- An introduction to Psychology
Have you ever wondered why people around you act the way they do, or why you respond in a particular way to events in your life?
These are some of the questions that typically arise when we think about psychology in everyday terms - but in reality, psychologists look at behaviour in a far richer and deeper scientific way.
From the action of chemicals in our neurons, and the function of specific brain structures, to perception, emotion and complex behaviours like falling in love or making friends; all of this is included in what psychology explores as a discipline. Whether you have studied psychology before or not, this taster will introduce you to the way that we uncover the ‘secrets’ behind human behaviour at degree level, the techniques we use as psychological scientists, and the brain and body structures that make us act the way we do.
- An introduction to Health and Medical Sciences
When someone experiences a serious injury, how far do the effects extend beyond the injury itself?
James was involved in a serious road traffic collision, which left him with a spinal cord injury. When you hear about these situations, you often think about how the damage occurred and what impact the damage will have on James, but the implications of a road traffic collision extend much further than the patient.
In health and medical sciences, you learn through investigating health problems using the biopsychosocial model, which allows you to consider the problem from a biological, psychological, sociocultural, local and global level. This taster session will allow you to explore the case from multiple viewpoints gaining a holistic understanding of James’ situation and how this may impact his health outcomes.
- An introduction to Biomedical and Neuroscience
How can advances in genetics transform the treatment of previously devastating diseases?
Until recently, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) was the second most common genetic cause of infant death in the UK. SMA has a carrier frequency of 1 in 50 adults and an incidence of 1 in 10,000 births. We now have three approved therapies, all of which have pushed the boundaries of medical science and had a significant impact on the lives and wellbeing of children and families affected by SMA.
In this taster session we will explore the biology behind SMA and examine one of its most exciting treatments, Zolgensma, a viral gene therapy that has led some clinicians to believe the disease may be curable. This session will be delivered by Prof Philip Young, a neuroscientist and SMA researcher.
- An introduction to Biochemistry
Can artificial intelligence help us solve one of biology’s most complex problems: predicting the structure of proteins?
For decades, one of the major challenges facing biochemists has been predicting a protein's three-dimensional structure from its amino acid sequence. Traditionally, determining these structures experimentally can be costly and time-consuming, creating challenges for areas such as drug discovery.
In this session, you'll explore why protein structure matters, discover some of the techniques scientists use to investigate it, and consider how artificial intelligence is dramatically accelerating the process. You'll finish by looking ahead to how AI could transform drug discovery and the pharmaceutical industry.
- An introduction to Biological Sciences
Did you know that some of the world’s most important carbon stores are hidden beneath our feet?
In this session, you’ll explore the fascinating science of peatlands and discover how plants, microbes and water interact to store carbon and influence our climate. Using real-world examples, you’ll investigate how human activity can disrupt these important ecosystems, contributing to carbon emissions, biodiversity loss and climate change.
You’ll also take your learning outdoors, using ecological survey techniques to estimate how much carbon is stored in trees on campus. This hands-on activity will give you an insight into how environmental scientists measure carbon capture and investigate the role ecosystems can play in tackling climate change.
How can different areas of science work together to help us understand how life on Earth really works?
Students on the Integrated Natural Sciences course learn how to explore this fundamental question by drawing freely on skills in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and computing. This enables them to think creatively and quantitatively about real scientific problems, and to solve the most important questions in biomedicine at scales from atoms to cells to whole organisms.
During this workshop, you’ll get a flavour of our inter-disciplinary approach by investigating a gene’s sequence from molecular, evolutionary and functional perspectives, gaining a deeper understanding of its importance to living organisms. Whether you’re curious about chemical reactions inside cells, computational modelling of biological processes, or the physics of life at the molecular level, this session will give you a window into what it’s like to tackle big questions without boundaries in science.
