, production, and engineering methodologies and will illustrate some specific application examples of these reagents.
Waivers of informed consent for research participation are permitted in the United States under the Common Rule, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations, and the FDA's Exception from Informed Consent (EFIC) rule for emergency research. We assess the novel question regarding what legal right researchers have to carry out research procedures on or about another person, be it experimental medical intervention, psychological or social manipulation, or invasion of privacy, without the permission of their subjects. Our analysis frames waivers of consent as a species of presumed consent, and we address the underlying empirical question of whether it is reasonable to believe that subjects from whom no consent is sought would in fact agree, if asked. A scoping review of what is known about participation and refusal rates in US-based research suggests that a large minority, on average, do not agree to take part in research. Refusal rates vary widely. This suggests that, while researchers may assert the social utility of their studies are high enough to justify waivers, there is reason to suspect that many who would be enrolled under a waiver of consent would not want to be enrolled. We conclude that waivers should be rare, and that IRBs and researchers must explicitly address study acceptability in the community at large and the target population of their proposed research.
Evolution has selected for fast wound response mechanisms to ensure animal survival under harsh conditions. The first events that precede growth factor-, cytokine- and chemokine-regulated wound healing, and that mediate wound detection remain relatively little understood. Those are difficult to study due to their highly transient and local nature. Using real-time intravital imaging in transparent zebrafish larvae, we have interrogated early biochemical and biomechanical wound signals together with their spatiotemporal dynamics and physiological function. In this seminar, I will report on our recent advances in dissecting the roles of biomechanical-, redox- and bioactive lipid cues during early wound signaling. ---- I studied biochemistry and molecular biology in Hamburg, Germany. For my Diploma thesis, I worked with Melitta Schachner (ZMNH, Hamburg) on cell adhesion signalling during neuronal regeneration. For my PhD thesis (2001-2006), I worked together with Eric Karsenti and Philippe Bastiaens on imaging the spatiotemporal dynamics of microtubule regulation with optical biosensors during the cell cycle. For my postdoctoral research (2006-2011), I moved to Harvard Maedical School (Boston) to work with Tim Mitchison, initially on the spatiotemporal regulation of mitochondrial oxygen metabolism, and later on the role of reactive oxygen species during early wound signalling in zebrafish. With my own lab at Sloan Kettering Insitute in New York (2011-now), I have further developed quantitative intravitral imaging approaches to decipher the early regulation of inflammation and healing after tissue damage in zebrafish. This led to our recent discovery that cell swelling, a generic cellular stress response to hypotonicity and metabolic perturbation, acts as physiological key trigger of wound detection in zebrafish.
Dr. Elisa Oltra is a Professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at the Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, Valencia (Spain). The major goal of her research is to identify Molecular Biomarkers of Fibromyalgia and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) as a way to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying these diseases. With that purpose, she is focusing in post-transcriptional and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms affecting cells of the immune system. Elisa Oltra earned her Ph. D. degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Miami, Miami, FL (USA) where she stayed for her post-doctoral training and later, as Senior Scientist till 2006 when she moved back to Spain. In 2012 obtained a secondary appointment at the Valencian Institute of Pathology (IVP), also at the Universidad Católica de Valencia where she is currently studying a specific type of vesicles: the exosomes, as mediators of stem-cell based therapies. She is also academic director of the first officially accredited Master degree in Biobanking in Europe in collaboration with the Spanish Network of Biobanking at the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid (Spain).
B24 is the full field X-ray tomography beamline at Diamond currently delivering X-ray absorption contrast imaging of biological material (cells and tissue sections) to a resolution of 40nm. The resulting cryo Soft X-ray Tomography (cryoSXT) 3D data allows the unambiguous delineation of cellular ultrastructure and is employed in the interpretation of the effects of biological chemical and mechanical cues depending on the subject matter. The B24 soft X-ray microscope is currently fully operational and available to the wider user community. CryoSXT also provides context for further investigation on the molecular level. The latter is gained via super resolution fluorescence microscopy methods that provide invaluable information as to the molecular localisation of key parameters relevant to the system under study within the context of cellular maps defined via cryoSXT. To that effect, at B24, a bespoke cryo fluorescence super resolution microscope has been developed offering both cryo-Structured Illumination Microscopy (cryoSIM) and dSTORM. The particular attraction of the system is that samples due to be used for X-ray imaging can be processed there first to generate 3D fluorescence information at high resolution on identified areas of interest before taken to the transmission X-ray microscope. This allows the accumulation of directly correlated localisation data (the same sample is imaged through a variety of methods) eliminating sample to sample variations and allowing the unambiguous interpretation of data across modalities. The B24 cryoSIM capacity is at present fully implemented and is available to the user community on a commissioning basis. dSTORM is implemented optically but has not been tested with samples yet. Software is being developed to handle data processing and correlation across imaging modes. The beamline workflow will be presented with examples of recent data collected along with highlights and pitfalls of the correlative scheme employed on site.
The role that NF-kB signalling plays in the development and function of T cells has been much studied, but remains poorly understood. Our work reveals that the T cell receptor is not the dominant receptor triggering NF-kB signalling during development of T cells, contrary to accepted dogma, but is rather TNF. We also reveal that TNF regulates survival and development of T cells by both NF-kB dependent and independent mechanisms and identify a new survival pathway in T cells, dependent on RIPK1. ---- I had the good fortune to undertake a PhD with Prof Don Mason at the former Medical Research Council's Cellular Immunology Unit, at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology in Oxford University. We studied the role and mechanisms of regulatory T cells in the control of autoimmunity in rats. I then moved to the MRCs National Institute for Medical Research where I worked first as a post-doc with Dr Rose Zamoyska in the Division of Molecular Immunology, and then started my independent research group as a Programme Leader in the Division of Immune Cell Biology. 10 years at NIMR allowed me to establish a research programme investigating the mechanisms of T cell homeostasis, generating novel genetic models of TCR and cytokine signalling, employing mathematical approaches to gain systems level understanding and identifying novel roles for inflammatory signalling for T cell maturation. In 2013, I relocated the lab to the Institute of Immunity and Transplantation at the Royal Free Hospital Campus of University College London, where I am investigating the role of TNFSFR signalling and NF-kappaB transcription factors in the maturation and function of T cells in health and disease.
The OUCAGS Forum is a space for sharing research findings, ideas and know-how. It is organised by the Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School (www.oucags.ox.ac.uk). It currently consists of half-day events, usually with a lunchtime seminar and short presentations from a range of clinical academic trainees and DPhil students from different specialties. (February 2018 seminar and presentations tba.) The Forum is an excellent networking opportunity, as well as a chance to find out about current research which is ongoing around Oxford.
Roger Penrose’s work has ranged across many aspects of mathematics and its applications from his influential work on gravitational collapse to his work on quantum gravity. However, Roger has long had an interest in and influence on the visual arts and their connections to mathematics, most notably in his collaboration with Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher. In this lecture he will use Escher’s work to illustrate and explain important mathematical ideas. Oxford Mathematics is hosting this special event in its Public Lecture series during the conference to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the foundation of the Clay Mathematics Institute. After the lecture Roger will be presented with the Clay Award for the Dissemination of Mathematical Knowledge. 5.30-6.30pm Mathematical Institute Oxford Please email external-relations@maths.ox.ac.uk to register. Watch live: facebook.com/OxfordMathematics livestream.com/oxuni/Penrose The Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures are generously supported by XTX Markets.
Day 1 of the course meets the requirements for the HEE TV Train the Trainer (Educational Supervisor) certification for consultants. Once you have completed this day, you will have the opportunity to go on to compile a portfolio, which with successful grading by OLI, will qualify you for the "fast-track" membership of the Academy of Medical Educators and gain the SEDA PDF Supporting Learning (accredited university/higher education level teaching award).
An exhibition of photographs by Anthony Dawton and Jim MacFarlane showing the refugees of the now infamous Zaatari camp on the Syrian/Jordanian border.
This engaging but relaxed meeting is now in its tenth year. It will include a mixture of plenary sessions, interactive sessions and debates. It aims to bring together medical educators for discussion of both practical and theoretical aspects of medical training.
The opening workshop of the series will be taught by frontline diagnostics researchers and will provide participants with a basic overview of the components which one might employ for the evaluation of diagnostic tests, including basic health economics and statistics, searching for evidence, and pragmatic study design. Colleagues from the diagnostics industry and the NIHR will discuss some of the challenges faced by developers of diagnostic tests and potential sources of funding for development and evaluation projects respectively.
Join us for a staff-led tour and find out how women have been involved in science for hundreds of years as astronomers, mathematicians, instrument makers, and merchants. For the Women in Science programme of events.
Turn your research question into a perfect protocol in just two days! This workshop is for nurses, midwives, allied and other health professionals with an interest or experience in research, and a basic understanding of evidence-based practice and study design. With an emphasis on practical sessions in small groups, experienced facilitators will give hands-on advice and guidance, with short talks to introduce key topics. We aim to ensure your idea gets the input needed to turn it into a scientifically robust well-written protocol suitable for a grant application, an ethics committee or review board submission, or for publication in a journal. You will be asked to submit a brief research outline no less than two weeks before the course begins. If you don’t yet have an idea ready for protocol development, you can still attend, and help with other participants’ protocols. Study designs suitable to bring to this workshop include randomised trials, cohort studies (prospective or retrospective), case-control studies, and surveys. Protocols for qualitative and mixed methods studies will also be covered. Lunch and refreshments are included in the price of registration Maximum number of places available is 20 to facilitate small group learning.
This one day course aims to explain how cost-effectiveness analysis of diagnostic tests is conducted and used in the research, development and evaluation of diagnostics. It is aimed at those involved in the development and evaluation of diagnostics, in both academic and commercial settings.
The paper studies the impacts of the involuntary migration of more than 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkish businesses operating in an economy with a large informal sector. For this purpose, we use firm annual censuses from 2006 to 2015 and exploit that as the Syrian Civil War intensified, refugees move disproportionately to Turkish provinces with a higher concentration of Arabic-speaking populations. We find that larger inflows of refugees induce a positive shock on firms intensive and extensive margins of production, largely concentrated in the informal economy. These effects are larger for smaller firms and those operating in construction, hotels, and restaurants. This seminar is a REMINDER project event. Sandwiches will be provided
Ada, Countess of Lovelace, is sometimes called the world’s first computer programmer and has become an icon for women in technology. But how did a young woman in the 19th century, without access to formal school or university education, acquire the knowledge and expertise to become a pioneer of computer science? Professor Ursula Martin’s (University of Oxford) research interests span mathematics, computer science and the humanities. She recently wrote Ada Lovelace, the Making of a Computer Scientist with Christopher Hollings and Adrian Rice. It is the first popular account of the scientific and mathematical education of Ada Lovelace. For the Women in Science programme of events.
This one day course is predominately designed for researchers who want to analyse their own diagnostic accuracy data. Typically, this will be analysis on results from research carried out in an early development/exploratory phase but the methods covered will also be applicable to research in an advanced stage where tests are studied in a clinical setting. The course content is geared towards teaching “how to” rather than “why” and will make extensive use of practical sessions so that participants can gain hands-on experience of analysing diagnostic accuracy data.
To celebrate 50 years since matriculation. Including a visit to the former School of Geography, talks and tours at the new building and lunch at St John's College. Booking will open in mid-July.
To celebrate 20 years since graduation. At the Folly Restaurant, 1 Folly Bridge, Oxford.
Digital solutions could revolutionise the energy sector. The phenomenal growth of data storage and communication allows improvement in the control of energy supplies and its uses. The digital society is generating new business models with a variety of implications for energy demand, and energy networks themselves are increasingly digitally managed. The digital sector is itself becoming a significant energy user. Interactions between energy and digital solutions raise important questions over security and privacy. The 7th Oxford Energy Day ‘Digital Change and Energy’ will focus on these interactions. Bringing together leading researchers from the University of Oxford and external experts, we will examine the implications for consumers, networks and markets.
Join the HIDI team for an informal afternoon of discussions and networking. Find out more about how the Human Immune Discovery Initiative (HIDI) can support your research. Leading researchers within each HIDI Discovery Platform will describe how their expertise and access to their technologies can boost your research project. Learn more about the projects that were funded by the first HIDI Internal Fund call, and get advice on how to make your application more likely to succeed (the next deadline for the HIDI Internal Fund is midday on Friday 14th December). To find out more about HIDI, visit the website (https://www.immunology.ox.ac.uk/hidi). A programme for the afternoon will follow shortly.
The OPDC Research Day is a one-day event will include research talks by national and international keynote speakers and Oxford researchers on a range of Parkinson’s work including clinical studies, imaging, genetics, proteomics, neuronal cell culture and animal models. Poster Abstract Submission closes Friday September 14th 2018 If you have any further queries please contact opdc.administrator@dpag.ox.ac.uk.
Covering: - Why open access, why deposit? - Depositing author accepted manuscript within 3 months of date of acceptance - Open access payments, green route and were to seek advice on payments
The Consulting Services group at Oxford University Innovation (OUI) was established by the University to support academics and researchers in identifying and managing consultancy opportunities. Come and join us for an introduction to academic consulting and how it is supported by OUI. The workshop will cover: • Consulting policy and processes at Oxford; • Introduce the support and benefits offered by OUI; • Provide examples of typical consulting assignments across the Medical Sciences; • Explore ways of developing academic consultancy opportunities The course is open to all staff and researchers working within the Medical Sciences Division wishing to undertake academic consultancy and to learn more about how OUI can support them. Lunch will be provided at 12.00pm To register for a place on the workshop, please contact Vincent Coole - vincent.coole@innovation.ox.ac.uk or on (01865) 280901
Shedding light on controversial research and investigating the ferocious gender wars in biology, psychology and anthropology, Angela Saini, to mark Ada Lovelace Day, will talk about how women are being rediscovered. She'll explore what these revelations mean for us as individuals and as a society, revealing an alternative view of science in which women are included, rather than excluded. This talk will be followed by a drinks reception, book sale and signing, all welcome.
James Sparks and City of London Sinfonia - Bach and the Cosmos Johann Sebastian Bach was the most mathematical of composers. Oxford Mathematician and Cambridge organ scholar James Sparks will explain just how mathematical and City of London Sinfonia will elaborate with a special performance of the Goldberg Variations. James Sparks - Bach and the Cosmos (30 minutes) City of London Sinfonia - J S Bach arr. Sitkovetsky, Goldberg Variations (70 minutes) Alexandra Wood - Director/Violin Please email external-relations@maths.ox.ac.uk to register Watch live: facebook.com/OxfordMathematics livestream.com/oxuni/Bach-Cosmos The Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures are generously supported by XTX Markets
Over the last decade our group have discovered several insect-specific flaviviruses (ISFs) in mosquitoes from different regions of Australia. These viruses do not replicate in vertebrate cells but grow to high titre in mosquito cultures. Genome sequence analyses of these viruses reveal we have discovered many new species of ISFs representing two distinct genetic lineages. Construction of infectious DNAs and chimeric viruses has allowed us to identify stages at pre- and post-cell entry where ISF infection and replication is blocked in vertebrate cells. We have also generated a series of chimeric viruses expressing the structural genes (prM-E) from pathogenic flaviviruses, including West Nile, Zika and dengue viruses, spliced into the genetic backbone of two different ISF species. These chimeras exhibit the insect-specific phenotype of their parental ISFs, growing efficiently in mosquito cells but not in vertebrate cultures but are structurally indistinguishable from virions of the pathogenic parental viruses. These chimeric viruses are proving to be excellent candidates for safe diagnostic antigens and vaccines for mosquito-borne flaviviral diseases.
Coming soon
The decision-making process needs to be based on sound, scientific evaluation of measures and strategies. Politicians and citizens alike need appropriate tools in order to make informed decisions. Decision-making tools should help stakeholders understand the effects and magnitude of planned land-use and transportation measures. The potential effects of such measures, such as gentrification, can significantly impact the lives and wellbeing of citizens and it is essential that the decision-making process takes this into account. How can accessibility instruments foster a sound decision-making process with multiple and diverse stakeholder groups?
Accessibility is an important concept in regards to the integration of land-use and transport planning. Planning for sustainable and resilient cities requires the consideration and implementation of accessibility principles. When planning for accessibility, it is important to take into account the necessities of multiple scales of the urban environment as well as the citizens’ needs. This makes it possible to create urban spaces that are livable for everyone. With this in mind, what role can accessibility planning play when it comes to sustainability and resilience?
Ten years have passed since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis rocked financial markets, and contemporary academic and public debates are still shaped by the aftereffects. Scholarship since the GFC has grappled with the political economy that led to the crisis, prompting a resurgence of empirical research. The conference will bring together early career researchers working on empirical questions in political economy of finance. See here for the call for papers and submission guidance, deadline 15 September. This conference is by invitation only so we encourage Oxford University, Grand Union (ESRC), and INET YSI affiliated scholars and students to register their interest in attending (not presenting) the conference.
This workshop will provide an opportunity for historians to think collectively about recent developments and future trajectories in women’s history in Britain and Ireland. The workshop will be organised around a series of panels consisting of early, mid-career and established scholars from Britain, Ireland and the USA who will speak about developments in the medieval, early modern and modern periods. There will also be panel on sex equality in the academy which will reflect on challenging the persistence of barriers to equality in history faculties. The workshop will conclude with a public lecture by Prof. Susan Grayzel (Utah State University) one of the world’s leading scholars of British women’s history. Panellists include: Anna Bull Lindsey Earner-Byrne Amy Louise Erickson Christienna Fryar Laura Gowing Charmian Mansell Rachel Moss
The retrosplenial cortex (RSC) has been shown to be involved in a number of cognitive functions, in particular episodic memory and navigation, but relatively little is known about responses at the neuronal level. We have analysed activity in the RSC of awake mice to simple visual stimuli using two-photon calcium imaging and found that single cells respond in a coarse spatially but not orientation selective manner. Interestingly, activity was strongly modulated by the animals’ locomotion, even in complete darkness. We further investigated the pattern of activity in RSC as mice were trained on a spatial memory task and found evidence for the formation of a memory engram. The stability of this engram was linked to the animals’ performance upon re-exposure to the task.
We will welcome Andy Pearce from GSK to introduce us to GSK’s Discovery Partnerships with Academia (DPAc), an innovative approach to drug discovery through integrated partnerships. As a unit within GSK’s research and development organization, Andy’s team are dedicated to creating highly collaborative relationships with leading academic researchers focussed on the discovery of a novel medicine. They believe working closely together throughout the course of a drug discovery project and combining different strengths is a great way to develop new medicines that truly benefit patients. The concept is simple but powerful: bring together the insight and creativity of the academic world with the drug discovery expertise, capabilities and resources needed to make a medicine. Further information and project examples are available on the website: http://www.dpac.gsk.com/ The DPAc programme is agnostic in the therapeutic areas that it will pursue projects in and works with both biopharmaceutical and small molecule modalities, and so speculative enquiries are welcomed in any area. The seminar will run from 12:00-13:00 and then Andy will be available to ask questions over lunch which will be provided.
The presentation will introduce the development of the new Offshore Renewable Energy Supergen hub and describe the process and results of the engagement and consultation work carried out to design the new programme, together with an update on the status of the new Supergen hub.
Many of us are familiar with the idea of placebos in drugs trials, but how can we use placebos in surgical trials? Professor Andy Carr will talk about why we do surgical trials, the use of placebo surgery and some of his recent findings from surgical trials using placebos. Part of IF, the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival. https://www.if-oxford.com Professor Andy Carr MA ChM DSc FRCS FMedSci Andy Carr is the Nuffield Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Oxford and Head of the Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences at the Botnar Research Centre. He founded and is Director of the Botnar Research Centre. Professor Carr is an inter-disciplinary researcher distinguished for evaluating and developing surgical implants and technologies and for his leadership in surgical and musculoskeletal research. His laboratory group investigates cellular and molecular mechanisms of tendinopathy and is developing novel tissue engineering scaffolds for soft tissue repair.
Anna Randi is Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London. Her research interests are in vascular biology and haemostasis, and in the areas of overlap between these two fields. Major recent findings from the laboratory are the characterisation of endothelial transcriptional networks controlling vascular health, centred on the transcription factor ERG, and the identification of von Willebrand factor as a regulator of blood vessel formation. A major effort has been directed in using circulating endothelial progenitors from patients’ blood, to identify novel mechanisms of disease in patients with the genetic bleeding disorder von Willebrand disease and in patients with CV disease associated with the lung disorder COPD. Anna Randi is a clinically qualified haematologist, specialized in haemostasis and thrombosis. She obtained her medical degrees and PhD from the University of Milan (Italy). She trained at Washington University, St. Louis (USA), in J.E. Sadler’s laboratory where she was involved in the first characterization of mutations in the von Willebrand factor gene. From here she moved to the UK, and began her studies on endothelial biology and vascular diseases. She spent 7 years at GlaxoSmithKline, as group leader and then Head of Translational Medicine (Inflammation); during this time, Anna Randi also held an honorary contract with Imperial College London, where she eventually moved her lab in 2003. Anna Randi serves on BHF grant and fellowship committees, on Wellcome Trust and on international review panels. Between 2014 and 2017 she was on the Editorial Board of Blood. She has served as co-Chair of the Scientific Subcommittee on Vascular Biology of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH). She is a member of numerous scientific organisations, a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) and member of the ATVB leadership committee. Anna Randi is committed to promoting the careers of young researchers; she believes in providing a supportive and stimulating training and working environment for all, with particular concerns on gender equality. London, May 2018
Key Note Speakers: Professor Richard English and Professor Stathis Kalyvas
Another indispensable EQUATOR workshop for early career biomedical and clinical researchers led by Dr Jen de Beyer Take your manuscript from rough first draft to polished publication by editing your own words. Great writing is simple, clear, and complete. You'll learn tips and tricks for cutting word count, improving readability, and balancing these three elements. Then you'll put them into practice in interactive editing sessions. This free workshop is open to University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes staff and students, but we do request that you book a spot. For notification of booking opening and announcement of other EQUATOR courses in Oxford, please join our mailing list by sending a blank email to equator-oxford-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk or email Caroline Struthers (caroline.struthers@csm.ox.ac.uk).
Homeostatic synaptic scaling is thought to occur cell-wide, but recent evidence suggests this form of stabilizing plasticity can be implemented more locally in reduced preparations. To investigate the spatial scales of plasticity in vivo, we used repeated two-photon imaging in mouse visual cortex after sensory deprivation to measure TNF-α dependent increases in spine size as a proxy for synaptic scaling in vivo in both excitatory and inhibitory neurons. We found that after sensory deprivation, increases in spine size are restricted to a subset of dendritic branches, which we confirmed using immunohistochemistry. We found that the dendritic branches that had individual spines that increased in size following deprivation, also underwent a decrease in spine density. Within a given dendritic branch, the degree of spine size increases is proportional to recent spine loss within that branch. Using computational simulations, we show that this compartmentalized form of synaptic scaling better retained the previously established input-output relationship in the cell, while restoring activity levels. We then investigated the relationship between new spines that form after this spine loss and strengthening and find that their spatial positioning facilitates strengthening of maintained synapses.
In this paper, I examine patterns of authorship on the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. I relate the identity of the lead opinion author to legal, organisational and political factors. I find that the primary factor explaining lead opinion authorship is specialism in the relevant area of law. Workload and levels of agreement with other panel members have more minor effects. These findings suggest that the UKSC is to a large extent a court of specialists.
Coming soon
We are dependent on our cardiovascular system for life support. Defects in the formation of either the heart or vasculature can be fatal in utero, reflecting our dependency on this system from almost the earliest stages of life. The cardiovascular system is remarkably stereotypical in its structure, both between individuals and across species. This demonstrates that a strict genetic programme dictates this structure and that the programme is conserved. Focussing primarily on the early stages of heart development, we utilise the zebrafish model for its genetic tractability to identify regulators of cardiovascular development. Using forward genetics, we have discovered several novel regulators of cardiac and vascular development. One such regulator is a novel Hyaluronidase, named Cemip2 (formerly Tmem2), that is required for both cardiac development and angiogenesis. Early data suggests that the function of this protein is conserved in mammals. We have also identified a regulator of N-cadherin trafficking and show that it is required for cardiomyocyte cell adhesion. Whilst exciting for discovery’s sake, this fundamental knowledge is essential for understanding inherited cardiovascular diseases and in plying our knowledge to devise therapeutic strategies.
Call for papers Abstracts of up to 300 words for 20 minute papers from Post Graduate Students or early career researchers For more information visit www.deconstructingmasculinity2018.co.uk
TBC
For people new to patient and public involvement, an introductory workshop alongside members of the public
In the last hundred years, humankind has made the impossible possible: space travel. Only a lucky few have gone where no one had gone before, but what is it really like to venture in to the depths of the unknown? Dr James Pawelczyk, Physiologist and Astronaut on the STS-90 Clumbia Space Shuttle Mission, will be visiting the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics at the University of Oxford, to discuss just exactly what the body must endure when travelling through space. All members of the Department and their families are welcome, but places are limited so be sure to secure tickets as soon as possible. The talk will take place in the Sherrington Large Lecture Theatre and will also be live streamed on the Big Screen in the foyer. A drinks and nibbles reception will follow the talk, at which you will have an opportunity to speak to the astronaut James himself as well as have a chance to get your hands on some space stash! More information to follow. DPAG members are encouraged to look out for an email invitation.
Coming soon
Network Website: http://torch.ox.ac.uk/cpagh
Persistently elevated levels of glucose and fatty acids are known to contribute to failed insulin secretion during the development of Type 2 diabetes. We have shown that glucolipotoxic conditions impair cell-cell communication (“connectivity”) to impair insulin secretion (Hodson et al, 2013). Recently (Johnston et al, 2016) we have combined optogenetics and rapid Ca2+ imaging across the islet syncytium to demonstrate that a subset (~5%) of beta cells (“hubs”) coordinate the activity of “follower” cells. Photo-painting using a light sensitive-RFP revealed that hub cells are enriched for glucokinase, but show low levels of Nkx6.1 and insulin gene expression. These cells also display enhanced mitochondrial membrane potential in response to high glucose. Interrogation of single β cell RNASeq data (Xin et al PNAS, 2016) confirms the existence of a subset of cells with a similar transcriptomic configuration. Hub cells are unusually susceptible to metabolic stresses including high fatty acid/glucose levels, and cytotoxic cytokines, suggesting that they may be targeted in diabetes. Since deletion of GWAS genes for diabetes including ADCY5 and TCF7L2 affect cell-cell communication, future work will explore the possibility that genes at other loci, including STARD10 (Carrat et al, 2017) also act in part by altering hub cell-led β cell connectivity. Recent findings exploring the existence of β cell sub-populations in islets in the living animal, including zebra fish and after engraftment into the anterior chamber of the mouse eye, will also be discussed.
Obesity has reached alarming levels in the UK. According to a government report, one in four adults are obese in the UK. Medical and dietary interventions are often ineffective at inducing weight loss and the best outcomes are obtained after weight loss surgery (also known as bariatric surgery). These surgical procedures were initially thought to work mechanistically through stomach restriction and lower calorie absorption through the shortened intestine. However, recent evidence has challenged this concept and it has been suggested that changes in the gut microbial flora could affect metabolism contributing to weight loss and increased insulin response. Gut flora is beneficial to the host in many ways, contributing to for example, nutrient absorption and a healthy immune system. Abnormalities in the composition of the gut microbes are thought to contribute to the pathology of certain diseases, including obesity and diabetes. The aim of this project is to find out how altered host and microbial functions affect weight loss and metabolism after bariatric surgery. Understanding more about the microbial flora and how this impacts patient’s health will hopefully make way for new approaches in the treatment of obesity and diabetes.
Obesity has reached alarming levels in the UK. According to a government report, one in four adults are obese in the UK. Medical and dietary interventions are often ineffective at inducing weight loss and the best outcomes are obtained after weight loss surgery (also known as bariatric surgery). These surgical procedures were initially thought to work mechanistically through stomach restriction and lower calorie absorption through the shortened intestine. However, recent evidence has challenged this concept and it has been suggested that changes in the gut microbial flora could affect metabolism contributing to weight loss and increased insulin response. Gut flora is beneficial to the host in many ways, contributing to for example, nutrient absorption and a healthy immune system. Abnormalities in the composition of the gut microbes are thought to contribute to the pathology of certain diseases, including obesity and diabetes.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), in its manifestations Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect all parts of the digestive tract. Environmental factors, genetic predisposition and an abnormal function of the immune system are thought to cause IBD. Standard therapies aim at controlling intestinal inflammation and prolonging the time between disease flare-ups. Although significant progress has been made over the last decades, a high proportion of patients still do not respond to these anti- inflammatory therapies, or become resistant during the course of treatment. Failure to therapeutically control chronic inflammation can lead to severe complications in IBD patients, such as fibrosis, which requires surgical intervention. Fibrotic changes in the intestine are driven by an activation of a particular cell type, the fibroblast. The aim of this project is to find out whether IBD patients that go on to require surgery display an activation of fibroblasts, and which changes in the tissue are associated with this activation. For this, differences in the way the surgically removed fibrotic tissue is programmed will be compared to the programming of non-inflamed ‘normal’ tissue. We believe that certain alterations in this programming, which is controlled by a network of signals, can lead to changes that are specifically associated with inflammation and the requirement for surgery. Differences in the networks of signals which make up this program of inflamed and non-inflamed tissue will help us identify novel, fibroblast-targeting, therapies which will disrupt the inflammation program and hopefully reduce the requirement for surgery.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), in its manifestations Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect all parts of the digestive tract. Environmental factors, genetic predisposition and an abnormal function of the immune system are thought to cause IBD. Standard therapies aim at controlling intestinal inflammation and prolonging the time between disease flare-ups. Although significant progress has been made over the last decades, a high proportion of patients still do not respond to these anti- inflammatory therapies, or become resistant during the course of treatment. Failure to therapeutically control chronic inflammation can lead to severe complications in IBD patients, such as fibrosis, which requires surgical intervention. Fibrotic changes in the intestine are driven by an activation of a particular cell type, the fibroblast. The aim of this project is to find out whether IBD patients that go on to require surgery display an activation of fibroblasts, and which changes in the tissue are associated with this activation. For this, differences in the way the surgically removed fibrotic tissue is programmed will be compared to the programming of non-inflamed ‘normal’ tissue. We believe that certain alterations in this programming, which is controlled by a network of signals, can lead to changes that are specifically associated with inflammation and the requirement for surgery. Differences in the networks of signals which make up this program of inflamed and non-inflamed tissue will help us identify novel, fibroblast-targeting, therapies which will disrupt the inflammation program and hopefully reduce the requirement for surgery.
Saïd Business School is pleased to welcome Freya Stewart, Fine Art Group’s in house lawyer on Art and Law – provenance, title and all various things that come with that.
Since the discovery of macrophages in adipose tissue, many laboratories have focused their effort on understanding the contribution of these immune cells to metabolic diseases. Despite great progress in characterizing obesity as a state of low-grade inflammation, very little is known about the multiple phenotypes and functions of macrophages in metabolic tissues. The lack of methods to carefully investigate cell-to-cell variability in macrophage phenotype and to manipulate gene expression in a cell-specific manner has delayed answering these crucial questions. Our lab takes advantage of sophisticated methods, such as next generation sequencing, CytOF and gene silencing in a cell specific manner, to investigate macrophage subpopulations and their function in obesity-associated metabolic complications.
As an MBPhD graduate (Cambridge University & University College London) and Academic Clinical Fellow in Neurology (London Deanery), I have been lucky enough to receive training in basic research as well as clinical medicine. I have thoroughly enjoyed both and am committed to pursuing a joint clinical and research career in neuroscience. However, I am fully aware that the gap between clinical realities and basic research can be hard to bridge. During my PhD I investigated the role of a specific signalling system, purinergic signalling, in skeletal muscle development and regeneration under the supervision of Professor Geoffrey Burnstock (University College London). Using techniques such as cell culture, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry, I was able to dissect out the role of an individual signalling pathway. I demonstrated that activation of the P2X5 receptor for ATP potentiated muscle stem cell differentiation and that this process was dependent on activation of the p38 MAP kinase pathway. Since my PhD the advent of high through-put microarray and sequencing-based technologies have made it possible to take a systems approach and so have the potential to provide exciting insights into complex neurological diseases. With this is in mind I have sought to develop new skills in biomedical informatics and currently hold an MRC Post-doctoral Training Fellowship in Biomedical Informatics. This fellowship has given me the opportunity to pursue my interest in the pathophysiological basis of risk genetic loci for neurodegenerative diseases and that is the focus of my current research.
Another indispensable EQUATOR workshop for early career biomedical and clinical researchers led by Prof Gary Collins Practice dealing with the kind, the fair, and the seriously challenging. Gary Collins is Professor of Statistics at CSM and Deputy Director of the UK EQUATOR Centre. As feared and revered methods reviewer for the BMJ “hanging committee”, what Gary doesn’t know about spotting fatal flaws in statistical methods, analysis and reporting isn’t worth knowing. This free workshop is open to University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes staff and students, but we do request that you book a spot. For notification of booking opening and announcement of other EQUATOR courses in Oxford, please join our mailing list by sending a blank email to equator-oxford-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk or email Caroline Struthers (caroline.struthers@csm.ox.ac.uk).
Coming soon
Neurons that are specifically tuned to binocular depth were discovered in seminal work published 50 years ago by Horace Barlow, Colin Blakemore and Jack Pettigrew in the Journal of Physiology. Their study in the primary visual cortex opened up the era of understanding the physiology of 3-D perception. Thanks to more recent work, we now know that large areas of the extrastriate visual cortex are involved. Sites where binocular stereoscopic depth is integrated with other visual information can be identified and physiological signals related to active perceptual decisions about depth can be isolated. At some sites, a causal role of physiological signals for the perception of depth can be demonstrated by showing that weak electrical microstimulation of the cortex can alter behavioural reports of depth perception. However, there seems to be no single brain module that is responsible for computing stereoscopic depth. This lecture will trace these paths of discovery in human and animal studies. Andrew Parker will show how a better understanding of the physiology of depth perception changes our view of how the brain constructs a representation of the space around us. Findings from this neurophysiological research have implications for the growing popularity of 3-D cinema and immersive virtual reality.
The OUCAGS Forum is a space for sharing research findings, ideas and know-how. It is organised by the Oxford University Clinical Academic Graduate School (www.oucags.ox.ac.uk). It currently consists of half-day events, usually with a lunchtime seminar and short presentations from a range of clinical academic trainees and DPhil students from different specialties. (February 2018 seminar and presentations tba.) The Forum is an excellent networking opportunity, as well as a chance to find out about current research which is ongoing around Oxford.
Joint Seminar with the Dunn School Environmental stresses experienced during development (early-life) exert both short and long-term influences upon health and disease. In most cases, however, the underlying biological response mechanisms remain mysterious. The goal of our research is to understand the molecular nuts and bolts of how early-life environmental stresses alter gene expression, metabolism and physiology. Much of our research uses the powerful genetics of the fruit fly Drosophila, together with analytical techniques such as metabolomics and mass spectrometry imaging. Using this combined approach, we identified molecular mechanisms that protect neural stem cells in the developing CNS from the immediate harmful effects of malnutrition and hypoxia. For example, we found that hypoxia induces lipid droplets in the local microenvironment (niche) of the neural stem cells. Droplets function to protect neural stem cells from lipid peroxidation damage, likely by sequestering potentially vulnerable polyunsaturated fatty acids in their core. We have also begun investigating the longer-term impact of early-life stresses upon longevity. Recent work shows that developmental exposure to mild oxidative or nutritional stress can, in some cases, extend rather than shorten lifespan. I will discuss the surprising mechanisms that account for stress-induced longevity and the degree to which they may be conserved between flies and mammals.
Dani Linton has coordinated box checks looking for bat roosts rather than bird nests across Wytham Woods for over a decade, amassing a dataset of over 2500 day roosts, containing seven species and c.18,000 bat occupations. This talk will provide an introduction to her research on the social organisation, breeding ecology, and population dynamics, of woodland bats. Please see http://www.anhso.org.uk for more information about the Society.
Another indispensable EQUATOR workshop for early career biomedical and clinical researchers led by NDORMS Communications Manager Jo Silva Extend the life and reach of your article after publication by working with your communications team and engaging with potential readers through social media. Jo is responsible for communications at NDORMS and raises awareness about the incredible research done at the department and how the work of our researchers is shaping healthcare and changing lives. She is also responsible for internal communications, the Department's websites, media relations, social media and branding. She provides communications support to the musculoskeletal theme of the Oxford Biomedical Research Unit and works closely with the University's Press Office and communications colleagues within the Medical Sciences Division. This free workshop is open to University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes staff and students, but we do request that you book a spot. For notification of booking opening and announcement of other EQUATOR courses in Oxford, please join our mailing list by sending a blank email to equator-oxford-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk or email Caroline Struthers (caroline.struthers@csm.ox.ac.uk).
Dr. Scholz is a Neurologist and Neurogeneticist specialized in movement disorders. She received her medical degree from the Medical University Innsbruck, Austria. Following graduation, she was a post-doctoral fellow at the Laboratory of Neurogenetics (NIA) under the supervision of Drs. Andrew Singleton and John Hardy. She obtained a Ph.D. in Neurogenomics from the University College London, UK in 2010. She then moved to Baltimore to complete her neurology residency training at Johns Hopkins. In 2015, Dr. Scholz received the McFarland Transition to Independence Award for Neurologist-Scientists. She is an Assistant Clinical Investigator within the Neurogenetics Branch (NINDS). Her laboratory focuses on identifying genetic causes of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy, and frontotemporal dementia.
As a new international academic society, ISBS seeks to develop the study of Bhutanese culture, life and nature. The society will endeavour to encourage, inspire and motivate interest in lesser known aspects of Bhutanese society, as well as to promote and strengthen areas of existing scholarship. The conference will feature papers on a range of topics from linguistics to history to natural science to Buddhism to economics and business. As the ISBS seeks to support Bhutanese scholars, both junior and established, this conference will feature their voices alongside international scholars.
Another indispensable EQUATOR workshop for early career biomedical and clinical researchers led by Dr Jen de Beyer Create the perfect professional biography for your website, then convert it into a short conference bio. Jen de Beyer is CSM’s science writing, dissemination, and publication specialist. She’s here to help your research reach its full potential through clear, complete writing that targets the right audience. She develops resources on how to write fantastic health research articles and teaches science writing skills through the UK EQUATOR Centre. This free workshop is open to University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes staff and students, but we do request that you book a spot. For notification of booking opening and announcement of other EQUATOR courses in Oxford, please join our mailing list by sending a blank email to equator-oxford-subscribe@maillist.ox.ac.uk or email Caroline Struthers (caroline.struthers@csm.ox.ac.uk).
Coeliac disease is a common immune condition where susceptible individuals develop inflammation of the gut in response to gluten, a protein in wheat. Whilst genetics play an important role in the development of coeliac disease, there is evidence that an environmental trigger is required for coeliac disease to develop. Circumstantial evidence has suggested that viral infections in childhood could be that trigger, but definitive proof remains elusive. A recent study has suggested that reovirus, a virus affecting the gut that generally causes no symptoms, can trigger a condition like coeliac disease in mice under experimental conditions, however it remains unclear if this infection is associated with coeliac disease in humans. The discovery of infections that can trigger coeliac disease could have a profound impact on the prevention of the development of coeliac disease, as well as on the prevention of diseases associated with it, such as Type 1 Diabetes. We will test the association between reovirus, along with a number of other viral infections that affect the gut, and the development of coeliac disease by using stored samples from a recent study of diagnostic methods of coeliac disease in children. This large, well-described, cohort of children with and without coeliac disease provides an ideal group in which to test for an association between viral infection and coeliac disease. We will perform tests to measure antibody responses to these viruses in children with and without coeliac disease.
Coeliac disease is a common immune condition where susceptible individuals develop inflammation of the gut in response to gluten, a protein in wheat. Whilst genetics play an important role in the development of coeliac disease, there is evidence that an environmental trigger is required for coeliac disease to develop. Circumstantial evidence has suggested that viral infections in childhood could be that trigger, but definitive proof remains elusive. A recent study has suggested that reovirus, a virus affecting the gut that generally causes no symptoms, can trigger a condition like coeliac disease in mice under experimental conditions, however it remains unclear if this infection is associated with coeliac disease in humans. The discovery of infections that can trigger coeliac disease could have a profound impact on the prevention of the development of coeliac disease, as well as on the prevention of diseases associated with it, such as Type 1 Diabetes. We will test the association between reovirus, along with a number of other viral infections that affect the gut, and the development of coeliac disease by using stored samples from a recent study of diagnostic methods of coeliac disease in children. This large, well-described, cohort of children with and without coeliac disease provides an ideal group in which to test for an association between viral infection and coeliac disease. We will perform tests to measure antibody responses to these viruses in children with and without coeliac disease.
Day 1 of the course meets the requirements for the HEE TV Train the Trainer (Educational Supervisor) certification for consultants. Once you have completed this day, you will have the opportunity to go on to compile a portfolio, which with successful grading by OLI, will qualify you for the "fast-track" membership of the Academy of Medical Educators and gain the SEDA PDF Supporting Learning (accredited university/higher education level teaching award).
More details to follow
Day 1 of the course meets the requirements for the HEE TV Train the Trainer (Educational Supervisor) certification for consultants. Once you have completed this day, you will have the opportunity to go on to compile a portfolio, which with successful grading by OLI, will qualify you for the "fast-track" membership of the Academy of Medical Educators and gain the SEDA PDF Supporting Learning (accredited university/higher education level teaching award).
