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Protein engineer to explore route from DNA blueprint to synthetic antibodies – public lecture
Professor Anna Hine will explore how advances in protein engineering have enabled us to make both synthetic antibodies and their replacements Inaugural lecture will take place at Aston University on Tuesday 28 March 2023 at 6.30pm Members of the public may attend in person or online. Professor Anna Hine, a molecular biologist specialising in protein engineering in the College of Health and Life Sciences at Aston University, is to present her inaugural public lecture on Tuesday 28 March 2023. During her lecture, A route to synthetic antibodies (and their replacements), Professor Hine will take the audience from the basics of molecular biology to explaining her inventions in protein engineering, through to examining the ways in which her research is being applied internationally to develop synthetic antibodies. Professor Hine gained her PhD in molecular biology from The University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in 1992 and did her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School. She returned to the UK to take up a lectureship in molecular biology at Aston University in 1995. Professor Anna Hine, professor of protein engineering, said: “Antibodies are one of our major lines of defence against infection and we can create them very quickly to help incapacitate a multitude of biological invaders. Humans do this by changing the part of the antibody that recognises the invading pathogen, through a process of rapid, natural mutation. Protein engineers have learned to mimic this process in the laboratory to create synthetic proteins – particularly antibodies - for use in both therapy and fundamental research.” “I am delighted to have the opportunity to present our discoveries in a way that I hope will make just as much sense to non-scientists as to a scientific audience.” Similar to the natural mutation of antibodies, protein engineers can make vast numbers of tiny variations of a protein such as an antibody. Professor Hine added: “We will contemplate the vast numbers involved in protein engineering and present how our Aston University-based inventions have made the creation of DNA (and thus protein) ‘libraries’ as efficient as possible. “We will then examine the ensuing problem of how to find the few proteins that we really want from within a protein library. This includes collaborating with experts who specialise in computer-assisted library design and also working with those who have developed the latest methods to search the libraries that we make.” Professor Hine will also show how her latest collaborative projects are starting to move beyond the antibody itself. The lecture will take place at Aston University at 6.00pm for 6.30pm on Tuesday 28 March 2023. It will be followed by a drinks reception from 7.30 pm to 8.00 pm. The lecture is open to the public and free to attend. Places must be booked in advance via Eventbrite.
• Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment to host children’s activities at Birmingham’s science museum Thinktank on Saturday 18 March • British Science Week is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths • Brain Awareness Week highlighted with research showcased in glass box exhibition space on University campus. Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) is celebrating British Science Week (10-19 March) and Brain Awareness Week (13-19 March) by hosting an activities day for children at the Birmingham science museum Thinktank, alongside a social media campaign to help educate and inform the public on its latest research. Each year, the British Science Association runs a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths called British Science Week. It is closely followed by Brain Awareness Week, a yearly global campaign to increase public awareness of brain research. The week-long celebration is organised by the Dana Alliance with a goal to educate and highlight the importance of research in developing new treatments, preventions and possible cures for brain diseases. Both campaigns align closely with the work of the Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment, with the Institute’s researchers keen to use the week to host activities and share their research and information about the brain health with the public. Activities to highlight both British Science Week and Brain Awareness week include a social media campaign sharing research updates from members and surprising brain facts on Twitter (@Aston_IHN), a brain research exhibition in the glass box space in the Aston University main entrance, as well as an activity session at the Birmingham science museum Thinktank in Millennium Point. The meet and greet with IHN researchers will take place on Saturday 18 March between 11.00 and 16.00. Children and families can speak to researchers about their work and take part in interactive activities, such as memory games and eye-tracking experiments. Professor Jackie Blissett, co-director of IHN said: “British Science week and Brain Awareness week are really important campaigns for us. Brain Awareness week is the perfect time to showcase our research and engage with the public on what we do here at IHN. “We work in close collaboration with the NHS to help research potential treatments for children who experience a range of brain related conditions. We put children at the heart of what we do, with the aim of unlocking the potential of research to support children’s health and development as well as answering the questions that matter to children, their families and the services that support them.” Visitors to the exhibition on the Aston University campus are encouraged to share their thoughts about the exhibition and their pictures on Twitter, tagging @Aston_IHN. For more information about Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment visit its website and for more information about studying psychology and neuroscience at Aston University visit our course pages.
Public lecture: how can we have a good future with artificial intelligence?
Public lecture: how can we have a good future with artificial intelligence?AI expert and educator Professor Anikó Ekárt to discuss one of today’s most provocative topics Lecture will take place on 28 February at Aston University Talk to explore artificial intelligence’s capabilities, benefits and pitfalls. The potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on our daily lives will be explored in a public lecture at Aston University. The University is inviting the public onto its campus on Tuesday 28 February to hear Professor Anikó Ekárt discuss one of today’s most provocative topics. Research into AI began in the1950s and since then it has played an increasing role in daily lives, such as chatbots and digital assistants. As an AI researcher and educator, Professor Ekárt will take a pragmatic view of the technology, arguing that society will benefit from it – but only if it is used responsibly. She said: “Digital assistants based on speech recognition are now broadly accepted and successfully embedded in many business services. “However, the most recent release of a chatbot with amazing writing capabilities has divided the world; some are relieved that their job may now become substantially easier, but others have questioned the impact of this on education. “In the lecture, I’ll suggest three key directions; responsible use of AI, exploring many AI techniques rather than focusing on just one, and educating the public about AI’s capabilities, benefits and pitfalls.” She will illustrate the success and further potential of less well-known AI techniques, such as evolutionary computation, genetic programming and symbolic regression, based on her 25 years of research. Anikó who is a professor of artificial intelligence, joined Aston University in 2006 as a lecturer. She leads the artificial intelligence research theme within the School of Informatics and Digital Engineering. Her research interests are centred around AI methods and their application, focusing on evolutionary algorithms and genetic programming. She has successfully contributed to applications of AI techniques to health, engineering, transport, and art. In 2022 she was the winner of the Evo* Award for Outstanding Contribution to Evolutionary Computation in Europe. The free event will be taking place on 28 February from 6 pm to 8 pm and will be followed by a drinks reception. To sign up for a place visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-inaugural-lecture-by-professor-aniko-ekart-tickets-516518760517
Aston University professor elected Fellow of Royal Microscopical Society
Professor Igor Meglinski is a physicist, scientist and biomedical engineer He pioneered the application of circularly polarised light for cancer detection His research is at the interface of physics, optics and imaging modalities. Igor Meglinski, professor of mechanical, biomedical and design engineering in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Aston University, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society (RMS). Professor Meglinski is a physicist, scientist, and biomedical engineer whose research interests are at the interface between modern physics, optics and imaging modalities, focusing on the exploration of novel photonics-based phenomena and their implementation to practical applications in medicine, biology, life sciences and health care industries. Among other achievements, Professor Meglinski pioneered the application of circularly polarised light for cancer detection. best known for his development of fundamental studies and translation research dedicated to imaging of cells and biological tissues utilising polarised light, dynamic light scattering and computational imitation of light propagation within complex tissue-like scattering medium. His current research projects include the application of coherent polarised light for cancer diagnosis, functional imaging of blood and lymph flows, neuroimaging and brain malformation studies. He is also exploring human visual perception of polarised light and helical wave fronts, the fundamentals of shaped light with orbital angular momentum and quantum entanglements transfer in turbid tissue-like scattering medium, screening of cells, cell’s organelles and cells interaction. He has authored and co-authored more than 400 scientific papers and presented over 800 presentations at major international conferences in the field, including over 200 keynote and plenary talks and invited lectures. The Royal Microscopical Society is a learned society dedicated to the promotion and development of microscopy and imaging. Its members come from a wide range of backgrounds, including undergraduates, research students, users of microscopy in industry and academia, microscopy manufacturers and suppliers and research leaders in their various fields within the biological and physical sciences. Professor Igor Meglinski said: “I was delighted to be invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society. “It is always a pleasure to be recognised for your work, such as my recent research which could provide a more accurate method of blood flow diagnosis in skin to help people with diabetes.”
Researchers reveal CBD can counter epileptic seizures in children
• Aston University epilepsy model used to illustrate the mechanisms of seizure activity • Results suggest how CBD can be useful in the treatment of childhood epilepsy • New insight into potential future interventions for hard-to-treat epilepsy. Researchers at Aston University have contributed to the discovery of a previously unknown way in which cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of cannabis, can reduce seizures in many treatment-resistant forms of childhood epilepsy. A group of international collaborators, led by scientists at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, including a team from the Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment at Aston University, found that CBD blocked signals carried by a molecule called lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI). LPI is found in our brain’s neurons and is thought to amplify nerve signals as part of normal function but can be hijacked by some epilepsies to promote seizures. The study, published in the journal Neuron, expanded on previous findings showing that CBD blocks the ability of the molecule LPI to amplify nerve signals in a brain region called the hippocampus. The current study argues that, for the first time, the molecule also weakens signals that counter seizures, further explaining the value of CBD treatment and the generation of seizure activity in epileptic people. As part of the research group, the Aston University team used a leading model of epilepsy, developed by Professor Gavin Woodhall, to perform recordings of electrical signals in brain cells taken from epileptic rodents, some of which had been treated with CBD. By doing this, they were able to pinpoint the molecular mechanisms by which CBD acts to prevent seizure activity in epileptic brains. Professor Woodhall, co-director of Aston Institute for Health and Neurodevelopment, said: “These new insights into epilepsy and the mechanism by which CBD works to stop seizures is the fruit of years of collaboration between neuroscientists in the UK and USA and our industry partner, GW Pharma. We are hopeful that it will lead to even better treatments in future”. Dr Stuart Greenhill, senior lecturer in neuroscience, Aston Institute for Health and Neurodevelopment added: "We are delighted that our epilepsy model is being used to make such meaningful breakthroughs in the mechanisms of epilepsy and is paving the way for a wider range of future treatments". Corresponding author Richard W Tsien, chair of the Department of Physiology and Neuroscience at NYU Langone Health, said: “Our results deepen the field’s understanding of a central seizure-inducing mechanism, with many implications for the pursuit of new treatment approaches. “The study also clarified, not just how CBD counters seizures, but more broadly how circuits are balanced in the brain. Related imbalances are present in autism and schizophrenia, so the paper may have a broader impact.” The results build on how each neuron “fires” to send an electrical pulse down an extension of itself until it reaches a synapse, the gap that connects it to the next cell in a neuronal pathway, and how this activity can change in a network which is likely to generate epileptic seizures. For more information about Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) please visit our website.
For the third time, Modern Healthcare has selected ChristianaCare President and CEO Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, for its Top 25 Women Leaders list. The editors highlighted the bold strategic enterprise plan that Dr. Nevin has set for ChristianaCare, which focuses on vital areas, including addressing care disparities, effectively supporting employees, simplifying access to health services and accelerating transformation and growth. They noted a number of specific initiatives related to the strategic plan, such as the rollout of Moxi cobots, which have improved the workflows for nurses and patient care technicians by handling low-value tasks like deliveries. Modern Healthcare also cited that this past year ChristianaCare spun off its first-ever private, commercial startup company, CorriXR Therapeutics, which is using CRISPR gene editing technology to develop cancer therapeutics, starting with lung cancer. “Dr. Nevin has set ChristianaCare on a bold path forward,” said Nicholas M. Marsini, Jr., chair of the ChristianaCare Health System Board of Directors. “She leads the health system guided by our values of love and excellence, addressing difficult problems head on with courage and empathy. As ChristianaCare sets a model in so many ways for other health care organizations across the country, Dr. Nevin’s local and national impact make her most deserving of this recognition.” Dr. Nevin has been president and CEO of ChristianaCare since 2014. Under her leadership ChristianaCare has become one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals, according to Healthgrades. The system has also been lauded as one of the nation’s best large employers overall and specifically for inclusion and diversity. Modern Healthcare’s list of the Top 25 Women Leaders acknowledges and honors women executives from all sectors of the health care industry for their contributions to care delivery improvement, health equity, policy and gender equity in leadership. “They are innovators and team-builders advancing their organizations. They are mentoring co-workers while inspiring others to pursue careers in the industry,” said Mary Ellen Podmolik, editor-in-chief of Modern Healthcare. “And externally, they are forging coalitions to improve access to care for all patients. The women we’ve selected this year, from hundreds of nominations, are leading important advancements in the nation’s healthcare system.” This year’s honorees are profiled in the Feb. 20 issue of Modern Healthcare magazine and online at www.modernhealthcare.com/topwomenexecs.
Aston University turns red to highlight World Encephalitis Day
• Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) researchers support World Encephalitis Day on 22 February • Aston University library will be lit up in red – the official campaign colour • Staff and students are encouraged to wear red and tweet their photos in support of the campaign Researchers and staff at Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) are marking World Encephalitis Day (22 February) by lighting up the Aston University library on its campus near Birmingham city centre. The library will be lit up in red – the official colour of the campaign - to support and raise awareness of encephalitis and all those affected by the condition. The global awareness campaign, introduced by the charity the Encephalitis Society, is based on the theme of Code Red – an emergency alert code used in hospitals. Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain. It is caused either by an infection invading the brain or through the immune system attacking the brain in error. According to the Encephalitis Society, anyone at any age can develop the condition, with up to 6,000 cases in the UK each year and potentially hundreds of thousands worldwide. In the USA there were approximately 250,000 patients admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of encephalitis in the last decade. Researchers at Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment are working closely with patients affected by the disease through their child-focused research programme. Dr Sukhvir Wright, honorary consultant neurologist at Birmingham Children's Hospital, and Wellcome Trust clinical research career development fellow at IHN, said: “IHN researchers know first-hand what children and families affected by encephalitis go through on a daily basis. That’s why we are fighting to answer the questions that matter most to this community through our work. “Our research includes, developing disease models to help try and improve treatments. We do brain imaging to identify biomarkers that might help predict outcomes and at the bedside of our patients we contribute up-to-date practical information and support for children and their families. This work is carried out closely in partnership with the Encephalitis Society.” As part of the awareness campaign IHN researchers are calling upon staff and students to show their support by wearing red on Wednesday 22 February - and share their pictures on social media. Please use the hashtags #Red4WED #WorldEncephalitisDay #TeamAston and remember to tag @Aston_IHN. For more information about Aston Institute of Health and Neurodevelopment (IHN) please visit our website.
ChristianaCare Launches Supplier Diversity Program
Making the organization more reflective of the patients and communities we serve To advance its commitment to diversity and inclusion, ChristianaCare has launched a supplier diversity program – the first among hospitals in Delaware – that supports greater equity among suppliers and provides equal access to purchasing opportunities at the health system. The new program opens the door for small and diverse businesses owned and operated by ethnic minorities, women, veterans, service-disabled veterans, LGBTQ+ individuals and persons with disabilities to do business with ChristianaCare. “ChristianaCare’s commitment to expand and strengthen our partnerships with diverse vendors and suppliers is integral to our strategic plan to embed equity throughout our operations and culture,” said Jennifer Garvin, vice president of Supply Chain at ChristianaCare. “As the largest private employer in Delaware, we want to continue to grow and develop our diverse network of suppliers and vendors and obtain the best products at the best price. “This program gives us a platform to connect with smaller, historically disadvantaged firms. “We often look to the suppliers and business partners in our supply chain to bring new ideas and fresh insights to the table – and we believe everyone should have a seat at that table,” Garvin said. “By formalizing our commitment to supplier diversity, we are making ChristianaCare more reflective of the patients and communities we are privileged to serve.” By emphasizing a culture of diversity throughout their business operations, organizations tend to attract and retain top talent, increase employee satisfaction, outperform competitors and make better business decisions, according to research published by McKinsey & Company on the impact of diversity on businesses. “By being purposeful where we purchase our goods and services, we can make a meaningful, measurable and lasting impact on the wellbeing of our neighbors and our local economy,” said Etmara Offe, senior program manager of Supplier Diversity at ChristianaCare, and the first person to hold a position dedicated to supplier diversity at a health system in Delaware. “We want to ensure that a wide range of diverse suppliers and vendors have opportunities to work with us by growing and developing our network through outreach and educational programs,” she said. Offe said that plans are in the works for a supplier mentoring program and outreach events in the year ahead. For more information, visit ChristianaCare Supplier Diversity – ChristianaCare. Diverse businesses can apply using the Potential Supplier Intake Form on the website.
Optometry researchers to improve understanding of short sightedness management strategies in kids
• Optometry researchers funded to assess the impact of myopia interventions on vision and visual behaviour in children • Research partnership will improve understanding of myopia management strategies in children • Two-year collaboration between Aston University and industry Researchers at Aston University specialising in myopia - or short sightedness - are starting work on a project with industry partners to better understand how myopia management strategies affect children. The research team based in the College of Health and Life Sciences has secured a £500,000 grant to determine the impact of myopia management interventions on vision and visual behaviour in children, for example, looking at how their vision responds to an intervention such as spectacles when they view objects at different distances. The new grant builds upon the team’s portfolio of research in the field of myopia, where clinical studies are underway with children between the ages of six and 15 years old. The researchers are working on slowing the progression of myopia in children. The interventions under trial include low dose atropine eye drops, contact lenses and spectacle lenses. Myopia is an eye condition where distant objects appear blurry. It typically occurs in childhood and progresses through the teenage years. It can lead to eye disease in later life, as the eye grows longer with myopia, it causes stretching in parts of the eye. Myopia is becoming increasingly prevalent throughout the world and it has been predicted to affect approximately 50 per cent of the world's population by 2050, based on trending myopia prevalence figures. Myopia is an overlooked but leading cause of blindness, particularly among the working age population. The two-year programme of research is being led by an internationally recognised team of academics from the School of Optometry, including Professor Leon Davies, Professor Nicola Logan, Dr Amy Sheppard, and Professor James Wolffsohn. The research grant will also support the appointment of two clinical research optometrists. Professor Leon Davies, professor of optometry and physiological optics at Aston University and president of the College of Optometrists said: “As Aston University has an established, internationally recognised track record in myopia research, we are pleased to be able to continue our work in this area to further our understanding of myopia management strategies for the benefit of patients.” Professor Nicola Logan, professor of optometry and physiological optics, at Aston University added: “As an advocate for evidence-based advancements, this research collaboration will further our scientific understanding of myopia progression. The work will increase our knowledge and better facilitate translation to clinical practice to manage young children more actively with myopia.”
Georgia Southern recognized as top 100 degree producer for diverse students
Georgia Southern University has ranked in the top providers nationally for degrees conferred to diverse students among higher education institutions. For several years, Diverse Issues In Higher Education has produced the Top 100 Degree Producers rankings of the institutions that confer the most degrees to diverse students. The data was reported at the end of 2022 for the previous year of 2020-2021. Georgia Southern ranked highly in the following categories: #2 for international (temporary resident) students receiving doctoral degrees in public health #3 for African American and total minority students receiving doctoral degrees in public health #5 for African American students receiving bachelor’s degrees in the physical sciences #6 for African American students receiving bachelor’s degrees in communications disorder sciences #6 for African American students receiving bachelor’s degrees in parks and recreation “We are proud to be ranked in the top 20 in a variety of disciplines and categories,” said Dominique A. Quarles, Ph.D., associate vice president for inclusive excellence and chief diversity officer. "Along with our designations as a First-gen Forward Institution and Military Friendly School, this highlights the University’s success in providing education to students in our diverse state and region, and it reaffirms the importance of inclusion as a value at Georgia Southern.” The number of combined bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees awarded increased by over 55,000 degrees from 2019-2021 to 2021-2022 for diverse students nationwide. Underrepresented students of color received 35% of the combined degrees. The data comes from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data system survey known as IPEDS, which are collected by the U.S. Department of Education. Georgia Southern detailed diversity rankings: Rank Category Degree Level Discipline #2 Temporary Resident Doctorate Public Health #3 African American Doctorate Public Health #3 Total Minority Doctorate Public Health #5 African American Bachelor’s Physical Sciences #6 African American Bachelor’s Communication Disorders Sciences #6 African American Bachelor’s Parks, Recreation, Leisure #8 African American Bachelor’s Engineering #9 African American Bachelor’s Marketing #10 African American Bachelor’s Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Sciences #13 African American Bachelor’s Finance #13 African American Master’s Parks, Recreation, Leisure #14 African American Bachelor’s Family And Consumer Sciences #14 Two or More Races Bachelor’s Communication Disorders #15 African American Bachelor’s Education #19 African American Bachelor’s All Disciplines Combined View the Top 100 Diverse Report Here For more information about the Top 100 Diverse Report or to speak with Dominique A. Quarles — simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
