Introduction
My name is Javin Sandhu. I am currently a medical student
intercalating between years 4 and 5 of medical school to perform an MRes in
Medical Sciences. This MRes course provides you with an opportunity to take on
a research project that grabs your interest with a supportive supervisor who
guides you through the process.
I was fortunate to do my research project in the processing
of pain in the brain thereby combining my two core interests: neurology (study
of the nervous system) and anaesthetics (drugs that work on the nervous system
to put people to sleep). In addition, I have been fortunate to receive the John
Snow for Anaesthetic Research funded by the BJA/RCoA to help support me during
the master’s degree (please see http://www.niaa.org.uk/article.php?newsid=1454).
In Depth…
When we experience pain, certain regions of the brain are activated.
All these regions make up a “pain matrix”.
The pain matrix is divided into areas which process the location of pain
and the emotional effect of that pain. Chronic pain and acute pain activate the
same regions of the pain matrix but to different extents. These differences
suggest that we should be aiming to develop ways of imaging ongoing clinical pain.
Previous research from the Human Pain Research Group (see below for link), has
shown success for treatment approaches such as meditation and placebo. This
previous research has also shown an increase in a certain pattern of brain
activity (known as alpha activity). There are various methods on how to image
the brain’s functions. These approaches depend on how the brain uses oxygen
(showing brain activity) or the electrical activity of the brain (which shows
which brain cells are transferring information).
What do I
investigate?
My research is based upon trying to find a unique pattern of
brain activity for chronic pain by measuring the brain’s electrical activity in
patients with chronic pain caused by rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. I will be using EEG to pick up the brain’s
electrical activity and analysing this data to figure out which areas of the
brain are activated. We hope to find a unique pattern of brain activity which
can be used in the future to test patients with chronic pain. This would help figure
out how much pain these patients are in and to prevent patients which are
addicted to painkillers “faking their chronic pain”.
Going Further…
You can visit this website for more information about The
Human Pain Research Group -(http://www.bbmh.manchester.ac.uk/research/ccn/pain/)
For more information about the MRes Medical Sciences course,
please see -(http://www.mhs.manchester.ac.uk/study/masters/courses/medical-sciences-mres/)
Also if you want more information about pain, please see - (http://www.iasp-pain.org/)
Finally, for a brief introduction into brain imaging
techniques, please see -(http://www.bbmh.manchester.ac.uk/research/ccn/pain/Research/brainimaging/)
Introduction
Hello, I’m Emily, a second year PhD student in Chemical Engineering at the
University of Manchester. I have always been a keen scientist studying
Chemistry, Biology and Maths at A-level before coming to the University of
Manchester in 2010 to study Chemical Engineering. I completed my four year Integrated
Master’s degree before continuing on with my studies by beginning a PhD in
September 2014.
My research focuses on the
development of fuel cells, in particular Microbial Fuel Cell which uses
bacteria found in waste water to clean wastewater whilst generating small
quantities of electricity. The main purpose of this research is to identify and
develop a system of cleaning waste water which is less harmful to the
environment compared with methods currently used.
In Depth…
Every day we use water. To drink,
to cook, to clean, etc. We are very lucky that when we turn on our taps at home
the water that comes out is clean and safe to use. However, when the water
leaves our homes it is contaminated and cannot be used again unless it’s
cleaned. So, how do we clean this water?
Current methods of treating
wastewater are expensive as they either require large quantities of air to be
pumped through the system (activated sludge reactors) or large areas of land
for large reactors (trickle filter bed). They also produce large quantities of
waste sludge which requires further treatment. The quantity of energy required
for pumping, the damage to large areas of land and the production of sludge
also makes this technology damaging to the environment highlighting a further
need for a better method of cleaning water. An alternative is the use of
microbial fuel cells.
Microbial fuel cells use the
bacteria found in wastewater and starve it of oxygen. This prevents the
bacteria from breathing and forces them to ferment, break down organic
materials in water, in order to gain energy and survive. As the organic
materials are broken down protons and electrons are formed. This occurs on one
side of a fuel cell called an anode. These newly formed ions are forced to
travel from the anode side of the fuel cell to the other side, called the cathode,
following two separate routes routes. In between the sides of the fuel cell is
a proton exchange membrane, this allows the movement of protons from one side
to the other but blocks the movement of electrons. Meanwhile the electrons flow
through wires externally of the fuel cell from one side to the other. The ions
are then able to re-join on the cathode side; here they are mixed with oxygen
to produce clean water.
This movement of ions is able to
generate small quantities of electricity. The anaerobic nature of the anode
greatly reduces the quantity of sludge produced which reduces the amount of
further treatment required. The reduction of waste sludge, reduction of energy
needs and the production of electricity make microbial fuel cells an ideal
alternative to current wastewater treatment systems. As well as its use as an
alternative wastewater treatment system, other research is ongoing which uses
this technology specifically for power production or as bio-sensors.
Going Further
This is a great website for general information on what it’s like to be a chemical engineer and how to become one: http://www.whynotchemeng.com/
This is the official blog by
students in the School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science; it
highlights work by both staff and students:
http://www.mub.eps.manchester.ac.uk/ceasblog/
This blog highlights work being
done in fuel cell technology and is run by the Governments Office of Energy,
Efficiency and Renewable Energy: http://energy.gov/eere/hydrogen-fuel-cells-blog
Another blog about different types
of Microbial Fuel Cells and how they work: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/blog/2014/03/microbial-fuel-cells-on-the-hunt-for-renewable-energy.php
A short video explaining microbial
fuel cells by Bruce Logan, a world leader in this research: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZotwUJAb8R4
INTRODUCTION
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My name is Julius Ohrnberger and I am a first
year PhD researcher in Health and Development Economics. My A-levels were in
English, German, Mathematics and History. After graduating from high school in
Germany, I studied Economics for my first degree at Heidelberg University in
Germany. I then did a Masters in Economics and Development Economics in 2014 at
the Free University in Amsterdam. Prior to my PhD, I worked for a year as
researcher in Health Economics for the University of Manchester.
In winter 2015, I started my PhD
in Health Economics and Development Economics at the Centre for Health
Economics at the University of Manchester. In my research, I aim to analyse the
effect of cash transfers on health outcomes of poor families living in
developing countries. I furthermore want to understand how the effect on health
has potential in reducing poverty in the long-run.
IN DEPTH
Imagine that you have to live on
less than £1 a day: £1 for food, clothing, the bus ticket, your mobile phone
bills, etc. Imagine that public services like the GP, hospitals or your school
are of very poor quality and there is far too few for all people, and you have
to pay for it out of your pocket with the £1 a day. These are the challenges
the global poor living in the developing world every day.
I want to understand in my
research how regular cash transfers to this group of people affect their mental
health and physical health outcomes. Furthermore, how the effect on mental and
physical health relates to long term poverty alleviation. Mental health is a
state of emotional well-being. A mental health outcome can be how often you
were sad or felt restless the past week. Physical health is defined as a state
of physical well-being. A physical health outcome can be your blood pressure or
the number of health days in the past month. It is very likely that more income
through the cash transfer has an effect on both the mental health and the
physical health. Improving either is essential in helping the poor to improve
their lives and especially to help them to leave a state of poverty.
I look in my research at three
different countries namely Indonesia a South-East Asian country, South Africa a
sub-Saharan African country, and Mexico a Latin American country. I use large
datasets for each of these countries. The data entails information about the
mental health outcomes of the poor people such as depression or anxiety,
physical health outcomes such chronic diseases or blood pressure, and if the
person received a cash transfer. The same poor people are observed and
interviewed over several years and thus it is possible to identify changes in
health and poverty due to the cash transfers.
My
research is important as it is a unique project which sets poverty into the
light of both mental and physical health outcomes. Mental health is a strongly
neglected topic in international development policies, but mental health
problems are one of the leading causes of illnesses worldwide and especially in
the developing world. My research seeks to immediately address this gap, and to
provide an analysis which could be important for future development policies
centred on mental health.
GOING FURTHER
For updates on my research
activities, follow me on Twitter: @JWEO_O
To get more information about
mental health in developing countries, visit: http://www.who.int/mental_health/evidence/en/
And http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/may/10/mental-illness-developing-world
For information what we are up to
in the Manchester Centre for Health Economics, visit our website: http://www.population-health.manchester.ac.uk/healtheconomics/
or follow us on twitter: @HealthEcon_MCR
Introduction
My name is Charlotte Pelekanou and I am a PhD student at the
University of Manchester studying Circadian Biology (body clocks). Body clocks
are found in all body organs and gives time of day messages to lots of body
processes. Altering these clocks can lead to the development of obesity and
type 2 diabetes (when your body does not regulate your blood sugar properly).
Before starting my PhD, I did my undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences
and masters in Neuroscience research, both at the University of Manchester.
In Depth
Why am I interested
in body clocks?
When I tell people I research body clocks they always think
of sleep. However, over the last 50 years circadian biology has expanded
massively as more and more is found out about how the clock affects our body
functions.
I became interested
in the body clock because a family member had an illness that made them have
problems with their sleeping. I then found out in my undergraduate degree that
the body clock does more than regulate sleep; it also has effects on most
bodily functions including processing the food you eat, how your immune system
protects you and how you store memories.
I then chose to do a PhD on the effects of the clock on
obesity and diabetes as obesity is a growing issue in current society and it
costs the NHS a lot of money to treat patients who have health problems as a
result. I am also really interested in circadian biology itself as I like the
concept of ‘social jetlag’, where people are living in a different time to
their body clock, and how increased use of technology such as mobiles and iPads
in the evenings can lead to negative health effects and contribute to this rise
in obesity. I am also interested in the concept of chronotherapy which is looking
at how taking drugs at different times of day can have an effect on how well
the drug works. All of these make circadian biology a really exciting research
area.
What do I research
specifically?
During my PhD, I am looking at the clocks involved in metabolism
(how food is used to get energy) and the immune system and how altering them
can lead to negative effects on your body. Particularly, I’m looking at
inflammation in fat tissue caused by obesity and how it leads to the
development of type 2 diabetes. It has
already been found that people who work shifts, like doctors and nurses, can
have an increased risk of becoming obese and getting diabetes. This happens
because your internal timing is set to a different time to when you are
working, such as being awake and eating meals during the time your body wants
to be asleep. As we have already found that the body clock is linked to
metabolism and the immune system, we are looking for the specific pathways in
metabolism and the immune system that are linked to the body clock and how they
are changed with alterations in the body clock. We then want to see if we can
modulate the pathway to remove these effects of inflammation in obesity so that
fewer people would get diabetes from being obese.
Going Further
·
You can test when is the best times for
you to go to sleep and wake up: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sleep/crt/
·
You can look
up when is the best time to sleep, eat and exercise:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-27161671
·
Some excuses
to start school/work later:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PSZ76rFZS0&index=11&list=PL9uTU-SI30pTlVyigGcnvDgHpDAFo4AEP
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11851311/Staff-should-start-work-at-10am-to-avoid-torture-of-sleep-deprivation.html
·
Here are links to interviews with circadian researchers
at The University of Manchester
https://lsmanchesterblog.wordpress.com/2015/06/23/tuesday-feature-episode-17-qing-jun-meng/
https://lsmanchesterblog.wordpress.com/2015/06/16/tuesday-feature-episode-16-andrew-loudon/
Introduction
My name is Catalina Cimpoeru and I have recently graduated
from The University of Manchester with a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience. My
degree captivated me from the beginning, taking me from interesting facts
about the human brain to how we use our senses (vision, hearing, touch) and the
way medicines interact with our bodies to alleviate the pain. During my third and final year of study we
all had to carry out a project in order to complete our degrees. I based my
project on something that I think is very popular at the moment, which is
gaming, and what effect this has on people. More specifically, I was looking at
the impact video games had on people’s motor and visual skills, which is
basically the effect on our eyes and movement. I have also reviewed what role
technology and games have in rehabilitation treatments regarding movement
problems.
In depth
How did I decide on what to study?
When I was in high
school, I knew I wanted to study Science in University, but there were a lot of
courses involving science so I had to narrow it down to the things I enjoyed
studying the most. I decided then that I wanted to study something biology
related, which is part of the Faculty of Life Sciences. This helped me look at
the different courses that different universities have to offer in this area. I
chose a biological area specialising in the brain as I wanted something more specific
to focus on.
Why precisely the brain?
The brain is the most complex and outstanding organ in the
human body, weighting only 1.5 kg and having more than 86 billion neurons that
connect and work with our body to produce all our emotions, the languages we
speak, the tasks we carry out daily and so much more. The work that the
students and, more importantly, that the researchers carry out is aimed at
discovering how the human brain works. By discovering this, we find out what
each of the parts of the brain are involved in, what causes different
illnesses, to ultimately find a cure for them. The work researchers and their
students conduct is very important in order to improve and prolong human life.
Why video games?
Around seven in ten British households are
active video games players, from playing games on their smartphones to computer
games and PlayStation or Nintendo Wii. Does it have an impact on people that
play very often? Yes. This is what my research has looked at and what I have
written in my Literature Review, which is a piece of writing you submit prior
to your big final year project write-up. Research showed that active video
gamers have improved dexterity, finesse and speed of their hand movements. Data
was recorded using Microsoft Kinect, a technological tool that records and
traces your eye and hand movements whilst playing games. This tool was
initially released in 2010 as a
controller for Xbox 360, so for gaming purposes. Soon enough, its powerful
tracing sensors were discovered and it was introduced in science and research
clinical trials. It is now used in different areas of research such as computer
graphics, human-machine interaction, eye-hand coordination and rehabilitation
programs for motor diseases-Parkinson’s Disease, cerebral palsy. I soon found
out researchers demonstrated that using exergames (a type of video games
focusing on exercising) improved the patients’ hand movements and reduced
shakiness. Microsoft Kinect was also used to produce different educational
games for children with autism, dyslexia, ADHD in order to enhance eye-hand coordination, focal
attention and short-term memory.In my degree, especially in my
final year of study, I was able to choose my own topic for my project, which
combined two very important topics to me: science and technology. As we are all
aware of this, technology is a big part of people’s lives, both socially and
academically. Technology is fast making advances in science, with continuous
advances in prosthetics 3D printing and developing a needle-free kit for
diabetics by using patches instead.
What about the future?
After graduation, I have been working as an intern at
the University of Manchester. During my university degree I have been a very
active student ambassador, which already allowed me to have a taste of the work
field. I am not working in Science or in my domain at the moment (which is fine
if you aren’t!) but I plan to return to health/technology in the future. I still find it tremendously interesting and
I always keep updated with the new technologies used in medicine and neuroscience.
I have ‘’challenged the known and embraced the unknown’’; I wanted to try something
different - which is great because my degree equipped me with a wide set of
transferable skills that allows me to work in different areas!
Going further
For more information about the Life Sciences courses that
The University of Manchester offers, visit: http://www.ls.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/
For information about the research we carry out at the
University of Manchester, visit: http://www.ls.manchester.ac.uk/research/
For more information about different careers path you can follow
after graduating from a Life Sciences degree, visit: http://www.ls.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/careeropportunities/
For interesting facts about the brain,
visit: http://www.oddee.com/item_98246.aspx
For neuroscience news, you can visit:
http://neurosciencenews.com/ or http://www.bbc.com/future/tags/neuroscience
To find out more news about science,
visit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science
To find more news about technology
you can follow: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology
For medical technology news, follow: http://www.medgadget.com/