A unique year for a UNIQ experience!
16 July 2020
Tiffany Chan and Claudia Fraser were two of our fantastic tutors who helped ensure the UNIQ Oncology Summer School happened in the midst of a pandemic.
Extending outreach to a global audience
4 June 2020
A week ago I found myself on Skype to a group of school students in Houston, Texas. Not something I had expected to be doing this year, but a lot of this year is not as I expected...
I can’t see you; I can’t hear you; how do I engage you?
21 April 2020
Working from home is a lonely business, so the chance to meet and engage people with our science was too good to pass up. Schools and work places are not the only places that have to operate remotely. Across the UK clubs, societies and groups are using the internet to keep their interests alive.
Prostate Cancer – March 2020
4 April 2020
For prostate cancer awareness month, we focus on the work of Dr Valentine Macaulay.
Brain tumours; like finding a needle in a haystack?!
31 March 2020
For Brain Tumour Awareness Month, Vanessa Johanssen talks about her work and how their research has helped to find brain tumours when they're small enough to treat.
Discovering Common Ground
11 March 2020
Last April we joined forces with Corpus Christi College and visited Crewe to talk to students there about the impact of maths in materials and cancer research. We met Sarah Stubington and discovered that a shared love of science can create common ground. Sarah shared her perspective of our meeting.
Physics in Medicine
24 February 2020
When Pratik Samant was in secondary school, he had two great loves: physics and medicine, in that order. It seemed to him at the time, that these were polar opposites. When Pratik chose to study physics, that meant leaving medicine behind, of course, they’re different fields! That was 6 years ago, Pratik now reflects that would surprise his younger self to learn that in 2020, he would work in a hospital.
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
11 February 2020
On the 11th of February 2020, we celebrate the fifth International Day of Women and Girls in Science as recognised and implemented by the United Nations General Assembly. This day aims to raise awareness of the biases and gender stereotypes that deter women and girls from STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) related fields, as well as promote equal access to and participation in STEM education and professions for girls and women. I reached out to fellow students in the Department of Oncology for their views on women and girls in STEM and for them to spotlight a woman in science who has influenced them.
Super Science Saturday
26 November 2019
Cancer science amidst the oceans – how could we possibly fit our work into the theme of Oceans?
Fair tests and...fruit!
11 November 2019
On 8 November, OCTO Trial Management Director Sarah Pearson and Trial Manager Naomi McGregor joined children from Dr South’s primary school to explore some aspects of the work carried out by the Oncology department during the school’s science week earlier this month.
A gut feeling for cancer treatment
14 October 2019
The bacteria that inhabit our gut – the gut microbiome - could have profound impact on our health. The species that live in our guts influence the development of neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer disease, Parkinson’s disease), epilepsy, autoimmune disease, and cancer.4 They may also be helping shape whether our treatments work.
Exploring promising approaches for colorectal cancer
24 September 2019
On World Cancer Research Day, Sylvana talks about research into colorectal cancer, one of the most common cancers in the world.
In the right place …
9 August 2019
When people don’t know they’ve supported your work, how do you say ‘Thank you!’? Obviously, you can hold a celebration event. Publicise widely, invite people in. Sweeten the offer with nibbles?
Two worlds collide – dark and light blue worlds meet.
26 June 2019
In my spare time, I work for the RAF Air Cadets as a volunteer instructor. It’s challenging, rewarding and fun, but it’s not often that the light blue of the RAF is seen on the Old Road Campus.
Chocolate is not just for eating – it can be inspiring
6 June 2019
Engaging people with our science is a job for all. We have some amazing people in Oncology and some of them are not afraid to get out of their comfort zone. In this blog, Roxy Peerless, from our finance group, shows once again that public engagement is not just for scientists.
Oncology Open Day
16 May 2019
On Wednesday the 3rd of April 2019, myself and 30 other students, from Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School, attended the Oxford University Oncology Open Day at the Cancer Research Centre, Oxford.