Experts Matter. Find Yours.
Connect for media, speaking, professional opportunities & more.
Researcher develops microrobots to battle cancer with unique precision
Magnetic robots that can target cancer cells are nothing new. But the patented microrobots developed by the University of Delaware's Sambeeta Das can be guided with a magnetic field to deliver medication to cells – or to destroy infectious cells, such as cancer – inside the body. To mark the launch of National Inventors Month, Das, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, shared her journey toward invention. Q: Tell us about your patented invention on microrobots for cancer research. What problem were you trying to solve? Das: One of the biggest issues with cancer research is the ability to target cancer cells without harming healthy cells. Cancer cells are sneaky, and they have evolved ways of hiding from the body’s immune cells. A big part of our research focuses on targeting, specifically precision targeting. We want to be able to target a single cell in a mass of cells, whether that is a single cell in a mass of cancer cells or whether it is a single abnormal cell surrounded by healthy cells. To do this, we use magnetic microrobots that can be driven inside the body by magnetic fields to a particular cell location. Magnetic fields are biocompatible, meaning they are not harmful to biological tissues, and our microrobots are very small, around 20 microns, which is about the size of a single bacteria cell. We can load our microrobots with various drugs and modify their surface in such a way that when the robots come in contact with the cells we are targeting, they can kill the target cell or perform some other function. Q: How is this solution unique? Das: Other people have made magnetic microrobots, but our system is unique since it allows us to do automatic targeting with a lot of precision. For example, a person operating our microrobots can just point to a cell and our system will drive the microrobot there. Additionally, the instrument we have made and patented is an all-in-one portable device that can be used anywhere. We don’t need a separate microscope, camera or software, it is all built in and very user friendly. Anyone can use it. This makes it super portable, which means quick solutions for health practitioners. In addition, poor and resource challenged areas can also be accessed with this portable solution. Q: What drives you toward invention? Das: I like to solve problems, and I like seeing something come together from nothing. I am very interested in problems that affect human health and longevity, particularly those that affect the common person. Q: How do you approach solving a problem, and whose support has been critical along the way? Das: One thing I have realized is that it is imperative to ask the right question to solve a problem. You must really get to the core of the issue. The second thing is to always keep the end user in mind. So, it’s kind of a two-pronged approach—looking from both ends of the problem. For support, I would say my team members and my collaborators. Their support has been invaluable in helping me solve the problems that I want to solve. In fact, my graduate students keep a running list of crazy ideas that they have come up with. It helps us look at problems in a unique way and come up with innovative solutions. Q: Not every invention makes it. How do you deal with failure? Das: The way that I start working on a problem is to assume that whatever we do, we are going to fail. I always tell my students that their first couple of experiments or designs will always fail. But failure is essential because it will teach you what not to do. And knowing what not to do is sometimes the critical part of the invention process. The failures inform us about the ways of not doing something which means now there is another way of doing something. Q: What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Das: The best career advice I’ve ever received is that there is always another way. If you run into roadblocks there is always another answer, there is always another opportunity. So we just need to keep going and trying new and crazy ideas. Q: How are inventive minds created – is it innate or can it be developed? How do you encourage innovation among your students? Das: That’s an interesting question and honestly, I am not sure. I do believe in what Edison said, “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” He is a known inventor, so I would go with his interpretation on this. As for my students, I give them lots of freedom. I think freedom is essential in encouraging innovation. The freedom to come up with crazy ideas without anyone saying that won't work and the freedom to fail—multiple times. Das is available for interviews to talk about her microrobots and other projects at UD. To reach her, visit her profile and click the "contact" button.
The ChristianaCare Hospital Care at Home program, a national leader in providing acute care in a place most familiar to patients – their own homes – has reached a new milestone with more than 1,000 admissions since opening in December 2021. ChristianaCare’s innovative program enables patients with common chronic conditions, such as congestive heart failure and diabetes complications, as well as infections like pneumonia, to receive hospital-level care at home through virtual and in-person care provided by a team of physicians, nurse practitioners, paramedics and others. Technology kits deployed to patient homes ensure round-the-clock access to a health care professional, along with twice daily visits from caregivers, medication deliveries and mobile laboratory services. ‘Absolutely amazing’ for patients Patients are evaluated for the hospital care at home program when they come to Wilmington or Christiana hospital emergency departments. Those who can be treated at home receive a technology kit that connects them to the command center, powered by the ChristianaCare Center for Virtual Health. With a touch of a button, they can access an expert team of ChristianaCare doctors and nurses. But hospital care at home isn’t just virtual care — the technology supports an entire care team that works inside the patient’s home and remotely to provide optimal support at all times — just like in a hospital. Carol Bieber, whose 98-year-old father Bill has been a hospital care at home patient, sees the difference it makes for him to wake up in his own bed, sit in his own living room and still get the care he needs to get better. “The whole hospital care at home experience is really calm and easy and familiar to him,” said Bieber, who lives in Newark, Delaware. “My dad is a people person, so to be able to connect with everybody who comes in to see him or talk to him on the screen is just amazing.” Innovative solutions for in-home care ChristianaCare’s Hospital Care at Home program was developed in 2021 after the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) began the Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver program to allow Medicare beneficiaries to receive acute-level health care services in their home. U.S. Sen. Tom Carper, who represents Delaware, worked to pass the bipartisan “Hospital Inpatient Services Modernization Act” in 2023 that extended this program. Last month. Sen. Carper introduced the bipartisan “At-Home Observation and Medical Evaluation (HOME) Services Act” that would expand this lifesaving and cost-saving program. “Hospital at Home – which grew out of the COVID pandemic – was an opportunity for us to meet seniors where they are,” Carper said. “It has delivered positive outcomes, higher patient satisfaction, and saves money.” Sarah Schenck, M.D., FACP, executive director of the ChristianaCare Center for Virtual Health, said the hospital care at home program has yielded lower readmission rates than brick-and-mortar hospitals. Patient experience scores are about three times higher than a national average traditional hospital experience. “We’ve been conditioned to believe that care only happens within the four walls of a hospital. For our patients who have loved ones at home or their pets, a favorite chair or favorite food, they’re now able to have all of that as they heal,” Schenck said. “Once our patients have experienced this, what we hear from them is that they are truly grateful.” Promoting healing – at home Helping patients recover in their homes also has been transformational for caregivers who get to see a different side of their patients and better understand what they need to successfully recover. “I can’t express how much I enjoy the patients and their families,” said Heather Orkis, a paramedic with Hospital Care at Home. “To be able to enjoy the family and see these people get better in their own homes, with their families, their grandkids, their dogs, their cats – it’s just a completely different kind of medicine.” For Bill Bieber’s family, hospital care at home is more than health care. “It’s just the best thing ever,” Carol Bieber said.
Dr Raghunath Anant Mashelkar delivered the 2024 Aston University Annual Distinguished Lecture He has been president of the Indian National Science Academy and director general of the Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and has received multiple honours and awards He was also presented with an honorary professorship in recognition of his outstanding contribution to academia and beyond. Dr Raghunath Anant Mashelkar delivered Aston University’s 2024 Annual Distinguished Lecture to more than 70 invited guests on 22 April. One of the world’s renowned figures in polymer science, research leadership and intellectual property rights, Dr Mashelkar, a chemical engineer, is a global leader and inspiration in his native India and the wider international research community. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the research community, Dr Mashelkar was bestowed with an honorary professorship at the end of the lecture by Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University. The title of Dr Mashelkar’s lecture was ‘Trapeze Artistry in Biomimetic Smart Gels’. ‘Smart gels’, made from synthetic polymers (types of plastics), can be developed with specific functional properties, such as reacting to changes in temperature and pH. Whilst Director at India’s National Chemical Laboratories, Dr Mashelkar led work which discovered smart gels which can mimic biological functions (biomimetic), including being self-healing, self-organising, and acting as enzymes in chemical and biological processes. Their properties can be reversibly switched on or off, or they can change volume or shape, through the use of pH or temperature, the ‘trapeze artistry’ of the title, giving them many uses. This included temperature-responsive comfortable insoles for diabetic feet, drilling fluids which can quickly, but reversibly, plug an oil well, and medical devices for the digestive system, which resist the acidic environment of the stomach to deliver drugs, but dissolve harmlessly in the alkaline environment when they leave the stomach. One of the defining factors of Dr Mashelkar’s work has been serendipity. He told the story of a smart gel that dried to become a completely different shape when dried in his laboratory’s old oven rather than the new oven. One of his research team discovered this was due to the presence of copper ions from corrosion in the oven, which changed the way the molecules arranged themselves and led to a whole new area of research on polymer self-assembly. As he said: “Eyes do not see what the mind does not know. Look at the 'failed' experiment very carefully, maybe the next big breakthrough is waiting there!” Dr Mashelkar also spoke on his life story, from a young boy in India, attending the local municipal school, to addressing thousands of the world’s best minds at places like the World Economic Forum and the World Bank. His great passion now is ‘Gandhian Engineering’ based on the principle of more performance, from fewer resources, for more people. He created the Anjani Mashelkar Award, named after his mother, for the best low-cost, high-technology innovations. Winners have included an Internet of Things-based maternal healthcare system for rural areas and a smartphone app to assess lung health. Dr Mashelkar is proud of his work on Gandhian Engineering. Speaking after the lecture he said: “Rising inequalities create social disharmony. Now, you can’t make the inequalities vanish because you can’t make poor people rich overnight. What is needed is access. Can we give access equality, despite the income inequality? And that’s the principle of Gandhian Engineering. In my lecture I showed a photograph of a poor lady in a hut with a mobile, and a rich lady from a city who also had a mobile. This is equal access. It was not possible previously when mobiles were so expensive. In India now we have good public infrastructure. Data is now Rs 4 per GB and wireless is free. Once you start giving access, there is a parity.” Professor Subic said: “It was a privilege and a pleasure to welcome such a celebrated scientist as Dr Mashelkar to give the Aston University Annual Distinguished Lecture this year. Once again, we have brought a renowned international leader to engage with our community and present some of the most exciting research going on in our world today, while also inspiring the next generation of researchers and international citizens. I am deeply honoured that Dr Mashelkar has accepted an honorary professorship from Aston University in recognition of his international standing and significant contributions to scientific research and innovation.” The distinguished lecture series was established by Professor Subic in 2023. It brings influential speakers to the University to address major scientific breakthroughs, as well as social, cultural and policy issues. The first distinguished lecture was given by Nobel Laureate Peter Agre in 2023. Speaking after the lecture, Dr Mashelkar said: “I am absolutely honoured to get this honorary professorship from Aston University. Aston University is excelling in a number of areas. In terms of its future, I consider that to be very bright for the simple reason that the University’s dynamic Vice-Chancellor is making big changes with speed and skill, with expansion, inclusion and excellence. To be honoured with an honorary professorship is one of the greatest satisfactions and fulfilments of my life.” The lecture was followed by a drinks reception to allow guests to meet Dr Mashelkar and further discuss his work. A video recording of the 2024 Annual Distinguished Lecture will be made available on the University website at a later date.
The event is aimed at supporting businesses in applying for the 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise The masterclass will feature presentations from the West Midlands Lieutenancy How to be a winner will be held on Friday 10 May 2024. The Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) at Aston University is to host a special masterclass to encourage and support companies to apply for a prestigious business award. The King’s Awards for Enterprise are for outstanding achievement by UK businesses in the categories of innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity through social mobility. The event, How to be a winner, will be held on Friday 10 May 2024 from 15:00 to 17:00 BST at Aston University’s headquarters in John Cadbury House in Birmingham. CREME, in collaboration with the West Midlands Lieutenancy, is hosting this masterclass to guide businesses through the application process and share insights from previous award winners. Applications for the 2025 King’s Award for Enterprise open in May 2024. Organisations who receive a King’s Award are presented with the award at their company by one of The King’s representatives, a Lord-Lieutenant, are invited to a Royal reception, able to fly The King’s Awards flag at their main office, use the emblem on their marketing materials and are given a Grant of Appointment (an official certificate) and a commemorative crystal trophy. The awards are valid for 5 years. The masterclass will feature a presentation by the West Midlands Deputy Lieutenants’ John Wood and Tom Westley, who will provide a detailed overview of the application process. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to hear firsthand from past winners about their journey to success and the tangible benefits derived from winning a King's Award for Enterprise. Professor Monder Ram OBE DL, director of CREME, said: “The King's Award for Enterprise is without a doubt the most prestigious accolade that any UK company can receive. The boost to your business, particularly internationally, and to company morale is immense. “I encourage West Midlands-based businesses to join us for this insightful event which will be an excellent opportunity to learn from industry experts and gain valuable knowledge on how to position your business for success.” The masterclass is free to attend and interested parties can register their interest here. Eligibility for the categories can be checked here.
Aston Business School postgraduate team reaches final of global business simulation competition
Hein, Hussein and Shristi The Universities Business Challenge Global Masters is a team-based business simulation event where participants act as a board of directors The competition offers postgraduate students the opportunity to develop the skills needed for the working world The Grand Final will take place in Southampton on Friday 26 April 2024. A team of postgraduate students from Aston Business School has secured a spot in the Grand Final of the Universities Business Challenge (UBC) Global Masters competition. The competition is a team-based business simulation that provides participants with the opportunity to act as a board of directors who have taken responsibility for improving the performance of a company. Team 'GJ1' from Aston Business School, comprising Hussein Mohammedali Rangoonwala (MSc International Business), Hein Htut Tin (MSc Investment Analysis) and Shristi Shrestha (MSc Investment Analysis), with the guidance of their staff mentor Adriana Braje demonstrated exceptional performance throughout the competition's qualifying rounds. The competition offers postgraduate students a unique opportunity to develop the skills that they will need when moving into the working world and consists of 80 teams, drawn from a wide range of UK and Irish universities. Adriana Braje, a teaching fellow in marketing at Aston Business School, said: “I'm feeling really proud as a mentor seeing my students reach the final of the UBC competition. “Their dedication and teamwork have been outstanding, and I'm excited to see them shine even brighter in the final round.” Professor Zoe Radnor, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean for the College of Business and Social Sciences at Aston University, said: “I am pleased to see our students excel on a global platform like the UBC Global Masters competition. “This accomplishment reinforces our position as a leader in business education and highlights the calibre of talent nurtured at Aston Business School, which is commitment to academic excellence and competitive spirit. “It reflects our commitment in our Aston 2030 strategy to ensuring our students are ready for work and life. “I wish the team all the best of luck for the final.” The Grand Final will take place in Southampton on Friday 26 April 2024.
Aston University MBA programmes excel in global Eduniversal Rankings
The Aston Online MBA has been placed 1st in the UK and 24th in the world in the Part-Time MBA rankings The full-time MBA was ranked 4th in the UK and top 20 position in Europe The Eduniversal rankings provide a comprehensive evaluation of Masters and MBA programmes across the globe. Aston University has seen success in the latest Eduniversal rankings, with two MBA programmes securing positions in the global or European top 25. The Aston Online MBA has been placed 1st in the UK and 24th in the world in the Part-Time MBA rankings. The full-time MBA was ranked 4th in the UK and secured a top 20 position (19th) in Europe. It is the latest global accolade for Aston Business School, which is part of an elite group of global business schools that hold the gold standard of ‘triple-crown’ accreditation from AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS, having risen to 66th in the world in the 2024 QS World Subject rankings for business and management studies. Additionally, the MSc Entrepreneurship & International Business has climbed to 25th in the world and 2nd in the UK, while the MSc in Supply Chain Management has risen to 37th worldwide and 2nd in the UK. The Eduniversal rankings provide a comprehensive evaluation of the top 5,820 Masters and MBA programmes, spanning 56 fields of study and covering 153 countries/regions across nine geographic zones, offering a comprehensive view of excellence in higher education globally. Annually, over 20,000 postgraduate programmes from around the globe undergo evaluation. The rigorous assessment process involves collaboration with representatives from leading academic institutions worldwide, alongside 5,000 international recruiters and 100,000 current or recent graduates from these programmes. Professor Aleks Subic, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Aston University, said: “These latest rankings underscore Aston University’s ongoing commitment to excellence and are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our outstanding staff, students and stakeholders. “It is just the latest in a series of external accolades recognising our success, following the recent announcement of our success in the 2024 QS World Rankings by Subject, which placed business and management studies in the top 8 in the UK and 66th in the world. “These achievements show our Aston 2030 Strategy in action and our dedication to providing an outstanding education for our students at world-leading standard.” Professor Zoe Radnor, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean for the College of Business and Social Sciences at Aston University, said: “I am delighted to see the Aston Online MBA and full-time MBA recognised in these latest rankings. “We take pride in our programmes, which are consistently recognised by the world's most prominent rankings as being at the forefront of business education and accredited by AMBA. “We have a strong track record of MBA employability with our graduates going on to excel across the business sectors in companies across the world, and these rankings recognise the hard work of everyone at the University to make that happen.”
Healthy Environment, Healthy People: The Intersection Between Climate and Health
How is climate change influencing our health? Why does climate change have a greater impact on vulnerable populations and low-income people? How does the U.S. health care system affect the climate? How can health care systems improve their impact on the climate and the environment? ChristianaCare’s inaugural Climate and Health Conference addressed these topics and raised possible solutions at the John H. Ammon Medical Education Center on the Newark, Delaware, campus on April 12. At the conference, the common denominator was this: An unhealthy environment can lead to illnesses and deaths from air pollution, high heat, contaminated water and extreme weather events. Health systems, government entities, community organizations and individuals all have a role to play in decreasing these effects. “Climate, the environment and health care systems are intertwined,” said Greg O’Neill, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC. “We need to pay close attention to this relationship so we can improve health for everyone.” O’Neill is director of Patient & Family Health Education and co-chair of the Environmental Sustainability Caregiver Committee at ChristianaCare. Climate change and intensifying health conditions Negative health effects are so closely tied to the environments where people live, work and play that The Lancet called climate change “the greatest global health threat facing the world in the 21st century [and] the greatest opportunity to redefine the social and environmental determinants of health.” At the conference, speakers addressed specific areas of concern. Asthma. Air pollutants, while largely invisible, are associated with asthma. What’s more, people who live in urban areas with little green space are more likely to have uncontrolled asthma, said speaker Robert Ries, M.D., an emergency medicine resident at ChristianaCare. And there’s the rub, he said: When people with asthma spend time in green spaces, it may improve their health. “In Canada,” he said, “some doctors prescribe nature – two hours a week for better overall health outcomes. Could we do that here?” Heat-related illness. Temperatures worldwide have been rising, increasing the likelihood of heat-related health incidents. Heat waves may be harmful to children and older adults, particularly those who don’t have access to air conditioning, swimming pools or transportation to the beach, said speaker Alan Greenglass, M.D., a retired primary care physician. Children visit the emergency room 20% more frequently during heat waves. Weather-related illness. Climate change is causing more floods, which may result in respiratory problems due to mold growth; and droughts, which may threaten water safety and contribute to global food insecurity, said speaker Anat Feingold, M.D., MPH, an infectious disease specialist at Cooper Health. Stress and anxiety. Climate change can affect mental health, even leading to “solastalgia,” which is distress about environmental change and its effect on one’s home, said speaker Zachary Radcliff, Ph.D., an adolescent psychologist at Nemours. He encouraged clinicians in the audience to keep this mental health concern in mind when seeing patients as it may become more prevalent. Cardiovascular disease risk. Frequent consumption of red meat increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, the top cause of death in the U.S. It’s also unhealthy for the environment, said speaker Shirley Kalwaney, M.D., an internal medicine specialist at Inova. Livestock uses 80% of available farmland to produce only 17% of calories consumed, creating a high level of greenhouse gas emissions. By comparison, plant-based whole foods decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. They use only 16% of available farmland, producing 82% of calories consumed. This makes reducing red meat in our diets one of the most powerful ways to lower the impact on our environment. Health equity and the environment People in low-income communities are more likely to live in urban areas that experience the greatest impacts of climate change, including exposure to air pollutants and little access to green space, said speaker Abby Nerlinger, M.D., a pediatrician for Nemours. A Harvard study in 2020 demonstrated that air pollution was linked with higher death rates from COVID-19 — likely one of the many reasons the pandemic has disproportionally harmed Black and Latino communities. Similarly, access to safe, affordable housing is essential to a healthy environment, said Sarah Stowens, Ed.D., manager of State Policy and Advocacy for ChristianaCare, who advocated for legislation including the Climate Solutions Act, another bill that increased oversight regarding testing and reporting of lead poisoning and a policy to reduce waste from topical medications. Opportunities for change in health care Reduce emissions from pharmaceuticals and chemicals. These emissions are responsible for 18% of a health system’s greenhouse gas emissions. One way to reduce this number is for clinicians to prescribe a dry-powder inhaler (DPI) instead of a metered-dose inhaler (MDI) when applicable and safe for the patient and to give patients any inhalers that were used in the hospital at discharge if they are going home on the same prescription. Hospitals have opportunities to reduce greenhouse gases while caring for patients, said Deanna Benner, MSN, APRN, WHNP, women’s health nurse practitioner and co-chair of ChristianaCare’s Environmental Sustainability Caregiver Committee. The health care sector is responsible for 8.5% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, the highest per person in the world. U.S. greenhouse gas emissions account for 27% of the global health care footprint. One way to significantly reduce the carbon footprint is to use fewer anesthetic gases associated with greater greenhouse gas emissions, Benner said. Limit single-use medical devices. Did you know that one surgical procedure may produce more waste than a family of four produces in a week? Elizabeth Cerceo, M.D., director of climate health at Cooper Health, posed this question during her talk. Sterilizing and reusing medical devices, instead of using single-use medical devices, she said, may meaningfully reduce hospital waste. ChristianaCare’s commitment to healthy environments and healthy people As one of the nation’s leading health systems, ChristianaCare is taking a bold, comprehensive approach to environmental stewardship. ChristianaCare reduced its carbon footprint by 37% in 2023 by purchasing emission-free electricity. ChristianaCare joined the White House Climate Pledge to use 100% renewable energy by 2025, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve zero net emissions by 2050. ChristianaCare has created an Environmental, Social and Governance structure to help advance a five-year strategic plan that delivers health equity and environmental stewardship. Nearly 150 staff members have become Eco-Champions, an opportunity to be environmental change-leaders in the workplace. In 2023, ChristianaCare’s successful environmental stewardship included: Reducing our carbon footprint by 37% by purchasing emission-free electricity. Recycling 96,663 pounds of paper, which preserved 11,485 trees. Reducing air pollution by releasing an estimated 33,000 fewer pounds of nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides through the use of a cogeneration energy plant on the Newark campus. Donating 34,095 pounds of unused food to the Sunday Breakfast Mission in Wilmington, Delaware. Donating 1,575 pounds of unused medical equipment to Project C.U.R.E., ChristianaCare’s Virtual Education and Simulation Training Center and Delaware Technical Community College. “In quality improvement, they say you improve the things that you measure,” O’Neill said in expressing goals for continued success. In looking ahead, said Benner, “I really hope that this conference is the catalyst for positive change with more people understanding how climate is connected to health, so that we can protect health from environmental harms and promote a healthy environment for all people to thrive.”
Demystifying Relapse: 2-part series on substance use disorder recurrence and treatment
CARF International Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health Michael Johnson is a contributor of this terrific two-part series on substance use relapse from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. NATCON and partnering contributors from CARF International, National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), and the Recovery Research Institute are excited to release the Demystifying Relapse series, which includes two issue briefs that explore the complex dynamics of substance use disorder recurrence and the difficulty of reengaging individuals in the recovery process. “I’m grateful to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing for the opportunity to work with them on these two important documents. The U.S. is facing unprecedented challenges in treating persons with substance use disorders, with access to care continuing to be difficult for many. The field, the payers, and the public at large needs to take time to recalibrate how treatment and return to use are viewed in order to have realistic expectations for care, to destigmatize what it means for a person to return to use, and to ensure there is appropriate types of care available to those who need to re-enter the treatment systems,” said Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health Michael Johnson. “Only when we recognize that persons who return to use need to have care that is individualized to assist them to stabilize, not start over, can we better ensure that treatment systems are more accessible based on the needs of persons served. The treatment for any chronic illness can be difficult as the path to wellness is often not linear. I hope these two papers can start a dialogue on how to reframe the systems to better meet the needs of those who continue with the recurrence of symptoms.” Michael Johnson is the CARF International Senior Managing Director of Behavioral Health. If you are looking to know more or connect with Michael, view his profile below to arrange an interview today.
Major UK tile company joins up with Aston University to digitise for the future
Shropshire-based Craven Dunnill has been in business for over 150 years The company will work with the University through a Management Knowledge Transfer Partnership (mKTP) It will streamline and digitise its warehouse processes and practices as part of a long-term growth plan. The UK’s longest-operating manufacturer, supplier and importer of ceramic tiles has joined forces with Aston University in a Management Knowledge Transfer Partnership (mKTP). Shropshire-based Craven Dunnill, which has been in business for over 150 years, has a large and complex supply chain, both of finished tiles and of the raw materials for manufacturing. Its customers are consumers, merchants, property developers, bathroom and kitchen retailers, in addition to architectural and building communities. A KTP is a three-way collaboration between a business, an academic partner and a highly qualified researcher, known as a KTP associate. The UK-wide programme helps businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills. Aston University is a sector leading KTP provider, with 80% of its completed projects being graded as very good or outstanding by Innovate UK, the national body. An mKTP focuses specifically on increasing effectiveness and improving results through better management practices. The company wants to fully streamline and digitise its processes and practices, including ordering, purchasing, stock and warehouse management, as well as delivery planning and sales tracking. It would also see the company’s different business divisions integrated. Developing an accurate real-time warehouse management system is a key part of the project as, currently, different production batches vary slightly in colour and size, making it crucial not to mix them when fulfilling orders. The company is working with Aston University’s Professor Ben Clegg and Dr Gajanan Panchal (academic lead and supervisor) from Aston Business School. Professor Clegg, a professor of operations management, has pioneered a successful methodology called Process Oriented Holonic Modelling (PrOH Modelling), a way of fully engaging employees in organisational change using systems modelling and storyboarding, that will be used to help Craven Dunnill’s employees to guide and implement new processes. Dr Panchal specialises in logistics and supply chain management, including warehouse management and optimisation. He uses a variety of approaches to comprehend and analyse problems with warehousing operations. Completing the team in the KTP associate position is Dr Olanrewaju Sanda, who has started analysing the issues in the warehouse including the data around inventory accuracy and stock selection. Working closely with management and the Aston University team, he will digitalise operational systems. Part of this will include building a digital dashboard to represent the factory and move it towards a ‘digital twin’. Simon Howells, CEO of Craven Dunnill, said: “Although the mKTP is for two years, we don’t see it as a finite project. It will improve our pace of change and our developmental dynamism. Our supply chains and processes are complex, and we know getting the best advice and expertise is going to be really crucial for the long-term growth of the company.” Professor Ben Clegg said: “We’ve been using the PrOH modelling approach in various forms for several research projects. The more people we can involve, the more successful the project tends to be. I think the company was interested in our unique combination of our knowledge of digital technologies, logistics and our expertise in organisational change.” Olanrewaju Sanda said: “The warehouse is the heartbeat of the company – everything flows in and out of there. If we can solve the high-level problems at the warehouse, it will trickle down to everything else and leave the company in the best possible position for the future.”
East or West – who holds the key to our collective future? Public lecture
Professor Jun Du is an applied economist with a keen interest in economic thinking, policy and business strategy Her lecture will examine the differences between Eastern and Western economic models It will take place at Aston Business School on Wednesday 24 April 2024. An influential professor of economics and expert in global trade will be giving an inaugural public lecture at Aston Business School on Wednesday 24 April 2024. Professor Jun Du is an applied economist with a keen interest in economic thinking, policy and business strategy. Her research looks into the drivers and obstacles to boosting productivity and economic growth from the perspectives of individuals, firms, industries, regions and nations. Her lecture, East, West, which is best? - State, Market and the Return of Industrial Policy, promises to be an engaging narrative journey through the contrasting economic development experiences of Eastern and Western countries. Leveraging her extensive research and personal insights, Professor Du will delve into the complex dynamics between state, policies and the twin engines of growth – entrepreneurship and innovation. Professor Du said: “With the backdrop of global challenges, technological upheavals and pressing environmental crises, we find ourselves pondering on the critical question ‘East, West: who holds the key to our collective future?’ “In my lecture I will not just be looking at the differences, but also the strengths and lessons each brings to the table in our quest for sustainable progress and shared prosperity. We will delve into the landscape of economic governance with the formidable powers of the state, the market and entrepreneurs in conflict and convergence, collectively shaping the industries of the future. “This lecture seeks to spark a conversation that encourages innovative approaches to economic governance, with the goal of ensuring lasting prosperity for generations to come. “This is an invitation to change the world. I hope to see you there.” This lecture is free of charge and open to all to attend either in person or online. Places must be booked in advance. You can sign up for this hybrid public lecture here.
